Anyone with an Elite CineTension or any Elite screen?

I think you're being a little paranoid. Try this experiment. Get a piece of 2x4 from the lumber yard and a 3/8" dia x 3-1/2" long lag screw. Drill a pilot hole through the long axis of the stud then screw in the lag screw, leaving about 1/2" sticking out betwen the head of the screw and the stud. Now get a pair of pliers and try to pull the lag screw out. Remember, most of the load on the lag screw will be shear loads. As for the large size hole in the bracket, use a washer to span the hole in bracket. The most worrisome problem is finding the studs and making sure your holes are centered. I would use slightly longer lag screws when attaching the brackets to the wall to compensate for the sheet rock and bracket thickness but not so long that the screw sticks out the other side of the stud.

I've hung a 70+lb "painting" (it's actually a mat of Gotham city that was used in the second Batman movie) by supporting the frame on a piece of wood held in place by 2 screws into studs.

I don't think you'll have a problem if you can actually get the brackets into the studs. The issue is that Studs are never where you need them, when I hung my screen from the ceiling I had to run a piece of wood accross the studs, because the studs were in the worst place possible relative to where I wanted them.

I'll echo what the others have said. I have the TE100HG and you're right, it's pretty heavy and the mounting instructions are very poor. I mounted a block of wood at either end of the screen into the wall studs and mounted the screen onto the wood blocks. It works fine. I would not mount the screen into drywall, though. Good luck.

I have one of those screens!

I didn't use the anchor that came with it. I went to Lowes and purchased a 5/16" x 4" lag bolts and washers. I bolted the L-brackets directly onto the studs of my ceiling. It's not going anywhere.

The Elite CineTension screens actually have a good mounting system. There's a rail that goes throughout the entire length of the screen and the bolts glide through this rail at any point. You mount the L-brackets on studs and attach the screen on the brackets.

good luck!

jluspo:

Which screen do you have? Does the tension system work okay? NO waves?

Hi Geo:

I'm also interested in the Cinetension screen. How does it work? NO waves? I see you have the high gain screen. I have light beige walls and ceiling so my preference would be the high contrast grey screen to mitigate any reflected light from the walls and ceiling.

Hi Drewman75:

Glad to hear you like your screen. I just ordered a 92" Cinetension HC1 from Jason (AVS) so I'm hoping for the same great results you got.

I have the EliteScreen CineTension model TE100HC1. The HC means it the "high-contrast" grey version and the 1 at the end means it series 2 (series 1 didn't have the extension). The tension system works okay and there are no waves on the screen when the tension cable is properly stretched! Too loose or too tight and it will have waves.

Bottom line is I'm fairly satisfied.

Hi jluspo:

I ordered the TE92HC1 from Jason at AVS. Got a good price too! Since I ordered the same high contrast grey screen material as you, how do you like the image?

I've read the Elite owner's manual on their website and they say the tension system comes optimally set from the factory. Are you saying you had to adjust yours?

I have my screen installed in my family room - read poor ambient light control. It was suggested that I get the high contrast model. Not having seen other screens, I am very satisfied with the image. When we're watching movies in the evening, i get lost to the fact that I'm watching on a projection system because the colors are so vivid and life-like that it is comparable to my other HD TV (Mits 55" CRT). By the way, I'm using an Optoma HD72 projector.


Not knowing that it's "optimally" set, I adjusted one side of the screen to get the kinks out. I don't know if you know but the tension "cable" is simply a nylon line that pulls the screen from side-to-side. A quick turn of a knob either loosens or tightens this cable.

I just ordered a Mits HC3000U from Jason. It won't be as bright as your HD72 but supposedly the blacks on the Mits are better. Glad to hear you like your Elite a lot. Yeah, my room isn't a cave either so there are some compromises which I hope the high contrast screen will mitigate.

Thanks!

Hi FremontRich,

I have no waves except for one little one in the very lower left of the screen. When I lower the screen, I can smooth it with my hand and I could probably adjust the tension, but I just haven't done so. When you get your screen, be sure to go to the Elite website and make sure you have the right mounting instructions. Mine came with the wrong instructions. Further, and I'm not trying to scare you or anything, when I finally got the screen mounted and connected the control box, the first time I used the remote to lower the screen, the control box sparked and popped and it started smoking. Elite replaced the box and I think they had included the wrong connectors with the original order. Make sure your connecting wires are the specified length; connect the control box; hit the remote and stand back! lol Seriously, once everything was mounted, I'm very happy with the screen.

Thanks, Geo. I hope my initial use of my Elite isn't as exciting as yours!

Which material is your screen? How big!

I have the 100" in the high gain material. I'm very happy with it and have no hotspotting. It also has a very wide viewing angle and I can stand off to the side of the screen with virtually no loss of light. My PJ is the 900U. Good luck with yours. All in all, I think Elite is a pretty good value in a tensioned screen.

Interesting, Geo. Is your 900U in a dedicated HT? You don't have any problems with ambient light reflected back to your screen? Mine's a multiuse room so the walls and ceiling are light beige so that's why I chose the high contrast gray to mitigate any reflected light back to the screen.

Mine is in a dedicated room, but I don't have total light control. Also, the screen lowers in front of a 4' x 8' window, so most of my viewing is at night. During the day with the blinds drawn the picture is watchable, but not nearly as good as at night. This is the only screen I've ever owned and the only other one I've ever even seen is a Greyhawk at Magnolia HT at Best Buy, so I have very little to compare it with. I just know I'm happy with it. For all I know, there could be other combinations that blow it away, but I'm not going to worry about it as long as I'm happy. The walls in my room are a medium brown and the carpeting is beige.

Thanks, Geo. I'm hoping that my combination will make me happy too!

My CineTension High Contrast Gray screen has arrived!! But I'm a little puzzled by the hardware which came with it. The aluminum bolts with both ends threaded can accept a round nut and a hex hd nut. My question is which nut goes to the screen and which to the hanger. Both fit either so I'm confused! BTW, the screen is heavy!!

Thanks, Drewman75. Yeah, I'm lag bolting my screen to wall studs and I also am using L brackets and I figure the weight on each bracket will be around 25 pounds. I live in California, aka earthquake country, so lots of shaking going on sometimes so I don't want the screen falling down!...

BTW, what size lag bolts did you use? I"m using 5/16" dia x 3-1/2" long ones.

How do you actually adjust the drop? It says 18" drop standard but I get about 8inchfor mine at the moment. The instructions does not say anything about the drop too..

Oliver

I'm looking forward to being happy with the screen.

We got the screen (TE106HC1) mounted, connected to the control box, and the first time we used the remote to lower the screen, nothing happened. At all. Dead control box. No signs of life whatsoever.

- Kim

I'm interested in ordering one of these. I have a Benq 8700 dlp and it's almost light controlled in a basement room, ceiling mounted. I plan to upgrade to a 1080p projector as soon as the prices drop (another year or so?) and was wondering if you think the new projectors will negate the need for a high contrast screen?
Can you give a link to who you bought from if you recommend them?
Thanks.

I just bought the 92" HDTV (16:9) Matte White Cinetension screen from projector.com. It was just delivered yesterday and I have not yet had a chance to install it. I did open the box and look at the parts. I agree with the other posters. The directions are very poor. The included hardware is not adequate. The L brackets (3 of them) are nice and strong, but the woodscrews with drywall anchors are not enough to support this heavy of a screen. I will be using larger lag screws to install the screen this weekend. I can't speak for the operation of the screen yet, but I will re-post after installation. I won't be able to talk about the performance of the screen with a projector, as I won't have my projector (HD1000U) in operation for several more weeks (basement under construction). I am installing the screen early because I am building a valance around it that attaches to some built-in bookcases/entertainment center. I got the matte white because my research about this screen showed that alot of people thought the Elite gray screen was took dark. I wanted a universal screen with a wide viewing angle that I can use in both dark and light conditions. I hope I made the right choice, only time will tell.

I attempted to install my screen this weekend. While the box was not damaged, I noticed that one of the straps that is suppose to keep the bottome of the screen in place (within the case) during shipping was broken. As a result, the screen was off center and slightly jammed inside the casing. I installed the screen on my wall, which was relatively easy, but was done by trial and error since the instructions were worthless. I lowered the screen and immmediately noticed several defects. First and foremost, there was a tear/cut in the matte white portion of the screen approx. 1 inch long. Second, the side black borders were extremely wrinkled. Third, the tension cord was frayed. Fourth, there were black specks that appeared to be like overspray on the matte white portion of the screeen. Fifth, the upper black drop was discolored and varied in light and dark black stripes. To say the least I was very disappointed. I am currently trying to get a RMA from Elite. I just hope this was an abnormality and my replacement screen is better quality.

Oliverlin, I just adjusted the drop on my TE106HW1. E-mail techsupport at Elite and they will send you the instructions. You must drill a 1/4 inch hole on the bottom of the case 1 inch back and in line with the up limit adjustment. Insert a 5/32 allen wrench in the adjuster. Turn it clockwise to lower the screen more and counterclockwise to shorten the drop. When you see the picture on the instructions what I am telling you will make sense. A helpful hint when you go to adjust it, I was having trouble finding the adjuster with the allenwrench, I got out my telescopic mirror and put it inside the case and was able to see the adjuster. It is almost impossible to get the wrench in the adjuster without a mirror. Call Elite and Johnny Juarez at ex. 202 will help you.

Thanks! Johnny send me the diagram. I will try it out this weekend. I was really surprised that drilling was required though. Just to confirm that I read the instructions right.

1. Raise the screen. Turn it clockwise a couple of turns to lower it. Then lower the screen rightto the bottom. It should go lower by a bit.

2. Raise the screen the repeat 1 if you want it to go lower still.

Did you lower it to the max? I was worried I might adjust it over the maximum and run into some problems... Also did the tension have to adjusted when you did this.

Thanks
Oliver

Oliverlim, I raised mine so I only have a 4" drop. You are correct, to lower it turn the adjuster clockwise. You should measure the drop each time to make sure you do not run it to low. I think Johnny told me there is 18 " max of drop.