Very very dumb question about screen gain

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If you can put the projector fairly low, like a little overhead (ideally 6' off the floor or lower) on a stand, shelf, etc. or on a table in front then the Da-Lite High Power is pretty good for people who pretty much just care about the center seat. The problem with going with high gain with normal screens is that even if you are sitting centered on the screen the gain will be higher looking at the center of the screen than towards the sides. The most extreme case of a high gain screen would be a mirror. If you consider a mirror in the place of a screen with the projector on the ceiling you will see super high gain to the one spot that reflects from the projector right to you, but almost no gain from other parts of the mirror.


The High Power is special because it is retro-reflective, where most screens are angular-reflective or neutral. Angular-reflective is like a mirror. You shine a flashlight on it and it reflects off at an angle away from that. Retro-reflects reflects largely back toward the source of the light, much like highway signs that light up bright for the driver when their headlights hit them. Retro-reflective would have the highest gain back at the flashlight if you were to shine one on them.


Anyway, what I think this comes down to is that you should tell us where the projector can/will go. If the placement is right the High Power might just be the best screen. Have you picked out a projector? Do you want a fixed screen or a pull-down screen?


--Darin

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Simply put, I want to watch The Wizard of Oz and be in complete awe of the brightness and vivid colors. No X Box or Computer games for me, no business presentations or any of that. Just great quality for DVD watching. And since my sofa is right smack in the middle of the screen area, viewing angles is not an issue. Does that help at all?

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Generally, higher is better - but there are usually tradeoffs -


If I remember correctly from other threads, you're planning on putting the PJ at about 5 feet high -


That would probably be as good a location as you could possibly get for a Dal-lite High Power which is a favorite of a number of the posters here -


It's main disadvantages are the the PJ needs to be as close to center as possible (maybe more accurate to say the same as viewing angle) and that it has a relatively narrow cone of viewing angle - both of which will not be disadvantages in your case -


_with all other things being equal_ I think most posters would go for higher gain if they're not having to give up very much to get the higher gain. What that higher gain gives you is commonly referred to here as "punch" -


The high power is even a favorite of several of the posters who have high lumens projectors - JHouse and JimmyR come immediately to mind.


I probably would have ordered a high power, but I use a ceiling mounted projector -


The High Power material costs a little more than some of the other dalite materials. However, given the specs of center seating and centered PJ it's almost a no brainer, IMHO _grin_ Unless of course you want to go to a Silver Star which will be quite a bit more expensive.


I suggest that you will get the best price in additional to best guidance from Jason Turk or Daniel Hudnieck (sp?) here at AVS -


regards


Ken L

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Ken you've been very helpful. This poses an interesting dilemma. The H31 (the projector I am most interested in) has a very high throw angle compared to most projectors. So assuming I can't get the two lens shift settings to work out, it doesn't appear a screen with a high gain would be a good match for a projector that has a high throw angle.


I guess one option would be to tilt my screen to be the same angle as the projector. Or simply find a ceiling mount that can adjust the projector angle.

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Although I've used projectors before, I just went thru all of this for HT several months ago - so it's fresh in my mind _big grin_

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This would be one of my last choices _big grin_ and still has the viewing angle different than the angle of projection - although somewhat improved, the screen will not be at the proper angle to the viewer

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Ceiling mounts are adjustable for angle, but that won't change the angle that it strikes the screen - in the case of the High Power - If I understand it correctly - the best postioning for a PJ is somewhere close to the same angle as the viewer


If you're zero'd in on the PJ and have decided to go with a ceiling mount - I would just get a different screen than the high power.


You will be glad you went thru all the hassle of selecting a good setup for a front PJ. It is a complex subject and not the same for everyone. However, there is great "WOW" factor.


There is no one best setup. There's just the best one for you. So it's all about compromises and which are the right set of compromises for you _big grin_


You're getting there, and starting to figure out the compromises that will be correct for you.


Someone resurrected a thread about high powers and ceiling mount usage that may be interesting to you.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=505176


Regards


Ken L