Electric screen for Panasonic PT-AX100 projector?

[laserdiscfan]

I'm intending to buy a Panasonic PT-AX100 LCD projector, and I'm looking for a suitable good quality electric screen.

I'm not sure how much to spend to get the best out of this projector. Is ~£400 enough, or is it worth spending up to ~£1000?

The room is 19'6" x 10'6", the projector will be about 13' from the screen, and the room will be fairly dark (using curtains). I'm thinking of going for a screen around 2m wide (perhaps 2.1-2.2m), and I am wondering if I should go for a gain of 1.0 or 1.2?

I have been looking at screens from Eyeline, Harkness Hall, Beamax, HCSV and Screen International, and I'm wondering what would be a good match both technically and pricewise?

Any recommendations or feedback would be welcome. (I have already read some of the older threads on screens).

[Piers]

Your first port of call should be www.projectorcentral.com. There you will find a hugely helpful resource that allows comparisons of screen sizes, screen gains, quite apart from great info on where the projector should be sited. The only problem is that some UK models fail to feature.

I declare an interest as a Beamax dealer. Money is the problem with screens and extra pounds produce substantial gains. A painted wall will do for some, a manual pull-down screen does well for others, an electric drop-down screen has the WOW factor for others - to get the very best from your projector you need a screen that is totally flat and made from a material that is projector friendly.

£400 is unlikely to do your projector justice,

[jkirk]

I teamed up my panny AX100 with a Sapphire mayfair 92" (diag) electric screen. Its great. Screen gain of 1.0 and positioned 11` from the PJ. Cost me £316 incl of postage.

[andyhofer]

I am considering the AX100E and am tempted to match it up with the Optoma 92" Panaview Graywolf 16:9 DE-GWII9092E with 1.8 Gain. Now I know this projector is bright at 2000 lumens, would this be an issue with a screen at 1.8 gain.

The room will be painted in a pale colour unfortunately, and I chose this screen due to its grey covering and hopefully the blacks won't be to washed out.

What do you think?

Andy

[rich2000]

I don't think it is advisable to use a 2000 lumen projector with a high gain screen as you may well find it to bright and also suffer from hoit spots, ie. where the picture is brighter in the middle of the screen than at the edges.

Probably best to email optoma directly and ask them.

[MarkP80]

laserdiscfan,

Seeing as you have asked for experiences, I use an HCSV 2.2m screen with my AE900, and I'm absolutely delighted with the results. I use it in a curtained room, so there is minimal light. I sit around 1.3 x screen width away. Being electric, it disappears out of view into a pelmet I constructed. As I say, I absolutely love it, and guests never fail to be completely wowed (sp?) by it. Not sure why I'd want to spend more TBH. Being a light controlled room, I don't need a high gain screen. Maybe more expensive screens offer something I'm not aware of, but I'm happy to continue in satisfied ignorance.

Cheers,
MarkP