Some of the more popular brands of fixed projector screens include Da-Lite, Elite, Favi, Maxstar, and Draper.  Following is a brief review of some of the more popular screens:

Da-Lite Cinema Contour Series:  There is no doubt that this particular series, which is both affordable and looks great, is one of the best value for money series available currently. It is available in a variety of different sizes, ranging from 60 inch to 240 inch diagonal in video format and 92 inches to 220 inches diagonal in HDTV format. Another plus with this particular series is that it comes in a variety of different finishes, so that you should be able to choose something that fits well with your décor, which is important as it is wall mounted and always on show.

Perhaps the biggest plus is the cost factor. Da-Lite consistently makes great screens at affordable prices, that usually cost much less than their competitors. In spite of this, they are not lacking at all for quality or performance. This particular series is no different, it is very affordable. They also offer perforated screens, meaning that you can place your speakers behind it for optimum sound effects–although of course this is quite a bit more expensive.

Elite Screens ezFrame Series: The great thing about Elite screens is their ease of use, and the fact that while they are extremely easy to setup and operate, they are also geared towards the more high-end user. The velvet aluminum screen both looks great, and does its job of applying sufficient tension to keep the screen unwrinkled. As with the Contour series, there is also a perforated version that allows you to place your speakers behind the screen. While the finish may not be as suitable for any décor, or offer as many choice as other fixed projector screens, the very fact that it is so affordable more than makes up for this in most cases. It is not incredibly feature filled, but it does have sufficient features to give you an enjoyable viewing experience, at the right price.

Maxstar Screens Premier Series: This lightweight durable fixed projector screen is perfectly suitable for use in a home theater or for uses in other locations such as churches or schools. It is surrounded with a black velvet aluminum screen, and boasts of being made with easy to clean projector screen material, which is great for screens that are always on show.  For the price, it is relatively good value, however I do feel that there are other comparable screens that do offer more features and offer better imagining results.

With the rate that the fixed projector screens and projectors in general are improving, chances are that we will soon see many feature-rich, top of the line screens available for very affordable prices. It is now possible to purchase both a cheap projector and cheap projector screen that do work very well, and I am sure they are only going to improve are more become available on the market.

Normally, the fixed projector screen is used in situations where it can be left in place, as it is mounted on the wall. Most classrooms these days have retractable electric projector screens, oftentimes mounted directly above the blackboard. That way, when the children want to watch something on the screen, all that the teacher has to do is pull the screen down, and then let it roll back up again when it is finished. Obviously a fixed projector screen is not really an option in a situation such as this.

Businesses sometimes use a fixed projector screen for their business or advertising presentations. These are often installed on the wall of meeting rooms, and are usually positioned at the front of the room so that everyone gathered around the desks can see them.  They work very well, providing the room does not have a lot of windows. Unfortunately, many offices, meeting rooms and conference rooms are lined with windows. To enable everyone to see the images on the screen properly it is important that the windows have blackout blinds on them, otherwise the image will be filtered, dim and it will not have the proper depth but will look two dimensional.

Overall, it seems that the most popular location for the fixed projector screen remains the home theater.  If you are thinking about attaching a screen to the wall, to use in your home theater there are a few things that you may need to take into consideration.  One is that the fixed screen is always in view.  Some people prefer to have a retractable screen so that they can decide when their room will turn into a home theater and when it will be a normal family or living room. Another con to the fixed screen is that it is very easy for it to become dusty, or to get other marks on it because it is in plain view all day. It is also possible that the projector screen material may become damaged. If these issues are not a problem for you, and you do not think any harm will come to your screen, then it should be fine to have it attached to the wall in this way.

Fixed projector screens do not work as well in rooms that are painted white, or a light color. This may be an issue in your home, depending on the overall décor of your living quarters, as many people do not like to paint or cover their walls with a darker color. One workaround, rather than painting the walls a dull grey, for example, is to install your fixed projector screen in a room that has darker wood paneling around the walls. This way the room remains aesthetic, and yet it is dark enough not to reflect light or the image.

If you decide to buy a fixed projector screen, you will need to determine how large it should be. There are many factors to take into consideration when deciding on the size of the screen, and it also is determined by quite a few different variables such as the type of signal that your projector gives off, and the actual room you are going to place the screen in.  Rather than getting into details on how to measure exactly how large your screen should be, based on the distance you will be sitting away from it, I would like to suggest that you search through some different online calculators for determining projector screen sizes. There are quite a few sites that offer a calculator, all you have to do it type in a few numbers and it will give you the optimum size.

Usually a regular home theater does well with a screen size that ranges from around 84 to 92 inches in width. Larger than that, and you will lose a lot of quality with the picture, unless you have a high end projector.  Most people tend to go for the more cheap projectors in their home theaters, so screen size is an issue in those cases. Also, if it is too large, it will be quite overwhelming for people sitting closest to it. Another point is that if you try to project the image over a large surface you may find that you are having to replace your projection lamp, as they dim with age. They are not cheap, so it is in your best interest to try to minimize this.

As far as placement on the wall, you need to ensure that there is enough space to the top and bottom of the screen, and that you have plenty of room to install the speakers to either side of the screen.  Generally speaking, it is better to have the front speakers situated right beside the screen, rather than in the corners of the room, as that way it seems that the speaking and sound is coming from the screen. Some people like to place the speakers behind perforated fixed projector screens, so the sound seems to be coming from the screen. If you position your speakers beside your screen, however, this is not really necessary.

It has been estimated that for around $2,500 you should be able to set up a complete home theater with great sound, providing you use a fixed projector screen as opposed to paying out close to that total amount for the television alone, and if you buy a refurbished projector as opposed to a new one.  If you are operating on a shoestring budget, and yet you would like to have a professional looking setup, this could really be a great option for you. Keep in mind that even were you to go with a refurbished cheap projector, you would be able to upgrade later if you wanted to, once more cash was available.

Of course, whether or not this option is suitable for you would depend on the size of your living or family room. Obviously you do need quite a large room in order to properly enjoy the large size of even the smallest of projector screens. While ‘bigger is better’ may be true for some appliances and equipment, it really is not the case when it comes to a fixed projector screen.  Aside from the size of your viewing room, another important factor to remember is that the image becomes progressively dimmer the larger the screen gets. Not only does the image become dimmer, but the dimmer it gets the more two-dimensional it looks. For most people the standard 92 inch (or slightly smaller) screen should suffice, and should actually give you the best picture when using a standard home style projector.

While it is certainly possible to buy all of the necessary pieces of equipment yourself, and then install them yourself, it is not such a good idea to do this unless you are fully aware of what you are doing.  This type of equipment is expensive, and as such you should really try to make sure that first of all you buy compatible projector and fixed projector screen, and that you buy the right sized projector screen for your situation.  It can also be quite overwhelming situating all of these items in place, especially when you factor in your sound system as well.  If in doubt, you should probably hire someone to come and set it up for you–or work out with a friend, to trade off, where he sets up your home studio and you do something in return.

Fixed projector screens really do offer a great viewing experience though, in your home theater and if you buy the right one and set it up properly it will give you thousands of hours of viewing pleasure.

Another important detail to note is that many of these differences are really not an issue if you are using a more recent projector. Whereas once there were a lot of difference between projectors, if you have bought a projector within the last couple of years you probably do not need to be concerned about most of these issues. If, on the other hand, you are working with an older projector you may want to pay special attention to the following points.

Some of the specs to check out, if you are buying a screen to use with an older projector, include; resolution, screen brightness, screen reflectivity, contrast, color display and the quality of the actual screen.

Resolution: Some screens, no matter whether grey or white, somehow naturally produces sharper and more clear images than others, no matter what projector is used or what the projector’s resolution is.  This is very difficult to determine from looking at screen specs alone. In order to find the screen with the best resolution you will most likely need to test out different models, with the projector that you will be using, to see which one displays the clearest, sharpest image.

Screen Brightness and Screen Reflectivity: As with resolution, there does not seem to be a lot of reason why but some screens seem to naturally reflect more light than others. In fact, this is one area where there is quite a large variation, in spite of seeming similarities between screens and regardless of their gain rating.  In fact, some screens end up being brighter than other screens even if, by all appearances, they should not be!  This is another good reason for testing out the actual specific screen itself before making a purchase.

Contrast:  Be careful, it is not only the projector alone that determines the contrast performance.  Screens also affect this, and thus you should test any screen with the actual projector that you are going to be using with that specific screen. By doing this, you will have a more accurate idea of the level of contrast you will get and whether or not your projector has the capability to override any screen deficiencies.

Color Accuracy: Screens should not in any way affect the image color, they are meant to be neutral. However, you do need to watch out for some of the cheaper brands of screens as some–though not all–definitely do affect the image color.  If you are shopping for a screen and you are wondering about projector screen material, it would be fairly safe to recommend that you go with the matte white finish screen. This should work with most of the projectors currently on the market, and show good quality image.

Quality: Everyone appreciates fine workmanship.  However, not all screens are built equally. While this may  not be an issue for you, if you are planning on installing your screen on the wall and leaving it in place, it may be of some concern if you are planning on installing an electric projector screen. If your screen will be getting a lot of use, and rolling up and down, make sure that it is built well and is of good quality. Otherwise it may not last as long as you had hoped. This point would apply no matter how old, or new, your projector is.

In summary, if you are buying a screen to use with a projector that you have purchased fairly recently, you should not have any problems at all, no matter what type of screen you use. If you are using either a very cheap projector or an old model projector, it would be a good move on your part to double-check these things before making the actual purchase of your fixed projector screen.