[Gregavi]

Can I add colorant (Grey) to Goo CRT white to make Goo Digital Grey, or is their more than just a color difference between the 2. If so, what specific color? I ask because a friend of mine has a small amount of CRT White leftover and I would like to make a Digital Grey sample board out of the leftover and compare it to his CRT white with my soon to be purchased Panasonic PT-AE3000U. Thanks in advance.

 

[Gregavi]

Thanks guys for the reply. After I posted the question I spoke to the sales guy at Alternative Home Theater (where they sell the Goo system) and he said “Do not add any colorant to the Goo paint. It will ruin it” I asked him why and he really didn’t have a solid answer other than “It will ruin the reflective properties of the paint”. I’m not sure if that is really the case, but I don’t think I will chance it. Maybe I’ll use some for experimenting and see what the results are. I’ll keep you posted.

Thanks

 

[Gregavi]

Greg, that's the answer I would have expected from Goo (or a Goo rep.). You might just call and ask them how they get it gray to begin with if added colorants "ruin" it.

Actually, I did ask him how they color it and he said he wasn't privy to that info, but somehow he did know that it would "ruin it". The only thing that makes me lean toward beleiving him is, what motive would he have for advising me not to add colorant if it were OK to do so?

I understand not wanting to chance ruining your Goo, but be advised that the white Goo won't tolerate even a small amount of ambient light without losing image contrast, that is why they need a gray Goo too!

If a white screen is so unadvisable, why does Goo and screen makers even make/sell them? I understand the whole CRT black level thing, but I was advised to use a white screen by the guy I will probably buy my Panasonic PT-AE3000U Projector from. He said it is the setup he uses and "it looks great". The screen choice process is far more complicated than I ever would have thought. It does force me to get educated on the subject though. That's the plus side. I have to make a decision on this because I ended up bidding and winning a CRT White Kit (2.3 L. each of base and top coat) on ebay today. Fortunately, the kit has enough to make 2-100"+ screens, so I can experiment with it. I think I'm gonna add some of the colorant that Harpmaker recommended to it and hope for the best. I will be applying this to a single peice of 3/4" MDF, 54"X96" (110" Dia. Yes they do make MDF in sheets larger than standard 4'X8'). Maybe I'll do one side white and the other with the grey added. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for the input.

 

[Gregavi]

Well, I only know what I have read about my PJ but haven't seen it for myself since I have not ordered it yet, but what I have read is the Blacks are pretty good, especially for an LCD engine. I can make it into a "Bat Cave" if I choose, especially at night. I'm kinda likin' my idea of having 2 screens, one on each side of my MDF board. It will be a bit heavy, but managable. I'll just have to come up with some kind of mounting system that will make it fairly easy to flip over, without causing damage. I will report back. Thanks

 

[Gregavi]

Black is non existent on a projector. Black comes from the lack of light projected from your projector.

Something to keep in mind.

Good point. Why then do CRT projectors produce better blacks ? If the screen is white, the screen is white.

Anybody ever tried a black screen?

Also, I just read about a company (Vutec Silverstar) that uses crushed glass in their screen make-up. Sounds interesting and raises the question for DIYers. Anybody tried crushing glass into the mix? You could probably use a fabric sack and sledgehammer and a sacrificial Cuisinart to crush glass. Come to think of it, isn't sand crushed glass? Anybody tried sand in the mix? I'm tempted to try sand.

 

[Gregavi]

You're kind of in the minority with a CRT.

I don't have one, just curious as to why the perception that they produce good enough blacks that you can, and should, use a pure white screen.

 

[Gregavi]

Very interesting thread.

I understand the different technologies, it's the CRT projector I don't get. It still has to produce black on a white screen. I guess it can just produce black on to a screen Mo' Better.

I have decided to add some black (to make gray) to my Goo (base and top coats, as Harpmaker suggested) and see what happens. I am a ways off before I get to that point though. I'm in the framing stage.

 

[Gregavi]

I did win some white on ebay but after doing some research (I was advised by several projector salesman to use a white screen with my Panasonic PT-AE4000U Projector) I decided to keep it white.

I then decided not to use it at all because I made the decision to buy an electric roll-up screen so I could place my 50" DLP TV behind it so I wouldn't have to fire up my projector to watch "non worthy" programming. (Those replacement bulbs are not cheap.) I purchased 2.3 L of Goo (Base & Top Coat) so I had plenty to experiment with, but I sold it for a little bit of a loss. Oh well, I guess someone else will have to experiment with it.

Note: ZMan was very professional and courteous when I spoke to him on the phone and I want to thank him for his help. I was looking forward to using Goo but my new plan was a no brainer once I thought through my options. It takes a lot of time to design the ultimate home theater, not that mine will be as ultimate as some...