Many people believe that because they’ve bought a great projector, they’ll get a great image and they just need to cast the video on any white flat vertical surface. Well, that is not true!
It’s not just the projector but the projector-screen dynamic duo which gives you images that are vibrant, with rich colors, deep blacks, and high definition.
But to what extent does a projector screen improve picture quality when we compare them to other alternatives? Are the other options good enough that we can save money on expensive screens?
In this article, we look at projector screens and alternatives – especially screen paint even blankets – to find out which ones fare better and in what circumstances should you go for the alternatives.
What do you need from a good Screen?
The purpose of a projector screen is to reflect the light emitted from the lens of projector back to the viewer. The reflection that forms on the screen is the image that the viewer sees. The projector screen needs to provide that image in the best possible form, clarity, brightness and color to the extent desired.
So what would we consider as qualities of an ideal projector screen? Let’s list them down:
- The projector should reflect all the light from the projector. In reality some light is absorbed by the screen material.
- The reflected light from the projector should all be directed to the viewer and not to any other direction.
- Any ambient light falling onto the screen (ie not from the projector) should not be reflected at all back to the viewer. Either it should be reflected to a direction other than the user or it should be absorbed completely. This ensures that the projector image is not diminished by light from the ceiling or window that would wash out the image.
- The surface of the screen should be completely flat without imperfections, especially without any waviness or any small kinks. Any waviness distorts the image and kinks are likely to cast shadows on the image.
This is the perfect screen! We’ve listed what we need but let’s compare each of these points and see how screens perform in reality.
What are the Advantages of Commercial Projector Screens?
Commercial projector screens (which we will refer to as just projector screens from here onward) come in various sizes and shapes, and can be made of different materials. Some projector screens are designed to be hung on a wall, while others are freestanding. The type of screen you choose will depend on your needs and preferences.
Selective Reflectivity
In the market, you will get projector screens made of a variety of materials. Most projector screens are made of canvas, rubber or plastic base with a coating that enhances the reflectivity of light and improves the viewing experience.
Standard Matte projector screens have good reflectivity based on the above construction. Ambient Light Rejecting (ALR) screens are special screens that further enhance viewing experience by reflecting ambient light away from the viewer. This diminishes the washing down effect of surrounding light making ALR screens ideal for use in conditions where daytime viewing is desired or where room lights are required to be switched on.
A subcategory of ALR screens are the Ceiling Light Rejecting (CLR) screens. These selectively reflect away any light falling on the screen from an upward direction.
All these features allow you to optimize the projector you need for an excellent viewing experience. With ALR screens, you will not require high brightness projectors because the screen selectively reflects most of the desired light (ie the projector light) back to the viewer.
Projectors with less brightness will provide better contrast ratios and a richer image while at the same time the projector cost will reduce. You will also be able to use the same projector in the daytime with high picture quality without having the need to draw curtains or switch off too many lights.
Surface Evenness
Another advantage or projector screens is that they are well tensioned so that the surface is as flat as possible. As long as you do not damage the screen, the manufacturing process ensures that there are no kinks on the surface.
Downside to a Projector Screen
The downside is the price. It is the most expensive option in hundreds of dollars. If you are setting up your home theatre or want use your projector for gaming then you should not downgrade to any other alternative and the price is worth it.
In general, any good quality projector screen fulfills projector screen quality requirements on all counts and as you will see is the best technical option compared to other alternatives.
Projector Paint vs Projector Screen
If you initially have a white painted wall to cast your image, projector paint will make a lot of difference. Projector paint is highly reflective compared to ordinary white paint and improves the brightness of the casted image considerably. You can use projector paint on wall, wood or even cloth.
As mentioned earlier, smoothness and “flatness” are important characteristics. So you will need to prepare the wall to make it free of imperfections. Unfortunately, however much you may try, you will not achieve the smoothness of a tensioned projector screen.
While projector paint will improve reflectivity, it is by no means selective. So you will continue to get ambient light reflection mixed with the projector light reflection, unlike with ALR screens. Projector screens therefore fare much better but the catch here is that you’ll get your projector paint in much less than a $100.
Is Black or White Better for Projector Paint
White projector paint, no doubt, gives the best reflectivity.
However, grey or silver paint is also available. These help to increase the depth of black especially if the projector brightness is very high.
Black is the least recommended as reflectivity is highly reduced and images become too dark.
Conclusion
You will have seen how much better a projector screen is for achieving the best out of your projector. This is especially true if you have purchased a high quality projector and you wish to enhance your movie or gaming experience.
Projector paint is a cheaper and good alternative in certain circumstances. For example, in a classroom setting where a presentation of mostly text is displayed. If the use is less formal or does not require high definition or color quality, using projector paint is good enough.