[MississippiMan]

Prof,


If you are indeed getting such excellent Blacks, then look to the possibility that your gain on the semi-gloss melamine is really starting out at just over 1.0, and the addition of the Top Coat of Poly Acrylic Matte is diffusing the reflectivity of that surface, thereby lessening the gain, and deepening the Black levels through attenuation.


That would preclude the possibility of the screen being 1.3 gain.


Validate this by taking a piece of uncoated melamine, hit it with a image with lots of Black (Underworld Evolution) and note the difference between that piece and your coated version.


Your one of the few people we all can count on as being subjective in your reasoning, and powers of observation.


In any case, the use of melamine is an old one, left mostly unappreciated and underutilized due to it's sheen issues. Once those issues are brought under control, it serves well as a white reflective surface. Only the weight factor of melamine usually being laminated onto 1/2" or thicker MDF or HDF boards create any other undesirable factors. Recently, melamine coated 1/8" hardboard has been used to great effect under these and similar coated circumstances.

 

[Prof.]

MM..

Quote:
Originally Posted by MississippiMan /forum/post/0


If you are indeed getting such excellent Blacks, then look to the possibility that your gain on the semi-gloss melamine is really starting out at just over 1.0, and the addition of the Top Coat of Poly Acrylic Matte is diffusing the reflectivity of that surface, thereby lessening the gain, and deepening the Black levels through attenuation.


That would preclude the possibility of the screen being 1.3 gain..

I would have thought that the uncoated Melamine would have a higher gain than 1.0, since it has a satin sheen and hot-spots badly..

Quote:
Originally Posted by MississippiMan /forum/post/0


Validate this by taking a piece of uncoated melamine, hit it with a image with lots of Black (Underworld Evolution) and note the difference between that piece and your coated version...

I tried this last night..I placed the uncoated panel near the bottom right hand corner of the screen, so as not to introduce any hot-spotting, and froze an image that had some really strong blacks..

I could barely see any difference..If anything the uncoated piece showed slightly better blacks than the screen..

.

I believe the clear acrylic top coat materials are NOT crystal clear by their inherent makeup,( although the one I've used is one of the clearest I've seen and is supposedly guaranteed not to yellow) and whilst they do have some diffusing effect, they also tend to slightly mute the colour spectrum...

But at the same time, light transmission through the coating allows the reflective nature of the substrate to come through, thereby helping to maintain overall gain...In a similar manner as when using a white top coated mirror screen..



.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MississippiMan /forum/post/0


Only the weight factor of melamine usually being laminated onto 1/2" or thicker MDF or HDF boards create any other undesirable factors. Recently, melamine coated 1/8" hardboard has been used to great effect under these and similar coated circumstances.

I agree with you there...I could only get the Melamine board in 16mm. thickness, and it weighs a ton...

If you are able to get Melamine coated hardboard over there, then that would certainly make it a better choice...

 

[MAZMAN808]

Prof.

Glad to see you have almost setup your system and that your very happy with it

Just to mention, when i rolled my clear coat, i had my board down on the floor, so it was much easier to apply even if too much applied, as it wouldnt drip anywhere.


To this day, i still love it and dont see improving on it at all, thats how happy i am with the screen.

I get mates over and they cant believe its just a plain jane board when i tell them, they ask me how much did i pay for the screen before i let them know lol.


I was in the same situation where i couldnt find anything thinner in the same material, and yes, very heavy i guess, but in my situation it doesnt bother me too much, i dont move it around that often once i have it setup.


Im glad you like it and stoked that someone else had a go with it and is impressed, as much as i am, and your welcome with my heads up regarding it, glad to have helped

Ill await for some pictures when you get a chance, cant wait.


P.S. i have just put remote control track on my curtains, and now use my all in one remote to control masking, im loving it hehe.

 

[Prof.]



Quote:
Originally Posted by MAZMAN808 /forum/post/0


Just to mention, when i rolled my clear coat, i had my board down on the floor, so it was much easier to apply even if too much applied, as it wouldnt drip anywhere..

Yes, I did a similar thing.. placing the Melamine sheet face up on trestles..I think doing it that way just helped to get a nice even coat.


I had a test viewing of the new theatre the other night, with just family and a friend..

The opening movie was "Pearl Harbour", and it was brilliant...both sound and vision..

I had also setup the Anamorphic lens and it was the first time I'd seen that movie in full Cinemascope, and it was breath taking...


My sister, who had seen movies on my previous screen, was blown away by how much better the new screen looked...and how much better the new theatre sounded.

My friend, who has two 42" Plasma's and virtually no interest in home theatre said "I've got to get me one of these theatre setups"...which is quite a compliment coming from him..


I've had a dose of Flue lately, so everythings come to a halt...

When I get back on track again, I'll get some shots for you..


I'm interested to hear more about your remote masking idea...Any pics of the setup?

 

[jacem]

Mazman and Prof.


Looking at getting a melemine sheet from bunnings myself. Do either of you two know if i can get the same spec sheet but thinner? 16mm is gonna be WAAY to heavy for my setup.

 

[Prof.]

jacem,


I've never seen the Melamine sheets in anything other than 16mm.thick..

It's not overly heavy, and two men can easily lift an 8'x4' sheet..


I though it was going to be too heavy for my setup, since I was using almost a full sheet for the screen, but it mounted no problems at all..


If you're planning on mounting it to a plaster wall, or a timber frame screenwall, a French cleat mounting will hold it very securely..

 

[dexx]



Quote:
Originally Posted by jacem /forum/post/11268555


Mazman and Prof.


Looking at getting a melemine sheet from bunnings myself. Do either of you two know if i can get the same spec sheet but thinner? 16mm is gonna be WAAY to heavy for my setup.

The melamine coating on Bunnings 3mm thick masonite sheets looks the same as on their 16mm boards. A bonus is that the 8' x 4' masonite sheets are only $20.

 

[dexx]

Does anyone know of an Australian retailer that sells the melamine boards in sheets larger than 2400x1200? Eg 2400x1800.

 

[Prof.]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dexx /forum/post/11432325


The melamine coating on Bunnings 3mm thick masonite sheets looks the same as on their 16mm boards. A bonus is that the 8' x 4' masonite sheets are only $20.

The only white finished masonite boards that I've seen at Bunnings are prepainted..

If it has slight sheen and a fine stipple finish, then it's the same as the 16mm. boards..

Otherwise you may not get the same result..

 

[MAZMAN808]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Prof. /forum/post/11267591


I'm interested to hear more about your remote masking idea...Any pics of the setup?

Sorry for the late reply, was going to capture it on video but never got around to it.

Im using velour curtains, and have stuck black velvet along the edges of the curtains, so if the light was to overscan, it would not be seen.


And im using this remote system curtain track
http://www.smarthome.com.au/content/...tProductID=601


It was easy to do, and does the job i required.

Comes with IR remote and manual remote, so ive just made my all in one remote learn it and now dont need the remote.

I found a good deal on it from ebay, was less then half the price then as advertised on that link!


I have made a quick video of it, sorry for the poor quality, the camera doesnt like the dark room enviroment, as my room is fairly dark even during daylight, but gives you the idea...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qflCNLgOWj4

 

[Prof.]

Very cool MAZMAN.. That's exactly what I would like to put in my theatre..

Does it have preset stops for various aspect ratio's, or do you stop it manually?


I've just found this on ebay.. http://cgi.*********.au/ws/eBayISAPI...MEWA:IT&ih=018

Looks to be the same sort of thing and very reasonably priced..

If the link doesn't work, just copy and paste the item number..


I'm sending you a PM..

 

[willise]

I had an old piece of melamine particle board in the garage, so I dusted it off and place it next to my GrayHawk II screen with my HD70. I think it looks great, much more vibrant than my GrayHawk.


I know that you used matte poly on your screen to reduce hot spotting, but I can only find satin finish poly. Would that be ok or should I hunt for the matte finish again?


Thanks!!!

 

[dthibode]

I know this thread is a little old, but I just wanted to mention that yesterday I picked up a 4x8 sheet of Melamine from our local Home Depot and it looks great compared to the BOC screen I did. I'll have to watch it for a little while to determine if I need a matte acrylic or not over the top. For now it looks great, and I'm using a Barco Graphics 808 crt projector. I wonder if the hotspots people are seeing is due to use brighter dlp projectors? The BG808 runs 1200 lumens, although I think I have the brightness a little lower too.


Thanks for the tip on the Melamine board!

 

[quantumstate]

What the heck is Melamine? Some kind of Australian jam?

 

[tiddler]



Quote:
Originally Posted by quantumstate /forum/post/15803099


What the heck is Melamine? Some kind of Australian jam?

Melamine is used to make laminate materials like Formica . Many people use the word melamine when refereing to laminate counter top materials. You can buy sheet material at stores like Lowes and Home Depot that already have a hardened surface like laminate. People also refere to these sheet products as melamine.

 

[natemu06]

I am looking into a DIY screen and it seems like melamine would be extremely simple. If you had to choose between melamine and laminate which would you choose? I will be watching in a completely dark room and color accuracy and deep blacks are important to me. It seems like this thread sounds like melamine is the easiest and maybe one of the best DIY options and I was just wondering how it would compare to what I was considering, the gray laminate that has been tested on the forum. Any thoughts?

 

[HDGTX]

Tiddler or MMan,


In the US, is the "Thrifty White Board" (TWB) the product you are speaking which that has a 1/8" hardboard backing & a shiney vinyl layer on top ? This product needs painting with a clear coat to reduce glare (what is it) ?


How does that combo Compared to Do-Able board ?


John

 

[dthibode]



Quote:
Originally Posted by HDGTX /forum/post/15810686


Tiddler or MMan,


In the US, is the "Thrifty White Board" (TWB) the product you are speaking which that has a 1/8" hardboard backing & a shiney vinyl layer on top ? This product needs painting with a clear coat to reduce glare (what is it) ?


How does that combo Compared to Do-Able board ?


John

I saw something similar to this at Home Depot, not sure if it's TWB or not, but it was the same thickness you mention and was way too reflective. It was near the door/window trim area.


The Melamine has more of a matte type finish the downside is that it's 3/4" and very heavy! I run a crt projector rated at 1200 lumens and after an hour of viewing last night I think I'll need to put one or two coats of clear matte acrylic over it to dim it down a little. I think my blacks suffered slightly versus my BOC screen I had before. I'd rather deal with this than the BOC though. I spent hours getting it stretched right only to have it develop wrinkles after a few weeks. I also like that this material is so durable, I won't worry about my kids touching it. Just spray it with some windex and wipe it clean.

 

[natemu06]

How do you think the blacks would compare with a melamine to the gray laminate everyone uses?

 

[dthibode]



Quote:
Originally Posted by natemu06 /forum/post/15812218


How do you think the blacks would compare with a melamine to the gray laminate everyone uses?

I'm not an expert but I would assume that any gray surface would produce better blacks, however your whites will suffer. If you're projecting DLP or some other technology with poor blacks to begin with I've been told a gray screen is a must have. For crt projectors you want a white screen.