Home > Product Information > Selecting the Right Screen Da-Lite offers a wide array of screens each with a choice of projection surfaces. Selecting the right combination to meet your needs is important for optimum results. The following offer guidelines for selecting a screen that suits your application. Although these recommendations will work in most situations, each must be looked at not as a strict rule, but rather as a guideline for determining your actual needs based on your own situation. For additional help in selecting screens, contact Da-Lite for the free publication "Selecting Front Projection Screens for Today's Presentation Media Applications". Of course, your Da-Lite Sales Partner is also happy to assist you.   Four Steps to Selecting the Right Screen Pick the type of screen that best suits your particular needs. For example, choose from front projection screens in either portable, wall or ceiling mounted models in either manual or electric versions or rear projection screens. Generally, if your projection application is permanent, then wall and ceiling screens are your best choice. If, however, you find your needs require moving the screen to different locations then a portable screen is a better alternative. Determine the optimum screen size based on room dimensions, planned audience seating size and arrangement. The rule of thumb is to fit the screen to the audience - not to the projector. Da-Lite recommends the following formula for determining screen size: * Screen height should be approximately equal to 1/6 the distance from the screen to the last row of seats, allowing text to be read and detail to be seen in the projected image. Ideally, the first row of seats should be approximately two screen heights away. * The bottom of the screen should be a minimum of 4 feet above the audience floor, allowing those seated toward the rear of the audience to see the screen. This may require additional screen "drop" for ceiling hung screens. Select the appropriate format for your projection application. Common formats are as follows:   Common Applications Aspect Ration Width/Height NTSC Video 1.33 PAL Video 1.33 HDTV Video 1.78 Letterbox Video 1.85 Cinemascope 2.35 35 MM Filmstrip 1.32 2x2 Standard 35MM Double-Frame Slides 1.50 SXGA 1.25   Choose the screen surface that best suits your projection and viewing requirements. For your convenience, below we have listed descriptions and performance characteristics for each front and rear screen surface. If the screen will be used for multiple projection methods, choose the screen surface that meets the requirements of the lesser performing projection method.   How to Calculate a Custom Screen Size Use the following formulas to calculate a custom size. The formulas will assist you in finding the viewing area only.   NTSC (1.33) HDTV (1.78) Leterbox (1.85) SXGA (1.25) Video Format Video Format Video Format Video Format Diagonal/1.667 = Height Diagonal x 0.49091 = Height Diagonal x 0.4762 = Height Diagonal x 0.625 = Height Height x 1.33 = Width Diagonal x 0.87247 = Width Diagonal x 0.88 = Width Diagonal x 0.78125 = Width Width/1.33 = Height Height x 2.0395 = Diagonal Height x 2.10 = Diagonal Height x 1.60 = Diagonal Height x 1.667 = Diagonal Width x 1.14585 = Diagonal Width x 1.135 = Diagonal Width x 1.28 = Diagonal   Height x 1.78 = Width Height x 1.85 = Width Height x 1.25 = Width   Width x 0.561837 = Height Width x 0.5405 = Height Width x 0.80 = Height   Screen Size Conversion Chart Use the following chart to convert an existing NTSC video format screen size to either an HDTV or Letterbox format size.   Calculated using existing height   NTSC (1.33) Viewing Area HDTV (1.78) Viewing Area Letterbox (1.85) Viewing Area H x W H x W H x W 43" x 57" 43" x 77" 43" x 80" 50" x 67" 50" x 89" 50" x 92.5" 57" x 77" 57" x 102" 57" x 105" 60" x 80" 60" x 107" 60" x 111" 69" x 92" 69" x 123" 69" x 128" 87" x 116" 87" x 155" 87" x 161" 105" x 140" 105" x 187" 105" x 194"   Calculated using existing width   NTSC (1.33) Viewing Area HDTV (1.78) Viewing Area Letterbox (1.85) Viewing Area H x W H x W H x W 43" x 57" 32" x 57" 31" x 57" 50" x 67" 38" x 67" 36" x 67" 57" x 77" 43" x 77" 42" x 77" 60" x 80" 45" x 80" 43" x 80" 69" x 92" 52" x 92" 50" x 92" 87" x 116" 65" x 116" 63" x 116" 105" x 140" 79" x 140" 76" x 140"   Screen Borders and Drop Black masking borders are standard on most Da-Lite front projection screens at no extra charge. Borders enhance the perceived brightness of an image on a screen. The human eye perceives the image to have more contrast and a sharper picture with brighter colors. Borders also allow the projected image to "bleed-off" the screen for professional appearing presentations. Drop is also available on most Da-Lite wall, ceiling and electric screens. Drop is extra fabric added to the top or bottom of the screen to adjust the screen surface to within normal viewing heights. Drop can be specified in either black or white. Note: Tensioned electric screens are standard with 12" black drop at the top in all sizes except for 200" diagonal which is standard with 2" black drop. Front Projection Screen Surfaces   High Contrast Da-Mat A smooth, gray, vinyl finish surface for high output LCD and DLP projectors. This surface improves the perceived contrast by lowering black levels. It is a flexible unsupported vinyl fabric and may be folded or rolled. Available on all models offered with the Da-Mat surface. 40° 0.8   Super Wonderlite Employs a scientifically designed ridged pattern, embossed into an aluminum vinyl and textile laminate. It's free from objectionable glare and hot spots, even in partially darkened rooms. Not available on all screen types since the material needs to be tensioned. 35° 1.8   Cinema Vision A unique unsupported vinyl surface that offers a bright, uniform image with no color shift no matter at what angle you view the image. 45° 1.3   Pearlescent This surface utilizes an unsupported vinyl creating a very smooth Pearlescent coating that provides high reflectivity and brilliance without loss of image quality or resolution. 35° 1.5   Audio Vision This acoustically transparent front projection screen allows for the center channel speaker to be placed directly behind the screen while still transmitting the full range and brilliance of an original soundtrack with maximum clarity. 50° 1.0   Video Spectra 1.5 Especially designed for demanding video and overhead LCD projection applications where a balance of higher gain and greater viewing angle is required. The special pearlescent surface may be cleaned with mild soap and water. 35° 1.5   Glass Beaded This surface has the ability to achieve a higher gain by reflecting more of the projected image back along the projection axis. Glass beads impregnated into the screen's surface provide additional reflectance. This attribute creates an unparalleled screen surface that reproduces vibrant life-like color at moderate viewing angles. 30° 2.5   High Power A technological breakthrough, combines the reflectivity of a glass beaded surface with the ability to clean the surface when required. Its smooth surface offers the highest gain of all types of screen surfaces with moderate viewing angle. 25° 2.8   Wide Power Wide Power combines the features of a higher gain screen surface of 2.2 with a wider 45 degree viewing angle. The smooth acrylic surface may be cleaned with mild soap and water. Wide Power is only available on the Deluxe Insta-Theater and the Presenter screen lines. 45° 2.2   Dual Vision A unity gain flexible fabric capable of both front and rear projection. The surface is ideal for video projection where light is controllable. With its exceptionally wide viewing angle, each seat in the audience will observe a uniform, bright, sharp image with no color shift. 50° 1.0   Matte White The most versatile screen surface and the premier choice when ambient light is controllable. It evenly distributes light over a wide viewing area while colors remain bright and life-like, with no shifts in hue. 50° 1.1   Da-Mat A smooth, white, vinyl finish surface for precise image reproduction. Provides an exceptionally wide angle of view with little loss of resolution. It is a highly flexible unsupported vinyl fabric and may be folded or rolled. 50° 1.1 Rear Projection Screen Surfaces   DA-180 A neutral gray screen offering an on-axis gain of 1.8, the DA-180 is a coating well suited for applications whose viewing angles are not large but which can benefit from moderate screen gain. 30° 1.8   DA-230 An excellent choice where a balance between gain and viewing angle is needed. Ideal for situations with a high level of ambient light. 25° 2.3   Video Vision A special coating process generates a screen ideal for video projection under controlled light conditions. Offers an exceptionally wide field of view so each audience member will observe a uniform, bright, sharp image with no color shift. Imaging Science Foundation approved. 55° 1.0   Data Vision An optical coating which is dark in appearance and produces a unity gain screen ideal for data projection. The special coating successfully rejects ambient light and maintains a high contrast level. 24° 1.0   Polacoat Ultra Combines your choice of a Polacoat diffusion coating and a Fresnel lens for the ideal single image display. This design offers the best center to edge uniformity obtainable. Available in sizes up to 125" diagonal. Gain and viewing angle depend on the Polacoat diffusion coating selected.   Da-View Profiled Type Display Screen Offers a bright image at a relatively wide field of view perfect for single image display. This screen is a single element double profile cast acrylic with a back surface comprising a Fresnal lens and the front surface exhibiting an array of lenticulations. Fresnel grooves have a pitch of .5mm and the lenticulations have a .28 mm pitch. 32° 3.5   Wide Angle Profiled Type Display Screen This screen is a single element double profile cast acrylic with a back surface comprising a Fresnal lens and the front surface exhibiting an array of lenticulations. Fresnel grooves have a pitch of .19mm and the lenticulations have a .25 mm pitch. Offers a bright image at a relatively wide field of view perfect for single image display. 32° 3.5   Giant Screen Profiled Type Display Screens This screen is a single element optical system with two active lens surfaces. The back surface is a Fresnel lens with a pitch of .5 mm and the front surface is a lenticulation array with a pitch of 0.8 mm. 21° 3.0   Graphics Screen Profiled Type Display Screen This screen is a double element system with four active lens surfaces. The rear element includes a Fresnal lens towards the front surface. The front element consists of a lenticular lens array. The front side has a unique wide angle lenticular array with a pitch of .33 mm. 32° 3.5   Black Stripe Screen Profiled Type Display Screen This screen is a double element with four active lens surfaces. The rear element is a horizontal lenticular lens on the back with a Fresnal lens on the front side. The back of the front element is a lenticular lens array with a pitch of 1.04 mm to 1.2 mm. The front surface is a black stripe system covering 37% of the screen's surface for ambient light absorption. 41° 4.0   Da-Tex Flexible Fabric Screen A translucent, neutral gray vinyl surface that offers high transmission and low reflectance values for optimal viewing. it yields excellent color rendition, image contrast and a wide viewing angle. Suitable fot all types of rear projection. Ideally suited for both lace and grommet and snap button type screens. Material needs to be tensioned. 30° 1.8   Dual Vision Flexible Fabric Screen A unity gain flexible projection fabric capable of both front and rear projection. The surface is ideal for video projection under controlled light conditions. With an exceptionally wide viewing cone, each seat in the audience will observe a uniform, bright, sharp image with no color shift. Surface needs to be tensioned. 50° 1.0   DA-100 A neutral gray screen that provides contrast, uniformity and color rendition ideally suited for high resolution applications. 35° 1.0   DA-150 A neutral gray screen well suited for multi-image displays where bend angles from some images may be severe. It makes a good choice for audiences with a wide seating arrangement. 32° 1.5     For pricing information, please contact Media Fabricators, Inc. via e-mail at [email protected] or via telephone at 323 937 3344.