Madrigal Imaging MP-8 - Manual (Page 12)

Lighting
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Proper lighting is another important factor when designing a projection
room. Visiting a movie theatre can give you an idea of what makes a good
projection environment. All walls, floors and furnishings are dull colored
and non-reflectively finished. Every effort should be made to create the best
environment for your system.
When designing a projection room, try to avoid white, reflective ceilings
and non-directional lighting such as fluorescent lights. The white ceiling
spreads the light which makes the room appear brighter. You want to keep
the lighting and reflections to a minimum. Spot lighting is a better way to
obtain illumination. Installing light dimmers allows you to control your
lighting environment.
Outside windows are undesirable in any projection environment. A small
crack between curtains on a sunny day can severely wash-out an image.
Make sure that curtains are opaque and fit snugly. Some curtains can pro-
vide up to 100 percent blockage of outside light. Pay close attention to the
curtain material facing inside the room. It should have a matte finish.
Even with no external light at all, reflections from room surfaces can
degrade the image. Light from the screen should be absorbed by surfaces so
that it will not be reflected back to the screen. Keep reflective surfaces to a
minimum.
To minimize the effects caused by unwanted light from door and aisle ways,
carefully choose the position of your projector and screen. Figure 2-3 shows
an installation where poor screen placement has allowed too much unwanted
light to enter the screen. In Figure 2-4, the screen and the projector are
positioned so that unwanted light is minimized.
Figure 2-3. Poor Screen Placement
Prime Audience
Area
unwanted light
unwanted light
unwanted light
window
door
door
INSTALLATION & SETUP
2.6