Z3 - Best Screen - Blackout Cloth or the Real Deal

Currently using home made fixed wooden frame screen. The visible width is 2 metres it’s covered with blackout cloth (purchased from the Dunelm chain for approx £6.00!) There are no creases in the material and I feel the resultant image to be good.

I use black felt around the border of the screen, which appears to improve the apparent contrast. To accommodate different screen ratios I have designed a crude but functional method of adjusting the borders to ensure they line up with the visible image i.e. no overspill of grayish light at the top and bottom of the screen as the felt does an excellent job of absorbing any stray light. The dedicated room is finished in dark colours and offers true blackout conditions.

My question is would my Z3's image benefit significantly from the acquisition of an expensive made for the job screen? Does any one here have experience of upgrading and if so do they feel it money well spent?

[theritz]

Hi,

I upgraded fram a blackout screen to proper Harkness Hall material. There is a noticeable difference if you place them side by side - the proper screen material produces better colour imo and slightly brighter without being "hot", if you know what I mean. It isn't the end of the world though - if you're happy with the image you've got now you could plan to upgrade the screen by buying some material from Harkness Hall or DRH a bit later on and just substitiute the screen material for the blackout cloth. The beauty of a fixed screen is that you can get a completely wrinkle free surface, and one that stays that way - my screen had three years with blackout and no wrinkles/waves, and is a year old with the HH material as perfect as the day it went up.

BTW, you've already done the best performance/cost tweak by.....

......no overspill of grayish light at the top and bottom of the screen as the felt does an excellent job of absorbing any stray light. The dedicated room is finished in dark colours and offers true blackout conditions.

You can max out that performance with proper screen material, but I wouldn't regard it as urgent.......


S.