A high gain screens are either Reflective or Retro Reflective and the material might have a gain of 1.8 or even 2.2. i.e. it reflects 180% or even 220% more
light than the standard white magnesium oxide board.
With a high gain screen that is reflective a ceiling mounted projector will reflect the light back at the floor, not necessarily where your audience is
sitting.
A high gain screen that is retro reflective will direct the reflection back to the projection source. – not easy if your projector is ceiling mounted.
So as you can see both Reflective and Retro Reflective offer a reduced viewing
angle!
The latest ultra-short throw projector allow rear projection in very small spaces. Normally using a mirror that enables large images while maintaining a relatively
slim profile for the home or in the boardroom. A permanent rear-projection system can be installed into a wall for a neater and more impressive finish.
Rear projection also have the benefit that people are less likely to walk between the projector and the screen, casting shadows over the image. They tend to be
considerably more expensive than front projection.
Projection screens have been offered in a variety of different materials from ALR, to grey and silver. All of these have been shown to have benifits in certain situations
and limitations. The main benifits are a high gain, to boost brightness, higher contrast where ambient light is an issue.