Home Cinema projection setup advice needed

hi peeps,

I am planning on getting a projector, got the model picked, worked out the distances and size of image. Only problem I am left with is the screen, being a student my funds are running quite low.

I need a temp screen to use, I come up with 2 cheap solutions, either paint the wall matte white/grey (been told grey is better) or use a roller blind for screen.

anyone had any experience with home projector setups and would like to tell me which one of the solutions is likly to product a better picture. Also any recommendations on where to get a proper projection screen from uk, 16:9 70"-90".

thanks a lot,

Ady

http://www.avforums.com

Have a look on there. A while ago people were discussing DIY screens, there was a material available from IKEA or might have been habitat thats cheap and does the job.

www.drhscreens.co.uk are supposed to be one of the best cheaper screen makers in the UK, iirc :) Apparently people have got good results with dulux 'icestorm 5' or something, have a look at the avforums link provided by flibb. Beware - adictive spending awaits!

thanx a lot for the help Flibb/Alex, yeah I know I am gonna end up spending tonnes on my Hi-Fi gear but it can't be helped.. :D

After considering the options I think I am going to just paint my wall and just use that. But will 100% save up for a proper screen in the future.

Ady

I think if I was doing it I'd paint a piece of MDF, and stick that on a wall, then get some black non-reflective stuff (cloth type stuff or just matt black paint) and put a 1 or 2" border around the edge, and use that to cover the screws where you've stuck it on the wall. I don't think that personally I'd bother with buying a PJ screen unless it was going to be electric, if it's to be permanent then Id just paint some MDF as I said above.

Either that, or you can buy projection material (eg from eBay) and stretch it over a piece of MDF, staple it in place on the back, and then mount that on the wall with some border of some kind, which should give a good effect. I think theres a few american shops that will sell PJ material over to the UK, and it normally goes quite cheap. Smacking it onto some MDF shouldn't be that hard. :)

EDIT: Don't know how much postage would be for this, but a 1.3 gain screen for the price of some MDF plus £25, in 110" wide ain't bad. :)