Often times, when considering a theater room in a home, there is one important piece of equipment that gets ignored and yet directly impacts the experience: The Screen. A lot of money is spent on the projector, the receiver, the speakers, the media player and the seating but then too many people just project their video up on a white wall. The screen is just as important as the projector itself and selecting the right screen will greatly enhance your experience. You should expect to spend around 15-30% of the cost of your projector on your projection screen. Here are a few things to consider when selecting your screen:
Type of Screen:
-Manual pull-down screens are great for entry level home theater installations. They are simple, reliable and affordable.
-Fixed-frame screens are the most common for a dedicated theater room. Most high-end professional installers recommend fixed screens over retractable projection surfaces.
-Electric/motorized screens are great for concealment. If you would like to hide your screen completely and use the room for other purposes when the projector isn’t in use, this is the way to go.
Size:
The screen should occupy a minimum of a 30˚ field of view for the audience. What does that mean? The basic rule of thumb is to use a screen height that is approximately one third the distance from the screen to the audience seating.
Color & Gain:
The color of the screen is more important than you might think and the gain, which is the screen’s reflective property, directly correlates with the color of screen you choose.
