A: In general, the Airbight 3D2 material is beneficial to use with Active 3D projectors to combat the following.
          - Active 3D projectors lose brightness when 3D mode is activated (approximately 50% of lumens is lost)
          - More is lost when the active shutter glasses are put on. The dark tint of them block the projector's lighting. It's like trying to                    watch a movie with sunglasses on. 

The 2.2 gain on the Airbright 3D2 material helps regain brightness levels in 3D mode, and the high gain avaialble on the Airbright 3D2 allows for some ambient light to be on without washing out the projected image as typically experienced on matte white surfaces. 

 The loss of brightness impacts the true home theater experience by producing a dim and bland image.  We recommend using the Airbright 3D2 for this reason.

A: All acoustically transparent materials on the market today are light enough in thickness to allow sound to penetrate it with low-level attenuation (decrease in sound quality) but normally come at the cost of having considerable light loss as well. Elite’s AcousticPro 4K acoustically transparent (AT) material is an exception to this rule.  It has an astonishingly fine (.01mm) micro-perforated texture that allows sound to breathe through the fabric with minimal attenuation. At the same time, it allows the video aspects of the material to perform on the same level as a typical matte-white (non-acoustic) material does. The ultra-fine perforations of the Acoustcpro 4K “AT” material allows it to be used with high resolution (4096x2160 pixel ratio)  projectors. A special reflective compound coats the surface of Elite’s 4K acoustic material to compensate for light penetration by reflecting the brightness of the projected image. All these features come together to form a product with superior acoustic transparency that has just 1% light loss while presenting a neutral color temperature (6500°-7000° Kelvin). This is equivalent and in some cases, even surpassing in video performance to a standard matte white non-acoustic projection screen.

A: All acoustically transparent materials on the market today are light enough in thickness to allow sound to penetrate it with low-level attenuation (decrease in sound quality). However, the thin fabric properties in the AT material that allows acoustic transparency to occur  also allows light penetration resulting in light loss which creates a dimmer image.  The (.18mm) perforated texture of the Acoustcpro 1080P2 material is  for use with higher 1080P (1920 x1080 pixel resolution) projectors. A special reflective compound coats the surface of Elite’s 1080P acoustic material to compensate for light penetration by reflecting the brightness of the projected image. All these features come together to create a product with an overall audio attenuation of less than 3% while presenting a neutral color temperature (6500°-7000° Kelvin) in an image that is comparable to a standard matte white non-acoustic projection screen.

A: The AcousticPro1080 material was Elite’s first generation of 1080P (1920x1080 pixel resolution) projection screens with .22mm openings in the weave for acoustic penetration. The AcousticPro 1080P2 material is the next generation with finer (.18mm) openings in its weave for enhanced audio/video performance.

A: projection screen mounted flush against the wall over a properly installed in-wall speaker will have a sufficient distance by itself. There will generally be about a 1” total distance between the speaker’s dust cap (depending on make/model) and the screen with a 5mm (.2”) spacing between an in-wall speaker’s grill and the AT screen material itself.

A: Elite’s Acousticpro1080P material has .22mm openings in its weave that allows sound to penetrate the material with reduced attenuation when used with standard resolution projectors. The material’s weave design is vastly superior over older perforated-PVC acoustically transparent (AT) materials. The porous weave of any screen maker’s acoustically transparent material allows light to penetrate at the expense of creating an image that is dimmer than a regular (solid) white projection material would be. Elite counters this problem by coating the surface of the weave with a reflective compound that enhances brightness and color balance. This feature maximizes your projector’s ability to maintain its contrast levels while presenting a fairly bright image with neutral color temperature. Together, good picture quality and the reality factor created by a shared video and acoustic origin is possible.

A: The three main criteria of comparison  Color balance/temperature, Brightness and Contrast. The screen’s ability to give neutrally balance is measured by a color temperature meter that seperates the various color intensities which are measured in Kelvins to ensure that a precise color balance or shift is recorded. Brightness is how well the screen reflects a projected image. A light meter is used to measure the intensity of light in 10nm increments. Contrast is the mesured ratio between light and dark levels. It is also measured by a light meter or flash meter that can measure both light and dark levels and then calculate a ratio between the two.

A: With few exceptions, acoustically transparent projection screens are flush-mounted to the wall directly in front of the speakers but never in direct contact with them. The distance between the acoustic screen material and the speaker should be a minimum of about 5mm to several inches. A speaker’s voice coil vibrates in the process of producing sound. If the driver(contains voice coil) is in direct contract with your screen material, your picture will vibrate along with the sound creating poor picture quality.

A: The screen material may at first have a series of noticeable horizontal lines on its surface.  These are known as memory lines. Memory lines are caused when the pliable projection material is rolled up and stored for the duration between its manufacture and sale. This is both a normal and correctable phenomenon. After installation, leave it in the down position for a few days and then commence regular (up/down) usage.  This allows the material to stretch out and cure. After the period of a few days, the lines should vanish and will neither return nor affect the projected image during the years of use.

A: Tension material provides a flatter screen surface and for better uniformity and even light distribution without waving or curving on the projection surface.  These problems could be caused by temperature variations in multiple layer materials.  Newer non-tensioned materials such as our MaxWhite or MaxWhite FG have greatly reduced occurrences of this flaw to the point of arguably matching its flatness in some cases. Some prefer non-tensioned due to aesthetics but tension still generally has superior flatness.

A: Black Backing is an important feature that prevents light penetration and increases reflectivity for sharper color reproduction.

A: Screen material selection will depend on various factors such as type of application, environment, and projector.  Please see the screen material selection guide for a better understanding of the materials we offer.

Screen Material Selection Guide 

A: All Elite Screens projection materials with the exception of the StarBright™ 7 and the StarBright™ 4 can be cleaned with mild soap and water using a soft terry cloth.  For stain removals try using GooGone.

StarBright™ 7 material is to be cleaned with a very soft cloth and mild soap and water.  Do not rub the viewing surface or permanent damage will occur.

StarbBright™ 4 (WhiteBoardScreen™) is cleaned with the included spray bottle and the high density eraser.  For deep cleaning, we recommend using a low alcohol product and wiping it off with the high density eraser.

A:  Elite Screens StarBright™ 4 and StarBright™ 7 Ultra High Gain screen materials are angular reflective.