Select an Appropriate Projection Screen When Ambient Light is an Issue

Ambient light is the natural light of a setting, either from outdoor light or room lighting. And while the residential AV world most often installs projections systems in darkened rooms, commercial AV systems are often in environments where controlling lighting conditions is less than ideal.

If you fall into this category, think about upgrading to a new projection screen made of ambient light rejecting materials. Most people continue to use white projections screens since they have been the norm for so long and they are the most budget friendly. However, white screens really aren’t a good choice for rooms with ambient light “issues.” White screens are very diffusive and spread light in a very wide pattern. They do this with both projection light and ambient light, which then compete at your viewer’s eyes.

Industry experts now recommend the use of darker gray materials to help image contrast and essentially bounce ambient light away from your audience. But before you rush off to purchase a new screen, contact AV Bend first to help you determine the best AV strategy based on your equipment, the ambient light levels of your environment and the widest off-center seating angle in the room.

Thank you to author Steve Cook with Draper, Inc. for sharing his expertise in the September 2015 issue of “Commercial Integrator” (p.21).

Until our next posting…