A few years ago, Samsung led a revolution in the display and video industry when it launched the Onyx screen. At the time, the screen was lauded as a revolution in the industry. It provided an improved viewing experience, as well as a seamless and reliable build.
To date, the Onyx movie screens remain popular among viewers. Cinemas love them, and many avid movie watchers can add them to their entertainment centers as well. So, what really is the allure of this screen?
Understanding Onyx Movie Screens
The Onyx movie screen is a specific type of cinema screen that was developed by Samsung in 2018. Utilizing Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology, the screen provides a high-quality and an immersive viewing experience, whether for movie theaters or home viewing setups.
When Samsung first launched the Onyx movie screen in 2018, the company pointed out that it would essentially optimize picture quality for pure black capabilities. The screens weren’t the biggest in the market, standing at 34 feet. However, with a 4096 x 2160 resolution, they offered a crisper and richer picture than the usual 2K projection which was still seen by many at the standard at the time.
The Onyx screen was groundbreaking for several reasons – including its ability to show different image formats and video resolutions. And, unlike traditional projection screens that needed the actual projectors to work, the Onyx screen was unique in its self-emissive display. Essentially, each pixel was able to display its own light – meaning that external projections wouldn’t be needed.
Many pointed out that the screen wasn’t as large as the standard projection screens at movie theaters, which were about 45 to 65 feet in height. Nevertheless, the screen took advantage of the fact that it didn’t rely much on projection technology.
As a result, the Onyx screen looked more like a giant 4K TV screen that wes built into a wall. And, when many critics considered the fact that it also worked in partial light, the Onyx movie screen was seen as a great option for outdoor experiences and even live gaming.
To optimize the viewing experience as well as audio transmissions, the manufacturers recommended pairing the Onyx screen with a custom JBL sound system. But, of course, this is only at the discretion of the customer. We also recommend a JBL sound system pairing as it optimizes the audio experience, but as you’d expect, the Onyx movie screens are flexible and can work with other sound systems.
Befitting the transformative tools they were, Samsung treated the rollout of the Onyx movie screens in stages. The company unveiled its first location for the screens at the Pacific Theatres Winnetka in Chatsworth, California, and several other countries also got slow rollouts where viewers could enjoy the screens one at a time.
Today, the Onyx movie screens remain among the most popular screens available. There are movies being made for Samsung Onyx movie screen options now, and viewers can also enjoy among the most immersive viewing experiences using them.
Unwrapping The Specs Behind Onyx Movie Screens
With Onyx movie screens, you get an immersive viewing experience that is almost second to none. The screens were made for the modern-day viewer, with features such as the following:
- LED Display: As we explained earlier, Onyx movie screens work using an array of individual LED modules, which they use to directly create displays. The LED modules directly emit light, meaning that there won’t be a need for a separate projector. For cinemas, this can be quite cost-efficient.
- High Contrast and Black Levels: Thanks to the self-emissive nature of its LED technology, Onyx screens can easily achieve high contrast ratios and deep black levels. As you can imagine, this will significantly improve the visual quality and viewing experience for everyone.
- HDR (High Dynamic Range) Capabilities: Onyx screens were groundbreaking for their ability to support HDR content. And, with HDR’s characteristic of expanding color ranges and offering a broader dynamic range between the brightest and darkest parts of an image, Onyx screens provide more realistic and vibrant displays.
- High Brightness: Onyx screens also provide an upgrade for brightness, ensuring vivid, clear images. Interestingly, this benefit is also available in environments with high lighting. Regardless of the lighting levels, Onyx movie screen pixel brightness can be assured.
- Screen Size Seamlessness: Another significant feature of the Onyx movie screens is that they can easily be personalized to fit different sizes. So, whether you need something broader for your cinema or would like the standard size for your in-house movie viewing, the screens are available.
- 3D Capabilities: With Onyx movie screens, you get support for 3D content. The 3D viewing experience is immersive and customizable, and you can easily activate it by pairing the screen with a 3D projection system.
Why Onyx Movie Screens Might Be Best For You
Onyx movie screens have become a mainstay for many people – whether they run cinemas, own their private viewing centers, or are just general movie aficionados. And, it’s quite easy to see why. Here are some of the benefits of these screens:
- Optimized Visual Quality: As we know, Onyx movie screens utilize LED technology. This provides an improved, optimized visual experience that can offer better image quality with vibrant colors and high contrast ratios. You can also count on the screens to improve brightness levels, resulting in a more immersive viewing experience overall.
- High Contrast and Black Levels: One of the best ways to measure the reliability of a movie screen is to consider its contrast, black, and white levels. With Onyx screens, blacks and whites are deeper and brighter respectively.
You can easily differentiate between the bright and dark parts of the screen, thus enhancing the details and depth of images overall. With this, you get a more appealing visual presentation.
- Wide Color Gamut: Onyx movie screens support a wide color gamut, allowing you to enjoy a broader range of colors being displayed with greater accuracy levels. Images are more lifelike and vivid, thus optimizing the overall impact of your video content – and, by extension, your viewing experience.
- Consistency and Uniformity: With Onyx movie screens, you get a more consistent and uniform image quality across the full expanse of the screen. For cinemas, this means that viewers will be able to enjoy the viewing experience regardless of where they sit.
Of course, it is also important to remember optimizing the screen’s viewing angle to ensure that everyone gets the best experience across the board.
- Longevity and Maintenance: The LED technology used in Onyx screens typically has a longer lifespan compared to traditional projection lamps. This cuts the need for frequent replacements or part repairs, which will save you a great deal of money in the long run.
Just as well, the screens come with low maintenance requirements as you don’t need to change or align any lamps. All in all, these screens are very cost-effective for users.
- Energy Efficiency: One of the hallmarks of LED technology is its energy efficiency. With Onyx screens, you will notice a significantly lower energy consumption rate to traditional projection systems. This means lower operating and running costs, as well as a lower environmental impact.
Everyone’s going green, and Onyx movie screens allow you to also jump on this trend.
Are Onyx Movie Screens Great For You?
The Onyx screen is available for different functions and purposes. However, it especially shines in these situations:
Movie Theaters:
Of course, movie theaters are the ones who will get the best use of Onyx screens. They provide an optimal video resolution as well as enough brightness to cover the entire cinema room. An, with proper adjustment, you will find that Onyx screens allow everyone to get a proper view of the movie, regardless of where they sit.
All in all, for a more immersive and visually stunning experience, you should add Onyx movie screens to your setup if you run a cinema.
IMAX Theaters:
IMAX theaters have become more popular recently for their large screens and more immersive sound systems. They provide an overall better experience, utilizing advanced screen technology to deliver high-quality visuals that will easily complement their encompassing audio experience.
With Onyx screens, IMAX theaters will be able to deliver that immersive viewing experience that they are known for. And, with their ability to be adapted in different sizes, you should be able to find one that works for your theater.
At NSE LED Cloud, we can provide you with the right Onyx movie screen for your IMAX theater. By taking your theater’s size and specifications into consideration, we will be able to deliver the perfect movie screen for you in a breeze.
Specialized Entertainment Venues:
You can also find Onyx movie screens being used in specialized entertainment venues. From museums to theme parks and other attractions, Onyx movie screens are perfect.
Specifically, these venues can take advantage of the fact that Onyx movie screens work regardless of the light and brightness levels. So, whether it’s an indoor location or an outdoor one, an Onyx screen is great.
Events and Presentations:
Large-scale events, conferences, and presentations can also benefit immensely from Onyx screens. They can provide high-quality visuals for presentations, videos, and other multimedia content, so you shouldn’t bother about their compatibility.
Is The Time Ripe To Install An Onyx Movie Screen?
Installing an Onyx movie screen will come as a net positive to any cinema or setting. However, before you go ahead with the process, you should also be conversant with some of the possible challenges and factors that you would need to consider.
Some of these include:
Space and Venue Requirements:
Installing an Onyx movie screen will need to be done with consideration for the specific venue and space requirements.
It’s important to have enough room for the screen size, proper structural support for the screen itself, and optimal ventilation to allow for heat to leave the room. We would also recommend having proper air conditioning in the room, so as to maintain a temperature balance that will be critical to the overall operation of the screen.
Ensuring that the location where the screen will be installed meets these requirements will be important – especially if it’s in an existing cinema or theater space.
Technical Expertise:
Of course, you also want to keep the technical side in mind. An installation of this magnitude will most likely require technical expertise and knowledge of Onyx screen technology, so the installation process itself can be as seamless as possible.
This is why you want to have trained professionals on ground to help with the process. They should understand the screen’s specific requirements and make sure to keep it in mind as they work.
If you’re looking to have an Onyx screen installed at your location, feel free to reach out to us at Legenday. We can help provide technical counsel and expertise, ensuring that the entire installation process works seamlessly.
Integration with Audio Systems:
Your movie screen won’t work on its own to deliver the best experience. For the best results, it’s important to pair it with a proper audio system.
As explained earlier, the manufacturers of the Onyx movie screen recommended pairing it with a JBL audio setup. However, you should always remember that this isn’t a compulsion. The Onyx movie screen works with other audio setups, ensuring that you’re able to enjoy optimal flexibility across the board.
The most important thing here is to ensure that the screen and the audio system are compatible. By doing this, you can achieve the best sound and video experience. And, the deeper the audio system, the better for the sound output.
We recommend coordinating with the right audio technicians on this to drive the best results.
Calibration and Alignment:
Achieving optimal image quality and performance with your Onyx movie screen will require accurate calibration and alignment of the screen. In most cases, this will involve making adjustments to parameters such as brightness, color reproduction, contrast, and overall uniformity.
To be fair, this calibration can be a complex process that will require experienced technicians and specialized equipment. But, it’s an investment that is worth it at the end of the day.
Maintenance and Support:
One of the benefits of the Onyx screen is that it requires minimal maintenance and support across its lifespan. However, like every other component, regular checks and maintenance are always recommended.
We recommend that you get a maintenance plan on the ground before the actual installation just to ensure that everything works well with the screen in the long run. At the end of the day, a well-maintained movie screen is a net positive for you and will save you a great deal of money.
Cost Considerations:
Of course, there’s the cost challenge to consider.
Advanced cinema screens like the Onyx screen can involve significant costs, including the screen itself, installation, integration, and ongoing maintenance. We recommend going in with proper budgeting and cost management strategies to ensure that you get the most out of your screen.
Comparison with Traditional Projection Systems
The Onyx movie screen is a revolutionary product that has changed movie viewing for the better. It’s capable of hitting much higher benchmarks than traditional projection systems, and these are some of the scorecards:
- Image Quality: As expected, Onyx movie screens and other lED-based screens provide better image quality than traditional projection systems. The screen offers higher brightness, deeper blacks, and better contrast ratios, among others.
- Color Accuracy: Onyx screens reproduce colors more accurately than traditional projection systems, while also supporting wider color gamuts and offering more lifelike color representations.
- Lifespan: You’ll find that Onyx movie screens last longer than traditional projectors. In most cases, the latter tend to have limited spans for their lams, meaning that you’d have to implement more periodic replacements. Onyx screens don’t need much replacement, so you get better value for money.
- Contrast and Black Levels: Onyx movie screens usually come with better contrast and black levels, allowing for a more dynamic and visually striking presentation. This enhances the details and depth of the images on the screen.
- Cost: As always, cost considerations are a critical one. Due to the many benefits that they offer, Onyx movie screens would come at higher price points. However, you’ll end up realizing that the higher costs will be worth it.
- Lifespan: Traditional projectors have a limited lifespan for their lamps, which require periodic replacements. Advanced screens, depending on the technology used, may have longer lifespans, reducing the need for frequent replacements.
- Flexibility in Screen Sizes: Onyx movie screens will also be able to offer more flexibility in screen sizes. As such, theaters will be able to seamlessly customize the screen dimensions based on their space and audience requirements. Traditional projectors are limited to specific screen sizes and throw distances.
- Energy Efficiency: With the use of LED technology, Onyx movie screens provide greater levels of energy efficiency. This directly results in lower operating costs and a reduced carbon footprint.
- Installation and Setup: To install a traditional projection system, you’ll need to be careful with alignment and screen setups to provide the best image quality and focus. On the flip side, the process of installing an Onyx screen is much simpler. However, you should also keep in mind that Onyx screens have more pre-installation considerations than their traditional counterparts.
Conclusion
If you run a cinema or are looking for a new addition to your home video setup, choosing to go with an Onyx movie screen is a decision you won’t regret. With their impressive features, they offer the perfect bang for your buck.
At NSE LED Cloud, we can help get you these screens. And, we’ll even add some technical assistance to help you out if you need it. Get in touch with us and let’s see how we can help you out!
