NEW SMX 4-Way Masking Screen 2.0 Aspect Ratio!
I wanted to make a quick post saying what a FANTASTIC job Ruben and the SMX guys did with my screen install.
My original screen in my theater was a 14' Wide Scope Fixed Screen. Like all projects, when I originally started my theater I wanted a masking screen. But by the end of the project I was triple my original budget and some things had to be sacrificed. The screen was the easiest place to cut since it was one of the last things to be installed and I could easily upgrade it later.
After waiting almost exactly 2 years I was ready to make the change. Fortunately, I waited beacuse my desires for what shape and size of screen I wanted did too. I originally wanted to install a 2-way masking scope screen so I could mask down for 1.78 and 1.33.
Since that time some nice little additions came along, 2 big ones. 3D and DPs ILM. With ILM I could now adjust my lens to allow me to have the best possible size for every format. This is the reason I chose a 2.0 aspect ratio. After living with my scope screen for 2 years, i fould that I watched nearly all 16:9 content streched because I did not want to have such a smaller 16:9 image.
With the 2.0 aspect ratio the overall image area is 14' wide by 7' high. Nor only did this almost completely use up all the front wall space but it allows me the choice of either a 14' Wide Scope image or a 12' Wide 16:9 image. and what a huge difference the 16:9 image is!! Especially with 3D.
In a matter of about 3 weeks me and Ruben had worked out all the details of the screen right down to planning how to get it into the room and install it will basically less than 1" of space on either side. The only thing I wanted to make sure of was that the screen was installed prior to Thanksgiving. Ruben, knowing what a tight schedule they were already under with other screens promised it would be done in time.
Ruben insisted that he send a crew up to help with the installation! I was glad he did. Especially when I saw all of the parts. It reminded me of what my parents must have been thinking on Christmas eve when I was little and the would sit down to put together a bicycle or some other toy with a million pieces and limited time!
Well Ruben's guys left south florida and headed up to the panhandle at 430am Wednesday morning. (Thanksgiving eve) They arrived at about 430pm my time and the install began. No minor undertaking, especially working with no extra space to move around the screen and it weighing almost 500lbs. Well thru lots of creative planning and a little onsite ingenuity the scren was hanging and functioning at 1:00am. (Thanksgiving morning) Then his installers cleaned up, and headed straight back to south Florida. Leaving me with an absoluetly perfect installation.
I used their new 4K material which has a slight negative gain but gives an absolutely solid looking image. I can not see a perferation when im just over 3 feet from the screen.
Anyone considering a screen upgrade at all should really look hard at SMX. Thruout the entire project there was never one time when I could not reach Ruben. And he follows thru completely when he says he will do something. I doubt my theater screen will ever change again, atleast no time in the near future. But if I ever did Im sure it would be an SMX screen!!
Thanks again Ruben and SMX Screens for all of your help!!!
2.40 Aspect Ratio 170" x 71"
1.78 Aspect (LARGE) 144" x 81"
1.78 Aspect (SMALL) 126" x 71" - This was the size of my 16:9 image when I was restricted to the height of the 14' Wide Scope screen.
1.33 Aspect 108" x 81"
There are alot more pics of the screen installation on my theater build thread!
