Types of Projector Screens

At home, we might be okay with using a white bed sheet as a makeshift projector screen. However, when you’re in a professional or educational environment such as a classroom or a conference room, you need to have something better to project your data, presentation and other content onto.

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Fortunately, there are plenty of options here too. Given below is a list mentioning the different types of projector screens available on the market today. Take a good look because the information will come in handy when you actually have to choose one.

TOP TIP: make sure that the screen you buy has the same aspect ratio as the projector you intend to use. This will be 1:1, 4:3, 16:9 or 16:10. This is essentially the shape of the image that will be projected by your projector so you will want a screen that has the same shape.

Electric Projector Screens

These are extremely professional in terms of appearance. So, it’s only natural that they are used in a professional setting. However, that’s not exactly a rule. You can have these screens installed at home as well. They are called electric screens because they are powered by electricity, you can control them using a remote control and no manual labour is required to operate them. This is particularly helpful for large screens.

Apart from being convenient to operate, electric projector screens are also easy to install and can be mounted on the ceiling or the wall.

Manual Projector Screens

Manual projectors are ideal for those who are in the market for cost-effective projector screens. These screens are controlled via pulleys that are positioned at the bottom. So, you manually pull the screen down and then roll it back up when it isn’t in use anymore.

Modern versions even come with “controlled return” or "speed control return" which is a feature that allows the screen to be rolled up with greater control and not whizzing up at speed. This prevents damages from occurring which was the case prior to the creation of such a feature.

When it comes to mounting, manual screens are no different from their electric counterparts. You can have them wall-mounted, ceiling-mounted, ceiling-recessed mounted or simply have the the pull-up version placed on the floor.

One major advantage with manual screens is that they are quite light too. This is because they have no electrical parts and makes them easy to maintain as well. You have no parts that undergo wear and tear, which means no need to pay constant attention to upkeep.

Tripod Projector Screens

Tripod projectors screens actually come under the category of portable projector screens. As the name itself indicates, they are easy to carry around and therefore, aren’t limited to one particular location. While other screens need to be mounted on a semi-permanent basis, these screens don’t need to be mounted at all.

Tripod projector screens are called so due to the fact that they are supported by a tripod stand. The entire setup is such that you can fold up the screen and just carry it around. There’s no excess weight to deal with either. These screens are manageably light.

To setup a tripod screen, you first connect the screen to the base of the tripod and then use the attached pulley to pull the top end towards the tripod's top rod. So, as you can see, it’s very simple to setup one of these things. Even a child could do it.

Fixed Frame Projector Screens

These screens have the projection surface fixed onto a fixed frame and are best suited to home theatres or environments where the screen will be permanent.

To compare some of the types available, please feel free to click here