[skyman00]

The Official Do-able Thread

Here is the item description and pertinent info:
1/4" X 49" X 97" Do-able white vinyl panel mfg by Do-able Products and sold at HD. UPC(DP #) 718793630365, SKU(HD #) 174278, model # 63036.

Shelf tag:

If you have a dedicated room(light control), can live with a 100" dia.(16:9 AR, 49" X 87", even wider if you go 2.35:1) or smaller, don't need a perf screen, don't want to spend/waste a boatload of time frame building, stretching, stapling, gluing to stiff backing, mixing, rolling, spraying, etc and don't want to spend $ on the many versions of the latest ingredient mix(I did this 2 years ago and found it to be quite the pain!) and the substrate to be painted(poly-wall, board or stretched fabric over frame), then Do-able is for you! HD will cut it for you right there!

And no, you don't need to paint it.

I've helped set up 3 HTs with this panel. All are very happy with their screens. I hand-picked each board myself as you need to go through the entire stack to make sure they are mark/scratch free. None of them have reported any hotspotting, glare or reflectivity viewable.

Bottom line: It is the easiest, quickest and cheapest diy screen option out there for these conditions(given you have HD nearby that carries this EXACT product- use the SKU and model numbers).

The H&E (Hang & Enjoy) solution!

Word of warning: There similar boards in the same area that ppl could easily mistake for Do-able. An easy mistake to make. If your HD doesn't have this SKU and model numbered product then don't buy something "similar" and think you're buying Do-able. Simple as that.

Unfortunately, the downside:
Do-able is NOT available east of Colorado (yet, available across the pacific ocean, in Hawaii).

So far it looks like Do-able is available in 12 states: AZ, AK, CA, CO, ID, HI, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA & WY. Below you'll find the actual HD store locations where myself and others have purchased our do-able white vinyl panels.

Info, specs & data:

The graph shows the gain of Do-able vs Dalite Matte White and Stewart StudioTek 130, from straight on to 60 degrees off axis. Do-able compares favorably to both; its slight sheen is responsible for the above unity gain. Gain is 1.13.

The RGB color is 229/223/233. This is very close to true white, as close as virtually any commercial screen. The slight excess in blue should cause no problems.

The surface texture is light enough that I doubt it is visible unless one is very close to the screen on bright panning shots, and is very similar to commercial screen textures.

Goo Gone can be used as a cleaner for Do-able with very good results.

Cutting Dimensions(for HD):

16:9 AR, 49" X 87" (100" diag).
4:3 AR, 49" X 65".
2.35:1 AR, cut it on the horizontal 41" X 97".

Some things we’d like to see posted here from other Do-able users:

What PJ are you using?
What’s your throw?
What’s your screen size?
What’s your viewing distance (first row, second)?
What kind of light conditions are you viewing in?
What are your room conditions(dark/light walls, ceiling, floor, etc.)?
What border/ frame hanging solution did you employ?
Which HD did you find it at (city, sate or zip)?
Any masking solutions used?

One possible hanging solutions:
http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/screen.html

Ron’s screen frame link (he’s using PP here, but Do-able would work excellent in this app):
http://www.rongeyer.com/theater/index.10.html

I used the french cleat method pictured here:

My entire front wall is treated with Black linacoustic for sound and covered with black speaker grill cloth. I floated the screen off the wall about 1 3/4" thereby eliminating the need for a black frame.

HD locations where Do-able has been purchased:

AZ:
Mesa
Scottsdale

CA:
Berkeley,
Colma,
La Mirada,
Whittier,
Sacramento,
SF Bay Area - South Bay near the Great Mall in Milpitas/ East Palo Alto
Palo Alto
Santa Clara,
Orange,. 92867
Santa Barbara
San Jose
Van Nuys
Foster City
Stockton
Roscoe and Balboa (Los Angeles)

CO:
Longmont
Boulder
Superior
Evergreen (El Rancho Rd)
Aurora
Broomfield
Severence

ID:
Lewiston
Sandpoint

MT:
Great Falls
Bozeman

NV:
Henderson So. Nevada, the East Charleston HD (Charelston and Lamb) and the Eastern HD (by Super WM--on Eastern)
Las Vegas

OR:
Portland

UT:
Midvale
Riverdale
Ogden
Salt Lake
South Jordan
Provo

WA:
Olympia
Bothell
Vernon
Spokane
Tacoma
Bonney Lake
Puyallup
Redmond,

That’s about it for now.
I’ll be sure and link some screenies later. -j

 

[wbassett]

I have a small sample of Do-able I got for testing.

This stuff is really incredible for those that can get it, and don't let the $14-15 price be deceiving either. It performs right up there with screens costing $1000.

For those that may be interested in Designer White for their Home Theater Screen, if all you need is a 98" screen and have access to Do-able, it's the way to go no questions asked. You can literally build a screen for less than $50 and that includes the Do-able panel, wood border, and hardware. The only variable with the overall price is how much you want to spend on the border trim material. Velvet is the nicest but also the most expensive. Hint: Check out Joannes 50% off coupons and buy it from them when they are having their sales...

I used Black Suede for my temporary border to dress it up for some screenies and it worked surprisingly well for $2.50 a yard at Walmart. (You'll need three yards)

Some people have also used this for a reversable screen... the outstanding white Do-able surface on one side, and then they painted a gray screen on the other side for watching during the day. Most people though are amazed at the image quality and decide to just use the white side leave it at that!

 

[skyman00]

OK folks, some screenies!

From Kingdom of Heaven:

Be Cool:

The Interpreter:

Fun film from down under, Danny Deckchair with lights off and on:

Shots with more of the room. Lights off/on:

Resident Evil:

The Island:

Quake:

All-time fave anime, Nausicaa:

Dandelion:

And some dark scenes:

Enjoy, -j

 

[wbassett]

Skyman, what projector are you using and is that standard definition DVD or high definition?

Inquiring minds will want to know!

 

[skyman00]

Bill,

Those are a combination of shots from a 4805 DLP and my new pj, a Panny 900 LCD.
The dvd player is a standard Momitsu V880, upconverting to a 720 signal via HDMI. -j

 

[wbassett]

Very nice

 

[wbassett]

Unfortunately, the downside:
Do-able is NOT available east of the Rockies.

So far it looks like Do-able is available in 9 states: AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT & WA. Below you'll find the actual HD store locations where myself and others have purchased our do-able white vinyl panels.

Skyman and I have talked about this in the past, and there really is no reason why Home Depot or Lowes can't carry this in all of their stores, or at least get it as a special order (although Home Depot tends to tack on heavy fees for 'special order' items). I have seen 10' long decorative trim molding and other very large items in their stores that are stamped 'Made in China', so why can't they carry something made in the USA?

Anyway, I know skyman tried a grass roots campaign to try and get HD and Lowes to stock this, but at the time and place people were more into exotic paint mixes than something that perfoms as good as this does and as inexpensive too. Sometimes I get tired of hearing people say 'Simple can't be good'... this really is that good... You could pay hundreds of dollars, even a grand for a commercial screen that doesn't perform any better than this material does as a screen. (If only it came in a nice gray, right skyman? )

So for those that can't get Do-able, ask your local Home Depot why they don't stock it. Eventually if enough people ask they just might start carrying it! Even if they started carrying it just for people wanting it as a screen and they doubled the price (did I really just say that??!) it still would be worth it seeing it would be less than $30 for a high performance screen. Okay, okay, maybe $30 after taxes...

 

[Sonnie]

Awesome pics!

 

[wbassett]

Awesome pics!

Yeah and on a $15 screen too

Who said DIY Screens are bed sheets and poor quality? They obviously haven't seen some of the screens in this forum!

Plus think about all the DVDs a person can buy with the money they save!

 

[Guest]

Here is the build process of the Do-Able screen that i am using.

We kept it simple, real simple

(1) 4'X8' Do-Able sheet cut to our specs

(2) 10 Foot 1" x 2" boards of Pine

(4) wood screws

(2) yards of black Velvet

(2) Packets of Velcro

(1) Staple gun cuz I couldn;t find my old one quick enough




First we measured the image projected on to the wall. (16X9)

We took those measurements down to the local Home Depot and after locating a suitable clean piece of Do-Able. It was the first one we looked at, even after looking at 10 more, this first one was still the best . The people were nice enough to cut the Do-Able to our specs right there in the store, we left an extra 2.5 Inches to each side for the framing.

Then we mounted the Do-Able directly to wall.

once it was mounted we cut the framing stapled the velvet and mounted the framing to the screen.

Velcro worked well to seamlessly apply the framing to the already mounted screen.

And then it was time to test it out!

I have a sony VPL-VW50 PJ it has not yet been calibrated but the images are still pretty good!

I know these shots nor my level of calibration do the PJ justice, but the Do-Able has been a great inexpensive solution! I'll update the pics once I have the PJ calibrated

Here is Lord Of the Rings

and here is a very verdant shot

the final talley

 

[mechman]

Looks great adguy! And you can't beat the price! Is that a 16X9 or a 2.35 screen? Looks wider than 16X9...

mech

 

[wbassett]

I concur, great job adguy!

 

[Guest]

Hey Mech I'm pretty sure it;s 16X9 but i could be wrong we just cut the board to fit the image the 4x3s don't looks so good on the screen I gotta fiugre out what to do about that. I'll post actual dimensions when I can I'm pretty sure we did 16x 9 though.

 

[wbassett]

When you watch a movie like LOTR, are there black bars on the top and bottom? If not you made yourself a 2.35 wide screen.

 

[mechman]

It could be my eyes. I am getting older! In hindsight I kind of wish I had done a 2.35 screen - that's always 20/20! :bigsmile:

mech

 

[mechman]

This has been a long time coming! Tweakophyte sent me Do-able samples over a month ago= and I'm finally getting around to doing some spectro readings on it. :hide:

229 232 230
0.312 0.331 79.92
91.65 -1.37 0.64
6526.2

That's only 23 off! Not bad for fifteen bucks or so!

 

[LaRose]

Given the good things I've read about Home Depot's Do-able as a diy screen, I went on down to my local store to take a look. I found the genuine Do-able, correct SKU and all. But then I wandered over to the lumber section and found another product, also made by Do-able, also 4' x 8', that is apparently the same thing only the MDF is thicker. With the vinyl layer, it is 1/2" thick.

The thicker material appeals to me. It just seems sturdier and more likely to be completely straight and flat. It's a lot heavier, obviously, but I'm not mounting in drywall, so that's not an issue. It's only a little more expensive than the 1/4" material...still dirt cheap.

However, I hate to depart from the tried and true. Has anyone used this thicker Do-able?

 

[mnfish]

And has anyone found this east of the rockies yet? :huh:

 

[mechman]

And has anyone found this east of the rockies yet? :huh:

Sadly, no. :thumbsdown:

 

[mechman]

Given the good things I've read about Home Depot's Do-able as a diy screen, I went on down to my local store to take a look. I found the genuine Do-able, correct SKU and all. But then I wandered over to the lumber section and found another product, also made by Do-able, also 4' x 8', that is apparently the same thing only the MDF is thicker. With the vinyl layer, it is 1/2" thick.

The thicker material appeals to me. It just seems sturdier and more likely to be completely straight and flat. It's a lot heavier, obviously, but I'm not mounting in drywall, so that's not an issue. It's only a little more expensive than the 1/4" material...still dirt cheap.

However, I hate to depart from the tried and true. Has anyone used this thicker Do-able?

Does it look to be the same color? Can you send me a small sample of something you cut off? What's the SKU number of the new material?