i got an lcd that is DIY friendly but has a contrast of only 200 to 1.
will using a certain screen contrast help make up for that? (should i use a darker screen?)
thanks, i'm still learning.
will using a certain screen contrast help make up for that? (should i use a darker screen?)
thanks, i'm still learning.
don't worry about it
Lots of people have used overhead projection LCD panels with 200:1 contrast ratios, or even lower, and been very happy with the results. The only artifacts you will see will be that dark areas of the screen will not be totally black.
Even if you play a DVD through a killer 1000:1 projector with the latest technology, and have all the lights in the house turned off, a certain amount of light from the screen will get reflected back from your walls to lower your real contrast ratio. So unless you planned on having a home theatre room with black curtains covering all the walls, I wouldn't worry about it.
Some people have claimed to get improved contrast using very expensive screen material or complex DIY paint recipes, but it doesn't hold up to scientific measurement. You CAN improve the total amount of light you get back to the viewing area by selecting the right materials, to sacrifice viewing angle in favor of more light within the viewing cone. But back in the real world, (that may include a wife or parents who expect a normal-looking house), I have found it is hard to beat a couple of coats of Behr Flat Exterior Ultra Pure White house paint on a smooth sealed drywall surface.
If you want to read DIY screen posts until your eyeballs bleed:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=110
Lots of people have used overhead projection LCD panels with 200:1 contrast ratios, or even lower, and been very happy with the results. The only artifacts you will see will be that dark areas of the screen will not be totally black.
Even if you play a DVD through a killer 1000:1 projector with the latest technology, and have all the lights in the house turned off, a certain amount of light from the screen will get reflected back from your walls to lower your real contrast ratio. So unless you planned on having a home theatre room with black curtains covering all the walls, I wouldn't worry about it.
Some people have claimed to get improved contrast using very expensive screen material or complex DIY paint recipes, but it doesn't hold up to scientific measurement. You CAN improve the total amount of light you get back to the viewing area by selecting the right materials, to sacrifice viewing angle in favor of more light within the viewing cone. But back in the real world, (that may include a wife or parents who expect a normal-looking house), I have found it is hard to beat a couple of coats of Behr Flat Exterior Ultra Pure White house paint on a smooth sealed drywall surface.
If you want to read DIY screen posts until your eyeballs bleed:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=110
pure white paint, huh?
that sounds easy enough to me. have you heard/seen the results from using PVC ? that looked really good from the two examples i saw posted.
but i think it's almost as expensive as buying a good screen. and who the hell sells the 1mm thick flat pvc in large enough pieces? so it would have to be shipped or special ordered.
so i think the painting thing is definitely good way to go.
but why do you prefer the pure white as opposed to the matte silver enamel spray paint many are using on formica and such?
that sounds easy enough to me. have you heard/seen the results from using PVC ? that looked really good from the two examples i saw posted.
but i think it's almost as expensive as buying a good screen. and who the hell sells the 1mm thick flat pvc in large enough pieces? so it would have to be shipped or special ordered.
so i think the painting thing is definitely good way to go.
but why do you prefer the pure white as opposed to the matte silver enamel spray paint many are using on formica and such?
painted screen
Eyeballs bleeding yet? 😀 There sure are a lot of DIY screen threads over there on avsforum!
I didn't say I prefer flat white. I just said it is hard to beat, because it gives decent results, is very cheap, and is impossible to screw up if you have ever painted with a roller. If you have any irregularity in your paint job, you can always just add another coat.
I am actually using two coats of UltraPure White as a base, with two layers of Behr White Opal Pearlescent over that to increase the brightness, and then topped with two coats of Behr Flat Polyurethane to kill the hot spot. (All from Home Depot, but not cheap.) I do get more light back from my screen (about 70% reflective), but it is impossible to get an even coat of the W.O.P. with a roller. So I have some streaks visible on the screen with some images. I would not recommend this recipe unless you are a professional painter with spray equipment. Any recipe that depends on a uniform layer thickness will have the same problem.
I did make about a dozen different test squares before settling on the recipe I used. I also tried the projector at each step along the way. I noticed that the drywall mud layer I applied and sanded smooth to remove the texture, looked pretty good. Then the vinyl drywall sealer coats looked a bit better. The two coats of UltraPure White were just a tiny bit brighter, but completely uniform. That's why I recommend it as a good starting point (and actually a good ending point, too). Try it before you buy anything more exotic: You may just decide you are done.
Eyeballs bleeding yet? 😀 There sure are a lot of DIY screen threads over there on avsforum!
I didn't say I prefer flat white. I just said it is hard to beat, because it gives decent results, is very cheap, and is impossible to screw up if you have ever painted with a roller. If you have any irregularity in your paint job, you can always just add another coat.
I am actually using two coats of UltraPure White as a base, with two layers of Behr White Opal Pearlescent over that to increase the brightness, and then topped with two coats of Behr Flat Polyurethane to kill the hot spot. (All from Home Depot, but not cheap.) I do get more light back from my screen (about 70% reflective), but it is impossible to get an even coat of the W.O.P. with a roller. So I have some streaks visible on the screen with some images. I would not recommend this recipe unless you are a professional painter with spray equipment. Any recipe that depends on a uniform layer thickness will have the same problem.
I did make about a dozen different test squares before settling on the recipe I used. I also tried the projector at each step along the way. I noticed that the drywall mud layer I applied and sanded smooth to remove the texture, looked pretty good. Then the vinyl drywall sealer coats looked a bit better. The two coats of UltraPure White were just a tiny bit brighter, but completely uniform. That's why I recommend it as a good starting point (and actually a good ending point, too). Try it before you buy anything more exotic: You may just decide you are done.
yeah the avs boards were alot of info.
my mind got blown!!!
but in the end, i'm only more pissed off at california having all the cool stuff as usual....
(i'm into old school hot rods and bikes, i also pinstripe with the real sword brush, etc.) all that stuff is from out west.
AND NOW I READ THAT THE BEST INSTANT SCREEN IS FROM MATERIAL CALLED DO-ABLE BOARD BUT HOME DEPOT ONLY SELLS IT OUT WEST.
damnit, i hate you lucky guys out west, (just kidding)
have you ever tried the do-able board before you spent the hundred or so on paint?
i'm extremely interesting in trying to get some.
my mind got blown!!!
but in the end, i'm only more pissed off at california having all the cool stuff as usual....
(i'm into old school hot rods and bikes, i also pinstripe with the real sword brush, etc.) all that stuff is from out west.
AND NOW I READ THAT THE BEST INSTANT SCREEN IS FROM MATERIAL CALLED DO-ABLE BOARD BUT HOME DEPOT ONLY SELLS IT OUT WEST.
damnit, i hate you lucky guys out west, (just kidding)
have you ever tried the do-able board before you spent the hundred or so on paint?
i'm extremely interesting in trying to get some.
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