|
Author
|
Topic: Boosting picture impact
|
Paul Adsett
Film God
Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
|
posted June 20, 2006 05:55 PM
Well I have just finished some re-furb of my HT room and am amazed at the boost in (apparent) picture quality that I have acheived with just a few simple changes in the room environment and decor. First I changed the paint scheme of the room from an off-white color to a beige. I know the ideal color for a cinema room is matt black, but who wants to live with that! Using beiges and burgundies can really dampen down the cross reflections from the screen to the walls and back to the screen. I hung some non-reflective cinema art along the side walls to further decrease screen reflections and add to the cinema feel of the room. I also redid the screen wall, incorporating burgundy drapes and moveable matt black masking, which puts a very wide matt black border around the screen area in any format. What a difference these simple changes made! The impact of the super 8 or DVD picture is enhanced immensely, better contrast and color, since light reflections on the screen are the bain of any front projection system. I know this is probably preaching to the choir, but if you have not taken similar steps in your HT room, I would recommend doing so, for a thrilling boost in the viewing experience at very little cost.
--------------------
The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mike Peckham
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1461
From: West Sussex, UK.
Registered: Jun 2003
|
posted June 21, 2006 03:44 AM
Hello Paul
I do envy you having a dedicated screening room, but hopefully when I get back to the UK I can set too with mine, like yours, it will be a joint DVD and super 8 set-up.
Interestingly, the one most important 'tweak' I think you can make (as you have), is getting the black masking just right. I was amazed at how the masking, with the picture filling the screen to the edges with a little bleed into the masking, makes the image look so much sharper.
Of course, in an ideal world wouldn't it be great to be able to paint the walls and ceiling matt black - but if the room needs to be used for other things that could make it quite opressive...
So, what about some photos? ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Mike ![[Cool]](cool.gif)
--------------------
Auntie Em must have stopped wondering where I am by now...
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paul Adsett
Film God
Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
|
posted June 29, 2006 07:55 AM
Thank's Guys!
Graham, I had originally installed the pelmet to cover up the powered screen. When I added the curtains and moveable masking panels, I had to move the pelmet out from the wall by an additional 4 inches. Not shown in the picure, is the cinema art which is revealed on the wall when the screen is retracted.
This whole project has been a lot of fun. But the real payoff is in the ambiance of the room, which is now very cosy and inviting, and the huge improvement in perceived picture quality that results from the wide black masking. This is particularly true for super 8 showings.
Jan, yes I love to display my projectors. They always stimulate interest with visitors, and they are real works of art, just beautiful to look at, particularly the 18-5.
John, the oak tree is long gone. We really miss it so we are planting a replacement!
--------------------
The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paul Adsett
Film God
Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
|
posted July 01, 2006 04:02 PM
Hi Michael,
and thanks for the positive comments!. The room is 22ft long and 12 ft wide. The video and film projectors are both at the 22ft end wall of the room, with the video projector (Panasonic AE-700U) mounted up 7ft high on a shelf and the GS1200 below it on a stand. The screen is 8ft wide when masked to a 16:9 format. The two front row reclining seats are 9ft back from the screen, the second row (3 seat reclining couch) is 16 ft from the screen. I can bring in a back row of 5 portable swivel seats for bigger shows, which are then 20ft from the screen. At a crunch, I can probably squeeze in about 12 people.
The curtains and masking panels are presently manually operated, but I am already working on the design of a motorized controller, which is the next thing I want to do. I am planning on using a couple of 24 volt gear motors. I checked out the cost of a double commercial motorised curtain set and it was $1,500.00! I figure I can do the same thing for a couple of hundred dollars.
The nice thing is that this is an ongoing project, there always seems to be new things to do to the room to improve it. And the payoff in picture quality and film enjoyment is huge.
--------------------
The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic
