[denonfreak99]

hi guys,newbie needs some screen advice.should i go for a glass-bead screen or a matt-white fabric screen,which gives the most natural results?

[Neil Davidson]

what is your application?

It is rare to find a circumstance where a glass beaded screen is the best option these days.

[klunk]

i am in the same dilema.

i have a sanyo z5 and will have my room light controlled but with light coloured walls.

i wonder if it'll be bright enough.

also, is there a big difference in the quality of image with different screen manufacturers?

i.e. will a £300 oray 92" electric screen anywhere near as good as a £600 equivalent beamax?

[denonfreak99]

its a 5m x3m living room,with black-out curtains so it will be v.dark in there,its just that ive heard the glass beaded screens dont have a consistent surface and you can see the grain on the screen.

[Harpmaker]

The larger the glass beads that make up the screen the more chance you will see a grainy image. For instance, the glass beads used to make reflective road signs and line markers make for a very grainy screen from a projector.

Another thing to keep in mind is that a glass beaded screen can actually be less reflective than a matte white screen if the projector isn't positioned correctly for it's use. A beaded screen is retro-reflective, which means the light is reflected at the same angle at which it strikes the screen. This is the opposite of how other screens work, which is specular reflection (sometimes called angular reflection) where light is reflected at the opposite angle at which it strikes the surface. To get maximum brightness from a beaded screen the PJ should be at the same level as the eyes of the person viewing the screen.

A beaded screen will also have a relatively small viewing angle with brightness dropping off quite rapidly as the viewer moves away from the projection angle.

Glass beaded screens are really a specialty item these days for use in special situations. Most home theaters don't need them.

[denonfreak99]

thanks HARPMAKER,your advice has been taken onboard and i will be buying a matt-white fabric screen,now all thats left to do is convince the wife we NEED a fixed screen on the wall instead of a roll-up one,wish me luck,it could get messy.