Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Do You Prefer Some Type of High Gain Screen With Digital Projection?

This is topic Do You Prefer Some Type of High Gain Screen With Digital Projection? in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Richard Orsak (Member # 4472) on 12-11-2012, 02:23 AM:

If a person has plenty of light with his projector, is there an advantage of going with say a 1.4 Gain Screen? This seems to be a common recommendation to me...

Thanks!

Posted by Antti Nayha (Member # 4980) on 12-11-2012, 05:18 AM:

No. A matt screen will always give you the best light uniformity and viewing angles.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 12-11-2012, 06:36 AM:

Quote Antti. High gain screens are EVIL for me. Even when you don't have enough light. You should install a high gain screen in the perfect auditorium with the perfect screen frame to have some advantages. What usually happens is they install a high gain screen in a short throw room on a big flat frame, take a measurement on that tiny hotspot in the middle of the screen and boast huge numbers (and adjust the lamp to the tiny little spot!)

Posted by Jock Blakley (Member # 6552) on 12-11-2012, 07:30 AM:

Agreed - go with matte wherever you can. Even if you haven't got enough light; get a brighter lamp.

Posted by Antti Nayha (Member # 4980) on 12-11-2012, 08:07 AM:

Or get a second projector if you want bright 3D. [Cool]

That said, something like a 1.4 gain screen can be an acceptable compromise, depending on room geometry.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 12-11-2012, 08:57 AM:

The auditorium at Mercyhurst is long and narrow. About 100 feet long and 60 feet wide. (Somebody told me that the room is designed to the golden ratio.)

The screen is a 1.5 gain. In that auditorium, it works well. Bright picture without too much hot spotting.

Because the room is narrow, it is impossible to sit too far off axis.

In this case it works but, in another room, I would get a matte screen.

Posted by Richard Orsak (Member # 4472) on 12-12-2012, 11:25 PM:

Ok...I see better what everyone is thinking, I plan on having plenty of light on the projector side, so it appears "Matte" is still a solid choice...thanks!

Richard