Gain (projection screens)

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Gain is a property of a projection screen, and is one of the specifications quoted by projection screen manufacturers.

Interpretation[]

The number that is typically measured is called the peak gain at zero degrees viewing axis, and represents the gain value for a viewer seated along a line perpendicular to the screen's viewing surface. The gain value represents the ratio of brightness of the screen relative to a set standard (in this case, a sheet of magnesium carbonate). Screens with a higher brightness than this standard are rated with a gain higher than 1.0, while screens with lower brightness are rated from 0.0 to 1.0. Since a projection screen is designed to scatter the impinging light back to the viewers, the scattering can either be highly diffuse or highly concentrated. Highly concentrated scatter results in a higher screen gain (a brighter image) at the cost of a more limited viewing angle (as measured by the half-gain viewing angle), whereas highly diffuse scattering results in lower screen gain (a dimmer image) with the benefit of a wider viewing angle.

Sources[]

• Powell, Evan (May 24, 2004). "What is screen gain?". Projector Central. Retrieved 9 December 2014.