UST Screen Mounting Nightmare: Even DIY Experts Get Burned

Derek Malcolm, an experienced tech and entertainment writer, recently shared his harrowing experience of assembling a 100-inch ambient light-rejecting (ALR) screen for his home theater setup. He had purchased the screen to pair with his ultra-short-throw projector, which he had upgraded a few years ago.

The screen, made by BenQ, came bundled with free assembly and installation, but Malcolm decided to do it himself, thinking it wouldn't be too difficult. However, he soon realized that the instructions were not sufficient, and the frame's aluminum finishing edges were extremely sharp, causing him to nick his fingers.

The most challenging part was getting the nearly two dozen spring-loaded tension screws hand-driven around the frame's inner edge to line up. After two hours and a trip to Home Depot, Malcolm had to improvise with hand clamps and a power drill. He also had to mount the screen on the wall, which proved to be a daunting task.

In hindsight, Malcolm wishes he had opted for a pre-assembled screen or sought professional help. He noted that conventional long-throw or portable projectors can easily be precisely maneuvered or moved, but ultra-short-throw projectors like his require perfect screen mounting to produce an optimal image.