Digital Projection's Screen Brightness Calculator:
A Useful Tool for Designing High-Impact Projection for Any Venue

The answers to the questions of how bright a projector needs to be, or how big a screen can be employed on a job, depend on viewing distance, ambient light level, content to be displayed and desired image brightness. DPI created the Screen Brightness Calculator to assist in defining the optimum mix of screen size, screen gain, projector lumens and contrast, for any venue.

To use DPI's Screen Brightness Calculator, the only factors you need to know in advance are the ambient light level that will be falling on the screen and the display objectives for the venue. Armed with this information, the calculator can guide you in selecting the perfect combination of projector lumens and screen size and type, to create optimum imagery in your applications.

The Screen Brightness Calculator can also assist you in determining screen dimensions (height, width and diagonal) for any aspect ratio screen. Simply select the required screen aspect ratio and define any one of the three screen dimensions, and the remaining two dimensions will calculate automatically.

To put the Screen Brightness Calculator to work, select your projector resolution and the required screen aspect ratio, then simply type the relevant numbers into the yellow boxes. Your goal is to match screen dimensions, screen gain and projector lumens, such that the system delivers enough Ft. Lamberts to overcome the venue ambient light level and produce suitable environmental contrast ratios. Target Ft. Lamberts for different types of venues are provided as examples within the Screen Brightness Calculator.

Experiment with the Calculator by trying different screen gains, screen sizes, aspect ratios, projector lumens and venue ambient light (falling on the screen). Notice the impact these factors have on image performance.

When using the calculator, be aware that projector brightness in lumens and the projector's contrast ratio must be as accurate as possible. Some manufacturers exaggerate these values in their specifications. Don't use "spec" data if it is suspect, use real data. Additionally, projectors that use Metal Halide lamps produce much less light when calibrated to D6500. Finally, all projection lamps lose light output as they are run through their useful life. Thus, the actual values you create using the Screen Brightness Calculator should be 25-to-50% higher than the target values referenced in the Calculator. This will help assure the projected imagery remains high impact through the entire life of each lamp.

CLICK HERE to start using the Screen Brightness Calculator.

IMPORTANT: The Caculator is a Microsoft Excel file and uses "macro" functions. In order for it to work properly, the Excel program on your computer must be set-up properly. This is done by setting Excel's Security settings.

If you don't know how to do this, follow these simple instructions (BEFORE opening the Calculator):

• Open-up Microsoft Excel
• In the Toolbar, click-on TOOLS
• Drag your cursor down to MACRO, follow the arrow, and click-on SECURITY
• In the SECURITY LEVEL tab, choose Medium. This setting will give you the option of enabling or disabling macros found in any file you open
• Click OK and exit Microsoft Excel.
• Click-on the link (above) to DPI's Screen Brightness Calculator
• Before the file opens, you will be prompted to either enable or disable the file's macros. Click-on ENABLE MACROS.
• You are now able to use the Calculator

If you have any further problems, please contact your IT Manager or your DP Regional Market Development Manager.

Tech Tip Archive

Demo Program: Commercial AV - Full Line and Precision Line Dealers:

• Dealers and Special Contractors may purchase up to two demo units per calendar year
  
• Demo units may be purchased at 5% off of DPI's published end column Commercial AV dealer pricing
  (End Column x .95)
  
• Excluding iVision, which already comes standard with a lens, the 5% demo discount may also be applied
  to (1) projection lens for each demo projector purchased
  
• Dealers in good credit standing receive standard payment terms - 2% cash with order, 1% 10 days, net
  30 days

Demo Program - Home Cinema Dealers:

• Home Cinema Dealers may purchase (1) demonstration iVision or dVision projection system per calendar
  year at 50% off DPI's published list price. So long as that unit is maintained in the Dealer's demonstration inventory through the end of the calendar year it was purchased, and the dealer retains in their employ at least one technical associate who has received Digital Projection training certification, the Dealer qualifies
  for Elite Home Cinema end column pricing on all additional iVision and dVision projectors purchased through
  the end of the same calendar year.
• Home Cinema Dealers may purchase (1) demonstration Mercury or HIGHlite projection system per calendar year at 50% off DPI's published list price. So long as that unit is maintained in the Dealer's demonstration inventory through the end of the calendar year it was purchased, and the dealer retains in their employ at least one technical associate who has received Digital Projection training certification, the Dealer qualifies
  for Elite Home Cinema end column pricing on all additional Mercury and HIGHlite projectors purchased
  through the end of the same calendar year.
• Home Cinema Dealers may purchase (1) demonstration Reference Display projection system per calendar year at 40% off DPI's published list price. So long as that unit is maintained in the Dealer's demonstration inventory through the end of the calendar year it was purchased, and the dealer retains in their employ at least one technical associate who has received Digital Projection training certification, the Dealer qualifies
  for Elite Home Cinema end column pricing on all additional Reference Display projectors purchased through
  the end of the same calendar year.

Demo Program - Manufacturer's Representatives:

Rich Jackson
ANSR
8430 Enterprise Way, Oakland, CA 94621
510-638-3800

Joe Blacker
Audio Associates
9160 Red Branch Road, Ste.E-5, Columbia, MD 21045
410-964-1212

Eric Leicht
AV Partners
3272 Windflower Circle, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
805-492-7055

Sharon Culotta
Culotta Communication
247 D Street, Suite 108, San Rafael, CA 94901
408-836-5671

Larry O'Neill
Dobbs Stanford Corporation
2715 Electronic Lane, Dallas, TX 75220
214-350-9009

Kenneth Colson
E.D.A. Sales, Inc.
5815 Live Oak Parkway, Suite 2G, Norcross, GA 30093
770-300-9484

Steve Johnson
HP Marketing Company
7340 South Alton Way, # G, Englewood, CO 80112
303-804-9566

Dan Muckle
Muckle Sales, Inc.
7150 SW Hampton Street, Suite 115, Tigard, OR 97223
503-620-0444

Marla Suttenberg
Sapphire Marketing LLC
1 Kalisa Way, Suite 108, Paramus, NJ 07652
201-576-9490

Frank Weese
Visitec
2020 Dean St - L2A, St. Charles, IL 60174
630-762-0300

November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005