Projector Screen Installation Guide — TrueThrow

Every TrueThrow screen ships with a printed quick-start guide. This page has the full installation steps for every screen type, plus tips we've collected from real setups. Take five minutes to read the relevant section before you open a single box — it will save you time.

Need help? Our screen specialists offer free remote setup support for all TrueThrow purchases. Contact Us →

Section 1
Fixed Frame Screens

Applies to: TT-MW, TT-HCG, TT-GCA, TT-BCA, TT-WAT, TT-BSP, TT-CBSP

Fixed frame screens deliver the flattest, most cinema-accurate image of any screen type. Because the frame is permanently tensioned, alignment during installation is critical — take your time and the result will be stunning.

What's in the box

  • Horizontal and vertical frame sections (labelled T, B, L, R)
  • Rolled or folded screen surface
  • Corner joining blocks (4×)
  • Centre support bar (screens 120″ and above)
  • Wall-mount hanging brackets and screws
  • Paper installation template
  • Hardware bag: screws, Allen keys, tensioning clips

Step-by-step installation

  1. Unbox and verify contents. Lay everything on a clean, carpeted surface or blanket. Account for all frame sections, corner blocks, and hardware before proceeding. Contact us immediately if anything is missing.
  2. Choose your location. The screen must be centred on your primary seating position. Avoid placing the screen in front of windows or directly opposite doors where ambient light will wash out the image. Ensure there are no light sources directly behind viewers.
  3. Mark the wall using the paper template. Tape the included paper template to the wall at your intended screen height. Use a spirit level across the top edge and a laser level or plumb bob for vertical alignment. Mark the bracket hole positions with a pencil. Double-check measurements before drilling.
  4. Install wall brackets. Drill pilot holes into wall studs wherever possible. Use the supplied wall anchors for drywall locations between studs. For screens 100″ and above, two people are required — one to hold the bracket level, one to drive the screws.
  5. Assemble the frame on the floor. Connect the four frame sections at the corners using the provided corner blocks. Hand-tighten only at this stage — do not use power tools on the corner connections. Attach the centre support bar if included.
  6. Attach the screen surface. Unfold or unroll the screen surface carefully — avoid contact with the viewing surface. Start at the top-centre tab and work outward to each corner, then down both sides, finishing at the bottom. The tensioning tabs loop over the frame's rear channel. Do not over-pull — the surface should be taut but not distorted.
  7. Tighten frame corners. Once the surface is attached, tighten the corner block screws evenly in an X pattern (top-left → bottom-right → top-right → bottom-left). Check that the surface remains evenly tensioned after tightening.
  8. Mount the assembled frame on the wall brackets. This step requires two people. Lift the frame and hook the rear channels onto the wall brackets. Most TrueThrow brackets allow small left/right adjustments after mounting.
  9. Final alignment. Check level again from a distance. Stand at your primary seating position and verify the screen appears perfectly plumb. Adjust bracket positions if needed.
Pro tip: Leave 24–48 hours after installation for the screen surface to fully tension at room temperature before your first serious viewing session. Minor micro-wrinkles near the edges are normal and will disappear.

Section 2
Electric & Motorized Screens

Applies to: TT-R-TPU series

Electric screens hide away when not in use, making them ideal for multi-purpose rooms. Correct power installation and motor programming are the keys to long-term reliability.

What's in the box

  • Motor housing with screen roll pre-installed
  • End-cap brackets (left and right)
  • RF/IR remote control and IR receiver cable
  • Power cable
  • Mounting hardware bag

Step-by-step installation

  1. Unbox carefully. The motor housing contains a pre-rolled screen. Do not manually pull the screen more than a few centimetres while the housing is lying flat — always let the motor deploy it.
  2. Confirm power access. A standard 110V outlet is required within 1.5 m of the mounting point. If power is not already present in the ceiling or high on the wall, engage a licensed electrician to install a switched outlet before proceeding. Do not run extension cords permanently.
  3. Mark bracket positions using the template. Ceiling or high-wall mounting are both supported. Use a laser level to ensure both brackets are perfectly level with each other — even a 2 mm difference will cause the screen to roll unevenly over time.
  4. Mount the brackets. Drill into joists (ceiling) or studs (wall) wherever possible. For ceiling drywall between joists, use rated toggle bolts — the housing is heavy. Two people are required.
  5. Hang the motor housing. Lift the housing onto the brackets and secure the locking pins. The motor end is usually marked with a label — ensure it faces the correct side (refer to your model's quick-start card).
  6. Connect power. Plug the power cable into the outlet. The screen motor will briefly initialise. Do not press any remote buttons yet.
  7. Test motor direction. Press DOWN on the remote. The screen should descend. If it goes up instead, swap the UP/DOWN polarity on the remote (hold UP+DOWN simultaneously for 3 seconds on most models — consult your remote's specific instructions).
  8. Program the upper stop position. Fully retract the screen. While retracted, hold the UP button on the remote for 5 seconds until the motor briefly jogs — this sets the upper limit.
  9. Program the lower stop position. Fully extend the screen to your desired viewing position. Hold the DOWN button for 5 seconds until the motor jogs — this sets the lower limit. Run the screen up and down once to confirm both limits.
  10. Connect the IR receiver (optional). For wall-switch integration or compatibility with universal remotes, connect the IR receiver cable and position it near your wall switch or in the line-of-sight of your universal remote.
Break-in tip: Run the screen up and down 3 full cycles on first use. This allows the motor to calibrate its torque profile and locks in the memory stop positions reliably.
Important: Never manually force the screen up or down while the motor is powered. If the screen stalls mid-travel, release the remote button and check for obstructions before retrying.

Section 3
Fresnel & CLR Screens

Applies to: TT-CLR, TT-FRS series

Fresnel and Ceiling Light Rejection (CLR) screens are engineered to fight ambient light by focusing on light arriving from the projector's specific angle. They deliver exceptional contrast in bright rooms — but only when positioned correctly.

Frame assembly

Follow the same frame assembly steps as Section 1 (Fixed Frame) — steps 1 through 9 apply identically.

Critical: directional alignment

Fresnel screens are directional. The screen surface must face the projector's throw angle precisely. Horizontal offset significantly reduces gain and contrast rejection. Position your projector before mounting the screen whenever possible.
  • Identify the projector's centre throw axis and mark it on the floor.
  • The projector should be centred horizontally with the screen (or within the manufacturer's stated offset tolerance).
  • Refer to your specific projector's throw ratio to confirm the required throw distance for your screen size (see Section 5 for the formula).
  • The screen surface must be perfectly vertical — check with a spirit level on both axes.

Ambient light test

After installation, perform this simple test to confirm correct alignment:

  1. Turn on all room lights.
  2. Project a solid white image onto the screen.
  3. From your primary seating position, the image should appear noticeably brighter and more vibrant than it would on a standard matte white surface under the same lighting conditions.
  4. If the image looks washed out, check that the projector is centred and that the screen surface is perfectly vertical. A backward tilt of even 2° will compromise Fresnel performance significantly.

Section 4
UST / Laser TV Screens

Applies to: TT-CBSP, TT-HBSP, TT-BSP (UST variants), Fresnel UST series

Ultra-short-throw screens are purpose-built for laser TVs and UST projectors. Because the projector shoots upward at a steep angle from just centimetres away, placement precision is far more critical than with standard throw setups.

Before you install

  • Confirm your projector is UST-compatible. Your projector's throw ratio must be 0.4 or lower (typically 0.2–0.4 for laser TVs). A standard projector used with a UST screen will produce a severely distorted image.
  • Plan the furniture layout first. The laser TV sits on a media console positioned directly below and in front of the screen. Confirm the console depth matches the projector manufacturer's recommended distance from the wall.

Frame assembly

Follow the same frame assembly steps as Section 1 (Fixed Frame).

UST-specific requirements

  1. Screen must be perfectly vertical. Even a slight backward tilt (1–2°) will cause trapezoidal (keystone) distortion across the entire image. After mounting, use a spirit level on both left-right and top-bottom axes. Adjust wall brackets until the frame hangs plumb.
  2. Centre the projector. Use a laser level to confirm the projector's lens is centred horizontally with the screen. Horizontal offset in UST setups causes uneven focus across the image width.
  3. Set projector distance physically first. Slide the media console forward or backward to match the manufacturer's recommended distance. This is almost always specified in centimetres from the screen's base to the projector's front feet.
  4. Use digital keystone correction sparingly. UST projectors include keystone correction, but digital correction reduces image sharpness. Aim to correct projector position physically until the image fills the screen squarely, then use digital correction only for the final 1–2° of refinement.
  5. Secure cables. Run power and HDMI cables through cable raceways before finalising the console position. UST setups are typically permanent; plan cable management now to avoid disruption later.
Quick alignment tip: Project a full-frame white test pattern before finalising the projector distance. All four corners should be bright and sharp. If the top corners are dim, the screen is tilting away from the projector — shim the bottom of the frame forward slightly.

Section 5
Throw Distance & Viewing Distance Calculator

Use these formulas to plan your room layout before installation. Getting this right before you drill a single hole saves significant time.

Throw distance

Projector distance from screen = Image width × Throw ratio

Screen size (diagonal) Approx. image width (16:9) Throw ratio 1.2 → distance Throw ratio 0.5 → distance
100″ 219 cm 263 cm (~8.6 ft) 110 cm (~3.6 ft)
110″ 241 cm 289 cm (~9.5 ft) 121 cm (~4.0 ft)
120″ 263 cm 316 cm (~10.4 ft) 132 cm (~4.3 ft)
135″ 296 cm 355 cm (~11.6 ft) 148 cm (~4.9 ft)
150″ 329 cm 395 cm (~13.0 ft) 164 cm (~5.4 ft)

Always check your projector's spec sheet for its exact throw ratio — it varies by model and zoom setting.

Viewing distance

Content Minimum viewing distance Optimal viewing distance
4K / UHD Diagonal × 1.2 Diagonal × 1.5–2.0
1080p / Full HD Diagonal × 1.5 Diagonal × 2.0–2.5
720p Diagonal × 2.0 Diagonal × 2.5–3.0

Example: a 120″ screen with 4K content — minimum 144″ (366 cm / ~12 ft) from screen; optimal 180–240″ (457–610 cm / 15–20 ft).

Save time with our Room Simulator: Enter your room dimensions, screen size, and projector model to get throw distance, viewing distance, and screen placement automatically calculated. Open the Room Simulator →

Section 6
Get Help — Free Remote Setup Support

Still stuck? We've got you.

Every TrueThrow screen purchase includes free remote setup support. Our screen specialists have helped customers across Canada get perfect images in every kind of room — basement home theatres, bright living rooms, dedicated screening rooms, and commercial installations.

What we can help with over video or phone:
  • Confirming your screen placement and throw distance before drilling
  • Walking through frame assembly step-by-step
  • Diagnosing image quality issues (hot-spotting, keystone, colour shift)
  • Projector settings optimisation for your specific screen surface
  • Motor programming for electric screens

Contact Us for Setup Support →

You can also email us directly — just include your order number and a photo of your room if you have one. We typically respond within 1 business day.