Whitepaper Cumulative Gain
Filmmaking is a labour of love that necessitates the participation and effort of many people. Watching movies becomes even more enjoyable with the best cinema screen for the audience.
Consequently, these efforts should be perfectly displayed on the screen. Screen gain is the gain value for a viewer seated perpendicular to the screen’s viewing surface. However, there is at least always a difference in gain between the centre and the edges of the screen.
As a result of the lack of transparency in screen gain calculation, overall picture quality suffers, and the brightness is inconsistent when comparing the screen centre and edges. The experience of watching movies on a screen becomes dull and grainy. But, teaming with the right quantitative measures will give the viewers a high-quality viewing experience.
Why is cumulative gain unit a huge deal?
- Screen gain is calculated from the point where the screen is brightest, directly in front of and perpendicular to the screen— the centre. So, peak gain at the zero to five degrees viewing axis is the measurement taken as a standard.
- When the viewers move to the side and look at the screen from an angle, the brightness of the projected image begins to fade. Depending on the gain, the reading drops up to 50% of its maximum value at certain viewing angles. As a result, a viewer watching the screen from the corner seats will see an image with less brightness than the viewer seated in the centre.
- The picture quality and thus the viewing experience of various portions of the image can shift dramatically for viewers sitting far off centre.
BRIGHTER CENTRES OR LESS BRIGHT EDGES
- Given the difference in gain from the centre to the edges of the screen, for Example, a projector screen with a gain of 1.4 will project back 140% brighter at the centre but less brightness at the edges.
- The screen accomplishes this by focusing light into a narrower reflective angle rather than uniformly reflecting light in all directions. As a result, higher gain screens have a narrower viewing angle. So, a high gain screen may restrict the number of the perfect viewing seats you can have in your theatre.
HOTSPOTTING
Any screen with a gain greater than 1.0 has some level of hot-spotting. When viewed from the centre of the screen, the middle portion of the image will be brighter than the edges. However, this is not noticeable to a great extent on screens with less than 1.4 gain.
How can it be solved?
- For over a century, French cinema has occupied an important place in the world’s cinema culture, with August and Louis Lumière, who invented motion-picture technology in the late nineteenth century, and Alice Guy-Blaché and others being industry pioneers. Conforming to the French measurement standards, the screen gain is measured on the 9 major portions of the screen.
- This is what we at Galalite call the Cumulative gain unit. With an aim to improve picture quality and viewing experience, we intend to provide greater transparency of information in the difference in gain from the centre to the edge. This results in cinema owners and stakeholders making an informed decision when it comes to screen selection, resulting in an ideal viewing experience for their patrons. Instead of measuring the screen gain at the centre, the screen gain at 9 different points is measured to find the cumulative gain unit.
- Consequently, Galalite has developed its own unique Lensray technology that contributes to a life-like cinema viewing experience based on decades of expertise and belief in offering high-quality projection screens. It eliminates picture screening distortion as well as any colour and brightness variations.
- Lensray reduces image noise and improves centre to edge brightness uniformity with a micro-lens array based technology. The involvement of the fields released by these distinct micro-lens is prevented by maintaining the coherence region on the microlens array surface lower than the microlens footprint. As a result, there is a considerable improvement in perceived brightness. Lensray Technology displays is significantly superior to that of any other screen in the world. To give the audience an ideal viewing experience, any screen or reflecting surface must diffuse light uniformly over the area.
- Lensray technology led to the evolution of perfect viewing movie screens. Our screens offer significantly improved and evolved centre-to-edge uniformity, resulting in an ideal viewing experience. This technology has the potential to provide numerous benefits to the film industry. The primary goal is to increase cinema exhibitors’ profitability by ensuring a better and more consistent image presentation.
Summary
- The higher the gain, the more the light is focused into a narrower reflective angle, allowing for a smaller area where fewer viewers can experience the perfect picture. At the same time, viewers of the high gain screen may also experience “hot-spotting.” But, Lensray technology led to the evolution of perfect viewing movie screens. This technology has improved the light distribution in higher gain screens. This is specified in all the technical data sheets of Galalite Screens, where the screen gain will be mentioned concerning the centre and all the 9 points on the surface of the screen.
- The final step in creating an overall perfect viewing experience is selecting the right projection screen. The right screen can make an image appear brighter and make the colours pop. Remember that screen formulations are critical in achieving the best possible image quality. Thus, cinema owners can make meaningful decisions in selecting an adequate movie screen through these formulations and information.
- Galalite Screens, a well-experienced brand of premium screens dedicated to state-of-the-art technology, seamless clarity and perfect viewing experience, will help you understand your screen selection and guide you to the right choice of screen materials, screen size, and other options to make your theatre perform at its best for your maximum enjoyment.
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