Projection Screen

[coolmanak]

Hello guys. I'm currently working to try and encorporate a projection screen into my work-in-progress home cockpit, and I was wondering if you guys could help me choose a good projector.

First off, I'm looking for something for a captain's side cockpit, so it might not have to project as big an image as a dual-seater.

The room I plan to use it in can be made somewhat dark, however it does have shades that can't fully block outside light, so it might nmot be the darkest room arround. If you want to get an idea, just go into a room with a window, close the shade as best you can and turn off all the lights during the daytime for a minute. That's about as dark as it'll get.

Third, I'm looking for something relativeley inexpensive. I'm on a bit of a budget, so I want to get a good contrast of quality and afordability.

And finally, if you could point me out to a good screen to go along with the projector. Less-expensive would be nice.

Thanks!

[percy]

Hi
What I did for a screen was buy a 4X8 hardboard from HD for about 9 bucks, two thickness and I used the thin one. One side is smooth and one is rough I used the smooth side. color is brown.

For the Paint I went to Lowes and had them mix something close to great value winter mist. Use lowes valspar interior flat enamel base, number is 210159.
The mix is for one gallon is 104-2, 109-2 , 102-8. I covered the hardboard with two coats of valspar high hide primer and then one coat of paint. You may be able to get buy with one quart but the mix would have to be cut down. This is a easy and cheap method and works very good.
percy.
I just noticed you are in Switzerland, I guess the trip over would add a little to the expense.

[warvet]

Just a tip Percy change your color to a Battleship type grey instead itll give you far cleaner colors and deeper blacks less glare in sky. JMO

Tim

[percy]

I will keep that in mind next time I paint my screen, this paint mix I read about on a forum that deals with DIY screens..The color is flat so I do not notice any glare, thanks for the Tip.

percy

[Matt_Thomas]

I've successfully used blackout cloth for a projection screen.

I had no idea what blackout cloth was before I tried it as a screen. Here's what I discovered...
Blackout cloth is something to make curtains from to block out the light from a window. It's called blackout, but it's smooth and white. You can buy it from a fabric store.

I forgot how much it costs, which means it must have been inexpensive.

[mlscotti]

I love all of your ideas. I currently have built a cheep wood frame suspended from the ceiling. one flat screen approximately 5'X6' and two side screens angled approximately 45 degrees. For my screen i used white sheets from walmart. I love the blackout screen idea if i can get that. I would however like to get grey pvc sheets and join them together to make a continuous curve. problem #1 bulding the frame for the curved screen. Problem #2 how do i make it so i can get behind it, because my pit is im my garage and i have stuff stored behind it. #3 the cost. I currently have 1 project but it's a long through projector and it's only 1024X768 anyone have a recommendation on a better image shorter through projector thats not too expensive?

[Matt_Thomas]

Short-throw lenses for projectors tend to be pretty expensive, so I think a lot of guys use folded optics to shorten the throw distance. They set up a first-surface mirror to bounce the image onto a screen. This can cut your throw distance in about half.

I've experimented with folded optics too. Make sure you buy a first-surface, also called front-surface mirror. Also, make your projector mount, mirror mount and screen adjustable, so you can move them around to fine-tune the image.

[MartinK]

Hi,

The same brown board (thin and flexible) Percy is referring to is also available with a plastic white layer on one side (at least in NL). This is what I use.
It's cheap: I paid something like 10,- Euro for a board sized 1m22 x 2m44
and it's easy to handle (flexible and thin) and also relatively light-weight.

There is a small downside (obviously): on a closer look you will notice a reflection of the projector lamp. In practice I don't experience this as a real showstopper however.

At the moment I have 3 boards (height 1m22, width 2m) sitting in an 45 degree angle to each other.

Works for me!!!

Cheers,

Martin

[Matt_Thomas]

Hi,

At the moment I have 3 boards (height 1m22, width 2m) sitting in an 45 degree angle to each other.



So you're using 3 projectors? That's awesome! Do you have pictures of this posted anywhere?

[MartinK]

Hi Matt,

No, I don't. Simply haven't had the time and the right camera yet.
A couple of weeks ago I bought a new mobile phone with a camera in it (yes,
you can also make phonecalls with it ;););))
I'll see if I can do something with it.

Cheers,

Martin

[MartinK]

Actually, your wish is my command????

They are here: http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=621

Enjoy!

Just let me know if you need more detail.

Cheers,

Martin

[Matt Olieman]

Did some research on the Blackout Cloth.... WOW!!! seems to be the fabric to use for a projector screen and it's cheap. :) :) :)

It's not black, it's a grayish color, like battleship gray or a bit lighter. Google it and you'll be surprised at the information.

Matt Olieman

[mlscotti]

So you're using 3 projectors? That's awesome! Do you have pictures of this posted anywhere?


What kind of projectors are you using? whats your resolution? Are you using triple head to go? looks fantastic.

[mlscotti]

Short-throw lenses for projectors tend to be pretty expensive, so I think a lot of guys use folded optics to shorten the throw distance. They set up a first-surface mirror to bounce the image onto a screen. This can cut your throw distance in about half.

I've experimented with folded optics too. Make sure you buy a first-surface, also called front-surface mirror. Also, make your projector mount, mirror mount and screen adjustable, so you can move them around to fine-tune the image.

You know i tried messing with a flexible plexiglass and could not get the angle-distance-height thing to work quite right and gave up for now. Could you post or point me to a good place to see it. I tried with the projector in front, up high, down low.. I tried with the mirrored surface up high, and down low but never could get it. And the curve i was using was too curved. The size plexi i used was approximately 30"X36" on a screen 50" highby 60" wide in a 45 degree configuration. Just way too mych distortion and keystoning goin on..

[MartinK]

Hi Matt,

The projectors are InFocus IN2104's (http://www.infocus.com/Products/Projectors/IN2104.aspx).

Their resolution is 1024 x 768 and they are indeed driven of a TH2GO box
connected to a HP Pavilion a6631nl Desktop PC (2.6 GHz Interl Core 2 Duo E7200 with 3 GB memory) equipped with an ATI Radeon HD 3650 Graphics card.

The projectors were on sale (in NL) which was part of the selection criteria.
Might have been better to go for short throw projectors but these come at more or less double the price of my IN2104's.
Same story for the PC. For the moment it works fine (still making changes to
various .cfg files though in an attempt to find the best pic quality vs performance ratio).

In the future I am planning to modify the config to look like NicD''s setup (5 windows spread over 3 projectors). Current PC does not have enough power to do this (framerate drops dramatically). So, when budget permits I'll go for a new I7 machine and make the Pavilion the flight dynamics machine (which task is now performed by the Laptop shown on one of the pics).

Hope this helps but just let me know if you need more detail.

Cheers,

Martin

[JBaymore]

........(still making changes to
various .cfg files though in an attempt to find the best pic quality vs performance ratio).

One of the "nice" things (you could also as easily say "awful") when using 1024 x 768 projectors for the exterior views, is that you CAN easily reduce a lot of "visual quality" settings and not really be able to SEE the change in the view. The view is already rather compormised when compared to using a lcd screen at some incredible level of resolution.

So you can gain fps without sacrificing a lot of the quality you'd actuall see.

The real goal would be a projector that is as high a rez as the best monitors. Now THAT would be something to see.

best,

....................john

[tnpoon]

I know it's a little bit expensive! but this screen can offer you up to 200 degrees of view, and you can get it in this link:

http://www.northernflightsim.com/projectionscreen.shtml

[Flying_Dutchman]

Hi Martin,

How did yu get the Matrox to work with the projector?
I'm trying to get my 2 LCD TV's to work with the TH2GO, but no image at all.
Normal computer monitors work fine and TV directly connected to the videocard also works.

Rgds,
Benno

[Matt Olieman]

Benno, are all the three units set to the same resolution?

Matt Olieman

[Flying_Dutchman]

Yes, TV automatically selects whatever's needed
There are now only two screens left (2x37" is big enough)
Strange thing is that, when you attach the normal 19" screens back on the TH2GO a normal image appears.
With the TV's there is not even a signal

Rgds,
Benno

[MartinK]

Hi Benno,

TV's is a difficult one. First of all, there is the refresh frequency usually somewhere around 60Hz. The TH2GO unit is pretty sensitive to this.

Secondly, what mode is the TV in pixel wise? Does it support e.g. 1024 x 768?
Remember, there is only a few pixel modes the TH2GO will support (see their website for an overview). If the device connected is out that support range or fails to adopt to the supplied signal then you get what you are experiencing: No Picture!

I am assuming the TV's you are using do have a VGA or HDMI interface.
So, what is the brand and model TV you are trying to connect? And what interface are you using with what mode?

Also, if you bring up the GXM user interface what does it say in terms of devices it thinks is connected to? I bet it recognizes your monitors but if you connect the TV's it does not.

A lot of questions but actually meaning areas to look at and possibly correct.
From my experience I would start with pixel size and if that is correct then the next thing to look at is refresh rate.

The projectors I am using have auto sensing so they will adopt (within limits of course) to the supplied signal. But, I had a situation initially where the supplied signal was out of bound so I had to make changes before they would project a proper picture. Sorry to say, but your setup requires a lot of trial and error and thus a lot of patience.

Just let me know how you are progessing and don't hesitate to contact me.

Cheers,

Martin

[Flying_Dutchman]

Hi Martin,

The TV's are Samsungs, Full HD, 37" LCD
They also have autosensing, given the fact that when I connect them directly to the graphics card in the PC, an excellent image turns up!

Somehow I also think it's the resolution or the refresh rate of the Matrox that is causing the problems.

I cannot connect the TV's and then start configuring, since there is no picture...
So I have to try doing this with a normal monitor connected to the firt DVI port and the TH2GO to the second.

Any tips?

Rgds,
Benno

[MartinK]

Hi Benno,

This now goes way of topic. I have provided a response to your other msg as well so let's continue there.

Cheers,

Martin