Well I got very few replies on the SCREEN and PJs $3K+ so I thought I'd try the big boy forum...

Most demos I've seen at trade shows normally use Stewart with DA-Lite catching up.

So is there a difference in material, coating, mechanics (motorized versions) and construction?

Is there a crossover chart (as in the tube and transistor biz) that illustrates model comparisoms such the SFS model 123 compares to the DA-Lite ABC and DRAPER XYZ...

Example builder A charges more than builder B because his countertops are granite and he uses exterior fir plywood not MDF (chip board) etc.

Or info like this:

SFS Firehawk - DL High Contrast Cinema Vision
SFS Grayhawk - DL High Contrast Da-Mat
SFS Ultramatte 200 - DL Pearlescent
SFS Studiotech 130 - DL Cinema Vision

there is certainly a difference.

I found the biggest difference when i visited the Stewart plant and saw how their screens are made. For me, they are the only way to go

while there are many good ones, it like all things comes down to two simple questions...

1. what is the application
2. what is the budget.

Screen surface should be chosen based on room environment and projector (black level / lumens)

I do not know of a comparison chart listing screens across manufacturers. I do look forward to seeing yours after you complete it (don't forget to include screen gain)
;)

Hi

You could project on a white wall and you could see a decent picture with a good projector but if you want to really enjoy the best video from your PJ a good screen is essential... Stewart is the safe (and usually more expensive) way to go...

A sub-forum where you can learn a lot about screens, appropriately named: Screen Section:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=23

This thread is very informative, especially if you are interested in High Power screen.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=773065


Good luck

As was said before, the viewing environment and the application are key. A bat cave with a small screen may need a different screen than a bat cave with a large screen. A multi purpose room certainly needs a different screen than a bat cave.

For myself, I have a multi purpose room. It is really a family room with a RPTV for everyday viewing and a FP for movies, sports etc. It can be black only at night. For any daytime viewing or even moswt night time viewing there are lights on.

With a bright projector ( Infocus 7210, calibrated) on a cheaper matte white screen with no gain the picture is watchable for sports, etc with light. Just watchable, not good, certainly not great. This is basically any matte white screen from dalite, draper, etc and the cheapies.
On a regular grey screen with negative gain (like the vinyl Draper, DAlite, cheapies) it isn't watchable unless its nearly dark in the room.
WIth the Firehawk I own, it is good (and impressive to guests that don't know any better)with enough light to read by and great in the dark. No other screen that I have tried is even close in this room. (The Studiotek 130 is fantastic in the dark (better than the Firehawk, decent with some light and no good with reading light)
With a dimmer projector everything but the darkest situation goes down at least a step with every screen.

I haven't tried every screen, but every cheapie screen is worthless with any light in my room. That includes the Draper and Dalite that I have tested and they aren't cheap. The Studiotek is okay, the FIrehawk is good.

In the dark, the Firehawk looks great but the Studiotek looks better. FOr my room I need the Firehawk and don't lose much compared to the Studiotek. If I was buildong a dedicated room, it would be a tough decision, because my wife likes some light, even during movies.

I have sold many fixed screens that have been more expensive than the projector being shined on them. Good mechanical screens are expensive to begin with so they are very often more expensive than the projector. To me, if the initial budget is a concern, get the very best screen you can for your situation. Most of the time, the room doesn't change. You cna upgrade projectors every year. A good screen should last pretty much forever.

Sorry for the rambling, hope there is some content in there :)

As was said before, the viewing environment and the application are key. A bat cave with a small screen may need a different screen than a bat cave with a large screen. A multi purpose room certainly needs a different screen than a bat cave.

For myself, I have a multi purpose room. It is really a family room with a RPTV for everyday viewing and a FP for movies, sports etc. It can be black only at night. For any daytime viewing or even moswt night time viewing there are lights on.

With a bright projector ( Infocus 7210, calibrated) on a cheaper matte white screen with no gain the picture is watchable for sports, etc with light. Just watchable, not good, certainly not great. This is basically any matte white screen from dalite, draper, etc and the cheapies.
On a regular grey screen with negative gain (like the vinyl Draper, DAlite, cheapies) it isn't watchable unless its nearly dark in the room.
WIth the Firehawk I own, it is good (and impressive to guests that don't know any better)with enough light to read by and great in the dark. No other screen that I have tried is even close in this room. (The Studiotek 130 is fantastic in the dark (better than the Firehawk, decent with some light and no good with reading light)
With a dimmer projector everything but the darkest situation goes down at least a step with every screen.

I haven't tried every screen, but every cheapie screen is worthless with any light in my room. That includes the Draper and Dalite that I have tested and they aren't cheap. The Studiotek is okay, the FIrehawk is good.

In the dark, the Firehawk looks great but the Studiotek looks better. FOr my room I need the Firehawk and don't lose much compared to the Studiotek. If I was buildong a dedicated room, it would be a tough decision, because my wife likes some light, even during movies.

I have sold many fixed screens that have been more expensive than the projector being shined on them. Good mechanical screens are expensive to begin with so they are very often more expensive than the projector. To me, if the initial budget is a concern, get the very best screen you can for your situation. Most of the time, the room doesn't change. You cna upgrade projectors every year. A good screen should last pretty much forever.

Sorry for the rambling, hope there is some content in there :)

There is a rather significant difference in Stewart against other screen manufacturers. And then between other manufacturers there is a difference. There is also a difference in price.

As many people have stated already, choice of a screen is application specific, and budget specific. There's also a philosophical difference in screen companies that portends to how they are manufactured, how they address application issues and cost.

DaLite seems to be the IKEA of screens. It's a price most people can afford. But there are other things that go into why you'd pay more for a screen or less.

Stewart is well known on this forum for being pricey, but there are reasons for that and deservedly so.

Much of it has to do with angular vs retro reflective vs reflective, screen coating, gain, quality control and what application specific points the screen was made to fulfill in the first place.

I don't think there's a chart that shows this vs that or screen material A vs screen material B.

If you have specific questions, you'll find plenty of answers here.

But given the budget, I'd almost always recommend a Stewart screen. That may be biased, but I too have been to Stewart's factory and there are none better built.

Doesn't mean I don't quote or sell DaLite, Vutec or Draper, SmX recommend Carada or SCreen Research or understand how each might be the better screen for an application, but then again, it's all like saying does your Porsche really get you to work any better than your Yugo?

There are reasons for the "yes" answer to that, but it has to be the right time and place to know it.

If you have questions let me know or keep asking them here.

Perhaps the best thing about Stewart training is not once did Don Stewart ever say "we're better" or "the others aren't as good". Nope. They simply showed what they do, how long they've done it and why within their line you want this screen or that screen. They push the envelope as well. The 2.35 craze? Thank Runco and Stewart for it's mass market appeal because Stewart had been pushing it for years now.

We could go on and on I suppose, but needless to say, there is a difference but it depends on what you're trying to do in order to answer what the difference is and why you'd want Stewart or something else.

Richard

Some folks get vinyl made for them, some treat vinyl, and one starts with a custom brew of chemicals and makes their screen from scratch.

Although having said that, depending on budget, great things have been said about the DIY king... goo systems.

I'm certainly not an expert but I have owned Stewart and Dalite. One obvious difference is that the Dalite allowed a significant amount of light to pass through the screen material while the Stewart is a thicker, opaque material. I had to treat the wall behind my Dalite to prevent reflections from degrading the screen image.

I've sold quite a few stewarts over the years and have great luck with them. I don't remember a single failure to be honest on any of the electric screens (it obviously takes something else to "break" a fixed frame setup). I will say that the two 5.5-6 year old screens in the stores i've worked at still look brand new and are perfectly flat. I really love how as a dealer you can basically sell a screen that is exactly what the client needs and stewart will make it happen to order.

That being said, i've also sold draper, screen innovations, da-lite as options for less expensive rooms or certain terrible light conditions. I recently had to sell a draper m2500 electric access/v screen. While the process was a pain in the rear compared to getting a stewart, the end result was good and everything ended up working out it looks like (so far, cross my fingers). However, this screen was only about $800 less then the stewart would have been but we got stuck with it because of outside issues.

Hi,

I have a 123" Stewart Gray Hawk with the 4-Way Masking and Remote set up to control the masking feature. It is now right at 5-yrs old and it looks just like it did the day it was installed. The 4-way masking still works perfect.

The picture in my HT which is Totally Dark with Sconce Lights out looks great with my Runco VX5000ci and DHD Controller.

Don't know if this has been any help because I do not know about the other screens that are available.

It was expensive but I told the AV Store I was working with that I wanted to spend my money one time for a screen and I wanted the best on the front end.

Stewart was it.

My price on the Stewart Screen was $8,931.00 plus Tax: This included the 3-Channel Remote

This was on 11/20/2002

Part # 4WSN123HFHWX

Good luck on your choice of Screens.

Terry