OTHER TECH

Given a glowing review by Al Griffin back in June 2000, the DreamVision Starlight is typical of the briefcase-size DLP projectors that are revolutionizing home theater. Now, no room this side of a broom closet is too small for a front-projection system. The projector here is so small, and its white casing blends in so well with the ceiling, that most visitors don't even know it's there until someone points it out to them. What matters most, though, is that the DreamVision puts out a bright, crisp picture from both DVDs and TV broadcasts that can rival the image quality of bigger, bulkier CRT-based projectors.

The KEF motorized ceiling speaker is a godsend for anyone who wants his front speakers to be as discrete as possible but also wants better sound than you can usually get from speakers mounted flush to the ceiling. The motor built into the speaker housing swivels the baffle down from the frame at an angle that can be adjusted to aim the Uni-Q drivers - an 8-inch woofer with a tweeter mounted in the center - right at the listening position. The sound was surprisingly good, with solid imaging and good dispersion all the way across the front. And since the KEF's enclosure, frame, and housing are integrated into a single unit, it can be installed by any skilled do-it-yourselfer.

The 15 x 9-foot black-vinyl Electroshade, which divides the home theater from the rest of the space, rolls onto a motorized rod concealed in the ceiling - similar to the mechanism used for the Stewart screen. The shade can be stopped anywhere between its full up and full down postions, and the thick material blocks enough light to allow movie viewing at midday even when the shades in the other part of the room are wide open.

Your installation - either actual or contemplated - might not be like the one here, but things like the retractable dividing wall, the remote's extensive macros, and the motorized ceiling speakers could be put to good use in just about any dedicated home theater.