Post all your questions and answers related to Elite screens to this thread.
No sales or marketing. It will be removed. Thank you.

Anyone have the EZ frame screen???

How do you like its performance??

How does the frame look??

It is hard to tell in online pictures!

I have a Da-Lite PermWall from a few years back in my HT, but was helping someone else install a new HT using a Panasonic 700 with and Elite EZ Frame Screen last weekend. The frame is great on the Elite screen (far better that the lower end Da-Lites), but the screen material was flawed to the point of not being usable. It had several scuff marks that were unacceptable. The good sections of the screen looked very good with dark scenes, but showed some banding on bright scenes. I don't know if this would go away after the screen was hung for a period of time (we had just on rolled it and the banding appeared to be from how it was packaged..not sure). When the salesman involved was contacted, he insisted that this has never happened before, so a new screen is on its way. We will have to wait and see on this one.


More Info:
http://www.projectorreviews.com/review.asp?reid=48
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/archive/index.php/t-433219.html

I have a 100" ELite 16:9 pull down Screen that was thrown in for free with my 4805 projector. Frankly for free you cant beat it, there are a few waves in the screen, but when the room is darkened you can only see them, and just barely in extremely bright scenes. I will probably eventually buy an electric tab tensioned screen to use once I get my theatre/entertainment room all set up in the base ment, but for now just using the projector on the cofee table with the screen mounted from the ceiling in front of the entertainemnt stand works great.

Screen number two arrived the other day. At first it looked OK, but we couldn't hang it because the new screen required 7 clips where the old one had 6 on each side. Once the clips arived and it was mounted in the frame, it was clear that this screen is simply not worth the money. The new screen had foot prints on it (don't ask me how that happens) and just didn't look right on bright scenes (you could see the screen pattern). It is being sent back and a Da Lite screen is going to be used in its place.

Sorry to see the problems with these screens. I have a 94" electric and have been very pleased with it. I have had it for over a year now without any problems. This is my first screen so I can't compare it with the other companies, but I think it was well worth the price.

I am interested in an electric screen for my new projector (either Infocus 4805 or Sanyo z3) and would like some feedback on the VMAX electric screens. They are very affordable but how is the quality and how would they work with each of my short list projectors, which will be ceiling mounted.

I am interested in an electric screen for my new projector (either Infocus 4805 or Sanyo z3) and would like some feedback on the VMAX electric screens. They are very affordable but how is the quality and how would they work with each of my short list projectors, which will be ceiling mounted.

the vmax electric that i've been using for several months has developed modest waves, in the classic V shape. This has been attributed to roller sag on other threads. Other than that, its been reliable, and the adjustment for drop height is nice.

Any word on when the new tensioned screens from Elite will be available?

my one seems to short out some how and i got a 1.2 model

Anyone have experience with this screen ? Is there a better portable solution for around the same cost ?

ELITE SCREENS F84XCH1

I have had the F84XCH1 (a.k.a. Elite ez-Cinema Plus 84") for a little over a month now. I am using it for a home theater setup. I went with a portable model because I want to be able to bring the projector and screen out on movie nights and then hide it all away once the show is over. I really like it. The spring mechanism for pulling up the screen makes it effortless. And its easy to adjust it up and down to fit the various widesrceen formats. The case is all black so there are no light reflections there.

One thing that I do notice with mine is that if I raise the screen too high it begins to loose some of its tension so the screen isn't quite as flat at the lower right. This isn't a problem for me because I don't need to raise it that high. But if you plan to use it for portable presentations where you will need to raise the screen near to the top of its rise (over 30" or so) you may get a bit of waviness at the edges. But then again it may be just my unit.

Let me also say the I like the way the F84XCH1 works much better than tripod type screens. I have used a few trypod screens and they are often a pain because of how much floor space the tripod takes up. The F84XCH1 only needs the width of the screen and about a foot of depth. And its pretty stable. Since the heaviest part is on the floor it seems much less likely to fall over than tripod screens.

Thanks KillRob - eventually I realized that this is a native 16:9 screen and my BenQ6200 is a native 4:3. So I ended up ordering the DA-LITE 83316 Deluxe Insta-Theater. I'll be using it for the dual purpose of movies and pc games. I hope I'll be as happy with this as you are with the F84XCH1 .

i have a 100inch 16x9 pull down, no waves and better than any low end draper. best deal for $200 cdn

I have a 106" EZ frame screen mated with the Panasonic 900. I have been using the combo for about 3 weeks. First projector and screen for me. So far I am extremely happy with the performance/value of the screen. I paid about half the price as a similar sized Carada grey screen. I am very happy with the fit and finish of the frame. The velvet material they use for the frame soaks up the light overspill very nice. As for the screen material...very very occasionally I notice a bit of hot spotting where you can see some of the pebble texture of the screen in an area about 1 foot in diameter. I must stress that this is very occasionally and seems to be only on very brightly lit backgrounds (ie shots of Tatooine or Hoth). I can honestly say that 95-98% of the time the screen does not attract any attention to itself. I am sure there are many screens out there that do not exhibit this type of hotspotting and would be a more accurate screen. However for me the value of the screen (fixed frame, velvet covered, high contrast grey) just could not be beat at this point. I personally have absolutely no itch to upgrade this screen. Mark me as a happy Elite owner.

I have the EZ frame also and see the imperfections in the screen in light scenes. As you stated, most of the time the scenes are not light enough to see this. I did however send in my complaint to Elite and I will be getting replacement material this week. I was told by the rep that they have made another material change to eliminate this condition. I will report back early next week with my findings. Material should be in my possession by the weekend.

Although this problem can be seen, I would not have preferred to spend the extra hundreds of dollars of a different brand. It's certainly not that BIG of an issue to me. If the material turns out to be better, I will let you know and you may want to consider getting newer material through the warranty program from Elite.

Last, this is a very nice screen for the $$. The frame is absolutely beautiful. Other screens that are only a few hundred more have a dreadful looking frame, like that Da-Snap. To get a frame like this, you are talking about another thousand bucks. Not worth it for my budget. I can deal with a little imperfections in light scenes (almost white scenes) for this price.

Hi,
I purchased an Elite Home series screen (Home100iwh) along with 12V trigger (homedct12) and for some reason the setup did not work.

I tried to hook up the 12V trigger to the screen twice and each time the circuit in the screen blew up and the screen stopped functioning.

I also tried to work with their technical support but no help. they also couldn't figure out why it is happening and suggested me to NOT use 12V trigger with the screen.

Only reason I baught this model because it supports 12V trigger as opposed to VMAX.

Just wondering if anyone had similar experience?

I replaced my screen last night with the naterial that was shipped to me from Elite under warranty. I see the same thing as JTL mentioned in this thread. There is a hot spot that can be seen in very bright scenes directly in front of where you sit. This is not seen 90% of the time and it is not unbearable. There has definitely been an improved in the material since what was shipping back in June. Elite stated this change was made about 1 month ago. The date on my box was September.

Material differences: The material is vinyl with a grained surface. The surface on my older material has a shallow/soft grain. The newer material now has a heavier/deeper grain. My background is engineering from another industry, but I am quite familiar with graining in other applications. Deeper grains definitely hide impurities that could otherwise be seen in plastic parts. I can see how this same logic can apply to screens.

My opinion: If you have budget concerns, get the Elite screens and put the money into the projector. I had a Benq 7700 and replaced it with a Optoma H78. The extra money put into exchanging the projector was well worth it. I can't say a screen different screen would improve the picture that much at all.

Note: Keep in mind that the material for the the EZ frames is not the same material used in the electric screens, pull downs, etc. for Elite. This review is stricly for the material of the EZ frame. I also read a review that stated hot spots is common for vinyl materials. It's something they can reduce and make less noticeable, but it is difficult to eliminate altogether.

tinyv, thanks very much for your follow up post regarding your screen material. I would also classify the grain on my screen as "course or deeper". I think my screen shipped on Oct 19 or 20 so I would suspect I have the new material but I can't be sure as I have never seen the other material.

Thanks again

Jim

Could someone with a 92" EZ frame measure the overall width? I need a frame that is exactly 86" wide. Also, how does the screen material compare to Da-lite HCCV material. This is my main concern with this screen (screen material, hot spotting).

I would like to give a review I have from the VMAX100UWV model. That's the 100" electric 4:3 model in black casing.

Shipping - it's huge - box is 9.25 feet long. The thing was packaged incorrectly so the end cap that has the mounting hole on it was broken because it wasn't placed properly in the styrofoam. I called Elitescreens and they have some very awesome tech support/assistance. I was impressed. My new end cap is being sent to me as we speak. For now I have it suspended with coatwire - yeah I know ghetto, but it works :)

OK so for the screen... setting the vertical limit took me a day before I got to it because the instructions online (nothing useful in the box) and I found out I don't have a type C which is what tigerdirect said it was... oh well - I don't care I suppose - I have a type A according to the instructions. Now that it is set - the thing is absolutely worth every penny - I would have paid double for it. Absolutely wonderful.

Pros:
Electric motor is quiet and stops where you set it at.
Mounting hardware isn't ugly - and wires can be hidden fairly easily.
Screen is bright white and really looks great.
The Smell! :)

Cons:
Motor is slow - takes approx. 42 seconds for screen to lower and another 42 for it to raise back up. I really don't care about this as long as it keeps working though! :)
White matte seems to have a type of oil on it in a few spots so things look shinier than they should when white light hits it.... I will be cleaning it soon (once I get the proper mounting hardware)
RF and IR remotes do not work reliably. But I trained my MX500 remote to use the IR codes and it works like a champ everytime. Basically the remotes don't always sense that you pushed the button - they both have build in LEDs but they don't always light up when you hit the button - I think perhaps the circuit board underneath might be out of place or something.
OK - so I like the smell - but my wife doesn't appreciate it at the same level as I do. :) It's fading already - only had it down for about 10 hours now.

I am using an Optoma EP719 to shoot an image onto this screen and I love it.

The screen material is thick enough that my super bright blue LED from my Tenor case (HTPC) does not shine through - that's impressive - BUT the material is also so thick that IR signals do not find their way to my components behind the screen either. To get around that I had to order some Xantech stuff - which should be here tomorrow.

I love the screen and would buy it again even if something else comparable was within the same price range by another brand. Elitescreen's service was beyond my expectations.

Plus, no other motorized screen comes close to the price OR quality.

I hope this helps someone in their decisions with these awesome screens.

takes approx. 42 seconds for screen to lower and another 42 for it to raise back up

Thats very odd. I have the 96" home series and lowering and raising takes only about 6-7 seconds each. Have you asked customer service to see if it should take that long.

Thats very odd. I have the 96" home series and lowering and raising takes only about 6-7 seconds each. Have you asked customer service to see if it should take that long.

The VMAX and the Home series use different motors. The VMAX motor is quieter than the Home motor, but considerably slower.

My VMAX100UWH (100" 16:9) takes just over 30 seconds for drop/rise.

[QUOTE=Gleep52]I would like to give a review I have from the VMAX100UWV model. That's the 100" electric 4:3 model in black casing.

Gleep52:Thanks for a great review. I'm considering replacing my DIY wall mounted screen (viewing area 45"Hx82"Wx92"Diag from 12feet.) with the Elite VMAX100UWH 16:9. My concern is the Infocus SP4805 lens C/L is only 3" from the drop ceiling. The SP4805 is angled up slightly, so that it projects a top screen viewing edge that is 7-1/4" below the ceiling. Since the Elite VMAX100UWH specs 18" of Black Drop at the top, can I adjust the screen to just display the 7-1/4" that I need, instead of the entire 18" top mask, or does it automatically drop the full 18"with no fine adjustments?


TIA,
sgibson

Anyone with the Elite VMAX100UWH ??


TIA, sgibson

Anyone with the Elite VMAX100UWH ??

I have the VMAX100UWH. Both the top and bottom stop positions are adjustable with an appropriately sized allen wrench.

hi there,

I purchase my first projector this month the Panasonic AE900, and of course didnt bother to calculate throw distance, so the 92" Dalite screen I had from my parents home was too small.

I purchased the VMAX120XWH, and have to say i am a bit disappointed, During bright scenes or fast camera movement, I seem to be able to see the texture of the screen itself. am i doing something wrong?

thanks,

saj

I have the VMAX100UWH. Both the top and bottom stop positions are adjustable with an appropriately sized allen wrench.


Le Fou,

Thank you very much for the info! That helps narrow my choice for replacing DIY screen with an affordable motorized 16x9 screen. What's your thoughts on viewing quality with the VMAX100UWH? Any waves, hot spots?
Regards,
sgibson

I just picked up the 92" diag. screen, looked a little cheap at first, slight waving, but once I projected my 4805 it looks great even as close as 10ft.

What's your thoughts on viewing quality with the VMAX100UWH? Any waves, hot spots?
Mine has been in place since late February. No hot spots at all.

About a month ago I started to notice a couple of waves appearing that were related to minor roller sag. I pulled out the aforementioned allen wrench :D and tweaked the stop positions by about an inch. Sagging went away.

Downside? Elite doesn't make a "smart" controller for it. No 12v input. It does have a nice combo IR/RF remote receiver, so it's easily enough programmed into your learning remote. The good news is that the connector on the screen is a standard plug, so a home-brew solution isn't out of the question.

Given the fact that this screen was less than 1/3 the price of others, I think it's more than worthy.

Mine has been in place since late February. No hot spots at all.

About a month ago I started to notice a couple of waves appearing that were related to minor roller sag. I pulled out the aforementioned allen wrench :D and tweaked the stop positions by about an inch. Sagging went away.

Downside? Elite doesn't make a "smart" controller for it. No 12v input. It does have a nice combo IR/RF remote receiver, so it's easily enough programmed into your learning remote. The good news is that the connector on the screen is a standard plug, so a home-brew solution isn't out of the question.

Given the fact that this screen was less than 1/3 the price of others, I think it's more than worthy.

Hello again Le Fou,

Glad to hear there 's no "hot spots" and the minor sagging is user-correctable.
The 1/3 less cost than others makes this motorized screen an attractive option
for replacing fixed-wall DIY screens.

Again, many thanks for your take and tips on this subject. (avsforums is a great place for helping/sharing info for those of us interested in AV stuff.

Regards,
sgibson

My impressions, setup, and a problem...

I purchased the 100" 16x9 VMAX this month for my family room. I got it to replace a 90" fixed wall DIY screen because we wanted to hide it away during the day.

It came nicely packed and was very easy to hang from the ceiling with small hooks.

The case is nice and compact, operates smoothly, and the RF remote allows me to hide the bulky receiver unit out of view. We now have a 50" plasma mounted on the wall for the majority of our TV, but when its time to watch a movie the VMAX drops down in front of the plasma for the big screen experience... very impressive effect!

As mentioned by others, the screen takes 30+ seconds to raise/lower. I often hit the raise button and walk away while it rolls up. This seemed to work fine at first, but I recently discovered that when it reaches the top the motor apparently sometimes doesn't stop. It makes a nasty groaning noise for 10 seconds or so, but not something so loud you would hear from another room.

Because I don't usually stick around while its rolling up, I have no idea how often this has happened. After hearing this for the first time this weekend, I tried a few up/down tests and it seems to happen about half the time :eek: (and I stop it immediately). I'm also now noticing dozens of pronounced "ripples" that extend up about 6" from the bottom bar. I didn't notice these initially, so I suspect the overrun at the top might have caused some stretching of the screen surface? The ripples are noticable whenever the camera pans and extremely visible on any channel that has scrolling text across the bottom (espn, cnn, etc).

I'm still using the screen, but I make sure to hit the stop button just before it reaches the top. I realize the up position is adjustable, but the instructions in the manual are noticably different from the ones on elitescreens website for my particular model (Type A) so I have yet to attempt. I didn't buy directly from Elite, but I plan to call the tech support number with my situation and will report back here.

Has anyone here...
- had to adjust the top position from the factory default?
- experienced overrun at the top?
- got noticable ripples at base of screen (only 2 weeks old)?

- mark -

[QUOTE=Gleep52]I would like to give a review I have from the VMAX100UWV model. That's the 100" electric 4:3 model in black casing.

Gleep52:Thanks for a great review. I'm considering replacing my DIY wall mounted screen (viewing area 45"Hx82"Wx92"Diag from 12feet.) with the Elite VMAX100UWH 16:9. My concern is the Infocus SP4805 lens C/L is only 3" from the drop ceiling. The SP4805 is angled up slightly, so that it projects a top screen viewing edge that is 7-1/4" below the ceiling. Since the Elite VMAX100UWH specs 18" of Black Drop at the top, can I adjust the screen to just display the 7-1/4" that I need, instead of the entire 18" top mask, or does it automatically drop the full 18"with no fine adjustments?


TIA,
sgibson


The 18" black drop at the top is totally adjustable. Very simple too - did mine in about a minute and that was with my anal precision. :D

It will work great for you.

Le Fou,

Thank you very much for the info! That helps narrow my choice for replacing DIY screen with an affordable motorized 16x9 screen. What's your thoughts on viewing quality with the VMAX100UWH? Any waves, hot spots?
Regards,
sgibson


I sadly announce that with my 100" 4:3 screen - I am finding some waving going on when I sit in the first row in my theatre... first row is about 8 feet away. When I sit in the second row - I do not see the waving hardly at all even when I'm TRYING to see it... the second row is about 12-14 feet away.

I'm pretty sure that it just has to do with the viewing angle being more acute when sitting so close. If I look at it from the side, it still doesn't look too bad. At the bottom few inches of the screen there is some screen pinch and sag in various areas... Anyone know of a simple fix for this?

Has anyone here...
- had to adjust the top position from the factory default?
- experienced overrun at the top?
- got noticable ripples at base of screen (only 2 weeks old)?

- mark -

Adjustments - simple... if you have type A - get a 5/32 (I think) and stick it in the bottom hole and turn it little bits and test your new setting with an up stop down command... if you want to adjust the top - tweak the top hole and do the opposite test (down stop up) command. Just remember to be careful with the top one and bottom one when doing the adjustment that you don't go too far the WRONG way... do little tiny tweaks first... that's what I did... after that - smooth sailing.

I have yet to have the problem of overrun. I would suggest tweaking the adjustment - perhaps it is not set completely and the motor skips the setting because it doesn't sense a stop position? I'm unsure.

I've got a few ripples at the base but only one that extends up past a the two inch black border. I've had mine for over a month now. I'm thinking of inventing some type of stretching/tension/bracket mount for it to keep the bottom looking flat and smooth. I noticed when I provide something for the screen's bottom bar to rest on - the ripples (nearly) disappear and there is no more waving.

For that reason, I'm pondering the idea of a "holder" for the bottom bar to fall into place of - like a permenantly mounted U shaped item that would allow the bar to fall into place and rest there... removing the ripples/waving affect... anything have any thoughts on that - think it would work or no?

Just wondering if any of you EZ frame owners could post any pictures of the frame and screen, some screenshots would be great as well. I can't seem to find any info on the net about these screens but the price is fantastic. Thanks.

Well, I have a Sanyo Z3 paired with an Elite HOME100IWH Electric screen, and quite frankly I could not be happier. I have never used another screen before, so really have nothing to compare it with, but in my search for an electric screen, this was the best value out there and came with some good reviews. I've had it now for a little over a year, and still looks and works as good as new! :D

Just wondering if any of you EZ frame owners could post any pictures of the frame and screen, some screenshots would be great as well. I can't seem to find any info on the net about these screens but the price is fantastic. Thanks.

Im also interested for the screenshot of the frame.

I have a 100" fixed frame. I'll try to snap a few pics today when I get home from work. I've been meaning to do it for awhile now, but haven't got around to it.

I snapped a quick shot of the screen. Click on my username to the left and select view photo gallery. There are more shots at my HT pics link in my sig.

Thanks for posting the pictures. I decided to get one myself I'll let you you guys know what I think.

No problem. I have a couple screenshots up now in my HT pics album, link in my sig. This was my first attempt at a screenshot, so don't expect much :)

I have had a VMAX100 for a little over a year. A decent amount of waves have appeared and it looks like some oil have dripped on the screen in several areas. Any suggestions on reducing the waves and removing the oil spots?

I am considering purchasing a Elite VMAX 100UWH screen. According to the spec sheet the viewing size is 49x87 inches with a screen size of 57x91 inches for a total overall size of 60.6x91 inches. This screen also has 18" of Black Drop at the top, so should the total overall be 75 inches.

Thanks

I received my EzFrame 52" x 92" screen at the weekend and have set it up.

I was missing one pin (needed 22, only had 21 in the box), but managed to use a bolt of the same size which worked.

Question - The material was shipped on a roll, but was folded in the middle. As such there is a faint vertical line in the screen - can't really see it looking straight on but either side of centre you can see it clearly on bright scenes. Elite have told me it should disappear in a couple of days. Has anyone else experienced this ?

Thanks !
-Matt

I am considering the Elite Screens EZ Fixed Frame R92H 92-Inch 16:9 Format Projection Screen Black Velvet Case

Any comments? its only $350 for a fixed screen

the other option is i have purchased the screen material serperate, and i would have to build a frame (for a fraction of the cost), any thoughts.

I received my EzFrame 52" x 92" screen at the weekend and have set it up.

I was missing one pin (needed 22, only had 21 in the box), but managed to use a bolt of the same size which worked.

Question - The material was shipped on a roll, but was folded in the middle. As such there is a faint vertical line in the screen - can't really see it looking straight on but either side of centre you can see it clearly on bright scenes. Elite have told me it should disappear in a couple of days. Has anyone else experienced this ?

Thanks !
-Matt

Dear Matt,

I just put together mine on thursday, dont see the fold as you did
pulling the screen material was a little nerve racking , but the difference
over a 97x72 wavy pull down was huge i love it. the price was under half
of other maker's like carada or draper. i'm using a panny ae900u.
with an oppo dvd player. i wont be going to the ciniplex again.

Just thought I would let EZ Frame owners know that Elite is now selling a matte white screen with a 1.1 gain if anyone is interested. I ordered this screen as I thought the gray was to dark for my 4805, when it gets in I will let you know what I think, there is also a 1.5 gain white screen almost a silver white they are thinking of releasing. This high gain white as they call it looks great on the sample I have better than my Graywolf in my opinion. If there is enough interest in the high gain they will produce it for the EZ Frame, But as of now it is not in production for the EZ Frame.

Are the EZ-Frame screen nice? I am looking at a 92" grey screen (fixed). What do you guys think... it's either that or I frame one myself (I can get white material pretty cheap).

The frame is very nice couldn't be happier,but the screen I thought was to dark. I ordered the matte white material and am still waiting on this before I make my decision if it is worth it.

Would you guys still buy a elite screen if it was 3x the price?

Would you guys still buy a elite screen if it was 3x the price?


I don't know that I would have bought the Elite if it was 3x the amount, I didn't have that kind of money for a screen so thats why I got the Elite. I would recommend the EZ Frame screen to anyone looking in this price bracket. The build quality is very nice they have great customer service and the EZ frame with the matte white screen produces a beautiful picture. I have tried the Optoma Graywolf and some diy solutions (parkland plastics,durotherm, and some paint mixes) Elite is the one still on my wall.

I just put up the 92" Elite Eazy Frame Screen partnered with my Infocus 4805 in my bedroom.

I am getting really distracted by the very noticable screen grain mostly around the bright spot during lighter scenes. Almost to the point I liked how it looked just displayed on the wall better.

Is there anything I can do to make this more tolerable or did I get the wrong screen for me?

I have the same screen and projector but I ordered the matte white screen material from Elite and am very happy with the results. I should also note that I'm in a light controlled theater sitting 15ft. back.

I just put up the 92" Elite Eazy Frame Screen partnered with my Infocus 4805 in my bedroom.

I am getting really distracted by the very noticable screen grain mostly around the bright spot during lighter scenes. Almost to the point I liked how it looked just displayed on the wall better.

Is there anything I can do to make this more tolerable or did I get the wrong screen for me?


I have the 106" Elite Eazy Frame Screen partnered with a Panasonic AE900U.

I notice screen grain when watching HD hockey, and one spot almost looks like it is dirty/smudged (I inspected the area with a flashlight and it is indeed clean and free from foreign substances). It also seems to "enhance" vertical banding on the ice surface. I moved the pj while watching hockey to make sure it was the screen and not the pj, it was the screen :confused:

I have had it for a few days, no time to watch any movies on it just HD hockey and some HD tv. I am leaning towards getting a different screen all together.

Before my screen arrived I had setup a piece of black out cloth and I didnt notice such anomalies.

I will give it a few more days before giving up on it.

I am exhanging my material for the matte white to see if it is any better.

With the high contrast grey I wasn't happy with the hotspotting and there were some small areas of discolouration, even though the screen was free of any dirt etc, just like you mention.

However Elite very helpful - I was able to fill out an RMA and they are sending me new material this week to try before I send the old material back.

-Matt

Has anyone seen or tried the new Cinetension series of tab-tensioned electric screens? Someone on e*** is selling them for incredible prices, e.g. $600 for a 52" x 92" with grey fabric and both RF and IR remotes. I know some tab tensioned screens are worth the extra cost and others aren't, was wondering if Elite's are any good.

Bigsmith,

I was just about to post the same exact thing. The only info that I could find on elite's website about their new cinetension line is in the news section:

http://www.elitescreens.com/whatisnew_cinetension.htm

It seems that all the 16:9 models are only offered in High Contrast Grey. Anyone have experience with the grey material from Elite? I might go ahead and try it out.

Some of the comments on this thread suggest that Elite's gray material is too dark and/or hotspots. Odd that they wouldn't offer this model with matte white material.

True ... the comments so far dont seem that great about the screen material. Hopefully some people will chime in with good comments about it :)

I received the Matte White material to replace my high contrast grey. The new material is very good - no hotspots, no marks, very clean image.

Would recommend the matte white rather than high contrast grey.

With the matt white material coupled with the good frame construction and I'm now very happy with this screen.

hmmm ... thats interesting. According to their website the EZ frame is also only offered in high contrast grey. It might be worth giving them a call to see if they can replace the material in their cinetension screens.

If anybody is in the market for a Home Elite 120" screen (bought in December 05),I'm looking to sell mine. I'm very happy with the screen but it isn't bright enough for my setup. So if you live in the Los Angeles area and are looking for a screen, let me know.

anam8tr@gmail.com

VMAX120XWH Cord Length.

I've order the screen and am roughing in the electrical today. The online manual didn't offer any info about how long the cords are or where they attach to the screen.

Would someone please answer the following questions:

1) When viewing the screen from the seating area, does the cable attach to the right or left of the screen? (I assume it attaches at the end - if not, please correct me)

2) How long is the cable from the screen to the controller box, and from the controller box to the electrical plug? My understanding is that the setup is a two piece cord: this first goes from the screen to the controller switch/IR receiver and then the electical cord plugs into that and goes to the outlet.

UPDATE:

Called Elitescreens today (Monday) and found out-
1)Cable connects to left end of screen
2)Cable from screen to switch is 6'
3)Cable from switch to outlet is 5'

I hope this is of use to someone else!

I have the 92 Elite Gray tab-tension screen and the power cord is behind the drywall. It connects into a box that has an ir port, the first cable is about 5.5ft and the second is just over 6ft. I use the rf control and have had no problems yet, but I have only had it up a month.


DeMarco

In January, I purchased the EZ Frame 100" w/ the grey material, and I had the same hotspotting problems being reported on this forum (especially while watching HD Hockey.) I sent an RMA to Elite complaining about it. The customer service rep I spoke to explained that they were correcting the problem with a new design that would be available in mid-Febuary.

I received my replacement material last week, and I am happy to report that I have not noticed any hotspotting. I have watched a couple of games of hockey in HD and the picture is near perfect.

Demarco: What projector are you using with your screen? Do you find the gray material too dark like some people have reported?

Joebarnz: Did they replace with grey material or white matte?

I am using the X1, will take pics and post, at first I thought it was a little dark, but with a little calibration I think it looks good.

I just bought two of these...one for me and one for my business partner, to be used with a Panasonic AE900U Projector.

Anybody have any experience with this model or any other Home models?

I will post an initial review when I get them tomorrow but I won't be able to use mine for a couple of months since my home theater is not done yet.

Any thoughts on the Elite Home Series?

Scott

Gusx-- The replacement material was the grey. They have added a black backing to the screen, which helps stop light from passing through the screen and reflecting off the wall behind the screen.

I have a panny ae900. The screen was a little too dark for the factory settings, but after a little calibration, it looks good.

Just wanted to say that I have received replacement screen material for my 106" Elite Eazy Frame Screen. In my previous post all issues I had complained about have been resolved with the new material. This time the back side is black material and had a manufacture date of Jan 06. I have watched numerous HD hockey games after installing the new material and I have yet to be distracted by the screen like the previous material.

it looks like the tensioned electrics are available in 16x9 matte white and high gain white, at about half the cost of da-lite designs.
does anyone have one. if so, what do you think?
thanks,
eric

Are there any good reviews of the high contrast grey? What is the gain? Hotspots? etc??
I would like to get the 84" 16x9 protable (floor up) but it is only available with the grey material. DaLite is much more expensive

Joel

Are there any good reviews of the high contrast grey? What is the gain? Hotspots? etc??
I would like to get the 84" 16x9 protable (floor up) but it is only available with the grey material. DaLite is much more expensive

Joel
I have the High-Def Grey screen and do not notice any hot spots, the gain. is 1.5 I think and it is 92" electric wall mounted.

Thanks-I may get one in the fall. Perhaps their quality control is catching up.

Joel

Thanks-I may get one in the fall. Perhaps their quality control is catching up.

Joel
E-mail me at ddoxie@bellsouth.net and I will send you some pics of the screen. They are to big to post and I do not feel like trying to make them smaller. I have not had a problem yet, the quality seems to be good, I mounted the power cord and ir/rf sensor behind the wall for a clean look and it works just fine. I paid 580 including shipping for it.

Was thinking of getting the Elite 84" diag. pulldown screen. How do you figure out the seating distance from screen? Is it still: width of screen x 1.5? Also how much down from ceiling are these screens hung? thanks in advance, a very new newbie

hi guys,
i talked to elite.
the new tensioned electrics won't be available until 5/06.
they will have white in (16:9).

Hey guys, I have finally posted some pics of the elite screen. My camera is not the best 3.1 so they actually look better than you see. check them out and give me your thoughts. The room is 20x20 and used to be a garage.

hi

is anyone using M120UWH ? I'm thinking of buying it but would like to get some feedback on it. I would pick optoma but the biggest they have is 106 and I need 120'. Also a little of topic, will there be a problem projecting 120' from ae900u from 13-14ft? I tried projector calculator but it confuses hell out of me.

Thanks

Deathevil--


You will have to kick the zoom up, but you will be able to pull off 120" from 13'-14'.

Just curious, how far will your seating be from the screen? We have a 100" screen and sit around 15' from the screen. We originally sat around 12', but it was a bit much. High action scenes were a little stomach churning.

I will be sitting from 13feet just like the distance from screen to projector.

Thanks

I have one of the manual pull-down screens and I think I pulled it down too far. The instructions say to pull it down another 2 inches to get it to retract, but I can only pull it down about an inch and a half more, so it won't retract. Any idea how to fix this?

Are there any good reviews of the high contrast grey? What is the gain? Hotspots? etc??
I would like to get the 84" 16x9 protable (floor up) but it is only available with the grey material. DaLite is much more expensive

Joel

I think you are referring to the F84XCH1 which is the portable floor-standing pull-up model with the scissor mechanism.

If you haven't already bought one, I would not reccomend it.

I have had one for almost 7 months and am not happy overall. The design is good and the portablility and pull-up mechanism are great, but the "high-contrast grey" material is poor in my opinion. It is too dark and produces a dim image. And on mine there are dull spots where it looks like something was spilled in the fabric but it doesn't wash off.

I use mine with an Optoma H27 positioned about 13ft back. I have had to fiddle a lot with the calibrations on my projector to get an acceptably bright image with this screen. I plan on moving to a fixed screen using a matte white material soon.

Also, I emailed Elite and asked them what gain the grey F84XCH1 was and the salesman said it was 1.0. I'm not sure I believe him.

There are a lot of complaints in this thread about Elite's grey screens being too dim and I would have to agree.

I think you are referring to the F84XCH1 which is the portable floor-standing pull-up model with the scissor mechanism.

If you haven't already bought one, I would not reccomend it.

I have had one for almost 7 months and am not happy overall. The design is good and the portablility and pull-up mechanism are great, but the "high-contrast grey" material is poor in my opinion. It is too dark and produces a dim image. And on mine there are dull spots where it looks like something was spilled in the fabric but it doesn't wash off.

I use mine with an Optoma H27 positioned about 13ft back. I have had to fiddle a lot with the calibrations on my projector to get an acceptably bright image with this screen. I plan on moving to a fixed screen using a matte white material soon.

Also, I emailed Elite and asked them what gain the grey F84XCH1 was and the salesman said it was 1.0. I'm not sure I believe him.

There are a lot of complaints in this thread about Elite's grey screens being too dim and I would have to agree.
Guys,

I would agree that the HD Grey from Elite or any other manufacturer is up to the individual user. I have it an love it, when I watch CSI Miami it looks crystal clear, when scene shifts to night, the blacks are blacks and that is why I chose this screen. Yes the white will look great, but it has it's trade off's as well. If you have a high power projector, then there is no issue of the dimness as reported by most. SO it's not the screen but the brightness of the projector that determines the picture. I think Elite offers a good product for the price but as with anything, you have to live with the acceptable issues. I think we can all agree to this.

I'm very intrigued by the new tensioned screen, expecially at the price it is at.

HD, one question, you have the 92" screen. I'm curious how wide the lower bar is? Looking for some additional dimensions and can't seem to find them.

How is the quality of the 92" tensioned screen??

I'm very intrigued by the new tensioned screen, expecially at the price it is at.

HD, one question, you have the 92" screen. I'm curious how wide the lower bar is? Looking for some additional dimensions and can't seem to find them.

The base is 80" wide, what exactly are you trying to figure out. It flush against the wall and sticks-out 4.5" from the wall. The quality to me is very good and I have no issue to date with it.

The dimension I'm looking at is the lower bar. The screen should be 45x80 to be the 92" diag. I'm wondering how big the lower bar is. I have my screen coming down between two columns and want to know if the bottom bar will fit between the two columns.


Josh

Maybe I am not understaning you, but the lower bar is 80" wide, what is the distance between the colums?

I was thinking your screen was 92" diagonal in 16:9 format. So that would put the visable part of the screen at 45x80. I was thinking you'd add two inches in the middle to the side of that for black around the screen and then the bar would need to extend out beyond that another 3-4 inches so I was thinking the total width for the tension bar across the bottom would be around 90" wide or so.

I didn't understand how your viewing surface on the screen could be 80" wide and the bottom bar also be 80" those dimensions wouldn't allow for any tensioning to be applied.

I have 92" between my columns so the screen would need to fit between the columns.

I was thinking your screen was 92" diagonal in 16:9 format. So that would put the visable part of the screen at 45x80. I was thinking you'd add two inches in the middle to the side of that for black around the screen and then the bar would need to extend out beyond that another 3-4 inches so I was thinking the total width for the tension bar across the bottom would be around 90" wide or so.

I didn't understand how your viewing surface on the screen could be 80" wide and the bottom bar also be 80" those dimensions wouldn't allow for any tensioning to be applied.

I have 92" between my columns so the screen would need to fit between the columns.
Now I understand what you are asking, sorry. The screen actual size is 65x84, which gives you the viewing angle of 45x80. This size will fit between 92 with 1/2" on each side. I would utilize a laser level with an electric ft. reader, so you the the most reliable measurement. I mounted mine in a 10ft area in the middle.

DeMarco

Great, thats the information I was looking for.

I recently purchased the EZ Frame R100H screen from Elite. While I love the frame, I have found the screen material to be too dark for my home theater room (like many in this forum). I have contacted Elite about a matte white replacement and am waiting for someone from their sales department to call me back. For those that have replaced their screen, how easy did you find the process? Did Elite charge you for the replacement? I was hoping for an exchange but the one person I spoke to indicated I would probably have to purchase any new screen material.

My projector is a Panasonic PT-AE900U. Another alternative to replacing the screen material would be adjusting the factory settings on the projector - but turning up the brightness just washes out the picture. Does anyone have any recommendations on this front?

Thanks!

I have the 92 Elite Gray tab-tension screen and the power cord is behind the drywall. It connects into a box that has an ir port, the first cable is about 5.5ft and the second is just over 6ft. I use the rf control and have had no problems yet, but I have only had it up a month.


DeMarco


So what's the deal with the tab tensioned electric screens from elite? You can get a 100" screen from them for about $700.00. Are they total junk?

http://www.htmarket.com/tehc.html

Every other electric tab-tensioned screen is well over $1,000?

Also, are waves virtually eliminated with ALL tab tensioned screens?

Are waves worse with pull down than electric (non -tab tensioned screens)?

So what's the deal with the tab tensioned electric screens from elite? You can get a 100" screen from them for about $700.00. Are they total junk?

http://www.htmarket.com/tehc.html

Every other electric tab-tensioned screen is well over $1,000?

Also, are waves virtually eliminated with ALL tab tensioned screens?

Are waves worse with pull down than electric (non -tab tensioned screens)?
No, I actually enjoy it very much. I think know that many companies are in the HT market, you are now seeing some very good quality screens. The latest issue from Electronic House evens gives Elite a good review. You no longer have to just rely on Draper, Stewart, and Da-Lite, since they are a little pricy and you are paying for the name just like anything else you buy. What type of projector are you going to utilize and how far back, I don't think you will be disapointed, I haven't been.

No, I actually enjoy it very much. I think know that many companies are in the HT market, you are now seeing some very good quality screens. The latest issue from Electronic House evens gives Elite a good review. You no longer have to just rely on Draper, Stewart, and Da-Lite, since they are a little pricy and you are paying for the name just like anything else you buy. What type of projector are you going to utilize and how far back, I don't think you will be disapointed, I haven't been.

I'm looking at the Optoma H72. It will be ceiling mounted at whatever distance is required for a 106 inch screen. Seating will be at about 11 feet.

My concern is that I thought I read that Saaria and Elite are really the same chinese company -- and Saaria has not had the best reviews.

That may be true that they are both the same company, I sure if you do enough research you will find some connection. Again, I like my screen and have had no problems with the operation and quality so far. But as you know with anything can happen. Elite just offers you an affordable screen with out breaking the bank. Check out www.vmaxscreen.com

That may be true that they are both the same company, I sure if you do enough research you will find some connection. Again, I like my screen and have had no problems with the operation and quality so far. But as you know with anything can happen. Elite just offers you an affordable screen with out breaking the bank. Check out www.vmaxscreen.com

Well I see now that Elite is really Wuxi Cinon (a mainland china manufacturer) -- so perhaps it markets its screen under different U.S. companies.

http://fan1029.en.ec21.com/company_info.html

http://www.alibaba.com/company/10001302.html

Here is the website of the company that actually makes the screens (but I can't read anything):

http://www.cinon.com/


I guess that's why they are so much cheaper -- everything made in China is cheaper these days.

So what's the deal with the tab tensioned electric screens from elite? You can get a 100" screen from them for about $700.00. Are they total junk?

Every other electric tab-tensioned screen is well over $1,000?

Also, are waves virtually eliminated with ALL tab tensioned screens?

Are waves worse with pull down than electric (non -tab tensioned screens)?

Elite is releasing a new version of the Cinitension screens. The new model numbers will have an 01 on the end. The first batch are supposed to be in yet this month. They are going to have an upgraded case (same as the Home line) and the fabric choices have expanded. The high contrast gray screen material is a lighter color than before and they are adding a 12v trigger. I was told however that the batch coming in this month won't have the 12 v trigger.

When I receive mine I will post some comments.

Regards,

Dennis

Elite is releasing a new version of the Cinitension screens. The new model numbers will have an 01 on the end. The first batch are supposed to be in yet this month. They are going to have an upgraded case (same as the Home line) and the fabric choices have expanded. The high contrast gray screen material is a lighter color than before and they are adding a 12v trigger. I was told however that the batch coming in this month won't have the 12 v trigger.

When I receive mine I will post some comments.

Regards,

Dennis

Thanks for the info -- by the way, how did you get the info?

Also, will the pricing be staying the same or going up with the new cine tension screens?

Am I reading this right in that the Elite Cine Tension is not "tab tensioned":

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:LTtvoNmWJtkJ:www.elitescreens.com/Cinetension%2520Press%2520Release2.pdf+cine+tension+%2B+elec tric&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1


It appears that tension is only vertically, not horizontally. I understand that true "tab tension" has tension both ways, not just one.

So I'm wondering if this will eliminate waves or not?

Thanks for the info -- by the way, how did you get the info?

Also, will the pricing be staying the same or going up with the new cine tension screens?

I had ordered one as a package with my Optoma HD72. I had some questions about the screen material and emailed Elite and they gave me the information. The press release is also posted on their website.

As for the price, I don't know. I had to pay an additional $50 to get the high contrast grey as the package price I got was for the high gain material and the old version. So I don't know if the price difference was because of the new version, the change in the material, or something else.

Regards,

Dennis

I had ordered one as a package with my Optoma HD72. I had some questions about the screen material and emailed Elite and they gave me the information. The press release is also posted on their website.

As for the price, I don't know. I had to pay an additional $50 to get the high contrast grey as the package price I got was for the high gain material and the old version. So I don't know if the price difference was because of the new version, the change in the material, or something else.

Regards,

Dennis

Let us know if it is truly "tab tensioned" -- as I think it is only vertically (not horizontally) tensioned. Which helps with curling on edges, but not sure if it stops waves 100%.

Am I reading this right in that the Elite Cine Tension is not "tab tensioned":

It appears that tension is only vertically, not horizontally. I understand that true "tab tension" has tension both ways, not just one.

So I'm wondering if this will eliminate waves or not?

If you look at the pictures, the elastic curves out at the top and bottom of the screen which applies horizontal tension to the screen. This is how the tensioned screens from other companies work as well.

Regards,

Dennis

I recently purchased the EZ Frame R100H screen from Elite. While I love the frame, I have found the screen material to be too dark for my home theater room (like many in this forum). I have contacted Elite about a matte white replacement and am waiting for someone from their sales department to call me back. For those that have replaced their screen, how easy did you find the process? Did Elite charge you for the replacement? I was hoping for an exchange but the one person I spoke to indicated I would probably have to purchase any new screen material.

My projector is a Panasonic PT-AE900U. Another alternative to replacing the screen material would be adjusting the factory settings on the projector - but turning up the brightness just washes out the picture. Does anyone have any recommendations on this front?

Thanks!
I use the Easy frame R106H with the panny AE900U. My theater room has dark walls with a light ceiling and some ambient light enters the room in the day time. The retailer I purchased the projector from as well Elite suggested the high contrast grey screen and I have been extremely happy with it. I tuned the projector using the Avia disk and I have the brightness turned way down and the images are spectacular, even in the day time. The blacks are dark and rich. I did have problems with my original screen material (discussed by other members earlier in this forum) and Elite replaced it with the new material with the black backing and like I said the image is spectacular!

Anyone else purchased the Elite Cinetension screen? I'm interested in the 92" Matte White screen and I'd like to hear any reports about it.

I received my new Cinetension screen last week and have been trying unsuccessfully to get my URC/HTM MX-700 (or any learning remote for that matter) to learn the elite IR codes. The supplied remote works fine but I want to tie the screen raise and lower commands in with my other macros.

I found a pronto .ccf file for Elite screens over at remote central but these codes didn't work. Also one of the members there emailed me his codes for an elite screen from an mx-850 but these didn't work either.

So I was hoping someone here might have managed to get their learning remote to learn the Cinetension codes and could share some tips, or the actual codes if possible.

Thanks for any help,

Kind regards,

Dennis

Elite Screens now has CinemaScope (2.35:1) aspect ratio screens in their fixed EZFrame series. They ship in October.

Size MSRP

96" $899
103" $1199
115" $1399
125" $1499
138" $1699


Eric

Anyone know anything about the HDTV 16X9 Tripod Screens? I might have to go with a portable 106" or 120" screen, and if I do, I would like to purchase the Elite Tripod Series, providing they are a decent product.

Anyone know anything about the HDTV 16X9 Tripod Screens? I might have to go with a portable 106" or 120" screen, and if I do, I would like to purchase the Elite Tripod Series, providing they are a decent product.
Elite actually makes tripod and floor pull up screens. I have one of the floor pull up models for travelling presentations and they beat the tripod on all fronts except price and the fact that the tripod does have a few inches of a height advantage. Other than that, the floor pull ups are lighter, less cumbersome and alot easier to set up. Maybe I am a little bit of a clutz but I have never found an easy and graceful way to set up a tripod screen. My F100XWV1 is compact enough to be stashed in my hall closet but totally dominates the room once I set it up. An elite rep once described my screen as something that can be set up with about the same speed as opening an umbrella and they are right. It has a mechanism that allows me to set it down, open the lid and pull up the screen. That is it. It stays all by itself. I have gotten alot of compliments on it and I am pretty pleased with it myself. Pretty good stuff.

-Dave

Just wondering how long have you had that pull-up screen, have you noticed any problems with it like waves or anything else that some other people in this forum have mentioned? I am pretty much in the same boat as the above poster, looking for a 120in tripod or pull-up

My CineTension High Contrast Gray screen has arrived!! But I'm a little puzzled by the hardware which came with it. The aluminum bolts with both ends threaded can accept a round nut or a hex hd nut. My question is which nut goes to the screen and which to the hanger. Both fit either so I'm confused but I suspect it doesn't matter! BTW, the screen is heavy!! :eek:

My CineTension High Contrast Gray screen has arrived!! But I'm a little puzzled by the hardware which came with it. The aluminum bolts with both ends threaded can accept a round nut or a hex hd nut. My question is which nut goes to the screen and which to the hanger. Both fit either so I'm confused but I suspect it doesn't matter! BTW, the screen is heavy!! :eek:


Hi FremontRich,
Doesn't matter which nut goes to which. Also, I agree. The screen was much heavier than I anticipated as well. I ended up putting the L brackets on studs and used much heavier duty wood screws than were supplied. I had little confidence in using drywall anchors to hold this thing up. I had visions of it eventually toppling and taking large chunks of my drywall with it.

Hi, guys. This might be my first post here (I don't recall) although I've been a member for a suprisingly long time. I just had a question/comment: I recently decided to try an Elite screen in the 84" size and was very disappointed. There are several discolorations/scuffs/smudges on it and I see banding and artifacts that aren't there with the picture projected onto other surfaces. My notion was to save a few bucks over the Da-Lite's I've used in the past, but now I'm feeling 'penny-wise-but-pound-foolish.'

My screen also came with very minimal instructions and seems to be fairly flimsy compared to some other brands. The color seems a bit 'off', too. If anyone else here has an Elite screen, can you tell me whether I just got a bum one or if this is typical?

Hi, guys. This might be my first post here (I don't recall) although I've been a member for a suprisingly long time. I just had a question/comment: I recently decided to try an Elite screen in the 84" size and was very disappointed. There are several discolorations/scuffs/smudges on it and I see banding and artifacts that aren't there with the picture projected onto other surfaces. My notion was to save a few bucks over the Da-Lite's I've used in the past, but now I'm feeling 'penny-wise-but-pound-foolish.'

My screen also came with very minimal instructions and seems to be fairly flimsy compared to some other brands. The color seems a bit 'off', too. If anyone else here has an Elite screen, can you tell me whether I just got a bum one or if this is typical?


What type of Elite Screen did you get, how was it shipped, wall mount, motorized, tri-pod? Call and send it back for a replacement, I have a motorized t-t screen and love it with no problems. As for the instructions, simple and straight forward.

The literature accompanying the screen didn't mention the material at all, nor did the advertising. It wasn't til later that I realized they even made more than one type. By now it's too late to return it, but I'm not really complaining- it was an inexpensive pulldown type with a black case. I'll probably razor it out of the enclosure and build a frame to smooth it out, just to see how well it works.

I'm glad that my screen was atypical. Did you find yours to be of heavier material? I imagine if you had a frame to keep it taut the thickness is irrelevant, but my pull down model is too thin and light to hang properly in my install.

Of greater concern, IMOHO, is that whatever the material is doesn't have very good texture or color. I wonder what the gain is- it seems to have a more noticable hotspot than I'd have expected.

My CineTension High Contrast Gray screen has arrived!! But I'm a little puzzled by the hardware which came with it. The aluminum bolts with both ends threaded can accept a round nut or a hex hd nut. My question is which nut goes to the screen and which to the hanger. Both fit either so I'm confused but I suspect it doesn't matter! BTW, the screen is heavy!! :eek:


Hety fremont rich, how is your screen no post in a while are you watching it 24/7 pleas let us know your review thanks :)

Well - I received my Elite Cinetension 100" HCGrey screen...and boy nobody is kidding this thing is pretty heavy and you will certainly need two to put it up..As far as the instructions goes..I give ELITE and huge F-grade, it a waste of time of even looking at it..thanks to Jason for reviewing this screen, all you have to do is look at his review and the mounting makes alot of sense...I had trouble trying to figure out how to drop for an ALMOST maximum 16" top drop, because by default they have it set to 6"..I quick call to Elite and it was resolve..All you have to do, is look at the front of the screen on the left side, where the motor is at, look underneath where the screen is at and you will see two yellow 5/32 (I think) Hex adjustment screws, there is one that is easy to get to and then there is one that is NOT easy to get to - the hard one is the one you need to adjust (dont touch the easy one - shame on ELITE on this), never the less, all you need to do is grab a small Allen wrench (smaller than the hole) and if you dial Clockwise a full turn (very easy - just you will have to hold the screen back with your other hand), with the screen up, a full turn or so of the adjustment screw will give you an extra 1/2 drop (well kinda), you will need to bring down the screen up and down everytime to see where you are at, I kinda cheated and did more than one turn a couple of times (not the wisest thing but I was okay), but nothing crazy, and I got where I needed to..btw...be aware that going up and down with the screen continuoulsy, the screen motor will shut down on you temporarily so that it does not over heat (protection built in), I freaked out and called Elite as I was talking to the tech, he explained it to me, and the screen went up..

The motor is not probably the quietest ( I heard a Stewart that sounded the same to me), but seriously, I dont really care, what I care for is a tight looking tab tenstion motorized screen - no waves - and boy this looks like AWESOME...the one thing that does bother me - is that the bottom of the screen the bar is heavy metal, the 4" (or so) casing is metal - so when it rolls back up - and you hear the CLANK of metal touching each other, Id wish they would have made the casing of some heavy duty plastic instead of metal for this reason alone, but the work around this is to bring your screen up and stop right before it gets ALL THE WAY in...

So - how does it look - INCREDIBLE - I know Jason here at AVS reviewed it and mentioned that it was one of the darket grey screens he has seen - but that didnt seem to be the case for me - actually to me it seem much light that what I have seen..No hotspotting - no drop in picture quality, up, down, left, right...I am completely amazed by it..I will NEVER get a pulldown non-tension screen - I just cant stand waves...

I currently have it mated with a new Mits3000U - I just think for my situation - not complete light control but I do only view at night - it works beyond expectations- and for the price that AVS (thanks JASON) gave to me - I will seriously tell anyone who is on a budget or even not on a budget - give it a try - I do not think that for the price difference between this and even the entry level Da-Lite electric screens - it can be beat...

Wow - wish I had read this thread before installing my 106 electric tab-tensioned. It did indeed take a while to figure out the proper bolt usage. I had to remove two washers to get things to work out. Used two massive lag bolts straight into the ceiling rafters. Yes, it is heavy, but it can be installed by one person :eek: .

Okay, now it's up, and with my Panny AE900 I think the gray screen is too dark. Directv HD is almost unwatchable for shows like Law and Order or anything with night scenes. I have the bulb set on high, which should be unnecessary. The brightness is still set at the factory default.

I originally was just going to go with the pj/screen, but because the screen blocks some cabinets when down and my rooom has some day time ambient light I am also going to add a 61-inch DLP. Therefore, the pj will likely only be used at night in total darkness.

Should I go for the matte white? I wonder if Elite will make a reasonable swap? Any input would be appreciated.

I will also consider selling the Elite and going for a Dalite high power, which seems to be a favorite around here.

I will also consider selling the Elite and going for a Dalite high power, which seems to be a favorite around here.

HiPower is very popular but I will never go untensioned - I cant live with waves..unless you plan to leave it down for the most part, any untension will probably develop waves...I just cant live with that..another option is to look out of SMX screens, they are about to rollout some electronic tension screens (I think)

HiPower is very popular but I will never go untensioned
Good point - there is a trade-off, and maybe the matte white tt elite will be a good compromise. But even with the tt I am already noticing a few wrinkles in the bottom corners.

Oh, and I agree that the user's manual is junk. Most likely the absolute worst I have seen in a long time. They don't even mention how one adjusts the stops.

I have had my screen for about two months - any experience how elite has handled a swap? I would assume with the electric that they would not just send new material, but they would have to swap out the entire unit.

have you tried adjusting the tension..on the Elite there is on each corner at the bottom

I will give it a try . . . like I said had it a couple of months but only it had it up for a few weeks so have not messed around with that yet. Thanks.

Hi guys, I'm new to front projection and I need some help here, I'm about to purchase a 92 inch silvermax motorized model that I'm planning to pair up with an optoma hd70. I found at an incredible price at an e-vendor called pcandstuff.com. Has anyone dealt with this e-vendor and are they reliable? Anyone else using this screen that can give me thier impressions?

Thanks
Jose

Hi samwise -

You might want to post a seperate thread, this is for ELITE screens only..

The silvermax IS an Elitescreen. Its the high contrast grey version of the vmax.

Good point - there is a trade-off, and maybe the matte white tt elite will be a good compromise. But even with the tt I am already noticing a few wrinkles in the bottom corners.

Oh, and I agree that the user's manual is junk. Most likely the absolute worst I have seen in a long time. They don't even mention how one adjusts the stops.

I have had my screen for about two months - any experience how elite has handled a swap? I would assume with the electric that they would not just send new material, but they would have to swap out the entire unit.


htpartyshack,
i bought elite te100hc1 (high contract gray, tensioned, motorized) 100" for the panny pt-ax100u and find it very dark too. I spent only a few days with it but I don't see any major improvements over my light colored wall at all! the wall seems even sharper to me at some scenes. I'll call elite next week to discuss the screen materials but so far I can't reccomend elite screens (high contract gray).
I'm having problems to control it with Harmony 890 remote, learning the codes doesn't work also. I'll keep you posted on my conversation with elite. Did you hear anything back from them on your case?
Thanks

I'm having problems to control it with Harmony 890 remote, learning the codes doesn't work also. I'll keep you posted on my conversation with elite. Did you hear anything back from them on your case?
Thanks
No luck with Elite really. I had a problem with my screen and the control box was damaged so I contacted their support line. They agreed to replace it, but when I first spoke to them I had not firmly concluded I wanted the white. I had not heard back from them for a couple of weeks so I called only to find they had just shipped a replacement, in gray of course. So the new one was on the way. I asked if it hadn't already been shipped if they could have sent a matte white instead, and the tech said he is only authorized to send out the same screen as a warranty replacement. I really cannot stand it when companies make rules for their own sake to the detriment of their customers. Anyway, I digress.

The new one arrived Friday and the end of the box is trashed. I had actually planned to sell that one on ebay as a brand new in the box unit, and use that money to re-order a matte white.

Now I don't know what to do . . . and the dealer I bought the screen from will only give me $400 if I return the new one and exchange it for a matte white, and that's after I pay for return shipping of a whopping $150.

Sheesh.

Now I don't know what to do . . . and the dealer I bought the screen from will only give me $400 if I return the new one and exchange it for a matte white, and that's after I pay for return shipping of a whopping $150.

Sheesh.

The Elite dealer will replace the screen for free for me, I'm waiting for the RMA#.
BTW, Elite representative mentioned that in January they will be getting new screen materials, you may want to wait for a higher gain screens

Good deal, I wish my dealer were that accommodating. Do you mind sharing the name of the dealer? If not here, please PM me. Thanks.

Also, did you ever get the control box to work with your harmony remote? I have not even tried yet, but I have a Home Theater Master MX-500.

I have a Home Theater Master (HTM) mx-700 and had problems learing the codes as well. However I used another universal remote to learn them (The remote for my Anthem AVM20) and then used that remote to teach them to my HTM remote.

Good deal, I wish my dealer were that accommodating. Do you mind sharing the name of the dealer? If not here, please PM me. Thanks.

Also, did you ever get the control box to work with your harmony remote? I have not even tried yet, but I have a Home Theater Master MX-500.

see $rojection $holesale website. Screen works fine once I relearned the codes.

i bought elite te100hc1 (high contract gray, tensioned, motorized) 100" for the panny pt-ax100u and find it very dark too. I spent only a few days with it but I don't see any major improvements over my light colored wall at all! the wall seems even sharper to me at some scenes. I'll call elite next week to discuss the screen materials but so far I can't reccomend elite screens (high contract gray).



vvbox

I was also planning on pairing the ax100 with the elite hc gray screen. It seems like a great combo because of the panny's high brightness... Are you still unhappy with the picture? I think I need a low gain, darker screen, because I will have times when watching with some room lighting on. I don't want to pay up for a da-lite or other screen if I don't have to, but I don't want to throw money away on something that looks bad either.

thanks for the input,

ar

vvbox

I was also planning on pairing the ax100 with the elite hc gray screen. It seems like a great combo because of the panny's high brightness... Are you still unhappy with the picture? I think I need a low gain, darker screen, because I will have times when watching with some room lighting on. I don't want to pay up for a da-lite or other screen if I don't have to, but I don't want to throw money away on something that looks bad either.

thanks for the input,

ar

in my room setup the projector is installed 19' away from the screen (100") and ambient light comes from the back also. I was hoping for a plasma like bright image but because the of those combinations I'm loosing a lot of lumens so gray is not an option form me. I brought a sample of carada's screen material from the local dealer and it looked way brighter comparing to elite's gray. I'll change to elite's white as I need a motorized screen and let you know the results.

Hey guys after buying the panny 100 I'm on a budget. The room is a 12x12 all white thats why I was thinking about going to the grey, but as other guys have said that it makes the colors look really dark I don't think I want to. Which is kind of weird that Art at projector reviews said the gray is a good match for this projector. Would you guys say I'm better off going with white? I'll be buying the cheaper pulldown screen(screen will always be pulled down in a lower corner room)

Hey guys after buying the panny 100 I'm on a budget. The room is a 12x12 all white thats why I was thinking about going to the grey, but as other guys have said that it makes the colors look really dark I don't think I want to. Which is kind of weird that Art at projector reviews said the gray is a good match for this projector. Would you guys say I'm better off going with white? I'll be buying the cheaper pulldown screen(screen will always be pulled down in a lower corner room)

yes, gray is good for a night viewing without ambient lights. It looks great on Cinema1 setting with panny - very movie like; but once you have some ambient lights on the image it dimms a lot. but please remember that my projector is installed 19' from the screen and I'm loosing 30-40% of its brightness because of it, and I like very bright images for games and computer connections also. i didn't have a chance to compare Elite's gray to any other gray materials on the market but as I said my bright wall is similar in the picture quality. I would suggest get a couple of screen samples from a local dealer and see what works best for you, they usually offer it for free. let us know if you find any good combination.
Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving,

Has anyone paired the ELITE 106 HC with an OPTOMA HD72? I'm planning on buying the HD72 and was trying to decide between their GreyWolfII 106 or the ELITE 106. Both fixed frame.

Any thoughts

Happy Thanksgiving,

Has anyone paired the ELITE 106 HC with an OPTOMA HD72? I'm planning on buying the HD72 and was trying to decide between their GreyWolfII 106 or the ELITE 106. Both fixed frame.

Any thoughts

Our DIY screen was supposed to be temporary. That was almost three years ago.

It took me forever to decide on a "real" screen. I ordered the 106" Elite Cinetension in mid-November. The night before Thanksgiving, we hung it from our ceiling. Sat down and pressed the button. Nothing happened.

On Thanksgiving we hung our old DIY screen from our new 106" Elite screen.

I'm waiting for a replacement wall kit. I had to pay to ship the defective wall kit back. It wasn't a lot of money but it just seems wrong to me. I would rather have paid that money up front for them to test it before it got shipped.

I am trying to decide what screen to buy for my HD1000. I have narrowed it down to the Elite Cinetension electrc screen at 92" or 100" in either matte white, high contrast white, or high contrast grey. My walls will be dark, but my ceiling is white. I will be ceiling mounting the HD1000 approx 13 feet from the screen on an 8 foot ceiling and be seated approx 15 feet from the screen. Should I go 92" or 100" with this set up? Which one will result in the best screen height due to the offset? Also, should I go grey or white. I was going to go grey due to the high lumens, but I read somewhere that the Elite HC grey is too dark and results in a dark image in some situations. Anybody have any advice. Thanks.

hey mizzou - for screen size go IMO for the 100 - I am 17 feet from my 106 and it is definitely not too big, and could be a tad larger. You are mounting the proj on the ceiling in front of the seating area? I would think that would be distracting with the noise and some light that comes out of the side of the projector. The grey is too dark for me, but I have not directly compared it to the white.

The replacement wall kit arrived Saturday afternoon. Plugged it in and voila. It worked!

I put in Goblet of Fire. The opening scenes are so dark. With the DIY screen, it was hard to tell where the snake ended and the dark hallway began. With the Elite screen, the difference was obvious. I'm a happy camper.

- Kim

Kim - glad to hear it's working. Did you get the high contrast gray or the white screen?

I have a high contrast gray fixed screen from Elite. after 9 months of viewing it coupled with a panasonic ae900u i would say its a little dark on the colors. I have uncontrolled light entering the theatre room in the early afternoon and the screen seems to do ok with the light, but colors are too dark at any time it seems.

Kim - glad to hear it's working. Did you get the high contrast gray or the white screen?
High contrast grey.

Some day, I'd like to have a dedicated home theater.

Our projector is in a multi-purpose room on our second floor. Five windows on one side of the room and a stairwell on the other. Ambient light is an issue. Grey works.

I'm satisfied with the Elite Cinetension. For now.

- Kim

Guys-

I haven't posted in a while, but I have the high Contrast Grey Screen and have been happy for about 10 months now. I think your screen depends on a lot of variables, but the most important is you and your room.

I purchased the Panny 900u and a 94" Elite Tab Tensioned HCG screen the same day without doing any research into the quality of Elite.... I got lucky!!! I researched the Panny and researched the types of screens and figured a HCG would be my best bet.

First I would like to say that my viewing environment is NOT what you would call optimal by any means. I have 4 very large windows surrounded by white walls a white ceiling and light carpeting. My girlfriend does not like such high contrast lighting so she wants even ambient light on during viewing when its night time. I placed my projector just 10.3 feet from my screen ceiling mounted using almost all of the zoom available on the Panny. My seating is 13 feet from my screen and to my surprise having the projector in front of my seating is not very distracting. I figured I needed to keep as much light from the projector as I could.

My installation with the screen unfortunately wasn't quite as enduring as my viewing of it...for the most part. I had to drill a hole into the case of my screen so I could adjust the hex screw for my drop down height. Then I realized after measuring the actual screen itself that I have an extra 1.4 inches vertical; instead of being 45X80 I have 46.4X80. I decided not to send the screen back and am living with the abnormal size of the screen.

So how do I like the screen? Considering all the disadvantages facing my setup I don't think I could be much happier with my setup. Even with the christmas tree lights now brighting up the room I can't help but appreciate what I'm seeing in front of me. For less then $2,000 I was able to get a 94" Motorized Tab tension screen and a HD projector that looks stunning during Monday Night Football. My GF parents have a 48" Plasma that they paid 2x as much for and they LOVE watching my setup over their own.

I have been recommending this type of setup for anyone looking into buying a new TV. You honestly can't beat the Size and Quality for the price of this setup compared to a LCD or Plasma TV. Only down factor is the bulb replacement, but in my opinion its worth it. My last setup was a Sony RPTV that I paid 3k for, not long after I purchased it I viewed my first FP setup and kicked myself.

FYI: I just got off the phone with elite screens after talking to sales person. I'll summarize the material used in Elite screen here. They are not the same info as on the web site.

The manual screen high contrast grey used the same material as silvermax series. They have screen gain 0.9 and darker than HC grey used in Elite Cinetension and ezFRame. The Elite Cinetension has screen gain of 1.1.

The manual, Vmax, ezCinema, ezCinema+, tripod series share the same matte white screen with gain of 1.1 . The side view angle is 50 degree.

The Vmax plus has Matte White-Fiberglass screen.

The home series matte white has fiberglass reenforced. The gain is 1.1 with 50 degree side view angle.

The matte white in Elite silver frame use tension high gain white material. The gain is 1.5 with side view angle 60 degree.

Cinetension, EZFrame, QuickFold use same tension matte white. The view angle is 100 degree with gain 1.1

Has anyone paired a Mistu HD1000U with the Elite M100XWH-E24?

Starting out and have not ordered either but looking for experiences with this screen. Given the offset of the HD1000U and the secondary room that would be used for this configuration(92" ceiling), I need the extra drop this screen offers. Only offered in MW so no option for gray. Curious on others experience and if any, the depth, height of the case. Every inch counts here and modeling it now on a 4"X4" depth/height.

Thanks,

Ham

I just bought the Panasonic PT-AE1000U projector and im trying to find a good screen so i was looking at these elite screens and i was thinking of going with the 100" one in the fixed frame model, is this a good idea?

Can anyone with the Cinetension model tell me whats the max drop from the bottom of the case to the top of the 16:9 screen they can get?

Oliver

drop is 18". I just asked Elite. Just Ordered a 120" 16x9 Cinetention for my dad's theater.

drop is 18". I just asked Elite. Just Ordered a 120" 16x9 Cinetention for my dad's theater.


Great! Thats what I need. Thanks!

Oliver

my screen decided to drop 2 inches.

I went away for the holidays for a week, and came home to find that my elite screen had dropped 2 inches and the recoil no longer works.

The screen was first installed in a basement theater and remained in down position for about a year. I recently moved, and the recoil was working fine. It has been in down position in my new home for about 2 months.

Either the maintenance guys who where working on the plumbing while I was away messed with it, or something inside let go. I doubt the maintenance guys touched it, since they work for me and its just not a likely scenario.

So I am sort of stumped. Any input is appreciated.

I just bought the Panasonic PT-AE1000U projector and im trying to find a good screen so i was looking at these elite screens and i was thinking of going with the 100" one in the fixed frame model, is this a good idea?
I just installed a 120" Light Gray Elite ez-Frame in my theater last week. I have it paired with an Optoma HD72 and I can recommend it without hesitation.

I like the EZ frame screen. But ill be changing it soon. I was satisfied until new ones keep coming.

looking for some input. i'm a long time da-lite manual guy. all model B's with CSR (controlled screen return). i've had matte white, hcmw and high power.

last summer my 3 year old took a bic ballpoint to my upstairs screen. i could have died, but it was actually pretty cute. she was drawing me a picture. at any rate, my wife's not real excited about replacing it because it doesn't bother her. well it bothers me, and i almost can't stand it anymore.

long story short, i'm looking at the 100" elite manual 16:9 because if i go from a 92" da-lite i could switch my two projectors around and have my in76 permanently reside upstairs in our main living room. (it just hasn't been getting used enough downstairs and i'd like to put some more hours on the lamp). it would also give me greater upgrade flexability down the road as my throw is at 14.5'.

can any of you who've either owned or seen da-lite manual screens comment on the elite 100" 16:9 version? the pricing is attractive, but i could probably get a custom da-lite for another $100 or so. the reviews i've read online have been pretty poor.

I've read that Elite has recently changed their screen material (which is why you see R106H1 vs. just R106H). The H1 is the new material. I wonder if they've fixed some of the issues being reported here.

OK I have a Sony VPL-HS51 projector in a controlled light, dark ceiling, dark carpet, brown walled dedicated home theatre. I have been thinking about the Elite Screens EZ-Frame R106WH1 (Tension Matte White material). I have read through the thread, and am concerned with what I read. Questions:

Does anybody have this screen in a similar setup?
Also -- I read somewhere, something negative about one of the two screens for home theater use -- is the white better than the grey, or vice versa?

Thanks!

Has anyone used the Elite 100" pull up screen? I'm planning on ordering one tomorrow.

I had a potential client place an order for an Elite screen, against my advice, and then after the screen arrived, backed out. I took the 120" 16:9 screen, Matte White, and put it on the wall of my theater. It's not the best picture, but if your just getting started, don't hesitate. At under $300.00 delivered, you can't beat it. HTMarket.COM were great to work with and very quick. I was told it would ship in 2 days and be there in a week. It went from California to Indianapolis in 2 days with no overnight shipping charges. Now that's fast!

A few Pros and Cons

Easy to set up and light weight. Colors are good, and blacks, although a bit subdued, still very acceptable. There were no waves or creases in the material.

The bad points are 2. First, the screen material is thinner than what you expect. This may/probably will lead to the edges rolling in over time, if left extended. And the worst of the items is the SMELL! Holy Schnikees! Boy oh boy do the chemicals smell. It goes away after a day, but, GAG ME!

We watched the Colts Patriots AFC Championship game, and everyone there was impressed. Even with 30 people gathered around, jumping and running at the screen on a good/bad play, the screen stayed stable.

Don't hesitate

I have a 100" ez frame unused if you are interested.

I had a potential client place an order for an Elite screen, against my advice, and then after the screen arrived, backed out. I took the 120" 16:9 screen, Matte White, and put it on the wall of my theater. It's not the best picture, but if your just getting started, don't hesitate. At under $300.00 delivered, you can't beat it. HTMarket.COM were great to work with and very quick. I was told it would ship in 2 days and be there in a week. It went from California to Indianapolis in 2 days with no overnight shipping charges. Now that's fast!

A few Pros and Cons

Easy to set up and light weight. Colors are good, and blacks, although a bit subdued, still very acceptable. There were no waves or creases in the material.

The bad points are 2. First, the screen material is thinner than what you expect. This may/probably will lead to the edges rolling in over time, if left extended. And the worst of the items is the SMELL! Holy Schnikees! Boy oh boy do the chemicals smell. It goes away after a day, but, GAG ME!

We watched the Colts Patriots AFC Championship game, and everyone there was impressed. Even with 30 people gathered around, jumping and running at the screen on a good/bad play, the screen stayed stable.

Don't hesitate

How did you get that size and that price from them? They show over 400 dollars.

There is something strange right now at TigerDirect.ca

There is two VMAX 100" VMAX100UWH listed ???

Item #: E110-1012 - Mfg Part No: VMAX100UWH
Nominal Diagonal: 101"
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Viewing Size (H x W): 49" x 87"
Screen Size (H x W): 57" x 91"
Remote Control: IR
Over All Size (HxWxD): 60.6" x 91" x 3.1''
Case Length: 100"
Case Color: Black
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1016720&NoMapp=1


Item #: E110-1100 - Mfg Part No: VMAX100UWH-H (noticed the -H)
Nominal Diagonal: 100"
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Viewing Size (H x W): 49" x 87"
Screen Size (H x W): 67" x 91"
Remote Control: IR
Over All Size (HxWxD): 60.6" x 91" x 3.1''
Case Length: 100"
Case Color: Black
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1945538

Do I miss something here? What the -H means and why the screen size are not the same? Black drop lenght or just a typo? Both the same price too...


And god, thoses screens are cheap at only 254$ CND but the extra 202$ for shipping just make non sense.

The Mustang 106" at 331$ ship to my door for only an extra 35$...
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2578238&CatId=2441

But the Elite look better and I really would like prefer a 100"... 106" might be just a little too big for my room and anyway, a larger screen means more chance to wave after time.

Used my 100" Elite Pull-up now for a week and I'm please with it.

i just ordered a package with this projector and screen combo. the screen i am getting is the Elite high contrast light gray screen. this is going in my basement where i can totally control all the light. there will be no sunlight comming in. do i need a white screen instead of the light gray? will any light, such as a lamp, affect a pure white screen?

i need help fast, because i placed my order and i need time to change it if i could.


this is what i got.. Elite Screen model #R92H1

http://www.projectionguys.com/product.cfm?id=47

Elite Screens brings together the latest in Screen Technology when they introduced their new Fixed Frame Series.

The screen is a .9 Gain High Contrast Grey Material for outstanding black levels in different lighting conditions. They have also used a premium black crushed velvet trim coating over their durable alumunim frame. When you want the best for home theater, get the new Elite ez-frame series.



Features:

Weight: 19.00 lbs
Warranty: 1 Year


45" X 80" Viewing Area

92" Diagonal

I wouldn't go with the grey. I've seen reviews that the grey is pretty dark, and you'll lose light output. If the room is light controlled, the white should be fine. I got some samples of their tension white material, and it compared favorably to my Da-lite high contrast matte white, 1.1 gain. It's not really quite as bright was the Da-lite, but pretty close. I just picked up the Cinetension electric screen, and I'm installing it tomorrow.

I wouldn't go with the grey. I've seen reviews that the grey is pretty dark, and you'll lose light output. If the room is light controlled, the white should be fine. I got some samples of their tension white material, and it compared favorably to my Da-lite high contrast matte white, 1.1 gain. It's not really quite as bright was the Da-lite, but pretty close. I just picked up the Cinetension electric screen, and I'm installing it tomorrow.I agree. I bought the gray because I have some ambient day time light, and it is just too dark. If I were to do it over I would purchase the white, especially if I had a room with controlled lighting day or night. By the way, my projector is a Panny AE-900 about 18 feet from a 106 inch screen.

Hey Oscardeuce, I have emailed and phone elite trying to get a sample of the white for over a month now and they just can't seem to get one to me. Are you through evaluating yours? I would be glad to paypal some money to you if you would send it to me. Just PM me if you have any interest.

Stay away from the Grey!!

I just bought my first projector from the same "guys". I went with a package deal since I had no idea which screen to use with a Z5 in a completely light controlled room. I assumed that these people knew what they were doing when they put these packages together.

Right.

A grey screen made sense in my case for better contrast but, while the Elite Screen model #R92H1 is a nice screen for the money, it's entirely too dark even with my basement (meaning no windows) theater. It has no pop and I cannot use the lower light output options on the Z5. I bought a DVE Calibration Disk and it's acceptable now, but I will eventually change to a white screen. Lesson learned.

BTW, I'm throwing 17' onto a 92" screen.

Stay away from the Grey!! I just bought my first projector from the same "guys".Yep, bought a package from them too, which included the gray screen in the tab tensioned electric. And when I called to complain about the gray, they said that everyone else who has ordered it was very pleased and they had no complaints. Now, try selling a 106 inch screen afterwards when it can't be shipped for less than $150. Oh well, now I am in the market for a white screen, and will likely have to eat the 106.

is the gray dark gray or very light gray, almost white? post some pics of you could. i have to decide what screen i want asap. i can stick with the eilte light gray or get the elite matte white for $75 more. i really dont want to spend an extra $75.

I agree. I bought the gray because I have some ambient day time light, and it is just too dark. If I were to do it over I would purchase the white, especially if I had a room with controlled lighting day or night. By the way, my projector is a Panny AE-900 about 18 feet from a 106 inch screen.

Hey Oscardeuce, I have emailed and phone elite trying to get a sample of the white for over a month now and they just can't seem to get one to me. Are you through evaluating yours? I would be glad to paypal some money to you if you would send it to me. Just PM me if you have any interest.


which model screen did you get...

i really dont want to spend an extra $75.It is very dark gray. Get the white. $75 now is better than throwing away $750 on the wrong screen. I can speak from experience. I bought the tab tensioned 106 gray, don't know the model number off hand.

projection guys told me that the old elite gray screens were darker, and the new ones are a lighter gray...you can tell by the model number...the H1 screens are the new model.


here is a review of the updated elite screens with the lighter gray...i dont know if you have the newer model or older darker model,

http://www.projectorreviews.com/Elite/ezframeHC/index.asp

Stay away from the Grey!!

I just bought my first projector from the same "guys". I went with a package deal since I had no idea which screen to use with a Z5 in a completely light controlled room. I assumed that these people knew what they were doing when they put these packages together.

Right.

A grey screen made sense in my case for better contrast but, while the Elite Screen model #R92H1 is a nice screen for the money, it's entirely too dark even with my basement (meaning no windows) theater. It has no pop and I cannot use the lower light output options on the Z5. I bought a DVE Calibration Disk and it's acceptable now, but I will eventually change to a white screen. Lesson learned.

BTW, I'm throwing 17' onto a 92" screen.


are you 100% positive you got the R92H1? they said that the H1 is the newest model of elite gray screens. the older H model was a darker gray that wasnt very good.

Stay away from the Grey!!

I just bought my first projector from the same "guys". I went with a package deal since I had no idea which screen to use with a Z5 in a completely light controlled room. I assumed that these people knew what they were doing when they put these packages together.

Right.

A grey screen made sense in my case for better contrast but, while the Elite Screen model #R92H1 is a nice screen for the money, it's entirely too dark even with my basement (meaning no windows) theater. It has no pop and I cannot use the lower light output options on the Z5. I bought a DVE Calibration Disk and it's acceptable now, but I will eventually change to a white screen. Lesson learned.

BTW, I'm throwing 17' onto a 92" screen.

Greetings, I thought I would weigh in, since as some have mentioned, I liked the gray in my review. Generally grey screens take some getting used to. And if you have a projector that's not particularly bright - such as the Z5, yes you will likely not run it in best mode, to get the lumens.

But more to the point, I believe some of the confusion comes from "which screen is which". To my best understanding, the Cinetension and the fixed wall - the ezFrame (I reviewed the EZ frame), have a newer, and definitely much lighter gray surface. In addition, it really isn't very "High Contrast". It is a combination that I really like.

It's no match for my Firehawk, and lighter gray to boot, but I found using it pleasing with all but dim projectors, and not even bad there. I suspect that those of you saying its pretty dark, have the older versions (without the 1), or have a pull down? I reviewed the ezFrame back in August and the surface was pretty new I believe. I don't know what they were putting into the VMAX or other motorized, but I'm pretty sure the pulldowns did not have it.

Hope that helps a little... I wouldn't bet the farm that I got everything straight here, but I'm pretty sure those not happy with their grays, do not have the fabric that is on the ezFrame I reviewed (R100H1, if I recall correctly).

Biggest problem is that picking screens is more subjective than the projectors, and tougher to choose.

-art

Again, Stay away from the grey!

All of my paper work states that I have the R92H1. It's not a very dark grey, more like a dull white. I took delivery just after Christmas so I'm sure it's the newer material.

Bottom line is that a screen is a subjective choice. Most new projector buyers such as myself are very confused about what screen to buy. From now on, I will always error on the possibilty of a screen being a little too bright then end up with the unimpressive dullness that I have now. Unless of course the projector I buy is powered by a small slice of the sun.

Most under $2000 projectors, even the ones that are rated as bright for the class, are not that bright in a real world application.

Again, Stay away from the grey!

All of my paper work states that I have the R92H1. It's not a very dark grey, more like a dull white. I took delivery just after Christmas so I'm sure it's the newer material.

Bottom line is that a screen is a subjective choice. Most new projector buyers such as myself are very confused about what screen to buy. From now on, I will always error on the possibilty of a screen being a little too bright then end up with the unimpressive dullness that I have now. Unless of course the projector I buy is powered by a small slice of the sun.

Most under $2000 projectors, even the ones that are rated as bright for the class, are not that bright in a real world application.

Greetings Dezeez,

I understand your frustration, and your screen isn't even that large. I'm not sure by any means, but suspect that your walls are not dark, and that makes a huge difference.

There is another factor to consider, as well. As we all know, the Z5 is not particularly bright, but further complicating that, your 17 foot placement to a 92" screen indicates (without me looking up the throw chart) that your zoom lens is just about full telephoto position. In that position, your Z5 produces less than half the brightness as full wide angle.

So, you are double blessed, in lack of lumens... In the Sanyo's best mode; Pure Cinema, lamp at low power, iris closed down, you are probably lucky if you are getting much more than 160 lumens.

My guess is that you probably are running it in a different mode, just way too dim there. And that's the rub... the primary purpose of a gray HC is lower black levels - something the Z5 doesn't need in its best modes. The only other reason for that type of screen is the HC rejecting some side ambient light...

Yes, your circumstances almost certainly call for a white surface (btw, in my review I recommend the carada brilliant white, stewart studeotek 130 and similar screens all with 1.1 to 1.4 gain...

However, if someone is buying a DLP that in best mode is cranking out close to 500 lumens, very common - like the low cost Mits HD1000 or Optoma HD70 or HD72, (all of them can produce at least 400 lumens in low power/best mode, if I recall correctly, then owners of those projectors, have at least 2 and probably 3 times the lumens you have to work with. Yes, you probably aren't in best mode/low power with your screen, but same applies, those projectors can all pretty much crank out 700+ lumens still in one of their best modes, and lamp on full power... But, only the HD72 lacks a "white" slice on its color filter, so the Z5 with its dynamic iris, etc. can do better black levels, and therefore be less likely to call for HC gray...

So, in summary, your R92H1 definitely sounds like a weak match for you, unless you are a black level fanatic, which you are obviously not.

That doesn't negate the use of hc gray type screens with much brighter projectors than the Z5 (which is virtually every other current, under $2000 projector)... and especially those Darkchip2 DLP projectors with the white slice (7 segment wheels).

Stay away from the Grey!!

I just bought my first projector from the same "guys". I went with a package deal since I had no idea which screen to use with a Z5 in a completely light controlled room. I assumed that these people knew what they were doing when they put these packages together.

Right.

A grey screen made sense in my case for better contrast but, while the Elite Screen model #R92H1 is a nice screen for the money, it's entirely too dark even with my basement (meaning no windows) theater. It has no pop and I cannot use the lower light output options on the Z5. I bought a DVE Calibration Disk and it's acceptable now, but I will eventually change to a white screen. Lesson learned.

BTW, I'm throwing 17' onto a 92" screen.

OK, just a quick number or two - if you had placed your projector at about half the distance to the screen (full wide angle), your gray would be brighter with the Z5 in low power, than you would have in current position, in high power, and on a matte white screen with a 1.1 gain.

several years ago, I went from a matte white to my firehawk.. Initially I thought there was less pop, but by the time I had probably watch 100 hours, I was certain I liked the HC gray better... But I have a Darchip 3 projector and a lot more lumens, I run my iris open and put out about 500 lumens to my 128" firehawk... Not superbright, but bright enough for sure.

Hi,

I'm thinking of buying a Sanyo PLV-Z5, will be throwing at distance at of about 16 ft, to a screen size of 92", I want to purchase a cinetension screen since based on the reviews in these forums waves really bother people. My walls are light tan and my ceilings are white, otherwise I have full control over the lights since it's in the basement. Will the high gain white help mitigate the light reflecting off the walls and ceiling from washing out the picture? or would the high contrast gray do a better job at that? or would the matte white be a better choice? there doesn't seem to be any reviews on the high gain white, and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

thanks.

sticky,
i am in a similar situation. just purchased an ax100u and plan on buying either the 106" or 120" Elite tab tensioned screen. i'll be throwing from 19' and sitting is 14-16 feet from the screen.

these screens seem to be biggest bang for the buck and almost every review i've come across here seems to favor the matte white over the gray. haven't seen too many reviews on the HC white.

your basement setup as far as lighting goes seems very similar to mine. i am planning on going with the matte white. after it's installed i'll try to post a review... now 106 or 120?!

drcarr, I am throwing a Panny AE900 from 19 feet with the seating area 18 feet from the screen, and tried both the 120 and 106. Although there was a WoW factor with the 120, I thought it was too large. You literally had to move your head from side to side to see the whole image. From your distance I definitely would recommend the 106, unless you like to sit in the front row of a theater!

with my set up the seating distance will be 9.5 feet, actually I have two concerns... PLV-Z5 does not have the smooth screen technology, so 92" at 9.5 feet seating distance SDE may be visible... not sure... the other concern of course is that a 92" screen will be too big at 9.5 feet distance.... I don't really want to move my head side to side or anything like that....

drcarr... do you have similar wall colours and ceiling to my setup.... as mentioned a big concern of mine is the ambiant light reflections off the walls and ceilings... or am i being to concerned over nothing?

drcarr, based on your seating distance, a 120inch screen seems to be okay, that translates to a screen width of 104 inches, or 8.66 feet, I believe most people like to sit at 1.5 times screen width which translates to 13 feet.

sticky,
i am in a similar situation. just purchased an ax100u and plan on buying either the 106" or 120" Elite tab tensioned screen. i'll be throwing from 19' and sitting is 14-16 feet from the screen.

these screens seem to be biggest bang for the buck and almost every review i've come across here seems to favor the matte white over the gray. haven't seen too many reviews on the HC white.

your basement setup as far as lighting goes seems very similar to mine. i am planning on going with the matte white. after it's installed i'll try to post a review... now 106 or 120?!

I vote for the 120 myself. but then I sit 11 feet from a 128" diag screen. I like close.

Certainly pixels won't be an issue for you, and sharpness should be just dandy with HDTV and hi-def dvds standard dvds and SDTV of course will be soft at that distance.

Oh yeah HTPartyshack... You don't have to move your head - move your eyeballs instead. takes less effort too. A 120" from 14 feet back is probably about equivilent to 1/3 to 1/2 way back in a movie theater (probably half way back), definitely not front row...

1080 provides just enough resolution to just give you a razor sharp image from about 10 feet on a 120", with a 1080 projector, so a little softer with the AX100u at 720. -art

my sitting distance is 17' in a 24x22 room Im hoping for a 120" screen

Hi, been bashing my head trying to figure out who will actually ship one of these to Canada.... I went to the where to buy section on the Elite Screens website and the Canadian distributor does not even carry the Cinetension line! So I email the Elite guys and they say to check out the American online retailers... but so far no one seems to ship to Canada or at least if they do they don't carry the Cinetensions.. Anyone have any suggestions? Where have most of you guys purchased your Elite screens from?

Thanks.

stickyman, there are some elite products at tigerdirect.ca

Hi, been bashing my head trying to figure out who will actually ship one of these to Canada.... I went to the where to buy section on the Elite Screens website and the Canadian distributor does not even carry the Cinetension line! So I email the Elite guys and they say to check out the American online retailers... but so far no one seems to ship to Canada or at least if they do they don't carry the Cinetensions.. Anyone have any suggestions? Where have most of you guys purchased your Elite screens from?

Thanks.

Contact AVS here to see if they ship to Canada.

stickyman, there are some elite products at tigerdirect.ca

Hyralak, thanks for the suggestion... I've checked Tigerdirect appears they are still carrying the older stock of the tab tensions.. different screen materials, no sliding mount and some have mentioned that they are only vertically tensioned...

Looks like I may use Richlo's suggestion and contact the AVS guys.

well i got my ax100u fired up for the first time in the HT room. i projected a 120" diagonal on the wall and sat back from 13-16' and the image was awesome!!! i ordered the 120" cinetension in mate white two days ago. should be just the right size.

now i have to figure out how to mount the screen up in the ceiling??? any suggestions? i was planning on mounting it to a joyce (sp?) and covering the cutout hole with crown molding.

my walls are tan and my ceiling is white. i do not anticipate this should be too much of a problem with my pj and screen setup.

Got my Elite 100" 16x9 screen on wed. Mounted it and the first time I tried to use it it would not lock open. Tried several times and contacted Elite Tech Support. One of the techs told me to try to pull it down hard and that should lock it open. The first time I did that I heard the spring unwind. The side plate that the spring sits in broke and now the screen is stuck open. Tech said to wind the spring. Can't wind spring because of the broken holder. Very disapointed with this brand. I am hoping to get it returned and go with a quality screen.

man... i hope mine doesn't arrive with any problems! i've seen more than a few people who have recieved damaged or issued products from Elite. i should also mention that many seem very pleased with their Elite screens. mine should arrive sometime this week, direct from the factory.

drcarr, i'm planning to mount mine to the ceiling as well... through the drywall into the joist... not sure if i'm going to put a molding or box around it... probably will since the cinetension case is black and my ceiling is white... btw, i've ordered the Sanyo PLV-Z5, price is a lot better than the AX100U up in Canada since we don't have the $400 rebate Panasonic is offering... I'm hoping SDE is not too bad on the Z5...
i haven't bought a screen yet, waiting to hear back from AVS to see if they will ship one to Canada... and I haven't decided on Matte White or the High Gain White yet, leaning towards the high gain since it's only 1.5 gain and the Z5 is not a bright projector to begin with...

I installed a VMAX100 last weekend. I could not get the projector (X1) to properly fill the viewing area (spec. is 49 x 87). Finally measured the screen to find it is 50 x 87. No wonder I couldn't get rid of the 1" white bar at the bottom! I talked to Elite and they assured me this is NOT normal. Tiger Direct is shipping a replacement. Assuming this one has proper dimensions, I'll be very happy with the quality/price.

just got my PLV-Z5, projected an image onto my flat/matte tan walls (I would assume it's got a gain of 1 or less...) I actually found the image to be quite satisfactory, so I find it hard to believe that the Elite High Contrast Gray would be darker and have less gain than my tan walls... anyway, I've called Elite up and ordered screen samples for the tab tensioned matte white and the high contrast gray... I will compare the two and then decide!

I talked to Elite and they assured me this is NOT normal. Tiger Direct is shipping a replacement. Assuming this one has proper dimensions, I'll be very happy with the quality/price.

Mistere: I'm seeing the same problem with a new VMAX100 that I just ordered. I wonder if they got a bad batch or something. Did you call or email Elite? How did you get TD to send a replacement?

I was about to order the VMAX100 on TD Canada too... and (un)fortunatly, I think that 50" glitch might be good for me.

I just got the Optoma HD6800/HD72 which is a 16:10 SXGA native resolution and it will be used for an HTPC... problem with 16:10 there is no standard screen for it.

Well, 49 x 87 is truly 16:9 and 50 x 87 give about 16:9.2... Ideal size would be 54 x 87 for a perfect 16:10 but anyway, having an extra inch taller would minimize the blank dead white bar on each side.

So I think I might just order that actual screen :) Just to confirm, is it really this one you guys ordered?
Item #: E110-1012 - Mfg Part No: VMAX100UWH
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1016720&NoMapp=1

I was about to order the VMAX100 on TD Canada too... and (un)fortunatly, I think that 50" glitch might be good for me.

I just got the Optoma HD6800/HD72 which is a 16:10 SXGA native resolution and it will be used for an HTPC... problem with 16:10 there is no standard screen for it.

Well, 49 x 87 is truly 16:9 and 50 x 87 give about 16:9.2... Ideal size would be 54 x 87 for a perfect 16:10 but anyway, having an extra inch taller would minimize the blank dead white bar on each side.

So I think I might just order that actual screen :) Just to confirm, is it really this one you guys ordered?
Item #: E110-1012 - Mfg Part No: VMAX100UWH
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1016720&NoMapp=1I've just ordered it from TD finally... will tell you if mine is 49" or 50" tall.

Can't wait to finish my setup!!

Mistere: I'm seeing the same problem with a new VMAX100 that I just ordered. I wonder if they got a bad batch or something. Did you call or email Elite? How did you get TD to send a replacement?

I called Elite directly (before I talked to TD). I told them I got the screen from TD. Elite offered to send a new one out and let me return the flawed one to them. I called TD customer service and they immediately agreed to take it back. They sent me a UPS return label via email and sent another one out. My CC of course got billed for the second one but I'll get creditited when the other one is returned. Now I'm fearful that I'll get another 50x87. :-(

I called Elite directly (before I talked to TD). I told them I got the screen from TD. Elite offered to send a new one out and let me return the flawed one to them. I called TD customer service and they immediately agreed to take it back. They sent me a UPS return label via email and sent another one out. My CC of course got billed for the second one but I'll get creditited when the other one is returned. Now I'm fearful that I'll get another 50x87. :-(

Maybe you should call Elite and tell them that TD is taking care of it, and not to ship another one? I'm sure they will appreciate that, and, it's the right thing to do. -art

Maybe you should call Elite and tell them that TD is taking care of it, and not to ship another one? I'm sure they will appreciate that, and, it's the right thing to do. -art

Hey, I'm not doing anything unethical. I simply called Elite (before calling TD) so that I'd be properly armed with info that 50x87 is not up to spec. To my surprise, Elite offered to correct the problem directly. However, I contacted TD and they agreed to exchange it. They did not hesitate to do so. As I said above, if the replacement is indeed 49x87 I'll be a happy camper. If I get another 50x87, I'll then deal directly with Elite.

Hey, I'm not doing anything unethical. I simply called Elite (before calling TD) so that I'd be properly armed with info that 50x87 is not up to spec. To my surprise, Elite offered to correct the problem directly. However, I contacted TD and they agreed to exchange it. They did not hesitate to do so. As I said above, if the replacement is indeed 49x87 I'll be a happy camper. If I get another 50x87, I'll then deal directly with Elite.

Hi, didn't say it was unethical. You just made it sound like both were sending you screens. And all the hassles, and extra freight costs that entails. Just suggesting you do it one at a time. -a

The replacement screen arrived today. Unfortunately, it too is 50x87. It will also go back to TD and I'm going to talk directly with Elite again. A few other comments may be of interest.

The screens are quite different (aside from both being the wrong size). The first screen (manufactured April 06) exudes quality. The case is substantial (92mm octagonal) the mounts are sturdy, the finish (matte powdercoat?) is nice (although it has some minor blems), the screen material is quite heavy and exhibits no waves or edge curl. The controls and remote aren't high end but they don't look totally cheap. The connector is at the right side of the screen. The vertical adjustment allen screws are discretely hidden.

The second screen (manufactured June 06) seems CHEAP. The case is smaller in diameter (75mm ocagonal) and clearly lesser quality. (I think it may actually sag a bit.) The mounts are flimsy. The finish is an ugly, shiny textured finish with several rather large dull patches. The screen material is less substantial, is curled at the edges and already exhibits a bit of a V (undoubtedly from the above mentioned sag). The remotes and wall control aren't as nice. The vertical adjustment screws are readily visible (as is a small set of instructions imprinted on the case). The connector is at the left side of the screen. Even the Elite logo is of crappier quality. This screen requires 59 seconds to retract whereas the first one took 37. It also does not seem to operate as smoothly.

In many ways I'm happy this screen is not of the correct size. I don't think I'd ever be willing to live with it having seen the first one.

This is FRUSTRATING. If Elite can't assure me that they will personally inspect a screen and guarantee it is in fact 49x87 and that it will be one of the quality screens rather than the POS I received today, I'm finished with them. :-(

. . . it will be one of the quality screens rather than the POS I received today, I'm finished with them. :-(That is not good news. I have a 106 high contrast gray, and I planned to get a tension white instead. Now I am concerned that I will not get one of the same quality as the one I have, and I will not have any recourse. FWIW, I had priced a new one a while back and found the best price at projector.com. When I returned to that site a few days ago I noticed they no longer sell Elite Screens. Hmmmm.

I just got the Elite VMAX100UWH 100 from NewEgg with a build date of October 2005. Does anyone know if the general quality of Elite screens was better in the past or worst? Or are they all bad?

I just had a lengthy conversation with the folks at Elite. Francis was very helpful. There is apparently a new screen model which they will send out after I complete the RMA form. I was assured that it will be of the correct dimension and will be of the quality of the first screen. She took a picture of the type of screen I want (from the Type C users guide on their website) to their tech department and they told her this new model looks like that one.

She indicated that I won't need to return the entire screen to Tiger Direct or to Elite. I'll need to return the control box and end cap to Elite and can then simply dispose of the rest of the screen. (I suppose it's not cost effective to return ship, refurb, ........ Screen is Chinese origin)

I'll report back as to when/whether this is finally resolved to my satisfaction. I must say that thus far the customer service reps have been understanding and responsive.

I'll keeep my "fingers crossed".

Can anyone tell me if the Elite Cinetension can be ordered in 2:35 configuration? According to the website, only the fixed frame is available in 2:35.

Greetings, I thought I would weigh in, since as some have mentioned, I liked the gray in my review. Generally grey screens take some getting used to. And if you have a projector that's not particularly bright - such as the Z5, yes you will likely not run it in best mode, to get the lumens.

But more to the point, I believe some of the confusion comes from "which screen is which". To my best understanding, the Cinetension and the fixed wall - the ezFrame (I reviewed the EZ frame), have a newer, and definitely much lighter gray surface. In addition, it really isn't very "High Contrast". It is a combination that I really like.

It's no match for my Firehawk, and lighter gray to boot, but I found using it pleasing with all but dim projectors, and not even bad there. I suspect that those of you saying its pretty dark, have the older versions (without the 1), or have a pull down? I reviewed the ezFrame back in August and the surface was pretty new I believe. I don't know what they were putting into the VMAX or other motorized, but I'm pretty sure the pulldowns did not have it.

Hope that helps a little... I wouldn't bet the farm that I got everything straight here, but I'm pretty sure those not happy with their grays, do not have the fabric that is on the ezFrame I reviewed (R100H1, if I recall correctly).

Biggest problem is that picking screens is more subjective than the projectors, and tougher to choose.

-art

I see you are reviewing the Sony Pearl (VW50). I just bought one and I am trying to find a 106" screen for it. Do one of these Elite screens go well with it or should I go for a more expensive screen like a Dalite? Your best recommendation for the sony?
thanks,

Can anyone tell me if the Elite Cinetension can be ordered in 2:35 configuration? According to the website, only the fixed frame is available in 2:35.


There's a link on Elite's website that you can ask your question and they will respond to it. I've asked them a couple of questions, and they usually respond same day (during business hours).

I see you are reviewing the Sony Pearl (VW50). I just bought one and I am trying to find a 106" screen for it. Do one of these Elite screens go well with it or should I go for a more expensive screen like a Dalite? Your best recommendation for the sony?
thanks,

This won't help your budget, but the Sony looks great on the Firehawk, I have watched a fair amount of content on it these past few days. Supposedly the Firehawk SST is better still, if you use the Sony's zoom in middle to wide angle.

The black levels on the Sony are damn good, though, so even a white surface should be pretty good. Tomorrow the VW50 moves into my testing room where I will start using it with the Carada brilliant white. I suspect I will be very satisfied there too. I have the Elite gray stashed away, don't know if I will pull it out for the Pearl. -art

you should put the elite screen up it would be interesting to hear your results with that projector. at the moment i am on the fence, i know i want to get the mit 100u pro but i am not sure if i should go for the elite cinetension grey or matt white. i called the pp and they recommended the grey, but so many on these boards were not happy with the grey, i would like to know if all the problems were corrected with newer material, did anyone get the newer version of the cinetension yet? is it better? i am coming from an infocus 4805/dalite highpower screen and was pretty happy with it. but i caught the upgrade bug!!!! thoughts and reccomentdations appreciated...

The replacement screen arrived today. Unfortunately, it too is 50x87. It will also go back to TD and I'm going to talk directly with Elite again. A few other comments may be of interest.

The screens are quite different (aside from both being the wrong size). The first screen (manufactured April 06) exudes quality. The case is substantial (92mm octagonal) the mounts are sturdy, the finish (matte powdercoat?) is nice (although it has some minor blems), the screen material is quite heavy and exhibits no waves or edge curl. The controls and remote aren't high end but they don't look totally cheap. The connector is at the right side of the screen. The vertical adjustment allen screws are discretely hidden.

The second screen (manufactured June 06) seems CHEAP. The case is smaller in diameter (75mm ocagonal) and clearly lesser quality. (I think it may actually sag a bit.) The mounts are flimsy. The finish is an ugly, shiny textured finish with several rather large dull patches. The screen material is less substantial, is curled at the edges and already exhibits a bit of a V (undoubtedly from the above mentioned sag). The remotes and wall control aren't as nice. The vertical adjustment screws are readily visible (as is a small set of instructions imprinted on the case). The connector is at the left side of the screen. Even the Elite logo is of crappier quality. This screen requires 59 seconds to retract whereas the first one took 37. It also does not seem to operate as smoothly.

In many ways I'm happy this screen is not of the correct size. I don't think I'd ever be willing to live with it having seen the first one.

This is FRUSTRATING. If Elite can't assure me that they will personally inspect a screen and guarantee it is in fact 49x87 and that it will be one of the quality screens rather than the POS I received today, I'm finished with them. :-(

Mistere,
i just recieved my cinetension 120" matte white screen. mine was manufactured May 2006 and has the connector also on the left side of the screen. the 2 supplied remotes are black plastic with 3 buttons. the Elite logo is silver with black letters on the front right of the screen box. the finish is black and fairly consitent.
can you offer some advice as to whether or not i recieved the better quality screen?
i'm worried that mine comes from the same batch as your second screen...

drcarr,

I've not seen a Cinetension screen. The picture in the brochure suggests that a different case is used with ths model. That said, aside from the track mounting system, the Cinetension screen case looks much like the first (i.e., better) model I received. I've come to believe there are at least three different versions of the VMAX. I have no idea if there are multiple Cinetensions.

Can anyone tell me if the Elite Cinetension can be ordered in 2:35 configuration? According to the website, only the fixed frame is available in 2:35.

Thanks stickyman. They did get back to me. 2.35:1 Cinetension is not available at this time.

Mistere,
i just recieved my cinetension 120" matte white screen. mine was manufactured May 2006 and has the connector also on the left side of the screen. the 2 supplied remotes are black plastic with 3 buttons. the Elite logo is silver with black letters on the front right of the screen box. the finish is black and fairly consitent.
can you offer some advice as to whether or not i recieved the better quality screen?
i'm worried that mine comes from the same batch as your second screen...


drcarr, have you had a chance to put your screen up? any comments on the projected image? i received my screen samples (matte white and high contrast gray) and i've stared at these for a few days now (they're pretty small pieces... about 1/5th of a sheet of letter sized paper)... both are quite similar, the gray does provide better blacks.. although it's hard in general to tell the difference since the samples are so small... but it does make the colours look quite dull... i'm wondering if it's possible to calibrate the colors so they don't look dull... or if it's something that you have to live with if you go with gray....

I'm actively finishing basement and will be buying both projector and screen in the next 4 weeks. My choices are based on best value and availability in Canada.

So at the moment I'm planning on a Panasonic PT-AX100U projector and an Elite EZ-Frame R106H high contrast gray screen from TgrDirect Canada.

Does anyone have any comments/opinions on this screen with this projector (good or bad)? Anyone have a similar setup they are happy with?

i recieved my elite cinetension 120" matte white screen last week. it arrived packaged very well. double boxed and well protected. the casing looked of moderate quality with no visible blemishes or defects. there was one small end cap loose on the screen which needed tightening. no big deal.

i supported the screen about 4 feet off the ground and deployed the screen just to make sure the motor worked and to see what the screen material looked like. it looked great! ...and then i noticed a small 1.5" cut in the middle of the screen about 1 foot up from the center. major bummer. i called elite and filled out an RMA. still waiting to hear back from them on how it will be handled. the guy on the phone said it will be replaced with a new one. another problem i had was that the screen is supposed to measure 59x105". it actually measured 60x103". not good. i told this to the elite guy and he said to write on the RMA to do a QC on the screen before it's sent out. i'll keep you posted when i recieve the new screen.

fyi, i deployed the defective screen last night and watched a SD DVD documentary on various scenic places around the world. it was my first time seeing an image ont he elite screen. one word on the screen/pj combo... breathtaking!!! color, contrast, and black level was unbelievable. i watched it on Cinema 1 mode. we were blown away on the 120" screen.

fyi, i deployed the defective screen last night and watched a SD DVD documentary on various scenic places around the world. it was my first time seeing an image ont he elite screen. one word on the screen/pj combo... breathtaking!!! color, contrast, and black level was unbelievable. i watched it on Cinema 1 mode. we were blown away on the 120" screen.
I believe you have a Panasonic PT-AX100U pj..... so.... I assume your vote is for a matte white rather than gray screen? I'd be interested in futher comments as you get more viewing time with hd source. How detailed are the blacks?

Approx how far are you throwing the image? How many lumens in your test with Cinema 1? Thanks!

just ordered the 92" high contrast gray cinetension on the advice of jason at avs for my setup (however he has warned me that the colors won't look as punchy)... I have tan walls, white ceiling, side walls will be about 5-6 inches from the screen... based on my observations of the screen samples, the matte white looked washed out when compared to the gray everytime the scenes went bright, i assume due to the light reflections off the walls and ceiling... although in other scenes the white looked more vibrant than the gray... although the whites looked a bit gray on the hcg... i'm hoping that i can increase the brightness levels to compensate a bit....so i'm going to take my chances with the gray... i hope it works out.

sticky,
look forward to hearing how you like it!

i heard back from elite and they are going to replace the cut "defective" screen with a brand new one. frances at elite said that i will recieve the newer model TE120HW2 screen. this is the 120" matte white cinetension.

has anyone seen this newer version of the screen? any comments on it? how does it differ from the previous version (TE120HW1)?

drcarr

sticky,
look forward to hearing how you like it!

i heard back from elite and they are going to replace the cut "defective" screen with a brand new one. frances at elite said that i will recieve the newer model TE120HW2 screen. this is the 120" matte white cinetension.

has anyone seen this newer version of the screen? any comments on it? how does it differ from the previous version (TE120HW1)?

drcarr


hi drcarr, good to hear that you're getting a replacement, seems like elite customer service is pretty good... now if only they can get the product right the first time around.... anyway, are they asking that you send the defective one back? do you have to pay shipping charges?

yea, i don't think the QC is that good. the customer service seems to be great tho. they are covering shipping charges to send back the defective screen and the replacement. i can't seem to find any info on the newest version of the screen ~HW2.

yea, i don't think the QC is that good. the customer service seems to be great tho. they are covering shipping charges to send back the defective screen and the replacement. i can't seem to find any info on the newest version of the screen ~HW2.

drcarr, i checked with jason at avs, apparently i'll be getting the model 2 as well. he mentioned the model 2 has a 12 volt trigger included and apparently better designed, not sure what that means, but i guess you can let us know since you have a model 1 to compare it to.

i'm all for better design. i'll let you know how it compares to hw1 when the new one arrives.
please forgive the ignorance...
what is a 12 volt trigger?

i'm all for better design. i'll let you know how it compares to hw1 when the new one arrives.
please forgive the ignorance...
what is a 12 volt trigger?

I believe the 12 volt trigger is a jack that you can connect a cable to your projector (if it also has a 12 volt trigger jack) so that you can control the screen with the projector.... the sanyo plv-z5 doesn't have a 12 volt trigger... so it doesn't really affect my installation, not sure if the ax-100 has a 12 volt trigger... but in any case, nowadays most people have those fancy programmable remotes anyway so i don't really see a need for 12 volt trigger...

i'm hoping better design, means better design for the consumer.. and not cheaper to make for the manufacturer....

I received the THIRD VMAX100 today--this one directly from Elite rather than Tiger Direct. They clearly checked this one out before shipping as some packing was reattached with masking tape. The good news is that the viewable part of the screen in 49x87--as it should be. The bad news is that the top mask is only 7" instead of the 18" spec. This screen thus can't be mounted from my ceiling and is totally worthless in my application. I'm totally disgusted and frustrated (on my birthday no less).

This model is apparently model E (as opposed to the models A and C which I received earlier). Manufacturing date is December 2006. The case looks like a smaller diameter version of the quality screen (model C) I described earlier. The case's finish is a nice matte and I note no sag at all (unlike with the model A). The controls look even better than those with the C. Like the A, the control cable attaches on the left. The up/down time is slower (like model A) but it is quiet/smooth. I'd be very happy with it if the top header was 18".

Elite CS (Frances) has been very responsive. I'll try to work wth them one more time. Clearly, Elite's Chinese supplier has VERY SERIOUS QC issues.

mistere, perhaps the top mask is adjustable, try giving elite a call to see how the adjustment can be made. from what others have said on some cinetension screens they had to drill a small hole and use a screw driver to adjust the height.

mistere, perhaps the top mask is adjustable, try giving elite a call to see how the adjustment can be made. from what others have said on some cinetension screens they had to drill a small hole and use a screw driver to adjust the height.

stickyman,

Yes, I know how to adjust the top mask--and did so. There is simply not enough screen material on the roller to yield 18" of top mask--let alone leave a safe margin on the roller.

received my screen yesterday.... packaging was good. but i notice there's a couple of paint chips the casing... i can live with that.... one side of the screen also fell into the casing.... (there's velcro straps that keep the screen partly extended out of the casing...) i hope it didn't damage the actual screen.... the package doesn't seem to come with any wood screws... i see the concrete anchors and screws... and hollow wall anchors (i think that's what they are...).... but i don't think i will trust the hollow wall anchors on my ceiling.... i don't think the ceiling drywall can support 50 lbs?? i don't want the ceiling coming down.... i think i will have to go buy some lag bolts and mount this thing into the ceiling joists... i wonder what other cinetension owners have done...

stickyman,

Yes, I know how to adjust the top mask--and did so. There is simply not enough screen material on the roller to yield 18" of top mask--let alone leave a safe margin on the roller.

hi mistere, i haven't checked the mask on my cinetension i hope it's more than 7".... the specs on these screens don't seem to match up to their website... the case length on a 92" high contrast gray cinetension is suppose to be 94".... i measured mine to be 96"... this may pose a problem for me... since i think i have about 99" of space... (i think because, it's slightly dependent on the location of the ceiling joist... and there's a fireplace in one corner... which is at a 45 degree angle... so it makes measuring exactly hard... since the screen will fall about 2 feet in front of the wall and straddling the fireplace...)... i'm crossing my fingers..

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8818130&&#post8818130

Here is a less evasive way to adjust the drop on the Cinetension, no need to drill

Can anyone who has the cinetension screen confirm the total black drop? Elite's website states that it's 16", but I've read elsewhere that it's 18".

Also with the case being 7" tall, is the top of the viewable part of the screen from the ceiling 7" plus the total black drop of 16" or 18"? Ideally, I'm looking for the viewable part of the screen to be about 25" from the ceiling as I'll be ceiling mounting the screen.

If I can get 25" with the black drop and the case height, then I'm set.

Thanks for your info.

here's an update on my cinetension. managed to put it up on friday, no damage to the screen. a plastic part (part of the endcap) had broken off of the bottom bar... but i managed to pop this back in place. the screen is not straight... it's about 3mm higher on the left side of the screen compard to the right side of the screen... but i couldn't be bothered to send this back because of this (it's quite hard to put this thing up due to the weight...). watched a few tv shows, and a movie on the screen.... definately better than projecting onto my tan coloured walls.... the screen is a bit dark,... and it mutes the colours a bit... but i haven't had time to calibrate the projector using DVE.... otherwise i'm pretty happy with the screen for the price i paid for it.

sticky,
glad you got your cinetension up! how did you mount it? in the ceiling using the joist? i'm still waiting for my replacement screen from them. i'm planning on mounting mine in the ceiling somehow.

is the viewable area of the screen 3mm taller on one side, or does the material just drop 3mm lower on one side with the screen tilting off at an angle?

sticky,
glad you got your cinetension up! how did you mount it? in the ceiling using the joist? i'm still waiting for my replacement screen from them. i'm planning on mounting mine in the ceiling somehow.

is the viewable area of the screen 3mm taller on one side, or does the material just drop 3mm lower on one side with the screen tilting off at an angle?

hi drcarr, i mounted on the ceiling, i bought 5/16" lag bolts 3" long and washers, the two sets of anchors provided will not work in my situation (one set were concrete anchors and the other set were hollow wall anchors... and I did not trust the drywall on my ceiling to support 50lbs). i pilot drilled 2 holes using 13/64" drill bit after i found the ceiling joist (i used a stud finder and a piece of paper... since my ceiling is the rough and bumpy white paint and not a smooth ceiling)... the lag bolts are working great.

the screen is basically tilted 3mm higher on the left side... and when the screen is rolled up i can see that the left side of the lower bar is further up into the case. when i watch 4:3 material i can tell the screen is not straight because the two black bars are slightly tilted relative to the black side masks... otherwise when i watch full screen 16:9 material, I don't really notice it (i do project an image slightly larger than the viewable area of the screen... sort of like in the theatres... so that the image disappears into the black mask)...

surprisingly, i received my screen on Thursday, I ordered it on Monday through Jason at AVS and it made it across the US from the west coast, through customs and into Canada in less than 4 days... elite uses DHL so the brokerage fees were very reasonable ($7 CAD) compared to UPS ($50+). overall i'm quite happy with the service level of elite. now if only they had better qc...

sticky,
did your screen measure the correct dimensions vertically and horizontally?

sticky,
did your screen measure the correct dimensions vertically and horizontally?

drcarr, yes, the screen measures roughly 80x45, i say roughly because no one was around to help me hold the tape measure (but i'm certain that the screen is not off by an inch like some users have experienced...)

stickyman how'd you make out? i am wondering if you were able to compare the defective screen with the new one, i think you will be the first to be able to compare the high contrast gray with the high tension white, what do you think? how does it look? do you see a difference in picture qaulity, contrast, vibrancy, and design of the case?

stickyman how'd you make out? i am wondering if you were able to compare the defective screen with the new one, i think you will be the first to be able to compare the high contrast gray with the high tension white, what do you think? how does it look? do you see a difference in picture qaulity, contrast, vibrancy, and design of the case?

hi david, i didn't get a high tension white screen, and i only got one high contrast gray screen, so i really can't say... i do have a small screen sample of the matte white. my only comment so far is that i do have to up the contrast, brightness and color settings to make the image brighter and more vibrant. i have not had a chance to do a full calibration... DVE is a pain to work through... the dialogue is slow and hardly ever relevant to LCD projectors..

drcarr, i took better measurements yesterday. the screen has the correct width (80 inches, but the height is 1/4 inch too tall (measured 45.25"). not sure if i will take down the screen and send it back for 1/4 inch, there would be the risk that i would get an even worse screen... plus the hassle of applying for tax refund on the exchange (i live up in canada)...

interesting... i'm keeping my fingers crossed for the 2nd one.

I'm giving up on Elite VMAX. I was informed that the top mask on all the screens which the techs checked was 10" (rather than the specified 18"). I'm sure I could safely adjust the last screen I received to get 10" but that's not adequate for my application. This perhaps suggests that the VMAX may be evolving in the direction of the cheaper Spectrum series which has a 10" drop.

I really wish the Model C would have worked but four attempts at getting the correct size is enough. As I said earlier, QC is obviously a VERY SERIOUS issue here.

Has anybody tried their High Gain White screen material? I'm assuming that the viewing cone must reduce significantly which would be bad for my high mounted projector and wide seating area, but at 1.5 gain it might not be bad. I think I've decided that I'm going to try the Cinetension, but with my Epson TW1000 I cant figure out what material I want. Anybody with any input?

----moe

The cinetension screen is at the top of my list mostly for the cost but I need a cleaner installation. Has anyone found a case or similar that will allow for recessed ceiling mount with a paintable door that is closed when the screen is raised?

Does anyone know if the top mask on the cinetensions 10" or 18" ??

Does anyone know if the top mask on the cinetensions 10" or 18" ??

the TE92HC2 has a maximum top mask of 10", comes set to about 5.5" (which i have not adjusted yet), not sure if there would be a different mask height for the matte white or high gain white and the different sizes. originally i was looking for 18" as well, but my wife actually likes it where it is right now, and has no problems with the screen at the current height, i think i would prefer to have it down a few inches. you have to keep in mind it's 10" mask + case height which is about 4" i think, and the hanging L brackets adds another couple of inches. my ceiling is only 8 feet though.

Does anyone know if the top mask on the cinetensions 10" or 18" ??

I have the 84" cinetension in the matte white, and the max drop is 18". It comes set quite a bit higher, and it takes quite a few turns on the adjusment to get it down. Mine is set to about 13" of drop.