ultra short throw video projectors can create a large image on a screen from a very short distance.
ONE OF THE COOL TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCES that is making waves right now is the ability to take your live Peloton classes or experience a one-on-one yoga instruction or visit with friends via a large video screen display. As TVs continue to get bigger, families are starting to use them for more than just movie or binge watching. With today’s advanced mobile and camera technologies, coupled with Dolby Atmos surround sound, an entirely new world of entertainment has opened up. Live multi-view communication. True reality TV.
A recently introduced video display technology is emerging as a perfect solution for wanting it all – stealthy deployment and a gigantic picture with outstanding color and contrast. We call these new large display formats ultra short throw (UST) video projectors.
Here’s how they work: Utilizing special lenses and mirrors, an ultra short throw projector can create a large image on a screen from a very short distance from the wall. These projectors work well on a credenza, so you don’t have to necessarily mount it on a ceiling.
UST projectors have been on the market for a few years, and admittedly the first units weren’t spectacular to look at compared to traditional ceiling-mounted projectors. But like most technologies, give the engineers a few years and they’ll make the necessary improvements to fully realize the vision behind the product.
One of the sleekest and stealthy units, with an amazing picture, is the LG CineBeam ultra short throw projector, the HU85LA (shown at top of page). We recently sat down with Franco Rivera of noted interior design firm Franco Rivera Design and Barry Schurr and Nicole McCarron of the award-winning technology design firm Osbee Industries to talk about the versatility and performance capabilities of this outstanding video display system.
FRANCO RIVERA DESIGN
With more than 12 years of experience in high-end architecture and interior design, Franco’s luxurious contemporary aesthetic has kept him on the leading edge of the design industry, and has earned him repeat clientele, and the respect of industry peers.
OSBEE INDUSTRIES
Osbee’s vision is informed not only by what’s technically possible, but by the architecture and design of the dwelling, and the desires of the family who will live there. It is this marriage of technology and aesthetics that exemplifies the meaning of luxury living.
versatile. sleek. powerful.
FRANCO: There are so many things about the LG ultra short throw projector that I love. If I had to pick just one word to describe it, I’d choose versatile.
Early on in my conversations with a client, I inevitably ask them if they are ‘TV people’. It’s very rare that a media room or great room will not have a large screen TV. So integrating the small form factor of this projector gives us tremendous flexibility, since we aren’t controlled by “this is our TV wall.” We can have different finishes and the projection system is nearly invisible – a filmscreen can come down out of the ceiling when the unit is being viewed – so we can have a much more organic flow for how the homeowner uses the room.
NICOLE: For me, the word that I would use to describe the LG projector is sleek. We do an awful lot of work in New York City apartments, where this product works perfectly. It has low-impact design benefits that appeal to everybody on the project, and it has a really sleek and elegant touch-and-feel. You can set this on a credenza, and I doubt anyone would even know what it was if they weren’t into video projectors. Out of sight, out of mind.
BARRY: For me, the word is powerful. The LG ultra short throw projector has a 4K laser light engine. With a screen size from 90 to 120 inches and boasting up to 2,700 ANSI lumens for incredible brightness and color, you also have voice recognition, wireless connectivity, a smart TV App on webOS, and best of all it’s a piece of cake to deploy. You can literally plug and play.
FRANCO: That’s a great point, Barry, because all of us work on historic buildings where the client doesn’t want anyone drilling into the walls. So with this product we can refresh any room without major construction.
NICOLE: And as Barry mentioned, the wireless capabilities are amazing. You can share content from your iOS or Android devices via the LG TV Plus App and create a really unique live video experience center.
sport, fitness and healthy lifestyle concept – man making bicycle crunch on exercise mat and flexing abs at home
BARRY: Any conversation that clients are having with the design-build team is a collaborative effort to discover what the client’s needs are. It’s our job as the technology integrator to fulfill that goal. The aesthetic of a space — indoor media rooms are completely different from outdoor spaces, so we have to specify the appropriate product.
The big difference we’re seeing is a movement away from a theater concept with rigid theater seating, towards a more casual space with configurable sofas and a large open space in the front. People are spending time not in a theater environment, but interacting with family; social exercising, social face time, etc.
NICOLE: All of this is really about how large screen formats impact the design-build community. The LG ultra short throw projector allows us to reassure our colleagues that we will not be adversely impacting their design, but in fact will be enhancing and accentuating them.
Most people don’t want to learn how to use technology. What’s been fascinating is demonstrating just how easy this product is to use. You can give it to people who have never experienced it and they have it turned on and connected to their phone almost instantly.
FRANCO: Another similar point about technology and how it intimidates people, most of my clients know they have to have technology in their home, but they definitely don’t want to see it! They want everything hidden and invisible.
Which ties into the stealthy nature of the ultra short throw projector concept. It’s easy to integrate, you can have a very beautiful room without a viewing wall. So you can program the use of the space without having to take technology into account. That’s what makes this product so versatile.
NICOLE: And sleek.
BARRY: And powerful.
