Peerless PRG-UNV Full Review
When you decide to go with a front
projection system you then have the challenging task of locating the best mounting
system. Mounting systems can be simple. They can also be manufacturer-specific
and particularly suited to the exact projector you own. But as we all know,
it's only a matter of time before the upgrade bug hits and you may find
yourself seeking out another model. It's because of this that solutions like
the Peerless Industries PRG-UNV exist.
Peerless manufacturers everything from universal projector mounts to flat panel display mounts and all sorts of stands and accessories for anything that makes or receives a digital image. The PRG-UNV is a universal front projector mount that is billed as a solution for providing precise image positioning that stays in place.
Build Quality and Use
This product goes beyond normal mounts in that it features exact tilt and roll adjustments that can be made one of two ways. You can insert a standard Philips screwdriver to adjust the interlocking precision gears, or you can pull out the adjustment knobs and turn them by hand. Once you set the position, the mount stays in place and doesn't move... at least not much. What we found in practical use was that the roll locks solid, but the tilt actually wobbles a bit - though it settles with the weight of the projector. This is due to the give in the precision gear system for that adjustment. As a solution, Peerless provides a lockdown screw that can be secured in order to prevent any tilt motion once the projector is fully adjusted. We recommend using that screw once you have the projector lined up perfectly.
The dual use pull-out knobs accept either screwdriver or "by-hand" adjustments. Note the security screw just above the knob which serves to lock the unit in place and prevent any further tilt play once adjusted.
The system comes with security screws which use a special security allen wrench not commonly found in most toolboxes. The entire head assembly is extremely well-built and feels like a serious piece of hardware. I secured my projector mount on top of the rafters in my ceiling, and having a mount this solid assured me that all that extra effort to handle heavier projectors didn't go to waste. The specs say it's good to 50 pounds - and heaven knows I won't be installing a projector that heavy, but the mount itself feels like it can take a lot more. My guess is that after adding additional weight you'll eventually hit a point where the precision gears will begin to lose traction and start to be influenced by the additional load. There's also the question of the four-point universal adapter plate.
The adapter plate is the actual part of the mount which secures to the projector itself via either three (yuck) or four (yeah!) threaded mounting holes. So far it seems the heavier the projector, the more likely it is to have only three mounting holes. Take it up with Marantz and some others - I have no idea what they're thinking.
The adapter plate slides easily into the PRG-UNV mount assembly and secures with a spring-loaded non-removable (hence, non-loseable) "captive screw". This means that in approximately 6 seconds you can slide in a projector and lock it into place. There's even an optional socket pin screw that provides a security screw to complement the captive screw. It's so easy, even a caveman could... OK, that joke's getting just a bit too old.
I used this mount with no less than 4 projectors, including an Epson Pro Cinema 1080UB, Marantz VP-15S1, a BenQ W5000 and even a Viewsonic Pro8100. Each time I had to install, de-install and align the new projector, and each time it was a pain-free process that left me wondering why I hadn't done this years ago. In my opinion a universal mount is the way to go and I now shy away from manufacturer-specific mounts.
Conclusion
The PRG-UNV universal tilt, roll and swivel mount can be used with virtually any home theater projector. Consumers will like it because it's flexible and provides a simple way to dial the projector in to your screen without having to move an entire mount or panic due to a slightly off-axis alignment of the physical product. Installers will love it because it makes installations easy and the PRG-UNV can be used with any type of mounting requirement, be it flush, long pole or short pole. The device is a dream to use and Peerless has so many convenient options and accessories that you'll find it's simple to use with wood, block or any other type of installation scenario you can dream up.
Peerless Industries PRG-UNV Universal Projector Mount
$258
Peerless
Industries, Inc.
3215 W. North Avenue
Melrose Park, IL 60160
800-473-3753
About Peerless
Industries, Inc.
Peerless Industries, Inc is a leader in the
audiovisual mounting industry for over 40 years, provides innovative mounting
solutions that focus on quality, ease of installation and functionality while
providing an aesthetically pleasing look and ultimately the best value.
Peerless offers a comprehensive line of video and audio mounts and installation
accessories for residential and commercial markets. Peerless’ line of mounting
equipment includes a broad selection of solutions for televisions and VCR’s,
LCD and plasma screens, monitors, projectors, speakers and more.
The Score Card
The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:
Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating
Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing products in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate products solely based on performance, and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.
Audioholics Rating Scale
— Excellent
- — Very Good
- — Good
- — Fair
- — Poor
| Metric | Rating |
|---|---|
| Build Quality | |
| Ergonomics & Usability | |
| Ease of Setup/Programming/Integration | |
| Fit and Finish | |
| Performance | |
| Value |  |
After reading through this thread I am going to jump on board and get a PRG-UNV. I have done tons of research for almost every piece of equipment in my HT room and I'm ashamed to admit that I threw the mount into the category of a minor accessory that didn't warrant much research. If I had done a little reading ahead of time I would have seen how important a role the mount plays. Luckily, due to the low prices Monoprice charges I am not out too much money. I'm looking forward to getting the PRG-UNV now and I am sure I will have a good experience with it!
ned;435504
Could you please elaborate on this? Where do we get it?
We literally used generic L shaped brackets that were longer than the ones provided with the mount and bolted the ones that came with the mount to the L brackets.
I think we were trying to use a Chief LSB-100 bracket which delivers 3" of lateral shift, but it wouldn't work because we didn't have the right Chief mount, so they scavenged it, drilled some holes in the steel, and bolted it together and got the three inches that they needed.
BMXTRIX;435411
and recently we had people use L shaped extensions to gain a few inches when necessary,
Could you please elaborate on this? Where do we get it?
I think that if people look at the street price then they would be far more enthusiastic about the product, and that the review does miss a tiny bit on that point.
It would also be nice to read more about how you set things up and how long it actually takes to set things up. I've used multiple universal mounts before our company directed most mounts towards this specific model. It simply is packaged to easily go straight onto a projector in minimal time with excellent packaging.
Next up - take a look at their ST-650 unversal tilting plasma mount. Likewise, a standard which I think others need to live up to.
ned;435376
Probably not the height adjustment but certainly horizontal. How much leeway does the spider mount allow on horizontal movements?
Most mounts give very little in the way of horizontal movement at at all. You get a few inches that is possible by using the spider brackets which are included, and recently we had people use L shaped extensions to gain a few inches when necessary, but generally speaking, no mounts do this because it is a pretty significant installation issue if the mount is that far off from where it should be.
With dropped ceilings, on the other hand, there are any number of ways to get significant movement from the mount, and that movement occurs where the mount connects to the ceiling, not in the mount itself. There's no reason you can't do this as an exposed fixture, but it still wouldn't be in the mount itself because it likely would make it to flimsy to hold a projector securely.
