Getting a projection screen in tune with the room

Getting a projection screen in tune with the room

Back in the day, choosing a screen meant answering a simple question: “What size do you need?” Today’s needs, however, require an advanced approach involving more customization than has ever before. In this article, Draper gives advice on how to get the projection screen in tune with the room.

In order to properly size the screen, you need to know the size and shape of the room and where the audience will be located in relationship to the screen.

First of all, think about what this screen will be used for. Will it be passive viewing, basic presentations, critical viewing (such as engineering drawings), or full-motion video? You also want to consider where the audience will be sitting. Will everyone be in a fairly narrow seating arrangement, or is this a wider classroom with viewers being further off-axis?

The screen must be big enough for your backrow students to see and understand the information being presented. Projection continues to offer a competitive advantage over flat panels, which typically are not big enough for reading data and understanding presentations from the rear of the room.

The aspect ratio of the screen is dependent on the content used most often for the application and the native aspect ratio of the projector. If there will be mostly HD content, then a 16:10 screen and projector would be best. It is typically best to match the aspect ratio of the screen to the aspect ratio of the projector. A wider aspect ratio screen will allow more source content to stay at a constant height (not shrink vertically).

Image contrast affects how well you can read, which means it affects detail and resolution. Low contrast reduces image detail and resolution, while high contrast increases detail and resolution. Image contrast is even more critical when the application involves high resolutions graphics and medical imaging

The amount of ambient light—both on the screen and above the viewers—is critical to the success of a projection system. Light hitting the screen can wash out blacks and decrease the image contrast. Light in the viewers’ eyes may compete with projection light getting to the viewers’ eyes, and determines how bright a system is needed.

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