Choosing the right screen for your application is part science and part personal preference. Let's start with personal preference. In broad terms there are two types of screens – roller or frame. Roller screens are perfect for rooms where you don't want the screen on show all of the time – that is you want it to roll up and hideaway. Think of a frame screen as being more like a picture frame – permanently on show. The general rule of thumb is that if it's a dedicated room choose a frame screen, and if it's a multipurpose room then a roller screen is better suited.

But rules are there for breaking – so it's up to you! When it comes to screen size however, there are definite rules that apply.

So when it comes to choosing the right screen size there are several things to be considered:

- the optimum screen size for comfortable viewing,
- the screen size appropriate for your throw distance, and
- the screen size that's going to get the best result from your projector.

First thing – yes big images are wonderful but the biggest may not actually be the best.

If you've cast your eye over your projector specs you may have noticed that theoretically with just about any projector you can create a really big image. The question is – do you want to?

If this is the first projector you've bought its important to understand that there are trade-offs as the image gets bigger. In straightforward terms you will lose brightness, detail and resolution.

If you are looking at images above 2440mm wide (16:9/4:3/16:10) it might be worth double checking the suitability of your projector to create high quality and really big images.

- Screen height x 2 - Minimum,
- Screen height x 3 - Optimum
- Screen height x 6 – Maximum

If you go bigger than the recommended minimum viewing distance chances are you'll end up feeling like you are in the front row of the movies, and they are definitely not the best seats in the house.

When choosing your screen size you need to make sure that the projector you choose will be able to fill the screen with the throw distance available. To work this out we recommend using a projector calculator like Projector Central. Find your projector model and then work out whether you can fill the screen size easily. We recommend installations in the middle of the projector's zoom range.

Understanding Aspect Ratios can be one of the most confusing parts of purchasing any new display device. There are two key drivers – shape of the content and shape of the physical display device. Whether or not these two things match will determine whether the screen of your display device is filled. A little confused? Read on, we'll do our best to explain. Each aspect Ratio is presented as a ratio, first number is the number of units high, second one, number of units wide.

- 4:3 – Traditional TV
- 2.35:1 - Movies
- 16:9 – Widescreen format
- 16:10 – Windows format – allows for 16:9 images plus the start bar at the bottom of a laptop.

So the actual content that you are watching might be shot in 4;3, 2.35;1, or 16:9. But your display device might be 4:3, 16:9, 16:10 or 2.35:1 What happens when you put a different shaped image and screen together? One of two things – either there are black bars top and bottom or left and right OR if your display device allows you to stretch your image you may end up with short and wide people or really tall and thin people. Bottom line is unfortunately there will always be some compromise. Our advice is to try and match up your display device and the majority of the content you'll be viewing, and understand the trade offs.

With projection we advise matching the aspect ratio of your screen to the native aspect ratio of your projector.

One of the real down sides of black bars are that you are wasting some of the resolution and brightness capability of your projector. The black bars are simply pixels turned off. Also see Aspect Ratios above.

Installing your projector correctly is an important part of the overall success of your system. An install professional will be able to help you with correct projector placement, both in terms of distance and vertical placement. A good quality projector mount with individually lockable adjustments will help in the finetuning and final adjustments of the system, as well as making sure it stays in alignment.

It makes the final tweaking of the system a lot easier. You can get the image correctly adjusted on one plane, lock that off and then move on to the next.

These are the names for the different directions of adjustment that come with our projector mounts. Pan refers to the left to right or horizontal movement. Tilt is the top to bottom movement. While yaw can most easily be described as a movement similar to the rocking of a boat. Each of these individual adjustments allows for the finetuning of your projector.

Often we are asked – will a Grandview screen work with my new 1080p projector? Is it HD ready?

To answer that question properly you need to understand what the 1080p stands for. Display devices are described by their resolution capabilities, as measured by the number of pixels wide by the number of pixels high. So a 1080p projector has 1920 lines wide x 1080 lines high. On a 100" screen 2210mm wide each pixel is approximately 1.116mm wide (2210 divided by 1920). The patterning on Grandview screen fabrics is significantly finer than the 1920 x 1080p resolution. This means that not only is your Grandview screen HD ready, it is future proofed for any resolution improvements in the coming years.

One note of caution, not every 1080p projector is designed for very large projected images. Using your projector at the outer limits of its specified size range can result in duller, washed out images.

We always recommend using professional installers. You can find a reputable installer through a recommendation from your retailer, or by visiting Cedia. If you prefer DIY all of our individual products are supplied with comprehensive instruction manuals.

CEDIA Australasia has recently released a set of helpful guides for architect, home owner and builder discussing the benefits of using a professional CEDIA member.

Architects & Designers - Fineline electronic lifestlyes technology guide for architects and designers.

Home Owners - Fineline electronic lifestlyes technology guide for home owners.

Builders Fineline - Electronic lifestlyes technology guide for home owners.