Light Grey FAQ Frequently Asked Questions

Are grey projector screen better?

Grey screens can be grey or high contrast screens.  Adding a shade of grey to a projection screen material will lower the white levels and black levels equally.  A high contrast screen will add the shade of grey but also be a little reflective.   With the shade of grey the black levels are deeper, but with the extra gain or reflectiveness the white levels don't drop as much.  This makes the levels of contrast higher than what a white screen can do.  The grey projection screen material will absorb ambient light because any shade other than white begins to absorb light.  A grey screen will absorb some of the light that hits it or reflects onto it better than a white projection screen.   The goal of a grey screen should be to offer better contrast for most projectors.  In some projection applications a screen with a shade of grey may be better because the projector is too bright for the size of screen being used in a dark room.  In rooms that are not completely dark a grey screen begins to have its advantage.  Projector and screen manufacturers recommend a white screen in completely dark rooms (unless the projector is too bright for the screen size and will light up the room). As the room gets lighter and lighter the darker the shade of grey the screen material should be.  This is because projectors cannot project black and the projector screen will help add some black levels to the image.  With this information you may side that white screens are still better or grey screens are better.  Sadly it comes down to personal preference and only you can make up your mind.  Silver Ticket Products recommends testing samples before purchasing a projection screen to see what screen material you prefer - https://www.silverticketproducts.com/collections/all/category_samples

Is a Grey wall good for a projector to use as my projection screen? Does a wall have to be white to use it as a projection screen?

We suggest using a flat grey paint if painting your wall grey.  A flat grey paint will lower the white levels and black levels of your projected image.  This will not increase the contrast of your image, but may look like it if your projector is bright enough on the image size to keep the white levels bright.  Painting a wall grey with any sheen will greatly increase any imperfection on your wall surface.  It is very difficult to make a perfectly flat wall screen without any imperfections in the viewing area.  For this type of surface is where a projection screen is well worth it.  It may be more expensive to fix your wall than purchasing a projection screen.  In the end your wall may not be good enough and you may have spent a lot of money.  

Can I use a grey sheet for a projector screen?

You can use anything you want as a projection screen.  The goal is to get a nice uniform image with great brightness, color and black levels.  If you feel that you achieve that with your surface then your projection surface works for you.  Many of our customer's have told us they did not use their projector much until they purchased an actual projection screen.  Our customers have told us they could not believe the difference and are happy in the end that they purchased the projection screen.  We recommend testing the Silver Ticked Products sample kit to see what material works for you.  Silver Ticket Products also offers a line of DIY materials for those who want to make their own projection screen.  

How can I make a cheap projector screen?

Silver Ticket Products offers DIY screen materials to those who want to make their own projections screen, but still have a high end result.  https://www.silverticketproducts.com/collections/all/category_diy-raw-screen-material