Table of ContentsTable of ContentsWhy you shouldnt use your bare wallThe best projection screen optionsThe biggest reason to get a projector is because its image can be, well, big. When you first experience watching a blockbuster movie, or playing a game, or cheering on your local sports team in your living room with the picture taking up most of your wall, its exciting and intoxicating. But if youre watching that wall-sized picture on the literal wall, youre not only visually doing yourself (and the money you spent on an excellent projector) a disservice, youre affecting the projectors performance. Potentially to a drastic degree.Now, if youre using a pico projector or something thats designed for its portability that only costs a few hundred dollars, by all means use a wall for some quick temporary viewing or to have on in the background. But if the whole idea was to replace your TV with a projector, its important to understand why you should stop using a wall as your screen surface.Derek Malcolm / Digital TrendsAs you step back and admire your wall and maybe the effort you put in to that new coat of paint it probably looks pretty decent. Even coverage, a nice solid color, and no extra markings (until your kid get close with a crayon). Look closer, though, and the texture from the paint and the drywall becomes quickly apparent. With the paint job in my living room, I can even see the texture from a normal viewing distance. When you project on to that texture, it in turn affects the texture and sharpness of the picture, degrading the image and reducing perceived resolution.Recommended VideosA projection screen, on the other hand, has a significantly smoother surface. Even older or less expensive screens that have a small amount of texture are miles ahead of a painted wall. You can see below a comparison of the wall a few inches to the left of my screen (left image) and the Stewart Filmscreen GrayHawk screen surface, both taken from about a foot away.1. A closeup of painted drywall.2. A closeup of the Stewart GrayHawk screen material.Its not just unwanted added texture that a painted wall instills on the image. Projection screens are designed to be neutral and not affect the color of the image being projected onto them (Ill admit, some screens are better at this than others), as well as boost the brightness of a projected image and improve contrast, depending on the screen material. A painted wall will do none of that (at least on purpose). This is even more important for ultra-short throw (UST) projectors that work best with an ALR (Ambient Light Rejecting) screen that is designed to reflect the light being projected at it from below or above towards the viewers eyes at their seating position.The contrast performance is the biggest concern to me, as projectors already have issues with contrast when compared to other display options (e.g. TVs). By projecting on a painted wall that reduces brightness or lifts black levels or both a projector that could be getting 1000:1 will underperform. (As an aside, most contrast measurements published by manufacturers are drastically inflated and shouldnt be taken as accurate.)Really what it comes down to is this: Youve spent hard-earned money on a projector, but by projecting on a wall, youre diminishing the value of that purchase. So what can you do?Sony Bravia Projector 8 SonyYou dont need to spend thousands of dollars to get something better than your wall although you absolutely can. If youve spent up to $2,000 on a projector, Id recommend budgeting at least $200-300 for a screen. And as the price of the projector goes up, increase the screen budget. If youre planning to drop $16k to equip your home theater room with a JVC DLA-NZ8 or Sony Bravia Projector 8, youll definitely want to consider something like the Stewart StudioTek 130 (a bit of an industry standard for quite some time). But for the rest of us, what are some of the options out there?Screen paint: If youre dead set against hanging a screen on your wall, there are different types of screen paint you can use, but expect to spend a bit of sweat equity to get it right. And if your wall isnt already smooth, the texture will likely show through the screen paint.Fixed-frame screen: This is what I currently have. The screen is attached to a frame that mounts to the wall, so its similar to wall mounting a TV.Retractable screen: This is what Im considering upgrading to. The screen housing is a long tube that mounts to the ceiling or the top of a free-standing stand and can be pulled down when needed. There are also motorized versions that can be connected to a control system, so when you turn on your projector, the screen automatically descends for viewing.Portable screen: These are usually retractable screens, but can be broken down and put away in the closet when not used. They also dont need to be mounted on the wall or the ceiling, and if backyard movie nights are in your future (and with summer coming, I hope they are), a portable screen is the best option for periodically setting something up outside.Which option is best will depend on your current situation, but the most important thing you can do for your projector is get it off the wall and onto a projection screen.