Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: RealD/Strong new 3D screens - polarizing glasses without a silver screen?

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Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 04-19-2013, 02:01 PM:

http://www.dcinematoday.com/dc/PR.aspx?newsID=3201

http://3droundabout.com/2013/04/9839/reald-introduces-precision-white-screen-technolo gy-combining-2d-white-screen-performance-with-polarized-3d-capability.html

Does someone know already what these mysterious screens are made of?

- Carsten

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Cinemacon—Apr 15, 2013
RealD Introduces Precision White Screen Technology Combining 2D White Screen Performance with Polarized 3D Capability

Forty Percent More Total Light Than a Standard Silver Screen with More Uniform Brightness in 2D and 3D
RealD Inc. (NYSE: RLD) announced today the introduction of Precision White Screen technology for cinema projection, combining 2D white screen performance with the ability to project polarized 3D images.

Designed to deliver enhanced 2D and 3D presentations with wide viewing angles similar to white screens of equivalent gain, Precision White Screen technology features edges 4 to 5 times brighter than a standard silver screen. The improved screen efficiency results in 40% more total light coming off the screen, providing more uniform brightness than a standard silver screen. Precision White Screens also feature a smooth, white surface which generates better image contrast for improved image quality in 2D and 3D.

Precision White Screen technology is expected to be available exclusively to exhibitors, production and post-production facilities utilizing RealD 3D Cinema Systems initially through Ballantyne Strong’s (NYSE MKT: BTN) Strong-MDI. Additional details on price and availability are to be announced.

“Precision White Screen technology delivers high quality 2D and 3D images with better brightness uniformity for an exceptional image on screen. With up to a forty degree half gain angle, optimal reflection performance can be designed for individual auditoriums depending on screen size and curvature; high gain for extra brightness or broader distribution of light for wider viewing angles,” said Joe Peixoto, President, Worldwide Cinema at RealD.

“Coupling RealD’s industry expertise with Strong-MDI’s state-of-the-art screen engineering and manufacturing capabilities has created an exciting advancement in cinema screens as the Precision White Screen technology delivers a bright, uniform picture that is ideal for premium viewing of both 2D and 3D content. We look forward to marketing screens utilizing RealD’s Precision White Screen technology under our High White brand beginning immediately,” said Chris Stark, COO of Ballantyne Strong.

RealD Precision White Screen technology will be demonstrated at multiple events at CinemaCon, taking place April 15-18 in Las Vegas, Nevada. On Wednesday, April 17th Precision White Screens will be used at the Filmmakers’ Roundtable and Luncheon taking place in the Octavius Ballroom-Promenade Level from 12:45 PM - 2:30 PM. Additionally, a product presentation and performance demonstration will be held on Thursday, April 18th beginning at 8:50 AM at the AMC Town Square located at 6587 Las Vegas Boulevard South. Shuttle service to the presentation will be available from the Caesars Palace bus pick-up area beginning at 8:10 AM.

RealD Precision White Screens installed in select test locations received endorsements, including:

"For most of the past decade, RealD has been a great innovator dedicated to delivering the highest quality movie going experience. They’ve now raised the bar even higher with the introduction of Precision White Screen technology. Once again, the winners will be audiences and exhibitors alike," said Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation which has a Precision White Screen installed in their Campanile Theater.

“The RealD Precision White screen allows for a brilliant presentation with very even brightness and smooth texture to the image. It is simply the best 3D I have seen. And 2D presentations on this surface have a forceful visual impact when compared to a silver screen. Combined with the RealD XL’s high light output, this screen provides the best 3D cinema presentation available today,” said Ian Bidgood, Technical Director – Digital Intermediate, Park Road Post Production which utilized a Precision White Screen for the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

“RealD’s Precision White Screen is a great step forward in screen technology. It is now the centerpiece of our new “MuviXL” experience in Thousand Oaks, California, and soon to be in Chicago and South Florida. Guests, wherever they sat in the auditorium, have offered praise for a perceptibly clearer, brighter 3D image that seemed to float off the screen,” said Neil F. Bretan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Muvico Theaters.

“Finally, a screen for great looking 3D that respects the quality needed for white screen 2D presentations. As a replacement for high gain white screens and for polarized 3D shows, the Precision White Screen product fills the need for both,” said Chapin Cutler, President and Principal, Boston Light & Sound, Inc.

RealD is the world’s most widely used 3D cinema technology with approximately 22,200 screens equipped with RealD 3D by approximately 1,000 exhibitors in 68 countries around the world (as of December 31, 2012).

About RealD Inc.
RealD is a leading global licensor of 3D technologies. RealD's extensive intellectual property portfolio is used in applications that enable a premium 3D viewing experience in the theater, the home and elsewhere. RealD licenses its RealD Cinema Systems to motion picture exhibitors that show 3D motion pictures and alternative 3D content. RealD also provides its RealD Display, active and passive eyewear, and RealD Format technologies to consumer electronics manufacturers and content producers and distributors to enable the delivery and viewing of 3D content. RealD's cutting-edge 3D technologies have been used for applications such as piloting the Mars Rover.

RealD was founded in 2003 and has offices in Beverly Hills, California; Boulder, Colorado; London, United Kingdom; Moscow, Russia; Shanghai, China; Hong Kong; and Tokyo, Japan. For more information, please visit our website at www.reald.com.

About Ballantyne Strong, Inc. (www.strong-world.com)
Ballantyne Strong is a provider of digital cinema projection equipment, screens and services as well as specialty lighting equipment. The Company supplies major and independent theater chains, top arenas, theme parks and architectural sites around the world.
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Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 04-19-2013, 04:06 PM:

You need some reflective metal to keep the polarization, dielectric material will not work. They're probably using some kind of zinc alloy or other white alloy to achieve this.

Still, I don't know how they're solving the hot-spotting issue with a metallic coating. Although they don't claim to solve it, they only promise edges that are 4 to 5 times as bright...

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 04-19-2013, 05:23 PM:

Good to know we can get rid of mirrors in cinemas. But still anything more than 1.2 is unacceptable to me. I may accept 1.4 on a properly curved screen, but I do love matte white screens.

Posted by Jarod Reddig (Member # 6363) on 04-20-2013, 05:59 PM:

I also wonder how if it performs audio wise and the spacing of the perfs? Can they be seen? 4K compatible?

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 04-20-2013, 09:39 PM:

quote: Marcel Birgelen
they only promise edges that are 4 to 5 times as bright...

Still, "Real-Dumb" has to work with the ghostbusting issues if they get the picture this bright.

Posted by Matt Olson (Member # 6849) on 04-23-2013, 12:57 PM:

I got a chance to go see the Demo they put on. I must say it was impressive. In general when you walk into a theater with the silver screen about 3/4ths looks dark from the side angle. When walking in to the white screen demo about 1/6th looked darker on the far corner.

The 2D they showed was hard to see the darkness on the side but when looking for it you can spot it but nothing compared to silver.

There idea behind the screen is they use flat flakes of paint so it dose not ball up on the screen and reflects the light straight back not in multiple directions.

The ghosting issue well not 100% gone was far improved with the white screen.

Talking about audio issues and 4K I did not hear or see anything that would cause a issue. The idea behind it is just a special paint its still a normal screen beyond that based on the talk I had with Real D and MDI.

Hope this clears some things up for you.

Posted by Kevin Fairchild (Member # 4985) on 04-23-2013, 02:18 PM:

I spoke with a screen manufacturer and they said it was just a silver screen with a low gain. Better uniformity, lower brightness.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 04-23-2013, 02:21 PM:

Is that still a 'silver paint', or is it actually white?

Sounds like the 'T-Grain' of screen paints ;-)

quote: Kevin Fairchild
I spoke with a screen manufacturer and they said it was just a silver screen with a low gain. Better uniformity, lower brightness.

But that can't be if:

'The improved screen efficiency results in 40% more total light coming off the screen,'

Brighter edges=less hotspot through lower gain, yes, but 40% more total light than ordinary silver screens can't work with just a lower gain?!

- Carsten

Posted by Antti Nayha (Member # 4980) on 04-26-2013, 05:16 AM:

Anybody know the gain of this RealD/Strong offering?

For what it's worth, Stewart is also selling an improved silver screen. Their gain is 2.0.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 04-26-2013, 11:09 AM:

The more light is referring to every place OTHER than the center...the center brightness with respect to the Silver screen is indeed lower.

As I've said before, high gain screens result in darker/overall pictures...one concentrates all of their light in a finite space to get the meter to read high there but at the sacrifice of lower light everywhere else.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 04-26-2013, 01:07 PM:

I always like those engineers that point the colour meter to the centre of the massive hotspot and pronounce the screen "6fL", boasting how much more light the customer gained over the previous Dolby/XpanD on white screen which was "only 3.8fL"!

So bad that that 6fL screen reads 1fL over the corners, while the Dolby/XpanD read 3.5fL.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 04-28-2013, 07:11 PM:

Hmmm...

This is from http://www.3dfilmarchive.com/home/widescreen-documentation and mentions a plastic coated metal film screen having been installed at Randolph Theatre, Philadelphia in the early fifties:

http://tinyurl.com/btqdpx7

- Carsten

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 04-29-2013, 06:08 AM:

In the early days of CinemaScope, Fox had a silver lenticular screen manufactured to compensate for expanding the exisiting light (from an Academy ratio aperture) over twice the screen geography. This was part of their 'scope package which included mag sound. The screen also had a mild curve to further help with light, distributing more of it back to the audience area. Not only was that good for light, but it also fulfilled Zanuck's desire to mimi Cinerama, which of course had a deep curve screen.

It seems a lenticular silver screen which could reduce the hot spot more than the standard silver screen would be ideal for 3D, if indeed it would be able still maintain polarization. The last time I asked MDI about lenticular silver screens, I was told lenticulars hadn't been made in decades.

My guess is, if lenticular silver screens were effective in keeping polaization AND reducing the hot spot, some manufacturer would have brought them back into production with the resurection of 3D via digital.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 04-29-2013, 09:26 AM:

I dont think any one is making lenticular screens anymore which is too bad