There’s nothing like a massive screen to get your message across.

And that’s exactly what Greenpeace aimed to achive in their campaign against Volkswagen.

As you know, I am all in favour of a white and perfectly flat projection screen for a home theater.
But that’s because it’s a garuanteed way to see your movies as they should be.

However, in this case, a massive factory was used ans basically it was turned into a symbol of evil.
A perfect way of creating the feeling they wanted the public to have.

The original idea of projecting on a house came from Kircher who used a magic lantern as early as in the Middle Ages to scare people and make them go to the church.
Read more about that fascinating bit of history in the “history of projection screens – the magic lantern”

Read more about the Greenpeace campaign here
The image was taken by David Sandison of Greenpeace and you can view the whole series on Fickr

In this video, you can see a great-looking installation of a DIY masking system used to mask an existing micro perforated Stewart fixed frame screen.

This shows a few things:
- How great a false wall is to hide the projection screen and the masking
- That the DIY masking system works well with any projection screen brand
- What a great installation you can achieve with some work

Have a look for yourself. (And you can get the DIY masking system here, if you want to make your own)

There are many electric projection screens around.

Comparing projection screens can be quite a task, because all you have are the manufacturer’s specs and often, just one image

And that one iamge is of the full screen. And because pictures showing the complete screen all look the same, that’s not going to help you either.

That’s why this video will show you not only a comparison on the component level, it will teach you at the same time which part of a projection screen really matter.

Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions.

In the video below, you’ll be able to see how the mask elements are created.

This involves:

- using a base material to attach the velvet to

- creating a pocket in the velvet and base material

- inserting a plastic or metal rod in the pocket

- inserting the combined rod/fabric in a tube or custom bar (as in the video)

You can see it all here and buy the DIY masking kit here:

There are many ways to control your projection screen.

You’ll probably be familiar with some of them, like a remote control or the traditional switch.

But did you know there are key switches as well? 12V triggers and power sensing triggers?

There are loads of options and technologies, which is why there’s a free 16 page guide that gives you an overview of the available technologies as well as the products.

It doesn’t matter which projection screen you have, you’ll be able to use the info for all screen brands.

Please fill out these two fields in the form below to get your report mailed to you instantly.

First name:

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Black velvet is awesome for your home cinema.

It’s as simple as that.

And here’s why:

OK, now on a more serious note, why should you use black velvet?

Well, ambient light and the ambient light reflected from your walls lowers the quality of the images on your screen.

Plus a projection screen surrounded by black pops out more than if it was in front of a white wall. That’s because the contrast between the projection and the surrounding area is increased.

So if you can, use it and you’ll have a low cost solution to improve your home theater. It won’t be a lot of work, since

If you’re interested, you can buy the black velvet here.

Have fun,

Otto

Enough about that WAF already.

Sometimes you should just listen to your wife.

Here’s when:

Ok, so maybe you need an explanation:

1. Don’t look for high gain projection screens or new projectors when you can control ambient light. Closing the curtains will beat a high gain screen any time.

2. Make your home cinema a room to enjoy and keep it clean. Cables should do not have to be in sight. If they’re in the way, you will trip over them some day and potentially damage your equipment.

3. When you watch a movie, you’ll be in your seat for at least an hour and a half. So get a chair or couch that you can comfortably sit in in for a long time. It’s the best way to truly relax. And, it’s an investment that will last a lot longer than your average electronics purchase.

Now, next time your wife wants to go furniture shopping, make the most of it. Get those heavy curtains, buy that awesome recliner (and make sure to get those cupholders too) and take your home theater to the next level.

And yes, you’re welcome!

Otto

Additional info

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Churches are not the easiest places to install projection screens.

And that’s because:

- There are multiple viewing angles

- A church usually has high ceilings

- Ambient light comes from many angles

- The screens should not be obtrusive when not in use

Here’s an installation of 2 fixed frame screens with rear projection fabric (link goes to the products used) in a church in the South of the Netherlands.

A nice installation that works well (click on the arrows to see the explanation):

What makes an installation a high-end installation?

Good question.

Just spending a lot of money to big expensive boxes doesn’t cut it.

Smart planning and knowing what to use and where to use it creates the ultimate home theater.

There isn’s a cookie-cutter solution either, because a lot depends on your own taste, budget and available space.

And that’s what makes creating a home cinema so much fun.

Let’s look at a nice example again. This time with a little bit more focus on the technical side than usual.

Can you spot what makes this installation high end?

Image by f10n4

Lots of people have admitted to bringing their own foods into the cinema, either in an attempt to save money or because they wanted some variety besides that which is offered at a typical cinema snack counter.
Sandwiches, candies and crisps are common choices for movie munchies, and some not so common ones include meals of hot Chinese ribs along with a mini trifle for dessert.

Yes, there are many creative moviegoers out there who have managed to smuggle all sorts of tasty treats into the theatre, but there’s one that really stands out above the rest. And the number one most unusual food that anyone has (thus far) admitted to bringing into the cinema is: (Drum roll please!)

How about this one? A piping hot fish and chips meal, smuggled into the cinema tightly sealed in a plastic bag to conceal the aroma…that is, until they opened it and began eating it, much to the mixed delight and dismay of the other moviegoers.

Apparently the smell of a nearby chippy helped to camouflage the scent of the meal, and possibly some of the other salivating movie patrons might have actually slipped out to grab a bit of their own fish and chips when the aroma became too much.

They succeeded in enjoying their fishy feast uninterrupted, complete with plenty of vinegar, while watching the movie and sipping some Barr’s Irn Bru, which reportedly complements this unusual cinematic meal very nicely.

Of course, I’m not advocating the ongoing practice of smuggling of full-course meals into cinemas when that sort of thing is frowned upon by cinema owners.

Surely there is a certain measure of etiquette to be observed here, but it’s easy to understand why some people prefer to bring in their own eats. After all, ordinary popcorn can get a little dull after a while and for some, it just doesn’t suit their personal taste.

Now, if the theatres would just install those handy little drop-down table trays on the backs of seats like they have on airplanes…