Question Which kind of screens to avoid curling edges over time?

[tryphon]

I'm hesitating between buying a pull up / floor screen (such as this) and a regular, pull-down screen (such as that, that, or that). People complain about curling edges with floor screens, is it also an issue with pull-down ones? Does it make a difference if the screen is manual or electric in terms of curling edges?

 

[jfinnie]

Electric tab tensioned screens are generally best if you have to have a roll away screen - they have wires running down the outside edge of the screen that combined with the weight of the bottom bar pull the surface taught. Downsides are that over time they can stretch the image area into a trapezoid shape a little over time if it has black borders, and the tab mechanism adds substantially to the case length, which can reduce the amount of useable screen if you have a tight spot to fit it in.

I think with most non-tensioned roll away screens you can expect some curl over time. Vutec have a screen surface specifically designed not to curl (Vu-Flex Pro I think). I've never seen it.

By far the best screens are fixed screens where the whole surface is under constant even tension from all sides. I have one in my lounge and a white roller blind which I use to hide it - you never really notice it is there until you roll up the blind. Of course not everyone can accommodate such a setup; for me it means having the TV to the side of the screen which isn't ideal but I can live with it.

All the screens you list are at the economical end of the spectrum; I would think you'll be guaranteed to get curling sooner or later.

 

[ShanePJ]

Only fixed or tab-tensioned screens stop curling. I've never seen a manual or an standard electric screen offer this ability as yet. If you imagine that the screen is a sale, it has to have a degree of curl. Usually, you find that the black edging around the fabric is enough to hold the white part of the screen flat with black border parts taking up the curl.

Regards, Shane.

 

[tryphon]

Thanks folks for the input. Tab-tensioned screens are off budget for me and fixed screens aren't an option in my case either so I guess I'll need to get along with curling. Is it something you notice even while watching films though, or only when focusing on the screen itself as an object?

Also, apart from the obvious fact that it's electric, is there a reason why choosing an electric screens over a manual one?

 

[jfinnie]

Depends. as Shane says if the curling is only in the black borders you may not notice with lights out and a movie on. If you end up with ripples across the screen or waves you will definitely notice them in pans and they will be very annoying if you're anything like me (my eye is inexplicably drawn to anomalies).

I read somewhere the surfaces used for manuals differ often but I don't know much detail.

If curling is a worry maybe think about buying from RS - they offer a 6 year warranty on the Sapphire screens. No exclusions I can see in the warranty T&Cs for curling...
https://www.richersounds.com/action.php?cdx=loadstatic&page=5yearTVterms