I painted my wall a neutral gray, SW Unique Gray in a flat finish. It looks similar to what you have. I often wondered if a mix like black widow would be better, but the finish I got with the gray paint was so good, I didn't want to muck it up. Since then, I upgraded from a 1000 lumen projector to a 3200 lumen Viewsonic PJD7828HDL, and I haven't given an upgrade to the paint any thought. If anything, I might consider a darker shade of gray since this projector is so bright. I have compared to a couple of professional screens, and the image was more washed out on one, and looked good on the other, but there was a minor issue with glare.
Should I Upgrade my Screen? painted MDF Neutral Gray.
Hey Guys,
I've been reading hours and hours on DIY Solutions paints etc.. I build my screen out of MDF some years ago.
My Color is just pure neutral gray, no fancy mix, just a pure gray from a store (Vitex). Sanded and painted with brush
/ yeah I know).. but I think I did a good job.
I am thinking of upgrading my screen now.
My Setup:
MDF painted gray 100" screen
Optoma 144x (3000lm) 1080p Projector
3m View Distance
Low Ambient Light (mostly watch at night)
I like the gray color, gives me decent blacks, and brightness is still ok even in ECO & cinema mode. My picture quality seems very good to me, but I haven't really tested any other screen to know the difference. I found some setting tweaked my colors, skin tones are nice (pictures are not actually the colors that I see), sharpness is nice..
Is my surface OK?
What route should I go? Just seeking for feedback and general advice!
Will a better paint mix improve anything?
I can spend up to 200$ for a screen material, is it worth it?
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I've been reading hours and hours on DIY Solutions paints etc.. I build my screen out of MDF some years ago.
My Color is just pure neutral gray, no fancy mix, just a pure gray from a store (Vitex). Sanded and painted with brush
/ yeah I know).. but I think I did a good job.I am thinking of upgrading my screen now.
My Setup:
MDF painted gray 100" screen
Optoma 144x (3000lm) 1080p Projector
3m View Distance
Low Ambient Light (mostly watch at night)
I like the gray color, gives me decent blacks, and brightness is still ok even in ECO & cinema mode. My picture quality seems very good to me, but I haven't really tested any other screen to know the difference. I found some setting tweaked my colors, skin tones are nice (pictures are not actually the colors that I see), sharpness is nice..
Is my surface OK?
What route should I go? Just seeking for feedback and general advice!
Will a better paint mix improve anything?
I can spend up to 200$ for a screen material, is it worth it?
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1 - 9 of 9 Posts
Read this thread, it covers just about all you need to know for a basic, off-the-shelf paint for your screen. And you do not want gray! We had gray before, and look at the difference...
www.hometheatershack.com
Off The Shelf Screen Paint
We are getting close to a selection, and it is narrowed down to 2 candidates: Sherwin Williams Duration Extra White (Matte) PPG Diamond Base 1 (flat white) Our Behr Silver Screen / White Opal Pearl is just too dark. These white paints really show the details better, especially skin tones. Our...
www.hometheatershack.com
OK, don't shoot me guys but jimgeroul, the most important opinion on how enjoyable your screen is well, yours. After using a particular screen for any length of time you become "acclimated" to the contrast, brightness, and colors of your screen so it becomes your reference point. Anything you do will look different and you have to decide whether it is better or worse than what you already have. You can get sample paints from different companies, many listed in Home Theater Shack forums, and try painting it on different materials to see if you think it will be worth the time, effort and money to re-due your screen. Depending on how long you have had the screen, maybe just a careful cleaning might bring it back to life. Just a suggestion.Hey Guys,
I've been reading hours and hours on DIY Solutions paints etc.. I build my screen out of MDF some years ago.
My Color is just pure neutral gray, no fancy mix, just a pure gray from a store (Vitex). Sanded and painted with brush
I am thinking of upgrading my screen now.
My Setup:
MDF painted gray 100" screen
Optoma 144x (3000lm) 1080p Projector
3m View Distance
Low Ambient Light (mostly watch at night)
I like the gray color, gives me decent blacks, and brightness is still ok even in ECO & cinema mode. My picture quality seems very good to me, but I haven't really tested any other screen to know the difference. I found some setting tweaked my colors, skin tones are nice (pictures are not actually the colors that I see), sharpness is nice..
Is my surface OK?
What route should I go? Just seeking for feedback and general advice!
Will a better paint mix improve anything?
I can spend up to 200$ for a screen material, is it worth it?
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View attachment 174739
View attachment 174740
View attachment 174741
Just curious, why do you say 'And you do not want gray!' ?Read this thread, it covers just about all you need to know for a basic, off-the-shelf paint for your screen. And you do not want gray! We had gray before, and look at the difference...
Off The Shelf Screen Paint
We are getting close to a selection, and it is narrowed down to 2 candidates: Sherwin Williams Duration Extra White (Matte) PPG Diamond Base 1 (flat white) Our Behr Silver Screen / White Opal Pearl is just too dark. These white paints really show the details better, especially skin tones. Our...
I'm a firm believer that what works for one person or what one person likes doesn't always fit what someone else wants. True that white is the best at color reproduction, and if a person's projector has great blacks, lighting is controlled... then white is always the recommended option. With a true neutral gray though, there isn't a problem producing true and accurate colors with a proper projector calibration. In fact Black Widow was tested and the screen was actually reflecting true D65 colors that were spot on with what the projector was putting out, and this was on an N7 gray.
I'm not trying to argue or anything, just wondering if something changed radically since I have been gone.
Edit: Just read through the thread you linked... Ah! Behr Silver Screen
Now I know why you didn't like it. Silver Screen was pushed for years as the 'go to OTS gray', but it is actually a horrible gray because of the blue push. My very first screen was SS and I hated it. I couldn't calibrate to my liking and that's what started me down the road of screen testing and development.
jimgeroul my first question would have to be... what is it you don't like about your screen and what do you want to change/improve?
Are you just wondering if there is a better option or is there something you don't like? As far as the texture, I'd say it's perfect. I'm going to sound like a broken record here, and maybe I'm just a little biased but Black Widow really does have an improved image and deep blacks, but it is a more complex mix than an OTS. It's been so long since I've been in the game though that I am not even sure how hard it is to source the components now days.
Are you just wondering if there is a better option or is there something you don't like? As far as the texture, I'd say it's perfect. I'm going to sound like a broken record here, and maybe I'm just a little biased
but Black Widow really does have an improved image and deep blacks, but it is a more complex mix than an OTS. It's been so long since I've been in the game though that I am not even sure how hard it is to source the components now days.
My former screen was gray. But that was installed in 2006, and the projectors today produce much better, much deeper black levels without having to use a dark screen.Just curious, why do you say 'And you do not want gray!' ?
I'm a firm believer that what works for one person or what one person likes doesn't always fit what someone else wants. True that white is the best at color reproduction, and if a person's projector has great blacks, lighting is controlled... then white is always the recommended option. With a true neutral gray though, there isn't a problem producing true and accurate colors with a proper projector calibration. In fact Black Widow was tested and the screen was actually reflecting true D65 colors that were spot on with what the projector was putting out, and this was on an N7 gray.
I'm not trying to argue or anything, just wondering if something changed radically since I have been gone.
Edit: Just read through the thread you linked... Ah! Behr Silver Screen
My new screen is much better! Did you look at my before and after pictures? If it works for me, it will work for everyone. But you need a state-of-the-art projector.
"But you need a state-of-the-art projector."
And there lay the variable and why some people may want/like a different type of screen
I agree that the new projectors don't need special 'gimmicky' screens or screens to help with black levels or ambient lighting. Not everyone has a new model projector though. All that really matters though is that you're happy
And there lay the variable and why some people may want/like a different type of screen
I agree that the new projectors don't need special 'gimmicky' screens or screens to help with black levels or ambient lighting. Not everyone has a new model projector though. All that really matters though is that you're happy
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