I know there are a few messages regarding what screen folks are using for their RS1/HD1 but thought it may be nice to have one spot for the specifics, make, size,
material, etc. I have a 110" diag. 16X9 Firehawk in a semi-light controlled room approx. 24'X16". Maybe that is my best bet, maybe not. I want to match the projector with the best screen possible. I'm still trying to convince my wife to let me "bat-cave" the room a bit, but so far, no sale.

OOps! Of course I meant 24'X16'.

Darkening the room would help. So would a white screen. Shoot for 1.3 -1.5 gain or greater.

I know there are a few messages regarding what screen folks are using for their RS1/HD1 but thought it may be nice to have one spot for the specifics, make, size,
material, etc. I have a 110" diag. 16X9 Firehawk in a semi-light controlled room approx. 24'X16". Maybe that is my best bet, maybe not. I want to match the projector with the best screen possible. I'm still trying to convince my wife to let me "bat-cave" the room a bit, but so far, no sale.

I'm using a 110" ST130 (1.3 gain) and it looks spectacular with the RS1. It's bright but not enough to where the blacks become grey. The nice thing about the ST130 is that it has no grain so there are no artifacts or sparklies whatsoever. If you have ambient lighting though it could be a problem. You can order just the screen material from Stewart and use your existing frame, this will save some money.

fretman,

Thanks for starting this RS1 screen selection thread.

I'm on the RS1 pre buy list.

I have a Stewart Grayhawk 120" diagonal 16:9 screen mounted 15' from the projector in a light controlled room with black ceiling and walls (tan tile floor), I wonder what to expect from the RS1 in this setup?

I also have a StudioTek 130 screen still rolled up in the shipping tube from the factory that was new 6 years years ago but has been stored in a hot Florida attic all this time, is it likely to still be good, would it be a better match for the RS1?

I'm replacing a 6 year old Sony VPL-VW10HT LCD projector with the RS1, I've been somewhat satisfied with the brightness from this setup until I get around 750 hours on the bulb. I would probably be happier with more overall brightness though.

Appreciate all comments.

Thank you.

What screen mfg. offers the best quality, "bang for the buck" so to speak? Getting people's eyes-on experience with the RS1 and particular screen used should be a real help. Mine is pretty much limited to my SIM2 HT300 and my Firehawk.

i fired up my rs1 yesterday. i have a 133 dalite high power screen. the lamp is set at low, and thie pj is brighter than you would ever want. the hd quality is superb.

tocan, would the high power be TOO bright with a 106" diagonal screen? (projected from about 11-12 feet).

hi predro. im no expert but i dont think so. try again some more info from the forum. brightness can always be controled .

what screen in 120' for a living room white

thanks

here a photograph of my living room

Hello

I am french , and iam poor in english


http://bart.bulma-animation.org/up/a1/kxsmqxqazstz0x6w8ftf8vxzfo.jpg

Thanks

I plan to use a 123" Stewart Firehawk Microperf X2 screen with the RS1. What type of results do you think I'll have with this? Room no ambient light, 14' x 33' PTD 19'

I'm using a 110" ST130 (1.3 gain) and it looks spectacular with the RS1. It's bright but not enough to where the blacks become grey. The nice thing about the ST130 is that it has no grain so there are no artifacts or sparklies whatsoever.

That's why I'm currently considering the St130, or more likely the cheaper Carada BW version screen. I was watching the Blu Ray of Fantastic Four on a Sony SXRD 70 RPTV today and the screen structure - the "silk screen effect" - just drove me insane! I feel like %50 of the time I'm trying to ignore it or see "through" it to the image. It's such an "aaahh" feeling when looking to a good plasma on that count (other than that I think the SXRD RTPVs produce a terrific image).

So I'm afraid of being bothered by the same type of effect on my projection screen. Although admittedly the last time I viewed the Sharp 2000 projector on the Firehawk I don't remember noticing the sparklies. I'll have to pay more attention next time.

That's why I'm currently considering the St130, or more likely the cheaper Carada BW version screen. I was watching the Blu Ray of Fantastic Four on a Sony SXRD 70 RPTV today and the screen structure - the "silk screen effect" - just drove me insane! I feel like %50 of the time I'm trying to ignore it or see "through" it to the image. It's such an "aaahh" feeling when looking to a good plasma on that count (other than that I think the SXRD RTPVs produce a terrific image).

So I'm afraid of being bothered by the same type of effect on my projection screen. Although admittedly the last time I viewed the Sharp 2000 projector on the Firehawk I don't remember noticing the sparklies. I'll have to pay more attention next time.


I have a 110" Carada BW (with VW50) and also have a 60" XBR2. You are absolutely right about the SSE. It is very visible on the Sony and JVC sets. There is no visible texture on the Carada with the lamp on high. It does, without question, produce a cleaner image because of the XBR's screen texture. I have not seen the JVC's light output, but can say that the Carada is a very good match with my projector. I have been curious to compare with a larger high power screen though. However, don't attempt to use the Carada matte screen (CCW?). It passes far too much light through the material.

I'm on the RS1 pre-buy as well. I'm planning on trying a SMX (1.2 gain) AT screen so I can arrange all 3 front speakers behind the screen.

My plan is for a 110in wide (126in diag) 16:9 fixed screen with the RS1 ceiling mounted aprox 14ft from the screen. My room will have dark red colored walls, black ceiling, and a dark-ish rug. The room is also totally light controled. I figure if I need to, I can always mask the screen down to a smaller size with AT fabric if the setup proves to be too dim.

I was originally looking at a ST130 (non AT), but running a SMX AT screen allows me to pick out a bigger screen (important for legacy 4:3 content), optimize speaker placement, and it's cheaper to boot.

i have a fixed draper onyx 92" AT / HD Gray screen. to bad i didn't get my rs1.

i also have all my components brand new and ready to go, i even did all of my audio calibration playing some hd and bluray movies using my 27 in sharp lcd (kitchen tv) so im good to go. to bad we have no idea when the 2nd shipment is going out :(. the one good thing, is for the first time i read all of my components manuals front to back lol




a couple of times. even the direct tv H20 Manual, and i have about 6 of them for the past year or so but never took the time to read the manual. i really have to find something else to focus my time on till this projector shows up......

I asked this very same question. Got some great answers.

RS1/Screen Click Here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=802487)

Richard

I have a 110" Carada BW (with VW50) and also have a 60" XBR2. You are absolutely right about the SSE. It is very visible on the Sony and JVC sets. There is no visible texture on the Carada with the lamp on high. It does, without question, produce a cleaner image because of the XBR's screen texture. I have not seen the JVC's light output, but can say that the Carada is a very good match with my projector. I have been curious to compare with a larger high power screen though. However, don't attempt to use the Carada matte screen (CCW?). It passes far too much light through the material.

So you're happy with the brightness and punch of the image on that size Carada screen with your Pearl?

I'm looking at a 2:35:1 screen of about 114" diagonal, which works out to the projector having to light up the equivalent of a 105" diag 16:9 screen.

How do you guys think the RS1 would look on a 106" diagonal Da-Lite HCCV? I really don't want to replace the screen. Just wondering how these two would pair up.

How do you guys think the RS1 would look on a 106" diagonal Da-Lite HCCV? I really don't want to replace the screen. Just wondering how these two would pair up.

That is the exact match I have right now. To me it looks really good and blacks (aside from full field black) are very deep and I know that is important to you. The image is IMO PLENTY bright in my dark coloured light controlled room. I can't imagine anyone seeing it and harping it isnt bright enough...I will say thogh I think I got a lamp that is plenty bright compared to others who seem to have a lumens issue.

As good as I think the image is I did order a Carada Brilliant White screen to go with the RS1. I figure that while I will give up a bit in the black area I will make up for it in image vibrancy.

rlindo,
Thanks! What do you think of the whites? And what did you mean about full field black?

When will you have your new screen?

How do you guys think the RS1 would look on a 106" diagonal Da-Lite HCCV? I really don't want to replace the screen. Just wondering how these two would pair up.

Jacksonian, you're already planning on replacing your new Epson??!!

Jacksonian, you're already planning on replacing your new Epson??!!
Yeah, talk about an idiot who can't even follow my own sig line! :eek:

I wasn't thinking about it at all until I read Art's review. And he just kept going on and on about how much better the blacks were compared even to the Pearl. And I'm guessing the Pearl is probably equal or better than the Epson in blacks.

I'm trying to hold out, Art says he's doing the Epson next, but I'm afraid of what he'll say!

I need to just read my sig and follow my own advice and just watch some movies!

Of course, if I did decide to do the deed, I'd have to find a way to sneak the JVC up there without the wife seeing, she'd never let me live it down. Not because of money, just purely because of the insanity. :D

So you're happy with the brightness and punch of the image on that size Carada screen with your Pearl?

I'm looking at a 2:35:1 screen of about 114" diagonal, which works out to the projector having to light up the equivalent of a 105" diag 16:9 screen.


Yes. I use low lamp mode. The JVC's light output should be similar and plenty bright enough.

rlindo,
Thanks! What do you think of the whites? And what did you mean about full field black?

When will you have your new screen?

While it isn't the same screen, I did take home a cheapo pulldown white screen from work to see how that compares to the HCCV. The biggest difference is in how white and lighter colours look on it compared to the HCCV. I never knew white was as tinted grey on the HCCV as it is. It has been my one and only screen so I guess my brain just took that to be how white looks because really, without having a white screen to compare white on the HCCV's white level does look very white...at least for me.

When I said full field black I meant when the pj is just projecting a full black image so basically like on a fade to black scene. Here I don't find the RS1 to be anything special but when anything of decent brightness shows up on screen the black level becomes much deeper. The black level in everything aside from full field black is IMO very good and the depth during low APL scenes is damn impressive. You know the haze and decreased depth and "pop" you get on these types of scenes with LCD pjs? Doesn't exist on the RS1. These scenes IMO look as good as all other types of scenes. My fav scene I have seen thus far on my RS1 (aside from sin city dvd which looked flat out incredible) would be the start of Star Wars Revenge of the Sith during the space battle. Black is rock solid and the lights of the ships, lasers and explosions just well explode off the screen.

I am hoping my Carada ships today and I get it by the end of next week...since I live in Canada it'll take a few days longer. I already know the black level won't be as "black" as it is now but just based on the cheapo pulldown screen the image will be more vibrant and that has me excited to see.

The HCCV is good with the RS1 so IMO if you do upgrade to the RS1 I think you'll probably be pleased with the combo.

I'll be sure to give you my impressions when I get the new screen.

I am hoping my Carada ships today and I get it by the end of next week...since I live in Canada it'll take a few days longer. I already know the black level won't be as "black" as it is now but just based on the cheapo pulldown screen the image will be more vibrant and that has me excited to see.

.

Please report back on how the JVC looks on the Carada screen. I'm interested in the Carada brilliant white - is that the one you've ordered?

Rich,

yep that's the screen I am getting. 106" BW with the criterion frame.

I also was considering the ST130 but it is triple the cost and I doubt I'd see triple the improvement over the Carada.:)

I found the Carada BW raised the black levels too much on a Pearl I installed on one. I actually had to double check my measurements because it was noticeable. I'd be curious to see if others find that.

I found the Carada BW raised the black levels too much on a Pearl I installed on one. I actually had to double check my measurements because it was noticeable. I'd be curious to see if others find that.

Whoa, really?

Would the same go for the Stewart ST130 as well, given they are such a similar screen (gain)? Or have you found different results with the Stewart version?

Thanks.

Not trying to scare you...that was one test and not in the perfect enviornment. Plus there are good things about it. But, from what I have found, if you want the best black levels, I would not get that fabric.

Jason,
What other screen materials have you seen with the JVC and is there one you thought looked best?

I've only ever had the HCCV (you recommended with my Panny 300 years ago :)) so I don't know any different. I tried the sample of the High Power, but I found the cone WAY too narrow. If I wasn't literally at the exact same eye level as the pj, I seemed to lose all the gain.

With the RS1, not many as I only had the test unit a short time. But I have used/installed/owned/tested almost all of them. I agree the HP is not for everyone. In fact in my talknig with people, more people than not cannot use it in their rooms (though many try) with good results. (If you can make the install work for it, well worth considering).
When choosing a screen, there are several things you have to answer:
1. What is the room like? ie. dark or light colored walls and ceilings? Windows or no? Preferred watching environment (fully dark, with some light, daytime, etc...?
2. What projector is it going to be with?
3. What size screen?
4. How is the projector to screen to viewing position relationship going to be?
5. Last but not least...cost and type desired.

It's hard for these posts to really answer accurately because I would bet that out of every 10 people answering, an average of 9.9 of them have different setups.

Thanks, Jason, I understand what you're saying about the variability. I love my Cosmo Electrol screen, so I'll just stick with the HCCV no matter which pj I get. I'd hate to trade any of the blacks anyway.

As I am replacing my 10 years old CRT projector with an RS1, I just purchased a 96" long/110 diagonal Da-Lite Cinemavision screen to replace my 84" 10 year old Cinemavision screen, and I have to tell you that the new Cinemavision screen is much much better than the old one. The fabric is much better, it doesn't have that slight glare of the old fabric, and also the back of the screen is now treated in black and not transparent any more. The frame, too, is better, easier to install, no more corners, the whole frame just snap on, and the black coating of the metal frame is no more reverberant.

I urge people with an old screen to replace their screen as screen technology has also vastly improved.

My advice for anyone who has a screen...try that first. Unless the screen is way old and in bad condition, you really have to try your new projector on it to see if a screen upgrade is even necessary.

Thanks a lot.
My HD-1 will be hang 8" from a 80" Draper 4:3 screen which has been used for years. I do not have a light control room so most of the time I will watch it at night. I was advised by the HT expert that the screen must have a gain over 1.0 which will rather destructive to final image quality.
Well I remain doubtful. If I am going to change, HD 130 will be the choice

Not sure why they say it will be destructive. I don't agree with that.

Rich,

yep that's the screen I am getting. 106" BW with the criterion frame.

I also was considering the ST130 but it is triple the cost and I doubt I'd see triple the improvement over the Carada.:)

I am also considering the Carada Criterion BW screen for my RS1. Their prices seem to be the best out there. If the performance is there, pretty tough to beat!
Look forward to your impressions, especially black level.

My screen is expected to arrive Monday or Tuesday so I'll report my findings the night I get it.

The beauty with this is that if I feel that the tradeoff in black level is a bigger issue to me than the positives the Cararda will bring then I can just give the Carada to my folks who will need a screen when they set up my old Z5 at their house. This is basically why I decided to get this screen since I already know what I will do with whatever screen I don't plan to use.:)

I've seen an RS1 on a Carada BW (see Projector Reviews Pearl comparison pictures, which were shot on a Carada BW) and the picture and black level is excellent. Once I get an RS1 for myself, I'll be using it with the BW. Of course, with a BW (or an ST130), light control is important. Color shift is virtually nonexistent and almost identical to an ST130, actual gain is a little lower.

Yeah I think the black level thing needs to be put into context. If the darkest black level is the absolute main priority then no white screen, especially with a gain over 1 is going to be as good as a grey screen which IMO is simple logic. Even the 8.4 billion dollar Stewart wonder screen the ST130 will not transform black level by defying this simple logic.:)

If a person is interested in a white screen then IMO it should be for all the other areas where a white screen will for the most part trump a grey screen.

YEs and no. White screens are never as good for black level. But, some white screens are better than others at how much the black level gets raised.

I hope to be able to report on a 126" Dalite HP screen with my RS1 this coming Tuesday (screen scheduled to arrive on Monday)!

YEs and no. White screens are never as good for black level. But, some white screens are better than others at how much the black level gets raised.

Which still means if a person cares the most about black level ANY white screen isn't the ideal choice.

Of course.

For a shelf mount at close to maximum throw for the RS1, would a 106" High Power in low/normal bulb mode be overkill? Would I need a ND filter in a darkened room while the bulb is fresh?

No way. Remember at the long end of the throw in normal lamp mode, it is only about 300+ lumens. That means on a unity gain screen it is about 10.5 footlamberts (used 350 lumens for the calc). With a Hi Power in ideal position to the pj, that will yield roughly 30 footlamberts (normal TV's are about 25-35 footlamberts). Though it will be plenty bright, I would say a filter is not going to be needed.

Please report back on how the JVC looks on the Carada screen. I'm interested in the Carada brilliant white - is that the one you've ordered?

The Carada BW material is even more uniform and color accurate than the ST130 by my measurements. However, they are both so close to perfect that there is little practical difference in these two regards. With a ceiling mounted PJ I measure the ST130 at 1.3 gain and the BW at 1.1 gain. The ST130 is about 20% higher in gain, which is why it is slightly less uniform.

Also, the Carada Criterion frame is equal in beauty to my Stewart frame, IMO, and easier to mount.



Glenn

YEs and no. White screens are never as good for black level. But, some white screens are better than others at how much the black level gets raised.

Actually, this is a common misunderstanding. If you analyze just the screen without considering the room, the screen mearly is a reflector. It can not raise or lower the brights or shadows differentially. Black and White are raised or lowered the same amount by the gain of the screen. The CR of the image from a PJ will be the same regardless of the screen gain. A higher gain screen will raise both White and Black when compared to a lower gain screen. This is a function of gain alone, not whether the screen is Gray vs White.

If you have an HT with dark or non reflective surfaces, they interact very little with the screen via cross-light reflections and white vs grey makes little difference except for the differences in gain between any two screens.

However, (and this might be what Jason had in mind) if you have an HT with light colored or reflective surfaces, gray screens and higher gain screens cause less cross-light contamination and are better at quenching it. This yields higher on-screen CR. There is usually a penalty in terms of less uniformity compared to a lower gain screen, though.

Glenn

cool big tv :rolleyes:

The Carada BW material is even more uniform and color accurate than the ST130 by my measurements. However, they are both so close to perfect that there is little practical difference in these two regards. With a ceiling mounted PJ I measure the ST130 at 1.3 gain and the BW at 1.1 gain. The ST130 is about 20% higher in gain, which is why it is slightly less uniform.

Also, the Carada Criterion frame is equal in beauty to my Stewart frame, IMO, and easier to mount.



Glenn

Thanks Glenn!

Would the Stewart screen be any degree less or more susceptible to room reflections over the Carada?

BTW, I see occasional references about the differences in "sharpness" between various screens. Even Stewart seems to tout some screens as worthy of 1080p resolution. I presume this has to do with various screen materials and their light diffusion/scatter characteristics (?).

On this matter, did you note any difference in sharpness between the Carada and the Stewart (or other screens?). I seem to remember one forum member thinking his sample of the Carada BW didn't appear quite as sharp as some other samples.

Thanks.

I wasn't talking about the contrast though...merely black level.

Thanks Glenn!

Would the Stewart screen be any degree less or more susceptible to room reflections over the Carada?

BTW, I see occasional references about the differences in "sharpness" between various screens. Even Stewart seems to tout some screens as worthy of 1080p resolution. I presume this has to do with various screen materials and their light diffusion/scatter characteristics (?).

On this matter, did you note any difference in sharpness between the Carada and the Stewart (or other screens?). I seem to remember one forum member thinking his sample of the Carada BW didn't appear quite as sharp as some other samples.

Thanks.
The Carada BW has a very wide viewing angle. You can sit way off to the sides and see almost as bright an image as from the prime seat. The ST130's viewing angle is a little reduced compared to the BW's. It reflects more of the light from a PJ back to the prime seats and less to the sides, hence its higher gain rating. Consequently, it will cause reduced cross-light reflections. Cross-light reflections are light that bounces off the screen onto side walls, ceiling, floor, and other surfaces in the HT and find their way back to the screen to pollute the image by washing it out. The ST130 sends less light out to the sides, hence reduced cross-light reflections.

Neither screen is "better" than the other because of this. It all depends on the effect you are trying to achieve in your HT. In some HTs the wider viewing angle of the Carada might be an advantage, while on others it is a disadvantage.

In an HT with dark or non reflective surfaces especially near the screen, cross-light is not much of a consideration, IMO.

The surface of a screen can affect the perception of sharpness, especially if you can detect the texture of the surface (and especially if you have exceptional visual acuity). The ST130 and BW have very fine textures and have no degrading affect on sharpness at all, as far as I can tell.

Glenn

FYI I set up my RS1 temporarily projecting on my Stewart FireHalk G3 from about 15 feet and out of the box it looked fantastic. Plenty bright in a dark room. The colors were very nice and didn't seem that over saturated. I am very impressed without having adjlusted anything yet. It can onlly get better from here. Watched some of King Kong and the detail was amazing. Looked as good as my 50" Fujitzu plasma. Anyway that's my first impression.

Congrats! This is indeed a great unit so I'm sure it will bring you lots of enjoyment.

Thanks Jason. And thanks for your assistance in getting it. Glad I got in on the ground floor. Now I just have to find a home for my HD-81. I have no regrets going with the Rs1.

glenned,

Thanks very much. I'll just have to see how far I can push things with the decor (see WAF). I'm thinking maybe I can do the dark ceiling, and then let the walls be a light enough color for my wife not to freak out. Then hopefully I can have dark (maybe black) curtains that can be pulled along the side walls to stop reflections from the screen onto the walls.

glenned,

Thanks very much. I'll just have to see how far I can push things with the decor (see WAF). I'm thinking maybe I can do the dark ceiling, and then let the walls be a light enough color for my wife not to freak out. Then hopefully I can have dark (maybe black) curtains that can be pulled along the side walls to stop reflections from the screen onto the walls.

A while back I did a calibration for a Ruby on a 100"D St130. The HT was fairly small. The walls were light yellow and were close to the screen. There was noticable screen washout from cross-light. I was recommending that a FH be considered to address the issue.

Instead, the owner installed cloth covered sound panels over all the wall surfaces. They were a light tan. I was suprised at how much of an improvement they made in quenching the cross-light reflections. I stopped recommending the FH. I was now seeing about the same improvement I expected from the FH screen. Even though the cloth wasn't dark, it was not reflective and it made a significant improvement over the painted walls.

Unfortunatly I didn't take any before/after measurements. It would have been instructive to quantify the improvement.

Glenn

Thanks Jason. And thanks for your assistance in getting it. Glad I got in on the ground floor. Now I just have to find a home for my HD-81. I have no regrets going with the Rs1.

Weatherby

I am also thinking of going from my hd81 to an rs1. I too am using a firehauk (115").
I am getting rid of my hd81 for mechanical reasons, but I do like the image, when it works. What are your opinions on the rs1 vs the 81 on your set up? Also what size is your screen?
It would be of great interest to me.

Thank you
Tony

Tony my screen size is 123" and it is the FireHawk G3 material. I never tried the Hd-81 in my set up because I thought it would be easier to sell if it was unused. So I can't compare directly. I have seen several HD-81's displayed and I must say I prefer the RS1 . You can't beat the Rs1 out of the box. I have only spent a short while viewing but from what I saw i was plenty happy with the brightness and the projector noise wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. Have you been able to sell your Optoma?

Tony my screen size is 123" and it is the FireHawk G3 material. I never tried the Hd-81 in my set up because I thought it would be easier to sell if it was unused. So I can't compare directly. I have seen several HD-81's displayed and I must say I prefer the RS1 . You can't beat the Rs1 out of the box. I have only spent a short while viewing but from what I saw i was plenty happy with the brightness and the projector noise wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. Have you been able to sell your Optoma?


I haven't tried to sell it yet . But i think I will get a new replacement first, so I can sell it as new.

Did you sell yours yet. If so, I hope you didn't take too much of beating.
Let me know.
Tony

Tony I PM you.
weatherby

Well my Carada BW with criterion frame arrived today and I set it up. First off, mega easy to put the frame together and all that jazz as it took less than an hour. It is pretty much a clone of the Dalite Cinema Contour except the frame is modified in a few areas and I prefer the Criterion frame for its slight changes. For reference I was coming from the Dalite HCCV.

I fired the RS1 up and peeped some stuff. The image clearly has a bit more depth and colours are bolder/more vibrant. Maybe it is just my brain thinking this but the image seems to be a bit smoother and shadow detail seems to be slightly better.

The image doesn't seem to be much brighter but I swear that my HCCV was a 1.3 gain when I got it in 2002. Does anyone know if Dalite changed this material to be a lower gain than back then?

As for black levels...Jason must have seen a funked up setup with that Pearl because the black level on this screen is damn good. It doesn't seem to be that far off the HCCV which IMO is very impressive as I wasn't expecting it to be as close as it is. I think that anyone oher than some diehard black level freaks would be pleased with the black level on this screen and with thsoe people, well, I think they won't be happy with any white screen.

All in all thus far I am impressed with this screen and am happy I got it since it brings out even more of the impressive quality of the RS image. Aside from the slightly higher black level (which again is expected by simple logic) there is NOTHING that this screen does inferior than the HCCV.

Kudos to David Giles and the other folks at Carada for making a nice screen at a good price.


Jacksonian,

dude if you get the RS1 I strongly suggest you get a white screen like the BW, Stewart ST130, etc. The improvements easily make up for the slight black level tradeoff.

?

Hallelujah, my 126" Dalite HP arrived today. Assembly was easy: after I screwed the frame together, my wife held the frame verically while I snapped the screen material to the frame. Went on pretty well (snapped the 4 corners first, then filled in).

And boy is it a spectacular pic! Calibrating with DVE, I have Brightness down to -10, and Constrast as 0 (Middle temp, Normal gamma--i.e., all OTB settings). The pic is vibrant, yet all the black level scenes are rich. I am sold.

I reported earlier that I measured 12 fc from my RS1 with a CA 813 light meter, showing a 126" pic, which comes to 565 lumens from the RS1 (in normal lamp mode, near minimum throw distance). So with the HP, and the RS1 located only 1.5 ft above our heads, this means 30 to 35 ftL. It's bright, but not overpowering. Am now watching 'Casino Royal'. The combination of great detail in the dark scenes with the bright highlights is striking.

PS: Have the DaSnap frame and like it very much.

I fired the RS1 up and peeped some stuff. The image clearly has a bit more depth and colours are bolder/more vibrant. Maybe it is just my brain thinking this but the image seems to be a bit smoother and shadow detail seems to be slightly better.

All in all thus far I am impressed with this screen and am happy I got it since it brings out even more of the impressive quality of the RS image.

Jacksonian,

dude if you get the RS1 I strongly suggest you get a white screen like the BW, Stewart ST130, etc. The improvements easily make up for the slight black level tradeoff.
rlindo, thanks for the report. Are you saying the improvement in colors and shadow detail are the primary benefits? You didn't really mention whites.

Well my Carada BW with criterion frame arrived today and I set it up. First off, mega easy to put the frame together and all that jazz as it took less than an hour. It is pretty much a clone of the Dalite Cinema Contour except the frame is modified in a few areas and I prefer the Criterion frame for its slight changes. For reference I was coming from the Dalite HCCV.

I fired the RS1 up and peeped some stuff. The image clearly has a bit more depth and colours are bolder/more vibrant. Maybe it is just my brain thinking this but the image seems to be a bit smoother and shadow detail seems to be slightly better.

The image doesn't seem to be much brighter but I swear that my HCCV was a 1.3 gain when I got it in 2002. Does anyone know if Dalite changed this material to be a lower gain than back then?

As for black levels...Jason must have seen a funked up setup with that Pearl because the black level on this screen is damn good. It doesn't seem to be that far off the HCCV which IMO is very impressive as I wasn't expecting it to be as close as it is. I think that anyone oher than some diehard black level freaks would be pleased with the black level on this screen and with thsoe people, well, I think they won't be happy with any white screen.

All in all thus far I am impressed with this screen and am happy I got it since it brings out even more of the impressive quality of the RS image. Aside from the slightly higher black level (which again is expected by simple logic) there is NOTHING that this screen does inferior than the HCCV.

Kudos to David Giles and the other folks at Carada for making a nice screen at a good price.


Jacksonian,

dude if you get the RS1 I strongly suggest you get a white screen like the BW, Stewart ST130, etc. The improvements easily make up for the slight black level tradeoff.


Thanks for the post, sounds great! A small compromise with blacks given the other
benefits seems worth it. I sent an E-Mail to Carada and was very impressed at how quickly and professionally David Giles responded.

Another observation of the HP screen with the RS1: Before I received my HP screen and was just showing the RS1 on my off-white wall, I found that setting Brightness according to DVE (so that the blackest of the 3 black bars is just above disappearing into the background) required it to be at -10. But this made the pic just too dark; I could not see any detail in dark scenes, and had to move Brightness up to at least -5, or even 0, to have acceptable detail in dark scenes.

Now with the HP, the Brightness setting still comes out to be -10, but now while I still have beautiful black, the detail in the dark scenes is remarkable. And of course one still has the brightess due to the HP. In fact, I turned the Contrast setting down to -5; this gives much more definition and detail in the whites, but they are still plenty WHITE. So the dynamic range given by the RS1 + HP combo is magnificent.

Is anyone using a Light Grey Screen Goo screen with their RS1?

As for black levels...Jason must have seen a funked up setup with that Pearl because the black level on this screen is damn good.

It all depends on your preferences. My opinion, the black levels were raised compared to others I have seen (and I have seen all the screens). You don't have to agree with me.

rlindo, thanks for the report. Are you saying the improvement in colors and shadow detail are the primary benefits? You didn't really mention whites.

yeah those are the main benefits along with the more accurate white. Basically everything that is light in colour (white, light shades, etc) improves as it becomes more accurate and well more vibrant. I really like the smoothness of the image. One thing I noticed on my HCCV with viewing a bit of 24 and also Pitch Black hd dvd was in dark areas there was grain but it looked like fairly good sized blocks. I haven't check out Pitch Black but the grain in 24 is reduced in size on the Carada. I have heard the HCCV material can cause artifacts (aside from sparklies which were hardly ever a prob) and am wondering if this is a case of that. The smoothness and well "solidness" of the Carada has over the HCCV is clearly visible.

You can really see the diff in white level on a full white screen which I use to focus. On the BW everything is much more defined meaning the grid is easier to see which obviously helps with focus...this is of course right at the screen since with that many pixels and the fill factor the image is rock solid at any normal seating distance so not like this makes the SDE visible.

Any more silverstar owners out there with the rs1 ?

fretman,

yep David is great to deal with and the slight tradeoff in black level is easily worth it for the improvements.



It all depends on your preferences. My opinion, the black levels were raised compared to others I have seen (and I have seen all the screens). You don't have to agree with me.

But did you compare ANY other screen in this same environment? Based on what you said you didn't. The point is you can't logically comment on a screen compared to others unless you are using the exact same equipment in the exact same room. Being a guy who reviews products it is mind boggling why you can't see this or admit to it. You don't take the PJs you review and slap them into all diff rooms in your house and then come to a conclusion, do you? No, you compare them in the same room with the same equipment/conditions which is the only real way to compare stuff.

All I know is the black level wasn't much diff than from my grey screen in my light controlled room so IMO what you saw probably is more about the room/setup than the screen...unless of course the HCCV now is mediocre at black compared to the white screens you seem to like. :)

I fail to see how one can come to some conclusion of a product like a screen without comparing it side by side and instead going based on memory of what they have seen in different rooms/conditions. I am sure I could take an inferior pj with a lower CR and have it in the best room and then have an RS1 or pearl or whatever in an awful room and the inferior pj could look as good or better. Should I then come to some conclusion based on that? Of course not.

I have NO CLUE how the BW does in terms of black level vs other white screens (nor do I really care since it looks good to me) but I do know that saying it raises the black level because of one single viewing of it (and as you said in a less than ideal room) without comparing it at the same time with other screens is IMO pointless as is not admitting that maybe JUST MAYBE what you saw isn't a good indication of the screen. That is my whole point. I don't care how it performs but think it is lame to comment on something you freely admit you haven't even directly compared to other products and are just commenting on based on memory.

If someone wishes to send me a sample of the Stewart ST130 or any other comparable white screen then I will gladly compare the black level of that material to the Carada in my dark, light controlled room with what we know is a top notch PJ. I doubt it will magically tranform the black level but I'll gladly test it and see.

But hey, what do I know. I merely just compared the screen to a grey screen with the same equipment in the same room and found the diff in this area is minor. I should have just taken it to my neighbour's house and in less than ideal conditions formed an opinion of it. hehe.

I know of 3 other people who have/used reviewed the screen (at diff HT sites) and all 3 didn't report mediocre black level on it (and one uses a pearl and came from the same HCCV I did) so I think logic is saying that more likely than not the single case stated here of raised black level was a room/setup issue.

Rob,
Were you able to compare the HCCV side by side with the BW? That would be really interesting to see.

My problem is that I have the 106" HCCV screen in the Cosmo Electrol Tensioned version mounted from my ceiling. I remember it being a real pain to get that sucker mounted and leveled perfectly. Swapping out for a new screen would be a) expensive b) a bit of a chore and finally c) not sure if anyone would want to buy a screen like that, it's a bit big to ship.

So do you think the improvements with the BW or other white screen would outweigh the hassle and expense? I know that's a subjective call, but just want your opinion. I know you had a home for either screen and it was easier to swap out, so not as tough of a choice for you.

I recieved a sample of the High power screen and perarlecence and put them up.

My room is 13 feet wide with seating back 12-13' and the JVC rs-1 on a shelf 5 feet high 16 feet back. The hp is much brighter in the center seating and similiar to the pearelecence on the side of the room.. I did notice though that the HP seemed to show any "noise" from the source material much more and slightly elevate the black levels to a low grey. Has anyone seen this and can the black levels be adjusted back down without loosing too much of the pop and whites that the HP offers?
thanks

I recieved a sample of the High power screen and perarlecence and put them up.

My room is 13 feet wide with seating back 12-13' and the JVC rs-1 on a shelf 5 feet high 16 feet back. The hp is much brighter in the center seating and similiar to the pearelecence on the side of the room.. I did notice though that the HP seemed to show any "noise" from the source material much more and slightly elevate the black levels to a low grey. Has anyone seen this and can the black levels be adjusted back down without loosing too much of the pop and whites that the HP offers?
thanks

The HP screen I just received is the first screen I've ever had, so I'm no help to you in direct comparisons. But my room sounds similar to yours in some aspects: ~13'W, 17' L, 8.3' H, but since I have a door (to a bath) at the back of the room, the pj couldn't go on a shelf at the back. It's thus on a ~4' H stand right between my wife's and my recliners, therefore ~ 15" above our heads (and the sound of the RS1 is no problem in Normal lamp mode; haven't even tried High because it's so bright as is).

I won't repeat the several posts I've made above about how good I find the HP with the RS1, in giving excellent dark scenes as well as bright ones. You should also read some of the other HP threads about how much different an impression you get with a whole screen of this material compared to just some small samples.

So in summary, I can't help with direct comparisons, but can only say how outstanding I find the HP to be.

Is anyone using a Light Grey Screen Goo screen with their RS1?

I'm using the digital lite gray goo screen with my HD1


Overall, pretty pleased with the result although there is a need yo increase blue to overcome a slight red caste on the screen which was unexpected