Draper, Inc.

March 21, 2022 - Even as flat panels and video walls have become more and more popular, projection screen technology has improved to the point where screens can be used in many more spaces than ever.

The trick is choosing the right projection viewing surface for onsite conditions. Variables such as light levels, room shape and size, and projector must be considered when choosing the right screen solution. Did you know Draper has a projection planner tool to make it easy for you!

To help, AVIXA developed the Projected Image System Contrast Ratio (PISCR) Standard to help you make the right choice based on a balance of projector brightness, room lighting, and screen surface for a clear image with good contrast. Meanwhile, the AVIXA Display Image Size for 2D Content in Audiovisual Systems (DISCAS) Standard defines the optimum screen size for the application.

That might sound pretty complicated, but don't worry—we've taken all the complication out with our online projection screen design tool! The Projection Planner 2.0 calculates projection system brightness and contrast based on the information you input. Seating distance, image size, the type of information being projected, ambient light levels at the screen and in the room, and the projector's format, lumens, contrast ratio, and throw distance are used to build a complete system profile based on those AVIXA standards. We then recommend the best viewing surfaces for your system.

Here are a few other key elements of the Draper Projection Planner:

• You can enter the maximum off-axis viewing angle.
• Image size recommendations are based on AVIXA DISCAS (calculated to nearest 0.25").
• Element height as a percentage of overall height is considered. If you don't know the element height percentage, we recommend one.
• We tell you how bright your projector needs to be (in lumens).
• You can select surfaces for blending, rear projection, and acoustical-transparency applications.

Best of all, access is open and free to anyone! No registration is required.

By Terry Coffey