Manual pulldown screens

[Jim McC]

Are there any pulldown screens that don't wrinkle?
Is this an overblown problem?

[Vagabond]

Yes, Da-Lite has a manual pulldown screen with a tensioning arm, so no wrinkles there. I've got one with HighPower surface. The only draw back is that it's a little bit heavier to roll in so you need to help it slightly.

Also, you can't flush mount it to a wall (the tensioning arm needs room) so you must have brackets that puts it out a bit. Or you can hang it from the ceiling.

Hope this helps

[Ja Phule]

From what I understand, the tensioning arms on Da-Lite models help reduce wrinkles but it won't stop them. The High Power seems to be the most wrinkle free (when viewing an image). Getting a Pull down with a large roller helps reduce wrinkles too (Model C from DaLite).

[Thomas Willard]

The tensioning bar on the model B does help somewhat, but does not eliminate the waves on my 92" diagonal matte white screen.

[Jim McC]

What's the difference between Model B and C? Thanks.

[Thomas Willard]

Model C has a larger diameter rolller. It is designed for heavy duty use in which the screen would be raised and lowered a great deal. Screen material is the same in both models. I rarely raise the screen on my model B and that is why I went with that model.

[KramerTC]

Is the tensioning arm the same thing as CSR or something different? And on what manual pull down models is it available?

[Ja Phule]

CSR is "constant screen return." Basically, when your screen is already rolled down, just pull down on it and let go and it will roll up quickly and then roll up slowly as it nears the top. I believe this helps roll up the screen evenly (and it looks cool). Might just be more of a convenience factor.

The tension arm is what makes the Deluxe Model B a deluxe over the regular Model B.

[KramerTC]

Thanks Ja Phule.

I was sent brochures from Da-Lite and the Deluxe Model B is not in them. Would anybody please describe how the tensioning arm is implemented? Do you have to put it in place after you pull down the screen? A picture would be great.

[JHouse]

If you are going with the Hi-Power material you have an advantage. It is not only pretty thick and resists wrinkles naturally, but the design of the screen makes the wrinkles invisible during viewing (except during rapid pans, when they will show if you look for them). I have a 120" 16:9 with no tensioning arm or tabs and it looks great after two and a half years.

[KramerTC]

Joe,
Which model do you have? In my room the screen will be in front of bookshelves so I'll need to put the screen back up after viewing. I won't be able to leave dit own when not in use. Should I go for the Model C, then?

[JHouse]

I really don't remember the minutia, but I think I went with the heavy duty one with the larger roller and the mechanism that slows down the roll-up right at the end so it doesn't bang into the cabinet. I use it every day. And I don't have that tensioning arm thing.

[CT_Wiebe]

KramerTC --- I bought the Da-Lite High Power, Model C for my HT/LR. My regular TV and my LR windows are behind my screen, so it has to be up for most of the day (except when watching movies :D ). I also got Da-Lite's Pull Down Rod (about $10), so I wouldn't have the black pull cord (included) hanging down in the middle of the room. If you would like some pictures of my installation, send me a PM with your email address and I'll send some to you.

I did not get the "CSR" feature, like JHouse did, since I'm the only one in the household that puts the screen up & down, and I've had lots of experience with manual screens so that does not pose a problem for me. If there were kids in the house, I would probably pay the extra $100+ for the CSR feature. The CSR prevents the screen from banging into the case on retraction which can damage the screen material attachment (see Da-Lite web site for a description - summarized by Ja Phule's post).

Both the Model C construction and the High Power material are the best combination for pull-downs because they are the easiest on the screen material and have the highest resistance to wrinkles and waves. The High Power material seems to be 2 to 3 times thicker than my old Draper screen (which after 15+ years had waves big time :mad: ).

The 3' rollers of the Model C is also much easier on the screen material than the 2" Model B rollers. The downside is a bigger, heavier, case. I went from 3/8" mounting hardware, for my 24 lb. Draper, to 1/4" (hardware = Eye screws a & S hooks), for the 48 lb. Da-Lite. The eye screws are 3" long to screw into ceiling joists.

[KramerTC]

Thanks Claus. Sent you a PM.

Looks like Model C (w or w/o CSR according to budget) is the best way to go to minimize waves or wrinkles for those that have to roll the screen up and down regularly. I got samples from Da-Lite for HCMW and HP. HCMW is almost as thick as HP but it has that sheen that others talk about and I can see some texture on it while HP is very smooth. Not sure how much of this texture I'd actually see in action but I prefer a smooth surface that won't interfere with the image being projected.

The narrow viewing cone of HP isn't that big a deal for my application. I'm thinking of getting a 92 x 54 screen. At that size in my room 30 degrees off each edge from the viewing distance would take you into the side walls.

[Mr. Mxyztplk]

I bought the 92" Deluxe Model B (with HCMW) for my Z3 and it is perfectly flat. Of course, I have only had it for a week! :) I was forced into a manual pulldown because my viewing wall has a closet door that must remain accessible. I was concerned about the wrinkles after buying some BO material when I first got the Z3. Even the Da-lite electric and manual model Cs (non-tensioned) used the conference rooms at work have waves in them. Since I did not (well at least my wallet did not) want to cough up the money for a tab-tensioned screen, I felt the deluxe B was a good compromise. Well, so far the screen is great! Picture performance is as good as my Grayhawk Screenwall, SDE on the Z3 (which is almost invisible at 9ft) is completely gone now. My only gripe with the screen is the required 3.5 inches from the wall for wall mounting. This is to allow the tensioning arm to move freely behind the screen. It is almost an unfair complaint since the frame around my closet door sticks about 1" from the wall.

[JHouse]

Don't forget guys, the primary purpuse for buying the High Power material is that it almost triples the ft.L. you get to view. That's a HUGE advantage! Eye candy. Vivid, luminous colors. All the other stuff is just gravy.

[Rieper]

Originally posted by JHouse
Don't forget guys, the primary purpuse for buying the High Power material is that it almost triples the ft.L. you get to view. That's a HUGE advantage! Eye candy. Vivid, luminous colors. All the other stuff is just gravy.

I guess you consider a 10-degree viewing cone as "gravy".

[JHouse]

It's 25 and gradual. Who's claiming 10?

The gravy is you can't see wrinkles, ambient rejection, price, durability, no sparklies, no hot-spotting.

[miketc]

I agreed with JHouse on HP with models B or C. Personally, I have the B with HP & CSR for about 2 yrs. and have not look back. The screen is only pulled down once a week for a movie or two and I have not notice any problems with waves or wrinkles. My pj (X1) is ceiling mounted.

For what is worth, the deluxe model put a physical tension in the center of the screen and does not help the waves/wrinkles on the sides. The screen is fixed at one location when pulled and can not be adjusted up or down like the other model B or C. In time, the tension will stretch the center causing more waves/wrinkles at both ends. I would stay away from deluxe models for Dalite pull down.

[Rieper]

Originally posted by JHouse
It's 25 and gradual. Who's claiming 10?

The gravy is you can't see wrinkles, ambient rejection, price, durability, no sparklies, no hot-spotting.

Just remember to put a velvet rope around that "viewing cone" of yours. Because I'm not sure if your guests would enjoy their seating arrangement after experiencing the full 2.8 gain and then having you promptly escort them back to their 1.0 gain seats. :o

[JHouse]

What guests?

[thejoker]

Do any of you who have the Model C have a hard time rolling it back up into the case? I just got mine and can never get it to go back up. What technique do you use to get it back up?

Thanks

[Mr. Mxyztplk]

Originally posted by miketc
I agreed with JHouse on HP with models B or C. Personally, I have the B with HP & CSR for about 2 yrs. and have not look back. The screen is only pulled down once a week for a movie or two and I have not notice any problems with waves or wrinkles. My pj (X1) is ceiling mounted.

For what is worth, the deluxe model put a physical tension in the center of the screen and does not help the waves/wrinkles on the sides. The screen is fixed at one location when pulled and can not be adjusted up or down like the other model B or C. In time, the tension will stretch the center causing more waves/wrinkles at both ends. I would stay away from deluxe models for Dalite pull down.

miketc,
Actually it doesn't. The tension bar puts force on a "flex" bar at the bottom of the screen. The flex bar is attached to the bottom of the screen at two points along the cross bar (at about 1/3 and 2/3s across the width of the screen). Think of the flex bar as a bow and the cross bar as the string (but only the bow flexes). The result is the screen gets a gentle pull pretty evenly across the bottom.

[miketc]

Mr. Mxyztplk, Thanks for the info.

[PJfan]

I am very incline to get the Deluxe Model B HP but am still concern with the waves. Is it my understanding that waves are inevitable even with the tension arm but will not be visible during regular viewing?

[richlo]

I just purchased a DaLite Matte White 92' pulldown Model B - 1.0 gain (Infocus 4805). My only concern is with SUBWOOFER action..DOES your SCREEN shake during some good action movies?? I have a SVS and it rocks the room pretty good, so I am curious on those who have Pulldowns and subwoofer in a HT room

[jlahorn]

I have a 133" Da-Lite HCMW model C, no CSR. It's been up for about 6 months, with the center channel beneath it and the subwoofer partly behind the screen. I roll it up only rarely; I actually keep it down as much as possible because I am afraid of getting waves and wrinkles.

[QUOTE=richlo]I am curious on those who have Pulldowns and subwoofer in a HT room[/QUOTE]

As of today, I have zero waves, zero wrinkles, and the subwoofer does not shake the screen, ever. It does rattle the windows sometimes, however :D

--
Jennifer

[HeadRusch]

[QUOTE=JHouse]What guests?[/QUOTE]

ROFL. AMEN BRUDDAH!

"Oh I'm sorry, was that a complaint? Well...how much did you pay for these tickets? Right....shaddup!"

[Opus33]

Funny you should mention the subwoofer. Since I got my new Outlaw LFM-1 and placed it very close to the side of the screen (DaLite Model B), I have noticed a little swaying, but nothing you'd see unless you were obsessively watching for it (as we all do).