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fixed frame or motorized screen???

3K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  wbassett 
#1 ·
Hi all, just ordered a Epson 1080UB and am thinking of getting a 110" screen. I really want a motorized one but I gave seen some that are wavey. Is this normal for most motorized drop down screens? Is a fixed frame the only way to get a perfectly flat screen?

THX,
WMD
 
#2 ·
Welcome to the Shack WMD!

Unfortunately all retractable screens are subject to getting waves over time unless they are tab tensioned or have some type of method to keep the screen taut once it is lowered.

A fixed frame screen will definitely remain flat for you, but some people don't want or like a permanant screen on their wall if the room is a multipurpose room and not a dedicated Home Theater.

With that said, there has been some success with inexpensive motorized screens by painting the screen surface. This makes the screen a bit thicker and makes it lay flatter. So far I haven't heard the person that pioneered this mention any issues, but in the long run (as in several years) I would expect it to start to crack or peel. The one plus is that some of the motorized screens are so inexpensive now that if it lasts three to four years and before it starts showing signs of peeling or cracking, it's inexpensive enough to just spend the $200 or less and make a new screen.

The down side is it is more expensive than just using the screen as is or going the DIY route, and it does take more work. The up side is that it does appear to resolve the wave issues without those funky tab tensioning cables on the side of your screen and it is the best of both worlds... the fit and finish of a commercial motorized retractable screen with the exceptional performance of the best DIY painted methods.
 
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