Middle Atlantic 36441 Manual Projection Screen 60" x 96" Wide Format
The Middle Atlantic 36441 is a ceiling-mounted manual pull-down projection screen designed for wide-format (16:10) front-projection environments. At 60 inches high by 96 inches wide — 113 inches on the diagonal — it fills large conference rooms, training spaces, and command centers where standard-definition and HD sources need a surface sized for the room, not the projector. If you're sourcing screens for a professional AV or operations environment, the 36441 belongs on your comparison list.
Overview
Manual pull-down screens occupy the practical middle ground between fixed-frame installs and motorized solutions. The Middle Atlantic 36441 brings a 113-inch diagonal surface to ceiling-mount applications without the added complexity of motor wiring or control integration. The MatteWhite surface handles standard-resolution sources cleanly — it's a diffuse, gain-neutral material that distributes reflected light evenly across a wide seating cone rather than hot-spotting toward a single viewer position. For training rooms or briefing centers where seating is spread across the room, that matters more than chasing peak brightness numbers.
Key Features
- 113-Inch Diagonal (60" x 96"): A 16:10 aspect ratio at this size covers the full width of a standard 8-foot projection throw without letterboxing widescreen content or cropping 4:3 legacy slides. If your room seats 20–30 people, this diagonal keeps back-row viewers at a comfortable viewing angle without pushing the projector uncomfortably close.
- Wide 16:10 Screen Format: Most commercial projection screens in conference and command-center builds now default to 16:9. The 36441's 16:10 format matches native widescreen laptop outputs (1920x1200, 2560x1600) without cropping the vertical — relevant when presenters pull up documents or full-height maps. If your projector is 16:9 native, you'll see a thin unused strip at top and bottom, which is an acceptable trade-off for mixed-source flexibility.
- MatteWhite Standard-Resolution Surface: The MatteWhite coating is designed for standard and HD resolution sources in controlled-light environments. Gain is close to 1.0, meaning the screen adds no artificial brightness amplification — what the projector throws is what the audience sees, with wide-angle uniformity. High-gain alternatives may look brighter on-axis but wash out for off-center seating; MatteWhite avoids that trade-off in rooms with non-theater seating arrangements.
- Manual Pull-Down Operation: Manual operation keeps the installation straightforward — no 110V outlet at the ceiling, no control relay, no integration with a room-automation system required. For retrofit installs or rooms without conduit to the ceiling, this is the pragmatic choice. The trade-off is that retraction and deployment require a person at the screen (or a pull cord), which is appropriate for most conference and training environments but impractical for large auditoriums or tiered lecture halls where the screen is inaccessible from the floor.
- Ceiling Application: The 36441 is specified for ceiling mount, which keeps the screen centered in the room's field of view regardless of wall layout. Ceiling mounting also allows the screen to deploy into a space where wall real estate is consumed by whiteboards, displays, or equipment racks — a common constraint in AV-dense rooms in security operations centers and multi-use training facilities.
- 54 lb Shipping Weight: At 54 lbs (24.5 kg) shipped, plan for two-person installation on any ceiling mount. The hardware included and ceiling substrate requirements should be confirmed against your ceiling type before ordering — suspended ceilings will require backing support above the tile plane.
Integration and Compatibility
The 36441's 16:10 MatteWhite surface is compatible with any front-projection source — LCD, DLP, or laser — without special calibration. For environments integrating this screen with a video management display workflow or wall-of-screens command center, note that the 16:10 format is most efficient when paired with 16:10 native projectors (WUXGA 1920x1200 being the most common in commercial installs). Pairing with a 16:9 projector is fully functional but wastes the top and bottom ~4% of screen height. Coordinate with the AV designer on throw distance: at 96 inches wide, a typical 1.5:1 throw-ratio projector needs approximately 12 feet of throw distance, which should be confirmed against the specific projector's lens spec before ceiling-mounting the unit.
For large control rooms or training centers where the screen pairs with a room control system, factor in that manual operation means no relay or RS-232 control is available — the screen cannot be integrated into an automated room preset. If automated raise/lower is a requirement, evaluate the motorized variant in the same Da-Lite Model C family instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the actual viewable screen size on the Middle Atlantic 36441?
A: The viewable surface is 60 inches high by 96 inches wide, measured as a 113-inch diagonal. This is a 16:10 aspect ratio screen.
Q: Is the 36441 compatible with 16:9 projectors?
A: Yes, a 16:9 projector will work on this 16:10 screen. When projecting 16:9 content, you will see a narrow unused strip at the top and bottom of the screen surface. The image will not be cropped. If you require a full 16:9 fill with no unused surface, a 16:9 screen would be the better match.
Q: Does this screen require a power connection for operation?
A: No. The 36441 is a manual pull-down screen and does not require any electrical connection. It does not support motorized or automated operation.
Q: What ceiling substrate is required for installation?
A: The 36441 mounts to the ceiling. At a shipping weight of 54 lbs, a solid structural ceiling or backing board above a suspended ceiling is strongly recommended. Confirm substrate load capacity with your facility team before installing.
Q: What surface type does the 36441 use?
A: The 36441 uses a MatteWhite surface, which is a standard-resolution, near-unity-gain diffuse coating suited for controlled-light environments and wide seating arrangements.
The 36441 comes up often when we're spec'ing display surfaces for security operations centers and training facilities — specifically because of that 16:10 format at 113 inches diagonal. It's a deliberate choice over 16:9 when the room is running mixed sources: a 16:9 briefing deck, a WUXGA map overlay, a live video feed in a window. The 60-inch height gives you enough vertical real estate that switching between content types doesn't require the presenter to zoom and pan constantly.
Technical Highlights:
- 113" Diagonal at 16:10: At 60" x 96", this screen fills the forward wall in rooms up to about 30 feet deep without the projector needing an unusually long throw. The 16:10 ratio is the practical choice for WUXGA (1920x1200) projectors, which are the mainstream spec in commercial integrations — you get full panel utilization with no letterboxing.
- MatteWhite Surface: Near-unity gain means predictable brightness across the full seating cone — roughly a 160-degree usable viewing angle. In rooms with non-raked seating (conference tables, briefing rows), this outperforms high-gain surfaces that favor only the center seats.
- 54 lb Shipping Weight: That's a two-person ceiling install regardless of how fit the installer is. Budget accordingly for labor, and confirm the ceiling structure can handle point-load from the mounting hardware — this is the most common field problem on large-format manual screens.
Deployment Considerations:
- Manual operation is the right call for most conference and training rooms, but confirm with the room's end-users before ordering. If anyone says "we want it to go up automatically when a meeting starts," manual is the wrong spec — pull the motorized variant instead.
- The 16:10 format means a 16:9 projector will not fill the surface edge-to-edge vertically. This is cosmetically acceptable in most deployments, but some clients notice the unused strip and flag it. Set expectations in the pre-sales conversation.
This screen is well-matched to government briefing rooms, enterprise training centers, and security operations environments where WUXGA projectors and mixed-source presentations are the norm. The 36441 is the straightforward spec when ceiling mount, wide format, and no-motor simplicity all align.
