Recently I’ve introduced a new piece of technology to Starre Corner and it’s better than sliced bread – there’s a home cinema projector in the house!
In my teens and twenties I was so tech savvy and knew everything there was to know about the latest technology and technological advances. Whether it was a ZX Sinclair, a Betamax video recorder or the latest compact disc player I knew everything there was to know and where possible owned the latest technology too. In my final year at university I benefited from a little national lottery win which instantly was invested in the the best quality Sony sound system which money could buy. In fact my dad still uses it in his garage even now.
As the years have passed my priorities have changed and I’m sure my daughters think that I’m totally and utterly technically inept. I know I am no longer up to date with the rapid advances in technology and have to throughly research every buying decision - it’s virtually impossible to keep up these days. My priorities have also shifted, now requiring interior aesthetics as well technical excellence. A large part of my interior design schemes involve hiding technology but as a mother of teenage girls I appreciate how important technology is in their lives. It’s an ongoing challenge which every room revamp throws at me. Starre Corner was originally two farm cottages which now allows me two indulge in two living rooms; one is destined to be a sociable adult space, by no means formal but with a smarter elegantly knackered style. Alternatively the other living space is focusing on the needs of my children and their friends and also us as a family unit; It’s destined to be a relaxed flexible multi-functional chill out cinema room. I am still adamant however that there is no space in my home for ugly technology sticking out like a sore thumb. Technology must now deliver on a number of levels - great quality, long lasting and must be aesthetically pleasing or out of sight, hidden in cleverly designed purpose built cupboards.
I’m currently working on possibly the most challenging room – ‘the cinema room’ which will be kitted out for my children to get maximum enjoyment; cinema film projector, reliable WIFI, devise charging points, record deck, speakers etc. Incorporating a large screen for watching films which doesn’t dominate the room took some planning. A large television in any room at Starre Corner is never going to be an option but whenever I ask my girls what they’d like to do over a weekend their response is always the same – watch a film as a family with warm blankets and foodie treats. It’s a simple request and enjoyed by all. Spending much needed family down time together is so important and therefore must be skilfully and artistically factored in. The cinema room also houses the front door so I have a strong desire for this room to look inviting and tidy at all times – that’s the greatest challenge. My interior design for this room includes buying aesthetically pleasing technology such a Roberts RT100 turntable and Marshall bluetooth speaker and creating a dedicated media cupboard for all things unsightly.
Finding a cinema home projector was top of my list. After lots of research I opted for the Optima ML330 – it meets all of my requirements and at costing approximately £400 it fell within budget too. The long term intention is to mount the projector in the ceiling with a bit of inventive jiggery pokery. My husband is inventing a motorised hidden ceiling projector bracket which will lower into position by remote control. I think he missed out on his true vocation. For now though my camera tripod is working just fine.
Listed below are the pros and cons of the Optoma ML330
PROS - My key projector requirements;
- Long lamp life – the Optoma ML330 has a 20000 hours – that’s 10k films
- Good quality bright image – with only 500 lumens I had my concerns but the screen image quality is very impressive
- Small and lightweight – at only 460g in and 16cm x 4xm x 14cm it will easily fit into a motorised projector bracket.
Optoma ML330 CONS;
- projector interface is quite clunky
- Bluetooth connectivity is patchy. Occasionally the projector struggles to connect to a Bluetooth speaker and the Bluetooth occasionally drops out. The issue with this Bluetooth connectivity may be due to my daughter’s Wonderboom speakers rather than the projector itself.
Overall the Optima is a good quality projector, and it far exceeds the functionality of similar priced projectors. It’s the best bit of kit I’ve introduced into my home for some time.
AO kindly sent me my Optoma projector for my cinema room in payment for an Instagram ad. The opinions on this blog post are entirely my own.
AO have a good range of projectors available online. Follow the link to see all home cinema projectors