# When using a Screen Material Calculator...



## JimShaw (Apr 30, 2012)

When using a Screen Material Calculator on a screen manufacturer's website, you're asked to plug in the Ratio (in my case 16:9), the Screen Size, Light Level in the room and the PJ's Lumens to help determine what material and gain should be used in that room.

Now my question:

When inputting the PJ's Lumens, should the PJ's advertised Lumens be used OR the Lumens in Best Picture mode? I have noticed there can be a big difference in both. As an example the Epson 5010 advertises 2400 Lumens but in Best Picture mode, post calibration, it is probably around 630 lumens.


Here is an example of the Calculator
http://www.screeninnovations.com/tools/screen-wizard/




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## Alan Brown (Jun 7, 2006)

JimShaw said:


> When using a Screen Material Calculator on a screen manufacturer's website, you're asked to plug in the Ratio (in my case 16:9), the Screen Size, Light Level in the room and the PJ's Lumens to help determine what material and gain should be used in that room.
> 
> Now my question:
> 
> ...


You're wise to not rely on manufacturers' claims about peak light output. The "best picture mode" from an actual review is a much more realistic metric. Even that can vary with a fully calibrated state and how far the lens will be from the screen. Some lenses affect light output depending on where along their zoom range the projector is used. It's also wise to look for screen reviews, since manufacturers' gain figures have also been proven to be inaccurate.

Best regards and beautiful pictures,
Alan Brown, President
CinemaQuest, Inc.
A Lion AV Consultants affiliate

"Advancing the art and science of electronic imaging"


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## JimShaw (Apr 30, 2012)

Alan Brown said:


> You're wise to not rely on manufacturers' claims about peak light output. The "best picture mode" from an actual review is a much more realistic metric. Even that can vary with a fully calibrated state and how far the lens will be from the screen. Some lenses affect light output depending on where along their zoom range the projector is used. It's also wise to look for screen reviews, since manufacturers' gain figures have also been proven to be inaccurate.
> 
> Best regards and beautiful pictures,
> Alan Brown, President
> ...


Alan

I thank you for the input.

This will be my first PJ and screen set up and I am finding it to be a major, complicated, stressful decision. So may variables and if one guess wrong, it can be costly especially if you're looking at $3000 PJ's and $5000 screens



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## Alan Brown (Jun 7, 2006)

JimShaw said:


> Alan
> 
> I thank you for the input.
> 
> This will be my first PJ and screen set up and I am finding it to be a major, complicated, stressful decision. So may variables and if one guess wrong, it can be costly especially if you're looking at $3000 PJ's and $5000 screensm


Front projection display systems are much more complex than most consumers realize. Missed details can have a noticeable effect upon final image quality. Image quality is the final arbiter when determining what to devote your time and money to in composing the entire system. Unless you plan a dedicated room and sufficient budget, compromises will have to be evaluated and balanced against one another. Perhaps you have access to local professional design consultation resources. Paying a credentialed, experienced professional for their time to do a site inspection or blueprint analysis, plus conduct a personal interview, can reduce or eliminate unrecognized pitfalls in designing the system. A couple of hundred dollars for an hour or two of their time can save mistakes and expense in the long run. If you can make such an expense part of your budget, I recommend it highly. If you don't live near enough to a qualified professional, you'll have to make do with other sources for help. 

I have seen repeatedly over the years that untrained and insufficiently experienced hobbyists can have erroneous preconceptions about what is desirable for their system, based upon reading about another system, or seeing pictures of home theaters in magazines. One person was intent on incorporating a curved screen into their system but wasn't planning to have an anamorphic lens on the projector. It was a challenge to persuade him why this wasn't suitable. His mind was locked into how "cool" it would be to have a curved screen, "just like" his local cinema. Many novices think they have "total light control" in their room, but plan to have a white ceiling. They don't understand how the screen becomes a very big light source, and what the consequences are to their viewing experience by having a white ceiling. Another common pitfall is planning too large of a screen. Still another is confusing what should be done for a film cinema versus a video display system. I could go on and on.


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