Hey,

        We need a bit more info. Do you need to put speakers behind the screen? Do you have complete darkness in the ht or some light leakeage?

I went through this same thing and after 6 mos of research (numerous screen materials tested) I came to find this one:  Screen Innovations Black Diamond

Color, Contrast, Whites are going to pop but the biggest thing is the way it handles ambient light.  You can watch this screen in full on lighting (bright livingroom or with lights on in the HT.) 

Watch the video on their main screen and almost halfway through they have a scene paused on screen (hand) and look to the ceiling.  What you'll see is the light bouncing off of the screen (using a 1.0 gain white matte as an example.)  They then roll up that screen to reveal the Black Diamond and as it does the light is absorbed back into the screen.  This results in the light being reflected back to the viewing area creating that "pop" and allowing you to view in any light.  You will never get that wash out look like in any other screen material.

I've had this screen (.8 gain and I'm using the same Panny as you) for a couple months and love it.  You will not be disappointed.  Oh, and when the projector is off the screen looks like an oversized Plasma.  Nice touch especially when your buddies come over for the first time to see the HT and say "Holy $hit that's the biggest plasma I've ever seen." 

Hi rogert,

After much research, I was going to buy the smx material at just about the same time smx stopped selling the material by itself.

Additional research led me to Chris Seymour at SeymourAV.  Chris sells the Sheerweave material that appears identical to smx and may, in fact, be the same stuff. 

The seymourav material is acoustically transparent.  With your THX Ultra's you could mount your center channel in the wall (or the center of the screen) and have correct placement for the sound source.  Roy measured the material for me to see what type of EQ adjustments might be needed for the JubScala.  He said it was one of the best screens he had measured and said no adjustment was necessary.  SWEET!!

My acoustically transparent 60" by 107" (122" diagonal)  9:16 screen was stapled to a 1x3 velvet covered frame.  Total cost of screen was about $160.  The picture is awesome with my Panasonic AX-200U projector and PS3 BlueRay player.  Having the center sound coming from the behind the screen is much better, too.

Call Chris.  Tell him you're one of the Klipsch gang and that I suggested you call.  (No affiliation, yada, yada) 

Talk with him about the projectors, too.  He has both the Pana AX200 and the Pana Ae2000.  He said the 200 is a better projector in many ways than the 2000 at less than half the price.

http://www.seymourav.com/

515 450 5694

Keep us posted on your progress.

Blessings,

Bill

Thanks again. As usual the responses here on this forum are a huge blessing.

I'll look into both the screens you guys suggested, and call chris at seymour. I was very interested in the comments about the panny models as I'm not fully committed yet to any of the kit.

Brac, I forgot to say that I am planning to put the center behind the screen, either by digging a hole in the wall, or mounting the screen a little away from the wall (not so beautiful) or a combination of both as the wall is only 37cm thick and an outside wall so I have to maintain some integrity, so an accoustically transparent screen is necessary.

$160 for a 122" screen is outstanding. I like that ;) They are selling for 1000+ for a fixed model!

BTW, I'm going for some Cabasse IO2 speakers and Santorin 25 sub for the living room http://www.cabasse.com/en/range/idea/io2 driven by an ATOLL AM80, and Klipsch AW650 with the same amp for the terrace. Did you see these Cabasse before, they are sweet, and French which is a bit of a miracle in itself ;) We are using Sonos to push the music around the house in various other zones and matching the ZP100 zone players with Cabasse Eole and Santorin 21 subs.

I'm hoping to be complete next month so will post a few photos ;)

rogert:

Brac, I forgot to say that I am planning to put the center behind the screen

Hey, In that case tell Chris at Seymour I said hello.

Great stuff!

I've been in touch with Chris so looks like this'll be the way to go.

Not sure how you got the screen done for $160 Bill as the screen material Chris quoted me for a 120" is $330 plus shipping. i guess the prices have gone up a bit ;)

Hi rogert,

Glad it worked out.  I bought the 61" wide material, not the 98" about a year ago and bought 4 screens at one time.  Chris kicked in a little volume discount.  I know the material price has increase along with the cost of oil.  Even at $330, it's the deal to beat.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Blessings,

Bill

I did a screen for a client recently with the SeymouAV material. It is really good and you save a huge amount of money doing it yourself.