Audio Video News

Planar Home Theater is a new division of the parent company, Planar Systems (primarily known for commercial and industrial flat-panel displays), aimed at bringing unique video technologies to the specialty home theater market. The new division's first product is a front-projection screen, the Planar Xscreen.

Planar says the Xscreen is designed to minimize the effects of reflected room light from sources such as windows or lamps. Except for dedicated home theater rooms, ambient light is difficult to control well enough to enjoy a large front projection image during any time of the day. Planar's Xscreen uses the company's patented Daytime Film Technology that's designed to reject ambient light. In addition to the surface film, there is a 4mm layer of hardened glass beneath the screen. Planar says the combination results in an image with twice the brightness and contrast of traditional front-projection screens. The benefit is supposed to be available in most lighting environments.

An upgraded version called the Xscreen Plus is optimized for 720p and 1080i resolutions and is designed to also function as a connectivity hub for a variety of digital sources, including satellite/cable receivers, digital cameras, camcorders, game consoles, and DVD players. These devices can be connected to an input jack panel on the side of the screen, and one cable then connects the screen to the projector. Pixelworks video processing is used to enhance the video sources. An included universal remote control can be used to control all sources, switching, and the projector. Optional on-board speakers are available, too.

The Xscreen and Xscreen Plus models are available in 60-, 70-, 80-, and 100-inch diagonal screen sizes. Frames are available in high-gloss black.