ProjectionScreen.net has a neat graphic that shows the history of Projection Screens from the original Cavemen and Shadow plays to the more modern HD Cinema’s.

We can now watch films on laptops, TVs and even ipods, but cinema has since its inception in 1895 been defined as the projection of films onto a screen for a (usually paying) audience. This is of course why a projection screen is essential for those of us who want to enjoy “home cinema” – and why projection screens have throughout cinema’s history been crucial to people’s enjoyment of films.

But screens and projected images have a far longer history than cinema does. It might amaze you to find out that projection screens were in use by a number of travelling showmen in the 1600s, for instance – and before that, screens of various types captured the projections of camera obscuras, even as far back as pre-history… Yes, it’s true – even cavemen enjoyed what might be described as “home cinema”

A lot of information in a simply pretty package.  Nicely done.

via The history of projection screens.