If it’s your plan to invest in a pricey 4K projector to take your home theatre to the next level, you need to set aside some of your budget for a quality screen. Having a proper screen to project those ultra realistic images on is key to ensuring overall video quality.
I’ve partnered with EluneVision in this sponsored post to introduce you to a new screen option for your home theatre: the Aurora 4K Ambient Light Rejection projector screen.
EluneVision Aurora 4K Ambient Light Rejection (ALR) screen
The Aurora 4K Ambient Light Rejection (ALR) screen looks a bit different from another screen I looked at by EluneVision, the Elara Nano Edge. It’s silvery-grey for starters, compared to the white screen of the Elara. Why?
What is ALR: Ambient Light rejection?
This screen has a special light reflecting coating which contains millions of nanoparticles that reflect outside light, or light coming anywhere but from a projector, right back towards its source. This helps to ensure you only see the light coming from the projector, and not the light reflecting onto the screen from other sources. What’s the advantage? The video appears sharper, more colourful and brighter even in less-than-ideal light conditions.
I tested a small size version of this screen, so I could compare it against the full size Elara, and see how different the video looked on the ALR screen. You can see it in the photos here, but also in the video, posted below.
The solid aluminum frame feels very durable. That’s because it’s actually made up of two frames… and I know this because I assembled the bigger one, and it’s quite similar. One frame holds the screen to keep it perfectly taut, using multi-directional spring tensioning so it’s nice and smooth and even. The second frame incorporates LED lighting and high-density black velour, known as the Nano Edge Bezel.
With this screen, all you need to do is mount it on the wall, and plug it in.
Aurora 4K Ambient Light Rejection (ALR) screen features
The Aurora screen has several features, all designed to make the most of your content.
Enjoy optional ambient lighting with Aurora screen
How the ambient lighting looks on a full size screen; the Elara
There’s ambient lighting built in. It’s a feature I love. You can change up the colours and use the small remote to control it from your chair. Ambient light can help make it easier on the eyes when watching video in a very dark room. The soft lighting will increase your content’s perceived contrast, making for a better viewing experience.
The screen also has a reinforced backing that blocks light from bleeding off the screen. With some screens, even a small amount of ambient light could wash out your picture. But this screen, says EluneVision, guarantees enhanced colour saturation even in brightly lit rooms, because it rejects off-axis light so you get true contrast and intensity and more vivid images in brilliant colours.
And here’s where you really notice it. With the room lights on and windows uncovered, I set the test size Aurora screen with its anti-reflective coating in front of the larger Elara screen. In the video I shot, you’ll notice more washout on the uncoated Elara in the back, while the Aurora’s colours continue to be vibrant, and the picture looks bright. This is what ALR or ambient light rejection can do.
Who is EluneVision Aurora 4K screen made for?
So where might a screen like this come in handy? It’s designed for brighter rooms or spaces where light may unavoidably bleed in, and that special screen fabric helps keep the light from washing over the screen.
It’s also made to maximize the image quality of 4K resolution projectors, so it’s ideal if you’re upgrading, but it would also go a long way to helping you get more out of an older projector that may not be as powerful.
The screen’s surface is ultra smooth too so that you won’t get any ripples, wrinkles or bumps interfering with your movie. The surface of Aurora ALR material is so smooth that even with the next generation 8K projectors the image will stay sharp with near perfect pixel accuracy.
So what will you notice watching at home?
I immediately noticed more vibrant colours, and the screen made the picture look somehow. brighter. Weird, since you’d think a grey screen wouldn’t be as pristine a surface or as blank a canvas as you might consider ideal. It was surprisingly a great background to watch video on.
Overall thoughts on Aurora 4K Ambient Light Rejection (ALR) screen
Overall I like the way this screen works; I definitely noticed a difference in video projected on it, and I wasn’t expecting to.
The special light rejecting fabric really makes a difference, and it ideal for brighter rooms.
I love the ambient lighting that you can add into the frame; it just adds another dimension and ambiance to my home theatre.
The Aurora 4K Ambient Light Rejection screen is available from Elune Vision and other retailers. The prices vary based on size. You can head to elunevision.com for more info.
