Thinsg to consider when choosing the right screen 

Different environments place a weighting on the screen that should be selected. If the screen is to be used in more than one of the listed environments please choose the type of screen that it will be most used in.

 Mobile use- there are three types of mobile screen

Tripods- tend to be the least cost, a little heavier unless staying in one building. Larger than 175cm can be difficult to transport in standard size cars. The tripod has 3 metal legs.

Mobile screens such as travellers. These screens are ideal for the mobile presenter using them in more than one location as they are much lighter. The screen comes out of the casing, easy to transport and tend to be lighter. Very durable and easy to set up. They tend to be suitable for auidence sizes up to 70 people.

Fastfold screens come in kit form and you make up the roads into a screen size , add the legs and then pop the material onto them. Ideal to use as can be set up in about 5 minutes , the klit form ensures that you can have a very large screen that gets reduced in size considerably when you are moving it around. Ther eis also the added advantage of being able to have front or rear proejction material.

Wall/ Ceiling Use - fixed in one location- there are several options

When selecting the type of screen to be used it is important to consider how and where it will be used. A pull-down or electric screen is perfect for environments where the screen must be hidden. For permanent meeting rooms or a home cinema fixed screens are usually the best option.

Tip: An electric screen can be hidden in a recessed ceiling so that the entire screen is hidden when it is retracted.

Tip: An electric switch screen comes with a wall switch so that it can be turned on and off. An electric remote screen gives the owner the flexibility to activate the screen from anywhere in the room. It is important to note whether the screen’s remote is RF (radio frequency) or IR (infra-red) controlled when the user wants to embed the screen into a universal control unit (typically these control units work on IR).

Manual- These are very much like a roller blind, they are easily fixed to your wall. When you need to use the screen then just pull it down and when you have finished then just release it and it goes backing into the casing. They come in a huge range of sizes and are very reasonable in price. The more expensive range inlcuded tab tensioned screens which are ...

+ Electric screens. The same idea as the wall or ceiling screen but the added advantage of having either an electric switch on the wall

+or at an extra cost a remote control to allow the screen to come up and down

 Fixed/Frame - two types- like a picture frame

Velcro or domes fixings provide for a highly taught screen surface using either a Velcro or button system to keep the screen fixed. We recommend using a Velcro or domes system unless lace and grommet is specifically required.

Lace and Grommet are permanently tensioned screens where lace is intertwined through holes around the screens frame. This provides for a highly taught screen surface.

What is aspect ratio?

An aspect ratio is simply the ratio between the width of the picture and the height of the picture. The three most common aspect ratios are

4:3                 16:9                   1:1

An aspect ratio is simply the ratio between the width of the picture and the height of the picture. The three most common aspect ratios are 1:1, 4:3 and 16:9. An aspect ratio of 1:1 is designed for overhead projectors, however it can be used for different formats. 4:3 is traditionally a TV format and is perfect for TV video or computer projection. 16:9 is commonly known as widescreen format, and is used for displaying films.

If you are looking for a screen in a home cinema environment and have a projector that can project in 16:9 we recommend selecting the widescreen format (16:9). A 16:9 screen can also be used with 4:3 video such as TV or Xbox however with some projectors the 4:3 image will not take up the entire screen.

Eg  1:1 screen size w180 x h180     4:3 screen size w180 x h135    16:9 screen size w180 x h101   

What will you be watching?

Aspect ratio 4:3= Presentation from computer , Interactive Presentations, TV or Video Tapes ,Gaming eg playstation, xbox

Aspect ratio 1:1= Overhead Projector

Aspect ratio 16:9= DVDs, newer widescreen laptops or PC's

 Multi-Aspect ratio

Projecta and Draper Screens both offer a screen model where at the touch of a button the screen’s aspect ratio can be changed to match the video format. This option is only available with electric screens, and typically more expensive than traditional screens.

 

 Choose a material from one of the following options

Matte White Surface (normal material)

Diffusion screens are the most common screen surface. They typically have a gain of 1.0 and a viewing angle of 50º. They are best for environments which require a wide viewing angle and have a high ANSI lumen projector. The gain of 1.0 ensures the image appears equally bright from all angles of the room.

Reflective Surface

Typically have a gain of 2.0, and a viewing angle of 35º. This surface is best used in environments with normal ambient light or a low ANSI lumen projector. This surface reflects light in the opposite direction to the projector, and therefore works best when the projector is mounted on the ceiling.

High Contrast Grey

A front projection surface that provides greater contrast and black reproduction than standard surfaces, with a lower gain to handle today’s super-bright projectors. The grey colour enhances colour contrast and black levels in the projected image and also allows for more ambient light in the audience area than on traditional surfaces.

Perforated Surface

Same characteristics as above, however the screen surface has tiny holes so that speakers can be placed behind it allowing sound to come through the screen. This surface is perfect for a home cinema environment since the front channel sound appears to come from the screen.

High Contrast Grey and Perforated

Same characteristics as high contrast grey, except the surface is acoustically transparent. Therefore speakers can be place behind the screen to give optimal sound distribution.

High Gain Surface

Typically have a gain in excess of 2.8 and require a viewing angle of 25º. This surface is best used in environments with extreme ambient light conditions or a low projector light output. This surface reflects light in the direction of the projector and therefore the projector should be located at seat height.

Tip: Gain is a measurement of the reflectivity of any screen or projection surface. Viewing Angle is the optimal angle from the screen a viewer will be seated. In general room layouts have a narrow or wide viewing angle. Typically the higher the gain value the lower the viewing angle. For a darkened environment such as a home cinema a diffusion screen can be used, however if the room is fairly narrow a reflective gain surface will provide a brighter image.

When selecting the screen size a variety of considerations should be made including the ceiling height, the distance of the closest and furthest viewer, and the projector’s light output.

Tip: If the screen is electric or manual and is to be recessed into a ceiling, the most optimal value to consider is cassette width. A screen cassette is the casing which the screen retracts into, and therefore defines the amount of space for installation.

Tip: The larger the image, the dimmer it appears since light from the projector is spread across a wider area. For large screens ensure the chosen projector has a sufficient light output.

Tip: You can calculate the minimum viewing distance for your audience by multiplying the screen height by 1.5.

 

If you wish for us to make you a screen then of course we can do that. We can supply any screen you could possibly dream of!  We have the expertise and knowledge to create professional screens for any application. Whether it’s a custom rear projection system, a personalized painted casing, or even a large cinema screen, we can supply the perfect screen for the job. Please measure/work out the follwing and then give us a call on 01189 881111

Custom screen dimension's diagram

We are the UK approved supplier for all of these projector brands

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