STACK #212 June 2022

LIFE TECH FEATURE

5 TIPS

Not content with a 75-inch smart TV and want to supersize your viewing even more? A projector will bring the spectacle of the cinema into your lounge room or dedicated home theatre space with screen sizes now topping a mammoth 150 inches, and directional Dolby Atmos audio matching the visual experience. With many homes now kitting out a cinema set-up of some sort, the good news is that there’s an indoor projector to suit all room types and lighting conditions.

FOR CREATING THE ULTIMATE FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT 1 Prepare the candy bar – chill the drinks, pop the popcorn and fill the lolly bowls prior to the screening. 2 Turn off all phones, dim the house lights and begin with a couple of trailers before settling in for the main feature.

GOOD

Philips NeoPix Ultra 2+ Projector

Previews of COMING ATTRACTIONS

Philips is a specialist when it comes to LED projectors and this compact, short throw model is a feature-packed entry-level projector at a great price point. The size of an average bedside clock radio, the NeoPix Ultra2+ delivers a big and bright Full HD 1080p picture on a screen size of up to 65”. It’s a top performer in a dark home theatre room, and also suited for lounge rooms or living areas with low levels of ambient light – a projection distance of 24” to 60” is optimum. The Ultra2+ also has a good contrast ratio of 3,000:1 and 30,000 hours of lamp life, which equates to a 20-year lifespan when average daily use is four hours. An Android TV dongle is included for access to the full catalogue of streaming apps, as well as Chromecast for Philips NeoPix Ultra 2TV Projector Great value for under $1K and simple to set up, the Philips NeoPix Ultra 2TV shares many features with the Ultra2+ – including Android TV support via the included dongle, and Google Cast. Better still, it ups the screen size to a giant 100”, with a 3.5-metre throw distance. A Full HD 1080p projector, the Ultra 2TV boasts good brightness and performs best in a relatively dark room with low ambient light, plus it's built to last with a generous 30,000 hours of LED lamp life. Keystone image correction will adjust any image distortion, ensuring a correctly proportioned image if the projector is off-centre to the screen. The HDMI input supports CEC and ARC connectivity, and there is even a 3.5mm audio jack for headphones and external speakers. And speaking of audio, the unit has two 15W stereo speakers in-built with surround and bass boost.

3 Make it a double feature with a short intermission in between for toilet stops and refilling the snacks. Preface the second movie with another couple of trailers.

casting content from smart devices. And there’s a built-in multimedia player for USB-drive files. The Ultra2+ is good for gaming, too, with a low 5ms input lag and 60Hz refresh rate. There is a range of connectivity options – Wi-Fi, Bluetooth for connecting smart speakers and headphones, and two HDMI ports for external devices. The unit also has a handy tripod screw for mounting it on the ceiling.

INTERMISSION

4 Let those end credits roll right to the very end (like they would in a cinema) while you discuss and critique the movie, and begin tidying up – unless of course if it’s a Marvel movie, where you’ll need to stay put for the post-credits scene. 5 If it’s a long weekend or not a school night, consider indulging in a triple feature with a genre theme. The more dedicated movie buffs in the family might even want to consider indulging in a ‘dusk-till dawn’ marathon.

36 JUNE 2022

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