Finally, let’s wrap up by talking about screens. Some Laser TVs come bundled with ambient light rejecting screens, but not all. Sure, you can pretty much point any projector at a blank white wall or sheet, but you will get better results with a screen. A wall or sheet isn’t as smooth as you might think, and an ultra-smooth projection screen will help eliminate these imperfections and improve the image quality.
In addition to choosing a projector with enough brightness to combat any surrounding ambient light, you can also invest in a projector screen with a special coating that helps reduce the impact of ambient light which can ruin your content. These screens are frequently referred to as ALR – Ambient Light Rejecting screens.
If you have a matte white screen, it is fully compatible with an ultra short throw projector. All of the major screen manufacturers offer a dedicated ambient light rejecting screen material designed specifically for ultra short throw projectors.
A perfectly paired ambient light rejecting (ALR) screen means you don’t have to kill the lights to get a killer picture.
Be sure to check out our recent Screen Buyer's Guide to get even more information on the latest in screens.
Aeon CLR® 3 Series
The Aeon CLR® 3 is a series of fixed frame, front projection screens, created specifically for table-top ultra-short-throw projectors. The Aeon CLR® 3 screens utilize Elite’s StarBright CLR® 3 material, which was designed to reject the maximum amount of ambient light, especially from ceiling lights, thereby preventing room lighting from washing out the projected image. The Micro-serriform optical structure filters light, “rejecting” (actually, absorbing, so that it never reaches your eyes) up to 90% of overhead lighting. The innovative material provides up to 75 times the contrast of standard matte white screen material in a room with ambient light. It also provides an ultra-wide viewing angle of 180°, making it a great option in a typical home or office environment with lots of ambient light.
The Aeon CLR® 3 is available in several sizes from 103” to 125". Ceiling light rejecting screens, like CLR® 3, are designed for ultra-short-throw projectors and are extremely effective since they only reflect light coming from below at a steep angle. Ambient light, including that from ceiling lights, is absorbed by the screen, while light from the projector is reflected toward the viewer, resulting in better color, contrast, and brightness of the projected image.
Compared with a matte white screen, the CLR (Ceiling Light Rejecting) optical surface material provides a massive boost in contrast when used in a room with ambient light. This material will only reflect light that strikes the screen at a specific angle back toward the viewer. For this reason, it is important to note that this screen is intended to be used with table-top UST projectors only. Its use with a standard or overhead mounted projector will result in a dark image, as much of the projected light will be filtered out along with ambient light.
Ambient Light Rejecting (ALR) screens, like the Aeon CLR® 3, do such a good job rejecting ambient light that the projection system can be utilized anytime, day or night. The Aeon CLR®3 would be a great solution for a family room or an executive boardroom.
Overall, the Aeon CLR® 3 is a step up from a matte screen, especially if you want to use your ultra-short-throw project day or night. The Aeon CLR® 3 screen is well-built and will look great in your room. To further enhance the screen’s appearance, consider installing the optional LED Backlighting Kit.
The AEON CLR® 3 Screen can be purchased directly from Elite’s online store, and it is also now available from several authorized Elite dealers/resellers. If you have a table-top ultra-short-throw projector and you are looking for a high-quality ceiling light rejecting screen, check out the Aeon CLR®3 from Elite Screens.
Solo Pro 2 is one of the few motorized screens available in a Laser TV focused ALR material
Screen Innovation Laser TV-focused ALR material is an option on several of their fixed screens including the 5 Fixed, 7 Fixed, and Zero Edge models. What makes the Solo Pro 2 unique is that it is one of the few motorized screens available with an ALR screen material. The Solo Pro 2 has a sleek, modern design that looks great in almost any room. The Solo Pro 2 is a step up from the original Solo Pro because it is available in 12 different screen materials including one designed specifically to optimize the picture quality of Laser TV (ultra short throw projector) in a room with ambient light.
One of our favorite features is the optional built-in Lithium-Ion battery. While this increases the cost of the unit, it simplifies installation while dramatically reducing labor costs since you don’t have to hire an electrician to run power to the motorized screen. The included brackets allow the unit to be mounted to the ceiling or the wall. The compact case houses both the screen and the motor along with an optional battery that powers it.
Most typical projection screens require a dark “man cave” kind of room to produce a vivid, colorful picture. Screen Innovations' Short Throw 0.6 gain screen material gives an outstanding picture even in a room with some lights on make it perfect if you’re looking to replace a flat panel TV. The screen's special optical coatings reject 90% of a room's ambient light, compared to less than 10% rejection using a standard white or gray screen. An ALR material equipped SI Solo Pro screen is available in sizes up to 120" (16x9) diagonal.
Stewart Filmscreen Balon Series (BlackHawk UST)
The Balon series from Stewart Filmscreen is a beautifully designed ALR screen that delivers excellent picture quality
Stewart Filmscreens also offers a semi-rigid ALR material designed specifically for Laser TVs (ultra short throw projectors0.The optical structure of the .055 gain Black Hawk UST material reduces reflected light on the walls, ceiling, and floor. The material is capable of rejecting ambient light discretely on both the horizontal and vertical axis so lights above and windows on the side are simultaneously rejected
Since it can reject 80% of a room's ambient light, the result is good black level and grayscale without the need to completely blackout the viewing space. Like all Stewart screen materials, the BlackHawk UST offers good center-to-edge brightness uniformity and excellent color accuracy.
Black Hawk UST material is an available option on Stewart Filmscreen's Balon Series screen system. This slim bordered screen is designed to blend seamlessly into any room and there is also optional LED light available. The maximum size for a 16X9 screen available with BlackHawk UST material is 120 inches.
