PRS Series Projector Ceiling Mount
with Spider® Universal Adapter Plate
Peerless
Industries, Inc., a leader of A/V mounting accessories, has recently introduced
the new PRS Series Projector Ceiling Mount with the Spider® Universal
Adapter Plate. The product is compatible with virtually any projector weighing
up to 25 pounds and is designed to adapt to the projector's mounting holes, which
typically differ from unit to unit. Available in black, white or silver finishes,
the PRS mount is designed to complement the décor of any projector or home
theater environment with a smooth look. The
unit comes with preinstalled Armor Lock™ security fasteners which are tightened
with a tool that is basically a special Allen screw with a protruding center.
This tool prevents the removal of the screws using standard allen wrenches.
The
PRS Series mounting kit includes a wide variety of hardware needed to
mount the projector to the ceiling. We were happy to see a good selection
of metric screws that cover the vast majority of projectors on the market
included in the package . Several common sizes are included (M3, M4, M5
and M6) in different lengths. Rather than have all of the hardware in
a single bag, Peerless packages each set of parts in their own prelabeled
pouch. This makes it easy to find the items needed during assembly. Our
Optoma H77 required M6x20mm screws and fortunately they were included
as part of the kit. Four channel beams (3 long, 1 short) are used to adapt
any projector hole pattern to the adapter plate. Twelve mounting holes
on the adapter plate offer a wide variety of mounting options to balance
the center of gravity on the projector. Although it's not required, this
makes the final adjustments a bit easier during the installation.
Attaching
the plate
We bolted three of the four channels to our Optoma H77 DLP projector
and attached the PRS mounting plate to the connection block. The PRS kit includes
a series of standoffs that raise the channels from the base of the unit to help
prevent stratches to the bottom of the projector. Once tightened, the hardware
is firmly secured to the projector and there is no flexing at all thanks to the
rigid beam design. The connection block that is attached to the mounting plate
slides onto the mount assembly using opposing angled slots. This design allows
the projector to slide on and off the mount and be easily removed for maintainence,
such as periodic bulb replacement. Once in position the user can quickly tighen
the thumb screw to lock the projector in place. There is also a secondary screw
that features the Armor Lock™ fasteners for enhanced security.
The
mount assembly can be installed directly to the ceiling or to the optional Projector
Wall Arm (PWA-14), which is available for $55. The Projector Wall Arm
is designed to accept the PRS mounting plate directly and uses a single large
bolt with washers and a lock-nut. The arm attaches to a wall stud with two large
screws and extends to the mounting plate about 14" from the wall. This provides
adequate room for the cables that exit the rear of the projector panel. The lightweight
arm (5 pounds) is simple to install and easily supports up to 50 pounds. A plastic
end cap is included with the kit and covers the hole at the end of the extended
arm. We installed the wall mount and found that it offered us the best mounting
options.
We
found the overall installation to be very simple and virtually anyone who is remotely
handy should be able to install it. It is important to make sure the position
of the mounting hardware is correct to prevent any geometric distortions of the
projected image. We made sure our image was centered on the screen before the
installation started. If it is not, keystone adjustments may be required to correct
the image geometry and we typically do not like to use them if possible. Once
installed, minor corrections to the image can be easily performed with the features
offered on the multi-axis mounting plate. The
set screws located on the side of the mount secure the position. Removing and
reinstalling the projector using the quick-release feature is great. We also used
the PRS projector mount with a SharpVision XV-Z12000U DLP projector and it was
equallly simple to install. In fact, this is a perfect kit for us since we see
many different projector mounting patterns from various manufacturers.
Conclusion
The PRS Series Projector Ceiling Mount with the Spider®
Universal Adapter Plate is an excellent design that works well with
most of today's DLP and LCD projectors. The low profile design allows
the projector to be mounted close to the ceiling. The user can also customize
the ceiling distance using standard extension columns available from Peerless.
The
Spider® Universal Adapter Plate allows the user to fine-tune
the installation to create the ideal image on the screen. The quick-release
design works great and makes it easy to remove the projector for service.
In some cases, cables can be routed through the mount opening to reduce
cable clutter. The optional Projector Wall Arm provides an alternative
mounting solution while still benefitting from the PRS design.
We really liked the universal mounting option since we typically have a variety of different projectors at any given time. However, Peerless also makes model specific adapter plates instead of the universal design for those who prefer it. Regardless of which model you choose, the PRS design is reasonably priced, good looking and provides excellent performance.
- Kevin Nakano