Today, I’m going to be reviewing Vividstorm’s ultra-short throw ambient light-blocking motorized screen (ugh, that’s a long story). As you probably know, UST projectors like the LG 4K project light at a very steep angle. Traditional ALR screens don’t work. To solve this problem, companies like Vividstorm have developed ALR concepts that can work with USTs, but at a very high premium.
What we have today is the VIVIDSTORM ultra-short throw, motorized, tensioned, floor-raising 100″ screen. It’s so big it didn’t fit in our photo studio, and we actually had to improvise a bit for most of our product shots.
The packaging that this screen came in is a complete tank. It has multiple layers of wooden supports, solid cardboard, and a ton of plastic buffers. It took me almost 30 minutes just to get the screen out of the packaging. So for those of you worried about your screen getting damaged during shipping, I can’t imagine someone taking a chainsaw to the box and damaging the screen.
Okay, let’s look at the simple theory. As you know, ultra-short throw projectors project a laser beam at an upward angle. Conventional ambient light blocking materials only accept light that comes directly into the center and ignore all other angles.
That means if you try to use an ALR fabric with a UST, the light will basically be reduced because the pit will try to block as much light as possible from the fabric instead of amplifying the light. This is where UST ALR fabrics come in.
These fabrics are very difficult to manufacture and ship, and come at a significant premium. Unlike standard ALR screens, these fabrics only accept light coming from a downward angle and reject all other light. This is great for UST projectors, because when combined with their typically very bright lumen output, UST ALR screens are perfect for ambient light viewing.
Contents
Vividstorm 100 Motorized UST ALR Review
Black level test in ambient light and viewing angle
In the comparison photos above, we wanted to compare a dark gray matte projection surface to VIVIDSTORM’s UST ALR fabric. Both photos were taken in the same harsh ambient light conditions (close to 95 nits) and both are very similar to what the human eye sees.
The blacks on the VIVIDSTORM part are very deep considering the ambient light is full and very similar to television. This screen definitely increases the possibility of seeing the ambient light fully on the UST projector.
Another major issue that is common with ALR or high gain screens is that when using laser projectors, the colors get distorted and “speckles” depending on the angle.
VIVIDSTORM’s ALR UST screen fabric impressed us in this regard. There was absolutely no speckle of any kind, the viewing angles were crisp and clear, and there was no noticeable color distortion even at a 45 degree angle. Of course, this screen is only illuminated from the ground.
Luminance Measurements
We also wanted to get some quantitative insight into how much of a difference the screen makes in terms of gain, so we set up a lux meter a few centimeters above the projection surface and measured the following: When dealing with a matte gray 0.8 gain projection surface (usually used to maintain black levels in ambient lighting conditions), we measured an LG 4K UST projector that can produce 62 nits on a 120-inch display.
However, when we rolled up the VIVIDSTORM, the image brightness immediately increased to 101 nits. This is impressive for image brightness for this type of setup.
Build Quality and Included Accessories
The build quality of the VIVIDSTORM screen is very impressive. The company was foresighted enough to include not one, but two separate remotes for the motorized screen. One operates via infrared (and therefore sight) and the other via RF (which is what we mostly use). The screen itself has a tense edge and is mostly wrinkle-free.
Accessories include a brush to clean the fabric and a plastic wand for adjustments. The top of the screen is slightly curved, but according to the manual, this is completely normal and a feature of its uniquely tense design.
The screen is very heavy and has two robotic arms on the back that lift the frame off the floor. It takes about 35 seconds to fully raise or lower the screen.
Conclusion
The UST ALR screen allows you to use your UST projector as a TV in a bright room with your friends. While a 100-inch TV can cost upwards of $9,000, the UST projector + this screen will run you between $5,000 and $7,000, depending on what you buy.
It looks very nice, blends in well with almost any decor, and considering that it won’t be seen until you need it, it’s actually a great value. It’s a conversation starter and a must-have if you plan on using your UST projector in a bright room.
You can also use a fixed tension screen, but it requires a lot of professional installation and is a permanent fixture, whereas this one is plug-and-play and can be placed anywhere for installation.