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Topic: roll up screen has sags in the middle how can it be fixed?

Demetris Thoupis
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1240
From: Aradippou, Larnaca, Cyprus
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 08-31-2008 07:54 AM

Thank you for the photo. It does look great

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Richard Fowler
Film God

Posts: 2392
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 08-31-2008 10:00 AM

I have a 16 year old 33 foot wide Stewart Ultra Matte tensioned electric screen which has been moved twice (from fire curtain position to a further back flyline). When I speced and sold it I expected some sagging; fortunately with annual side tension adjustment and a bottom masking, there is none in the image.
It cost $25,000.00 when new and has proven to be a good investment, quality wise.

MDI makes a very nice electric roll down...only problem we have is the motor control board being an occasional problem. We are repairing one at the moment and cleaning up a bad install (I speced it but a competitor won the bid).

The worst are the Dalite or (even more worse) Draper manual roll down units....which from your information from your pulley set-up is probably your type of screen....this used to be the cheap screen of choice years ago from cinemas running Rocky Horrow Picture Show.....to protect the main screen....

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Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 09-01-2008 05:23 PM

I second Tony -- a well installed roll screen should work they way it's supposed to, and Dick's picture (awesome) shows it -- if they can make a screen THAT size work, then there should be no problem with smaller roll up screens.

We've had two in our smaller theatre; the first install was manual with a bottom roller and ropes and it was pretty ify -- too many variables in terms of rope slippage, perfectly level installation, etc. Then we put in a motorized top roll around 1985 and it has worked flawlessly ever since. Only now a seam has become slightly visible due to its age. There also is a difference in the material of this screen -- it has a black backing making it thicker than the original bottom roll unit. I think this contributes to the fact that we never have any sagging problems. Once the material develops a sag, you're done for. Buy new material. But it also sounds like this screen may not have been installed properly -- true level is essential. It only has to be slightly off "true" and it will not roll up properly. Before I would invest in having new material installed on it, I would have the rig through inspected. The roller itself can have become distorted and that of course will cause sagging.

As for Da-lite screens....they are way too expensive...I mean WAY too expensive, mostly I think because their market normally is education and corporate business, not theatrical. School administrations tend to be a breathtakingly stupid when it comes to spending tax payers' money; many can be sold a bridge in Brooklyn by a good salesman....or as screen that costs 3 times what any theatrical screen company would charge. For a long time you could only get 4:3 from them -- not exactly cinema standard. Only recently have they added screens that are 16:9, and even that a consumer product.

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