Window foil / plastic film for MagicMirror?
-
"Solved! " - I found a great comparison of an actual two way mirror vs foil: Imgur link (The silver frame is foil and the wood frame is glass)
I also found a video on the subject here: YouTube link
Check them out if you are in doubt. @Mykle1 is right when he says foil gives it a more cheap look. But again, it is so much cheaper (at least in Denmark)
Hey guys!
I’m about to do the actual build of my first MagicMirror and I was wondering about the differences between the actual mirror used.
I’ve seen a fair share of mirrors and some seem to do a much better job at not being “see through” - Where you can see the actual screen behind the glass.
Due to cost, I was thinking of using window foil on glass which will give the same effect as a two-way mirror. Is there any downside to doing that? I really don’t want the screen to be visible behind. It kinda ruins the whole idea of the project.
Thanks in advance!
-
@mdhenriksen said in Window foil / plastic film for MagicMirror?:
Is there any downside to doing that?
I think the general consensus is that foil is very difficult to work with and unforgiving to minor errors during installation. However, some people have used it successfully. I have not.
I’ve seen a fair share of mirrors and some seem to do a much better job at not being “see through”
There are many factors that cause that. Transparency/Reflection ratio, light behind the mirror, display smaller than the mirror itself, and so on.
Glass mirror is most expensive but is most satisfying and adaptive. Acrylic mirror is less expensive but it has its own set of drawbacks. Foil is least expensive and is hard to work with.
Do a search on the forum. This has been discussed at length
-
@mykle1 Duh, don’t know why I didn’t do a search first…
As always, thanks for the help though! Managed to find a comparison on a small YouTube channel as well as a gallery on Imgur. Seems foil is, as you say, do able but makes for a cheap look.
-
I think some have used this with some success:
https://www.gilafilms.com/for-home/gila-mirror-privacy-control-window-film
-
@mdhenriksen said in Window foil / plastic film for MagicMirror?:
@Mykle1 is right when he says foil gives it a more cheap look.
I like how you transformed what I said instead of actually quoting me. Not that it matters much, but still, very interesting.
-
@mykle1 and for some, like me, covering a 50 inch tv ‘mirror’ with real glass is wildly expensive…
-
@sdetweil said in Window foil / plastic film for MagicMirror?:
covering a 50 inch tv ‘mirror’ with real glass is wildly expensive…
Agreed!
-
@sdetweil agreed I was covering a 40inch but that went pear shaped and that tv died so now I’m slumping it with a 32inch glass gives it a really good look though. This project turned from an inexpensive project to something costing me a couple of hundred and I’m still not done yet, just waiting for my mate to measure up and build a frame for me, can’t wait to unveil it
-
@mdhenriksen … thanks bro, this is helpful to me. this could be cheap but for me its $29+shipping to india, but glass and acrylic here seems even more costly… i have to show the videos to the glass makers and other sellers to make them understand what this 2way mirror is and does… Finally i am thinking to order this from amazon and try it… currently i am working to setup MM on my 8" touchscreen windows tablet and my 50" TV
and ya your pictures are really great… Thanks again. -
Also based in Denmark like @mdhenriksen and considering going the foil route for a frameless 32" bathroom mirror. What about interglas.dk? Have you tried them? I’m contacting them tomorrow to see what the price is - as the in-site calculator they have says for 70x40cm the mirror is 50€ + shipping
