StJohn Group Announces Two Anamorphic Lens Kits For The Latest Cineversum HD Projector - The BlackWing One

Both Kits Enable 16:9 Material To Be Viewed in Full 2.35 Constant Height Cinemascope [The following is a release from the StJohn Group]

January 5, 2009

Following the announcement of a new high-definition 3-chip digital projector – the BlackWing One – Cineversum, a cutting-edge brand of video products for the residential market, has announced two new anamorphic lens kits, designed specifically for the Blackwing One, both of which facilitate “constant height” Cinemascope viewing. StJohn Group, exclusive North American distributor and marketer for the product line, announced it is shipping both units immediately. The BlackWing One (MSRP $6,500) is a state-of-the-art multi-use full-HD 1080P 24P, digital projector and integrates the latest technologies available on the market such as three 0.6” LCoS panels at a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, pre-calibration to D65 and CIE rec 709 high definition color space, >15,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 1400 Lumens output, adjustable iris and two HDMI 1.3 connections. The Advantages of Constant Height Cinemascope Viewing For those cinema enthusiasts who would like to enjoy full Cinemascope aspect ratios (i.e. 2.35, 2.37, 2.40 or even greater), with the ever-increasing library of Cinemascope widescreen DVDs and BluRay discs, adding an anamorphic lens kit to an existing 16:9 projector is a must. “Constant height/2.35” system architecture begins with a native 2.35 screen and maintains the same vertical picture height at all times, regardless of source material aspect ratio, and uses all of the projector’s vertical array of pixels at all times. In combination with the proper video scaler and anamorphic lens, the resulting image is 33% taller and 33% wider than conventional systems. Most noticeable is the lack of annoying grey bars at the top and bottom of the picture. Because there is no loss in vertical pixel count, maximum video resolution and picture brightness are maintained regardless of the source material’s aspect ratio. The penultimate experience in home cinema viewing is made complete with the use of a two-way motorized masking screen like the True Aspect Masking (aka TAM) models offered by Screen Excellence, another of StJohn Group’s boutique home theater brands. The BlackWing One Theater Concept Kit (MSRP $12,840) contains an ultra high-quality, motorized theatre slider mechanism; a full-glass, a precision ground spherical anamorphic lens; a radio-frequency remote control unit, and an RF emitter for a 12V trigger. A remote-controlled motor quickly and quietly slides the lens into place when widescreen material is present enabling the user to see the image in a full cinematic aspect ratio as the film’s director intended. The lens can also be engaged with 16:9 aspect material and be operated automatically and/or remotely by either radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR) or RS-232 automation protocol. The BlackWing One Cinemax Kit (MSRP $6,725) features no moving parts, and includes a full-glass, prismatic lens; a fixing plate; and lens cap. The switch between 16:9 and Cinemascope aspect ratios, among others, is realized by the Blackwing One’s proprietary internal TheaterMode software normally reserved for high-end video scalers. The different aspect ratios are automatically and/or remotely controlled from the BlackWing One remote control or any RS232 automation device. The elegant cap over the lens has two benefits. It prevents parasitic light from reflecting on the lens glass. Also, it does not alter the aesthetic of the projector, which is a frequent consumer complaint regarding Cinemascope systems. John Caldwell, sales director for StJohn Group, stated, “The big benefit with the Cinemax option, is that this lens is permanently in place. Once you’ve adjusted the lens – a very easy operation thanks to the smart Cineversum bracket – there is no need to touch it again. “The Cinemax Kit does not require the lens to be moved away from the projector thanks to the new Cineversum TheatreMode internal software. Now the user has three viewing options built right into the BlackWing One projector at the touch of a button: 1.) watch widescreen Cinemascope movies in the original Cinemascope format, 2.) watch 16:9 movies and HD material in 16:9 aspect ratio or 3.) define your widescreen format without losing any of the picture’s vertical detail. This is perfect for sports fans who can now can enjoy HD sports in a widescreen presentation without losing any of the ticker information at the top or bottom of the screen. That’s why we call this the industry’s smartest and simplest constant height viewing system. We can now offer our dealers and their high performance oriented clients, incredible value with complete engineered constant height projection solutions comprised of Cineversum digital projectors, anamorphic lens kits, and TheaterMode software along with the 2-way TAM 2.37 masking screens from Screen Excellence.” The BlackWing One and both Anamorphic Lens Kits are available to order now. The BlackWing line, dedicated to the professional A/V installer, was awarded the prestigious Product of the Year 2008 award by Electronic House magazine. Visual & Textual Assets BlackWing One Brochure (.pdf) Theater Concept Kit Dimensions (.pdf) Cinemax Kit Dimensions (.pdf) BlackWing One and Anamorphic Lens Kit Specifications (web page) BlackWing One High Resolution Photo (.jpg) Cinemax Kit Mounted on BlackWing One (.jpg)

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