All posts by wpmpl

Film Review: Birdman

Birdman or (The Importance of the Virtue of Ignorance)

 
Michael Keaton was once a mega-star; he was Batman and Beetlejuice. And his face was everywhere in the early 1990s. But can you name his last starring role? Probably not. In fact, before Birdman, his first starring role in six years, you were more likely to ask “whatever happened to Michael Keaton?”
The parallels between Keaton and his Birdman character Riggan Thompson are uncanny. In this film review, we follow Keaton’s comeback and what makes this film a contender for the Oscar’s.

Riggan is an aged, quasi-retired Hollywood actor, who famously played a superhero, Birdman, years before. Sound familiar? Now, Riggan is at a pivotal point. Seeking to revive his career, he goes all-in, financing, directing and starring in a Broadway adaptation of a Raymond Carver short story. The backstage tension before opening night is thick; this is make-or-break time for Riggan. If the play fails, he will be financially and professionally ruined.
Unfortunately for Riggan, the play is on a fast-track to disaster. A cast member goes down days before the play is set to open for previews. His producer-lawyer, played by a surprisingly serious Zach Galifinakis, struggles to keep the production afloat financially. Thompson’s daughter Sam (Emma Stone), who’s just out of rehab, is fragile, emotionally unstable, and resents her once-absent father. And Riggan’s hilariously over-theatrical co-star Mike (Edward Norton) undermines Riggan’s direction at every turn. It’s a frenetic, desperate dash towards opening night and it’s darkly humorous to watch it unfold.
Not to mention, Riggan is continually ridiculed by the voice in the back of his head – the Birdman – who revels in bringing up the actor’s shortcomings. This Birdman-fueled subplot lays the groundwork for a disorienting character study of Riggan. As Birdman, Riggan is capable of telekinesis, levitation and flight, all imagined, we think. Either way, it’s safe to say Riggan is in the middle of an existential crisis.
Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s films like Biutiful and Amores Perros have all explored the characters in crisis, and Birdman is a clever example. Inarritu masterfully uses the magical realism of Riggan-as-Birdman to disarm viewers and explore the themes of ego, obsession and longing for validation more thoroughly. It works in the film, and we’re left as unsure about Riggan as he appears to be about himself.
Where Birdman is truly inventive, though, is in its cinematic style. The entire film is a visual tour de force. It appears to be shot in one take, al la Alfred Hitchcock in Rope, with minimal cuts away.  Director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity) takes us backstage at the St. James Theatre in Times Square. His camera moves effortlessly through the backhalls and wings of the historic theater, into costume closets, dressing rooms and hallways, quickly following the action. It’s easy for viewers to get lost in that chaotic backstage energy of the last few rehearsals. Lubezki’s cinematography is the main reason the film flows so seamlessly – especially alongside Antonio Sanchez’ free-flowing jazz percussion score. It pulls you in, and you don’t want to look away.
It’s no surprise the experts at GoldDerby have made Lubezki a shoe-in for Best Cinematography at the Oscars. And while it may appear to be slotted into the genre of drama, this film should definitely be watched on the big screen. Or the next best thing; your home theater consisting of a projector with a considerable screen size to really feel the effect of the one shot take. I watched it on a Panasonic PT-DW6300 home theater projector in a screening room.
But Birdman doesn’t rely on the visual effects. It is a bold, inventive film that impresses with its how-did-they-do-that cinematography. And it’s an intellectual film too; you’ll have plenty of questions. Is it a satire of show business? A story about how our egos can drive us to the brink? Or maybe it’s simpler than that. Maybe Birdman is just an interesting dark comedy? Either way, this is a movie that will leave you thinking long after you see it.
 

How to Change a Projector Filter

Changing your filter is easy, but did you know that you don’t have to  purchase a new one? You can clean your existing filter. Watch this short video to get tips on filter maintenance and learn how easy it is to remove and replace the filter in your projector. For all your projector lamp needs, be sure to visit www.myprojectorlamps.com for the BEST prices found online.

TRANSCRIPT:
Hi Everyone. Thanks for tuning in to another MyProjectorLamps video.
Today we’re going to discuss Projector Filters and some useful filter maintenance tips.
(Roll the MPL Intro) 
Did you know your projector has a filter? Every single projector has one and it’s important to know how it works.
(Pull out filter from projector) 
The most common question we get from our customers is: Do I need to replace the filter when I replace the lamp? The answer is no!
Something that the manufactures of projectors don’t want you knowing is that, filters can be used, and re-used time and time again – as long as they are cleaned properly. In an ideal audio visual world, your filter should be cleaned out on a monthly basis. This would help keep both the projector and projector lamp running optimally. But because we are all busy, 1-2 times a year should suffice.
Filters come in all shapes and sizes.
(zoom in on the filters) 
Generally there are going to be two materials that your filter is comprised of – one is more paper-like and the other is more sponge-like. (Point right hand in one direction and left hand in the other, as paper will appear on one side and sponge will appear on the other).
If your filter is more paper-like, you can tap it on a table or use a compressed air duster to eliminate excess dust.
(tap on table)
(show air dusting) 
If the filter in your projector is sponge-like, you can actually wash it out using dish soap and water. Make sure to let it completely dry before putting it back into your projector. If you’d rather not deal with that process, you can also use a compressed air duster in this instance as well.
(Show clear glass bowl with dish detergent and water in it. Dip in sponge filter and wash by hand) 
As you can see, this isn’t rocket science, and there’s no use spending money unnecessarily on a new filter that you simply don’t need!
 
(Words appear on screen: “Cleaning your filter will prolong the life of filter, lamp, and projector!”) 
If you have any questions about this process, feel free to give our super-friendly customer service reps a call. We’ll be happy to talk to you about optimal filter maintenance.
 
Thanks for joining us for another MyProjectorLamps video.

What’s the Best Projector for Watching Sports?

Sports are more fun to watch on the big screen. The images are larger than life, your guests are entertained and you feel like you have a front-row seat to the action. But you don’t need to invest in an expensive 90-inch LCD TV to watch the big game.

Sports on a Projector
Sports on a Projector

Instead, your best bet is a high-quality home theater projector. There are a number of reasons why projectors are great for showing sporting events, whether at home or at a restaurant or bar. First, projectors are extremely versatile: They can achieve massive HD images, or they can be optimized for smaller screens. If it’s fight night or Super Bowl Sunday at your restaurant, a projector makes it possible to blow-up your screen so everyone can see.
Plus, projectors can be used in high-light or low-light environments, they’re more economical than giant flatscreen TVs, and after the game, you can use them to show movies, games or TV shows. These are all reasons why, if you run a bar or restaurant or want to watch sports at home, you can’t go wrong with a quality HD projector. But which projectors are best for sporting events? Here are a few factors to consider:
 

Projector Brightness

 
Projectors are designed for certain locations. Environments with high ambient light – a well-lit sports bar, for instance – require projectors that are brighter. While dark home theaters can achieve impressive image quality with dimmer projector bulbs. This is important to consider, because image quality can take a hit if your projector isn’t bright enough for the space.
So how bright does a projector need to be to display sporting events?
A projector’s brightness is measured in lumens, ranging anywhere from 1,000 to 6,000 lumens. High ambient environments require projectors that have an output of 4,000 or more lumens. Bright, full-light sports bars might require a projector that’s even brighter, while more dimly lit bars could get away with a brightness of 3,500 lumens. With dark theaters, 1,500 lumens can achieve an ideal image.
Another thing to consider about brightness: The larger a screen, the brighter your projector needs to be. So if you increase your screen size, chances are you’ll need to invest in a projector with a brighter bulb.

Sports Bar Projectors
Sports Bar Projectors

 

The Best Resolution for Sporting Events?

 
Many of today’s home theater projectors are Full HD (1920X1080), and this resolution will provide some of the clearest images for sporting events. But Full HD isn’t required, unless the event that you’re showing is being broadcast in HD.
In fact, with some sporting events, a slight decrease in resolution won’t always be noticeable, depending on the size of your screen. The rule of thumb is that the larger your screen is, the better the resolution needs to be. It’s just like brightness.
 

Projector Features That Are Ideal for Sporting Events

 
The best HD projectors for sporting events will have features that provide flexibility. Not every event is the same, and some events have special viewing requirements. Therefore, be sure to find a projector with:
• A Short Throw Ratio: The shorter a projector’s throw ratio, the closer it can be placed near the screen while achieving a large picture. That’s great for sporting events, because people are more likely to be moving around, which can cause shadow-casting with longer throw projectors. An example of a short-throw projector is the Benq MW870UST.
• Lens Shift: This feature enables you to move the image right or left without physically moving the projector. This is a must-have feature that will provide flexibility in display possibilities.
• Lens Zoom: Zoom makes it easier to fit your image to the screen. With lens zoom, you can make the image smaller or larger, without moving the projector. This adds another layer of flexibility for operators.
So there you have it. To have a great sports viewing experience, you need to match your projector to the environment. If you do that, you can’t go wrong. Compared to LCD TVs, projectors are easier to set up, they’re more cost-effective than TVs, and the image quality is better. Now, start watching sports already!

6 Insanely Spectacular Lighted Projector Displays

The power of projector technology today is truly amazing. You’ll notice it every time you visit an I-MAX theater and catch a 3-D movie. But projectors aren’t just being used on the big screen and in home theaters and gaming rooms. In fact, projectors are now used in almost every industry to wow us visually. From 3-D billboards, to impressive lighting displays at Nine Inch Nails concerts, there’s no limit to images projectors can produce.
All of us at MyProjectorLamps team are obsessed with projector technology, and we’re always on the lookout for new examples of how far projector displays have come.  These are a few of my favorites that are pushing the boundaries.
It was a challenge to pick just a few though. First, there are just so many to choose from, and they just keep getting better. These aren’t cheesy Laser Dome, 1970s displays of yesteryear. They’re 3-D, HD and larger than life. Plus, the medium is so subjective; projectors are being used to create masterful works of art with light and artists are using them in impressive ways. Everyone’s tastes are different. Here are 6 that I found particularly impressive:

  1. Tupac’s Hologram at the 2012 Coachella Music Festival

When Tupac’s hologram was used on-stage at the 2012 Coachella Fest, it made headlines – everyone thought the future was here. But you might not know that the effect has been in use since the 1860s. Really. A similar analog effect was developed in 1862 called Pepper’s ghost.
Instead of using projectors, the technique requires precisely angled mirrors and two similar, adjacent rooms. One room is empty, while the other contains the “ghosts.” People who walk into the empty room can’t see the mirrors or the other room, and then, when ghosts enter the mirrored room, they’re projected into the empty room.
Today, with 3-D holograms, a similar effect is used that employs digital projectors. For instance, with Tupac’s hologram, an image was projected from above the stage. The image hit a mirrored surface on the floor of the stage, which reflected the image onto a transparent screen angled toward the audience. The screen isn’t visible to the audience, and thus, an animated 3-D picture appears to be there in the flesh.  Although this wasn’t the first time a 3-D hologram was used in a live performance – Disney World has been using Pepper’s ghost for years – it was the most buzzworthy. Now, we’re seeing this more and more; for example, Michael Jackson made an “appearance” at the 2014 Billboard Music Award and holograms.

  1. “Pixel” from French Dance Company Adrien M / Claire B

This is the ultimate merging of light and dance; in fact, light becomes a prop throughout the performance as it’s displayed on stage. The Adrien M / Claire B dancers are completely immersed in thousands of pixels, and the light moves fluidly with the dancers’ movements. It’s truly other-worldly, and a perfect example of just how far light projection has come.
One particularly impressive effect: The dancers have to wade through a rainstorm of rain drops of light that run down an opened umbrella. You have to see it for yourself to believe it.
Pixel

  1. A Glass-Shattering Display on the Nine Inch Nails Tour

Nine Inch Nails concerts have always pushed the lighting design envelop. But on the Live: With Teeth tour, the electronic band took it to another level. The band used DLP projectors to project images onto a screen at the front of the stage.
Before the show, images like static TV pictures would play, evolving into what appeared to be a pure glass sheet in front of the stage. Then, lead singer Trent Reznor would hoist his guitar and shatter the screen, and the digital “glass shards” would fall upwards as the screen was pulled upwards. The effect can be seen in the documentary Beside You In Time.

  1. 3-D Projection Mapping at H&M Amsterdam

3-D projection mapping has been used for a while now to turn buildings and other oddly shaped objects into projection screens. One of the first times the technology was used for entertainment was at Disney World’s Haunted Mansion in 1969. The technology enables nearly anything to become a screen including bridges, human faces and sculptures. Recently, though, the power of 3-D projection mapping has taken on a life of its own.
This example from 2010 H&M Amsterdam launch is particularly impressive, because the light show blends so well with the building’s historic Renaissance architecture. Plus, the roughly 3-minute display includes some very cool effects, like making it appear an entire wall is falling off onto the street below.

  1. ACDC vs Iron Man at the Rochester Castle

Here’s another 3-D mapping project. This one features an AC/DC song and video projected onto the front of Rochester Castle in England. There are many reasons this one’s so impressive. First, the display uses the age-old architecture of the castle brilliantly and incorporates a realistic-looking animated stone façade. It really appears to be a part of the castle. Plus, the video incorporates live AC/DC performance footage that’s crystal clear even though it’s more than 5-stories tall.

  1. Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Light/Music Blending

The current season of the Los Angeles Philharmonic features a first-time lighting display that’s powerful. The new in/SIGHT series from the orchestra features a light display designed to enhance the Walt Disney Concert Hall’s architecture, as well as enhance the musical performance. It’s an exciting digital update to the traditional orchestra performance experience, and highlights a new form of producing classical music.
 

Movie Review: HEAT

Hey readers, Joe again with another movie review. This time we’re gonna do Michael Mann’s crime saga, “Heat”. Here’s a rundown of the home theater in my dad’s house which I helped him set up.
Home Theater Setup:
Screen: InFocus Elite 120”
Projector: Fujitsu LPF4800
Blu-Ray Player: Samsung BD-H5100
Receiver: Onkyo TX-NR838
Speakers: Canton Audio Movie 90 5.1 Surround System
Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, veterans of so many great crime films, have by now spent more time playing cops and crooks than most actual cops and crooks have. Method actors like them are who real cops and crooks base themselves on at this point. They both carry these roles with absolute precision of effect here. In Michael Mann’s “Heat”, De Niro plays Neal McCauley, a criminal mastermind. Pacino plays LAPD Lt. Jack Hanna, the guy assigned to guess McCauley’s next move.

Los Angeles police detective, Jack Hanna (Al Pacino) is tracking a master thief named Neal McCauley (Robert De Niro). McCauley is “sharp” according to Hanna and he seems impossible to catch. The big on-screen showdown between these two legendary actors is on! In one scene, Hanna pulls over McCauley. Hanna approaches McCauley’s car and invites him to a cup of coffee. The two men sit across from each other at a diner: Middle-aged, hard-nosed, with too much experience in their respective occupations, they know exactly what they represent to each other, but for this moment of truce they drink their coffee in harmony. They are mortal enemies, but in a sense they are more involved with each other than with those who are supposed to be their friends like the ladies in their lives, for example.
McCauley’s own policy is never to get involved in anything that he can’t “walk away from in 30 seconds flat if he spots the heat around the corner”. One day in a restaurant he gets into a conversation with Edie, played by Amy Brenneman, who asks him a lot of questions. Hanna is on his third marriage because he’d “rather spend his time among the dead” according to his current drug-addled wife, Justice, played by Diane Venora. The men in his movie are addicted to their lives. There is a scene where the thieves essentially have all the money they need. They can retire. McCauley even has a place picked out in New Zealand. But another job presents itself, and they cannot resist it: “It’s the juice. It’s the action.” says fellow thief, Mike Cherrito played by Tom Sizemore. Other thieves on Neal’s crew are Val Kilmer as Chris Shiherlis, Danny Trejo as Trejo, Kevin Gage as the mysterious and hate-fueled Waingro, and Jon Voight as Nate, the guy who finds “jobs” for Neal and his crew.
The movie opens with a very complicated armored truck robbery involving stolen semis, an ambulance, and tow trucks. The action continues with a meticulously conceived bank robbery and a shootout in downtown Los Angeles (great for testing out your surround sound system). The cops keep Neal and his crew under 24-hour surveillance, and one day follow them to an isolated warehouse area, where the thieves stand in the middle of a vast space and McCauley outlines some plan to them. Later, the cops stand in the same place, trying to figure out what plan the thieves could possibly have had in mind. No target is anywhere in view. Suddenly Hanna gets it: “You know what they’re looking at? They’re looking at us – the LAPD. We just got made.” He is right. McCauley is now on a roof chuckling and looking at them through a lens, having outwitted the detectives.
In another very powerful scene, after the cops are onto Neal’s crew and stakes out each of their families to try to get them to come out of hiding. Chris (Val Kilmer) goes to see if his wife Charlene, played by Ashley Judd, can be saved from the closing dragnet. With one look, she tells him the heat is there and not to try to come up to see her. With the same look, she tells him that she loves him but they can no longer hold each other ever again. Michael Mann’s writing and direction elevate this scene to be a masterful display of emotionally charged acting.
Heat is not just an action movie, it isn’t just a crime story – it is a cinematic treasure. More than anything, the dialogue and characters are dynamically complex. This film is long, but it is an essential view for anyone who is a fan of the classic cops and robbers action, as well as anyone looking for a perfect case study on human emotion and interaction.
 
 

Active and Passive 3-D Projectors: What’s the Difference?

In the last decade, technological advances have greatly improved 3-D projection. Now, 3-D viewing is possible anywhere and anyone can set up a 3-D projector at home for a few hundred dollars.
But there are many different types of 3-D projectors. How can you determine which one is right for you?
First, you should know there are two main types of 3-D projectors: Active 3-D or Passive 3-D projectors. Both work in a similar way. They create the 3-D image by showing each eye a slightly different picture. By displaying these slightly different images – either via the projector or with special shuttering glasses – depth is created and the picture jumps off the screen.

3D Projectors
3D Movies of the 1950’s

Here are a few things you should know about passive and active 3-D projectors:

Active 3-D Projectors

Active 3-D, also known as powered 3-D, is most commonly used for home theater or gaming set-ups. The reason: It’s more affordable and it can be easier to set up. Plus, almost all of today’s active projectors have 2-D and 3-D capabilities, like the BenQ W1070, which make them great for home theaters.
Active 3-D projection relies on special glasses. The lenses of these glasses are designed to quickly alternate between opened and closed, so that each eye sees a slightly different picture. A high-speed projector capable of showing 60 or more frames per second is required in active 3-D projection. If not, the image begins to flicker.
There are several advantages to active 3-D projection. First, each eye sees a full HD image, which as I’ll explain later, isn’t possible with passive 3-D. Plus, any screen works, i.e. a wall or a bed sheet. Passive 3-D, on the other hand, requires a special screen.
The disadvantages? First, the glasses are more expensive. They also must be charged and they can fail. Although prices have come down, a pair of premium glasses can cost $100 or more. The lenses also are darker, and thus, the image can be darker.

Passive 3-D Projectors

If you’ve ever seen a 3-D movie at the theater, you’re familiar with passive 3-D projection. With this set-up, the projector creates two simultaneous images – either with light polarization or spectral decomposition – and the viewer’s glasses make these different images visible to each eye.
To create these two images, some set-ups include two different projectors to display the different images. But today’s movie theaters use a single projector that uses circular polarization to achieve the two images. That’s a main reason these set-ups are more expensive; they require advanced projectors to achieve the image.
Passive 3-D is also more expensive because it requires a specialized silver screen, although the most advanced projection systems don’t require the screen. Although the silver screen reflects more of image, in turn creating a brighter picture, it can add to start-up costs.
The main advantage is the cheaper glasses; they cost just a few dollars per pair or less. That’s one reason theaters opt for passive projectors. Plus, prices are coming down, which is making these more economical for home use. For instance, the Epson PowerLite W16SK 3D 3LCD costs just under $2,000, and while costly, it makes the set-up possible for home theaters.

Which 3-D Projector Is Best for Home Theaters?

High-speed active 3-D set-up makes the most sense for home theaters and gaming rooms. Why? First, the majority of today’s projectors are 3-D ready and they’re affordable: i.e. the 3-D ready Optoma HD131X costs about $600. Plus, active 3-D glasses don’t cost as much as they used to; there are budget, third-party glasses available in the $15 to $35 range.
That’s why active 3D projectors are ideal for home theaters: budget set-ups won’t break the bank, and technology has improved the image quality greatly. Today, you can truly achieve an immersive 3-D experience in your living room.

Is My Projector Lamp Original?

There are many different options when shopping online for a projector lamp. Did you know there are fake and copycat lamps? MyProjectorLamps ONLY sells original replacement projector lamps. Watch this video to become informed with the available choices on the market and make sure you purchase the proper original lamp for your projector. For all your projector lamp needs, be sure to visit www.myprojectorlamps.com for the BEST prices found online.
 

TRANSCRIPT:
Hello There! Thank you for tuning in for another MyProjectorLamps video.
Today, I am going be looking at the differences between an aftermarket lamp and an original lamp. Don’t be fooled, these two products might look identical, but they are far from it!
I can’t tell you how many phone calls I get from angry consumers who have been burnt by aftermarket products.
It’s always the same story. “I bought my lamp from Amazon”. “It didn’t work”. “My lamp exploded!”
So why did the customer buy from them in the first place? It has to do with price. Lamps on Amazon can be found at Rock Bottom prices. But these lamps are low quality aftermarket goods.
So what is an aftermarket product? A counterfeit/aftermarket lamp will contain no manufacturer branded parts.
Third parties will collect spare parts from various sources and assemble the product in a factory with very low quality controls.
Here are some “fun” facts about aftermarket lamps:
1. The brightness sucks! The lamp brightness is only 60-70% as bright as the original.
2. The life or hours on the lamp will never reach what its original counterpart will obtain
3. Lastly, a third party lamp could over heat inside your projector and explode!
So clearly, there are risks. Let me give you the best kept secret in the industry to avoid these risks…… ASK!
That’s it. That’s all. Pick up the phone and call the company you are dealing with. Ask them to confirm what they are selling to you. Make sure you speak to a human being, and get them to verify the lamp on the inside is original.
There are four major manufacturers of lamps in the marketplace: Philips, Osram, Ushio, Phoenix
(image of original lamps appears)
All products from MyProjectorLamps will have these original bulbs on the inside of the housing. You can verify this by seeing this label on all of our lamp pages.
(image of original lamp decal appears)
We will never sell you used parts. The lamp on the inside will always be original. This means your lamp will have the exact same lumens and lamp life hours as the lamp that came with your projector. Win-win!
All of our staff are highly trained in identifying aftermarket products.
Call us today. We’ll help you out and we’ll do it with a smile.

How to Install a Projector Lamp

Installing a projector lamp is very easy. Watch this video to learn how simple it truly can be to install your projector lamp without the help of a technician. Changing the projector lamp by yourself will save money, time, and extend the life of your projector.  For all your projector lamp needs, be sure to visit www.myprojectorlamps.com for the BEST prices found online.
 

TRANSCRIPT:
My name is Manny and I am a technician at MyProjectorLamps.com
Today I am going to show YOU How to Install and Change a Projector Lamp.
The only tool you will need is a Phillips Head Screw driver. You do not require any special gloves or electrical tools.
Are you ready? I am! Let’s get started!
Make sure the projector is powered down and unplugged from electricity. For safety, be sure to wait at least 20-30 minutes to give the projector time to cool down. Those buggers get hot – we don’t want anyone burning themselves. Do you know where the lamp is in your projector? It’s easy!  Simply look for the panel, often found on the bottom or top of the projector.
First you want to remove this screw. The lamp is going to be held in place with two anchoring screws.  You’re going to have to loosen those too, to remove the lamp.
The lamp might be snug as a bug in the projector. Good thing I brought some muscle with me to get the job done. Don’t be scared to use some bicep power to pull the lamp out.
Look inside the projector. There might be dust. If you see dust, you can do one of two things:

  1. Use compressed air 
  1. Use a cloth to remove the dust

(uses cloth to wipe face, and also inside the projector)
Inspect the new lamp and ensure there is no damage. Don’t be afraid to hold and touch the lamp on the housing or plastics parts. Do not touch the glass surface.
(camera zooms in on lamp only, showing Manny’s fingers on the outside of the module)
The new lamp will “plug in-to” the projector.  Line up the plugs and the grooves.
Push the lamp into the projector until you hear this noise. This noise. This noise.
Still got your screw driver handy? Use it to tighten the anchoring screws. Here’s a tip! Don’t tighten the screws too tightly as this could break or damage the housing.
Get the panel and screw the lid shut. You must do this before turning on the projector. Some projectors will not turn on until the panel of the projector is closed shut.
Have any of that compressed air left? Take one last chance to wipe away any dust collected on the surface of the projector.
(sprays the compressed air over the surface of the projector)
And Voila! You’re finished!!
For more tips, videos, and the best prices of projector lamps online, be sure to visit MyProjectorLamps.com for all of your lamp needs.
Thank you for watching!

How To Set Up A Home Theater In Your Backyard

An outdoor home theater makes entertaining friends and family easy. There’s nothing quite like sitting outside and watching your favorite movie on a 12-foot screen. It’s like having your own drive-in theater, without ever leaving the house.
Fortunately, home theater technology has come a long way. Just a few years ago, an outdoor home theater would have cost a small fortune. Today, you can set up an outdoor cinema in your backyard, on just about any budget. In fact, it might be easier than you think, especially if you already own an HD projector.

Projector In Your Backyard
Projector In Your Backyard

What you’ll need:

• An HD Projector
• A Receiver and Speakers
• DVD or Blu-ray Player
• A Portable Screen
• Cables and Extension Cords
1. Projector: It would be a challenge to set up an outdoor theater without a projector. And although the projector will likely be one of the more expensive pieces of hardware, affordable options are available. You can choose a short-throw or long-throw projector. But a short-throw projector can be placed closer to the screen, which leads to better image results and can diminish shadows.
A few other factors to consider: Projector brightness and resolution. Brighter projectors deliver excellent image quality even without total darkness. Therefore, you can start your backyard movie at dusk, rather than waiting until the sun is all the way down. Plus, due to the large screen, the better your projector’s resolution, the better the image will be. Choose a 1080p or 720p projector for the best results.
2. Screen: You have a little flexibility when it comes to a screen. The options range from blow-up movie screen kits, which cost a hundred dollars or more, to homemade screens. The kits include everything you’ll need, including stakes and a machine to blow it up and keep it inflated. DIY screens, on the other hand, can be as inexpensive as a bed sheet hung over a fence or something you build yourself.
3. Sound System: A home theater wouldn’t be complete without high-quality sound. For the best results, you’ll need a receiver and a set of speakers that are compatible with your projector and DVD or Blu-ray player. Home theater receivers deliver great sound, but even a stereo receiver works. You can achieve theater-quality sound without breaking the bank.

Tips for Getting the Best Image

Once you’ve found all the pieces, you’re ready to setting up your outdoor theater. The key is getting your image just right. First, you’ll want to find the best “throw distance,” which is the distance from the projector to the screen.
Long-throw projectors, for instance, have a longer throw and must be placed further from the screen. Unfortunately, although you get a larger image if the projector is further away, you also run the risk of casting shadows. That’s why a short-throw projector like the BenQ W1080ST works better for outdoor cinemas. You can move the projector closer or further away from the screen to test.
Also, depending on the projector you’re using, you might have to get the alignment just right. For instance, some projectors have a vertical offset, which means they must be placed a certain distance above or below the screen. If that’s the case, you’ll want to build a secure stand to hold your projector, and floor-mounts are usually the easiest option for outdoor theaters. (Learn more about mounting your projector for the perfect picture here.)
Plus, a few other quick things to consider:
• Try to avoid direct light from street lamps or other exterior home lights.
• Don’t forget some good seats and good food.
• And one last piece of advice: Don’t forget a flash light!

FILM REVIEW: 28 DAYS LATER

Has the zombie movie craze reached its peak? Think about it: Until the early 2000s, zombie flicks were specialty movies, a small horror sub-genre hidden in the back corner of Blockbuster.
Now, they’re everywhere. This isn’t a sub-genre anymore, and there’s plenty of evidence that we’re reaching a zombie-movie fever pitch. The latest season premiere of The Walking Dead drew in more than 10 million viewers, and Barnes and Noble recently called the last decade “the golden age of zombie fiction.”
How did we get here? What was the zombie movie that set the trend in motion? There’s one that many cite: Danny Boyle’s “28 Days Later.” Now nearly a decade later, Boyle’s end-of-days thriller serves as one of the best examples in this now-gigantic genre.
We know how the story starts. An extremely contagious, rapidly-spreading virus escapes from the lab and devastates the general population. Panic ensues. Society as we know it is forever lost. And that’s how 28 Days Later begins. In the movie, the virus is different; it’s called Rage and causes humans to act violently and eat people. Panic ensures. Society is forever lost.
You get the idea.

That’s the world Jim – played by a then-unknown Cillian Murphy – wakes up to 28 days after the outbreak. (Murphy’s career took off after this movie; you might know him as “Scarecrow” from the Batman trilogy.) Jim soon discovers that England is abandoned and only inhabited by night-walking, Rage-infected humans. He begins wandering an eerily silent, abandoned London. These early scenes alone capture the gloom, doom and isolation beautifully.
Eventually, Jim teams up with Selena (Naomie Harris) and a father and daughter team played by Christopher Ecceleston and Megan Burns. And they make a break from zombie-infested London to Manchester, where they hoping to find a survivors’ camp. They have to fight off the attacks, they don’t know who to trust, they’re scared, etc.
You get the idea.
What makes 28 Days Later work so well is that it subverts the genre it helped catapult into mega-popularity. The story flows rapidly, albeit with a few tried-and-true clichés. It’s an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but the drama still works and you care if the characters make it out of end of the world alive. And the cinematography is effective and captivating, especially when I watched it on my Panasonic PT-DW6300 projector. It captivates you and keeps you guessing.
Today, that plot might sound familiar. We’ve seen zombies and post-apocalyptic thrillers done in so many ways now – from special-effects spectacles like World War Z to laugh-out-loud spoofs like ZombieLand. 28 Days Later reminds us how little the genre has changed in the last decade. It starts with a virus, and destruction, and the end of humanity. You get the idea. But still, when done right, it’s fun to watch.