Projector Screen Purchasing Guide | ProjectorScreenStore.com

We understand that shopping for a projector screen can be a little intimidating; there are lots of choices. Please don't hesitate to call our product specialists at 1-800-637-3181 with any questions regarding your projection screen purchase.

Choosing the right projection screen for your personal or professional needs may seem like a daunting task, but with this easy to follow guide compiled by the screen experts at Projector Screen Store.com, you�ll find the perfect product to meet your requirements.

There are a few things which you should educate yourself about when choosing a new screen. These are listed below, and they correspond to simple drop-down menus on Projector Screen Store.com, making the selection process easy and thorough.

There are many different brands of projector screens available on the market today. Projector Screen Store.com offers a wide selection from the major manufacturers, including industry leaders like Da-Lite, Draper, Buhl, Sima and others. There are over 10,000 screens to choose from at ProjectorScreenStore.com, and it easy to shop by your preferred brand.

Whether you are buying a screen for home use, or procuring one for your office or organization, price is a key factor is choosing a projector screen. Depending on the intended application, the price of a screen will vary. Generally, screens start in the few hundreds of dollars, and go up to thousands, depending on size, materials and other criteria. At Projector Screen Store.com, you are able to search based on your price range, and valuable tool when working within a budget. If you�re on a tight budget, be sure to check out the selection of Projector Screens for under $100.

Electric screens are those which descend and ascend back in to the casing electronically. Often they are operated by remote control. Electric cases may be externally mounted to the ceiling, or recessed into the ceiling (additional construction may be required). They may also be mounted to the wall, both wall and ceiling or ascend up from the floor. Many electric screens are tensioned, which means that the screen is pulled taut from the sides to create the smoothest possible image surface. Projector Screen Store.com allows you to narrow your search among electric screens to those which feature the tensioned option, as well as those with a remote control.

Manual screens tend to be less expensive than their electric counterparts. Just like electric screens, they are available in ceiling, wall, both ceiling and wall, or floor-mounted models. They are operated by hand, and therefore are subject to more wear and tear. To avoid some of the problems that come about handling manual screens, certain mechanisms are put in place to make the screens tougher. For example, Controlled Screen Return (CSR) helps regulate the speed at which the screen rolls back into the casing. If you choose to browse through manual screens on Projector Screen Store.com, you may also want to narrow your search to just screens with the CSR feature.

Fixed Screens are permanently set up, with no raising or lowering required. If you are planning on using your screen regularly, and have a space set aside for it, this may be the best option. Many fixed screens are permanently tensioned, much like a canvas stretched over a frame.

Front projection screens are placed facing the projector. This is a more commonly used set-up, but allows for obstacles between the projector and the screen to block or obscure the image. Rear projection screens are specially designed to allow the image to be projected from behind the screen. Rear projector screens come in many different varieties and fabric types, each for different applications.

Wall Mounted screens affix easily to your wall using a bracket system. They may be manual, electric, or fixed. Many may be placed flush to the wall, or extend out a bit to allow for some space behind the screen.

Ceiling Mounted screens affix easily to your ceiling using a bracket system. They are available in models which hang from the ceiling or are recessed. Recessed screens are available in manual or electric, but there are many fixed ceiling screens as well.

Portable, or floor screens are the best option for maximum mobility. Projector Screen Store.com offers many options for screens to take with you on the go. Below are descriptions of the broad categories of floor or portable screens available on the market today.

-Floor mounted manual screens are stored in the base, and extend upwards using a number of different possible manual mechanisms.

-Folding or Frame screens are supported on both sides by vertical legs. They are often light-weight and very easy to set up.

-Inflatable Screens are an innovative new design perfect for outdoor use. Easy to store and assemble.

Screen format refers to the aspect ratio, or the proportion of width to height of a particular screen. There are several types of standard formats. The best format depends on how you use the screen. Other formats are available on Projector Screen Store.com, but these are the most common.

HDTV: These screens have a width to height ratio of 16:9. This matches the specifications for widescreen viewing, and is therefore best for home theater set-ups with HDTV capabilities.

Multi-Format: The aspect ratio of these screens can be adjusted using masking devices. These are multi-purpose, easily adaptable for presentations or video viewing.

Slide: These screens have a width to height ratio of 1.25:1. They are ideal for slide presentations.

Square: These screens have a width to height ratio of 1:1. These screens are ideal for presentations and use with overhead projectors. Square screens may be partially descended, thereby changing the aspect ratio. For example, if you pull a ceiling mounted square screen only half-way down, the width dimension remains the same, but the height is half. This could be useful for more widescreen applications.

Video: These screens have a width to height ratio of 4:3. This format is the standard format for television screens and computer monitors. This format is good for home theater set-ups when you are watching programs in either widescreen or regular formats.

Widescreen/Cinemascope: These screens have a width to height ratio of 1.85:1. This is the format used for most movie theater screens.

If you know exactly how much space you have to place a screen in, then searching by width or height are very useful parameters. If you are using the projector screen for presentations, a good rule of thumb is to find a screen whose height is 1/6 the distance from the screen to the last row of seats. Ideally, the first row of seats should be two screen heights away. Furthermore, the bottom of the screen should be a minimum of 4 feet above the floor.

Choosing the right screen fabric type is very important in maximizing the quality of the image you are projecting. The two most important qualities of a specific fabric are its gain and viewing angle. Gain is a measurement of how reflective a screen is. The higher the gain, the brighter the image. However, as gain goes up, viewing angle goes down. Viewing angle refers to the maximum angle from center up to which the image appears clearly. There are many different fabric types, each of which have unique qualities.

Below you will find detailed fabric descriptions from two of the largest projector screen manufacturer's Da-Lite & Draper.

Matte White

The most versatile screen surface and the premier choice when ambient light is controllable. It evenly distributes light over a wide viewing area while colors remain bright and life-like, with no shifts in hue. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 60�
Gain: 1.0

High Contrast Matte White

Designed for moderate output DLP and LCD projectors, this screen surface is a great choice when video images are the main source of information being projected and where ambient light is moderately controlled. With its specially designed Greybase material and reflective top surface, this screen material is able to provide very good black levels without sacrificing the white level output. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 50�
Gain: 1.1

Video Spectra� 1.5

Especially designed for demanding video and overhead LCD projection applications where a balance of higher gain and greater viewing angle is required. The special pearlescent surface may be cleaned with mild soap and water. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 35�
Gain: 1.5

Silver Matte

A uniquely designed screen surface with a specifically designed silver finish. This surface is perfect for situations where a silver surface is necessary for a polarized 3-D projection. The matte finish of this surface successfully rejects ambient light. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 30�
Gain: 1.3

Glass Beaded

This surface has the ability to achieve a higher gain by reflecting more of the projected image back along the projection axis. Glass beads impregnated into the screen's surface provide additional reflectance. This attribute creates an unparalleled screen surface that reproduces vibrant life-like color at moderate viewing angles. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 30�
Gain: 2.5

High Power

A technological breakthrough, combines the reflectivity of a glass beaded surface with the ability to clean the surface when required. Its smooth surface offers the highest gain of all types of screen surfaces with moderate viewing angle. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 25�
Gain: 2.8

Da-Mat�

A smooth, white, vinyl finish surface for precise image reproduction. Provides an exceptionally wide angle of view with little loss of resolution. It is a highly flexible unsupported vinyl fabric and may be folded or rolled. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 60�
Gain: 1.0

High Contrast Da-Mat�

A smooth, gray, vinyl finish surface for high output LCD and DLP projectors. This surface improves the perceived contrast by lowering black levels. It is a flexible unsupported vinyl fabric and may be folded or rolled. Available on all models offered with the Da-Mat� surface. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 45�
Gain: 0.8

Cinema Vision

A unique unsupported vinyl surface that offers a bright, uniform image with no color shift no matter at what angle you view the image. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 45�
Gain: 1.3

High Contrast Cinema Vision

A smooth, gray, vinyl finish surface for moderate output DLP projectors. This surface improves the perceived contrast by lowering black levels while offering moderate gain. It is a flexible unsupported vinyl fabric and may be folded or rolled. Available on all models offered with the Cinema Vision surface. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 50�
Gain: 1.1

High Contrast Cinema Perf

With the same optical characteristics as High Contrast Cinema Vision, this surface is perforated to allow placement of a center channel speaker behind the screen surface while allowing the sound to transmit through the material. Ideal for use in environments with moderate control of ambient light. Screen surface can be cleaned with a mild soap and water solution. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 50�
Gain: 1.1

Pearlescent

This surface utilizes an unsupported vinyl creating a very smooth Pearlescent coating that provides high reflectivity and brilliance without loss of image quality or resolution. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 40�
Gain: 1.5

Silver Vision

This screen surface is uniquely designed with a specially formulated silver finish. This surface is perfect for situations where a silver finish is necessary for polarized 3-D projection. The silver finish of this surface successfully rejects ambient light. It is a highly flexible fabric that must be tensioned. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 25�
Gain: 1.5

Audio Vision

This acoustically transparent front projection screen allows for the center channel speaker to be placed directly behind the screen while still transmitting the full range and brilliance of an original soundtrack with maximum clarity. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 50�
Gain: 1.0

High Contrast Audio Vision

With the same optical characteristics as the High Contrast Da-Mat material, this surface is designed to provide the viewer with a more realistic soundstage by placing speakers behind the screen and allowing the sound to be transmitted through the material. This screen surface is best used when there is good control of ambient lighting and a moderately wide viewing angle is desired. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 45�
Gain: 0.8

Rear Projection Screen Surfaces

Video Vision

A special coating process generates a screen ideal for video projection under controlled light conditions. Offers an exceptionally wide field of view so each audience member will observe a uniform, bright, sharp image with no color shift. Imaging Science Foundation approved. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant..

Viewing Angle: 55�
Gain: 1.0

DA-180

A neutral Greyscreen offering an on-axis gain of 1.8, the DA-180 is a coating well suited for applications whose viewing angles are not large but which can benefit from moderate screen gain. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 30�
Gain: 1.8

DA-230

An excellent choice where a balance between gain and viewing angle is needed. Ideal for situations with a high level of ambient light. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 25�
Gain: 2.3

Data Vision

An optical coating which is dark in appearance and produces a unity gain screen ideal for data projection. The special coating successfully rejects ambient light and maintains a high contrast level. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 24�
Gain: 1.0

Polacoat Ultra

Combines your choice of a Polacoat diffusion coating and a Fresnel lens for the ideal single image display. This design offers the best center to edge uniformity obtainable. Available in sizes up to 125" diagonal. Gain and viewing angle depend on the Polacoat diffusion coating selected. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle:
Gain:

Da-View

Profiled Type Display Screen
Offers a bright image at a relatively wide field of view perfect for single image display. This screen is a single element double profile cast acrylic with a back surface comprising a Fresnal lens and the front surface exhibiting an array of lenticulations. Fresnel grooves have a pitch of .5mm and the lenticulations have a .28 mm pitch. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 32�
Gain: 3.5

Wide Angle

Profiled Type Display Screen
This screen is a single element double profile cast acrylic with a back surface comprising a Fresnal lens and the front surface exhibiting an array of lenticulations. Fresnel grooves have a pitch of .19mm and the lenticulations have a .25 mm pitch. Offers a bright image at a relatively wide field of view perfect for single image display. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 32�
Gain: 3.5

Giant Screen

Profiled Type Display Screens
This screen is a single element optical system with two active lens surfaces. The back surface is a Fresnel lens with a pitch of .5 mm and the front surface is a lenticulation array with a pitch of 0.8 mm. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 21�
Gain: 3.0

Graphics Screen

Profiled Type Display Screen
This screen is a double element system with four active lens surfaces. The rear element includes a Fresnal lens towards the front surface. The front element consists of a lenticular lens array. The front side has a unique wide angle lenticular array with a pitch of .33 mm. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 32�
Gain: 3.5

Black Bead

The Black Bead screen provides super high contrast, extended resolution images for the most demanding multi-media, HDTV and computer display applications. The Black Bead screen provides for exceptionally vivid images in even the worst ambient lightening conditions with a very wide viewing angle.

Viewing Angle: 50�
Gain: 1.0

Da-Tex�

Flexible Fabric Screen:

A translucent, neutral Greyvinyl surface that offers high transmission and low reflectance values for optimal viewing. It yields excellent color rendition, image contrast and a wide viewing angle. Suitable for all types of rear projection. Ideally suited for both lace and grommet and snap button type screens. Material needs to be tensioned. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 30�
Gain: 1.8

High Contrast Da-Tex�

High Contrast Da-Tex� is a unity gain rear projection surface with a specially designed dark Greytint and is formulated to provide lower black levels for today's high output projectors. This surface features optical characteristics similar to rigid rear projection screens. Ideally suited for both lace and grommet and snap button screens used in portable applications. Surface requires tensioning due to its flexible nature.

Viewing Angle: 40�
Gain: 1.0

Dual Vision

Flexible Fabric Screen
A unity gain flexible projection fabric capable of both front and rear projection. The surface is ideal for video projection under controlled light conditions. With an exceptionally wide viewing cone, each seat in the audience will observe a uniform, bright, sharp image with no color shift. Surface needs to be tensioned. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 50�
Gain: 1.0

DA-100

A neutral Greyscreen that provides contrast, uniformity and color rendition ideally suited for high resolution applications. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 35�
Gain: 1.0

DA-150

A neutral Greyscreen well suited for multi-image displays where bend angles from some images may be severe. It makes a good choice for audiences with a wide seating arrangement. Screen surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Flame retardant and mildew resistant.

Viewing Angle: 32�
Gain: 1.5