[simpits-tech] Projector screen material?

[dabigboy at cox.net]

Hey guys, I just scored myself not one, but two projectors on ebay.........so it looks like the visual system experiments are about to begin. :)

I have decided I want to pursue a cylindrical screen, and use Fly-Elise's X-Plane plugin to correct the geometry. I *think* if I utilize a spherical mirror, I can mostly overcome the focusing issues. What I'm wondering about now is how to make the screen..........I guess my first question is, what's good material (or paint) for a DLP projector? I haven't decided if I'm going to drape material into a cylinder, or make a hard cylinder and paint it. I'm less concerned about brightness and more concerned about good colors and dark blacks.

Second question: any ideas on how to go about this? :) I was thinking if I could find some relatively ridgid (maybe PVC or some other sort of plastic) material, I could put maybe half a dozen vertical beams where I want the screen, and let the curve of the plastic do the rest. Or, I could make two half-circle metal hangars to mount on the top and bottom of some sort of projection cloth (not as crazy about this idea, as it might move around with air flow).

For now I'm just going to experiment with one projector....other one is going in the living room, per my wife's request. :) So I will only be using 60* or so FOV. But I will go ahead and build at least a 180* screen, and prepare for 3 or more projectors total.

If all else fails, I will resort to three flat projection screens around the cockpit. I'm sure the effect will still be very awesome, but I sure want to try the cylindrical idea first.

Matt