And the new screen has arrived... Seymour Screen Excellence is in the house!

[Todd Anderson]

After many years of solid service, I made the decision to retire my Carada CineWhite 2.35:1 screen. The screen was wonderful for BD movies, but showed some ever so faint lines during extremely bright 4K viewings. So, it's been sold to a local enthusiast for $100 and I'm moving on...

Incoming is a Seymour Screen Excellence 2.37:1 AT screen with motorized masking. It's a bit larger since my center channel will now exist behind the screen. Ordered it a few months ago, but supply chain issues caused a few delays. Sign of the times, I guess.

But, yesterday, she arrived. All hand built in Ames, Iowa. ;-). Unfortunately, it's going to be a few weeks before I can get her installed... but I'm I'm pumped to get this massive upgrade into the home theater!

 

[JStewart]

Can't wait to see a video of that motorized masking in action!
Congrats, Todd!

 

[tripplej]

congrats. Please provide step by step pics.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Thanks! I'll take some photos of the install. I have to build out a frame on my wall before I can hang the screen.

This is their "Trim" screen. So, it's a fixed 2.37:1 Enlightor Neo AT screen with left and right masking. Fingers crossed it's easy to pull together ;-)

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Yep... waiting on the video... following.

 

[phillihp23]

Nice looking forward to the install photos.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

After many years of solid service, I made the decision to retire my Carada CineWhite 2.35:1 screen. The screen was wonderful for BD movies, but showed some ever so faint lines during extremely bright 4K viewings. So, it's been sold to a local enthusiast for $100 and I'm moving on...

Incoming is a Seymour Screen Excellence 2.37:1 AT screen with motorized masking. It's a bit larger since my center channel will now exist behind the screen. Ordered it a few months ago, but supply chain issues caused a few delays. Sign of the times, I guess.

But, yesterday, she arrived. All hand built in Aimes, Iowa. ;-). Unfortunately, it's going to be a few weeks before I can get her installed... but I'm I'm pumped to get this massive upgrade into the home theater!View attachment 47561

*Ames

 

[Todd Anderson]

*Ames

Oops. yes, Ames!

 

[NBPK402]

Whe I had my old HT I loved my 200" 2.4 aspect Seymour AV AT screen.

 

[JStewart]

It's a bit larger since my center channel will now exist behind the screen.

Whilst we wait for the fun to begin, how large is it and approx how far from it will you be seated?

I seriously wish I had the space for a larger AT screen. Ah well, living vicariously through my AVNIRVANA friends will have to do for the time being.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Yeah... going to be a bit longer. Was away all of last week... and now I have the flu! Blah.

It's basically a 110" diagonal 2.35:1. Distance-wise, we're talking 9 feet or so?

It's not a crazy big room... I would have loved to go bigger, but seating distance was a big driver.

 

[mechman]

Yeah... going to be a bit longer. Was away all of last week... and now I have the flu! Blah.

I can relate. I've been non-stop busy for the last month and a half or so and had a terrible cold about a week and a half ago. I still have the lingering effects of it.

 

[Todd Anderson]

My oldest daughter arrived from college (at Thanksgiving) feeling funky. Several days later, she was sick and tested positive for Flu-A. Quite a few of us got it ;-/. I'm still on the mend

 

[jdubs75]

How exciting! Can’t wait to hear your feedback on the screen.......and feel better.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Sorry to hear you all are sick... hoping you feel better soon. My wife and I are on the downside of a head cold.

Hurry up and get well so we can watch the video of the install.

 

[NBPK402]

Get well soon!

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

I believe I’m about to order the Proscenium motorized masking screen for my new room.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

What are these motorized masking screens running at street price?

 

[Todd Anderson]

Tough to say because they vary so much in size and functionality. I think a 110" is probably generally landing in the $7K realm? Not really sure.

Mine is still boxed, waiting. I tentatively have it on the schedule for this weekend, but the snow needs to clear so I can set up some of my cutting tools!

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

What are these motorized masking screens running at street price?

For a Seymour Proscenium 16x9 screen with motorized masking at 131” diagonal it’s just under $5K.

 

[Todd Anderson]

This took me forever to get to, but finally – FINALLY – I found a chunk of days to prep my room and get the new Seymour Screen installed. It's not 100% functional but I'd say I'm 95% done!

The screen is part of SSE's TRIM line. I chose to go with their Enlightor Neo acoustically transparent material with a black backing and left/right motorized masking. Due to supply chain issues, I opted to roll with an RF remote control. The IR remote provided a tad more flexibility with memory presets, but there was no way of knowing when it would arrive (of course, if I had known I'd receive and the then sit on the new screen for 3 months, I probably should have waited!). The screen is fixed 2.37:1 with a diagonal of about 115 or 116".

SSE does a GREAT job on the packing front. The shipped everything in two boxes. One contained the left and right sides of the screen with the masking and motors pre-installed:

The other box contained the screen and backing material, horizontal frame sections, a spatula for installing the screen material into a gripping channel, cords and power for the masking, and some install instructions:

My first job was to alter the wall frame I've built, extending it out further away from the wall, and adding vertical supports and a stand to hold the center channel a 1/4" away from the back of the screen material.

Here's what it looked like before:

And here is what it looks like after:

What you can't see in the before picture is absorption that was rigged in the frame behind the old screen... because of space, I repurposed the OC703 from that absorption and built three new traps that are mounted 2" off the front wall.

As a benefit, the new screen allows me to move the center channel up ear level height.

Here's some info about SSE's Enlightor Neo screen material:

Here's how the screen material was delivered:

It's a very light weight, stretchy fabric.

The frame was easy to build, with cross sections married by two sliding bars held in place by 6 grub screws.

Final step was to install the velvety borders, which were a little tricky to snap and screw into place, a job that is made significantly easier with the frame laying on its backside!

Getting the screen material properly attached was another story. It took me three different attempts and some help from the fine folks at SSE. You'd think that you want to stretch the screen material and lock it in place so that it's smooth. When you do that, it causes the screen's middle support beams (the thin brace you see to the left of my hand in the picture above) to bow from pressure pulling it inward.

That's not good, because, according to SSE, it's going to cause issues with the motorized masking moving AND providing coverage that resides super close to the screen in a uniform manner from top to bottom.

I didn't realize this was an issue until the end of day two of this whole project, and talked with SSE at the beginning of day 3. They told me to pull the screen material and start over. Not ideal, but had to be done!

The trick to the screen material is pulling it just tight enough to remove any wrinkles, but essentially allowing it to sag (i.e. least amount of tension as possible). When the screen is placed upright, the material perfectly falls in place and appears properly taught. I managed to pull it off! I didn't take any photos of it being installed properly, but here's what it looked like going in improperly!

You can see the bow in both photos, but I didn't see it at the time...

Feeling the joys of success, I was ready to hang the frame with the supplied cleats, only to find a 2" area on the front the screen that had some sort of smudge on it! Argh!!!

So, I contacted SSE, again, for advice. they suggested releasing tension on the screen and using a white vinyl artist eraser or lightly blotting with distilled water. I bought an eraser at a local art shop, but ended up deciding to try some light blotting with distilled water, an E-cloth, and a hair dryer blowing cool air. After 5 different cleaning rounds, it appears the smudge is gone without any residual effects (I need to confirm with fresh eyes today). Worst case, SSE said to wash the entire screen on a light/cool cycle, hang dry, and then have it steamed to remove wrinkles. Frankly, if it came to that, I would have opened my wallet and bought more screen material. So, hopefully all will be well when I look it over later today.

Here's a look at it installed... next move is to attach all of the power and control wiring, figure out how to conceal the two surge protectors I use in the front of the room, and run Dirac again. I suspect that will be easier than what I've been through over the last 3 days!

 

[JBrax]

My goodness Todd! I’m stressed out just imagining the journey you took doing the screen yourself. I love your room.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Ha! Truth be told, there were a few moments of stress. This kind of screen is usually installed by an integrator… and I’m fairly sure SSE sends people out for their bigger installs.

They were great with giving me guidance. That said, I’m hoping I didn’t screw anything up. :-). They good news is That I can always order more material. Tho, the wallet probably wouldn’t appreciate that too much!

 

[phillihp23]

Todd you are a brave man. Congrats…
I would have folded early on with the screen fabric mounting and called an installer.
Looking forward to hearing about you sitting back and raving about your $$$ endeavor and the conquest you achieved installing it.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Todd you are a brave man. Congrats…
I would have folded early on with the screen fabric mounting and called an installer.
Looking forward to hearing about you sitting back and raving about your $$$ endeavor and the conquest you achieved installing it.

They’re not quite as difficult as things seem. Much better as a two-person job. I’ve helped Chris out at CEDIA a couple times, building screens for his booth and exhibition partners. The screen in the Wisdom Audio booth was astonishing, as was the final presentation they gave.