How to choose a projector screen

Not sure which screen to choose for the projector at your meeting, conference or home? Livesound offers projector screen rentals in a variety of sizes, models and formats.

It’s important to keep in mind – there is no one standard option. The last thing you need is content that can’t be seen by all viewers.

Size

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How to choose. Projector screens are available in a wide range of sizes. As with TVs, size refers to the length of the diagonal and generally starts at 90 inches. The right choice depends on both personal preference and the size of the room.

Dependence of size and distance

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Even if your wall is big enough, following the principle of “the bigger the better” is not always good – the bigger the monitor, the more distance you need to sit from it to watch the picture comfortably.

Optimal dimensions of the display for the projector are chosen based on the area of the room, the planned number of seats for the audience and their location. As a rule, the height is about 1/6 of the distance from the projection to the back row of seats. Ideally, the front row of seats should be two web heights away. When placed on a wall, the best height is chosen with the floor of the audience in mind: the bottom should be positioned so that it is visible to the back rows.

Aspect Ratio

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Projector screens have at least four basic aspect ratios: 1:1 (universal), 4:3,16:9 and 2.39:1. 4:3 content is standard on older TV shows and has almost completely fallen out of use, but is still good for broadcasting presentations. If you want a home theater, 2.39:1 is the best choice.

Using 4:3 for widescreen content results in black bars at the top and bottom of the picture. It’s worth noting that most content today is 16:9, while cinematic productions are still shot in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio.

Method of installation

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To begin with, it’s worth deciding on the scope of application. For home movie viewing or permanent presentations held in the same space from year to year (for example, at school) usually select stationary options, and roll-up models are available – they save space. For off-site and one-off events, a mobile unit is better suited.

• Stationary – attached directly to the wall. This is the most popular type, as it provides maximum tension of the canvas, improving the clarity of the image. The disadvantage is that they take up the entire wall, even when you are not watching anything. They are most often chosen for home theaters, classrooms, and any situation where a stationary wall-mounted solution is required.
• Removable – These are designed to be mounted in one place, but can be stowed away when not in use. Designed to take up very little space when fully retracted. The picture quality is not as good as on a stationary one because of the lack of tension. But many people accept this compromise in exchange for a screen that doesn’t take up an entire wall.
• Mobile – usually attached to tripods or prefabricated frames. It is taken out when they want to watch something, and then folded up when not in use. These are often chosen for offsite events and conferences. They are also good to use at home if you don’t like the idea of a stationary setup.

What color screens come in

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Usually either white or a shade of gray.

If you plan to use the projector in a room with dimmable lighting, you should choose an all-white color. This ensures that you get accurate color reproduction, and it is exactly what is used in a movie theater, for example. The problem with white displays is that the color can “blur” when used in less dark rooms.

If the projector is needed in a lighter room, it is possible to use gray material. Gray screens tend to be less susceptible to interference from ambient light and project an image with high contrast and crisp color in more lighted conditions.

Most common choice. A white matte projector screen projects a quality image that is bright and contrasty while providing a wide viewing angle. This allows more people to enjoy the projection from different angles. The coating is reflective, which can be a problem in rooms with many light sources. Reflection can cause glare, making viewing difficult.

Gain Factor

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An important performance factor for any material is what is called its “gain”. If a screen has no gain, the image you see will look the same no matter what angle you look at. So if several people are looking at a picture from different angles, they will all see essentially the same thing at the same brightness level.

Materials with a high ratio will reflect more light back towards the center of the viewing area and less towards people sitting on the sides of the room. That is, people sitting in the middle of the audience will see a bright picture, while those sitting on the sides will see a dimmer picture. The characteristic is specified in numbers, such as 1.0 (or “unit gain”), 1.3, 1.5, 1.8, 2.0, 2.5, etc. As the value increases, the brightness of the image increases when viewed head-on and drops more sharply when moving from the center to the side.