[inky blacks]

What is the best rigid screen material for rear projection?


I am posting this question here rather than in the screen area because this forum has more people who have actually gone to shows and seen the products. They only know about front projection stuff over there in the screen section.


The screens I am most interested in are:


Stewart TechScreen 150 - Has high gain of 1.5 and is glass so it hides projector noise, but only has a 31 degree half gain viewing angle. This screen is 3-D compatible, but I have never seen modern 3-D so at present that is not the biggest issue for me as most viewing will be 2-D.


Stewart Graphite 100 - Has a gain of 1 and a wider 44 degree half gain viewing angle.


Blue Ocean screen - Has a gain of .7 and the widest viewing angle. I don't have the specs, but I think it is something like 70 degrees half gain viewing angle. It is a triple layer acrylic screen that claims to make the image look like it has depth. They also claim you do not need many foot lamberts to make it work with the lights on. This claim may be true or hype. This screen is thick and does not come with a frame.


Vutec Fusion HD - This is a multilayer acrylic screen, but they don't give much details about how it works. They claim a very wide viewing angle of 180 degrees, but don't define exact terms of what that means. They claim a gain of 2, which seems impossible to me because gain comes from limiting viewing angle. Perhaps what they mean is that the screen does not distort the image at wide viewing angles but only dims the picture off axis. Vutec's lack of accurate details worries me, but it may be a good screen anyway, and it comes with very nice metal frames in the size I want, 133" diagonal 9 by 16.


Rear projection distance does not matter as I have 18' behind the screen, and I can use a projector that will work with any of these screens.


The DNP Zenith screen (gain 2.1) looks interesting, but I really don't want a screen that has a matrix of lenses in it, which creates a crystalline look on the image.


Has anyone seen theses screens? The TechScreen 150 would be the most energy efficient as it can be used with a projector in eco mode because of the high gain. I am figuring a screen brightness of 50 foot lamberts as I do not like darkened rooms. I will have light control with only two double hung windows equipped with metal shades.


Thoughts?

 

[CINERAMAX]

They all sound fine, get samples and shoot it out.

 

[Tedd]

I saw the Blue Ocean at the Toronto Home Show a four or five years back. Haven't seen any of the others mentioned.


The Blue Ocean is very pricey but very, very impressive. It was in a very well lit Dream Model Home and I'd say the claims are true, based on where they chose

to show it off.

 

[inky blacks]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Tedd /forum/post/20817103


I saw the Blue Ocean at the Toronto Home Show a four or five years back. Haven't seen any of the others mentioned.


The Blue Ocean is very pricey but very, very impressive. It was in a very well lit Dream Model Home and I'd say the claims are true, based on where they chose

to show it off.

Thanks. Another advantage of the Blue Ocean is that it can be used with very short throw lenses even below .7 to 1. Disadvantages of the Blue Ocean include low gain of .7 and the fact that it does not work with 3-D. Never having seen 3-D, I literally do not know what I am missing.


I have used the Stewart TechScreen 150 and Graphite 100 on past projects and want something different. If anyone has seen the mysterious Vutec Fusion HD, please chime in.


Here is a link to their website on that screen.

http://www.vutec.com/products/rear-s...fusion-hd.html


I have called Vutec several times with questions about that screen and could not get a correct answer to anything. Their sales staff knows little or nothing about the screens they sell. They could not even give me the minimum throw distance for a good picture. Stewart has their stuff together, while Vutec does not.


BTW All the screens mentioned are pricey.


Rear projection is an expensive way to go, but if you do it right you have what looks like a giant plasma TV that you can watch in comfort with all the lights on.

 

[donaldk]

Well you could use a frosted shower curtain, or lycra, rear pro doesn't have to be expensive. Even concrete film from the roll has been shown to work;-). Is that Techscreen an replacement for Stewart's Starglass?

 

[inky blacks]



Quote:
Originally Posted by donaldk /forum/post/20817372


Well you could use a frosted shower curtain, or lycra, rear pro doesn't have to be expensive. Even concrete film from the roll has been shown to work;-). Is that Techscreen an replacement for Stewart's Starglass?

The Stewart TechScreen 150 is an old screen design, just glass with a single layer coating on it. The simplicity of the design maintains the image quality so it works with 3-D. The medium gain of 1.5 gives even roll-off of light in the horizontal and vertical axis, which I like. You need a projector with a throw ratio of 1.5 to 1 or longer to avoid distortion. It has no lens structure so the resolution is essentially infinite.


The down side is that you can scratch it fairly easily. The Blue Ocean and Vutec Fusion HD are very difficult to scratch, so if you have kids and dogs, that might be an advantage.

 

[donaldk]

There are a few European companies who do (clouded) acryllic screens, but you are then facing the same as European slooking for the better know US brands like Stewart, Vutec, Draper, high shipping charges, and import duties.

 

[inky blacks]

I guess no one has seen the Vutec Fusion HD. I would like to know if that is a serious home theater screen or more of a advertising type screen. They all claim they are the greatest, but I actually want the greatest.

 

[amirm]



Quote:
Originally Posted by inky blacks /forum/post/20817216


Thanks. Another advantage of the Blue Ocean is that it can be used with very short throw lenses even below .7 to 1. Disadvantages of the Blue Ocean include low gain of .7 and the fact that it does not work with 3-D. Never having seen 3-D, I literally do not know what I am missing.

We have a Blu Ocean at our showroom. It is what you say in that it needs fair amount of light but has excellent viewing angle. it is super thick and heavy as are the others. We got a stand for it that holds the screen from the bottom with brackets.


People come in, thinking it is a flat screen then walk behind if and see no electronics and power cord and stand there scratching their head where the image is coming from!

It is being driven by a cheap Epson projector and in the lit showroom, it is bright enough.

 

[CINERAMAX]



Quote:
Originally Posted by inky blacks /forum/post/20818376


I guess no one has seen the Vutec Fusion HD. I would like to know if that is a serious home theater screen or more of a advertising type screen. They all claim they are the greatest, but I actually want the greatest.

I have it's quite ok.

 

[inky blacks]



Quote:
Originally Posted by amirm /forum/post/20818455


We have a Blu Ocean at our showroom. It is what you say in that it needs fair amount of light but has excellent viewing angle. it is super thick and heavy as are the others. We got a stand for it that holds the screen from the bottom with brackets.


People come in, thinking it is a flat screen then walk behind if and see no electronics and power cord and stand there scratching their head where the image is coming from!

It is being driven by a cheap Epson projector and in the lit showroom, it is bright enough.

Great. Do you think 4,000 actual (not just advertised) lumens on a 53 square foot screen would be enough to make the Blue Ocean pop? In my installation it will have a black painted projection room behind it. The projector will be a mid level 3 chip DLP or possibly a new Sanyo LCD with 4 panels.


What is the rated lumen and size of your showroom screen? Also, what throw ratio lens are you using?

 

[amirm]

Our sample screen is 63"x35" = roughly 15 square feet. I am not sure of the lumens of the little Epson. Let's say it is 900. 900/15 = 75. Yours is 4000/53 = 75. So on paper it seems that it should work.


The throw distance is about 1.2 to 1.5 but this is just from memory.


If you need more precise data let me know and I can get it.

 

[inky blacks]

Thanks for the info. With an enclosed black projection room, I should not need as many lumens per square foot as your showroom setup.

 

[Tedd]



Quote:
Originally Posted by amirm /forum/post/20818455


People come in, thinking it is a flat screen then walk behind if and see no electronics and power cord and stand there scratching their head where the image is coming from!

It is being driven by a cheap Epson projector and in the lit showroom, it is bright enough.

I knew right off it wasn't a flat screen, but I did do the "look behind" thing.

Very impressive screen!


The Blue Ocean screen was reviewed in the July/August issue of the Robb Report Home Entertainment magazine.

 

[amirm]



Quote:
Originally Posted by inky blacks /forum/post/20818733


Thanks for the info. With an enclosed black projection room, I should not need as many lumens per square foot as your showroom setup.

You are welcome. This being an expensive, non-returnable purchase, I hope you also work with your dealer to make sure it will work and not just go by my statement

.

 

[inky blacks]

I found this old review of the Blue Ocean on-line. It claims it even works OK with very little projector light.

http://www.hemagazine.com/node/5092


With a 116" by 65.25" screen and 50 foot lamberts, it should look like a time-space portal.

 

[starley]

All of these are great screens but as to which is the best for you may be another question all together. To be frank I would look outside the box and see if there is something that will work for you without comprising quality and efficiency. Screen solutions a few years back at Infocomm showed off their definition pro screen that was nothing short of amazing. take a look, it may be worth the time and the money for a rigid rear projection screen

It is some sort of a hybrid screen that can be used with short throw if needed and even in high ambient lighting.


let us know what you end up with

 

[inky blacks]



Quote:
Originally Posted by CINERAMAX /forum/post/20818476


I have it's quite ok.

Cineramax,


Sorry, I missed your post. You da man!


You say the Vutec Fusion HD is OK, but what does that mean? Have you also seen the other screens mentioned? - Blue Ocean, TechScreen 150, and Graphite 100


You probably have seen them all, so how do they rate? As I said, I have used the TechScreen 150 and Graphite 100, and they are both "OK." I want a new thrill that is even better. Is the Vutec Fusion HD better? Does it really have a wide viewing angle? Does it have depth?


Details please.


IB

 

[ccool96]

I have a Draper Cineglass 13 with High Contrast Tint in my breakfast room. Its a 106" with a DP Highlite Cine projector. The 3500 lumens High Brightness model. It look incredible for the money. The screen wasn't that expensive. Definitely could pass for a 106" plasma anytime of the day.


See my theater build link for photos
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1113302