A screen is cleaned by gently wiping the front surface with a clean microfibre cloth using multiple and overlapping vertical strokes. Starting from the centre of the screen, raise the microfibre cloth to the top of the screen. During this movement the cloth is not touching the projection screen.
For tougher spots, you can make a cleaning solution using a water-based detergent and warm water. Moisten a clean, cotton cloth or Q-Tip with this solution; moisten the stained area; and gently lift off the stain. Do not use any other cleaning materials on the screen.
You can mix a solution of 1oz Simple Green to 20 oz of water and lightly rub the surface until the soap is removed. You can also use a microfiber cloth towel and a mixture of 95% water/5% Dawn. Black Diamond: The preferred method is with “Whoosh” screen cleaner, sold by Tech Hygiene, and a microfiber towel.
If you regularly tear the wrinkled sheets off your bed to use them as a makeshift projector screen, it's time to upgrade. All you need is a white sheet, some eyelets, a few screw-in hooks, and about 12 feet of PVC pipe.
A black screen will give you a sharper image with better black levels than a white screen, especially in rooms with a lot of ambient light. If you plan to use a projector as a replacement for your living room television, a black screen could be a great solution.
While a white or off-white tarpaulin can be found, the thick fibers and uneven surface will not make for good picture quality. If you have a high-end projector that puts out HD picture quality, billboard tarps and tarpaulins are not good options.
Gray screens are often called high contrast screens because their purpose is to boost contrast on digital projectors in viewing rooms that are not entirely dark. The gray screen absorbs ambient light that strikes it better than a white screen does. In so doing the black level on the screen is maintained.
Just like above, a plain white sheet works best. It doesn't have to be a bedsheet, either. Any piece of smooth, white cloth will do the trick. The trickiest part of using a sheet as a projector screen is hanging it properly to avoid wrinkles, folds, or movement.
Projector screens matter because the material type, color, and texture can all affect the quality of the image. The color of your screen will affect how much light will bounce off of it when projecting an image. Dark colors are better such as gray or black because there's less observed screen gain.
Can you use a projector without a screen? The simple answer is yes! But using a projector without a screen will decrease the quality of the viewable image. A simple white wall will definitely provide a good surface for an image to be projected, but there are definitely some downsides to it.
You can absolutely use a projector for normal, everyday TV watching. It won't hurt the projector (though it may run the bulb life down faster), and it may lead to a better overall TV-watching experience, at a lower price-point than most larger Televisions.
