Frequently Asked Questions

There are several different types of projection screen, each have their advantages and disadvantages. This is a brief explanation of the different types and what they’re for:

1. Rigid Wall-Mounted
   This type of screen utilized a rigid surface to maintain their geometry perfectly. This makes them suitable for applications that demand exact reproduction of image geometry. Such screens are often used in home theaters, along with the pull-down screens.
2. Portable Screens
   Sometimes it is necessary to utilize this type of screen in spaces where a permanently installed screen would require too much space. These commonly use painted fabric that is rolled in the screen case when not used, making them less obtrusive when the screen is not in use. To meet this need, we offer Solo and Solo Pro screens, which utilize a lithium-powered motor core allowing you the same benefits from a motorized screen, but in a much more compact, portable cassette.
3. Electric Screens
   Also known as motorized screens, these screen types can be wall mounted, ceiling mounted or ceiling recessed and are intended for permanent mounting locations. These are often larger screens, though electric screens are available for home theater use as well. Electric screens are similar to manual pull-down screens, but instead of the screen being pulled down manually, an electric motor raises and lowers the screen. Electric screens are usually raised or lowered using either a remote control or wall-mounted switch, although some projectors are equipped with an interface that connects to the screen and automatically lowers the screen when the projector is switched on and raises it when the projector is switched off.

Both mobile and permanently installed motorized screens may be of tensioned or not tensioned variety. Tensioned models attempt to keep the fabric flat and immobile, whereas the not tensioned models have the fabric of the screen hanging freely from their support structures. In the latter screens the fabric can develop slight wrinkles in the viewing surface giving imperfections to the projected image.

In order to determine what size projection screen is right for you, the first step is to take some simple measurements.

First, determine where your optimal seating area will be, and measure the distance from your seating area to where the surface of your projection screen will be. This is called your “seating distance.” Once you have this number, input it into our Screen Size Calculator to determine the best screen size for your environment.

Once you have a result from our Screen Size Calculator, you’ll need the ceiling height, and the length and width of the room. You will want to cross reference the recommended screen size from the tool and make sure that screen will fit in your room. You will also want to ensure that your eye-line compared to the screen surface rests in line with 1/3rd the way up the screen.

Even though we make recommendations based on various industry related calculations, screen size is ultimately a decision of personal preference and what the room will allow. Our tools make a recommendation, but it is up to you to decide what your personal preference will be.

One common question about projection is how to clean your projector screen. It is very important that you follow your manufacturer’s screen cleaning instructions so you don’t damage image quality.

1. Step One
   Determine what type of screen material you have. Screen Materials types: PVC, Fiberglass, Glass, Acrylic, Special Optic. Not sure? Contact us and we’ll help.
2. Step Two
   Verify if your screen has a first surface coating or not – you can do this by softly wiping your hand across the surface feeling for any texture – you can also look for color irregularities.
3. Step Three
   Fiberglass: Maestro White/Grey:
   1. Remove dust with soft bristled attachment on a vacuum cleaner or use compressed air.
   2. Do not scrub or use solvents or any abrasive substance which might damage the fabric.
   3. Clean with a Microfiber cloth dipped in soapy water using a few drops of mild detergent in a gallon of water, then rinse with clean distilled water.
   4. You can clean small stains by rubbing the fabric very gently with a clean white pencil eraser.
   5. Please allow 10 minutes of drying time before retracting motorized screens.
   PVC: Slate .8 and 1.2, Pure White/Grey, Backstage and Backstage 360:
   1. Preferred Method: Microfiber cloth towel and distilled water.
   2. Secondary Method: Can be cleaned with any soft cloth (microfiber preferred). Mix a solution of 1 oz simple green to 20 ozs water. You can lightly rub the surface until the spot is removed.
   3. Please allow 10 minutes of drying time before retracting motorized screens.
   Black Diamond:
   1. Preferred Method: “Whoosh” solution by Tech Hygiene, and a microfiber towel. Lightly apply the solution to the viewing area of the screen. Afterwards use minimal pressure on a microfiber towel, and move it back and forth in linear movements.
   2. Secondary Method: Micro Fiber cloth towel and a mixture of 95% water/5% Dawn.
   3. Allow 3 minutes for the screen to dry before viewing.
   4. Tips: With all coated materials you can only rub so many times before damaging the projection screen coating, use caution.
   Acrylic: FlexGlass:
   1. Preferred Method: Simply apply a mixture of 10% Windex and 90% water to a microfiber cloth.
   2. Secondary Method: Microfiber cloth towel and a mixture of 95% lukewarm water/5% Dawn

For additional details on how to clean Screen Innovations projection screen products, please contact us.

How to Remove Debris From Your Motorized Screen
Watch the video here
Download PDF

This is an area of great importance, and should be considered with great care. Screens are not always lightweight, especially screens that are built with quality in mind. Large screens can easily weigh hundreds of pounds and require power lifts to raise them to proper mounting location. Additionally, there may be structural considerations. Some applications can take advantage of newer screen technologies such as Zero-G where the screen is suspended from a cassette by high-strength cables instead of black masking material. We recommend following the manufacturer guidelines as closely as possible when it comes to mounting your projector and projection screen.

While the brightness of today’s projectors overcome many adverse lighting conditions, picture quality does suffer as ambient light is flushed onto a projection screen. There are two ways in which to handle ambient light concerns:

1. Reduce the amount of ambient light in the room.
   Assuming you are utilizing a white or gray screen, the only way to deal with ambient light concerns it to actually remove the ambient light all together. Ideally, lights would be turned off, natural lights such as windows would be covered, and walls and ceilings painted a matte black color (see “Do I need an ALR screen in a dark room?”) to reduce light reflections from the screen surface to the walls, and back.
2. Fight the ambient light with an ALR screen.
   Our preferred solution, is to utilize an ALR screen technology such as Black Diamond or Slate which allow you to maintain some of the ambient light in the room, while also mitigating issues that arise with light reflections from the screen to the walls, and back. This also makes it possible to have a projection screen in places that had not been considered before such as a living room or other areas with ambient light.
   SI has engineered the most advance screen solutions to address ambient light. Watch this video for more information about our different ALR technologies.

Apparent contrast in a projected image (the range of brightness vs darkness) is dependent on the ambient light conditions, luminous power of the projector and the size of the image being projected. A larger screen size means less luminance (luminous power per unit solid angle per unit area) and thus less contrast in the presence of ambient light. Some light will always be created in the room when an image is projected, increasing the ambient light level and thus contributing to the degradation of picture quality. This effect can be lessened by decorating the room with dark colors or by utilizing one of our ALR (Ambient Light Rejecting) screen materials such as Black Diamond or Slate. The real-room situation is different from the contrast ratios advertised by projector manufacturers, who record the light levels with projector on full black and full white, giving as high contrast ratios as possible.

Manufacturers of home theater screens have attempted to resolve the issue of ambient light by introducing screen surfaces that direct more of the light back to the light source. The rationale behind this approach relies on having the image source placed near the audience, so that the audience will actually see the increased reflected light level on the screen.

Highly reflective flat screens tend to suffer from hot spots, when part of the screen seems much more bright than the rest. This is a result of the high directionality (mirror-likeness) of such screens. Screens with high gain also have a narrower usable viewing angle, as the amount of reflected light rapidly decreases as the viewer moves outside of the viewing-cone of such a screen. Because of the said effect, these screens are also less vulnerable to ambient light coming from the sides of the screen, as well.

In a completely dark room, your projector is its own worst enemy. Whatever color is projected onto the screen at any given time is also reflected around the room, and then back into your image which can in turn negatively affect the screen image. Imagine projecting a red Ferrari onto a white screen. The reds created by the projector are reflected all over the walls, floor, and ceiling because the white material reflects the light in all directions. The red light is then reflected off of the walls, and back into the image creating a red color push. This issue persists with all colors emitted by the projector. Unless you have completely matte black walls, this is the case.

Black Diamond significantly reduces the light scatter created by the projector, therefore reducing the constantly changing color shift. It also rejects what color push may have returned from the walls thanks to its optical filtering technology. This results in much more accurate final image compared to a white or gray screen material.

Lastly the room color itself makes a color shift. If your walls are painted burgundy, you will notice a burgundy color push in your image. Black Diamond allows your walls to be painted with more colorful options and does not require a matte finish vs. a gloss or eggshell finish. This is extremely exciting because 99% of all theater rooms we encounter do “not” have color neutral walls. Watch this video to illustrate this concept.

Many variables can affect the screen image quality such as reflective walls and ceilings, HVAC vents moving a motorized screen material in and out of focus, ambient or direct light washing out the image from behind the screen etc. To ensure success, SI recommends contacting a design specialist for your next project.

A general rule for which aspect ratio to select is to ask the question ‘what is the majority of content that will be viewed?’. If 2.35:1 movies will be mostly viewed in your dedicated home theater, then 2.35:1 is a great solution. If computer data will mostly be viewed in your conference room, then 16:9 or 16:10 would be great selection. We recommend you contact one of our Dealers to ensure every detail is discussed and the best aspect ratio can be selected for your project.

The half gain angle is the area of the room where the projected image produces the fullest spectrum view. This area is roughly in the shape of a cone with its point toward the center of the screen. Viewing cones are described by defining the degree radius formed by the outer limits of the cone. Higher gain reflective screens produce narrower viewing cones, while matte surfaces produce a broader viewing cone. Half gain angle is 1/2 of the viewing cone. Multiply the half gain angle by two to get the total viewing cone.

One of the most often quoted properties in a home theater screen is the gain. This is a measure of reflectivity of light and can be “negative” (any gain less than 1.0) “neutral” (exactly 1.0) or positive gain (any gain above 1.0.) Very high gain levels could be attained simply by using a mirror surface, although the audience would then just see a reflection of the projector, defeating the purpose of using a screen. Many screens with higher gain are simply semi-glossy, and so exhibit more mirror-like properties, namely a bright “hot spot” in the screen – an enlarged (and greatly blurred) reflection of the projector’s lens. Opinions differ as to when this “hot spotting” begins to be distracting, but most viewers do not notice differences as large as 30% in the image luminosity, unless presented with a test image and asked to look for variations in brightness. This is possible because humans have greater sensitivity to contrast in smaller details, but less so in luminosity variations as great as half of the screen.

A second common confusion about screen gain arises for grey colored screens. If a screen material looks grey on casual examination then it’s total reflectance is much less than 1. However, the grey screen can have measured gain of 1 or even much greater than 1. The geometric behavior of a grey screen is different from that of a white screen of identical gain. Therefore, since geometry is important in screen applications, screen materials should be at least specified by their gain and their total reflectance. Instead of total reflectance, “geometric gain” (equal to the gain divided by the total reflectance) can be the second specification.

Curved screens can be made highly reflective minimizing visible hot spots, if the curvature of the screen, placement of the projector and the seating arrangement are designed correctly. The object of this design is to have the screen reflect the projected light back to the audience, effectively making the entire screen a giant “hot spot”. If the angle of reflection is about the same across the screen, no distracting artifacts will be formed.

We have screens that will fit nearly every budget. From our premium Black Diamond and Slate ALR (Ambient Light Rejection) viewing materials to budget conscious white and gray screens and everything in between. Contact one of our Dealers to find what screen type and viewing material will work best for your project.

The projection screen is at least as important as the projector, after all viewers watch the screen not the projector! A quality projector screen reproduces the image without losing quality, by maximizing the light coming from the projector and reflecting it so that everyone in the room can see and read the image clearly. Both the projector and projection screen need to match the size and purpose of the room. You need to take into account the reason the projector will be used and how much light there is in the room.

Screens come in a number of aspect ratios. Square screens’ ratio aspect is 1:1, while video screens’ ratio aspect is 4:3. A wide screen has a ratio aspect of 16:9. When choosing the aspect ratio of your projector screen you must match it with the aspect ratio of your projector. A general rule of thumb is that 4:3 and 1:1 ratio screens best suit business presentations or television viewing. Screens that are 16:9 suit DVDs or “widescreen” broadcasts.

The fabric of the screen is another important factor. Matte white diffusion screen fabric is generally suitable when light conditions can be controlled. Datalux is a type of fabric specifically designed when you need a wider viewing angle. It is particularly suitable when the projector is mounted on the ceiling. Retro-reflective fabric is best used when the projector is at table height and there is not a huge audience. Rear projection screens are much more expensive and are useful when you don’t want the projection unit to be visible.

Manual projector screens are pull-down varieties that come in a range of styles and fabrics. Electric screens have a motor and can be raised and lowered using a wall electric switch or a remote control. Fixed screens are the perfect solution if you need the screen to be available all the time. Portable screens are flexible and range in style and size, from table top to wall-sized.

A projection screen is an installation consisting of a surface and a support structure used for displaying a projected image for the view of an audience. Projection screens may be permanently installed as in a movie theater, painted on the wall, semi-permanent or mobile, as in a conference room or other non-dedicated viewing space. Uniformly white or grey screens are used almost exclusively as to avoid any discoloration to the image, while the most desired brightness of the screen depends on a number of variables, such as the ambient light level and the luminous power of the image source. Flat or curved screens may be used depending on the optics used to project the image and the desired geometrical accuracy of the image production, flat screens being the more common of the two. Screens can be further designed for front or back projection, the more common front projection systems having the image source situated on the same side of the screen as the audience.

Different markets exist for screens targeted for use with digital projectors, movie projectors, overhead projectors and slide projectors, although the basic idea for each of them is very much the same: front projection screens work on diffusely reflecting the light projected on to them, whereas back projection screens work by diffusely transmitting the light through them.

There are several different types of projection screen, each have their advantages and disadvantages. This is a brief explanation of the different types and what they’re for:

1. Rigid Wall-Mounted
   This type of screen utilized a rigid surface to maintain their geometry perfectly. This makes them suitable for applications that demand exact reproduction of image geometry. Such screens are often used in home theaters, along with the pull-down screens.
2. Portable Screens
   Sometimes it is necessary to utilize this type of screen in spaces where a permanently installed screen would require too much space. These commonly use painted fabric that is rolled in the screen case when not used, making them less obtrusive when the screen is not in use. To meet this need, we offer Solo and Solo Pro screens, which utilize a lithium-powered motor core allowing you the same benefits from a motorized screen, but in a much more compact, portable cassette.
3. Electric Screens
   Also known as motorized screens, these screen types can be wall mounted, ceiling mounted or ceiling recessed and are intended for permanent mounting locations. These are often larger screens, though electric screens are available for home theater use as well. Electric screens are similar to manual pull-down screens, but instead of the screen being pulled down manually, an electric motor raises and lowers the screen. Electric screens are usually raised or lowered using either a remote control or wall-mounted switch, although some projectors are equipped with an interface that connects to the screen and automatically lowers the screen when the projector is switched on and raises it when the projector is switched off.

Both mobile and permanently installed motorized screens may be of tensioned or not tensioned variety. Tensioned models attempt to keep the fabric flat and immobile, whereas the not tensioned models have the fabric of the screen hanging freely from their support structures. In the latter screens the fabric can develop slight wrinkles in the viewing surface giving imperfections to the projected image.

In order to determine what size projection screen is right for you, the first step is to take some simple measurements.

First, determine where your optimal seating area will be, and measure the distance from your seating area to where the surface of your projection screen will be. This is called your “seating distance.” Once you have this number, input it into our Screen Size Calculator to determine the best screen size for your environment.

Once you have a result from our Screen Size Calculator, you’ll need the ceiling height, and the length and width of the room. You will want to cross reference the recommended screen size from the tool and make sure that screen will fit in your room. You will also want to ensure that your eye-line compared to the screen surface rests in line with 1/3rd the way up the screen.

Even though we make recommendations based on various industry related calculations, screen size is ultimately a decision of personal preference and what the room will allow. Our tools make a recommendation, but it is up to you to decide what your personal preference will be.

One common question about projection is how to clean your projector screen. It is very important that you follow your manufacturer’s screen cleaning instructions so you don’t damage image quality.

1. Step One
   Determine what type of screen material you have. Screen Materials types: PVC, Fiberglass, Glass, Acrylic, Special Optic. Not sure? Contact us and we’ll help.
2. Step Two
   Verify if your screen has a first surface coating or not – you can do this by softly wiping your hand across the surface feeling for any texture – you can also look for color irregularities.
3. Step Three
   Fiberglass: Maestro White/Grey:
   1. Remove dust with soft bristled attachment on a vacuum cleaner or use compressed air.
   2. Do not scrub or use solvents or any abrasive substance which might damage the fabric.
   3. Clean with a Microfiber cloth dipped in soapy water using a few drops of mild detergent in a gallon of water, then rinse with clean distilled water.
   4. You can clean small stains by rubbing the fabric very gently with a clean white pencil eraser.
   5. Please allow 10 minutes of drying time before retracting motorized screens.
   PVC: Slate .8 and 1.2, Pure White/Grey, Backstage and Backstage 360:
   1. Preferred Method: Microfiber cloth towel and distilled water.
   2. Secondary Method: Can be cleaned with any soft cloth (microfiber preferred). Mix a solution of 1 oz simple green to 20 ozs water. You can lightly rub the surface until the spot is removed.
   3. Please allow 10 minutes of drying time before retracting motorized screens.
   Black Diamond:
   1. Preferred Method: “Whoosh” solution by Tech Hygiene, and a microfiber towel. Lightly apply the solution to the viewing area of the screen. Afterwards use minimal pressure on a microfiber towel, and move it back and forth in linear movements.
   2. Secondary Method: Micro Fiber cloth towel and a mixture of 95% water/5% Dawn.
   3. Allow 3 minutes for the screen to dry before viewing.
   4. Tips: With all coated materials you can only rub so many times before damaging the projection screen coating, use caution.
   Acrylic: FlexGlass:
   1. Preferred Method: Simply apply a mixture of 10% Windex and 90% water to a microfiber cloth.
   2. Secondary Method: Microfiber cloth towel and a mixture of 95% lukewarm water/5% Dawn

For additional details on how to clean Screen Innovations projection screen products, please contact us.

How to Remove Debris From Your Motorized Screen
Watch the video here
Download PDF

This is an area of great importance, and should be considered with great care. Screens are not always lightweight, especially screens that are built with quality in mind. Large screens can easily weigh hundreds of pounds and require power lifts to raise them to proper mounting location. Additionally, there may be structural considerations. Some applications can take advantage of newer screen technologies such as Zero-G where the screen is suspended from a cassette by high-strength cables instead of black masking material. We recommend following the manufacturer guidelines as closely as possible when it comes to mounting your projector and projection screen.

While the brightness of today’s projectors overcome many adverse lighting conditions, picture quality does suffer as ambient light is flushed onto a projection screen. There are two ways in which to handle ambient light concerns:

1. Reduce the amount of ambient light in the room.
   Assuming you are utilizing a white or gray screen, the only way to deal with ambient light concerns it to actually remove the ambient light all together. Ideally, lights would be turned off, natural lights such as windows would be covered, and walls and ceilings painted a matte black color (see “Do I need an ALR screen in a dark room?”) to reduce light reflections from the screen surface to the walls, and back.
2. Fight the ambient light with an ALR screen.
   Our preferred solution, is to utilize an ALR screen technology such as Black Diamond or Slate which allow you to maintain some of the ambient light in the room, while also mitigating issues that arise with light reflections from the screen to the walls, and back. This also makes it possible to have a projection screen in places that had not been considered before such as a living room or other areas with ambient light.
   SI has engineered the most advance screen solutions to address ambient light. Watch this video for more information about our different ALR technologies.

Apparent contrast in a projected image (the range of brightness vs darkness) is dependent on the ambient light conditions, luminous power of the projector and the size of the image being projected. A larger screen size means less luminance (luminous power per unit solid angle per unit area) and thus less contrast in the presence of ambient light. Some light will always be created in the room when an image is projected, increasing the ambient light level and thus contributing to the degradation of picture quality. This effect can be lessened by decorating the room with dark colors or by utilizing one of our ALR (Ambient Light Rejecting) screen materials such as Black Diamond or Slate. The real-room situation is different from the contrast ratios advertised by projector manufacturers, who record the light levels with projector on full black and full white, giving as high contrast ratios as possible.

Manufacturers of home theater screens have attempted to resolve the issue of ambient light by introducing screen surfaces that direct more of the light back to the light source. The rationale behind this approach relies on having the image source placed near the audience, so that the audience will actually see the increased reflected light level on the screen.

Highly reflective flat screens tend to suffer from hot spots, when part of the screen seems much more bright than the rest. This is a result of the high directionality (mirror-likeness) of such screens. Screens with high gain also have a narrower usable viewing angle, as the amount of reflected light rapidly decreases as the viewer moves outside of the viewing-cone of such a screen. Because of the said effect, these screens are also less vulnerable to ambient light coming from the sides of the screen, as well.

In a completely dark room, your projector is its own worst enemy. Whatever color is projected onto the screen at any given time is also reflected around the room, and then back into your image which can in turn negatively affect the screen image. Imagine projecting a red Ferrari onto a white screen. The reds created by the projector are reflected all over the walls, floor, and ceiling because the white material reflects the light in all directions. The red light is then reflected off of the walls, and back into the image creating a red color push. This issue persists with all colors emitted by the projector. Unless you have completely matte black walls, this is the case.

Black Diamond significantly reduces the light scatter created by the projector, therefore reducing the constantly changing color shift. It also rejects what color push may have returned from the walls thanks to its optical filtering technology. This results in much more accurate final image compared to a white or gray screen material.

Lastly the room color itself makes a color shift. If your walls are painted burgundy, you will notice a burgundy color push in your image. Black Diamond allows your walls to be painted with more colorful options and does not require a matte finish vs. a gloss or eggshell finish. This is extremely exciting because 99% of all theater rooms we encounter do “not” have color neutral walls. Watch this video to illustrate this concept.

Many variables can affect the screen image quality such as reflective walls and ceilings, HVAC vents moving a motorized screen material in and out of focus, ambient or direct light washing out the image from behind the screen etc. To ensure success, SI recommends contacting a design specialist for your next project.

Curved screens do have some distinct advantages, especially in installations where the throw is very short (1.6 or less) and pincushion distortion becomes an issue. Note that most curved screens are actually “cylindrical” in that there is no curve up and down – only from left to right. Advantages of a curved screen:

1. Curved screens help compensate the pincushion distortion that occurs when an expansion-based anamorphic lens is used because an inward-curving screen naturally produces a form of “barrel” distortion which can partially compensate for the “pincushion” from the lens. As you can imagine it can be complicated to determine how much curvature you need in the screen to compensate for how much distortion is in your short throw-ratio installation. But even in a general sense, the higher the throw ratio, the less noticeable the distortion, and therefore the less of a “need” for a curved screen.
2. For some people a curved screen can bring you an even greater sense of immersion when watching movies. The slight curvature of the screen gives the impression of the image wrapping around you, involving you in the action to an even greater degree. The opposite view is that a flat screen is more like a window into the movie. Either viewpoint is valid and “best” is up to you.
3. Curved screens can deliver a more uniformly illuminated image for centrally localized seating with less “hot-spotting” since light that would normally be reflected to the side is instead more effectively directed back to the seating area.

A general rule for which aspect ratio to select is to ask the question ‘what is the majority of content that will be viewed?’. If 2.35:1 movies will be mostly viewed in your dedicated home theater, then 2.35:1 is a great solution. If computer data will mostly be viewed in your conference room, then 16:9 or 16:10 would be great selection. We recommend you contact one of our Dealers to ensure every detail is discussed and the best aspect ratio can be selected for your project.

The half gain angle is the area of the room where the projected image produces the fullest spectrum view. This area is roughly in the shape of a cone with its point toward the center of the screen. Viewing cones are described by defining the degree radius formed by the outer limits of the cone. Higher gain reflective screens produce narrower viewing cones, while matte surfaces produce a broader viewing cone. Half gain angle is 1/2 of the viewing cone. Multiply the half gain angle by two to get the total viewing cone.

One of the most often quoted properties in a home theater screen is the gain. This is a measure of reflectivity of light and can be “negative” (any gain less than 1.0) “neutral” (exactly 1.0) or positive gain (any gain above 1.0.) Very high gain levels could be attained simply by using a mirror surface, although the audience would then just see a reflection of the projector, defeating the purpose of using a screen. Many screens with higher gain are simply semi-glossy, and so exhibit more mirror-like properties, namely a bright “hot spot” in the screen – an enlarged (and greatly blurred) reflection of the projector’s lens. Opinions differ as to when this “hot spotting” begins to be distracting, but most viewers do not notice differences as large as 30% in the image luminosity, unless presented with a test image and asked to look for variations in brightness. This is possible because humans have greater sensitivity to contrast in smaller details, but less so in luminosity variations as great as half of the screen.

A second common confusion about screen gain arises for grey colored screens. If a screen material looks grey on casual examination then it’s total reflectance is much less than 1. However, the grey screen can have measured gain of 1 or even much greater than 1. The geometric behavior of a grey screen is different from that of a white screen of identical gain. Therefore, since geometry is important in screen applications, screen materials should be at least specified by their gain and their total reflectance. Instead of total reflectance, “geometric gain” (equal to the gain divided by the total reflectance) can be the second specification.

Curved screens can be made highly reflective minimizing visible hot spots, if the curvature of the screen, placement of the projector and the seating arrangement are designed correctly. The object of this design is to have the screen reflect the projected light back to the audience, effectively making the entire screen a giant “hot spot”. If the angle of reflection is about the same across the screen, no distracting artifacts will be formed.

We have screens that will fit nearly every budget. From our premium Black Diamond and Slate ALR (Ambient Light Rejection) viewing materials to budget conscious white and gray screens and everything in between. Contact one of our Dealers to find what screen type and viewing material will work best for your project.

The projection screen is at least as important as the projector, after all viewers watch the screen not the projector! A quality projector screen reproduces the image without losing quality, by maximizing the light coming from the projector and reflecting it so that everyone in the room can see and read the image clearly. Both the projector and projection screen need to match the size and purpose of the room. You need to take into account the reason the projector will be used and how much light there is in the room.

Screens come in a number of aspect ratios. Square screens’ ratio aspect is 1:1, while video screens’ ratio aspect is 4:3. A wide screen has a ratio aspect of 16:9. When choosing the aspect ratio of your projector screen you must match it with the aspect ratio of your projector. A general rule of thumb is that 4:3 and 1:1 ratio screens best suit business presentations or television viewing. Screens that are 16:9 suit DVDs or “widescreen” broadcasts.

The fabric of the screen is another important factor. Matte white diffusion screen fabric is generally suitable when light conditions can be controlled. Datalux is a type of fabric specifically designed when you need a wider viewing angle. It is particularly suitable when the projector is mounted on the ceiling. Retro-reflective fabric is best used when the projector is at table height and there is not a huge audience. Rear projection screens are much more expensive and are useful when you don’t want the projection unit to be visible.

Manual projector screens are pull-down varieties that come in a range of styles and fabrics. Electric screens have a motor and can be raised and lowered using a wall electric switch or a remote control. Fixed screens are the perfect solution if you need the screen to be available all the time. Portable screens are flexible and range in style and size, from table top to wall-sized.

A projection screen is an installation consisting of a surface and a support structure used for displaying a projected image for the view of an audience. Projection screens may be permanently installed as in a movie theater, painted on the wall, semi-permanent or mobile, as in a conference room or other non-dedicated viewing space. Uniformly white or grey screens are used almost exclusively as to avoid any discoloration to the image, while the most desired brightness of the screen depends on a number of variables, such as the ambient light level and the luminous power of the image source. Flat or curved screens may be used depending on the optics used to project the image and the desired geometrical accuracy of the image production, flat screens being the more common of the two. Screens can be further designed for front or back projection, the more common front projection systems having the image source situated on the same side of the screen as the audience.

Different markets exist for screens targeted for use with digital projectors, movie projectors, overhead projectors and slide projectors, although the basic idea for each of them is very much the same: front projection screens work on diffusely reflecting the light projected on to them, whereas back projection screens work by diffusely transmitting the light through them.

Dynamic-1
2.68″ [68mm]

Dynamic-2S | Dynamic-2TB
1.46″ [37mm]

Dynamic-2S-L | Dynamic-2TB-L | Dynamic-4-L
2.36″ [60mm]

Dynamic-2S-XL | Dynamic-2TB-XL | Dynamic-4-XL
3.78″ [96mm]

Dynamic-4
1.99″ [51mm]

During the specifying of the Dynamic range of masking screens it is important to allow for clearance to enable installation to be easy and possible.

There are two options for building the dynamic screens:

1. In sections on the wall which is easiest and safer especially with larger screens requiring less people
2. Build the screen on the floor then lift into position already assembled

Beware that option 2 while it enables less clearance space on the wall it means that the screen has to be lifted as one piece and this can be very heavy. Correct lifting practices and risk assessments should be carried out by the installer before doing this. This option is not available on the Dynamic L or XL screens.

BUILDING IN SECTIONS ON THE WALL:

To be able to build the screen in the wall in sections the following clearance is needed around these Dynamics screen models:

PRE-BUILDING ON THE FLOOR:

To be able to build the screen on the floor and then lifting into position as a single piece the following is needed around these Dynamics screen models:

The stretcher bars on the Masking screens are advised to be fitted as these ensure that the top and bottom of the screen are completely parallel. Without these fitted the gap between the top and bottom of the screen can vary which can cause screen not to be square or the masks bars to bind up as they travel.

If the stretcher bars clash with other items such as speakers, then it is ok to move these along the frame to miss these items. Normally we would advise moving these closer to the middle of the screen is this is required.

Use our Screen Material Wizard to find out what material is right for your environment. The tool helps you select the correct screen material for your room based on amount of ambient lighting, projector specifications, screen format, and your desired screen size. Each of these variables are computed by the wizard to help you achieve the ultimate picture quality according to (SMPTE) standards!

Gain is achieved by using screen surface pigment and or textures to concentrate reflected light into the viewing cone. If you have a 2 gain screen on a 1000 lumen projector you will be reflecting 2000 lumens.

We at Screen Innovations know that every project is different and can require different means of control to operate the screen. Whether you need just one of our keypads for operation or need to connect dozens of our screens/shades over a network, we’ve got the accessories to fit the bill. Please contact one of our certified Dealers to see what accessories are needed for your project.

No project is identical when it comes to mounting a screen. There can be many hurdles to make sure the screen is installed securely, level and plumb. We have carefully thought-out mounting accessories to save time, money and keep the screen locked in place no matter the physical obstacles for every screen model in our lineup. Please contact one of our certified Dealers to see what accessories are needed for your project.

Screen Innovations warrants its products to the original purchaser only, to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of purchase by the original purchaser provided they are properly installed and operated according to Screen Innovations’ instructions and are not damaged due to improper handling or treatment after shipment from the factory.

This warranty does not apply to equipment showing evidence of misuse, abuse or accidental damage, damages caused by environmental or outside factors, or which has been tampered with or repaired by a person other than authorized Screen Innovations technicians.

Screen Innovations’ sole obligation under this warranty shall be to repair or to replace (at Screen Innovations’ option) the defective part of the merchandise. Returns for service should be made to your Screen Innovations dealer. If it is necessary for the dealer to return the screen or part to Screen Innovations, transportation expenses to and from Screen Innovations are payable by the purchaser and Screen Innovations is not responsible for damage in shipment. To protect yourself against damage or loss in transit, insure the product and prepay all transportation expenses.

THIS WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES AS TO FITNESS FOR USE AND MERCHANTABILITY.

Any implied warranties of fitness for use, or merchantability, that may be mandated by statute or rule of law are limited to the one (1) year warranty period. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights, which vary from state-to-state.

NO LIABILITY IS ASSUMED FOR EXPENSES OR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM INTERRUPTION IN OPERATION OF EQUIPMENT, OR FOR INCIDENTAL, DIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY NATURE, INCLUDING DAMAGES TO FINISHES OR STRUCTURES IMPACTED BY THE REPAIR.

This warranty expressly does not cover any costs of removal, installation, framing, or other costs incident to replacing the screen or returning it to Screen Innovations.

In the event that there is a defect in materials or workmanship of a Screen Innovations product, you may contact our Sales Partners at 9715-B Burnet Road Suite 400, Austin, TX 78758, (512) 832-6939.

IMPORTANT: THIS WARRANTY SHALL NOT BE VALID AND SCREEN INNOVATIONS SHALL NOT BE BOUND BY THIS WARRANTY IF THE PRODUCT IS NOT OPERATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SCREEN INNOVATIONS’ WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS.

Keep your sales receipt to prove the date of purchase and your original ownership.

—

Please view this web page for the latest updates to the Warranty Policy: SI Warranty