Elite Screens Kestrel 80” Diagonal Floor Rising Electric Projection Screen: Physical Tour

Posted on June 13, 2010 by Art Feierman

Appearance

The Elite Screen Kestrel is housed in an attractive gloss black metal case. It has a substantial handle that is perfectly placed in the center so there is an equal distribution of weight on each side of the handle. This is critical because the Kestrel, being long, narrow and weighing in at over 50 lbs., is not particularly easy to move. Fortunately, unless the weight is a problem, the handle makes it easy to carry the Kestrel from one location to another. The handle is also on the front edge of the screen case, so when it’s placed in position, you know the screen surface will be facing in toward the handle.

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Once positioned, there is a plastic door on the left end of the screen case that is opened to reveal the 6’ power cord, which is coiled up inside. Also, in the compartment is an RJ-45 jack, which, when connected via CAT5 cable, allows you to extend the IR receiver, connect to a wallbox switch or activate the screen via a 5-12V trigger. On the top of the screen case, also at the left end, is a master power switch and below that, an IR receiving eye.

Elite Screens Kestrel - Remote Controls

Click to enlarge. So close.

Normally, we’re just talking about a single remote control for the product being reviewed. However, in the case of the Kestrel, there are a number of included options to raise and lower the screen. First, there are two identical-looking remotes to control the screen. One works via IR (infrared requiring a line-of-sight between the remote and the screen) and the other works via RF (radio frequency which works through walls and a greater distances). These remotes have buttons to raise, lower and stop the screen at any height.

Click Image to Enlarge

Also provided is a universal IR remote that allows the user to control not only the screen, but seven other components as well. This remote has an LCD screen and glow-in-the-dark buttons and can learn commands from remotes for components that are not in its built-in database of commands. If that’s not enough, a wallbox-mounted remote pad is also included. By running a CAT5 cable from the wallbox to the RJ45 jack on the screen, the user now has a wall-mounted solution to control the screen. Not really a remote control per se, but also included in the package, are RJ45 connectors to allow a 5-12V screen trigger to activate the screen and an IR eye extension that allows you to use an IR remote with the Kestrel, even if the base is hidden