Helpful Tip to Increase Picture Quality

[Adz]

Have a white ceiling which I suspected was reflecting a lot of light from my projector into the screen. Someone on another forum recommended that I cover the ceiling starting from the screen out to the projector in black velvet fabric. So, I went to JoAnn's Fabrics (for the first time ops: ) and purchased rolls of Royal Black Velvet (at about $8.50 a yard) and put it up on my ceiling using black fabric tacks (also purchased at JoAnns). Well, for what its worth, the $150 investment reduced glare considerably and "perceived" contrast increased to a very (very) noticable level. Several threads point out that royal black velvet or velveteen are far and away better at absorbing reflective light than simply painting the ceiling black. Next to my dedicated 20 amp outlets, dollar for dollar the best tweak I've ever done by far. :T

Highly recommend it and wanted to pass this tip along.

[jimmyp58]

Good one ADZ but JoAnn Fabrics???!!!

[Adz]

Yeah, I know. It was an interesting experience and the salesperson told me I was but one of several dozen 30-40ish old males stopping by of late to buy black velvet fabric for their Home Theater rooms for their walls, ceilings. Definitely changes the look of the room and would only recommend it for dedicated theaters for sure.

Here' a link to all their stores in the U.S.
Looks like there are a lot of stores in your neck of the woods.
Also, note first time buyers get a 40% discount on their first purchase.

http://www.joann.com/store_locator/locator_main.jhtml;$sessionid$4BAXC0AAAFVHYP4SY5LR IHR50LD3UEPO

[jimmyp58]

Well it would appear you are in good company if they have that many fellas stopping in for this.

Jim

[Burke Strickland]

When I went into the local Jo-Ann's a few years ago looking for black velvet, the kindly older lady who assisted me picked up right away on the home theater theme for my fabric purchase. She figured out right away that, being a guy looking at the "drab fabrics", I wasn't in there to pick out vibrant new colors for a spring outfit. :>)

But she suggested that instead of black or dark blue velvet, the reflection suppression might be better served by black felt. Her point was well taken -- the velvet they had in stock at the time had kind of a sheen which from some angles could mirror back the light. So I went with the black felt, which pretty well deadens the area it covers, light-wise, anyway.

Of course, the velvet fabric they have in stock now may differ from what they had back then, (I don't hang out in fabric stores enough to know what their current stock is like, but I'm glad they carry what I need when I do ventuire in there) and the felt, with its seeming total light absorbtion, may appear "too severe" for some tastes. It also doesn't drape as well as the velvet for curtains across the screen wall, but it sure kills those pesky reflections!

Burke

[Adz]

Nice to see another JoAnn fan! :W
There are some pretty long threads on another forum (AVS) that goes back and forth on the pros and cons of different fabric and such, actually pretty funny listening to these a/v -philes talking about fabrics. Anyway, someone of course did a test on different fabrics and found this "royalty" black velvet to be very good, little to no sheen and looks not so bad on the ceiling. But you're right, a black felt might even be better. The easiest way to test different fabrics is simply to shine a flashlight into them and see which one absobs the light best.

[Brandon B]

Proper black velvet is the best "light suck" there is. I have not seen velvet with a sheen like you describe though, and I agree that would be undesireable.

We have used it extensively for light problems. More often, though, we have to use duvetyne as our venues are often subject to rather stringent fire codes.

BB

[Dean McManis]

The blackout walls definitely make a difference, reducing reflected light off of the walls from spilling back onto the screen. 8)

I have a 6' area in front of my screen with black crushed velvet sidecurtains, and a black flock material covered ground panel, black carpet on the ceiling, and more black flocking that covers the back wall behind the perforated screen. :T

[Chris D]

I did all that with a solid black room, no light, and also put black fabric on the screen too. You don't want light reflections there either.

I sit in pure darkness.




























Just kidding....

[Burke Strickland]

In reconfiguring my projection screen masking system to completely cover the screen when it is not in use, and to provide a "skirt" for the bottom framing edge so that there is no reflective screen showing below it regardless of the active screen size, I needed more material. Fortunately, I found another fabric that looks nicer and works as well as, or better than, the black felt I had been using -- black "fleece" (which I put in quotes because traditionally fleece is wool, but the fabric I found is 100% polyester).

The fleece is equally light absorbing but drapes much better than the felt, so I am using the felt I already had on hand for flat panel surfaces (like the bottom edge "skirt", and the fleece for the overall screen-covering curtains which also define the left and right vertical edges of the projection area when open.

The fleece has the same semi-nubby texture as the felt, but it is far softer to the touch, which will please anyone who has the urge to stroke your drapes. :>) Plus, it was $5.84 per yard at (of all places to find something nice) WalMart. Of course, if you can find the velvet which has been described by others above, that would have an even richer look and, assuming it is the "non-sheen" type, it would also serve as well or better in the reflection-killing role. Nice to have choices.

Burke

[Radec]

So for you "Balck Velvet" crowd....
How did it look when you tacked up the velvet? How did you...well lets just say design the velvet on the ceining for the best appearance possible?

I've given this some thought as my white ceiling has a bit of glare to it, but the Mrs thinks that velvet tacked on my ceiling will look "Tacky".

Bottom line : The idea makes sense and I'm sure performs well....but how did you make it look nice. :T

thx
Rad

[Adz]

Looks better than white ceilings. Very high WAF, in fact now she wants me to cover the entire ceiling and then to put in velvet curtains.
I kid you not.

[Brandon B]

It also helps if you paint Elvis or dogs playing poker onto the velvet. That eliminated all my wife's objections.

BB