Stewart Debuts High End Projection Video Screens

By Steve Smith -- TWICE, 9/14/2006

Denver – Stewart Filmscreen, the projection screen maker for home theater and commercial markets, made several introductions at CEDIA Expo on Wednesday and announced a deal with Sony.

At a press conference prior to the Sony event, Stewart announced several new products.

Stewart has collaborated with Lutron Electronics to unveil what it calls the first completely silent retractable projection screens. Using Lutron’s Sivoia QED (Quiet Electronic Drive) technology to reduce the amount of noise associated with motorized window treatments. This technology is being applied exclusively to Stewart’s motorized screen products, the screen maker said.

StarGlass is new from Stewart, a precision-engineer rear projection screen that allows installers to put screens where other rear-projection screens would normally fail, such as outside application. Stewart -claims StarGlass is the first glass rear-projection screen. The screen layer is laminated between two pieces of glass so it is durable in a variety of environments. It is said to be childproof, and isn’t harmed if it gets wet or exposed to sunlight.

ElectraScope is a new 2.35:1 electric screen with masking capabilities. The ElectraScope, which retracts into the ceiling when not in use, masks down images to a 1.78:1 format to watch high definition images, the company said.

The Microperf X2 is a THX Ultra certified acoustically transparent screen with a microperforation patter that Stewart has been using for 10 years. These screens are, according to Stewart, superior in image quality in AB comparisons to average woven screens with up to 70 percent more brightness, higher resolution and superior color saturation. A white paper on this comparison will be available on the company’s web site at www.stewartfilmscreen.com.

And at Sony’s press conference later in the day both companies announced that Sony’s new VPL-VW50 SXRD projection TV, which is priced at $4999, will be marketed with Stewart’s Firehawk G3 1080p screen. Sony called the combination the “Sony/Stewart Theater” or “SST” which will be demonstrated during the fall to custom installers and designers. (See more on Sony’s CEDIA introductions at www.TWICE.com.)

For information about pricing and shipment dates for its lineup, visit its CEDIA Expo Booth 350 or contact the company via its website.