Jeans Made In The U.S.

• AG Jeans — Los Angeles, California — jeans (only selected products)
• Jean Shop — New York, New York —  jeans
• Levi Strauss & Co. — San Francisco, California —  jeans (only selected products)
• Rag & Bone — New York, New York —  jeans (only selected products)
• Raleigh Denim — Raleigh, North Carolina —  jeans
• Tellason — San Francisco, California —  jeans
• The Stronghold — Los Angeles, California —  jeans
• True Religion — jeans

Accessories Made In The U.S.

• American Optical — sunglasses, eyeglasses
• Bollman Hats — Adamstown, Pennsylvania — hats
• Buffalo Gold – Goodnight, Texas – Bison wool clothing
• David Hart & Co. — New York, New York — neckties
• Dodo Case — San Francisco, California — iPad / iPhone cases
• Edgar Leather — Tallahassee, Florida — leather goods
• Faribault Woolen Mills — Faribault, Minnesota — blankets
• Geier Glove Co. — Centralia, Washington — leather gloves
• The General Knot Co. — Bedford, New York — neckties
• Gfeller Casemakers — Meridian, Idaho — leather goods
• Noble Buffalo — St. Louis, Missouri — leather belts
• Leather Man Limited — Essex, Connecticut — belts, accessories
• Optimo Hats —Chicago, Illinois — hats
• Pierrepont Hicks — Minneapolis, Minnesota — ties, accessories
• Randolph Engineering — Randolph, Massachusetts — glasses, sunglasses
• Shuron — Greeneville, South Carolina — glasses, eyeglasses
• Solesu — Belleville, Illinois — leather belts
• Tanner Goods — Portland, Oregon — leather goods
• Wiley Belts — Charlottesville, Virginia — belts, leather goods

Luggage Made In The U.S.

• Accessories Unlimited — Portland, Maine — bags
• Acorn Bags — California — cycling bags
• Artifact Bags — Omaha, Nebraska — bags
• Bailey Works — Portsmouth, New Hampshire — bicycle bags
• Billykirk — Pennsylvania — bags, leather goods
• Beckel Canvas — Portland, Oregon — bags, tents, etc.
• Buzzline — Fort Pierce, Flordia — bags
• Dandux — Ellicott City, Maryland — bags
• Domke — Hauppauge, New York — camera bags, accessories
• Duluth Pack — Duluth, Minnesota — luggage
• Emil Erwin — Nashville, Tennessee — luggage, accessories
• Estex Mfg. Co. — Fairburn, Georgia — bags
• Equinox — Williamsport, Pennsylvania — bags, outdoor gear
• Frost River — Duluth, Minnesota — bags, tents
• Ghurka — New York, NY — bags, leather goods, accessories
• Goruck — Bozeman, Montana — bags, hats
• Johnson Woolen Mills — Johnson, Vermont — bags, clothing, accessories
• Joshu+Vela — San Francisco, California — bags
• J. W. Hulme Co. — St. Paul, Minnesota — briefcases, bags, accessories
• Klein Tools — Lincolnshire, Illinois — bags, accessories
• LL Bean — Freeport, Maine — luggage (only selected products)
• Makr — Orlando, Florida — luggage, accessories, leather goods
• Mer — Brooklyn, New York — luggage
• Moop — Pittsburg, Pennsylvania —bags
• Port Canvas — Kennebunkport, Maine — canvas bags
• Red Oxx — Billings, Montana—  adventure luggage
• Topo Designs — Denver, Colorado — bags
• Tough Traveler — Schenectady, New York — bags
• Triple Aught Design — San Francisco, California — bags, accessories
• Utility Canvas — Gardiner, New York — bags, accessories
• Wm. J. Mills & Co. — Greenport, New York — bags
• Wood&Faulk — Portland, Oregon — bags, accessories

Clothing Made In The U.S.

• Anderson-Little — Tamarac, Flordia — navy blazerslected products)
• Berle Manufacturing — Charleston, South Carolina — trousers
• Beyond Clothing — Seattle, Washington — outdoors clothing
• Bill’s Khakis — Reading, Pennsylvania — khaki pants, clothing
• Brooks Brothers — New York, New York — clothing, sportswear, footwear, accessories (only selected products)
• Bemidji Woolen Mills — Bemidji, Minnesota — clothing, blankets
• Camber — Norristown, Pennsylvania — tee shirts, sweatshirts
• Carhartt — Dearborn, Michigan — workwear, outerwear (only selected products)
• CC Filson — Seattle, Washington — outwear, bags, accessories (only selected products)
• CEGO — New York, New York — custom shirts
• Commonwealth Proper — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — shirts
• Centralia Knitting Mills — Centralia, Washington — outerwear
• Crescent Down Works — Seattle, Washington — outerwear
• Ebbets Field Flannels — Seattle, Washington — jackets, jerseys, accessories
• Engineered Garments — New York, New York — clothing, bags, accessories
• Epaulet — Brooklyn, New York — shirts, ties
• Gitman Brothers — Ashland, Pennsylvania — woven shirts
• Hamilton Shirts — Houston, Texas — custom shirts
• Hart Schaffner Marx — Chicago, Illinois — tailored clothing
• Hertling Trousers — Brooklyn, New York — pants
• Homage — Columbus, Ohio — tee shirts, sweatshirts, accessories
• Individualized — Perth Amboy, New Jersey — woven shirts
• Langlitz Leathers — Portland, Oregon — motorcycle jackets
• New England Shirt Company — Fall River, Massachusetts — shirts
• Oxxford Clothing — Chicago, Illinois — tailored clothing
• Pendleton Woolen Mills — Portland, Oregon — sportswear, blankets (only selected products)
• Pointer Brand — Bristol, Tennessee — clothing, denim, workwear
• Post Overalls — New York, NY — clothing
• Ramblers Way — Kennebunk, Maine — wool clothing
• REI — Kent, Washington — outdoor clothing  (only selected products – see their “Made In USA” section)
• Rogue Territory — Los Angeles, California — clothing, accessories
• Round House — Shawnee, Oklahoma — denim, workwear
• Self Edge — San Francisco, California — clothing
• Schott NYC — New York, New York — outerwear
• Spiewak — New York, New York — outerwear
• Sterlingwear — Boston, Massachusetts — outerwear
• Steven Alan — New York, New York — sportswear, accessories (only selected products)
• Stormy Kromer — Ironwood, Michigan — hats, clothing, outerwear
• Taylor Stitch — San Francisco, California — shirts
• Thom Browne — New York, New York — tailored clothing, sportswear
• Vanson Leathers — Fall River, Massachusetts — leather jackets
• Western Mountaineering — San Jose, California — down jackets, sleeping bags
• Wrath Arcane — Cleveland, Ohio — sportswear

Footware Made In The U.S.

• Allen-Edmonds — Port Washington, Wisconsin — shoes (only selected products)
• Altama — Atlanta, Georgia — boots
• Arrow Moccasin Company — Hudson, Massachusetts — footwear
• Chippewa Boots — Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin — footwear (only selected products)
• Danner — Portland, Oregon — footwear
• Darn Tough — Northfield, Vermont — socks
• E. Vogel — New York, New York — boots, shoes
• Fox River Mills — Osage, Iowa — socks
• Keen – Portland, Oregon – footwear — (only selected products)
• Limmer Boots — Intervale, New Hampshire — boots
• LL Bean — Freeport, Maine — boots
• New Balance — Boston, Massachusetts — athletic shoes (only selected products)
• Oak Street Bootmakers — Chicago, Illinois — shoes, boots
• Oliver Moore — New York, New York — custom shoes
• Perry Ercolino — Doylestown, Pennsylvania — custom shoes
• Quoddy — Perry, Maine — footwear
• Rancourt & Co. — Lewiston, Maine — footwear
• Red Wing — Red Wing, Minnesota — footwear (only selected products)
• Russell Moccasin Co. — Berlin, Wisconsin — footwear
• Townview Leather — Dexter, Maine — footwear
• Vincent & Edgar — New York, New York — bespoke shoes
• Weinbrenner — Merrill, Wisconsin — footwear
• Wesco Boots — Scappoose, Oregon — footwear
• White’s Boots — Spokane, Washington — footwear
• Wigwam — Sheboygan, Wisconsin — socks
• Wolverine – boots (only selected products)
• Yuketen — Hermosa Beach, California — boots, shoes

Tools Made In The U.S.

• All American Pressure Cooker — Wisconsin — Pressure Cookers
• Ambruster Tent Company — Springfield, Illinois — Canvas Tents
• Annin & Company — Roseland, New Jersey — Flags
• Baxter of California — Los Angeles, California — Men’s Grooming Products (only selected products)
• Benchmade — Oregon City, Oregon — Knives (only selected products)
• Buck Knives — Post Falls, Idaho — Knives
• Estwing — Rockford, Illinois — Axes / Wood Splitting
• Field Notes — Portland, Oregon — Notepads, Writing Instruments
• Fisher Space Pen — Boulder City, Nevada — Writing Instruments
• Klhip — Ketchum, Idaho — Nail Clippers
• The Good Flock — Portland, Oregon — Technology Cases
• Jacob Bromwell — Tempe, Arizona — pots, pans, accessories
• Klein Tools – only selected products
• Leatherman — Portland, Oregon — Multi-Tools
• Luma Labs — Portland, Oregon — Camera Straps
• PortaBrace — North Bennington, Vermont — Camera Bags
• Pocket Pin High Pro – Knoxville, Tennessee — Golf training equipment
• Rada Cutlery — Iowa — Kitchen Utensils
• School House Electric — Portland, Oregon — light fixtures, home accessories
• Scout Books — Portland, Oregon — Notebooks
• Springbar Tents — Salt Lake City, Utah — Canvas Tents
• Snap On Tools – only selected products
• Steelcase —  Grand Rapids, Michigan — Chairs
• Streamlight — Eagleville, Pennsylvania — Flashlights
• Surefire — Fountain Valley, California — Flashlights
• The United States Playing Card Company — Cincinnati, Ohio — Playing Cards
• Vornado Fans — Andover, Kansas — Fans
• Wiggy’s — Grand Junction, Colorado — Sleeping Bags, Outerwear
• Wilson Bohannan Co. — Marion, Ohio — Padlocks
• Woodman’s Pal — Boyertown, Pennsylvania — Machetes
• W.R. Case & Sons — Bradford, Pennsylvania — Knives
• Zeroll — Fort Pierce, Flordia — Ice Cream Scoops
• Zippo — Bradford, Pennsylvania — Lighters

Audio Gear Made In The U.S.

• Audio by Van Alstine — Woodbury, MN — preamplifiers, amplifiers, digital-to-analog converters, and phase inverters
• Ayre Acoustics, Inc. — Boulder, CO — full line of audio and video components
• Audeze — Headphones
• Car Audio Factory — Richmond, TX — subwoofer enclosers
• Carr Amplifiers — Pittsboro, NC — guitar amplifiers, made by guitarists for guitarists.
• CI Audio — Port Hueneme, CA — headphone amplifiers, monoblock amplifiers, and power supplies.
• Fargen Amps — Sacramento, CA — all tube (not solid-state) guitar and bass amplifiers
• Grado Labs — Brooklyn, NY — high-quality headphones and phono cartridges (their SR80-i is one of the best headphones under $100)
• KCS Loudspeakers — Sun Prairie, WI — custom horn loudspeakers
• Klipsch –  Hope, AR – audio gear
• Koss Headphones – Milwaukee, WI – headphones
• Manley Labs — Chino, CA — Hi-Fi and professional recording gear
• McIntosh Labs — Binghamton, NY: fine audio and home theater sound systems
• Mohu, Inc. — Raleigh, NC — makers of the LeafTM, a USA-made indoor HDTV antenna
• Moog Music — Ashville, NC — miniMoog Voyager analog monosynth, MoogerFooger guitar pedals, and Etherwave theremin
• Ohm Acoustics — Brooklyn, NY — high-end speakers for audio and home theater applications
• Orb Audio — Sherman Oaks, CA — Mod1 and Mod2 satellite speakers for flat screen and home theater applications, handmade in the USA. “Small Speakers for Smart People”
• Schitt Audio – Audio Gear
• Synthesizers.com — Tyler, TX — modular analog music synthesizers, assembled in USA with domestic and imported components
• SVS — Ohio — speakers and subwoofers for music and home theater
• Wavefront Technologies — Los Angeles, CA — theremin musical instruments and accessories
• Westone — Colorado — Earphones
• Woo Audio — New York — amps
• Zinky Electronics — Flagstaff, AZ — electric guitar amplifiers & accessories

Camping Equipment Made In The U.S.

• American Outdoors — coolers, boat totes, camp chairs, etc.
• Arc Flashlight —Phoenix, AZ — LED pocket flashlights that run on a single AAA battery
• Awl for All —Arlington Hts., IL — indispensable wooden-handled awl for repairing leather, canvas, and vinyl outdoor gear
• Butler Bags —Cedar City, UT — sleeping bags, bedrolls, and gear bags
• Cascade Designs —Seattle, WA — manufacturer of camping gear of all sorts (including Therm-a-rest self-inflating camping mattresses, MSR camping stoves)
• Equinox. —Williamsport, PA — makers of ultralight backpacking gear, including sleeping bags, tarps, ponchos packs, and totes
• EZ-Sales and Mfg. —Gardena, CA— American-made hammocks, folding aluminum camp chairs, cots, and canteens (only selected products)
• Feathered Friends —Seattle, WA — sleeping bags, outwear, and comforters
• Fuerte Cases —La Mesa, CA — waterproof protective cases for laptops, PDAs, firearms
• Kirkham’s Outdoor Products —Salt Lake City, UT — manufacturer of Springbar and AAA canvas wall tents
• Nalgene —Rochester, NY — water bottles, bike bottles, travel mugs, and other “hydration necessities” (only selected products)
• Northern Lites —Wausau, WI — high-tech, lightweight snowshoes for all uses, from racing to hiking
• Open Country Campware — aluminum camp ware kits, plates, pots, and canteens made by Metal Ware Corp. (Two Rivers, WI)
• Outdoor Research —Seattle, WA — shelter systems, headwear, gaiters/footwear, and storage systems/stuff sacks (only selected products)
• Princeton Tec — headlamps, outdoor gear, bikes lights
• Purcell Trench Mfg — Addy, WA —ultra-lightweight camping grills and tarp shelters
• REI — Kent, Washington — outdoor equipment  (only selected products – see their “Made In USA” section)
• TarpTent —Redwood City, CA —ultralight, mobile shelters made with US materials in Seattle, WA
• Tektite —Trenton,NJ — LED flashlights and lanterns, divelights, and marker lights

Bikes Made In The U.S.

• Ahearne — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• A.N.T. Bicycles — Holliston, Massachusetts — bicycles, bicycle accessories
• Bilenky Cycle Works — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — bicycles
• Brooklyn Machine Works — Brooklyn, New York — bicycles
• Calfee Design — La Selva Beach, California — bicycles
• Courage Bicycle MFG Co. — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Cygolite  — bike lights
• Davidson — Seattle, Washington — bicycles
• Fast Boy Cycles — New York, New York — bicycles
• Gunnar Cycles — Waterford, Wisconsin — bicycle frames
• Hufnagel — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Independent Fabrication — Somerville, Massachusetts — bicycles
• Ira Ryan Cycles — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• J.P. Weigle — Lyme, Connecticut — bicycles
• Lightspeed — Chattanooga, Tennessee — bicycles
• MAP — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Metrofiets — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Moots Cycles — Steamboat Springs, Colorado — bicycles
• NiteRider  — bike lights
• Outlier — Brooklyn, New York — cycling clothing
• Pereira — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Phil Wood —San Jose, California — bicycle components
• Princeton Tec — bikes lights
• Richard Sachs Cycles — Chester, Connecticut — bicycles
• Seven Cycles — Watertown, Massachusetts — bicycles
• Signal Cycles — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Six-Eleven Bicycle Co. — Roanoke, Virginia — Bicycles
• Steelman Cycles — Redwood City, California — bicycles
• Strawberry — Portland, Oregon — bicycles
• Tet Cycles — West Branch, Iowa — bicycles
• Townsend Bicycles — Monrovia, California — bicycles
• Waterford Precision Bicycles — Waterford, Wisconsin — bicycle frames
• Worksmen Bicycles — Queens, New York — bicycles

The post A List Of Goods Still Made In The USA appeared first on Reactual.

ThruNite Ti3 Flashlight — produces 120 lumens — waterproofed to IPX-8 — impact resistant — use a single AAA battery

Titan Plus Flashlight  —  produces 300 lumens of light — durable construction — waterproof — made in USA

RovyVon A3 Flashlight — produces 700 lumens — IPX-65 water-resistant — waterproofed to IPX-65

Nite Ize Inka Pen — writes underwater — writes in temperature from -30 degrees to +300 degrees — ultralight — made in USA

Leatherman Micra — ultralight mult-itool — includes scissors — made in USA

World’s Smallest Titanium Toothpick — a portable toothpick made out of titanium

Quick Release Keychain Clip — ultralight titanium clip for a keychain

The post The Best Ultralight Keychain Tools appeared first on Reactual.

Fluoride is fairly difficult to remove from water. The filters produced by Brita and Pur use activated carbon for filtration. They do not remove any fluoride.

These filtration methods are recommended by the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) and the WQA (Water Quality Association):

• Bone Char Filtration
• Ion-Matrix Filtration
• Activated Alumina Filtration
• Reverse Osmosis Filtration
• Distillation

Here is the document (PDF file) that states the WQA (Water Quality Association) recommendations.

Pitcher Filters

This US-made Aquagear filter is said to certified by ISO 17025 accredited labs tests to remove 90% of fluoride in water. However, I have not tested this claim so I cannot fully recommend it.

Distilllers

Distillation is capable of removing just about anything (except volatile compounds) from water. If you have a distiller, you can use it to remove fluoride. However, distillation takes time and lost of electricity, and makes water taste flat and lifeless.

My recommended distiller: the Megahome Distiller, which costs about $200.

Reverse Osmosis Filters

Reverse osmosis relies on pressure and a semi-permeable membrane to remove contaminants from water. It can remove around 90% fluoride in your water. Contaminants are trapped by the membrane and flushed away in the waste water. The process requires between 2 and 4 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of clean water.

Like distillation, reverse osmosis removes almost everything from water, and makes the water taste flat.

My recommended filter is the iSpring 75GPD 5-Stage Filter, which costs about $170, plus any installation costs.

Why Remove Fluoride From Your Water?

Fluoride is a toxic substance. It is used in pesticides and rodenticides. The FDA now requires that all fluoride toothpaste sold in the U.S. carry a poison warning that instructs users to contact the poison control center if they swallow it. Excessive fluoride exposure is well known to cause skeletal fluorosis (a painful bone disease) and dental fluorosis (discolored teeth). Excessive fluoride exposure has also been linked to a range of other chronic ailments including arthritis, bone fragility, glucose intolerance, gastrointestinal distress and thyroid disease.

Since 2010, over 70 communities have rejected the water fluoridation, including cities like Calgary, Alberta and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Most developed nations have rejected fluoridation, including 97% of western Europe. According to the British Fluoridation Society, there are more people drinking artificially fluoridated water in the United States than all other countries combined.

You also absorb fluoride when showering and bathing. Unfortunately, there are no shower filters that will remove fluoride. However, you can install a whole house filter. I recommend Pure Effect Whole House Filters. Another option is to capture rainwater and use it instead of municipal water — see the book Rainwater Collection For the Mechanically Challenged for more information.

The post The Best Water Filters For Removing Fluoride appeared first on Reactual.

A soundbar is a thin bar with multiple drivers. They point the speakers directly at your couch, with different tweeters and woofers replicating highs and lows. Newer soundbars include wireless connectivity options, making them hassle free compared to a full surround sound system. No soundbar will ever compete with the fidelity of traditional speakers, the drivers are just not large enough, but they can fill a small room with lush noise. These are the best soundbars available right now.

Best Overall Soundbar of 2016: Samsung HW-K950

The Samsung HW-K950 is the biggest leap forward in soundbar technology of the year. Released in summer 2016, the soundbar boasts Dolby Atmos, 4k/HDR, and 5.1.4 channel surround sound. One big drawback: it does not offer DTS-HD. So if you want the best possible sound quality out of a soundbar and don’t plan on playing Blu-rays on an older player, this is the soundbar for you.

Most soundbars simply can’t replicate the immersive multi-directional sound of a proper home theater system. Samsung shortens the gap with one of two soundbars released this year that features Dolby Atmos (the other is the Yamaha YSP-5600, which has DTS:X support but suffers from poor design). For those who don’t know, Dolby Atmos is an audio format designed to deliver three-dimensional sound. It’s what makes makes you think a helicopter is actually whirling overhead, or what clues you in to the sound of footsteps approaching from a distance.

The HW-K950 delivers Atmos sound from 15 built-in speakers. Most of those drivers come from the main soundbar itself, a minimalist 47 inch unit with metal grills and brushed metal dim plates. It has 3 forward firing channels, with twin mid-range drivers and a wide-range tweeter engineered just for the soundbar. Atop the wide bar are two upward firing full-range drivers that provide front overhead effects.  The rest of the sound comes from two wireless rear speakers with front and upward firing speakers and a wireless 160W sub-woofer. All drivers come with their own amplifier.

The sound is extremely crisp and expansive on Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital 5.1 compatible files. It is extremely clean and captures everything from dialogue to bass-heavy music in a way you thought a soundbar could not. The set up is easy and, unlike many previous-generation high end soundbars, it comes with 2 HDMI plugs. So unlike the popular SONOS soundbar, your audio isn’t rerouted through a optical port.

There are two big drawbacks to this soundbar. The first is the price. It’s an expensive package, but it includes the sub-woofer and rear speakers. You can definitely find better quality used home theater equipment for the same price range, but you lose all the convenience and connectivity the soundbar offers. So it depends on your needs. If you’re building a home theater, look elsewhere. If you want three-dimensional Dolby Atmos sound in your apartment without a receiver and a bunch of speakers, this wireless setup can’t be beat.

The main drawback, and this is a huge one, is that it does not support DTS-HD Master Audio, the most common format for many Blu-Ray movies. Newer Blu-Ray players do support Atmos, so you will have to check your player.

Best Value Soundbar: Vizio SB3851-C0

If you don’t want to spend a grand on a soundbar but still want a powerful upgrade from your TV speakers, check out Vizio’s SB3851-C0. For less than $300 you get 5.1 sound with a wireless sub-woofer and 2 rear satellite speakers.

This model captures engrossing Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, faithfully replicating highs and lows. The 6″ driver on the sub delivers a serviceable bass, definitely the best you will experience at this price range. It has an impress 100dB sound with less than 1% total harmonic distortion. Connect music directly with a Bluetooth. The setup is easy, and the 38 inch aluminum accented soundbar looks nice in the living room.

Unfortunately the unit lacks an HDMI connection. It also lacks EQ options to satisfy an audiophile.

The post The Best Soundbars of 2016 appeared first on Reactual.

The Details

Projectors are replacing traditional televisions in more and more houses across the country. Why? A few factors account for this trend. The days of wire clusters and ultra bulky projectors is fading into distant memory. The newest projectors are equipped with a slew of wireless connectivity options, making them viable competitors of smart TVs.

But the real reason is that projectors provide an equally vivid and high definition image as TVs on a larger screen at a fraction of the price. You can get a 100 inch image on a 1080p full HD projector for less than a $1000. If you can even find a TV that size it will cost well into the thousands.

But not all 1080p projectors are made the same. Contrast ratio, lumen count (measure of brightness), and refresh rate all factor in to viewing experience. Finally, consider the size of your projection screen and the amount of space in your room. Ultra short throw projectors can cast a full HD image from inches away from the wall, but sacrifice brightness and contrast ratio.

Finally, rest assured that 1080p (1920 x 1080 native resolution) doesn’t suffer any signficant loss in picture quality over the much pricier 4k resolution projectors if your screen is going to be 100 inches or less. If you plan on going larger and have deep pockets, then 4k models might be worth a look.

Best 1080p Projector For Bright Rooms: Epson Home Cinema 1440

The Epson Home Cinema 1440 1080p definitively lays the misconception that projectors need cave-like darkness to rival LCDTV contrast to rest. That’s not the case with this  thing. Far from it. It has a staggering 4400 lumens and uses 3LCD projectors to create vibrantly colored Full HD 1080p with rich contrast. Want to watch a 2pm NFL game on a 100 inch screen? Done. Want to watch Netflix while your spouse prepares dinner in the next room? They can leave the lights on, it’s won’t interrupt your viewing.

But the Home Cinema 1440 can cast in True HD up to 300 inches, making it a great option for both home theaters and outdoor movie nights for a larger audience. Sure, if you want to get up to the full 300″ potential of this beast you will need the darkness, but it works even if there is ambient light from the odd streetlight or neon sign flickering nearby.

Besides its blinding brightness, the Epson 1440 really excels in image quality. It offers 3x Higher Color Brightness than other projectors in its class, casting vivid images worthy of the movie theater. Convenient color mode optimizes color, turning animated movies into a feast of bright hues and dramas into sharp shades of dark.

The 1440 is an MHL device, allowing easy connectivity for Roku and Chromecast streaming. It lacks Bluetooth functionality, which is a major knock against it if you rely on it. The other major downside is that it lacks lens shift, which means you have to place the projector dead center from where you want the image cast. It does include keystone correction, although it is not the most intuitive keystone alignment out there.

The Best Short Throw 1080p Projector: Optoma EH200ST

The Optoma EH200ST shines even in rooms that are both cramped and well-lit. This short throw projector calls on 3000 lumens to cast a 100 inch image from just 3.5 feet, making it ideal for big city apartments that just never seem to get as dark as you want.

For less than $1000 you get a powerful true-to-life colors and crystal clear full HD graphics. Unlike other 1080p projectors that falter on dark blacks, the EH200ST has a 20,000:1 contrast ratio, bringing low-light images and text onto your screen in crisp resolution. And with all digital connectivity, the EH300ST has a low latency and fast response time, making it ideal projector for gaming.

The projector can cast a 100 inch image from just 3.5 feet away, 200 inch image from 7.3 feet away, and 300 inch from 20 feet away. Get 3D image at any distance and connect your wireless devices via MHL.

The post The Best 1080p Projectors appeared first on Reactual.

The Details

Projectors have moved out of the movie theater and into your apartment living room. Once the domain of houses with large media rooms, the new generation of short throw and ultra short throw projectors only need a few feet (or in some cases inches) to cast true HD image of up to 100 inches. Short throw projectors also include a host of wireless options and functionalities, making them an ideal way to eliminate claustrophobia-inducing clutter in small spaces.

So what do you need to know before you invest in a short throw projector? First, consider your needs. If you are really tight on space (say, living in a studio apartment in Tokyo or NYC) go with an ultra short throw projector. These devices can cast an image the size of widescreen TV from half a foot and a full 100 inches from just 2 feet away.

This is a niche category without too many options yet, and it lags behind other classes of projector in terms of lumen count, which determines image brightness. Black out curtains reduce ambient light and can make them a viable option for most apartment owners.

Short throw projectors deliver more value, but usually require at least 3 feet to obtain full image size. They are brighter and more affordable, but do take up more space.

Best Overall Ultra Short Throw Projector: LG PF1000U

This recent offering from LG is the first quality ultra short throw projector that is at a price point affordable to most consumers. While it isn’t as bright as most standard home theater projectors, the PF1000U shines with a great design that can turn any reasonably dark room into a home theater.

Let’s start with the biggest strength of this projector: you can put it anywhere. It is about the size of a large shoe box and weighs less than 5 lbs. Just connect it to the power source and it is ready to go. It casts a 100″ screen when placed 15″ away from the wall. Move it as close as 5″ from the wall to get a 60 inch screen.

The PF1000U comes with an internal speaker, which is nice to have if you are in between sound systems, but you’ll want to sync up speakers via Bluetooth. It does have smart functionality, so expect access to the usual streaming suspects like Netflix and Hulu. There isn’t an app store, though, so you should get a Roku. Otherwise connect via Bluetooth, DLNA, Miracast, WiDi or through one of the 2 HDMI ports.

So how about picture quality and brightness? The PF1000U bright at 1000 lumens, but not as bright as standard home theater projectors at a similar pricepoint. Still, you don’t need a short throw projector to reach the same lumen count because it is less affected by ambient light at the short distance. The bulb lasts an impressive 30,000 hours.

It reaches 1920 x 1080 full HD at 100″ with a contrast ratio of 150,000:1. The LED bulb excels at delivering sharp, vivid colors. It falters on darker hues, so Game of Thrones and horror movies look a little washed out on dark scenes. The other major complaint is that the fan runs on the loud side. It’s not loud enough to be an issue for most people, but if you demand whisper quiet performance from your technology you will be irked by this.

Best Short Throw Projector: Optoma EH200ST

If your room is small and not particularly dark, you’ll do well with the  Optoma EH200ST. This short throw projector can cast a 100″ image from 3.5 feet away and delivers a bright 3000 lumens.

The DLP short-throw lens delivers ideal white and black contrast with a high native contrast ratio of 20,000: 1. It also performs well with colors. The EH200ST comes with BrilliantColor Technology which offers 6-color processing to create vibrant colors on the screen. It has full HD at 1080p and VESA 3D capability.

The EH200ST is a little bulkier than LG’s short-throw offering, but with dimensions of 4 x 12.4 x 8.8 you can still tuck it away in small rooms. You connect your devices via wireless connectivity, which works with laptops, smart phones, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, game consoles, and many other digital devices. Back ports include a USB mini-B, 2 HDMI ports, or a 12V out.

The post The Best Projectors for Small Rooms (Ultra Short Throw Projectors) appeared first on Reactual.

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The Details

The IOGEAR Wireless 3D Digital Kit provides you with cutting edge HDMI power, letting you do away with messy tangles of wires for your home entertainment theater or auxiliary TVs. Among its excellent qualities is its full compatibility with the latest 5.1 surround sound, 3D video, and 1080p hi-def movies. The signal that it puts out is not compressed, meaning for you that the signal can be delivered to different rooms without losing any of its original source quality. This technology enables the IOGEAR kit to support video resolutions of 480p, 720p, 1080i, or 1080p (24, 30, or 60 FPS) without frustrating diminishment of visual quality. Most users are delighted with the quality of the video (and audio), and many say that it exceeds their expectations.

The IOGEAR HDMI kit’s ability to cast the signal to multiple rooms means that you can create a “floating HDTV” in just about any room in your home where you might want to view television, be it a kitchen, a bedroom, a living room, a den, etc. The signal transmission power of the kit (see below) means that you can keep device components (such as a Blu-ray disc player) tucked away and out of sight if you want to (although the components of the kit are attractive).

Initially setting up the IOGEAR is simplicity itself. It doesn’t require you to install or download any software or drivers. For most users, setup takes only a few minutes.

The IOGEAR is said to be able to transmit a signal up to 100 feet, even through hard surfaces such as brick and metal as well as wood. However, a few users have experienced some frustration with getting the picture to show up at transmission distances of 80 feet or greater if there are any barriers in the way. At closer distances, however, there seem to be no issues at all with the signal passing through brick, concrete, metal, or multiple walls and reaching the device with no loss of original source quality.

The IOGEAR HDMI system is available on Amazon for about $190.

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