AT Screens

[NBPk402]

I did a little experimenting with samples I got from Falcon (Horizon) and Severtson (SAT-4K). I stretched and stapled the material over small wood frames and held them up in front of my current Da-lite white 1.0 gain non-AT screen. With nothing behind the sample fabrics, the loss of contrast was very visible. Placing black fabric directly behind the screen materials brought the contrast back to a level comparable with my existing screen.  However, moving the black fabric back away even an inch or so from the AT fabrics had a negative impact on the contrast.  This now has me appreciating the importance of black backing for AT screen fabrics.

I will have to try some black material directly behind my screen to see if it makes a difference in my setup.

[bmoney]

I will have to try some black material directly behind my screen to see if it makes a difference in my setup.

what sceen are you running again?

[NBPk402]

what sceen are you running again?

SeymourAV Centerstage XD 15' wide.

[bmoney]

SeymourAV Centerstage XD 15' wide.

and it didnt come with a black backing layer?

[NBPk402]

and it didnt come with a black backing layer?

No, I did the DIY route, and it was an option. It is a couple of dollars less per linear foot  than the XD fabric was.

[bmoney]

No, I did the DIY route, and it was an option. It is a couple of dollars less per linear foot  than the XD fabric was.

gotcha!...I want to try a name brand screen material vs the spandex (i ordered a samlpe here of v^) but not sure I can justify the costs...we shall see

[NBPk402]

Yeah so it almost doubles the price of the screen material to get the black backing material. If I was to order it now... I think I might even have to get more of the t-nuts and screws as I am not sure the grommets would line up either.

[bmoney]

Yeah so it almost doubles the price of the screen material to get the black backing material. If I was to order it now... I think I might even have to get more of the t-nuts and screws as I am not sure the grommets would line up either.

so could you use your own black backing? such as spandex?

[NBPk402]

so could you use your own black backing? such as spandex?

I most likely could except that my setup uses grommets, and I am not sure how Spandex would fare with grommets.

[Chris Seymour]

Yeah so it almost doubles the price of the screen material to get the black backing material. If I was to order it now... I think I might even have to get more of the t-nuts and screws as I am not sure the grommets would line up either.

There are a couple ways to go, since the point to black backing is to simply block light and stay out of the way acoustically.  There are several materials that would work well.  If you can simply tack up a material behind your grommeted screen, then speaker grill or light mesh would be fine, depending on how much contrast you're needing to block behind the screen.  You don't even need to tension the material unless (like spandex) it needs tension to properly open up acoustically.  Otherwise, waves in the black backing don't matter.

If you want the material to mount with your grommeted screen, then yeah - we need to use the pvc mesh and grommet a screen much like we do for the visual layer.  It's costly, but a nice install in the end.

We'll do about any variation in how much "Y" you want in the DIY, so just let us know how to help.

Cheers,
Chris

[NBPk402]

There are a couple ways to go, since the point to black backing is to simply block light and stay out of the way acoustically.  There are several materials that would work well.  If you can simply tack up a material behind your grommeted screen, then speaker grill or light mesh would be fine, depending on how much contrast you're needing to block behind the screen.  You don't even need to tension the material unless (like spandex) it needs tension to properly open up acoustically.  Otherwise, waves in the black backing don't matter.

If you want the material to mount with your grommeted screen, then yeah - we need to use the pvc mesh and grommet a screen much like we do for the visual layer.  It's costly, but a nice install in the end.

We'll do about any variation in how much "Y" you want in the DIY, so just let us know how to help.

Cheers,
Chris

I am using T-channel... I believe it has a channel on the other side so I guess I could use speaker material if I can find a piece big enough to use on a 15' wide 2.4 screen. Then I assume I could use a piece of wood or something to push in the slot, correct?

I would see if you can't use rubber spline, rather than a wood dowel.

[NBPk402]

Thanks Mike for the suggestion.

[bmoney]

SO got my sample of V6 AT (thanks Mike!) and I taped her up on my screen.

I have to say...spandex is pretty damn amazing...cause I could tell 99% no diffrence....sharpness was indistiguishable...and brightness was the slightest of slight brighter in the V6 sample..

I must say the V6 material is VERY nice..with the attached black backing...and survived the "blow test" easily...but make no mistake...at distances of a few inches to normal seating positions Millskin spandex was virtually indistinguishable...and I used text, menus and in action movie (petes dragon)

some cell phone pics (phone pics excentuate the diffrence in brightness):

AT Screens

AT Screens

[bmoney]

And with that said. If I were to do it all over again. V6 would be my first choice

[schmidtwi]

I am using a 195" 2.35 diagonal SeymourAV AT screen, and loving it.
I then made up an extruded Aluminum frame, and we literally had it all together in about an hour! Not bad IMO for building a frame from scratch and installing it.

ellisr - do you have any pics of your frame construction?  I'm shooting for a 160" - 175" 2:35 screen.  I wish I had room for a 195"...