Stewart Filmscreen's Daily Dual Projection Screen Reviewed

Published On: August 31, 2011
Last Updated on: October 31, 2020
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Stewart Filmscreen's Daily Dual Projection Screen Reviewed

There are a few methods to deal with the differences associated with screening 2D content on a 3D screen. However, one of the best methods is to have a dual screen system like Stewart Filmscreen's Daily Dual projection screen.

Stewart Filmscreen's Daily Dual Projection Screen Reviewed

By Author: Andrew Robinson

Andrew Robinson began his career as an art director in entertainment advertising in 2003, after graduating from Art Center College of Design. In 2006, he became a creative director at Crew Creative Advertising, and oversaw the agency's Television Division, where he worked for clients such as TNT, TBS, History, FX, and Bravo to name a few. He now has one of the most popular AV-related channels on YouTube.

Stewart_Filmscreen_Daily_Dual_projector_screen_review.jpgWhile the initial buzz surrounding 3D has settled to a more reasonable volume, it hasn't disappeared from the conversation. 3D and the technology needed to support the format has become less of a selling point and more of an added feature - at least in the HDTV marketplace. One area where 3D is still somewhat in its infancy among consumers is in the front projection market. 3D front projection, like 3D HDTVs, is a specialty affair requiring either active glasses or a 3D compatible screen, and sometimes both. It's the added accessories that make 3D hard to swallow for many, especially front projection enthusiasts, for 3D compatible screens (never mind projectors) can get real expensive, really quickly.

Additional Resources
• Read more projector screen reviews from HomeTheaterReview.com's staff.
• Explore projectors in our Video Projector Review section.
• Find a 3D-capable Blu-ray player in our Blu-ray Player review section.

For the well-heeled home theater enthusiast or video purist, 3D is equally difficult for 3D capable screens tend to differ from their 2D counterparts in that they are designed, primarily, to combat 3D's lower light output. This is fine for 3D but not necessarily ideal for 2D. One solution would be to have two unique picture settings stored on your front projector, one of standard 2D viewing and another for 3D. Why this may seem like the easiest (and cheapest) solution, anyone who's viewed non-3D material on a 3D compliant screen will note that there are aspects of the image that don't appear "right." In my personal experience many 3D compatible screens tend to crush blacks, artificially boost contrast and over saturate colors, all the while artificially enhancing brightness and in some instances introducing surface shimmer when viewing non-3D content. Of course these items become less of an issue when viewing 3D material, for you want added contrast, bright colors and deeper blacks, not to mention excessive brightness. Another solution to the 3D problem is to employ two different screens, one for 2D and the other for 3D, which may seem unpractical at first but not wholly impossible.

The Daily Dual screen from Stewart Filmscreen is such a design, utilizing two screens, one for 2D material and the other for 3D, housed within a single chassis. This isn't the first time two screens have been housed in a single chassis; Vutec and Elite Screens both offer dual screen solutions, but the Daily Dual is the first design (to my knowledge) that uses two screens in order to solve the 3D conundrum. Unlike Vutec's and Elite Screen's dual screen offerings, the Daily Dual is a fixed screen solution, designed to be professionally installed by a custom installer in high-end screening rooms where the need for dual surfaces is necessary. Because the Daily Dual is a custom installed product, prices vary depending upon size, screen material and installation costs. For the most accurate pricing please contact your local Stewart Filmscreen dealer. The Daily Dual can be outfitted with any of Stewart's wonderful screen materials from the lauded FireHawk G3 to StudioTek 100 G3 and everything in between. Obviously if you're using the Daily Dual as a dual purpose 2D/3D screen you'll want to choose a 3D compliant screen material as one of your surfaces, materials such as Silver 3D (for polarized applications) or Reflections Active 170 3D (for active applications). However, if 3D isn't your bag but you want ultimate front projection flexibility for, say, nighttime and daytime viewing, you can easily outfit a Daily Dual screen with non-3D compatible screen materials as well. The way the Daily Dual works is simple: one screen remains fixed while the other electronically descends over top within the same frame.

Read about the high points and low points of the Daily Dual projection screen on Page 2.

Stewart_Filmscreen_Daily_Dual_projector_screen_review_two_screens.jpgHigh Points
• The Daily Dual screen is one of those "best of both worlds" solutions in that the customer will not have to make any concessions in terms of content or performance.
• The Daily Dual's fit and finish is first rate and its operation is smooth and trouble-free.
• The Daily Dual solves the obvious 3D problem but if 3D is not your end goal it also solves issues resulting from dark and ambient light environments.
• The customer's ability to mix and match screen materials from Stewart's vast repertoire of award winning screens makes the Daily Dual even more versatile.

Low Points
• The Daily Dual must be professionally installed, meaning those of you who are DIY'ers are going to be somewhat out of luck.
• Obviously, the Daily Dual is a screen destined to be installed in cost-no-object theaters and screening rooms meaning those of you looking for a truly affordable, dual screen 3D solution, will be forced to look elsewhere - for now.
• Because of the Daily Dual's construction, it more than likely will have to be built into a wall or at the very least a false wall, for it employs some pretty heavy-duty scaffolding and supports, which may or may not eat into your room's square footage. Though, if you're building a room to accommodate the Daily Dual I'm sure such concessions will be low on your list of worries.

Competition and Comparison
There really isn't a screen out there that looks to compete with the Daily Dual in terms of functionality and two in one performance. Sure there are 3D capable screens and there are dual screen solutions but none that put the two together like the Daily Dual. For 3D only projection screens one could look at Vutec, SI Screens and even Stewart. For customers looking for dual screen solutions, there are two options, one being from Vutec and the other from Elite Screens.

For more on projection screens including the latest news and reviews ple
ase visit Home Theater Review's Front Projection Screen page.

Conclusion
The Daily Dual front projection screen from Stewart Filmscreen isn't going to be for everyone, what with its associated costs, installation requirements and dealer only sales model. That being said, those lucky enough to have a Daily Dual installed in their home theater and/or screening room are going to have the perfect screen for any occasion whether that occasion calls for 3D or ambient light 2D viewing. If you're a well-to-do video enthusiast and are looking for yet another way to have your cake and eat it too, I recommend ringing your local Stewart Filmscreen dealer and scheduling a demo of the Daily Dual front projection screen.

Additional Resources
• Read more projector screen reviews from HomeTheaterReview.com's staff.
• Explore projectors in our Video Projector Review section.
• Find a 3D-capable Blu-ray player in our Blu-ray Player review section.

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