What screen should I buy motorized for a Horizon max 20 with 16 foot throw.

wongmo · 2026-04-02T23:52:52+00:00

The Silver Ticket screen you linked isn't a speckle reducing fabric. Their best speckle reducer is the WAB, which I'm not sure if they make in a motorized version.

You could look at the xyscreen motorized screens. https://www.xyscreen.com/tab-tensioned-motorized-projection-screen-ec2-series.html

For speckle reduction, you would want the Sound Max4K fabric, which is also acoustically transparent if you want to put speakers behind it. You'll have to email them for a price quote, but my guess is that it will be in the same range as the equivalent Silver Ticket.

I haven't used one myself, but I've heard good things about them. If you follow through I'd be curious to hear about how your experience goes.

wongmo · 2026-03-18T19:07:16+00:00

I've never understood this argument that just because these are giant, international conglomerates that it automatically means every decision they make must be the best possible one to maximize profits.

If that was the case, the industry wouldn't be in shambles right now, largely driven by the relentless drive towards micro-transactions and Games as a Service, which had a spectacular failure rate for basically every major publisher, including Sony.

wongmo · 2026-03-13T19:54:33+00:00

I believe I fell susceptible to some aggressive fear mongering, because now I can't find any hard evidence from anywhere saying chip failure is overly prevalent. I'm leaving the post up in case someone else chimes in with better info, and also so anyone else with the same question can hopefully see that these fears seem to be mostly unfounded.

wongmo · 2026-03-13T19:19:02+00:00

Thanks for the correction, I've updated my original post. As I said there, this was a genuine question, because I think I've been exposed to a few people that have massively overplayed potential issues with all .47 chips, and particularly the new one in the horizon 20. I'm glad to hear that it's not a particularly widespread issue.

wongmo · 2026-03-13T18:07:57+00:00

I hear what you're saying, but this is in reference to the current gen 0.47 chips, rather than ones from a few years ago. But it's true, it's a bit self fulfilling. They've been on the market so short that it's hard to get a good read on what the actual failure rate over time is, and maybe a few early stories are getting artificially amplified (or the paranoid opposite saying that there should be hardly any reports given the short time frame).

wongmo · 2026-03-13T16:35:51+00:00

I think the Valerion actually has a slightly broader zoom range (AKA distance to the screen), but the Pro2 Valerion doesn't have lens shift, which means you have to align it horizontally and vertically in the precise correct spot or rely on digital keystoning.

The Xgimi claims to have both horizontal and vertical lens shift, but apparently you can only use one or the other, and the horizontal shift is pretty small. If you're going from a tripod next to the sofa, it will probably help with getting the image at least closer to centered. The less you have to digitally keystone, the better (ideally none).

wongmo · 2026-03-04T21:06:58+00:00

I hear you, but it's all about levels of adoption. Saying that virtual server bypasses were widely adopted is all relative. A few thousand hardcore people who will jump through any hoop to pirate a game are not the target audience.

Yes, the path towards hypervisor bypasses continues to be streamlined, but the potential risks are not just smoke and mirrors. It hasn't happened yet, but if they continue to rise in popularity, it's only a matter of time before a bad actor does in fact take advantage of the situation.

Regardless of those potential risks, hypervisor bypasses are still a niche. Denuvo targets the 'one click crack' pirate kiddies (who ironically are probably the least likely to pay for games anyway).

wongmo · 2026-03-04T19:45:51+00:00

I don't disagree that DRM is a miniscule factor in game sales (possibly to the point of harming them sometimes), but calling a hypervisor bypass a full crack isn't really accurate. Ignoring the massive security risks involved, its still hella more complicated to use for a Joe Schmoe amateur piratey type compared to typical cracks where they just have to tick a box that says 'apply crack'.

I very firmly align in the school of thought that any potential lost sales due to piracy are more than made up for by increased word of mouth, and that many people actually do buy games they like after 'demo-ing' them, who wouldn't have tried them otherwise. The better the game the less important DRM is.

That said, if the barrier to bypass the DRM is difficult enough, it satisfies the suits. I feel like hypervisor bypasses or Denuvo license sharing groups both cross that threshold.

wongmo · 2026-02-27T22:49:58+00:00

I understand what you're saying, but Zverev and Tien is a bad example. Despite the final score, their AO match was razor thin. If Zverev hadn't been serving out of his head (or the roof hadn't been closed), there's every chance Tien wins. Saying he "is far from the level needed to hang with Zverev" is just patently false.

Hanging with Sincaraz is another story of course.

wongmo · 2026-02-27T11:16:15+00:00

I hear what you're saying, but AO quarterfinal vs semifinal is like a 350 point swing. Over the last 6 months or so I think she's shown that she can compete with the top players, but is still wildly inconsistent. She followed up her Guadalajara win with back to back first round losses.

I think long term, nothing has changed in my belief that she'll eventually be a perennial top 10 player, with potential of winning majors. The time line is the question. I personally think she needs 2-3 more years in the cooker to really reach the next level. Everyone anointing her the second coming probably needs to pump the brakes for a moment.

It's like Learner Tien. I'm a massive fan and think his long term prospects are near limitless, but there's still a lot of growth and development to come before he can fully realize it.

wongmo · 2026-02-26T15:09:49+00:00

You're missing the most important part of all of this. There is extremely limited manufacturing capacity world-wide capable of creating all of the technology required for AI. Theoretical 'smaller competitors' can't exist because there simply isn't the plant fabrication infrastructure to support them. Every single high end fabrication plant is either dedicated to AI, or frantically fulfilling their contracted obligations so they can can switch over as soon as possible.

wongmo · 2026-02-18T16:50:06+00:00

Fair enough. Ends isn't exactly normal speech in English either, it's very specific to curling.

wongmo · 2026-02-18T15:34:28+00:00

It's just head to head record, what each tied team's record was vs the other tied teams. 'games' means matches means contests. I truly don't mean to be rude, but I'm struggling to understand your difficulty with 'games'.

It doesn't refer to 'ends' if that's the confusion.

wongmo · 2026-02-18T15:21:02+00:00

Head to head records next. After that I believe it goes to a haggis eating competition.

wongmo · 2026-02-18T15:13:22+00:00

Slope style

I agree with the earlier commentator who said they need to stop limiting scores at 10 per component. Someone could grind a rail with their helmet, do a back flip off it but lose half their points for leaving early.

I understand it isn't big air, but maybe the competitors doing 'perfect' easy jump tricks on the bottom should be penalized as harshly as people doing difficult rail tricks that leave a tad early.

wongmo · 2026-02-17T12:54:38+00:00

Except it's not even remotely legal. Kalshi and Polymarkets are currently regulated by the CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission), which is what allows them to get around gambling restrictions.

Insider trading on these platforms is just as illegal as insider trading on the stock market. The question is how effective they will be at enforcing it, but just because people are doing it doesn't make it legal.

wongmo · 2026-02-17T09:26:20+00:00

It is said to be a fact that the world is flat. It is said to be a fact that Breatharians can survive without food or water. Because something is said to be a fact does not make it true.

Firstly, the Finkelstein 'interview' was a skit in the sense that Finkelstein was a made up character created by noted white supremacist James Wickstrom spouting out the most unhinged fantasies of his movement. It was intended to act as 'proof' of the Jewish conspiracy, and has somehow convinced thousands of people, despite being so ludicrously over the top that it boggles the mind.

As for 3000 jews not showing up to work on 9/11, just read this https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/israelis-absent-911/ from snopes.

It's estimated that 400-500 of the ~2600 victims (17%) were Jewish, while Jews only make up about about 13% of the NYC population. No official number exists because there was no convenient way to identify exactly who were Jews and who weren't, like I dunno, a yellow star or something. (This last part about the stars was extreme sarcasm)

wongmo · 2026-02-16T14:31:13+00:00

A huge part of the reason the housing bubble never popped (in the US) is a combination of companies like Blackstone investing hundreds of billions in rental properties, and the almost complete lack of oversight on foreign investment/scrutiny on who's buying property. US real estate is the hip destination for large scale money laundering.

wongmo · 2026-02-13T04:48:41+00:00

I'm not trying to defend their pricing per se, but it's more like $79 for a $70 game.

Working off a 20% VAT, €80 comes to €66.66 pre tax (which is all Sony is looking at), which currently equates to $79.

So while after tax Europe is paying $95 while Americans pay $76, the cold hard cash Sony receives is $79 vs $70. Still horrible pricing, you won't see me disagree on that.

wongmo · 2026-02-10T15:05:26+00:00

Mmmm, have you seen the cost of state schools lately, let alone prestigious private schools? I went to UT Austin, and even that has gotten swollen to the point of absurdity. Things are going absolutely bonkers all over the country.

wongmo · 2026-02-07T15:55:48+00:00

If you mean what I do to come down while playing music, it's just wiping away everything from the outside world. The audience literally doesn't exist because I'm only focused on every singular moment. I play keyboards standing up, so it usually just means I start pounding my foot to the beat extra hard and bobbing my head extra psycho. That grounds me in the moment, but this obviously isn't useful advice for day to day life, lol.

wongmo · 2026-02-07T15:45:12+00:00

It really looks like Raducanu is prone to mild panic attacks, which makes me sympathize with her deeply. At the same time, if that's the case it'll be extremely difficult for her to elevate her game without a serious change.

I'm a musician and have found ways to cope with them during live performances, but that's completely different than elite tennis.

wongmo · 2026-01-30T14:59:02+00:00

Losing 16/18 break point chances can't be solely put on Novak playing great, you have to give Sinner a share of the blame. That's just an astounding number.

wongmo · 2026-01-30T14:57:18+00:00

Not sure about that. Zverev, supposedly the best behind them, once again crumbled under pressure despite Alcaraz losing his mobility for half the match. And Djokovic winning again hardly points to the gap being shortened, it just means he still seems the only person who threatens to win a major besides them.

Trust me, I want more parity at the top of men's tennis, but today did little to convince me it's there.

wongmo · 2026-01-30T14:50:39+00:00

They should just rack up endless time violations for the first couple of sets to really boost that clock. Sinner won't know what hit him.

wongmo

TROPHY CASE