Screen Selection
Size up the options beforehand to prevent a buying nightmare

By Julie Riddle

Purchasing a projection screen for your church is much like buying a car. Price is one very important consideration, as is color. But perhaps the most important element in this search is size. Go too small, and images spill off the sides. Go too big, and you might have too much leftover space--and that just looks bad.

Make sure your pick won't come back to haunt you with the advice of Don Beasley, who, along with his wife Janet, owns and operates Multi-Tech Productions, Inc., an audiovisual training and supply resource in Clermont, Fla.

Work the formula for success

While screen selection is not an exact science, Beasley says the simplest way to determine the appropriate size is with basic math. Most experts use an equation based on room dimensions.

Otto Tromm, product marketing manager for presentation equipment supplier Projecta, offers these details about the process he uses:

• Height. The maximum distance between viewers and the screen should never be greater than six times the screen's height. The distance from the bottom of the screen to the first row of viewers should measure at least as much as the screen's diagonal.
• Aspect ratio. Depending on the type of projector used, the image projected onto the screen has a given ratio of width to height (i.e., the aspect ratio). To achieve the best result, Tromm recommends choosing a projection screen with the same aspect ratio as the projected image.
• Viewing distance. According to the experts at ScreenSelector.com, viewing distance should equal at least 1 1/2 times the height of the projection screen for the best image quality. Proper viewing height, on the other hand, depends on the layout of the space. They also recommend a minimum viewing height of 90 centimeters for a single row of seats. For multiple rows, the minimum recommended viewing height is 125 centimeters.

Projector placement. Unlike screen placement, how you position your projector--at the front or rear of the sanctuary--doesn't matter much when determining the right size screen for your space.

"The biggest dictating factor is whether or not you have enough room," Beasley says. "Generally speaking, you'll need approximately twice the screen width for projector setback. So if you've got a 12-foot-wide screen, the projector needs to sit roughly 24 feet back. For rear projection, you still need that much space, but behind the screen. A lot of churches aren't designed for that."

Size up your sanctuary

According to Beasley, the overall shape of your sanctuary is another important consideration. "In odd-shaped buildings, you may have to install more than one screen," he says.

Another noteworthy concern should be the audience's comfort, Beasley adds. "We try not to go more than a 45-degree seating angle--we won't make people turn their heads further than that to see the screen."

Techs at Stewart Filmscreen Corpora-tion in Torrance, Calif., echo this advice. For the best possible images, they recommend screens not be viewed at angles greater than 45-percent off the zero axis, or outside a 90-degree seating cone.

They also emphasize the importance of making sure the room itself--its atmosphere--can accommodate projection. The best images are obtained in darkened rooms since these spaces enhance black/white contrast and picture resolution. An optimal viewing room may be darkened, leaving sufficient light for taking notes if the light does not beam directly onto the screen.

Beasley cites another important placement rule: always position the screen in the general area of the stage. Doing so not only facilitates more comfortable viewing angles, it keeps the audience's attention focused up front.

"Also look at sight lines," he adds. "Make sure that from the audience's perspective, no balconies or low-hanging chandeliers block the view. Take a little time looking at your sanctuary--how it's laid out and where people will sit."

Color and components matter too

Size certainly isn't the only consideration when screen shopping; the choice between gray and white fabric also has a significant impact on presentations, for better or worse.

"Generally, white screens are front-projection, which means the projector sits in front of it," Beasley explains. "Gray screens are usually used for rear-screen projection, meaning the projector is actually behind it and shooting through it. It's gray to cut down the reflections and ambient light."

The surface you choose does indeed factor greatly in projector selection, agree the technicians at Stewart Film-screen. Specifically, they coordinate screen surfaces to projector types and presentation environments. To do it, they match image size and projector light output to the appropriate fabric on the screens they manufacture.

Skipping steps carries a penalty

The consequences of buying the wrong screen can ruin an otherwise spectacular presentation and weaken the messages you want to get across. This is especially true when a screen is the wrong size, so experts warn against assuming images will "stretch" to fill the space.

As Beasley explains, video shoots a 3:4 ratio image. Outside of that ratio, images "drop off" the screen. Of course, given the options, he points out that the worst problems occur as a result of underestimating the size needed.

"Your lettering will become very difficult to read from the back of the sanctuary," Beasley says. "You can compensate by not putting as many words on the screen, but then you have to flip through them faster. That can get awkward during praise and worship."

Conversely, an oversized screen can be distracting, not to mention making a church appear unprofessional. "If the screen is too big and you didn't do the proper setback on the projector to fill the image, you get leftover screen on the outside," Beasley explains. "This doesn't really hurt anything; it just doesn't look pretty."

Screen the Contenders

Before you buy something you might regret, heed the advice of the experts at Da-Lite Screen Company in Warsaw, Ind., who say three crucial steps can ensure proper screen selection.

1. Pick the model best suited to your needs. Choose from front- or rear-projection screens in manual or electric portable, wall- or ceiling-mounted designs. Generally, wall- and ceiling-mounted screens are best choices in permanent applications. For mobile purposes, portable screens are the obvious choice.

2. Determine optimum screen size. This "magic number" is based on room dimensions and the size and arrangement of the seating area. A rule of thumb is to fit the screen to the audience, not the projector.

3. Get the right screen for the right projector. If your screen will be used with multiple projectors, choose the surface that meets the lesser-performing machine's requirements. For example, if you plan to project both videos and slides, choose the surface designed for use with video projectors. These units generally put out less light than slide projectors.

If You're Still Stumped...

Does the thought of buying a big screen still make you queasy? If so, Christian Audio and Video Systems in Oklahoma City, Okla., offers this helpful checklist. Answer the following questions before you call--you'll be glad you did!

• On average, how many people will view your presentations?
• How far back from the screen is the farthest row of seats?
• How far back from the screen is the first row of seats?
• What do you plan to project? (videos, computer images, satellite or other)
• Will the system be portable or stationary?
• Does your space feature considerable amounts of ambient light from windows, stage lights and fluorescent fixtures?

SINGLE-CHIP DLP TECHNOLOGY UPS QUALITY, BRIGHTNESS

One of the newest additions to Stewart Filmscreen's Hawk Family series, the FireHawk is engineered specifically for single-chip DLP projector systems. Its unique gray base, combined with high gain, enhances black levels, shadow detailing and color saturation and increases the image's resistance to cross-light reflection. The screen preserves image contrast by dampening cross-light reflection by as much as 90 percent. Even with some ambient light, the FireHawk maintains black levels. It is available in fixed and motorized retractable frames.

(310) 891-3182
www.stewartfilm.com

QUALITY IMAGES--EVEN ON THE RUN

The Screen Works' Stager's Choice line of portable screens combines the strength and durability of truss-style frames with the convenient folding design of its E-Z Fold models. Stager's Choice frames incorporate a 6-inch horizontal truss design, sturdy dual hinges and 6-inch truss legs for reinforced vertical stability. Their single-tube sides allow for convenient folding into portable carry cases. The screens are available in sizes from 4.5' x 6' to 9' x 12' and come with front and rear projection surfaces. No-tools assembly makes setup and strike-down fast and easy. Trim kits are available.

(800) 294-8111
www.thescreenworks.com

REAR PROJECTION SCREEN COMBINES FORM, FUNCTION

Da-Lite Screen Company's TROOPER® Millennium Rear Projection Module (RPM) is fully adjustable and adaptable to every type of system requirement. The Millennium RPM has a wide range of adjustments and is manufactured to exacting tolerances. It is available with a fixed projector cradle or a fine-tuning projector mount cradle, which compensates for minor projector manufacturing and job site inconsistencies with a host of additional alignment adjustments. Detailed elevation drawings are available for each mirror setup to preserve the optimal geometry of the projection system, creating the best possible image.

(800) 622-3737
www.da-lite.com

PLASMA SCREEN KEEPS IMAGES STEADY AND SHARP

The 42MP4 42-inch plasma screen from NEC Technologies Inc., features progressive scan XGA native resolution for stable, flicker-free images. It, along with the display's native 1024x768 resolution, results in sharp, clear display of high-resolution text and graphics. A digital zoom function lets users enlarge any portion of the screen up to three times. The 42MP4 also offers the most flexible panning function available for enhanced functionality during presentations, built-in stereo audio, nearly silent operation and high-resolution support, plus a variety of standard inputs and computer, video and HDTV source compatibility.

(800) 338-9549
www.nectech.com

PLAY IT SAFE WITH EARTHQUAKE-PROOF MOUNTS

Chief Manufacturing Inc., recently announced that its flat-panel display wall mounts earned the highest earthquake rating possible. Experts at Environ Laboratories found that the mounts securely held the fragile, heavy (and often expensive) panels in place during an earthquake simulation equal to 8.3 on the Richter scale. This rating complies with the highest risk zones in the United States: the West Coast and Alaska. According to Chief reps, the secret to security lies in the mounts' exclusive Q-Latch(tm) mounting system, which features an all-steel design, wide mounting surface area, and brackets customized to meet each display's support requirements.

(952) 582-6480
www.chiefmfg.com