14-26 I E S LIGHTING HANDBOOK

of the entire normal seating area, particularly where the projection booth is
well above the audience level. In classroom projection, on the other hand,
the axis of projection is only slightly above eye level and such screens are
used to obtain higher picture brightnesses when viewing positions can be
kept within about 22 degrees of the projection axis. It is particularly im-
portant to observe the minimum viewing distance recommendations given
at the foot of this page.
3. Metalized screen. The surface of metalized screens is coated with fine
particles of metal, usually aluminum, each of which reflect light specularly.
(See curves Fig. 14-11.) Such screens show a pronounced "hot spot"
which is near the center of the screen for those near the axis of projection.
The hot spot moves toward the near side of the screen as the observer moves
away from the axis. Brightness differences increase with viewing angle and
with reduction in viewing distance and are excessive for either classroom or
theater projection. Metallic screens are necessary, however, for viewing
polarized projected pictures.
4. Translucent screen. As its name implies, the characteristic of the
translucent screen is to transmit light. The material used must be suffi-
ciently thin so that there is a minimum loss of definition in the projected
image and yet sufficiently diffusing to satisfy the requirements of brightness
uniformity through the desired angle. When completely diffusing, their
properties are essentially the same as those of the matte screen, but the
brightness is less for a given amount of incident light. Translucent screens
of high transmittance approximate the characteristics of metalized screens
;
a "hot spot" becomes increasingly apparent as the transmittance is
increased.
Since such screens are primarily transmitters rather than reflectors of
light they have the important advantage of being effective under higher
levels of illumination in the audience part of the room than could be tol-
erated for a reflecting screen. A large portion of any stray light falling on
the front of the screen passes through and thus causes less loss of contrast
in the projected picture. On the other hand, extraneous light behind the
screen is detrimental
.
Maximum and Minimum Viewing Distance
At a viewing distance greater than 6 times the width of the screen, pic-
ture details are not satisfactorily resolved. Picture widths should equal
approximately one-sixth of the distance from the screen to the farthest row
of seats. (See Fig. 14-12.)
If the observer is sitting too close to the screen,
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nervous strain and
physical fatigue result from imperfections in the projected image and ex-
cessive eye movement in attempting to scan the entire screen area. In
addition, when beaded screens are used, viewing from too short a distance
increases the nonuniformity of screen brightness because of the large angle
subtended by the scene. For classroom use,
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seats should not be closer
to the screen than twice the picture width in any case, and when beaded