As the gain of a screen increases, what happens to the viewing cone?

When the gain of a projection screen increases, it impacts the viewing cone by decreasing its width or height. This concept originates from the behavior of light as it reflects off screens with varying gains. High-gain screens typically reflect light more directly toward the viewer situated in front of the screen, which enhances brightness for viewers in this optimal region. However, this concentration of reflected light results in a narrower viewing cone, causing the angles from which the screen can be effectively viewed to be reduced.

In contrast, screens with lower gain values tend to scatter light more broadly, allowing for a wider viewing cone, which enables more viewers to enjoy a good image quality from various angles. Thus, as gain increases, the angle of effective viewing narrows, leading to a decrease in the width and height of the viewing cone. Understanding this relationship is critical for selecting the appropriate screen based on the intended viewing environment and audience layout.