Worship Essentials Pass the Screen Test What you project on is as important as how you project it. See "Video Projection" Training Pack

Store Code: WE02-G Format(s): Microsoft Word Type: Article Price: $0.00

Topics:	Contemporary worship, Multimedia, Technology, Visual arts, Worship, Worship ministry, Worship planning, Worship service
Filters:	Pastor, Technician, Technology, Worship, Worship leader
Purpose:	Worship
References:	Psalm 36:9
Date Added:	September 10, 2007
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Psalm 36:9

A projector screen must be carefully chosen to work specifically with the projector technology, the room geometry, seating arrangements, projector placement, and level of ambient light, just to name a few of the important factors.

Although many churches buy a projector first and then the screen, the reverse order may be better. Which will most members see—the screen or the projector? While only the technically apt can understand the specifications and features of a projector, everyone knows when the screen is too small or the images too dull.

No matter how good the screen is, it cannot make a bad projector good. It is also true that even the best projector cannot overcome a mismatched or inadequate screen. Keep projector and screen as one purchase—well coordinated, balanced, compatible, and suitable.

Will you use a front or rear projection system? Rear projection will generally offer higher quality images. However, the tradeoff is the necessity of space behind the screen, and control of ambient light between the projector and the screen. Many times, rear projection is not feasible in a church setting.

Ambient light is the amount of light in the room before the projector is turned on, and is an important factor in selecting both the projector and the screen. Note how many windows the room has, which direction they face, and what kind of glass they have. A movie theatre has no windows and requires a different kind of screen than a church with many stained glass windows.

Pure scattering. The job of a projector screen is to impart the right amount of light scattering to the projected image so that the image can be seen from many different locations in the room. A matte white screen surface is as close as you can get to this kind of pure scattering. This surface makes the image on the screen visible from anywhere in front of the screen, and the image has uniform brightness regardless of the angle of the viewer from the screen. The projector must be powerful enough to overcome ambient light and create the appropriate brightness at any angle of viewing.

Pure scattering: the image can be seen from any angle

Pure scattering: the image can be seen from any angle

Reflection and scattering. In many cases, a combination of reflection and scattering is useful. For example, when the projector is mounted overhead and shines down on the screen, some amount of reflection will direct more light energy to the viewers than will pure scattering. This type of screen is made by using a light-scattering coating over a reflective backing material. The density of the coating and the reflectivity of the backing determine the relative amount of scattering and reflection.

Refraction and scattering. Another common situation is where the projector and viewers are both below the screen. Here, a screen that takes advantage of "refraction" is very useful. When light travels from one medium to another, it often changes direction. Screens are often covered with a layer of very small glass beads to provide refraction. The result is that some of the light is scattered, while some of the light is directed back in the direction from which it came.

Refraction and scattering"

Good viewing is limited to about 50 degrees either side of the projected axis.

Best viewing range. Extend a line from the center of the screen, perpendicular to the screen's surface, to the rear of the sanctuary. Any viewers that are more than 50 degrees away from that line might find the image quality to be unacceptable due to reduced brightness and image distortion. That is why multiple screens at different angles or different positions may be needed when the room is very wide and a large number of seats are outside the screen's cone of vision.

—John Stahlman; Copyright © 2004 by Christianity Today International. Originally appeared in Your Church.

1. How well do our screen and projector work together as a unit? Are they mismatched?

2. How do we presently test the viewing quality of our screen?

3. Based on this article, what improvements in our video projection system should be made?

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