While many consumers are just now stepping up to a widescreen frame of mind, Stewart Filmscreens, the premier name in front-projection screens, is pushing the boundaries once again with their Cine-W screen. With a native 2:35 aspect ratio, the Cine-W is unique in that it features a curved surface, giving your home theater a true cinema feel. Designed for use with projectors employing an anamorphic lens, the Cine-W screen takes full advantage of today's biggest blockbusters.
Additional Resources
• Read more projector screen reviews from HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Find a projector to pair with the Cine-W in our Video Projector Review section.
The Cine-W can be ordered and configured with front-projection or rear-projection materials and features Stewart's VeLux frame finish that absorbs over-scan, improving perceived contrast. The Cine-W is offered in all of Stewart's fine screen materials, including both their Microperf X2 and Cinemaperf materials that allow for speakers to be placed directly behind the screen itself. The Cine-W comes in a variety of sizes, ranging from 103 to 153 inches, and is equipped with wall-mounting brackets that make placement and positioning a snap.
High Points
• Stewart's Cine-W screen turns your home theater into a true blockbuster venue in a way no normal widescreen or 2:35 screen can.
• The curved surface of the Cine-W creates one hell of a statement in your home theater, on top of providing one of the most vividly natural and colorful visual experiences I've ever encountered.
• The curved surface looks like it would cause of light uniformity issues but it doesn't. In fact, the curved surface of the Cine-W aids in focusing all of your projector's light where it matters most: on the screen.
Low Points
• The Cine-W screen is only half of the experience, with the other half resting firmly on your projector. There is great importance in your choice of anamorphic lens, which can be costly, and not all lenses are created equal.
• In order to flush-mount the Cine-W screen, you'll have to sink it back into your wall, provided you have enough wall cavity to do so. Either way, it's a job best left to a custom installer.
Conclusion
The Cine-W screen from Stewart Filmscreen is the epitome of cool, aside from Stewart's own StarGlas, and a must-have for any diehard home theater enthusiast. The cost of ownership may be a bit steep and the added peripherals only add to the bottom line, but if you have the means, the budget and the room, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better surface to welcome into your state of the art home theater.