Introduction
My family recently moved from the West to the East coast over the summer. Even though they are still house hunting, they are looking at places that have rooms suitable for creating another home theater (like the one we used to have in California). Our home theater budget hasn’t expanded by any means, but after doing some research on different projector screens, it is worth making some minor tweaks in the new screen we’re going to purchase.
This article is a compilation of all the important information I found while doing my research.
While I was researching a variety of projector screens, I noticed some of them were labeled as “ambient light rejecting.” It took me a while to find useful information regarding what these screens were- and if they were even worth getting. The screen we already have works great, so why would a screen like this be an improvement? It took me quite a bit to find all the relevant info regarding ambient light rejecting screens, so I figured this would make for a good article!
Table of Contents
- What ALR screens do
- Why are they better than regular screens?
- How much do they cost?
- What are examples of good ALR screens?
- Related Questions
What They Do
Ambient light rejecting screens are made from a different material which better negates the washout effect from other light in the room. Even in a completely dark room, a normal projector screen will still have a little bit of a washout effect just from its own light projection. ALR screens are better able to accommodate more ambient light in the room, which ultimately makes your image quality better.
The material they are made from is a special CineGrey material, which looks rougher around the surface when inspected by a microscope. You can google more about the material and images if you’re more curious, but in essence, they have a fancier texture than a regular screen.
Why Are ALR Screens Better Than Regular Screens?
There are quite a variety of screen types. They type of synthetic material will affect how much a projector screen costs. Because ambient light rejecting screens are made from a better quality than standard screens, its material is going to be different from your typical screen. The material of an ALR screen serves as diffuse reflectors for light. Light is reflected back on ALR screens from significantly more angles than a standard screen surface. This provides a more realistic image overall.
One of the biggest factors that affect the quality of the image on a screen beside the projector is the presence of light. Light pollution can derail the quality of a screen in more ways than making the image appear dimmer. It saturates the image and removes all the fine details on the image that the projector is working so hard to create. One way that home theater screens combat this effect is by creating screens like ALR, which can reflect light pollution more effectively than regular screens.
The video below bests demonstrates what exactly this difference looks like.
As you can see, light pollution almost makes no difference for an ALR screen. The room isn’t even dark! They dramatically enhance the image quality and can even enhance the images on lower-end projectors.
As mentioned earlier, screens come in many different textures, which can make all the difference. Any ALR screen will be characterized by a high contrast screen material that is often synthetic in nature. When browsing online, you’ll often see ALR screen material to characterized as CinteWhite, CineGrey, or CinePro UHD. The materials don’t differ by much, but any screen with that material is going to be better than average.
How Much Do ALR Screens Cost?
ALR screens dramatically vary in cost. They can be as cheap as $200 or as much as $1000! I’ve found that the quality of the material is less impactful than the quantity and brand of the screen when it comes to cost. The same quality ALR screens from the Silver Ticket company can vary for the same model and style as one from Elite Screens.
You shouldn’t be more confused about which screen to get because of the dynamic price range. This is ultimately a good thing because it comes down to how much you want to invest in a screen. I personally wouldn’t spend more than $500 on a good ALR screen. I’ve seen too many good examples in this price range that help produce a stunning image. I also don’t have the space to own a screen any bigger than 120 inches (anything bigger significantly increases the cost).
If you’re especially new to having a home theater in your house, I don’t recommend going out and getting the absolute best screen you can afford. There are more factors that affect image quality than the screen and I would focus on investing in those first. The projector is going to be the most important factor. Next to that is going to be how well you can limit the amount of light pollution in the room. Blackout curtains work better than anything I’ve ever come across.
Upgrading to an ALR screen is worth the investment once you have equipment that can keep up with it.
How to Choose a Good Screen
Elite Screens, Silver Ticket, and Vividstorm are three of the most common brands that create good ALR screens. It is not just limited to this! There are plenty of smaller companies out there they produce great ALR products and sometimes for cheaper. I included three examples from these three companies so you can understand what a good ALR screen should look like. You’ll also have a better understanding of what qualities they should possess.
Whenever you’re searching online or in-store for projector screens, find out what type of material the screen is first once you know its ALR. Look in the description to see if the material is CineGray 5d, 3d, or something with the prefix “Cine” next to it. This is the same material that actual movie theaters have for their screens.
Also, see if you can find an ALR screen that comes in grey or even black. There’s nothing wrong with a white screen (that’s the color of mine), but know that light will reflect a little more off of it than one of a darker color.
Product Examples
Elite Screens Aeon CineGrey 120 Inch
This screen, like many other ones, comes in a variety of sizes and dimensions. Whether you need it for better lighting in your theater or for outdoor movies, this screen will easily combat the effects of any light pollution.
It comes with a fixed frame edge that puts a finished border around the edges. Its border is a lot more conservative in nature and it’s black color almost makes it look like a giant TV.
You get to choose the style and material type for this screen. I highly recommend the black or grey option, as it will significantly reduce the effect of light pollution. White screens are perfectly fine, as mentioned already. But if you can afford to go the extra mile with screen color, definitely do it!
It might be better to order this one directly from the website because it comes with more customization options. Their site also gives you some insight into other products that they have as well as customer support options for installation.
Delux Screens 135 Inch ALR 4K
You definitely don’t need a 4K projector for your image to look amazing! Your image will look fantastic even if you are viewing it with a 1080p projector. Image quality is a lot more forgiving with projectors than TVs. And it’s even hard to distinguish 1080p from 4k image projections if you’re already getting great image quality.
The best thing about this ALR screen is that it isn’t an overkill price for the screen size. The material is also that of the first screen in this list but for cheaper. This is also because you aren’t paying for the brand name as much as with bigger known companies.
This brand also lets you customize the style and whether you want a manual or motor pull-down feature. This feature affects the price quite a bit. I recommend considering the possibility of just leaving it pulled down the entire time even if you aren’t using it (like most home theater set ups).
What I like about this one is that is has a velvet finished border that will do a good job at protecting the edges of your screen and lead to better durability overall. It also makes it look like a huge TV when mounted.
In terms of material type, it has an option to choose white matte, acoustic transparency, and silver. No option for black on this one.
Vivid Storm 8K UHD 120 inch
This screen is primarily a drop-down one, but you can leave it hanging. It’s less on the budget side for screens, but that’s also because it starts at 120 inches for size. The aspect ratio is 16:9 as always, and the material color is silver.
One noticeable feature about this one is that it works better with passive 3D projections. If you really like 3D movies, consider screens related to Vivid Storm’s UHD model.
The price is a little less competitive for a 4k and 8k resolution screen. But a lot of users who have had a home theater setup for a while report this screen to have better durability than most.
One thing to note about this one: it’s not optimized for short throw projectors. Some of it has to do with the screen material, and it is optimized for images projected from distances greater than 3ft.
Related Questions
Take a quick look at some important things to understand before you consider buying an ALR screen.
What is screen gain?
This is how much light is reflected off the surface of the projector screen. Projector screens all have a measurement that can be found in their description. Most screens have a screen gain of 1.0. If it has more than 1.0, the image will look brighter than the number of lumens the projector itself is supposed to be displaying.
If it is lower (.8), the image will look dimmer than the lumens of the projector is attempting to output. A screen with too high of a gain or low is not the answer. You’ll find yourself frustrated withing having to adjust the viewing angle to try to make it look better.
Lower lumen projectors should be paired with a screen gain of 1.0 or higher and vice versa with bright projectors. Take screen gain with a grain of salt, as this is not an essential consideration for getting excellent image quality. Screen gain is generally a forgiving quality.
Is blackout cloth good for image quality?
Yes, they are more than suited for projector screens. Screen designers generally put blackout cloth around the outer edges of a screen to make it look more finished. Blackout cloth around the edges of a screen also helps contain the image a lot better. It also aids the user to determine if any part of the image is spilling off the screen.
What is acoustic transparency?
Some screens come with a feature called acoustic transparency. This means the projector screen can effectively transparentize any sound that comes from behind it. Some people like to put speakers behind their entire set up instead of in front. If you’re considering this, definitely make sure your screen comes with the label, “acoustically transparent.”
Conclusion
This article was meant to give you a more thorough understanding of what Ambient Light Rejecting screens are. I think everyone who is looking to buy a screen should consider a screen with ALR technology. They’re not that much more expensive than standard ones, and they can significantly enhance image quality as seen in this article. Whether you have a 4k projector or a 1080p one, an ALR screen will always be the best option.
As always, if you have any article suggestions or want to leave a comment, feel free to reach out at entertainmentden.ns@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to respond. Thank you for reading and be sure to check back for future articles!