Finding the Right HD Projector Screen
With all the time and research invested in deciding which HD projector to buy, one critical aspect is often overlooked: The image produced by the projector, no matter how flawless, only reaches the eye after reflecting off a surface.
When I was a kid, we used to aim projectors at a flat, off white wall; that was sufficient when the image was being fired from an old, dusty film projector that was stashed deeply in my Grandfather's workshop.
Would I be satisfied with a perfect 1080p image being bounced off paint? Likely not.
So, with a definitive choice made for a brand and style of projector, I move on to the next logical phase: The best HD projector screen.
I had several factors in mind as I approached this, the first being storage.
I had visions of tripod stand models taking up space in my living room, and was completely unwilling to entertain that design.
Fortunately, the popular style involves a roller that mounts to the ceiling like a window shade, allowing you to lower and retract it as needed.
The sleek housing is fairly unobtrusive in its hang down from the ceiling, although it still is a focal point on the ceiling.
Then, I had to choose a screen material.
There is a dizzying array of screen surface choices, which is rather surprising to me considering it is just a solid colored flat sheet that reflects light.
Indeed, the way the light is reflected is the big difference between the designs.
Some are vinyl, some fabric woven from fiberglass.
Some surfaces are opalescent or beaded with glass and offer intense reflectivity, which is excellent for a large screen a long distance from the projector or for use in a room where ambient light is not so easy to control.
Those brighter screens can show a bright spot in the image, being so highly reflective, they bounce the bulb visibly depending on your viewing angle.
Less reflective surfaces, for example, matte white fabrics, offer a wider viewing angle and very even lighting across the entirety of the display.
You will have to be able to control room lighting levels a bit more with those models, or, have a very high output DLP chip projector to illuminate the screen adequately.
Ultimately, I chose a matte white HD projector screen for my home theater.
Before you choose, be sure to test each screen material with your own eyes; only they can tell you what is best for you.
When I was a kid, we used to aim projectors at a flat, off white wall; that was sufficient when the image was being fired from an old, dusty film projector that was stashed deeply in my Grandfather's workshop.
Would I be satisfied with a perfect 1080p image being bounced off paint? Likely not.
So, with a definitive choice made for a brand and style of projector, I move on to the next logical phase: The best HD projector screen.
I had several factors in mind as I approached this, the first being storage.
I had visions of tripod stand models taking up space in my living room, and was completely unwilling to entertain that design.
Fortunately, the popular style involves a roller that mounts to the ceiling like a window shade, allowing you to lower and retract it as needed.
The sleek housing is fairly unobtrusive in its hang down from the ceiling, although it still is a focal point on the ceiling.
Then, I had to choose a screen material.
There is a dizzying array of screen surface choices, which is rather surprising to me considering it is just a solid colored flat sheet that reflects light.
Indeed, the way the light is reflected is the big difference between the designs.
Some are vinyl, some fabric woven from fiberglass.
Some surfaces are opalescent or beaded with glass and offer intense reflectivity, which is excellent for a large screen a long distance from the projector or for use in a room where ambient light is not so easy to control.
Those brighter screens can show a bright spot in the image, being so highly reflective, they bounce the bulb visibly depending on your viewing angle.
Less reflective surfaces, for example, matte white fabrics, offer a wider viewing angle and very even lighting across the entirety of the display.
You will have to be able to control room lighting levels a bit more with those models, or, have a very high output DLP chip projector to illuminate the screen adequately.
Ultimately, I chose a matte white HD projector screen for my home theater.
Before you choose, be sure to test each screen material with your own eyes; only they can tell you what is best for you.
Source...