Custom 12' Hanging Projection Screen with Barn Wood Frame (and Pirate Skull.)
Briefly lived in a renovated warehouse loft, which gave me the opportunity to do the installation I had always imagined. Originally conceived as a 16 x 9 surface, a small error in our calculations resulted in a ratio closer to 16 x 10. (We decided to adopt it as unique rather than disassemble the frame and start from scratch.) Final surface was composed of FlexiWhite vinyl over 1/4" Gatorboard for strength, suspended via aircraft cable mounted into exposed timber building joists. Barnwood salvaged from my grandparents' farm in Central WI. Pirate skull added for awesomeness.
Tech Specs:
Epson 8350 Projector
AudioEngine A5 2.0 Powered Speaker System
Maverick Audio TubeMagic D1 DAC
AppleTV
Samsung Bluray Player
HDMI/3.5mm Audio inputs for Laptop connection
The 8350 (comparable in price, but an
enormous upgrade from the older 6500UB we began with) provided superior light output, even from a distance of 16'. From my vantage, low-end surround sound systems are pointless and a dedicated high end system requires a controlled acoustic environment to really justify its cost. In mixed-use space, I had a hunch that less was more. The A5's, while technically marketed as high-end PC speakers, provided more than sufficient output, even without the optional sub. (We received frequent neighborly complains if weekday viewings ran too late.) The DAC was necessary to decode sound from the AppleTV and the Maverick was chosen because it combined digital decoding with multiple inputs, allowing us to use it as an audio switch between the AppleTV, Blu-ray player and lappy. (Interestingly, though the Maverick is a "hybrid" DAC, featuring both a solid state amp and a vacuum tube, I preferred the sound of the solid state for most film and television playback.) The equipment was acquired over several years, but all said and done, the entire system could probably be assembled for around $2500, provided you do the construction and installation yourself
Sadly, it all came down last winter when I moved out. But it was fun while it lasted!
Frame during assembly.
First test hang, prior to FexiWhite installation.
Final installation with speakers mounted off ground (to appease angry neighbors.)
Awesomeness.
Let It Go.
