First, mass market projectors have become so commoditized that you really get what you pay for. Inexpensive projectors are usually good for still images used for presentations but are poor for video fidelity. Specifications alone cannot tell you how good a projector is because there is no international standard in which manufactures have to follow to measure their projectors. Good projectors use better power supplies, better video processors (similar to video cards in a computer), better lenses, better bulbs and optimal cooling of bulbs. Everything being equal, three chip projectors produce images that are more natural and film-like as compared to single chip projectors. Three chip projectors produce all three primary colors at the same time producing full color picture, while single chip projectors produce each primary color sequentially using a very high speed color wheel which can cause color break-up or “rainbow effect.”

There are not many true projector manufactures in the world. Most manufactures have their projectors made by third party companies offering very little value to their products. We are proud to recommend projectors from Epson, Digital Projection, Wolf Cinema and Sim2. All three companies offer unique proprietary technologies develop by them that make their products superior in performance, reliability, service and support.

Epson offers many different projector models. Only Pro Cinema series are designed for high fidelity home cinema. Unlike most manufactures Epson manufactures their own LCD chips, light engine, bulb and use state-of-the-art Fujinon lenses. In 1989 Epson patented revolutionary transmissive LCD technology which is many times brigher than more traditional reflective LCD. Because Epson manufactures their own bulbs and light engine they are able to design them to meet their exact specifications. Because Epson manufactures

everything that goes into their projectors they are the best performance per dollar projector in the world. Many competing projectors use Epson LCD chips! We highly recommend Epson Pro Cinema 6030UB. At $3,499.00 it has the best image quality for the money bar none! Epson’s Pro Cinema series comes with 3 years unlimited hours replacement warranty. Within the 3 year warranty Epson will send a replacement and cover shipping both ways for defective projectors. Pro Cinema series comes with an extra replacement bulb, two pairs of 3D glasses and high quality ceiling mounting hardware, everything that you will need to ceiling mount the projector. THX and ISF certification mean that Epson is capable of the highest video fidelity. Pro Cinema’s unique 3 chip LCD offers three times brilliant color brightness (color light brightness) compared to competing brands. Epson has been in the image business for over 70 years. They do know a thing or two about image/video quality!

Epson Pro Cinema 6030UB awarded Editor’s Choice Award 2013.

Digital Projection is a true projector engineering company. Founded in 1989, Digital Projection International (DPI) has been instrumental in the development and application of Digital Light Processing technology by Texas Instruments for projection systems. DPI introduced the world’s first 3-chip DLP projector in 1997, and has since delivered expert system engineering and world-class customer services, thus maintaining its position as a digital imaging pioneer.

DPI’s groundbreaking projection research and development has garnered the admiration of industry professionals around the world. This has earned the company many awards, including two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. DPI remains the first and only projector manufacturer to win the coveted award.

Today, Digital Projection’s engineering ingenuity is being recognized for remarkable advances in advanced engineering as well as design and performance. DPI was first to market with single-projector, active-3D projection solutions, and continues to offer the most comprehensive 3D product line available worldwide.

DPI’s unrelenting pursuit of product innovation, unmatched customer service and an unwavering promise to anticipate the needs of the home cinema enthusiasts assure it will remain the world-leader in Hollywood-grade home cinema experiences.

Sim2 was the first company to introduce Texas Instrument’s DLP technology to both commercial theaters and homes. Sim2 is an Italian projector company dedicated to the highest standards of craftsmanship and innovative projector technologies using only the finest materials with rigorous quality control testing, from the smallest to the largest projectors. This ensures ultimate performance and reliability. Sim2 holds many optic and electronic international patents such as:

• Compact ALPHA-path engine, a masterpiece of optical engineering. The light engine is the most important part of any projector.
• Videoprojector focusing system (Relay lenses and achromatic doublet)
• Light path for 3-chip videoprojectors.
• No-imaging optics systems to maximise light convergence from the sources.
• Fibre optic transmission for HD video signals on a projector.

Using high precision probe Sim2 uses color auto calibration, ambient light, ambient color compensation and background light measurement, Sim2 maintains an on screen image quality that remains constant despite constant changes in ambient light over time and use.

Sim2′s proprietary color processing is one of the most accurate and stable in the industry.

Italian engineering and craftsmanship at its finest!

Download Sim2 brochure pdf here.

Wolf Cinema is an American company with a very simple passion. They are committed to providing the highest quality projectors for the discerning enthusiast. Wolf Cinema mission is to deliver the highest image quality as the cinematographer intended for you to see it! Wolf Cinema’s projectors are designed to meet the demands of custom installation, system integration, control, flexibility and longevity. In addition Wolf Cinema’s support and service are second to none.

The closer the tweeters of your speakers are in terms of height to ear-level, the better the sound quality. Correct positioning of your front left and right speakers in both a stereo and surround sound system is critical. We use a systematic speaker positioning method using music and film to properly position front left and right speakers for optimal sound quality. Most end-users can spend years trying to properly position their speakers but will never succeed. We highly recommend that you have our experts position your speakers.

Getting the correct film screen size is the most important criteria replicating the cinematic experience in your home. To do so, the film screen manufacturer must have the capability to manufacture the screen to our exact specifications. Giving you a choice of fixed screen sizes of 100″, 110″, 120″, etc. to choose from will often times not provide cinematic visual involvement. Next time you go to a commercial movie theater, notice how large the screen is in relation to your field of vision. This relationship has to be precisely duplicated in your home to get the same visual involvement as you get at a movie theater. Based on your room size, seating arrangements, ambient lighting and the type of projector, we can have Stewart Filmscreen custom make a screen that will provide same visual involvement as a commercial movie theater.

There are many important factors to consider when selecting a home cinema projector. However, comparing specifications among different models is not one of them, and selecting the right screen is just as important if not more important than the projector itself. A projector’s color fidelity is utmost important. Second selecting the right screen size and screen material based on seating distance and ambient light is just as important. Looking at a projector’s specifications does not tell you if it has good color fidelity. Only a qualified professional video technician with proper test equipment can calibrate a projector for accurate color fidelity. This cannot be done by naked eye alone. Some projector manufactures “lockout” important calibration features in order to control what video features they want you to see, an over bright picture with false over or under saturation of colors. Very few projectors come correctly calibrated from the factory. We manually calibrate every projector that we sell for best color fidelity. Visit us for a demonstration of what a properly calibrated projector should look like and let our professionals design a projector and screen that is right for your home and budget.

A “TV” regardless of size will not provide a cinema experience. You will likely feel as if you are watching a TV — not the same as watching a movie on a big screen. There is no substitute for a film screen in a media room/home theater.

Absolutely no. Is the projector right for your room? Is the projector designed for data presentation or for high fidelity video? Will it work with your screen size? What should your screen size be? Will it provide the proper video fidelity and brightness for your lighting condition? What is the optimal distance from your screen and optimal vertical distance above or below your screen? What is best aspect ratio based on what content you watch? Can it be professionally calibrated for best video fidelity? Will it work with my other electronics? Our audio/video professionals are the experts that can address all these issues for you with superior service and support.

7.1 is better if your room allows for it. 7.1 has better envelopment, low level detail, spatial detail, and dynamics compared to 5.1. Some rooms and seating arrangements may not benefit from 7.1. We will be happy to discuss which option is best for your room.

Yes. Even if you have a “bad” sounding room, you can still tell the difference between a boom box and a nice stereo system. A “bad” sounding room does not make a good stereo system sound like a boom box. Most rooms built in North Texas are not bad sounding rooms. In fact, most homes have rooms that are better “sounding” than most dealer showrooms.

It depends on the room, seating, equipment quality, interior finish-out and installation quality. It’s not about how much you spend, but how you get the best performance for your dollar. Home theater systems can range from $10,000 to more than $1,000,000. Come visit us, and we will help you get the best home theater that fits your budget.

Multiple subwoofers properly placed and calibrated will sound better than a single subwoofer, providing better sound envelopment with cleaner, more detailed and dynamic bass without being “boomy.”