| I
have recently completed a review of the Optoma
DV11 Home Entertainment projector. This product
integrates a DVD player and stereo speakers into
a projector and makes for the type of entertainment
system that can be pulled out and assembled, at
will, in a living room setting. The perfect screen
to complement such a system would be durable,
portable and equally easy to pull out and set
up. Elite Screens ez-Cinema systems match that
description perfectly. What makes this such a
compelling product, in the complementary ease-of-use
and low price point. With a retail price of just
$249 for an 80-inch screen, it is not uncommon
to find street pricing around the $175 mark or
less
Build Quality
The ez-Cinema system is a very stable screen
in terms of the mechanical elements that make
up the mechanisms. The case is part of the system
- which I like since you can't misplace it and
it doesn't take up additional space (unless you
count the depth, which requires the lid to be
opened.) The top bar which lifts and secures the
weight of the screen is ingenious. Instead of
simply anchoring the lift tab to the top of a
ridged bar, the ez-Cinema utilizes a sort of anti-tilt
bar that distributes the load across the ends
of the screen. This seemed to help the screen
rise and sink evenly without allowing it to twist
and become uneven over time.
Looking at the Matte White screen
material itself, it seems durable - and indeed
you can wash the surface with a damp cloth, though
for most dirt and dust a soft duster will work
wonders. The gain is 1.1 and it has a viewing
angle of 100 degrees (50 degrees to either side
of center, which is wide enough for just about
any practical use. The black 1.25-inch fixed masking
around the screen looked to be made well and I
noticed no tears or inconsistencies on the front
of the screen. The rear looked like some glue
had dried in a more randomized manner, but it
didn't appear to be anything other than cosmetic
- in an area where it would never be seen except
by nosey reviewers.
 
The case is durable but lightweight. I didn't
feel 100% secure in the twin buckle clasps that
adorned the front of the case, locking it closed.
A double latch would have been more confidence-inspiring,
though the case never once popped open of its
own accord. It is possible that larger screens
utilize this type of locking mechanism as the
online video shows a different style of buckling
clasp. When the case is opened the extending height
adjustment pole was found locked securely in place
behind the screen. The system really does look
solid, with parts that aren't likely to wear out
or break over a typical lifespan. I especially
liked the ability, however slight to tilt the
screen one notch position to manually keystone
it to fit the projector angle in the event that
you have a slightly off-axis alignment.
Setup and Installation
With fixed screens you have a more detailed procedure
of assembly and instructions to follow, any one
of which could render the screen lame if not followed
perfectly. In contrast, the ez-Cinema setup process
is akin to popping open a soda can. Here are the
setup steps in a nutshell (a very small nutshell):
• Spin out the stabilizing feet perpendicular
to the base to ensure the screen system doesn't
topple over when raised up
• Flip up the metal latches and open up
the box cover
• Fire up your projector and make sure it
is sending a picture that can be visible on the
screen during the next few steps
• Remove the support rod
• Insert the square end of the support rod
into the support plate located in the middle of
the case and adjust the height to where the screen
is at the correct height for your projector (ensure
the hanging hook is facing forward)
• Lift the screen and place the metal hanger
on the support hook.
• Adjust by raising or lowering the vertical
support pole as needed - the screen will follow.
This is only possible if you can get behind the
screen. If not, then make sure you put the screen
all the way down before attempting adjustments
to the vertical pole (be certain to never let
the screen fall without tension.)
Observations
The ez-Cinema screen lived up to its name during
use, it's truly easy to setup, operate and put
away when finished. The added benefit of low cost
of entry make this a product that is hard to pass
up, especially if you are on a budget and want
a portable solution. When projecting images on
the screen we found that darkening the room somewhat
was helpful, especially since the Matte White
material only offered a 1.1 gain (not raising
the image intensity at all during use). While
there is a ~1" side and top mask (with the
bottom mask increasing as the screen is raised)
light does show up a bit more than on a felt-lined
fixed screen. This is to be expected and I did
a comparison to show the difference using the
same image in the same room with the same lighting:
Looking at the Elite Screens ez-Cinema on the
right, you'll see a slightly more noticeable overshoot
when the picture is overscanned onto the black
1.25-inch matte. This wasn't detracting in the
least, but don't expect to get the same type of
light rejection as you would with a fixed-wall
felt-lined frame (pictured on the left.)
Viewing Evaluation
I won't go into too much detail on the evaluation
section. Suffice it to say that the screen performed
very well and did not detract in the least from
standard or even high definition viewing. I noticed
no screen flaws and the screen texturing was unnoticeable
from any normal seating distance. I felt that
reducing the light in the room worked much better
on this screen, however that will also have a
lot to do with what type of projector you intend
to use. If you are going for theatrical movies,
try to darken the room and run the projector in
it's Cinema mode (lower light output). If you
are hosting a sports party, then run your projector
full-out and know that this screen will only be
as bright as the projector can push it. Here are
some images I captured during the review:
 
Conclusion
This is a great product. It's impossible to fault
it due to its low price and the fact that Elite
Screens has so many more options to choose from
should you require more features. For example,
if you like the idea of lifting the screen up
without the need for an adjustable height pole,
then the ez-Cinema Plus' integrated "scissors-lift"
system is for you at just a tad bit more. My only
request would be that Elite Screens would add
additional screen material options to these products.
I would love to see a 1.3 or 1.4-gain screen in
this model line-up, especially for a likely target
market of consumers who may not have as much flexibility
in reducing light in their viewing rooms. Overall
this is a MUST-have product for anyone who would
like a portable screen that can be put up quickly
- and put away when not in use. For the price,
you simply can't beat it.
Elite Screens F80NWH Projector
Screen MSRP: $249
Get a Special Price from VisualApex.com
(Limited time offer: $50 discount for Audioholics
readers!)
The Score Card
The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment
doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers
are weighed heavily with respect to the individual
cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly
equal to:
Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating
Audioholics.com note: The ratings
indicated below are based on subjective listening
and objective testing of the product in question.
The rating scale is based on performance/value
ratio. If you notice better performing products
in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain
areas, be aware that the value factor is most
likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers
may rate products solely based on performance,
and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.
Audioholics Rating Scale
•  Excellent
• Very
Good
• Good
• Fair
• Poor
About Elite Screens
Elite Screens Inc. is a California based company
that specializes in making quality commercial
and home-theater projection screens for the retail
and custom install sales channels. Our company
began as an innovative venture into the projection
market by manufacturing veterans from the AV/IT
industry. Elite Screens quickly established itself
as an entry level commercial and home theater
screen manufacturer. This was accomplished by
making a quality product cost effective with a
focus on mass-producing screen material, sizes
and aspect ratios that were most commonly preferred
by AV customers in general. We avoided custom
made products in favor of uniformity that would
match the mainstream demographic while including
extra features that are not usually included by
other manufacturers. We stand behind our customer
satisfaction and are so confident in the quality
of our product that we offer a 2-year manufacturer’s
warranty over the industry’s standard 1-year
warranty. |
