Swinging up a fixed screen - any problems?  

DIY screens can be much lighter.

Also, if one uses stretcher bars, hinges and springs should be pretty simple to implement.

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Ken Elliott

Hi,

you should have bought a tensioned screen. I know these are much more expensive, but IMHO the absolute flat surface is worth the extra money.

I am owner of a Da-Lite Tensioned Cosmopolitan.

Emil

Dennis,

I'll be glad to actually address your question. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif

I have a 92" X 52" fixed screen and I've done exactly what you've asked. My screen probably weighs about 35lbs. and I have seen no signs of a problem. A friend in this area has also used this method for 1 1/2 years with no problems. It would be best if you can set it up so that you are lagging into the joists above (as opposed to drywall). Mine is mounted to the wall at the top and swings up to connect to hooks that are lagged into floor joists. Hope this helps.

I also have a screen that swings up to the ceiling. I used a Dalite screen called the "wraparound". In this screen, the viewing serface comes all away to the edge of the frame, there is no border at all. What this allows, since I have my screen mounted some one to two feet off the wall (it sits at an angle) is for the image to appear to be floating in midair. Any over scan, or spillage of light, is only seen on a brick wall far in the background. In effect it is completely unnoticeable, less noticeable in fact, then the excess light on the black border of my standard screen that I used prior to this one. As mentioned in other posts, my screen is also extremely lightweight, perfectly flat, and I made a custom-made box on the ceiling out of nicely stained 2 by 4's which keeps dust out when folded up. I custom-made my own hinge mechanism, but it was extremely easy. I'm surprised more people don't use this method. I personally do not like the black borders, and in my application and room the black borders added unacceptable width to the screen that made it hard get my speakers where I wanted them.

Good luck

Jeff

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Jeff Smith

[This message has been edited by Jeff Smith (edited 11-26-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Jeff Smith (edited 11-26-2000).]

Dennis,

Just to comment on your choice of screen. I have the exact 4:3 size you are looking for in the M2500. It's a tab-tensioned Premier electric screen from Draper. It stays perfectly flat always, and easily hangs from the ceiling with 2 S-hooks (it's heavy so joists are recommended), or mounts into the corner against the wall. I've used it both ways.

The problem is, after a while, the structure of the screen started to bother me (you can see certain areas of the screen in bright scenes). This, coupled with the fact that I wanted to go to 16:9 at 96" width, I've temporarily set up a simple "black-out cloth" which works surprisingly well.

I don't know if the newer M2500 material is any different (I bought mine over 3 years ago). There are threads on this particular subject elsewhere. Just wanted you to be aware of this issue. Otherwise, it does provide good brightness and better contrast than a flat gain screen (which I miss). If you are really settled on this screen, I'm wanting to sell mine, though I can't imagine how one would ship the thing. I don't have the original box. You can email me if want.

Carey