Owl Othello 7' 16:9 Motorised Projection Screen

[rozel]

Hi

Having just bought a new pj - Sim2 Domino 20 (DLP) and delighted with it - I went ahead and bought the above screen a white model with a pj interface. For the money - £860 plus interface at £140, both incl vat - I did not know quite what to expect, documentation-wise. I had auditioned my new pj on this screen so quality was to be expected - particularly since people in these forums speak highly of Owl Screens.

I immediately noted a lack of documentation when opening the box, with no indication as to the level of warranty.

However one thing I did not expect were the comments on what little documentation I received as follows: -

1. End Stop Adjustment - The motor of the screens is fitted with an automatic end stop that determines the top and bottom rest point of the projection surface. These rest points are factory adjusted to their optimal value.

2. Warning - any changes made to the rest points via the end stops will invalidate the warranty for the screen.

What warranty?, but more importantly, am I to assume there is no user-adjustment to control the screen's bottom rest point?

There is a whacking big black section at the top of the screen which I had not expected, where I only expected say 2 1/2" for the top black border. If I am unable to adjust the bottom end stop/rest point, then what do I do? I am aware that somewhere on the screen - in a most inconvenient place on the screen, necessitating removing it from my ceiling first - there are two adjustment screws adjacent to a sticker which says if you remove it you will again invalidate the warranty.

It was only when I rigged up everything and mounted the screen, did I notice the warning in 2. above, after I realised that the screen came down far too much and the big black section at the top.

I have hung the screen from the ceiling after carefully measuring the housing height, the top black border and then working out on the 16:9 principal how far down the projected image would fall then adding another 2 1/2" for the bottom border. These measurements were carefully made when designing my room layout and the dealer fully understood that in my lengthy discussions.

If I can't adjust the screen only to show 2 1/2" black border at the top, then the screen will have to be returned for a full refund.

I am very cross right now and do not want to invlidate my consumer rights by adjusting the end stop until I have researched this.

I would welcome comments from anyone owning Owl screens as to whether what I want to do is possible and will not invalidate my warranty. Also please feel free to comment on the prices paid as quoted above. Any comments on it's supposedly 1.2 gain for use with my DLP pj would also be appreciated.

The screen itself looks quite good and certainly works, but having ordered it in white, I do not think it should have been supplied with black end-caps, the right one have two small holes in it, which presumably should be filled with grommets like the one on the left?

The lack of support on the internet about this screen sounds very dodgy to me. Who manufactures the screen - Owl or Screen Line? - and if Owl, then am I to assume "Owl Video Systems"? If so then they do not offer any product info or support on screens via their web site.

For £1000, I expected much better than this and if you saw the interface, then you would really cringe that it cost £140 including rather cheap and horrible looking components, most of which you could pick up at B&Q for pennies! As it was all boxed up by the manufacturer in one long box, marked amongst other thing as a 96" model (I had ordered the 84" model, which was inside the box), I did not have the opportunity to inspect it all before leaving the shop.

It is Sunday afternoon and I'm desparate to get my living room tidied up - maybe someone could reply asap?

TIA

Paul

 

[Yandros]

I can't comment on most of your post, but the extra black drop is an almost universal standard on 16:9 screens. I'm guessing you've got about 30cm, which is the quoted spec for the Owl Othello (and you're quite right, online documentation for Owl screens is practically nonexistent).

I'm suprised that you find the extra drop objectionable though. Accepted home cinema wisdom has your eyeline about 1/3 of the way from the bottom of the screen. If your ceiling is the average 2.4m, I would imagine your screen is currently pretty much at the right height.

Just out of interest, I'm about to order a screen with even more drop, since I didn't think 30cm was quite enough!

BTW, if your room layout really can't handle the drop, and since you're totally at the mercy of the dealer to give you the right info (since Owl has no online presence to speak of), I think it's up to the dealer to sort it out. A friend of mine had an Owl turn up with insufficient drop, and the dealer had to send it back and get a new one made.

 

[rozel]

Thanks Yandros. The reason why I don't want anything other than 2 1/2" black at the to of the screen is that the image must be above my TV, as otherwise the set will block the image.

Am I to undrstand correctly that there is NO user adjustment - I was given to understand by my dealer, there was.

Paul

 

[Yandros]

I seem to recall seeing at least one post here on the subject of end stop adjustment. You might want to do a search. If you bought from a local dealer, I'd get them to come and do it if it is possible (for a £1000 screen I'd expect that sort of service personally).

As for the black end caps, I'm pretty sure I've seen a picture of the white Othello, and it looked totally white.

There are plenty of Owl owners around here incidentally, so don't rush into anything - wait for their opinions.

 

[rozel]

Thanks again - good advice M8. I've been having a bad day and Owl has probably come in for a little too much stick on my part. About an hour ago, my son and I sorted the screen's drop and it now stops exactly where we had planned it. The two allen-key type sockets for the end-stops are meant to be adjusted and they worked perfectly. It only took about 1/2 hour to fettle it.

Undesreved critiscism but I sincerely hope my warranty is still intact! lol! My dealer did mention the black end-caps so this week I will be painting them along with the ceiling mount batten I used for the screen and the PJ's ceiling mount.

Still sore about the lack of documentation etc.

Paul

 

[rosemanbridge]

Rozel, I would not advise you paint the black end caps. I have a white Othello and the end caps SHOULD be white so as to blend in the whole casing with the white (if mounted) ceiling. Return it for the correct screen...it costs too much to "make do" !! You don't really need any documentation do you? The warranty should state on your invoive 24 months. Other than that there should be fitting instructions then it's just a case of flicking the switch for up or down. BTW good choice it's a great screen.

 

[rozel]

Just an update - rosemanbridge I contacted Owl this week and they say they do not produce a screen with white end caps - maybe you sourced from somewhere else?

Paul

 

[Starkiller]

I have one of these screens fitted inside the bay of a bay window behind a pellmet

got it for £462 (-£35 for a small scratch caused by the courer)

I also saw that warning about adjusting the end stop.
I think its just directed at the top stop to prevent over winding etc

Currently I just use the rocker switch to set the drop, its a bit fiddly sometimes. I must get round to adusting the drop, but with no instruction and warrenty worries its hard to commit

 

[Peter Dunn]

Rozel,

I have the same problem as you... When the Owl screen drops the full length it lands on the radiator shelf, which can't be moved.

Can you detail exactly what you and your son did with the Allen key adjustment please. Did you do it when the screen was retracted, or at full length? I am nervous about doing irreversible damage to the screen.

Many thanks.

Peter

 

[rozel]

It's all trial and error really. You have to turn the key a few turns for a relatively minor adjustment so don't panic.

I cannot remember which allen key socket controls the up limit or the down limit but the thing to be careful about is to make sure you don't turn the one which controls the up limit so as not to force the screen's retraction into the unit - this can damage the motor etal.

I adjusted whilst the screen was up - having worked out which was which I then worked out which way to turn the socket with the key to reduce the drop of the screen.

I'm sure you will get the hang of it - but the rule of thumb - " a little at a time"

Hope this helps - it's not scientific, I'm sorry

Paul

ps let us know how you get on

 

[Peter Dunn]

Hi Paul/Rozel,

I have tightened and then loosened the lower of the two Allen key adjustments but it made no difference to the lower end position of the screen. I've not touched the top socket, as it seems this one affects the upper stop position and I don't really want to risk forcing the motor.

I haven't taken off the white cap at the other end of the screen as it is very tight. Does the adjustment need to be made at both ends?

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Best regards,

Peter

 

[rozel]

I'm not sure what you are adjusting - the allen key sockets are not at either end of the screen - they are underneath the screen housing at the end where the cable enters. There are two very small plastic sockets, taking a very small allen key - IIRC one is orange and the other green.

To view them, once the screen has been mounted, you need to look upwards from underneath the screen at the cable end.

Hope this helps

Paul

 

[rob12770]

OWL stop adjustments settings:
on the "up side"
turn it clockwise to lower the stop point and anticlockwise to raise it,
on the "down side"
anticlockwise lowers the stop point while clockwise makes it higher.
hope this helps
i am assuming all OWL screens r the same.

 

[Peter Dunn]

Yippee!! Many thanks, Paul and Rob. I was trying to adjust the wrong setting. (there are 2 allen key adjustments on the end of the screen which I tried to move!!).

Last night I found the correct settings and, thanks to you guys, easily adjusted the lower end stop to the exact position.

All power to the AV forum!!

Peter (A very happy Owl owner!)

 

[rob12770]

Well done mate
(by the way those allen key sockets on the END of the screen are not adjusters of any kind, they acctually hold the rubber mounts to the motor, make sure you have tightened them up again.)

 

[rozel]

Great Peter, - it's good isn't it, when things work - I sometimes think that if it works first time, you don't gain as much satisfaction, but then again I'm a glutton for punishment lol!

Hope your watching > the satisfaction of putting it all together

Paul

 

[Peter Dunn]

Hi Paul,

It was a helluva project, 5 days over Easter. My nephew is an electrician and without his help I would still be going. It was the little things, like going through a water pipe that added to the fun, and the muck that was created, even using a channelling machine for the floor and walls...!!

We threaded this massive 3/4" 10metre (Mark Grant's) component video cable in the ceiling around the joists from one end of the room to the other, and that was not easy. The quality of that cable is absolutely fantastic, BTW.

Have a look at the photo which shows all the floor and wall channels leading to where the amp is now situated and the wires for the OWL screen, which sits above the window. We made a few errors......

It was unecessary work channelling the speaker cables up the wall at the front, and also burst a pipe! I positioned the cabling for the REL subwoofer before reading the instructions, then realised it wasn't in the best spot (too close to the centre of the room) but hope that once I've set up the system properly it will be okay. At present, I can 'hear' the sub, which is apparently not the aim.

Overall though, absolutely brilliant. The quality of the Domino20 PJ is superb, DVD's are amazing to watch and even Sky films are good. The sound is also superb, but I do fancy a Denon AVC A1SR......!!

Best regards,
Pete