Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Average life of a flat matte screen

This is topic Average life of a flat matte screen in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 02-08-2009, 11:36 AM:

Our plex is at the ten year mark, and after a recent inspection, I'm recommending that several be replaced immediately. We have replaced two in the past, one because of water damage due to a bad roof leak (the landlord ate the cost of that one) and another with a bad seam.

Just curious about the average life of a screen. What are the experiences of fellow techers?

Posted by Robert Throop (Member # 61) on 02-08-2009, 12:35 PM:

Years ago, Radio City Music Hall installed a new screen every 6 months. I think that was due to steam effects from the stage show.
Bob

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 02-08-2009, 01:07 PM:

We have 8 screens and 4 of those screens have been in service for 20 years and still look really good. We had one silver screen that we replaced with a matte white back in '02 and another matte screen that had to be replaced at the same time due to someone cutting it. The remaining 2 have been in service for 14 years and also still look really good.

We had been having them cleaned, but I recently found this O'Cedar Microfiber Mop. I purchased one at our local Walmart along with several refills so I could do several screens at a time. I modified it by removing the rivet for the side to side pivot and replaced it a screw and wing nut so I could tighten it up to control the amount play in the pivot.

I use one or two dry pads to first remove dust. I then use straight water to dampen one or two pads to remove sugars left behind from candy and/or drink spatter. On some occasions I have used a very diluted solution of Dawn Water to help remove butter stains from kids touching the screen and/or throwing their oily napkins at the screen. I always go over the spot again with non-soapy wet pad to remove any soap residue. I have so far had really good results with no visible bright spots. When I'm done I simply wash and dry the pads and reuse them.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 02-08-2009, 01:10 PM:

Smoking is one thing that used to ruin screens rather quickly.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 02-08-2009, 01:12 PM:

Our screen is about 9 or 10 years old but still looks good, except you can see the seams in it on very bright scenes. It's been that way since it was new. (Xetron screen) Will go with a Hurley next time for sure and would replace it tomorrow but there are a few more pressing issues...like a new roof this spring, for example.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-08-2009, 01:49 PM:

Years ago we did a study...a screen, without a curtain lasts about 7-years before a change will produce a very noticable improvement.

The problem is that from day-to-day, a screen deteriorates very little. But over years, it really does loose reflectivity and uniformity.

Screens with curtains seem to last about 30% longer.

One quick and dirt test is to get a fresh piece of white notebook paper...project on to the screen and compare the image on the notebook paper to the screen...the screen should appear to be brighter.

Steve

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 02-08-2009, 02:13 PM:

Adding to Steve's excellent comments: 10 years is about it in non critical operations.

If you ever do any more than gently brush a screen; you have ruined its directionality. I'm talking about gain screens here. "Cleaning" a screen does not make a screen new; just slightly whiter. The lustre and "gain" are gone. This is very important for very wide, flat, gain screens. Louis

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 02-09-2009, 09:59 AM:

quote: Stephen Furley
Smoking is one thing that used to ruin screens rather quickly.

I remember back when smoking was allowed in theaters, if you went backstage and rubbed a finger across the back side of the screen you'd find it covered with a yucky nicotine goop.

It didn't help that many old theatres used the backstage area as sort of a giant return-air plenum for their heating and air conditioning systems which, in effect, made the perforated screen a giant air filter.

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 02-09-2009, 10:18 AM:

quote: Jim Cassedy
It didn't help that many old theatres used the backstage area as sort of a giant return-air plenum for their heating and air conditioning systems which, in effect, made the perforated screen a giant air filter.

The theatre doesn't have to be that old, Jim. I had an '80s vintage 4-plex that was set up exactly that way... still is. All HVAC circulation comes down from the ceiling and heads right for the two cold air returns, located behind each screen.

Posted by Julio Roberto (Member # 4976) on 02-09-2009, 11:15 AM:

Most of the flat white screens I have been involved with (german and british, mostly) have lasted 10-20 years. Perleascent or silver ones, much less. Last one I replaced was a 12m silver about 6 years ago. Some flat Da-lite white 6m rolling type are fine after 8 years.

As Steve well said, day by day operation may still look fine, but when you put a new screen side-by-side the old one, you can see that age does what it's supposse to do ... slowly kill everything (and everyone [Frown]

).

Still, depending on materials used, flat whites can easily outlast 10 years of good service. But budgeting for a change every 10 years is as good measure as budgeting for bulb changes at rated hours, even if they sometimes outlast that in good service.

Occasionally, enviromental or accidental issues may prompt for an earlier screen retirement.