Cineversum BlackWing One Theater Concept Anamorphic Kit

Following the announcement of a new high-definition 3-chip digital projector – the BlackWing One – Cineversum, who designs 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 (the US distributor) announced it is shipping both units immediately.

The BlackWing One (MSRP $6,500) is a state-of-the-art multi-use full-HD 1080p/24, 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.

Constant height/anamorphic/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 black (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. If you haven't yet witnessed a 2.35 system in all its glory, check it out - it's a worthwhile endeavor.

The BlackWing One Theater Concept Kit (MSRP $12,840) contains an ultra high-quality, motorized 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. One of the benefits of the Cinemax option is that the 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 seems perfect for sports fans who would be able to, for example, enjoy HD sports in a widescreen presentation without losing any of the ticker information at the top or bottom of the screen. The BlackWing One and both Anamorphic Lens Kits are available to order now.

For more information visit www.cineversum.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.