Need a screen for projection HT set up

[rplace]

Getting a bit off topic from AFlyn's original questions but if you looked at the Carada link I posted earlier and still have questions read this entire article but look at the pictures here on page two first. http://www.projectorcentral.com/build_home_theater_screen_aspect_ratio_2.htm

If you buy a 2.35:1 screen and can zoom your lense you always fill the screen top to bottom. Make sure you get a screen with a fabric sort of like velvet or felt on the frame of the screen. Also I would strongly suggest you paint your front wall flat black along with the ceiling. Paint your other walls whatever color you like but on the dark side. Mine happen to be dark red...seems like a popular choice for a HT.

With a light absorbant frame and black walls you should not see anything above/below the screen. Also change your projector to show black bars not grey bars.

Finally I think you might be be putting too much emphasis on a 8 foot wide screen. Decide on the aspect ratio you want (hopefully 2.35:1 []) and then get the widest that will fit your needs taking into account how far back you are able to sit. There is plenty of info out there on how to calculate the best screen size based on your viewing distance. If you get a screen too big for your application it is possibe to have a worse viewing experiance than with a smaller screen. FWIW, my screen is 96" diag. in my 15-ish foot deep room and my seats are about 12 feet back. On a movie that almost fills the entire screen top to bottom and side to side it is just like a movie house with out the annoying people talking and chomping food with their poorly trained demo spawn kicking my seat back.

Below are a few pix of my room in varios incarnations. The room is so hard to photograph well due to it being so dark. If I put a lot of light in it you can't get the feel of the room, as the screen looks washed out. If it is dark it is very hard to shoot...but I think you will get the idea of black/red walls and the right screen selection. Note on the shot of Finding Nemo that the screen is full top to bottom and there are black areas left and right. This is an example of a 1.78:1 movie.

[cornfedksboy]

Thanks for all the information (even though I wasn't the one that posted the question). The 8 foot wide screen IS the largest screen that will fit in my room, hence the 8 foot wide screen questions. It also just so happens that from my viewing distance will be about 13 foot for front row and 16 for second row, so a 100" to 120" diagnol screen is also appropriate. So, I went back over all the pros and cons of a 2.35:1 vs 16:9 screen questions and here is what I came up with:

A 2.35:1 screen is $750.00. A 16:9 is $250.00. That's $500.00 saved and good enough for me! I also figured that for the $500.00 saved I could have a carpenter come in and do some really cool sliding walls to cover the screen for the 2.35:1 movies. Since my Father-in-Law just happens to be a carpenter, I can probably do it for $100.00 and a 6 pack of pale ale!

I might also use my theater room for a little gaming, and since I have about 1000 HD movie channels that broadcast in 16:9, I figured this was the better option for my situation.

Thanks again, and I hope that someone answered AFlyn's question!

[Brac]

I did alot of research before I decided to try a DIY paint on screen, it was a mix of a few things, I found it near impossible to get an even finish, so that idea was scrapped. I then got a piece of white vinyl fabric from my local canvas shop. Built a frame and covered it with double black velvet. I spent less than $100, and have a great screen. Of course it helps that my room is completely light controlled.

I built by 124" screen at 16:9, but have since learned that 2.35:1 would have been better.