Screen Selection
Easy As 1-2-3-4

By RaeAnn Slaybaugh

Step 1: Decide between front and rear projection

Rear projection screens let viewers enjoy bright, legible images without having to turn room lighting off or down to the levels necessary for front projection. And since the projector and all of its hardware are installed quietly behind the screen, presenters do not have to worry about blocking the projection beam. Of course, getting rear projection means you must have enough room behind the screen for a booth, a fact that the experts at Warsaw, Ind.-based Da-Lite, makers of projections screens and presentation products, eagerly point out.

In a new construction project, they say, this is less troublesome an issue than with existing facilities. But even if your building is on the older side, all is not lost, they add, because a special rack containing one or two projection-grade mirrors can be installed to "fold" the beam. This way, it can still travel its complete throw distance, but it does so in a smaller space.

If you are considering front projection, on the other hand, your options are plentiful. Of course, certain criteria still apply in your selection process, including:

Ambient light conditions. Are your lighting conditions controllable, or must you battle screen-directed light that can wash out projected images?

Screen fabric. Will your seating area require audience members to view the projected image from a narrow versus wider angle of more than 30 degrees from either side of the center of the room?

Image makeup. For conventional video images--which are usually not finely detailed--finding a screen capable of displaying high-resolution images is less critical than if you plan to project slide film and/or digital data.

Projector placement. For ceiling-mounted projectors, experts recommend choosing a reflective screen. If your projector is of the tabletop variety, many suggest a retro-reflective screen.

Step 2: Determine the optimum screen size

Formulas abound for the "perfect" screen height, but according to Evan Powell, general manager of ProjectorCentral.com, there is no such thing.

"All formulas are wrong," he says. "Screen size relative to viewing distance is purely a matter of personal taste, just as some people like to sit in the first row of a movie theater and others like to sit as far back as possible." As such, Powell recommends that formulas be regarded as suggestions, not rules.

Determining screen width is relatively simple, according to the video professionals at Christian Video and Audio Systems in Oklahoma City. They say a good rule of thumb when estimating the right screen width is to take the distance from the screen to the farthest row of seats and divide it by six. (Note: Other manufacturers recommend using the same formula to determine optimum screen height.)

Another size consideration is the room's layout. Many newer churches have fan-shaped seating and therefore require a wider screen to accommodate a wider viewing angle. In these instances, screens are often wider than taller to accommodate a 3:4 aspect ratio common to video projection.

Step 3: Select the appropriate format

Required screen maintenance is an important consideration in this last step. Will your screen be in a high-traffic area? Will it be particularly subject to soiling or damage? Classrooms and meeting areas are notoriously tough on unprotected screens, so if you are concerned about longevity, a number of mounting options are available. Powell offers the following information:

Fixed-frame mounts. Fixed-frame mounts hold the screen rigid and in a particular position. Frames can be mounted on a wall or placed on stand so the entire assembly can be moved around. "These can be a practical solution if you don't mind having the screen set up and deployed for use all the time," Powell says.

Rollup mounts. Most screen vendors also offer rollup mounts which are bolted to the wall near the ceiling, to the ceiling itself or even embedded in the ceiling. Motorized systems are available for raising and lowering screens at the push of a button as well, but the less expensive option--manual retractable screen mounts--are typically driven by spring tension. In other words, they must be raised and lowered by hand.

Automatic masking systems. Buy a screen with automatic masking systems. These systems let you to adjust the viewing area of the screen based on the video material you plan to project. You can watch regular television in 4:3 format, then close down the black masking elements to change your screen into a wide-screen format for movies.

Step 4: Choose the best screen surface for your space

If your screen will be used for multiple projection methods, experts say that one easy way to decide on a screen surface is to choose the one that meets the requirements of the lesser performing projection method. According to the professionals at Da-Lite, for example, if you plan to use a slide projector and video projector with the same screen, choose the screen surface for the video projector; its light output is generally less than a slide projector. For all other combinations, a complete list of front and rear projection surfaces is available online at www.dalite.com/educational_materials/selecting1.php.

For more advice on selecting the best screen for your space, log on to www.avmall.com, www.projectorcentral.com, www.dalite.com and www.christianv-a.com.

Toolbox

NOW YOU CAN ALWAYS BET ON BLACK

With the advent of widely available high-lumen light projectors, extreme image brightness now comes with poor black levels and contrast. Projectors do not project black; the screen itself creates the black level. The Stewart Filmscreen Graphite series uses the same conceptual design of the GrayHawk, the manufacturer's most popular front-projection model, in a rear-projection format. These specially formulated, anti-hot-spotting screens are engineered to optimize digital projectors, creating bright, clear images and deep, rich black levels.

www.stewartfilm.com
800.762.4999

BRACE YOUR SCREEN FOR THE ELEMENTS

Chief Manufacturing introduces its earthquake rating of large, flat-panel-display wall mounts, making them secure for Seismic Zone 4 earthquake areas--the highest risk zone in the United States. Chief's PSM, PST, PRO and PLP Series wall mounts passed earthquake testing certified by Environ Laboratories last summer, securely holding large, flat-panel equipment in place through the dynamic simulation of an 8.3-Richter scale earthquake. Mounts are able to withstand such force thanks to Chief's new, exclusive Q-Latch Mounting System, which uses an all-steel design, a wide mounting surface area, and brackets customized to meet each display's support requirements.

www.chiefmfg.com
800.582.6480

GREAT VIEWS FROM ANY SEAT IN THE HOUSE

Developed in The Screen Works' own R&D Laboratories, the SLP lenticular diffused screen is affordable for single-lens projection. Molded from liquid acrylic, the SLP's diffusion particles are carefully selected from a centrifugal particle separator and poured into the substrate of the acrylic. This forms a molecular structure that constitutes an ideal image-capture medium, producing high-quality pictures, including those from microfiche. The molded side of the screen is made up of micro lenses running in vertical lenticular lines, enabling images to be viewed up to 30 degrees from the center without noticeable reduction of image intensity.

800.294.8111
www.thescreenworks.com