Projector screen - What should I go with, standard white or gray color?

[MichiganExplorer1981]

Hello everyone! I'm a new member and wanted to know if anyone can help me with my dilemma!
I just recently built a house with a dedicated theater room that is 15WX22L and need some assistance figuring out which projector screen would look best for the projector I'm looking to buy. I plan on buying the Sony VPLHW45ES projector which is 1080, but I simply can't decide on the proper screen to go with it. I'd like to stick with the size of 110 inches, but I cant decide on a standard white screen or the newer gray screens. My room is totally painted dark gray, even the ceiling and I have 9 foot sidewalls. A friend suggested the Screen Innovations 5 Series Gray but the cost is $2,100.00 which is a little more then I'd like to spend right now. Does anyone have suggestions for a good 110" gray screen around the $600.00-$1,000.00 range? I am open to all suggestions with Makes/Model numbers so I can do some research on them.

 

[BMXTRIX]

You should get a WHITE screen. The SilverTicket white screens are a very good quality screen for the money and extremely cost appropriate.

Screen size should be based on viewing distance. No less than 10" of screen diagonal for each foot of viewing distance. In a theater your size, I would be surprised if you were sitting closer than 11' from the screen, which is the smallest size you should use with a 110" diagonal. Typical is 10" to 12" of diagonal for each foot of viewing distance.

Do NOT spend extra on a fancy screen. You want a basic white screen. The pros make fancy screens for bad rooms. For a good room, like you are describing, you should get a white screen. All the pros with any dignity swear by this. The goal is a good dark room with a white screen... always.

To that end, the SilverTicket 120" screen is under $400 on Amazon.

If you have some time to look around, you may want to consider a JVC RS440 or RS420 projector which may be close in price to the Sony at this point. It may not be brand new, but buying refurbished or used is a great way to go on these very well built projectors with high reliability. That's certainly what I would be considering in such a nice room as what you have.

 

[MichiganExplorer1981]

Thank you so much [U]BMXTRIX[/U] !!

I've heard some really good things about the SilverTicket's by Elite Screens. My sitting distance would be right where you were thinking, the 12-13 foot range.

Also, thank you for the suggestions on the other projectors. I will for sure look into them.

Are you currently using a projection setup? If so, what are you using?

 

[beginjapan!]

I think the question deserves a couple questions before given an answer. Do you want to place any speakers behind the screen? If so, you'll need an accoustically transparent screen and those only come in white. If you truly want the best color and contrast, a grey screen is the way to go. No question about it. There is a small change in brightness with a grey screen but the color detail is so much more worth it. White screens tend to wash out the color. Plus, if you ever want to watch a movie with some lights on you'll need the ambient light rejecting qualities of a grey screen.

Silver Ticket screens are one of the best bargains out there. You can also make your own screen. Seymour AV in Iowa sells screen material as does Carls place. Check'em'out.

 

[MichiganExplorer1981]

I think the question deserves a couple questions before given an answer. Do you want to place any speakers behind the screen? If so, you'll need an accoustically transparent screen and those only come in white. If you truly want the best color and contrast, a grey screen is the way to go. No question about it. There is a small change in brightness with a grey screen but the color detail is so much more worth it. White screens tend to wash out the color. Plus, if you ever want to watch a movie with some lights on you'll need the ambient light rejecting qualities of a grey screen.

Silver Ticket screens are one of the best bargains out there. You can also make your own screen. Seymour AV in Iowa sells screen material as does Carls place. Check'em'out.

Thank you so much [U]beginjapan![/U]

I actually have all my speakers. I went with a 7.2 system setup. No speakers will be behind the screen. My speakers are listed below:

Center channel
Klipsch R-34-C

Front & rear speakers (went with towers)
Klipsch R-26F

Middle surround speakers
Klipsch RS-42 II

Subwoofers
Klipsch R-100SW

I took my time in buying these as well, took me over 2 years to put all these together since I only bought them when they went on sale from best buy. klipsch is hit or miss on their yearly sales.

While I know this setup might not be the best setup, I feel it will work nicely for my room size. I did not want to go larger with my speaker selections since I felt the larger speakers would overpower the room. Maybe i'm just crazy.....lol

 

[JerryLove]

The darkest black on your screen is whatever the screen looks like when the projector is off.

If you've got very good light control (no windows, dark walls/ceiling, etc), which is ideal, then you are going to want a white screen.

If, on the other hand, the room is bright even when you've configured it for movie watching, a darker screen will work better for you.

 

[MichiganExplorer1981]

The darkest black on your screen is whatever the screen looks like when the projector is off.

If you've got very good light control (no windows, dark walls/ceiling, etc), which is ideal, then you are going to want a white screen.

If, on the other hand, the room is bright even when you've configured it for movie watching, a darker screen will work better for you.

Thank you JerryLove.
Yes my room is completely setup with no windows and the walls plus ceiling are painted a dark gray/bluish color. I also have scons lighting which is dimmable.

 

[JerryLove]

Thank you JerryLove.
Yes my room is completely setup with no windows and the walls plus ceiling are painted a dark gray/bluish color. I also have scons lighting which is dimmable.

Then white will be the way to go.

 

[BMXTRIX]

If you truly want the best color and contrast, a grey screen is the way to go. No question about it./quote]
Not only is there question about it, it is entirely untrue according to Stewart Filmscreen, Dalite, and Draper screen manufacturers.

The ideal remains using a very flat, highly diffuse, bright white surface with no sparkling or hotspotting at all.

One of the main uses for grey screens was entry level setups in white rooms with lower than ideal contrast projectors. The entry level LCD and DLP projectors. But, even today, those models have contrast which trounces what we had 15-20 years ago from LCD models.

There is nothing about a white screen which washes out color or anything else.