Bookmark

Accessories

There're a whole lot of accessories that you can always go without, but here's our recommended list to optimize your purchases and to bring out their full potential. This ranges from improving picture quality and productivity to ease of use and installation.

Projection screen

This is possibly the most crucial accessory for a projector. Though some beamers are compatible with whiteboards and bare walls, a dedicated screen is still superior in viewing angle and picture quality. A wrinkle-free fixed screen delivers a flat surface for sharp images, while the retractable is ideal for a more discrete installation. Then there's the portable suitable for road warriors, too.

Another key consideration is the gain factor. A white screen has a neutral gain (one) and excels in color accuracy. Gray and silver materials, on the other hand, have sub and above reference ratings that attenuates and boasts brightness, respectively. The former is commonly used for improving blacks and the latter to offset ambient lighting, often at the expense of narrower viewing angles.
In recent months, ultra-wide curved screens have gained some momentum in the market. They have cinemascope formats that match a movie's native 2.35:1 aspect ratio and the added advantage of eliminating letterbox black bars on 16:9, 4:3 and square screens. Another equally effective but elaborate alternative is screen masking, which employs a light absorbent cloth to overlay the bars.

Universal remote

Unlike multimedia light cannons shipped with a versatile remote offering an integrated laser pointer and PC mouse functions, their home theater counterparts are usually plain Janes with few extras. A programmable universal remote will also keep you in control over your entire equipment suite without the hassle of juggling between different sticks. Say your media player, A/V receiver, etc.

Almost all latest entries have backlighting perfect for projector darkrooms and macro capability to issue a series of commands to different components. PDA lookalikes such as the Philips Pronto and Crestron have advanced capabilities and interfaces with lighting and climate control systems. However, these are mainly installer-based offerings which cost a premium for elaborate setups.

Cables

Cabling can be a tricky and expensive affair, especially for ceiling-mounted projectors. This is due to the longer than necessary routing which increases interference vulnerability, resulting in "sparklies" or random artifacts. A quality cable will also help maintain picture sharpness, though it's important to remember that the key here is to minimize signal loss and not to further enhance this.

Most generic cables should serve well for short runs of 3m and below. A better-built make from reputable consumer electronics brands is highly commended especially for 5m and longer pieces, while exotic premium cords are best avoided, taking into consideration their inflated pricings. All things equal, a digital interface such as HDMI or DVI will be a better choice for noise tolerance.

Mounting bracket

Most vendors will have purpose-built, but not necessarily the most affordable, brackets designed for their lineup. That said, if you're willing to consider a third-party option, you'll have countless universal wall and ceiling brackets to choose from. To ensure maximum compatibility, most have adjustable telescopic shaft and arms for different heights and projector mounting screw layouts.

Furthermore, always try to opt for a model with integrated roll, tilt and rotate functions. These will provide room for fine-tuning in case of installation error or wall irregularities. Other good-to-have options are inbuilt cable management to conceal unsightly wirings and provision for a security lock. Lastly, professional installation is highly recommended, especially for any ceiling mounts.

Wireless kit

These are offered mainly for multimedia projectors implemented via addon modules and external A/V boxes. They're used for remote administrations, networking between multiple computers and beamers, as well as relaying audio-video signals. Another possibility is for PC-free presentation in conjunction with an onboard media card slot to upload PowerPoint slides into a flash memory card.

Due to the high bandwidth requirements of HD content, there're limited home theater equivalents in the market at the moment. One of the first pioneers is Belkin's FlyWire wireless HDMI kit. At US$699 each or almost the sticker price of an entry 480p projector, it's not a cost-effective option for most. In addition, the FlyWire is currently scheduled for a late launch in Asia in October 2008.

« Back to Home AV