Projector Reviews

This 75-inch-diagonal, 16:9, motorized retractable screen is well adorned in both the installation and control categories. The package includes the needed mounting brackets and screws for wall or ceiling placement, metal drywall anchors, and a small bubble level. A recessed-ceiling mounting kit is sold separately. I chose to mount the ceiling brackets into studs as opposed to just drywall, and the brackets’ sliding design gives you more placement flexibility. The instruction manual’s detailed, accurate illustrations made for relatively easy setup, although it doesn’t tell you how to access the screen’s vertical-limit lock so that it stops exactly where you want it to; no instructions are supplied to do this. (Elite Screens encourages end users to call tech support for this information.)

The package includes both IR and RF remotes, as well as a low-voltage, wall-mountable keypad and a 12-volt trigger cable—both of which connect easily to the screen’s RJ-45 control port. If you go the 12-volt trigger route, Elite sells an optional ZSP-TR01 wireless RF trigger kit for easier connection. The motor mechanism isn’t exactly quiet, but it’s on par with other motorized screens I’ve heard.

The 1.1-gain, matte-white screen material reflects a projector’s light very evenly around the entire screen surface. I saw no hot spot or beaming at the center or dulling near the edges, and its image quality remains consistent at wide viewing angles. The picture had a generally neutral, even quality with slightly better contrast than my existing matte-white screen. The first few times I lowered the screen, the material wasn’t completely flat, but it smoothed out quickly. In all, I was quite pleased with its performance.

The standard 75-inch HOME75IWH2 model costs $789; the $869 E30 model I received includes extra screen material at the top to accommodate higher ceilings.

www.elitescreens.com, $789 to $869