[bravogolf]

Finally finished painting the room today, second coat done everywhere so it's all nice and smooth. Took a few days after work each evening. I went with bitter chocolate 1 on ceiling on projector wall and bitter chocolate 2 on the walls. Now I'll install the devore covered boards which will go on sides, around the yet to arrive 2.40:1 screen and directly above it. Here's a quick preview


The panels for the devore

Ceiling

Then the walls

And a very bored dog :-P

[gingerone]

Looking really good, keep us all updated

[Rich H]

bravogolf, that looks like it's going to work out spectacularly well! The install looks nice and clean, with little distraction, so the image ought to look really cinematic.

[Steve Stifler]

Nice one, can't wait to see the final reveal of this work!

[Mr_Grinch]

My set up is a bit more...amateur than the above. I wanted something I was able to take down if need be. It also had to be cheap. At present I've got two Wilkinson's black curtains on the walls. I then looked at some material for the ceiling but couldn't find anything local or cheap, so I bought a double duvet from Argos. I cut down the length of one side, and then the width and unfolded it (so it was double the width of a normal duvet). This did the trick. I popped some holes in the corners, attached curtain hooks and mounted it on the corner of the curtain poles. I then wrapped a bit of picture wire around the light holder. All that's a temporary solution, hoping to get something set up with magnets in the near future.

I also stuck up some spare material from the duvet at the bottom, to border the screen a bit.

Anyway, in total it's cost me about £35 to do, which I thought was pretty reasonable. It looks like this:

Certainly doesn't look as professional as most of the setups in this thread but the increase in quality has been fantastic (I'm especially impressed with the ceiling cover, an awful lot of light must have been reflecting from the white ceiling).

Eventual plan is to run curtain rails around the entire room so I can cover all the walls with the black curtains, and also hide them at the back of the room by the window, out of the way.

[gingerone]

Well im getting closer to completion now.
Really cant afford devore so have picked up black cotton fabric used by photographers for £4.99 a metre ( 2 metres wide)
Got the side walls done back to behind the seating area as well as the ceiling.
I have black rugs on the floor and a black sofa.
Have to say the results are awesome and i cant imagine more expensive fabric making that much difference.
I dont see any light reflecting back off the side walls or the ceiling and the picture has a lot more punch.
Loving it and cant wait to finish the room now.

[Steve Stifler]

Mr Grinch

Good - If you are pleased with the results, then that's all that matters. Sure a dedicated room with all the bells and whistle (Oh devore in this case) would be nice but most people cannot have that luxury. You're getting much better light control with what you have so hopefully it will improve your enjoyment of the image.

[gingerone]

My room is dedicated and it makes a big difference being able to have everything placed exactly as it should be.
Watched horrible bosses earlier and the picture was just awesome.
That dreaded washed out look has completely gone and the image just pops out at you now.
For the first time ever i am completley happy with both picture and sound

[bravogolf]

That's an awesome place to be, Ginger! As Steve quite wisely wrote, it's you that matters, if you're happy with it then that's what's important \o/ there's something to be said about a non dedicated cinema room though too. We all watched the (rather good Fincher's rendition of) The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo last night on the TV, fire lit and a nice cold beer

Thats said, I can't wait to have mine done. It's on hold for a week to see whether I can sell the Panasonic and buy a JVC (could do with electronic lens shift) but if not I'll go ahead and finish mine off

[gingerone]

I love it. For the first time in years im enjoying films instead of obsessing about details.

[Faffer]

Anyone got any idea for putting a track around the room that can be used to put some curtains on?

I need to work out how to mount a curtain that I can pull around for when I have a film on but then store it the other side of the room.

And just to make things more tricky one wall the projector screen one is open plan to my stairs and Id be looking at a track 6m.

Any idea ?


Richard

[bravogolf]

Have a look at Rich H's posts up above, and his thread. He did something like you and it looks superb.

[dave_st185]

Curtain Tracks & Systems - IKEA

I bought this Kvartal stuff from Ikea, it's modular, has single or tripple track, 90 degree corner bits, can be mounted to the wall or ceiling, I'm just waiting for a free weekend to put it up but should do you

[Faffer]

Cheers Dave this just might be what I am looking for.

Will have to do some reading but looks like a trip to IKEA

Richard

[mdavies]

Hi all,

This is my first post here but have read through much of this thread with interest....

I've just bought a JVC HD950 second hand for NZ$3000 (1500 pounds), and realised my room (white walls) isn't doing it justice.

I don't really fancy spending the same amount again on devore fabric (it's quite a big room) which everyone is talking about, so has anyone had any experience using black calico fabric as a light absorbant curtain to cover white walls? It is about 5% of the cost of devore velvet, so would be a very cost effective solution if it works ok.

Don't need it to block light coming through from the other side, just need it to reduce the reflections that impact contrast....

thoughts anyone? thanks!

[Ideal AV]

anything to stop the white wall reflections will be better so just go for it

Maplins speaker cloth is also quite good but doubt you`ll get it over in NZ and its very cheap and extremely easy to work with

the 950 was/is a great pj as well so will really benefit from room treatments

its great to see how people are realising just how important the room affects a projected image, we`ve come along way from when the original thread started

[jetsetjimbo]

I'm planning on wall mounting speakers (potentially Monitor Audio Radius 225 or 250s) around the screen in the new room I'm planning.

I'm going to cover the exposed areas around the screen (as well as ceiling and side walls) with devore or something similar, would it be worth covering the speakers (which are likely to be a glossy finish) in speaker cloth?

This would eliminate reflection and help them to disappear into the wall when watching a film with the lights down?

[Ideal AV]

you won`t be the first to cover your speaker and you certainly won`t be the last either

if it will stop reflection then do it, as for me anyway, their`s nothing more distracting then something flashing in the corner of your eye

unless its the torch from the icecream lady

[jetsetjimbo]

Originally Posted by Ideal AV

you won`t be the first to cover your speaker and you certainly won`t be the last either

if it will stop reflection then do it, as for me anyway, their`s nothing more distracting then something flashing in the corner of your eye

unless its the torch from the icecream lady

Indeed, I just wonder how acoustically transparent, acoustically transparent material really is.

I'm going to have all the equipment at the back of the wall so want to do all I can to minimise any distractions.

[bravogolf]

Originally Posted by jetsetjimbo

Indeed, I just wonder how acoustically transparent, acoustically transparent material really is.

I'm going to have all the equipment at the back of the wall so want to do all I can to minimise any distractions.

If you cut the Devore well enough you needn't cover the speaker grills themselves. I'll probably cover my speakers too but I love the rosenut finish of the Monitor Audio's :-D

[jetsetjimbo]

Originally Posted by bravogolf

If you cut the Devore well enough you needn't cover the speaker grills themselves. I'll probably cover my speakers too but I love the rosenut finish of the Monitor Audio's :-D

That's some pretty precision cutting, but a good point! You could just have it lapping up the sides of the speakers, although covering the front would cut down on disctraction (if not refelction) even further?

p.s. what MA speakers are you using?

[bravogolf]

Originally Posted by jetsetjimbo

That's some pretty precision cutting, but a good point! You could just have it lapping up the sides of the speakers, although covering the front would cut down on disctraction (if not refelction) even further?

p.s. what MA speakers are you using?

Personally I won't cover them initially, will see what they're like but I suspect I'll have to as any subtle light reflection will, I suspect, be all the more obvious upon the screen when it's surrounded in an otherwise deep black. Am using the Monitor Audio RX6 fronts (the RX6 AV12) speakers

[Ideal AV]

if you 2 used dedicated AV speakers that were satin black you wouldn`t have to faff about like this LOL

hifi speakers for cinema room use, who`d have thought it

sorry only jossing

[bravogolf]

Hehe, ah yes but the level of investment allowed is directly proportionate to the aesthetic value as defined by ones partner. In other words:
Budget =Quality (Q) + Investment Granted * (Aesthetic (A)+(Cost*.10))

[jphealy]

I've been looking around for cheaper Devore alternatives, and I came across this from Ikea DITTE Fabric - black - IKEA.

I know it's not a velvet material, but It's only about a fifth of the price. I've only seen it on the website, so don't know exactly what it's like. The only information it gives really is that it's 100% cotton. Is anybody familiar with it, and think it might be effective?

[kbfern]

If you want to save money fine but my advice is go with devore round the screen area (at least for the first 4ft to left & right including ceiling and below) and then use the cheaper stuff for the rest.

Devore is the best and you will see a difference believe me.

[jphealy]

Would it be safe to say that this Ikea stuff would be a good improvement over a dark paint colour?

[kbfern]

I don't know for sure but most paint even matt does reflect, fabric is most probably less reflective depending on the fabric used.

[jphealy]

I'll have to go and get a sample and see what it looks like. I have a sample of devore (and can confirm that it's the blackest thing I've ever seen - feels like my eyes might get sucked into it if I stare at it too long), so I can compare the two.

[Ideal AV]

for the price of it why not just order a sample in or go to Ikea and have a look at it yourself.

it does look black on their site but thats just a colour, real life it could be grey and have a really nice sheen to it and light your room up like a lighthouse

if you want a cheaper alternative then Maplins speaker cloth is not bad especially if looking head on, it has a sheen but can be directed away from you if you position it the right way.

Ultimatley, devore is the best thing i`ve been able to source, it ain`t cheap but you get what you pay for

Also fwiw both devore and the maplins cloth are acoustically transparent

Allan