Projector screens and 4K

[phillihp23]

So are all modern 4K movies shot in widescreen? Am I losing out by using a 16x9 screen? What size widescreen would be comparable too a 100” 16x9 screen? As I have upgraded my projector and receiver ...currently adding 4 speakers....my weakest point in my theater would be my screen. A basic white $300 16x9 100” fixed framed. Looking to stay in the $1500 budget area. Have about 24 inches on the wall width wise too play with. So likely a 120” screen.

 

[NBPK402]

So your budget for the screen is $300? Have you checked out SeymourAV? You can by the material pretty cheap, and then make the frame inexpensively. I made my last frame, and will be making my next one out of 8020 t slot. 8020 is a bit more expensive than wood though. Year's ago I made one very simply with Draper screen material which stretched onto a wood frame I made, and stapled the screen to the frame. This is quick and easy...only you can't take it apart if you move.

 

[phillihp23]

So your budget for the screen is $300? Have you checked out SeymourAV? You can by the material pretty cheap, and then make the frame inexpensively. I made my last frame, and will be making my next one out of 8020 t slot. 8020 is a bit more expensive than wood though. Year's ago I made one very simply with Draper screen material which stretched onto a wood frame I made, and stapled the screen to the frame. This is quick and easy...only you can't take it apart if you move.

My current screen was 300 my budget for a upgrade is 1500. I’m not making one myself.

 

[NBPK402]

If you buy one...you still have to assemble...just saying. SeymourAV also sells ready made for assembly.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Check out Elite screens too.

You may want to purchase a 2.35:1 screen, then you would add 8-10" below and above the screen (I added 2x8 boards on all 4 sides - screwed to the wall, so it would all be uniform and look better)... and cover them with the blackest of black velour material you can find. There are some threads in various places that talk about the best black material to use. When you watch a 2.35 movie... you set your lens preset to zoom out and make the black bars move to the black velour area... and you can't see it. You'll setup two lens settings on your presets to change them back and forth. I have buttons programmed on my remote. When watching a 16x9, you'll have black bars on the side. If you want you can get piano hinges and add swinging panels to absorb the black bars... makes it look like you have a 16x9 screen. The only issue is you have to set your screen panels each time you change the aspect ratio. I have been threatening the black panels for years... just haven't done it yet.

 

[mechman]

Elite, Vapex, etc. all have very good screens for the money. You want to avoid companies you've never heard of though. If Jamestown is still making them they may be an option as well.

As for the 2.35:1 stuff, it would come down to your preference and what you watch. I have a 16:9 screen and I've never even thought of going to a 2.35:1. I had thought about making panels at one point in time but I don't notice the black bars when I'm watching movies. I would if I were watching TV cause I usually have the lights up a bit brighter when watching normal TV programs.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

You want to avoid companies you've never heard of though. If Jamestown is still making them they may be an option as well.

As for the 2.35:1 stuff, it would come down to your preference and what you watch. I have a 16:9 screen and I've never even thought of going to a 2.35:1. I had thought about making panels at one point in time but I don't notice the black bars when I'm watching movies. I would if I were watching TV cause I usually have the lights up a bit brighter when watching normal TV programs.

IIRC, Jamestown couldn't outrun the negative comments about slow delivery, and couldn't deliver any faster, so he just stopped. Was a good product, but it wasn't his primary career, so delivery times were often in the months, and communication was nil.

RE aspect ratio, I have a 16:9 screen, but have it semi-permanently masked at 2:1 for a happy medium. I'm cropping a few pixels off 16:9 and minimizing the bars on 2.35:1. I'm hoping to be moving in the next few months, which means new theater build (!!! !!!), and if at all possible I'm going to go with a 2.35:1 screen. I would've already swapped mine out but I'm already wall to wall. If I go with another 16:9, I'll have automated masking, but I'm really hoping for the right room for a 2.35.

 

[phillihp23]

Check out Elite screens too.

You may want to purchase a 2.35:1 screen, then you would add 8-10" below and above the screen (I added 2x8 boards on all 4 sides - screwed to the wall, so it would all be uniform and look better)... and cover them with the blackest of black velour material you can find. There are some threads in various places that talk about the best black material to use. When you watch a 2.35 movie... you set your lens preset to zoom out and make the black bars move to the black velour area... and you can't see it. You'll setup two lens settings on your presets to change them back and forth. I have buttons programmed on my remote. When watching a 16x9, you'll have black bars on the side. If you want you can get piano hinges and add swinging panels to absorb the black bars... makes it look like you have a 16x9 screen. The only issue is you have to set your screen panels each time you change the aspect ratio. I have been threatening the black panels for years... just haven't done it yet.

My current screen has a 4 inch black velour frame....so I would create a secondary lense preset so the picture zooms and the bars are on the black valour? If I am understanding this correctly. I don't recall this issue with my Pani...maybe I set up the lense wrong on install? If I set it up correctly wouldn't auto iris adjust the picture for the screen?

 

[NBPK402]

I believe the auto iris just adjusts for you black levels.

 

[ProjectorScreen-co]

Most of these screens don't actually support a 4K resolution. The surfaces are not textureless and thus don't render the tiny pixels beamed from a 4K projector. If you don't use a proper 4K screen you're not getting the quality out of your 4K projector.