BTW - just some more geek audio/video talk:
When projecting to a wall that big, you're going to run into some serious bucks for a wall mount sceen (even the non-motorized kind). When you're doing work for a non-profit, this is a limitation, so you have to find solutions that work well. A couple of items I noticed right away and some work arounds:
1. HDMI or any Hi-Def projection already gives you a bump in quality. That is not to say you should kaboosh a good screen, but you're already ahead in quality so don't go buying a cadillac of screens either. For S-Video, you need all the help you can get from a quality screen (so you don't get bleed or absortion... instead you want to bounce the light back to the viewers for maximum viewing pleasure and impact.
2. You can build your own screens at a lower cost than buying one pre-built (and it's a fun project too). Find a carpenter friend, buy him/her a beer (my friend Bill is a carpenter, but his wife is a better carpenter than him, she is very meticulous and he's sloppy... like me!), see if they're interested in donating time so all you have is material cost. The next thing to do is consider buying the screen only or the type of screen that has hooks or grommet holes so it's an easy install. One thing, be aware of what you're buying because if you buy material that is both front projection and rear projection, you'll get maslin (sp?) and that is very pourous material. If you get a maslin screen, go ahead and rear project because you'll get maximum impact because the light will go right through the screen and to the audience (while retaining quite a bit of the image). Oh, and if you're going to go really cheap, you can buy your own maslin at a fabric store, but be aware you'll have to do some fancy sewing to get rid of the seam. At 120" you'll never find fabric store maslin that size.
3. The last option and the cheapest in a way is to paint your own screen on the wall. Here are some things to consider: make sure you sand the wall down so you remove any and all dents, protrusions, and wall texture. Be sure you have as smooth a surface as possible. Next, make sure you buy the right paint. There is a "goo" paint sold by a manufacturer so you can "paint your own projection screen. It retains as much light as it can and bounces back light well. The problem is that it's not cheap and I figured in the end, you're probably only 20 dollars or less below buying a screen and building your own (option 2). The next thing to consider is using paint from a paint store that does what you want... retain enough light and bounce back the light well. Go talk to a paint store guy/gal and tell them what silly project you're taking on and they will help you. Bill went to talk to the paint store guy and he got the right paint for us (we went this route because it is cheap, cheap, cheap). It works.
I will say that option three is not the best quality, it is the cheapest quality. But if you're doing everything else right with the HDMI setup and the projector settings are optimal (go read your manual, read blogs, and user forums for tips and tricks to download upgrades for your projector and tweak settings, like getting a very rich black), you will mitigate the lack of the best screen available.
