Introduction When discussing front-projection video, many of us focus solely on the projection aspect of the equation and with good reason.  If your projector is sub-par, the surface you point it at doesn’t much matter.  This said, with a few exceptions, the projector market seems to have hit a plateau, with nearly every manufacturer offering a 1080p-capable device at increasingly lower prices to consumers.  This year’s CEDIA show in Denver proved this more forcefully than ever in recent memory, with top-flight manufacturers claiming 1080p to be the final frontier.  2k and 4k resolutions are coming, but for those looking to the next level of performance from your video system, I suggest we take a look at video screens. When it comes to screens, no one does it better than Stewart Filmscreen.  Stewart screens are used in more professional ...

Today’s AV news is filled with information on the newest projectors and how they are breaking new performance / price barriers. Yet the press does not spend much time with the other major component of a front projection system, the screen. While perhaps not as sexy as the projectors, screens have come a long way as well. Manufacturers realize this and in fact, SIM2, a long recognized industry leader has recently announced that they will be distributing SmX screens in Europe.

The Basics: During the most recent CES, I was fortunate enough to stand in line amidst the thousand or so spectators all trying to catch a glimpse of Panasonic’s latest larger-than-thou plasma. I believe it was 150 inches. From where I was standing, 20 or so feet back, I wasn’t won over; I didn’t much care for their earlier 103-inch offering. What did win me over was that, the entire time I was getting a sunburn from the reactor it must have taken to power this monstrosity, I kept thinking of Stewart Filmscreen’s display at CEDIA just months before and the plasma they had on display. Except it wasn’t a plasma screen at all. It was a new screen material called Starglas and, when properly installed, the image was larger than the Panasonic in front of me and the picture quality ...

The Basics: I like my screens to be retractable, largely due to the fact that I don’t have a dedicated viewing room. My living room doubles as my reference theater. I like my screen to be like my components: hidden. This said, it’s been hard until now to find a true 2.35:1 aspect ratio screen that a) is retractable and b) has variable masking for viewing 16:9 and 4:3 material. Stewart’s ElectriScope screen offers just that: a native CinemaScope experience, complete with motorized masking for every aspect ratio, all in a convenient and easy to hide electric roll-down screen.

The Basics: So, you just bought a state of the art projector complete with an anamorphic lens to take full advantage of the 2:35 CinemaScope aspect ratio, but your screen of old is only 16:9. Time to upgrade to Stewart’s CineCurve super-wide 2.40:1 aspect ratio screen. Unlike Stewart’s own Cine-W screen, the CineCurve features silent motorized masking to allow for content not originally captured in 2.35:1. Like all Stewart Screens, the CineCurve is custom-made to order, meaning you specify the size and screen material to suit your needs, budget and room. The CineCurve can be outfitted with any of Stewart’s fine screen materials, including their Cinemaperf and Microperf X2 finishes, which allow for speakers to be placed behind the curved screen.