How do you rate the Black Diamond? I would definitely rate this as an A-plus product compared with what is currently available on the market. The combination of performance and price point really hit a sweet spot in the market and
set a new standard for screens.
For what applications is it best suited? Without a doubt I believe this to be the only choice for projection systems with ambient light in the room. I have not seen a product out-perform the Black Diamond in this type of application. Seeing the Black Diamond in action will really spoil you. A standard screen quickly becomes unacceptable after seeing images explode on this type of screen. But in reality any application needing a screen size up to 113 inches would benefit greatly from a Black Diamond. The black level achieved in a media room is astonishing, and it is done without hotspotting—for which other dark screen technologies are notorious.
Describe its feature set. In areas with ambient light, the Black Diamond can give a brighter picture with much higher contrast and more accurate colors by rejecting light in the room. This allows projectors to be used in areas traditionally occupied by flat-panel televisions. In controlled lighting environments like media rooms, Black Diamond gives deeper blacks while still letting bright whites pop. It also controls light scatter, which keeps the room itself darker.
What features would you like to see changed? It can be hard to improve on something that is pushing perfection, but we always want more, more, more. I think larger screen sizes would definitely be a plus. And ultimately if ISF certification could be achieved, this would clearly be a category leading product all the way around.
PRODUCT SPECS- Dramatically reduces light scatter by minimizing the room washout
- Eliminates the need for masking by creating deep black bars when used with 2.35:1-format projection screens
- For use in applications such as lighted living rooms, game rooms, and theater rooms
- Truly black native screen material color
- Future compliant with resolutions grea
- Gains available: 0.8
- MSRP: TR100-inch BD14: $2,599
THE REVIEWER...Will Breaux is co-owner and VP of Audio Video Designs (www. avdesignshouston. com, 713.776.8444) in Houston,
Texas. In the industry for 10 years, he got his start when he took a temporary job at a local hi-fi store after graduating from Texas A&M University. His firm, for which he has worked for the last three years, specializes in mid- to high-end home theater systems and media rooms. He has been an SI dealer for three years.
IN HIS OWN WORDS... “I love how the industry is always in flux. New products are always being introduced. Each time you think something has reached the pinnacle of performance, something new comes along that raises the bar once again. I can’t think of another consumer-oriented industry that has such radical leaps in technology so often.”