Four Steps to Selecting the Right Screen

Step 4. Screen Surface

Many factors must be considered when choosing which screen surface best meets the needs of a custom installation. Seating configuration, projector model and type as well as ambient light are all factors that must be considered. This is why Da-Lite offers a diverse selection of screen surfaces to meet the needs of different environments.

Matte White
One of the most versatile screen surfaces and a good choice for the situations when presentation material is being projected and ambient light is controllable. Its surface evenly distributes light over a wide viewing area. colors remain bright and life-like, with no shifts in hue.
Gain: 1.0      Viewing Angle: 60°

High Contrast Matte White
Designed for moderate output DLP and LCD projectors, this screen surface is a great choice when video images are the main source of information being projected and where ambient light is moderately controlled. With its specially designed gray base material and reflective top surface, this screen material is able to provide very good black levels without sacrificing the white level output.
Gain: 1.1      Viewing Angle: 50°

Video Spectra^TM 1.5
This screen surface is specially designed with a reflective coating, which provides an increased amount of brightness with a moderately reduced viewing angle. The increased gain of this surface makes it suitable for environments where ambient lighting is uncontrollable and a projector with moderate light output is utilized.
Gain: 1.5      Viewing Angle: 35°

High Power
This screen surface is a technological breakthrough, providing the reflectivity and optical characteristics of a traditional glass beaded surface with the ability to clean the surface when necessary. Its textured surface provides the highest gain of all front projection screen surfaces with no resolution loss. The moderate viewing angle and its ability to reflect light back along the projection axis make this surface the best choice for situations where there is a moderate amount of ambient light and the projector is placed on a table-top or in the same horizontal viewing plane as the audience.
Gain: 2.8      Viewing Angle: 30°

Da-Mat^TM
A screen surface with a smooth, white vinyl finish for precise image reproduction. Provides an exceptionally wide viewing angle and no resolution loss. It is a highly flexible fabric that may be folded or rolled. Its versatility makes it a great choice for situations with good control over ambient light and where an exceptionally wide viewing angle is necessary.
Gain: 1.0      Viewing Angle: 60°

Da-Tex^TM (Rear)
A translucent, neutral gray vinyl fabric that allows rear projection in applications where a rigid acrylic or glass screen are not possible. This specially designed gray vinyl surface offers the same high transmission and low reflectance values as a rigid rear projection screen for optimal viewing. It yields excellent color rendition, image contrast and a wide viewing angle. Ideally suited for both lace and grommet and snap button type screens used in portable installations. This material requires tensioning due to its flexible nature.
Gain: 1.8      Viewing Angle: 30°

Cinema Vision
A unique non-supported vinyl fabric that offers a bright, uniform image with no color shift at any viewing angle. This surface is designed to provide a higher amount of brightness for lower output projector types such as CRT. Its increased reflectivity will help enhance the image brightness in situations where a low level of ambient light is present.
Gain: 1.3      Viewing Angle: 45°

Pearlescent
A non-supported vinyl fabric, offering a higher degree of reflectivity and brilliance without loss of image quality or resolution. This surface is a good choice when projecting video images with a lower output projector and where there is a high amount of ambient light present.
Gain: 1.5      Viewing Angle: 40°

Audio Vision
Designed for applications where a more realistic soundstage is desired, this fabric allows for the installation of speakers to be placed behind the surface. With virtually no sound loss and good image quality, this fabric provides the same optical characteristics as the Da-Mat Surface with specially designed perforations to allow sound to pass through the screen material.
Gain: 1.0      Viewing Angle: 50°

Dual Vision
A unity gain flexible projection fabric capable of both front and rear projection. The Dual Vision 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, sharp image with no color shift. Surface requires tensioning due to its flexible nature.
Gain: 1.0      Viewing Angle: 50°

High Contrast Da-Mat^TM
With a special gray surface, this screen material is designed for use with today's high output LCD, DLP, and D-ILA projectors,. By lowering the black levels of the projected video image, this surface creates a more film-like image and is a good choice when video is the main source of projected information. This screen surface is best used when there is a good control of ambient lighting and a moderately wide viewing angle is desired.
Gain: 0.8      Viewing Angle: 45°

High Contrast Cinema Vision
Designed for today's moderate output DLP and LCD projectors, this screen surface is a great choice when video images are the main source of information being projected and where ambient lighting is moderately controlled. With its specially designed gray base surface and a reflective top surface, this screen material is able to provide very good black levels and brilliant white levels. This screen surface provides deep life-like colors and greater detail and sharpness to the image.
Gain: 1.1      Viewing Angle: 50°

High Contrast Audio Vision
With the same optical characteristics as the High Contrast Da-Mat material, this surface is designed to provide the viewer with a more realistic soundstage by placing speakers behind the screen and allowing the sound to be transmitted through the material. This screen surface is best used when there is a good control of ambient lighting and a moderately wide viewing angle is desired.
Gain: 0.8      Viewing Angle: 45°

High Contrast Cinema Perf
With the same optical characteristics as High Contrast Cinema Vision, the surface is perforated to allow placement of a center channel speaker behind the screen while allowing the sound to transmit through the material. Ideal for use in environments with moderate control of ambient light.
Gain: 1.1      Viewing Angle: 50°

SCREEN BORDERS AND DROP
Black masking borders are standard on all Da-Lite 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 and ceiling 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.

Screen Borders and Drop