Silver Screen - Other Screen Types

Other Screen Types

Each of these screen types continues to enjoy widespread popularity for both home and business applications:

• Aluminized screen

Similar to a silver screen, but using aluminium to coat the surface. Used for 3D films for the same reason as silver screens.

• Pearlescent screen

Similar to a silver screen, this screen has narrow viewing angles and a higher gain (the measure of reflected light), but it does suffer from color-shifts to red and a tendency to hot spot.

• Glass-beaded screen

This screen type also has a higher gain; however, the nature of its construction results in limited viewing angles and a loss of resolution since glass-beaded screens are retro-reflective, that is, their reflection is directed back toward the light source. The glass-beaded surface can develop noticeable dark spots with age or mishandling as the beads can wear off. Popular in the amateur market.

• Gray screen

Also known as a high contrast screen, because its purpose is to boost contrast on projectors in viewing rooms that are not entirely dark, as the gray screen absorbs ambient light that strikes it better than a white screen does. Essentially, the screen only reflects the specific shades of red, green, and blue output by a trichromatic video projector, and absorbs the remainder. Therefore the projected image is reflected normally, but other light is not. In so doing the black level on the screen is maintained. Mostly used with digital projectors in non-commercial settings.

• Matte white screen

This screen provides the widest viewing angles while producing no glare and no hot spotting. These characteristics have made it the most common variety of screen currently produced and has allowed it to become the entertainment industry's standard.