Being the owner of one of the largest screen manufacturing companies certainly comes with its perks, one of them being that if you need the ultimate screen for your home theatre, you know just where to go.
This was the case for Screen Innovations’ owner, Ryan Gustafson, who recently upgraded his own home theatre in Austin by installing a 150in Zero Edge Slate .8 screen.
“You would think after being in the screen business for over 15 years that you would get used to seeing big screens,” says Ryan. “I have been doing this a long time, but I was blown away yet again!”
Screen Innovations claims the Slate .8 is the world’s first massive ambient-light rejecting screen that is black in colour. Available in Motorized, Zero Edge and Fixed Frame screen formats, Slate is said to reject 65% of a room’s ambient light vs. only <10% light rejection with a white or grey screen.
“For now, (wink) Slate is our largest technology at 200in 16:9 and 250in 2.35. I went with .8 because the blacks are the closest to Black Diamond, which is the best. If Black Diamond could be 150in (wink) I would use it all day long…”
Ryan exclusively spoke to CE Pro Europe about the install at his home, explaining that he recently zoomed his projector out on his previous 110in screen, only for his kids to complain. “They said ‘dad stop! Don’t change it back. We like it like this!’ I turned around and looked at the movie they were watching over-scanned on their wall and realised I was missing everything!
“Our new production manager Jason Reis brought the screen to my house and we did the installation together. Jason is our new COO, and has completely transformed SI into an absolute beast when it comes to process, output and quality,” he says, adding that the install took “45 minutes and six beers”.
Ryan picked the Zero Edge Slate .8 over Screen Innovation’s other products for various reasons – at this point in the interview he gets a serious case of the winks.
“For now, (wink) Slate is our largest technology at 200in 16:9 and 250in 2.35. I went with .8 because the blacks are the closest to Black Diamond, which is the best. If Black Diamond could be 150in (wink) I would use it all day long…”
The Gustafson home theatre is also home to Origin Acoustics speakers, a Paradigm subwoofer, an Anthem 11.2-channel AV reciever and a Sony 4K VPL-VW675ES projector.
“When we first used it, the kids went nuts,” says Ryan. “They asked my why we did not go big in the first place. I agreed and told them that projectors have got brighter and higher in resolution. I also explained that we need to adjust our THX and SMPTE spec on our seating distance calculator.
“To say I’m re-watching every favourite movie is an understatement,” he adds. “I can’t begin to explain the excitement we had watching movie clip after move clip. It’s like it was all-new. In fact, I’m watching more movies. I’m seriously blown away; with the lights cranked I’m getting perfect blacks and whites even with the Sony’s output. It’s like being a kid all over again,” he enthuses. “Best job in the world!
“Sometimes you just forget how amazing the big screen experience can be. I will also say, not one person with a flat panel is getting the big picture. They are literally loosing the experience the movie was made for.”