[Mark Lopez]

I finally finished my DIY masking system for a Da-Lite pull down screen. It turned out pretty good and cost less than $100 (including screen mount). If anyone cares to take a look it is here http://www.speakeasy.org/~malopez/ (loads slow).


[This message has been edited by Mark Lopez (edited 03-19-2001).]

 

[Scott Gammans]

Very clever masking system... I may liberally borrow your ideas for my nascent DIY screen.


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Scott Gammans

Another satisfied NEC VT540 owner--except for the remote
[email protected]
The Scooterplex Cinema 1 Project X

 

[bwolff]

You should call your site PIPE DREAMS.....


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~~~~~~~~Bwolff~~~~~~~~

Champagne tastes with a beer budget

 

[bwolff]

Do you use you laptop as a remote?


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~~~~~~~~Bwolff~~~~~~~~

Champagne tastes with a beer budget

 

[Mark Lopez]

Quote:

Originally posted by bwolff: Do you use you laptop as a remote?

No, just to surf while watching regular TV. I use a Pronto and RC2000 for most remote operations. I don't use the projector with the laptop either. For some reason this Toshiba projector has some annoying vertical 'lines' when using the VGA input. I use the component from the iScan which works fine.


Quote:

Originally posted by bwolff: You should call your site PIPE DREAMS.....

http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/biggrin.gif



[This message has been edited by Mark Lopez (edited 03-19-2001).]

 

[archtech]

Mark,

Wow, you're masking system is about the cleverest I've seen, and I appreciate the ingenuity and thought that went into the whole system. Very cool! No matter what screen system I end up going with, be forewarned, I'll likely plagiarize just about everything you've done with the masking system.


Just a few questions, if you don't mind...


What type of material did you use for the masking system fabric and is it readily available from most local fabric stores?


Is the 1/2" conduit just galv. electrical conduit and did you have to prime it with anything prior to painting it up?


Are you happy with the flatness/ straightness of your Da-Lite pull-down?


I was contemplating stretching my own 4:3 screen for an LCD projector HTPC setup, but after running into some roadblocks with finding an affordable >54†wide screen fabric and THEN seeing the simple elegance of your setup, I just might just steal the whole idea.


Thanks in advance, and congrats on a job well done,

Brian



[This message has been edited by archtech (edited 03-21-2001).]


[This message has been edited by archtech (edited 03-21-2001).]

 

[Mark Lopez]

Brian,


Thanks. All the material is felt. Wal-Mart 2.97 yd. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


The top mask conduit is just standard electrical. No primer, just brush painted it. I originally used 3/4" electrical conduit for the screen mount too, but it was too flimsy.


The Da-Lite screen has a slight ripple near the bottom pull. I don’t' have any problems with it (i.e. I don't see it during a movie).


As I mentioned, it only takes a few minutes to set up. The longest part is when setting up for viewing 1.85:1. The screen does not stop in the right spot to use the bottom border and I have to use the bottom mask vice the bottom screen border. It takes an extra 30 seconds to align it. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif For 2.35:1, the screen stops at just the right spot and I use the bottom border of the screen. So, positioning of the mask is not critical.


Of course I should just scrap the whole thing since I now know 4:3 has no place in a HT. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/biggrin.gif




[This message has been edited by Mark Lopez (edited 03-21-2001).]

 

[archtech]

Mark,


Thanks! I'm 95% sure I'll go with the pull-down screen for now and delay building the DIY screen until after I tweak eveything else AND learn a lot more about HT.


Brian

Quote:

Originally posted by Mark Lopez: Of course I should just scrap the whole thing since I now know 4:3 has no place in a HT. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Yeah, don't you know, wider is better, man. AND since the theaters have fixed height and variable width you should have ordered a 2.85:1 ratio screen and masked the sides down for all of those "lesser" formats. That way that God-awful 4:3 stuff would be shown at about 18" square since it's so like, last-century, man. And just to be more like the theaters, you should cut a big rip in the lower right corner of the screen and frequently hurl soft drinks, popcorn and the occasional condom at the thing to make sure it has the appropriate stains. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/wink.gif

 

[Mark Lopez]

Quote:

Originally posted by archtech: And just to be more like the theaters, you should cut a big rip in the lower right corner of the screen and frequently hurl soft drinks, popcorn and the occasional condom at the thing to make sure it has the appropriate stains. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/wink.gif

LOL My wife said almost the exact same thing when I told her about the 'emulate a movie theater' discussion.