Stars of Service: Grey or White? Would a Fixed Frame Screen be Best?

Here is an example of a customer contacting our service team to clarify information on getting a fixed-frame projector screen. He is interested in getting the best flat-screen performance and has questions about the best kind of projection screen for his DIY home theater project.

Notice, the customer found old content referring to a discontinued product line and how the Service Team Member (Jaime) advised him of the new product available and helped him navigate the various options available.

*The discussion below is based on actual chat transcripts with the omission of any personal/confidential material to protect the customer’s privacy. An example in this case is to change the contact’s identification name/number to “Customer”.

Transcripts:

4:00:00 PM Jaime.l – Thank you for contacting Sales department, how may I help you?
8:06:30 AM Customer – hi there, am trying to encode EZ Frame, 106″, 16:9, but only getting 1:1 cine white option
8:06:40 AM Customer – don’t you offer this in cine grey option?
8:06:59 AM Jaime.l – yes we do
8:07:18 AM Jaime.l – it is the Cinegrey5 D (ambient light rejecting) material? This is ideal for when you have the lights on, it keeps the room lighting from washing out your picture. Your image is bright like a TV set even with the lights on.
8:07:34 AM Jaime.l – Regarding the older matte grey material, I am checking our stock right now.
8:07:42 AM Jaime.l – this will just take a moment for me to look into this for you
8:07:43 AM Customer – no just cinegrey (regular matte grey)
8:07:58 AM Customer – the online ordering doesn’t allow cinegrey option
8:08:41 AM Jaime.l – The CineGrey (matte grey) is an obsolete material that has been discontinued
8:08:51 AM Jaime.l – According to our inventory reports, we no longer carry any stock of it.
8:09:41 AM Jaime.l – Perhaps I can help further. What project has you interested in a 1.0 gain matte grey material?
8:10:34 AM Customer – I was just going over the guideline by elite, and it recommends cine grey for home theater use
8:11:04 AM Customer – if it’s discontinued, I will just assume that cinewhite would be the option for me then
8:11:56 AM Jaime.l – yes, the 1.0 gain grey material was used for older projectors that needed help with enhancing the dark levels but even the most entry level projectors currently sold now allow you to adjust the brightness and dynamic range (black levels). Both materials would require light control for optimal performance.
8:12:13 AM Customer – ok thanks
8:12:28 AM Customer – by the way, would you recommend fixed screens over pull downs?
8:12:32 AM Jaime.l – today’s projectors have improved that technology, so you do not need the darker material
8:12:39 AM Customer – that’s true
8:12:46 AM Jaime.l – yes, fixed screens have the flattest surface. The advantage of a pull down screen is in its space-saving convenience but a fixed frame screen will give you the flattest possible projection surface.
8:12:49 AM Jaime.l – wrinkle free
8:13:07 AM Jaime.l – Fixed frame would be my first choice for a flat surface
8:13:11 AM Customer – is EZ Frame easier to install than the Sable Series
8:13:20 AM Customer – since both are fixed frames
8:13:20 AM Jaime.l – they install the same way
8:13:37 AM Customer – so what differentiates one from the other model
8:13:52 AM Jaime.l – only the molding of the frame differs. They are 2-different styles each catering to a customer’s aesthetic preference.
8:13:58 AM Jaime.l – one is thicker than the other
8:14:07 AM Jaime.l – but the material will have the same reflectivity
8:14:20 AM Customer – which is of the thicker frame?
8:15:47 AM Jaime.l – here is the comparison table for your reference: http://elitescreens.com/images/download/material/ComparisonTables/fixed_frame_comp_2016.pdf
8:16:34 AM Jaime.l – the thicker frame is on the EZ-Frame
8:17:52 AM Customer – by the way, has the EZ Frame been replaced with the EZ Frame 2 series?
8:18:07 AM Customer – therefore R106WH1, should now be R106WH2?
8:18:25 AM Jaime.l – that is correct
8:18:37 AM Jaime.l – the only difference is the fact that the (2-series) comes with tools.
8:20:00 AM Customer – however when I click on EZ frame 2, they don’t offer 106″ screen anymore
8:21:45 AM Customer – the next available size is the 110″ screen
8:21:57 AM Customer – R110WH2
8:22:20 AM Jaime.l – we have the 106″ size in stock for this screen
8:23:03 AM Jaime.l – Thank you for pointing that out so that we can update the shop site.
8:23:19 AM Jaime.l – please allow us until noon time to have this updated on the website
8:23:31 AM Customer – ok thanks
8:23:52 AM Jaime.l – was there anything else we can help you with?
8:24:15 AM Customer – I think we good for now, I will just check later for the store website update on the models availability
8:24:19 AM Customer – thanks a lot for your time
8:24:41 AM Jaime.l – My pleasure. If you change your mind about the CineGrey 5D ALR material, please let us know. I look forward to hearing from you.
8:24:46 AM Customer – oh by the way, how much would the R106WH2 be priced?
8:25:06 AM Jaime.l – As a Service Team member, I don’t work with pricing but it should be relatively close to our 109” (16:10) version that is listed on the site.
8:25:36 AM Customer – ok will just wait for it to show up on website later
8:25:38 AM Customer – thanks again
8:25:57 AM Jaime.l – My pleasure; thank you for your interest.
8:26:05 AM Jaime.l – thanks again and have a good day