Projector Screens

Choosing the best projector screen to suit your project will greatly enhance your home cinema experience. Sure, you can use a white wall or even a sheet, but you’re not going to get the ultimate viewing pleasure.

When buying your projector screen, never jump straight at the biggest screen, thinking you need to replicate the movies. Consider your space and your seating first.

You have choices to make around which projector screen type you prefer: fixed frame, permanent, pull up or down, motorised or portable.

Projector screens come in a range of sizes to suit most rooms, the smallest being 60” and up to 120”. At the top of the range, you can choose a 120” Ambient Light Reflecting projector screen for Ultra Short Throw Projectors. In the mid-range, you can enjoy a range of options, with most buyers choosing screens between 90 – 120”.

If you have a mini or portable projector, you should grab a tripod (portable) screen, which you can set up anywhere (perfect for creating outdoor cinema nights or for presenting work on the go).

If your projector doesn’t come with a screen, you may be thinking, ‘Do I really need a projector screen?’. And if you’ve got white painted walls at home, you’ve probably heard that’s what some people use for their home movie projector.

Yes, you can use a projector without a screen, but you’re not going to get the same image quality as you would using a projector screen.

Projector screens are made with ambient light reflecting materials and are purpose built to reflect the image from your projector. They sit perfectly flat to ensure the images are bright and crisp.

Walls aren’t painted with light reflecting paint (usually!), and if you look closely, you’ll see little bumps and tiny imperfections that are guaranteed to reduce picture quality.

If you don’t want a big screen to be a permanent feature in your living room, you can choose a pull-down or portable projector screen that you can set up within minutes.

If you want the best quality images, then choose a projector screen.  

When shopping for a projector screen, most people choose one around the 90 -120” range as they want a big screen image. The measurement is taken from the bottom left hand corner up to the top right hand corner.

Before you begin shopping for a projector screen, look at the room. How much space do you have for a screen? It should be at your eye level and in a position where everyone watching will get a clear view.

You don’t want the image to be too large, so you don’t have to turn your head from side to side to keep up with what’s happening.

You also need to consider how far away your couch or chairs are. It’s advisable to use a ratio of 1.5x the screen width to the seating distance. E.g. If you have 3m of room (300cm), divide by 1.5 = 200cm width (90” screen). You can go up or down from there, depending on the space you have available.

Having the right sized projector screen will ensure you get the full benefits of a home movie projector to make your movie nights the best ever. 

Knowing where to place a projector from the screen, you once again need to know your room configuration. You’ll need to determine what ‘throw distance’ you have available.

The throw distance is the space between your projector and the image on your projector screen.

A long throw projector is usually fastened to the ceiling and works in large rooms (conference halls etc.). The most common home movie projectors usually offer a short throw (with a distance of 1 – 2.5 metres) or ultra short throw (within a distance of 1 metre).

Many people use an equation to determine the optimal distance: Throw Distance x Screen Width = Distance of Projector from the Screen. You can find your screen width on your product dimensions.

You’ll find ultra short throw projectors are the easiest to position as they usually sit in front of the screen (around 35 cm).

The projector you choose should come with instructions to help you set up a home theatre experience you’ll enjoy for years to come.