North American Distributor, StJohn Group, is now shipping Screen Excellence’s Highly Immersive Screen Technology
Screen Excellence, industry leader in acoustically transparent, woven fabric projection screens for the home and commercial markets, has announced a new range of curved 1.78 and 2.37 aspect ratio models called VistaCurve™.
Available in screen widths from 80″ to 160″ wide, and standard aspect ratios of 1.78:1 and 2.37:1, the curved design ensures a projection image without distortion while creating a cinematic impression of being surrounded by the projected image. All VistaCurve models feature Screen Excellence’s new Enlightor 4K (EN4K) screen material formulation. EN4K is the first and only acoustically transparent screen material that has been designed specifically for high-end Commercial D-Cinema and cutting edge residential high-end installations.
John Caldwell, StJohn Group’s Sales Director, asserted, “Screen Excellence has been positioned from the outset as a brand at the forefront for rectifying the worlds of video and audio performance. VistaCurve projection screens are the ideal match for today’s digital projectors with anamorphic lenses. The slightly curved screen corresponds exactly to the curve of the anamorphic lens. The image in 2.37 ratio is perfectly balanced. VistaCurve screens are a hand-in-glove fit with the growing movement of constant height 2.37 projection.
“VistaCurve is an amazingly immersive experience in either 16:9 or 2.37, and a natural extension of Screen Excellence’s engineering expertise. It comes in response to the growing demand by our cutting-edge dealers who are pushing the envelope from home theater into ‘home cinema’ for their clients.”
Key Benefits of VistaCurve
Screen Excellence’s new VistaCurve offerings eliminate the pin-cushioning effects that may be present in short focal distance applications of some anamorphic lenses. Even with the widest VistaCurve models, the screen’s edge brightness for any viewer in the theater will always be with 95% of the brightness of the center of the screen. This level of performance can only be delivered by the high degree of precision engineered into every aspect of Screen Excellence’s products.
Another major benefit of VistaCurve is its ability to eliminate the “audio hot-spotting” effect caused by solid vinyl or perforated vinyl, curved screens. Traditional solid or perforated vinyl curved screen becomes a large parabolic reflector in the room, thus focusing reflected acoustical energy into a narrow hot spot in the middle of the listening area. With VistaCurve, the audio passes right through the screen unabated and any reflected energy from the back wall of the theater can pass through the screen and be absorbed by acoustic treatment placed behind the screen.
VistaCurve fixed frame models start at $5,800 MSRP, and feature a substantial, luxurious velour-covered, 3.7″ wide radiused frame; EN4K acoustically transparent projection fabric; and black backing fabric to eliminate light reflections from behind the screen. An advanced frame design provides for a sturdy and easy installation.
Screen Excellence’s line of HD and Widescreen models now includes hundreds of models of flat fixed screens, in many standard sizes. Custom sizes, aspect ratios and models are also available.
What is Constant Height 2.37 Theater Architecture?
Constant height 2.37 system architecture maintains the same vertical picture height at all times and uses all of the projector’s vertical array of pixels at all times. Besides increasing the vertical resolution of the image by 33%, constant height projection also enables a 33% wider viewing angle and a 33% increase in image brightness regardless of the source material’s aspect ratio. In combination with the proper video scaler and anamorphic lens that is accessed when Cinescope material is present, there will be no annoying grey bars at the top and bottom of the picture.
About Screen Excellence
Screen Excellence offers the most advanced Acoustically Transparent (AT) screens available today. Using the proprietary Enlightor woven screen fabrics, their state-of-the-art screens provide flawless picture quality and acoustic transparency, superior to traditional perforated vinyl screens or other less exacting woven screen materials. Only the best finish, build quality and mechanical features are standard for Screen Excellence.
Behind this rich heritage is Patrice Congard, founder and CEO of Screen Excellence. Mr. Congard is the originator of the modern acoustically transparent screen and is a leading innovator of the technology. His entire career has been focused on delivering superb engineering solutions to a variety of professional and consumer audio projects. The development of acoustically transparent screens is the natural solution he envisioned after providing loudspeaker systems that had to be accommodated around screens — not in their natural position, which, as in commercial applications, he believes to be behind the screen.
About StJohn Group
StJohn Group, Inc. is not a typical American distributor. Only representing lines offering exclusive North American distribution opportunity allows the company to closely work with its partners on a holistic approach to brand development. Unlike most U.S. distributors, StJohn Group handles all facets of sales and marketing, including literature and collateral creative and production, advertising creative and buys, public relations, web sites, business development and long range market planning.
Based in Bellingham, WA with a satellite office in Ventura, CA, StJohn Group has seventeen regional representative firms and an active roster of more than 850 specialty A/V dealers.
StJohn Group specializes in products and services for the custom integration (CI) market — both residential and commercial — and represents Artcoustic and Cabasse Loudspeakers, Cineversum projectors, iSky Panels and Screen Excellence in North America and the Caribbean.
