When Texas-based audiovisual company AVSANT was assessing needed classroom technology upgrades at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, one issue quickly became apparent: ambient light.

“Ambient projection is very important in classrooms. Especially if you have a biology class—specific pictures you want to show—that’s very important,” Yohannes Tesfaye, associate director of Academic Computing UH-Clear Lake said.

“This was a problem that instructors had mentioned—having to turn off the majority of the lights and not feeling like they’re being able to give that personable impression to the end users that are sitting in the room,” David Hoyle, vice president of Account Management for AVSANT said.

AVSANT and Draper recommended TecVision XH900X ALR, one of several ambient light rejection solutions the company offers. XH900X ALR is perfect for classrooms and other educational settings where off-axis viewing is important. Unlike many ALR surfaces, it achieves high contrast while still being able to support wide viewing angles.

Rejecting Ambient Light

“ALR is an amazing technology that’s come so far over the last few years and Draper has been a huge part of that in the industry as a whole,” Hoyle said. “By canceling out the lights overhead, it allows you to still have the same clear picture without having to spend an excessive amount of money on [the projector]—trying to go so bright that you get reflection back off of it and create hotspots.”

While ambient light was the main issue, it wasn’t the only one. As Tesfaye and the AVSANT team assessed various classrooms and spaces, an old problem you’ll often find in higher education facilities stood out: they hadn’t considered the importance of the projection screens.

“We noticed that they had some really old projector screens and different pieces,” Hoyle said. “A lot of times they’ll just replace the projector. When we really sat down with the executive team and the different IT teams, we said, ‘You’re not going to get what you’re expecting to get out of it unless we work with a screen manufacturer.’ And our recommendation was Draper.”

With 38 different classrooms plus other technology spaces serving different educational needs, the screen solution needed to be flexible. In some instances, the screen needed to be either suspended or ceiling mounted; in other areas it needed to be wall mounted. The solution: Acumen V surface-mounted screens from Draper. The Acumen screen housing can be mounted all three ways needed, and can also be fitted with any number of viewing surfaces.

“That really made a big difference,” Hoyle said. “When you walk into these 38 classrooms, every single one of them is exactly the same, even if the layout of the room is a little bit different. The technology inside of it, how it works, and how you visualize it is really powerful to the end user.”

“So far, we haven’t had any problems,” Tesfaye said. “That’s the important thing for us, because the reliability for class is very important. Of course, technology will break, but we’re trying to see how we can minimize that [with] product reliability and efficiency. So, so far it’s very efficient for our classes, so it’s very good.”

Simplicity is the essence of great design, and the demand for aesthetically pleasing room equipment continues to rise. Da-Lite is answering this growing demand with its new aircraft-grade cable drop screen feature, SightLine. The single roller design suspension system, available with Da-Lite's Tensioned Advantage  and Advantage screens, replaces the need for black drop above the projection screen and simplifies AV setups by creating space above the screen to place cameras.

[Da-Lite Urges: Think Big!]

"SightLine straddles the fine line between status quo and jaw drop," said Wendy Cox, Da-Lite's director of Product Management. "This new cable drop feature has the opportunity to transform spaces with enhanced aesthetics and new AV capabilities. Whether someone is leading a lesson in a classroom, a meeting in a conference room or a service in a house of worship, they will enjoy a completely reimagined space."

SightLine's flexible drop distance up to 70 inches allows for projector height adjustments in the future, giving peace of mind to teachers, worship leaders and professionals alike.

[Legrand | AV Roadshow Trailer Crossing the Country to Visit Customers in Person]

Da-Lite's Tensioned Advantage (up to 177 inches Diagonal 16:9 and up to 182 inches Diagonal 16:10) and Advantage with SightLine (up to 184 inches Diagonal in 16:9 and up to 189 inches Diagonal in 16:10) are now available for purchase and is shipping.

AVNetwork sits down with Brad Martin, senior product manager for Christie, to learn about the new Griffyn series of laser projectors. We discuss the term pure laser and what it means in the projection space, how solutions like Mystique & Conductor work with Griffyn, the future of the RGB market in the coming months, and more.

About Christie

Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. is a global visual and audio technologies company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Ushio Inc., Japan (JP: 6925). Christie revolutionized the movie industry with the launch of digital cinema projection, and since 1929 has embraced innovation and broken many technology barriers. From the world’s largest mega-events to the smallest applications, our technology—from advanced RGB pure laser and SDVoE technology to image processing and LED display solutions—empowers people to create the world’s best shared experiences. Visit www.christiedigital.com.

AVNetwork created this content as part of a paid partnership with Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. The contents of this interview are entirely independent and solely reflect the opinion of Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc.

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The What: Da-Lite has introduced the Parallax Stratos 1.0, which is designed to deliver a high-value solution for rejecting ambient light in large scale projection. 

The What Else: Offering the freedom to install seamless ALR screens up to 16 feet in height, Parallax Stratos is available in a wide array of core Da-Lite tensioned electric and fixed-frame options. This Contrast Based ALR surface rejects up to 80 percent of ambient light with 1.0 gain for standard-throw projectors (1.0:1 or greater). 

“Parallax Stratos 1.0 expands our ALR offering to include screens such as Wireline Advantage and Tensioned Large Advantage,” said Da-Lite Product Manager Rhen Taylor. “Now there’s a high value ambient light rejection solution for auditoriums, convention halls and other large venues that require screens larger than 120” diagonal.”

The Bottom Line: Contrast Based ALR prevents projected images from appearing washed out by maintaining and enhancing brightness. The gray color and other proprietary design elements in the surface combine to absorb ambient light rather than reflect it. Da-Lite Parallax screens combat environmental and projection deficiencies to produce bright, crisp images.

The What: Elite ProAV has launched the Pro Frame Series projection screen for conference rooms, training facilities, and hospitality venues. 

The What Else: The Pro Frame Series comes with the company’s CineWhite (matte white) 1.1-gain tensioned material, which is 4K/8K Ultra HD compatible and offers a  wide, 180-degree viewing angle with black backing. It comes in 16:9 aspect ratio in 100-, 120-, 135-, and 150-inch sizes. It has a five-year manufacturer’s warranty and lifetime tech support by Elite’s service team.

The Bottom Line: Engineered for a variety of commercial uses, it features a matte-black anodized aluminum framework that is designed to assemble quickly. The end result is a low-maintenance, high-quality video display and the sleek profile avoids collecting dust.

The What: Da-Lite has launched Parallax 2.3 which features a high gain surface with a gradual brightness drop-of so image quality is maintained even when viewed from the side. These combined features make Parallax 2.3 suitable for low output or “legacy” projectors as well as laser projection.

The What Else: Designed for applications in both AV and home theaters, Parallax 2.3 is made up of multiple micro-layers to achieve 96-percent ambient light blocking properties and a viewing cone of 46 degrees. The result is a bright, colorful image without glare—regardless of how much light is in the room.

“We’ve worked hard to develop an ambient light rejecting surface that gives customers projector pairing flexibility. When budget is an issue, end users can now enjoy the benefits of an ALR screen without immediately upgrading the projector,” said Da-Lite product manager Rhen Taylor. “Parallax 2.3 can pair with projectors that output between 1500 and 2500 lumens in screen sizes up to 94-inch diagonal, and between 2500 and 5000 lumens in sizes between 100-inch and 120-inch diagonal.”

The Bottom Line: The surface is available in fixed frame options that accommodate large-scale installations.

All Da-Lite surfaces are GREENGUARD and GREENGUARD Gold certified and are eligible for the Screen Green program that allows customers to send in old surfaces to be recycled keeping them out of landfills, contributing to a healthier planet. The Da-Lite facility is 100% landfill-free.

The What: Severtson Screens has begun shipping its new Motorized Electric Floor Projection Screens. The custom line comes available in a choice of four of Severtson’s signature projection surfaces and seven sizes (92-inch to 150-inch diagonal) or additional custom options up to 180 inches diagonal.

The What Else: The line is available in coated or acoustic materials in a 16:9 aspect ratio. Designed for permanent in-floor installation, it features the company's Tab-Tensioning System to keep the projection surface flat. It is available in a choice of materials: Bright White Acoustically Transparent [BWAT] (1.14 gain); Cinema White (1.3 gain); Cinema Grey (1.0 gain); and SéVision 3D GX (1.4-3.2 gain), Severtson's water-based optical coating recommended for passive 3D projection.

“Our custom Electric Floor Screens are a collection of premium retractable projection screens that can be installed beneath the floor for a seamless look that extend upward, making them an excellent solution for any multiuse home theater, house of worship, sports bar, conference room, or just about any other venue,” said Toby Severtson, president and CEO of Severtson Corp. “Ideal for any room needing a modern, high-performance retractable projection screen, our line is a beautifully designed, yet highly durable masterpiece offering a clean and sharp appearance.”

“These electric floor screens are the pinnacle of quality that Severtson has been known for during the past three decades,” added Aaron White, home theater and pro AV sales lead at Severtson Corp. “The screen hides perfectly in the floor when not in use, and extends and retracts quickly and quietly. The durable mechanism and tab-tensioning ensure the screen is perfectly flat for maximum viewing performance.”

The Bottom Line: Each screen is manufactured to the same standards as Severtson's large cinema screens utilized in theaters worldwide and is custom made to meet exacting standards and individualized needs. Customers can choose from Severtson's many perfectly tensioned screen materials, with optical coatings for maximum viewing performance.