Front projection or not?

My old and trusty Sanyo LCD projector finaly died. I went over to VideoGon and picked up a Vidikron Crystal 1 LCD for $499.
It has Component , S-video and Composit.
This thing has a great picture for $499
I use it for normal TV viewing so I don't have to fire up the Theater system just to watch TV.
When I started doing this a couple of years ago, I knocked about $150 a month off of my electric bill.
I use 3 seperate stereo amps for my HT. You start adding everything up and between the electric bill and heating the basement. It seemd a little much.

Greetings,
(apologize if this is repetitive; I didn't take time to read all the responses. I'm hoping my thoughts are original to the discussion)

I have a phenomenal screen in my HT called the DIY 100. That's the horribly clever name I gave to my self-made 100" screen. Took the directions off the internet. Cost was right at $100 and NO ONE who's visited has the slightest clue it's homemade. In fact, one friend of mine paid good bucks for a prefab Stewart screen and the screen isn't perfectly tensioned. Doing it yourself, you can make sure it's right.

60" seems to be about the breaking point for tv vs. projection in terms of size. If finances are a critical issue, you can get more bang for your buck in projection by making your own screen.

I did the 100" setup along with a Panasonic PT-L300U (watch out, I found out too late it's not compatible with DVI encryption) for $1300. So, with projector, mount, cables, and screen, cost was at $2,000. Super economical.

If one of your highest prioreties is low cost, this is a great way to go.

Just curious, where on the net did you get the info to build your screen?

hey. i'm about to purchase a stewart 82" and would like trying to build myself one. where did you get the info?

Fellas....Douglas_schroeder above.. sent me his instuctions for his DIY screen, scroll down a couple of lines....and there it is. Thank you Doug.

You can find instructions on Home theater websites, such as Home Theater
Forum. I would definitely not utilize a plastic material as they show on
that website.

What I did:

Cut STRAIGHT lumber (1x3" or 1x4") with mitered cut. like making a big
picture frame.
Spray paint wood flat black, and cover with flexible fuzzy black cloth.
Adhere cloth to wood using double sided carpet tape. You'll have to work
hard to get it stretched tight and without puckering.
Lay another layer of carpet tape ontop of the seams.
Screw together the four pieces of frame using flat right angle brackets.

For the screen, use 54" wide "blackout material" (used in drapes to prohibit
light penetrating through fabric). It has a smooth side; use that smooth
side for screen.

Use "rail and spline", the same as for making screen windows in doors, as
your system of attatching the screen.
Get the plastic "rail" and cut to length. Affix them to back of screen frame
using screws. Lay out the screen fabric (being careful to have smooth side
toward viewing side) and use the "spline" (looks like flexible miniature
plastic piping) to lock in the fabric into the rail. (go to Home Depot for
rail/spline; they'll know exactly what you mean in the millwork department.
Make sure the rail is set back enough from the inner edge of frame, so that
when attatched, the screen fabric is about 1/2" past inner edge! Makes it
easier to hide uneven stretching at corners.

When it's stretched properly, the screen turns out flawless, without a
wrinkle! Mine was so tight, that the wood frame started to twist! So, when I
hung it, I drove two drywall screws into the bottom of the frame to keep it
straight/flush with the wall.

It's really not hard to to. It took me two nights, working fairly slowly at
it.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving,

Doug