A projection screen helps in two major ways, first it helps the clear display of the projected media without degradation of image quality, and secondly it helps distribute the light towards viewers of the screen. Projection screens offer a superior quality image over other methods of flat projection.

Which projection screen should I choose?

Choosing a the right projection screen is paramount to gaining the best image quality. Each situation is different, and choosing the right screen depends on many environmental variables, such as ambient light, projector set-up and the room it is located to name but a few. Too make this decision easier, we have included 4 easy steps below, to help you choose the right screen.

The 4 steps

These steps will help you choose the right screen given your circumstances.

SCREEN TYPE
There are three types of projection screens:

electrically operated projection screen
manually operated projection screen
permanent tensioned screen

You should choose between an electrical, manual operated or tensioned screen, depending on your personal preference and budget. An electrical operated screen is useful if the screen is mounted high or in a awkward place.

ASPECT RATIO
You should always choose the right screen aspect for the media you are projecting for best results. The aspect ration, is the relationship between the width and height of an image. Below are the common projected sizes.


Standard	Video	HDTV

SCREEN DIMENSIONS
The dimensions and hanging position of the projection screen are determined by the following guidelines:

Dimensions of the projection screen
height of the projection screen = 1/6 of the distance from the projection screen to where the furthest viewer may be seated.
width of the projection screen
1:1 width = height
4:3 width = 1,33 * height
16:9 width = 1,78 * height

Optimum viewing height
For the following types of use, the most optimum distance from the bottom of the projection screen to the floor is:

Professional use = minimum of 125 cm
Home Cinema use = minimum of 90 cm

Minimum viewing distance
The best perception of the projected image is determined by:
Minimum viewing distance = 1.5 * height of the projection screen

Ambient light and light output of the projector
For the perfect image, you should take in to account ambient light. A general rule of thumb calculation has been documented below.

Out-put ANSI-Lumen projector
LUX = Surface area of screen in metres squared / X reflection value (=gain)

LUX = 100 projected media will be very faint
LUX = 400 projected media should be vivid

The amount of perceived light that is reflected from the screen is expressed in LUX. In general the average ambient light level is 80 LUX. If the calculation above equaled 80 or close to it, the image would barely be seen.

What should the distance be to my screen?

The best perception of the projected image is determined by: Minimum viewing distance = 1.5 * height of the projection screen

How do you operate the spring-operated screen?

Simply pull the screen down using the cord or handle, and stop once it is in the right place. To roll the screen away, first pull it down reasonably quickly, then allow it to roll back in without stopping it. It will stop at its locking position.

Does my electrical screen come equipped with a remote control?

Every electrical projection screen comes equipped with a 3-metre long connection cable and a remote control.

I have noticed that for a brief period after receiving my projection screen, the screen fabric emits an odour; what is this smell and will it disappear?

There are softening agents incorporated into the screen fabric in order to ensure that the fabric remains as flexible as possible. These softening agents emit a strong scent. If you allow the projection screen to hang open for several days, the scent will disappear on its own.

Can I also hang the screen fabric in front of the window since the back is black in colour?

The screen fabric is not blackout fabric. It is not efficient at blocking out light, you can if you desire hang the screen in front of a window, and it will not be damaged, but for practical and safety purposes it is advised that you do not.

How to install an electric screen?

The screen is supplied with 2 brackets to allow you to fix the screen to the wall. Once you have fixed the brackets according to the instructions, insert the screen between the guides at the top and screw the socket heads securely. Finally remove the elastics to free the counterweight.

What type of maintenance does a screen require?

These screens do not need particular maintenance. The only caution required is to dust the fabric, with a cloth.

What are the black edges used for?

Sometimes the projected pictures show little imperfections at the edges. The black edges correct these problems masking the picture edges.

How much space does an electric screen require?

The measurements of all our projection screens are indicated as projection surface. In order to know the space need for the desired screen, you will have to look at the products technical sheet.

What is the difference between Flat Press and Flat Elastic?

The difference between Flat Press and Flat Elastic is the anchoring system. The Flat Press has an anchoring system with stud-press buttons, while the Flat Elastic has a system with elastics and galvanized rods.

Does the screen fabric ware out over time?

The screen fabric is high-end material, specially treated for durability and reliability. Like everything the fabric will wear out, but it should last many decades before this happens, provided the fabric is kept in good condition.

How long does a screen take to setup?

A manual screen takes only 30 seconds to setup, depending on the size of an electric screen depends how long the screen takes to roll-down. The largest screen only takes a couple of minutes to fully roll-down.

Is the screen flammable?

The screen fabric is made from flame retardant materials.

How much noise does an electric screen make?

The electric screens use silent motors that are barely audible.

What can I use to clean the screen?

The screen fabric is delicate, you only need to dust the surface, a damp cloth should be enough. If you do stain the fabric, you should use only neutral detergent. Never use bleach, solvents or ionic detergents.

Which projection screen paint kit should I buy?

The Vogels Mighty Brighty screen paint come in 3 different kits;

The MPW10 kit is a basic kit that includes the special base coat and a brightness boosting coat. This kit will cover an area up to 5 square metres.

The MPW20 kit will cover an area up to 6 square metres but also includes some extra features. An additional pot of paint is included that can be mixed with the base coat to increase the contrast of the projected image. There is also paint that can be mixed with the top coat so that you can decide the degree of brightness boost that you require. The kit also contains special paint that can be applied around the perimeter of the screen that allows the magnetic screen boarder to be attached to the wall. The magnetic boarder defines the image area and increases the perceived contrast and brightness of the image it can also be easily be removed when not in use. This kit also includes tools such as sandpaper, paint roller, paint stirrers, masking tape etc.

The MPW30 kit includes everything that the MPW20 kit has but has additional paint so that you can paint and entire wall. The idea with this is that if you paint the whole wall you will not see where the projection screen is when not in use. When you want to use the screen you simply attach magnetic board (if desired).

Vogels have recently introduced the new MPW445 kit that is a professional bulk kit that contains enough paint to cover up to 45 square metres.

Should I get a 16:9 or a 4:3 projection screen?

You should match the format of the projection screen to the format of the LCD or DLP panel in your projector. If your projector has a widescreen panel then you should get a 16:9 aspect ration projection screen. A widescreen projector will normally be in the HDTV format and will have a resolution of 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720. It may also have a WXGA (wide XGA) resolution panel with pixel dimensions of 1366 x 768.

If you have a standard 4:3 ratio projector (1024x768 or 800x600) you may still decide to buy a 16:9 ration screen if you normally run your projector in a widescreen mode. If you use your projector to display standard 4:3 content such as a computer source it is recommended that you use a 4:3 screen. You will normally be able to show a 16:9 image on a 4:3 screen by running the projector in widescreen mode but if you then decide to show native 4:3 content the image will overshoot the top and bottom of a 16:9 screen.

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