Can anyone recommend a type of Projection Screen for movie viewing?Tripod?Ceiling Mount?

I want to get this for a friend because he has been using a white wall to project his movies on.I want to get him a projection screen but not sure on which type.Should i get a tripod mounted one or one that bolts to the ceiling and pulls down?Portability would be nice but is the tripod cumbersome or bulky?Is the ceiling mounted type just as portable with less bulk? Any opinions please!

Screens are a fairly complex subject. There are many different types more or less suited to various uses.

You can get tripod mounted and retractable wall screens, but also fixed wall screens, and various types of motorized screens. They come with different types of finishes (to reflect light differently) and a wide range of sizes and shapes (aspect ratios — width to height ratio). Home theater screens cost anywhere from ~$150 to $thousands.

Ideally, the screen needs to be matched to the type of projector and size of room. The gain, colour, aspect ratio, size, masking, mounting system all need to be considered.

If you really want to help your friend I’d suggest giving him a “gift certificate” and then go to a store that handles projectors and screens to consult on the right model.

An alternative would be to paint a screen on the wall (if that is acceptable). You can mix your own paint from normal commercial paints or buy special DIY screen paint from Goo Systems. I’ve included links re both of these options.

Finally, you can make a screen fairly cheaply (~$100) using a wood frame onto which you stretch “Blackout Cloth” (White curtain liner). A black surround can be added to frame the actual screen and act as a mask. The first link will have ideas on this, or see the third link for a picture.

The last 2 links are to pictures of HT screens I built … the first was a BO cloth screen and the second a painted screen. Each worked well and cost less than $100 to do.

I hope this helps.

Tripod Projection Screens

Portable Tripod Projector Screen $270.00 Keystone eliminator tilts the screen forward to reduce picture distortion. Strong, yet lightweight aluminum legs with secure magnetic locks. Black steel case, with handle. Fire-resistant fabric cleans with soap and water. Screen Size: 60 x 60; Screen Style: Tripod, Forward-Tilting To Reduce Picture Distortion; Adjustability Features: Height; Material(s): N/A….

Tiffen Tripod $56.65 Tiffen TX-7 Explorer Tripod UNSPSC/NIGP Education Reference Codes: 6000000000 / 78500000. Sold as a Single Unit…

VideoSecu Universal LCD/DLP Projector Ceiling Mount Bracket White Fits both flat or Vaulted ceiling PJ2W 1CA $34.99 This mount is VideoSecu brand.Universal mount features a flexible mounting system that can be used with most projector model, and it has the versatility to attach to nearly any ceiling. The mounting interface features four double-jointed support arms that allow flexible positioning to reach almost any mounting point of the projector. Each arm can be precisely positioned to avoid covering important…

Optoma PK301 Pico Pocket Projector $399.99 Optoma’s PK301 Pico pocket projector provides projection power anywhere. Featuring up to 50 ANSI lumens and native widescreen WVGA resolution, the palm-sized PK301 enables you to easily share videos, photos and graphics at home or on the road. Enjoy unlimited content playback at your fingertips with the microSD card slot, HDMI and VGA connectivity. Compact and robustly-featured, the PK301 sets a n…

Optoma’s ML500, WXGA, 500 Lumen, Mobile LED Projector $599.00 Mobile professionals and on-the-go presenters alike will appreciate the compact design and vivid LED performance of the Optoma ML500. Delivering 500 lumens of brightness and WXGA resolution, this projector creates crisp, clear widescreen images of up to 120 inches on most surfaces. Built-in media and Microsoft Office document viewer allows for playback of videos, presentations, documents and image…

Xbox 360 Kinect Wall Mount $6.50 The Wall Mount provides a quick and easy solution for mounting your Xbox 360 Kinect Sensor to the wall, with a trusted and durable construction that has been inspected and approved by Microsoft. Designed with convenience in mind, the Wall Mount detaches easily from the wall plate to allow the Xbox 360 Kinect Sensor and the Wall Mount to be stored when not in use. The Wall Mount for Xbox 360 Kinect…

Final Fantasy XI: Chains of Promathia, Rise Of The Zilart, Treasures of Aht Urhgan $19.99 Features include: •The first cross-platform massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) which allows gamers to connect to the same gaming world-whether they are playing on Playstation 2, PC or XBOX 360•Live in a persistent world with time and climate changes that range from full day/night cycles to desert sandstorms, thunderstorms, fog, and snow•Form parties by utilizing…

Final Fantasy XI : Online – Chains of Promathia, Rise Of The Zilart, Treasures of Aht Urhgan (Xbox 360) every aspect of the game has been reviewed and enhanced. Additionally, a host of brand-new elements have been seamlessly merged with the original game, providing unexpected surprises for longtime fans. With new dungeons, new job classes, and other exciting features, both old-school players and newcomers can enjoy this genre-defining Final Fantasy title in a portable format!…

Black & Decker BDL400S Bullseye Crosshair 90-Degree Auto Leveling Interior Line Laser $48.99 The Black and Decker BDL400S Bullseye Crosshair 90-Degree Auto Leveling Interior Line Laser automatically levels to provide perfectly vertical (plum) and horizontal lines. Its hanging pin fastens the leveler to the wall for hands-free convenience and lines lock into position for perfectly square (90-degree) lines on any surface. Also included is a target cone to help illuminate the line, a hey hol…

Epson Duet 80-Inch Dual Aspect Ratio Projection Screen, Portable 4:3 and 16:9 Aspect Ratio Screen (ELPSC80) $94.28 39″ x 70″ – 80″ Diagonal – Widescreen…

Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen $138.49 Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen

Apollo 60-inch Tripod Projection Screen $92.99 This durable tripod projection screen from Apollo sets up in seconds. The screen is ideal for computer, video, slide and overhead projections.

Da-Lite Presenter Portable and Tripod Projection Screen $179.99 Da-Lite Presenter Portable and Tripod Projection Screen

Elite Screens Tripod Projection Screen – 80 x 80 – Matte White – 113 Diagonal $119.49 Elite Screens Tripod Projection Screen

Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen $104.49 Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen

Elite Screens Tripod Projection Screen $135.49 Elite Screens Tripod Projection Screen

Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen $95.99 Elite Screens Tripod Portable Projection Screen

Mustang Tripod 80-inch 4:3 Matte White Projector Screen $79.99 Watch movies and video anywhere with a Mustang Tripod 80-inch projector screenProjector screen features a 4:3 aspect ratio and a matte white surfaceAudio/Video accessory offers a clean-line design with top performance

Elite Screens Tripod T71NWS1 Portable Projection Screen $74.99 Elite Screens Tripod T71NWS1 Portable Projection Screen

Elite Screens Tripod Series Portable Projection Screen $94.99 Elite Screens Tripod Series Portable Projection Screen

Elite Screens Tripod T85UWS1-PRO Portable Projection Screen $119.49 Elite Screens Tripod T85UWS1-PRO Portable Projection Screen

Elite Screens Tripod T100UWH Portable Projection Screen $194.49 Elite Screens Tripod T100UWH Portable Projection Screen

Elite Screens Tripod T120UWV1 Portable Projection Screen $162.99 Elite Screens Tripod T120UWV1 Portable Projection Screen

Mustang Electric 120-inch 4:3 Matte White Projector Screen $159.49 Give presentations anywhere with a Mustang Tripod 120-inch projector screenProjector screen features a 4:3 aspect ratio and a matte white surfaceAudio/Video accessory offers a clean-line design with top performance

Mustang Portable 60-inch 4:3 Matte White Projector Screen $79.99 Watch movies anywhere with a Mustang Tripod 80-inch projector screenProjector screen features a 4:3 aspect ratio and a matte white surfaceAudio/Video accessory offers a clean-line design with top performance

Chrome Vintage Brass 20-inch Decorative Projector with Tripod $72.99 This vintage decorative movie projector makes a great collectible and display item. The projector has a chrome finish brass frame with glass lenses on the front and back and two reel spools, with a dark finished tripod.

Mustang Electric 106-inch 16:9 Matte White Projector Screen $169.99 Give presentations anywhere with a Mustang Tripod 106-inch projector screenProjector screen features a 16:9 aspect ratio and a matte white surfaceAudio/Video accessory offers a clean-line design with top performance

Elite Screens Tripod T84UWV1 Portable Projection Screen $97.37 Elite Screens Tripod T84UWV1 Portable Projection Screen