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Projection screen (ALR, CLR, white, grey) comparison/benchmark

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Published on: 27-09-2024 / Modified: 27-09-2024
Choosing a screen for your video projector is no easy task. The market is full of brands, with a wide range of prices and technical jargon that is often incomprehensible to most buyers. Since I test projectors, I've decided to extend my tests to screens, applying an objective methodology. My aim is to decode marketing arguments and translate them into concrete data that everyone can understand

These tests were carried out independently, without any funding from the manufacturers. I'd like to thank those who agreed to take part, as this is always a risk: not all products can perform well on all criteria

Screens are not simply neutral surfaces; they influence color fidelity, brightness, contrast and many other aspects. To highlight these differences, I've built this comparison based on the following tests:

• White fidelity


• Color fidelity


• Gray fidelity


• Contrast


• Brightness (white and black)

Since the type of projector also has an impact, I've evaluated each screen with a long-throw and an ultra-short-throw projector. For each test, I established a separate ranking for these two projector types, leading to a final ranking

In this article, I will often refer to the term "delta E" or "dE". This is a unit of measurement that quantifies the difference between the theoretical color projected by the projector and the color actually measured. A delta E of less than 3 is considered imperceptible to the human eye; ideally, the dE should always be below this threshold

Important note: the rankings are up to date, but the texts are not necessarily. I don't always have the time to adapt the texts to my discoveries.

Tested screen

Here is the list of screens that I have tested, some are not yet published and this list will evolve.

List of tested screens

Some of these screens are used on several screen models such as:
Elitescreens Cinewhite (used on: Aeon Edge free, Sable Frame/B 2, ezFrame, Lunette, Evanesce Tab-Tension, Evanesce Tab-Tension B, Yard Master 2)
Elitescreens MaxWhite (used on: Manuel, Manuel SRM, Trépied, ezCinema, Spectrum, VMAX)
Elitescreens CineGrey (used on: Aeon, EZframe)

Other screens will be added later, I do not have a pre-established plan for this type of test, it is mainly the manufacturers who take the initiative to contact me. Testing a screen requires space and total isolation to avoid any form of light pollution, so I can't do this every day.

Screen test: white

The fidelity of white will strongly influence the fidelity of all other colors. White is composed of equal amounts of red, green and blue. If one of these components deviates, white will no longer be faithful and will have an impact on all the other colors. To identify these differences, I measure the following elements:

- difference in white delta E

- difference in RGB composition

- difference in color temperature

Delta E / White

I measure white at the projector output, then compare the results with a neutral surface (e.g. white sheet) to measure the differences with each screen tested. The graph below does not represent the delta E value in absolute terms, but rather the percentage difference between the source (projector output) and the screen.

Example:

If I measure a delta E for white of 3 at the projector output and I measure a delta E of 4 on a screen, this means that the screen causes a 33% degradation in white. You'll see 0.33 in the table that follows.

As I calibrate the projector before testing, the source white is often close to a dE of 1. This means that anything below 3 in the following chart can be considered good

Results for classic projector:



Results for ultra-short-throw projector:

Not yet available

RGB component / White

Here I measure the RGB component of white in relation to the source and the neutral reference. The deviations are indicated in percentages on the graph

Results for classic projector:



Results for ultra-short-throw projector:

Not yet available

White temperature

White temperature is measured in Kelvin and for a perfect white, a temperature of 6500K is required. If I obtain a higher value, the white will take on a colder (bluer) hue. If I get a lower value, the white will take on a warmer (yellowish) hue. The graphs below will therefore indicate whether screens tend to cool images or not. A positive deviation indicates a cooler white, and a negative deviation implies a warmer white.

Results for classic projector:



Results for ultra-short-throw projector:

Not yet available

Screen Rank: White

Anything below 3 in this table can be considered a good result, which also indicates a visible deviation from white. I'm rather surprised to find ALR/CLR screens among the best, because a gray canvas is not likely to help white reproduction, it should have been the territory of white screens

I've assigned points by tier to rank the screens to give you an idea of similar performance even if there are small differences between some screens

The big winner in this ranking is the Vevor screen, which is in fact my main screen that I've been using for a few years. It's fairly inexpensive and very color-neutral, its main flaw being contrast degradation, but I'll come back to this point later in the test

Ranking for white / classic projector:



The Vevor wins this ranking with near-perfect white. I thought I'd find all the white screens at the top of this ranking, but that's not necessarily the case. Some gray screens have made their way into the ranking, and these are not necessarily top-of-the-range screens.

Ranking for white / ultra-short-throw projector:



Most of the screens at the top of this ranking are top-of-the-range screens, showing the importance of choosing a good screen for this type of projector. The gap between the top and bottom of the table is smaller than for conventional focal-length projectors.

Screen test: colors

The color test covers 6 colors: red, green, blue, yellow, cyan and magenta

For each color I measure the deviation between the color measured at the projector output and the color measurement on the neutral surface and screen. The deviation is expressed as a percentage, as with the white measurement.

I'll start by showing the average deviation over all the colors combined and then the deviation for each color individually. If a screen deviates too much on the first graph, you can already rule it out; the second graph will allow you to see the extent of the problem color by color

Average delta E deviation for all colors with a conventional projector:



Average delta E deviation for all colors with an ultra-short-throw projector:



Average delta E deviation for all individual colors with a conventional projector:



Average delta E deviation for all individual colors with an ultra-short-throw projector:

Screen Ranking: Colors

The color rankings are very similar to the white rankings, which is hardly surprising given that white is made up of the 3 main colors. I've also used a tiered scoring system to group screens with similar performance

Color ranking / Classic projector



Unsurprisingly, we find more or less the same screens in first place as for white. The Vevor wins again thanks to its neutrality. Most white screens are more neutral than grays, but there are a few exceptions, such as the Yovanxer screen.

Color ranking / Ultra-short-throw projector



If you look at the graph corresponding to this ranking, you'll clearly see tiers where there are several screens with the same performance, followed by another tier with screens of similar performance. The Wupro and Celexon are in front, with a whole series of other screens in the same group in second place.

Screen test: gray

The gray test follows the same principle as the color test. I've tested the grays in steps of 10, with 0 for black and 10 for white. I'm also testing the overall delta E and the delta E per gray scale, but I'll confine myself to displaying the overall graph, as the one with all the gray values will quickly become unreadable (10 values x the number of screens is too many for a graph).

Average delta E difference for grays with classic projector:



Average delta E difference for grays with ultra-short-throw projector:

Not yet available.

Screen ranking: Grey

The gray performance ranking is much more progressive than the others. The differences at the beginning of the ranking are less marked, and we see a whole series of screens that were not in the top positions in the other rankings. As with the other rankings, I've allocated points to screens with fairly similar performances.

Classic focus:



Here we find more grey screens than usual, but with less marked differences. For once, the Vevor is not in the lead.

Ultra-short focal length:



The difference in gray-screen performance is not very great for the front-runners. Nearly half of the rankings achieve the maximum score.

Screen test: contrast

Contrast measures the difference between white and black. Contrast is important in dark scenes, because if contrast is low, black will tend towards gray and the difference with light areas will be smaller. When black becomes too gray, the image is washed out.

To assess the gain or loss of contrast, I measure the luminosity of white and black at the projector output, on a neutral white sheet and on the screen. A screen can accentuate or degrade white and/or black, but the aim is to decrease black faster than white, otherwise there's a loss of contrast. To obtain a score, I measured the differences between whites and blacks, giving greater weight to the loss of black. This has the effect of highlighting screens that reduce black more than white. For example, I have cases where white increases sharply and black increases a little less sharply, so contrast increases, but producing a washed-out black. My formula penalizes this case to highlight only those screens where black decreases.

Before moving on to the measurement results, I must add an important remark. If your projector has low luminosity (

Gains on white/black with a classic projector:



Gains on white/black with an ultra-short-throw projector:

Not yet available

Screen ranking: contrast

Ranking contrast performance is probably the easiest of all. On the one hand, there are displays that improve contrast, and on the other, those that degrade it. To achieve better contrast performance, the luminosity of the black must decrease faster than that of the white, and the luminosity of the black must decrease. White screens can sometimes result in a larger gap between black and white, so they have a higher contrast ratio, but the black becomes gray. My calculation takes into account the depth of the black, so as not to give the impression that you need to acquire a white screen to increase contrast

The Vevor screen, for example, scores well in terms of white and color, but its gain in brightness on black is too great, so the perceived contrast is less good. This is also the case, or even worse, with many other screens that end up degrading contrast

There's an important element here too if you want to use a screen for a classic focal length with an ultra-short focal length. A large part of the brightness is lost due to the projection angle, and this negatively affects the perceived contrast too

Classic focal length:



Ultra-short focal length:



NothingProjector produces good canvases for contrast, but it's Wupro that has managed to dethrone the brand on contrast.

Brightness Gain/Loss

Brightness is a crucial factor for video projectors, because unlike televisions, brightness is not enough to use a projector in any condition. Brightness depends on 2 factors: the brightness of the projector (expressed in lumens), and the projection distance

Projector brightness

The maximum brightness of a projector is expressed in lumens, but there are several ways of measuring lumens, and manufacturers often use the standard that is most favorable to them...as if it weren't complicated enough as it is. I use the "official" standard known as ANSI lumens. Some manufacturers use this standard, but in reality, projectors are almost always less bright than advertised. So if you buy a projector that theoretically has a brightness of 2000 ANSI lumens, it's very likely that the actual brightness will be more like 1500 ANSI lumens.

Projection distance

Screen brightness decreases quite rapidly with distance, so consider that brightness decreases with a quarter of the distance. If, for example, you have 100 lux at 2 meters, at 4 meters you move the projector 2 meters away, your brightness will be divided by 4 and you'll only have 25 lux at 4 meters. The greater the distance, the bigger the image, but also the darker

What screen size can you aim for?

There's a standard that defines the minimum brightness threshold at 16 ftl (foot lambert). To find out what this corresponds to, there's a formula: value in ftl = (lumens/screen area in m²)x screen gain

Here are some examples in increments with a neutral screen:

500 lumens => max 2.27m width (7.44 feet)

1000 lumens => max 3.14m width (10.3 feet)

1500 lumens => max 3.84m width (12.59 feet)

Now back to the test as you'll see that the screen has an effect on brightness, some screens increase brightness and others decrease it. I've compared the gain/loss with a neutral surface:

Classic focus:



Grey screens reduce brightness quite significantly, so they should be ruled out for all projectors below 1000 lumens unless you're prepared to drastically reduce the screen size (but you might as well buy a TV in that case). All screens offering a gain have a positive value in white and black, such as the EliteScreens Cinewhite.

Ultra-short focal length:



I wouldn't recommend using an ALR screen for conventional focal length with an ultra-short focal length projector, as this is the worst-case scenario for brightness. These screens naturally reduce brightness, but with a projector of this type, much of the light will be reflected on the ceiling rather than in your direction. The loss of brightness is therefore enormous.

Final Ranking

The final ranking is based on the scores of the various tests presented in this article. It indicates an overall performance. You then need to weight this performance according to your situation. You might be tempted to choose a screen from the top 5, for example, but I have to add a few nuances.

I'll give you a few pointers to help you narrow down your choice.

Classic projector

- if your projector has a brightness of around 1000 lumens or less, opt for a white screen, as the gray will affect the brightness too much.

- you can use a screen designed for ultra-short focal lengths, provided you have a very bright projector

Projector with ultra-short focal length

- grey screens designed for front projection are to be ruled out, as this is the worst-case scenario in terms of light loss

- a fixed projection surface is required, a floating/suspended screen is not recommended

- a white screen will tend to degrade perceived contrast due to too great an increase in brightness on black

Classic focal length:



The differences between the screens in this ranking are greater. So you need to check which element impacts this ranking to see if it will impact your situation too. The Vevor surprised me because it's one of the least expensive screens, and it offers very good rendering on many criteria. The NothingProjector may be suitable provided you have plenty of brightness, and the same goes for all other screens of this type.

Ultra-short focal length:



The Wupro comes out on top mainly thanks to its contrast gain, the gap on other criteria is smaller. As most projectors of this type can/should be calibrated, you can consider the Wupro as well as the NothingProjector or Vividstorm.

If all this is still too complicated for you (I understand), you can contact me (envelope at the top of the screen) for personalized advice, but in exchange I'd like you to buy your products with my links, as this is my only source of income for my work.

Methodology

To be able to compare the screens, I used a fairly simple but reusable measurement method to test new screens under the same conditions:

1. I measure white, gray, color, brightness and contrast at the projector's output to establish a neutral profile (without screen) before each measurement. The quality of the projector is therefore of little importance, as it's the difference between the projector and the screen that will be most important

2. I position the screen at a given distance, check that the screen is vertical with a laser level and make sure that the projector is also correctly positioned. The projector and the part of the screen to be tested are placed in a completely dark "cage" to avoid any light pollution from the outside

3. I make an initial measurement on a neutral surface, either my white wall when available, or a sheet of paper

4. I measure white, gray, color, brightness and contrast for each screen

These tests are performed in total darkness with no light pollution. I use test patterns for each element measured.

I carry out more in-depth tests on certain screens where I add tests such as image uniformity, the presence of hot spots and other screen-specific bills

I record all the results so that I can adapt my calculations/ratings if necessary. As I test screens in groups, I always compare the results of those screens to the reference used for that group

These measurements are therefore objective, and even though I don't have a real test lab, I've taken care to keep my measurements as stable as possible

Examples:

If I measure a dE for white of 5 at the projector output and measure a white of 6 on the projection screen, I see a degradation.

If I measure a white temperature of 6500K at the projector output and I measure 7000K on the screen, I notice that the image is cooler

If I measure a brightness of 100 cd/m² on the neutral white surface and I measure 150 cd/m² on the screen, I notice a brightness gain of 50%

Important note

I tested all the screens with a classic projector and then with an ultra-short-throw projector. This may seem inappropriate, but I often get questions like this to understand the effect of using a conventional projector with a screen designed for an ultra-short-throw projector. With this test, you'll see objectively the consequences of this choice.

Why a screen?

A screen is not always necessary, depending on your projector and projection surface. With an ultra-short-throw projector, you need a surface that's absolutely flat, that doesn't move and preferably with light management for this type of projector.

For other projectors, the choice is easier and a simple wall can sometimes be sufficient, especially for entry-level projectors. If you want to increase black depth, respect colors or boost brightness, a screen will certainly help.

Types of Screen Cloths

White screen

The great classic is the white screen. This type of screen works with any type of projector, although it's not always recommended for certain types of projector, such as USTs. White screens are supposed to be as color-neutral as possible, and some of them do provide a gain in brightness, but sometimes to the detriment of contrast. These screens are not treated to concentrate the light towards the viewer, so the light will reflect in the opposite direction to the projector. In straight projection, this can generate a halo of light on the screen. With a UST projector, you run the risk of illuminating part of your ceiling

This type of screen is generally less expensive, and allows you to obtain a uniform surface without breaking the bank. The material used will also play a role in the rendering. Some screens are made of PVC and will therefore generate a form of reflection, while others are made of a textile material that will leave a texture on the image.

Among the screens I've tested, I've kept a 130-inch white screen so that I always have a white screen at my disposal. This allows me to continue testing projectors of all types on a more neutral basis

Grey / front screen

Grey screens lower the brightness of the image to darken blacks and increase image depth. These screens should therefore be used with fairly bright projectors, as the loss of luminosity can sometimes be quite significant

Some screens of this type have a treatment that aims to reflect light back towards the viewer. This is known as an ALR (ambient light reflection) screen, but be sure to check the specifications, as some ALR screens are designed for UST projectors (see below), while others are designed for front projection.

ALR screens reduce the impact of ambient light to concentrate as much light as possible towards the front. This feature is often accompanied by a smaller viewing angle, so that people outside the viewing angle may see a much darker image than those sitting in front of the screen

This type of screen often uses metallic flakes to reflect light back to the viewer, and on some lower quality screens these flakes are very visible.

I bought my first 130-inch ALR canvas on Aliexpress for about $20, then mounted it on a wooden frame I made to measure. The glitter effect was quite noticeable, but for $20 I could hardly complain. Unfortunately, this screen had a not inconsiderable impact on color rendering, as is often the case in this price range. The problem can be partly solved with a good calibration, but as this is not within everyone's reach, this type of screen may not be the best solution for everyone.

Grey screen / UST

Grey screens designed for UST projectors are often referred to as ALR screens too, which brings confusion to what I've explained in the following paragraph. Make sure the screen is designed for a UST projector. It's sometimes referred to as CLR, but it's the same thing

Why is this important? Screens designed for UST projectors are made up of thin slats set at a precise angle to capture the light coming from below and reflect it forward. Without these slats, much of the light is reflected towards the ceiling, and the image loses brightness. This type of screen makes sense, because if you mount it upside down, you'll get the opposite effect.

Any questions?

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask them below in the comments section, as this might also help future visitors with the same question.

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