[finalstarman]

Hello there, longtime lurker on here, first time poster.


I recently bought my first projector, and am hooked. There's no going back now. Unfortunately, I haven't yet bought my first screen. I'm trying to go cheap, but I have a few requirements that are making that difficult. Specifically, I need a screen that's motorized (by remote, preferably, for the missus), and I've read enough horror stories about waves that I would like it to be tensioned, and 106".


There are a bunch of screens available on places like eBay or HTDepot or similar that are below $600 and meet the above requirements. My issue is none of them are simple white matte with a gain of 1.0-1.2. This is where my question comes in:


Would it be possible to buy one of these cheap screens, and, if the screen material isn't satisfactory, buy some better screen material and replace it?


I have experience with DIYing various things, and know people who could sew. I just haven't examined a tension based projector so I don't know if the screen material itself is feasible to swap out with higher quality stuff.


I does seem possible to DIY a motorized tensioned screen from scratch, but I would like to get to using my projector sooner than later (and have many other projects already), and if it is possible to cannibalize a cheap motorized tensioned screen it might be worth trying, given that the screen may end up being perfectly fine out of the box.


Any thoughts?

 

[eyeage30]

Well, I would contact Benito from AV Science, and tell him what you're looking for. For the frustration, time, and cost of DIY motorized screen you can probably just buy one

 

[finalstarman]

Thanks for the reply. I know a total DIY is a lot of work for this, which is why I was thinking of going with one of the cheap motorized tensioned screens from eBay or other wholesale-types.


My issue is I can't find any that have the screen material I want, and I was wondering if I bought one and the tension system and motor works but the screen material isn't to my liking if it may be reasonable to remove the screen and change it with some other material. That way I could keep the motor/remote and tension system and not have to DIY those more troublesome parts. Of course, the screen may end up being fine out of the box, in which case it would be an all around win.


There are a few under $600 screens I was considering. Focupix has a white matte 1.4 gain one, but I've heard some horror stories about them. An ebay seller has a 1.1 gain grey and a 1.4 gain perlux screen for ~$300. All tensioned and motorized.


Just a bit bout my setup - I'm going to be using a Epson 7500UB, basically ceiling mounted about 14' away onto a 106" screen. Needs to be able to work in ambient light, but also work well in controlled light for critical viewing. Making a mock 1.0 gain white screen got me pretty satisfied in both of those criteria, but I'm a little weary of a 1.4 gain creating color-shifts/hot spots/lowered contrast in controlled lighting. I tried a .8 gain grey sample patch during my testing and really wasn't happy with the color shifts [and to a lesser extent, the reduced brightness on whites].


I'll look into contacting Benito. Thanks again for the info.

 

[MississippiMan]

You obviously haven't seen how a Tab Tensioned Screen is constructed.


The "Tabs" would need to be sewn into the new material. All the Threading that goes into/between the Tabs would have to be tensioned to be exactly suited for the material so your measurements would have to be insanely precise.

It's a crazy mad consideration. Certainlly nothing to be gotten into if the size you want falls within normal Mfg dictates.


Simply get the least expensive Tab tensioned Screen that fits your size needs, and then Spray it with a more desirable coating. THAT has been done before...several times in fact. so it's something that comes in as a known value. For ridiculously less than having a Custom made Tab Tensioned Screen mmade up...because that is the only way you'll get a Ambient light Screen made up that is also Tab Tensioned.


You can make it though....

After all...this is the DIY Screen Forum, and as long as your making a Mfg Screen into something better by painting...your qualifying for DIY'er status.

 

[bassco]

Is something like this going to be wavy?

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-106-Motorize...ht_4042wt_1163

 

[wazzul]

What did you end up going with? I too have just put up my first projector and found an old Da Lite pull down from craigslist. Looks good but of course it's old and has waves in it. So I've been pricing motorized screens and very curious if I can change the specifications of the screen if I don't want to spend the extra money up front. perhaps getting a white screen then painting it grey to increase contrast.

Would love too hear from people that have painted over a manufacturers screen to see how it worked? I figure the paint would crack or peel over time.