It just seemed wrong – here I was with an awesome drive-in, and as soon as the cold weather hit, it was time to pack it all inside for months and months.  Problem is, the screen’s too big to hang anywhere inside.  And anywhere there’s enough wall, there isn’t enough throw distance!  Seemed an indoor theatre wasn’t going to happen.

So when another projection screen was featured when Dell’s Days of Deals rolled around, and it was just smaller enough (90″ diagonal) – and priced at only $60 with free shipping, well I knew I couldn’t resist.

Much like the first time around, the problem came with the cabling / projector mount.  Last time Monoprice changed the shipping method from USPS to UPS, and since the boys in brown don’t deliver to PO Boxes, I got screwed.  Had to drive an hour out of our way into upstate NY to get the parcel at the shipping depot. Well this time around I thought I’d play it safe and just have it delivered to Canada.  The shipping cost ended up doubling the combined total of the projector mount + cables, but whatever, it would at least get her without a problem, right?  Well it came fast enough, but the price doubled again with Canadian Border Services decided they’d charge me duty – using a valuation of the goods that was $100 more than the invoice indicated.  Thanks guys.  At least they must be so used to having people appeal these decisions, the actual paperwork to file a reimbursement claim is printed on the back of their invoice.  I’m sure most people simply don’t bother sending the paperwork to Montreal, but I’m determined to get on that and be the exception to the rule!

So installing the screen by myself was tricky, but not too difficult.  Screwed in some huge honkin’ support rings, borrowed a level from Mom and lucked out with the placement of a support beam.  It’s pretty discreet actually, I was impressed.

Transform and roll out

Koo-kuh-kah-kee

The projector mount was more tricky – the base was too wide for the equally-luckily-distributed support beam, so I screwed in an extension bit of wood.  Unfortunately I stripped some screws installing it, so it’s not perfect, but it’s quite strong.  Unfortunately cutting the ceiling panel didn’t go so well – I ended up cutting a bit extra in the front, whereas a bit extra in the back would’ve been ideal for the cables.  So yeah, quite ugly having the cables in front wrapping around to the back, but whatevs.  You shouldn’t be looking at the top of the projector anyway   The projector / mount combo leans as much to one side as it does outside, so I had to get…creative in weighing it to keep it level.

Oh Hai

Disregard the aspirin bottle filled with pennies

As always I tried to figure out all the possible applications for the projector downstairs, so here’s a shot of the uh, entertainment wasteland.  The Wii makes an appearance too, for Tatsunoko vs Capcom naturally, and of course various laptops and computers can all output to the screen as well.

teenage wastleand

It works a real treat, I’ve logged about 20 hours worth of White Knight Chronicles on the mutha, and it’s helped me keep a 4X” Samsung LCDTV off my credit card.

READY!

Bust a move!