Projection fabrics – how to choose

Why the fabric matters so much

The projector emits light, but what you see is the light reflected from the screen. A surface can reflect it evenly in all directions or send more of it towards the audience; it can absorb some of the light from windows and lamps or reflect it along with the image, washing out the blacks. The same projector on two different fabrics can produce images with clearly different contrast and colour saturation.

All ADEO fabrics have an embossed structure compatible with 4K Ultra HD resolution, are cut to size on a CAD-driven plotter, and their edges are joined to the border by high-frequency welding rather than painted – so the image edge is sharp and the matte black border absorbs light. What sets them apart is colour, reflectance, viewing angle and intended use.

Five parameters you need to know

• Gain – brightness relative to a reference matte white surface (gain 1.0). Gain 1.2 means an image slightly brighter than the reference on axis; gain 0.5 means a noticeably darker one, but with deeper blacks.
• Viewing angle – the range of angles within which the image keeps its brightness. Matte fabrics offer approx. 180°, ALR fabrics much less. The general rule: higher gain and stronger directional properties mean a narrower angle.
• Colour – white gives the most faithful colours in the dark; grey improves blacks and contrast under ambient light or with light-coloured walls.
• Structure – smooth (embossed) or perforated (acoustic), letting sound through from speakers placed behind the screen.
• Projection direction – most fabrics are for front projection; rear projection needs a translucent surface.

All ADEO fabrics in one table

A dash in the UST column means the manufacturer does not designate the fabric for ultra-short-throw projectors. None of the fabrics is intended for passive polarised 3D. Fabric descriptions are also on the projection fabrics page.

White fabrics – all-round and cinema

Vision White

The most versatile white, gain 1.2 and a 180° angle. It works well in classrooms, training rooms and offices where the room is darkened or semi-darkened and the audience is spread over a wide arc. The slightly higher gain helps with projectors of moderate brightness.

Vision White Pro (temporarily unavailable)

White fabric with a black back, gain 0.9. The black layer blocks light coming from behind the screen – e.g. from a window or lamp behind a screen hung in front of glazing. Recommended for small and medium screens.

Reference White 2

A fabric for controlled light: home cinema and studios. Gain 0.9 and no hot spot mean even brightness from centre to edge, which on a large screen with a 4K projector gives a very natural image. It is the first choice for a dedicated, dark cinema room.

Grey fabrics – better blacks with light walls

A grey surface reflects less light – both from the projector and from the surroundings. Because the projected image is much brighter than the stray light in the room, the difference between white and black on the screen increases. The price is the need for a brighter projector.

• Reference Grey 2 (gain 0.5, 180° angle) – for rooms with light walls and a little light; it noticeably improves blacks and is suitable for UST projectors.
• Ambient Grey (gain 0.6, 140° angle) – for rooms with ambient light or light, coloured walls; works with both UST and standard projectors.

ALR fabrics – projecting in daylight

Ambient Grey 2 is an ALR (Ambient Light Rejecting) fabric. Its structure reflects the projector's light towards the audience and largely suppresses light coming from other directions – side windows or the ceiling. The gain is 0.9, but the viewing angle is narrow, approx. 60°. The fabric is intended only for standard and short-throw (ST) projectors, not UST. The Ambient Grey 2 Acoustik version (gain 0.8) combines ALR properties with acoustic perforation.

A detailed comparison of the grey surfaces is in the guide ALR and grey screens – when they are worth it, and practical advice for a living room with windows in the guide a screen for a bright living room.

Acoustic fabrics – speakers behind the screen

A perforated fabric lets sound through, so the centre and front speakers can be placed behind the screen, just as in a cinema. Dialogue then comes from where you see the actor. ADEO uses two perforation sizes:

• 0.5 mm – Reference White 2 Acoustik, Reference Grey 2 Acoustik, Ambient Grey 2 Acoustik and Vision Acoustik; for home cinema and commercial venues where viewers sit relatively close.
• 1.3 mm – Vision Macro Acoustik; for cinemas, theatres and very large venues where viewers sit far away and the larger holes let more sound through.

Smaller perforation is less visible up close, which is why 0.5 mm is chosen for the home. More on speaker distance and moiré in the guide acoustic screens.

Fabrics for rear projection and events

Vision Rear DB works in both directions: gain 0.6 in front projection and 0.8 in rear projection, with a very wide viewing angle. For rear projection, simply flip the image in the projector menu. Vision Fold Rear 2 is a grey rear-projection fabric designed for folding event frames, and Vision Fold 2 is a white, flexible, crease-resistant front-projection fabric for rental. How to plan the space behind the screen is described in the guide rear projection.

ChromaKey Green – a backdrop, not a screen

ChromaKey Green RAL 6038 is a green keying backdrop for video studios, schools or streaming. It is not used for displaying a projected image. Rolled up in the case of a motorised screen, it is a convenient alternative to fabric hung on a stand: it unrolls smoothly and retracts after recording. More in the guide ChromaKey green screen.

Fabric and ultra-short-throw projectors

A UST projector stands from a dozen or so to several dozen centimetres from the wall and lights the screen from below at a very steep angle. A projector is considered UST when its throw distance is less than half the image width. In this set-up, every ripple in the fabric casts a visible shadow, and ALR fabrics designed for light coming from the front do not work properly. For UST, choose Reference Grey 2 or Ambient Grey (or Reference Grey 2 Acoustik), on a fixed-frame or tensioned screen. Details in the guide screens for UST projectors.

Fabric, mounting and flatness

A wide-angle matte fabric tolerates minor unevenness well, but ALR fabrics and UST projection exaggerate it greatly. The manufacturer recommends that roller screens with ALR fabric have Tensio tensioning, or that a fixed-frame screen is chosen. The flattest surface comes from fixed-frame screens (Plano, Prestige, Frameless); among roller screens – models with side tensioning, e.g. OnSuperior. How the individual tensioning systems work is explained in the guide tensioned Tensio screens.

Fabric availability depends on the model – e.g. the largest motorised screens are offered in Vision White and acoustic fabrics, while fixed-frame screens offer almost the full range. The configurator shows only the fabrics available for the selected model.

Fabric, screen size and projector brightness

Image brightness on the screen depends on three things: the projector's light output (in lumens), the image area and the fabric gain. The same projector spread over twice the area gives an image half as bright. Gain works the same way: switching from Vision White (1.2) to Reference Grey 2 (0.5) drops on-axis brightness to roughly 42%. That is why the fabric and size are best chosen together with the projector, not after it.

The practical order is: first set the image size based on viewing distance, then assess the lighting conditions and choose the fabric, and finally check that the projector has enough brightness headroom for this combination. If it does not, reduce the image slightly, limit the light in the room or choose a brighter projector. With large screens in commercial rooms and for cinema projection, uniformity of brightness from centre to edge is also especially important – here wide-angle matte fabrics without a hot spot have the edge.

Fabric decision tree in five questions

1. Is the projector behind the screen? Yes – Vision Rear DB (permanent installations) or Vision Fold Rear 2 (events). No – go on.
2. Will the speakers be behind the screen? Yes – choose an Acoustik version: 0.5 mm at home and in meeting rooms, 1.3 mm in a cinema or theatre. No – go on.
3. Is the projector ultra-short-throw (UST)? Yes – Reference Grey 2 or Ambient Grey. No – go on.
4. Is there daylight or are lights on during projection? A lot of light – Ambient Grey 2 (ALR). Some light or light walls – Reference Grey 2 or Ambient Grey. Dark – go on.
5. What is the room used for? Home cinema, studio – Reference White 2. Education, office, training room – Vision White. Light from behind the screen – Vision White Pro (temporarily unavailable).

The most common mistakes when choosing a fabric

• ALR fabric with a UST projector – Ambient Grey 2 is not intended for UST; the image will be uneven.
• Grey fabric in a completely dark room with black walls – you lose brightness with no real gain in contrast; white will be better.
• Narrow viewing angle in a wide room – an ALR fabric with an angle of approx. 60° will not work in a room where some viewers sit far to the side.
• Projector too weak for a grey fabric – at gain 0.5 the image is approx. half as bright as on a white with gain 1.0; check the projector's brightness. More in the guide screen gain and viewing angle.
• ALR fabric on a roller screen without tensioning – even small ripples become visible.

Not sure which surface will be best in your room? Describe the room, the projector and how it will be used – we will advise you before you order.

Frequently asked questions