We have used Da-Lite screens at our Display Summit event for years. The screens are great but the frames have always been a manually intensive project to assemble and break down. At InfoComm, the company introduced an upgrade for these rental frames called Fast-Fold NXT. After getting a demo on how these work, I can say they are indeed a dramatic improvement.
Melissa Rone from Da-Lite told us that they spent the last three years listening to their customers and developing the improvements, which were rolled out at InfoComm. “Our customers said they did not like the pull tabs, snaps, rivets, speedy cranks and bowing frames, so we improved all these items,” said Rone.
The improvements started with the extruded aluminum frame which was expanded slight and two curved elements added to create a channel around the frame. This adds strength and serves as a means of attaching the screen. The hinge was then redesigned and moved inside the frame with access via a push button. This provides a sleeker and more appealing look and finish too. Rivets have been upgraded to epoxy.
The snaps that were used to attach the screen to the frame have been replaced with a tab and channel system. The vinyl screen material stretches a bit and the tab attached to screen now fits into one side of the channel. This provides leverage to push the tab to interlock on the other side of the channel.
The speedy crank used to raise and lower screen is now gone, replaced by a gear-type system on the side of the frame. Called Microtooth Height Adjustments, simply pressing on a button allows easy movement up or down with centimeter positioning.
Even the screen has been reformulated to allow folding for more compact shipment while still allowing 4K resolution without any residual creases from the folding process. Currently, a 1.0 gain screen is offered with other gains coming later.
The shipping case was redesigned as well so there are now two standard sizes instead of 16 with wheels and handles on both ends.
The new frames are offered in two size ranges: ones up to 16’ wide and ones from 14 to 27.5 feet.
We love the redesign and I am sure these will be readily accepted by the community. – CC
