Screen Help

[DIGITALBATH]

Hello Everyone!-

I am trying to figure out a suitable screen for an optoma HD3300, a 1080p 3D projector. My room is 12 feet wide, 8 feet high and 16 feet deep, with white walls, and ambient light.

I also have a TV, so a manual or electric pull-down should be the best option this go around. I would like to be at $500 or less, 106-120".

There is so much conflicting information, but I am thinking 1.1-1.5 gain matte white screen to enhance the 3D, though I would like to get optimal contrast, though I know some compromises must be met.

[victorvondoom88]

Can you control the light in your room? Particularly the large window in the first picture. Ambient light has a massive impact on the picture quality of a front projection setup.

As far as suitable goes you can pretty much use anything from a sheet or DIY screen to a motorized one.

Looking over that projector I would say you should be fine with a ~1.0 gain. I experimented with "high contrast" materials and while I liked the improvement in the image when showing darker scenes. I absolutely hated how it screwed up the colors in normally lit scenes. I recommend getting material samples from different screen manufacturers and see for yourself.

My first screen was a Elite 100" manual pull down 16:9, I recently replaced it with a Carada 2.35:1 fixed frame. One thing to keep in mind with roll up screens is over time they usually develop "waves" in the material. It may take years for it to happen. I never had that with mine but I only rolled it up 5-6 times in 5 years. Obviously you need a roll up in your situation "tensioned" screens are supposed to resist "waves" but are also cost quite a bit more. Here are some links to some screens. I am not affiliated with either place in anyway, just a happy customer.

Here is a link to a manual pull like I had:
http://www.visualapex.com/Projector-...Number=M100UWH

Here is there motorized tab-tensioned screens (100" = $765.00):
http://www.visualapex.com/Projector-...135&Category=1

Here is some pretty cheap electric screens:
http://www.visualapex.com/Projector-...=30&Category=1

Here is another place that I have shopped at for a few years now. Though I have no experience with their screens:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/su...09&cp_id=10829

[victorvondoom88]

I also have found this site to be quite valuable:
http://www.projectorcentral.com/opto...tor_review.htm

[DIGITALBATH]

I ended up ordering a 120" motorized Vapex screen from Visual Apex. It is a white screen with a 1.1 gain, $463 with shipping. I was debating between Elite and Elunevision, but the Elite was a little more expensive and some day I'll have a dedicated room with a fixed frame, so I wanted to be semi-budget but still have a good value. I'll have to post some picks when everything arrives and is assembled. Any thoughts on mounts?

[victorvondoom88]

Originally Posted by DIGITALBATH

I ended up ordering a 120" motorized Vapex screen from Visual Apex. It is a white screen with a 1.1 gain, $463 with shipping. I was debating between Elite and Elunevision, but the Elite was a little more expensive and some day I'll have a dedicated room with a fixed frame, so I wanted to be semi-budget but still have a good value. I'll have to post some picks when everything arrives and is assembled. Any thoughts on mounts?

Cool, I didn't realize they had a motorized vapex screen yet. I've always wanted a motorized screen just for the wow factor. Definitely post pics when you get it done.

As for mounts this is what I have currently http://www.visualapex.com/accessorie...MFR=VisualApex. Its not the greatest I have to mess with it maybe once a year. Its hard to make fine adjustments with and you really need to lock down the bolts a T-handle allen wrench works best.
This is the one I'm thinking about getting to replace my current one. http://www.visualapex.com/accessorie...V&MFR=Peerless It has "precision gears" for tilt and roll , making fine adjustments easy. I've been meaning to dig up a review on it.