I recently learned about the just released movie "Citizen Vigilante" from Black Pigeon on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch
I'm not going to give any spoilers in this review.
The movie opens with the following blocks of text:
"ALL BEHAVIOR CAN BE TRACED BACK TO INSTINCTS."
"WHEN JUSTICE IS DENIED, INSTINCTS TURN TO VENGEANCE. - ANONYMOUS"
The main themes of this movie are taken right out of the headlines, unless you only consume mainstream media news sources that never deviate from the official narrative. The story focuses on migrant crime in Europe, and a soft-on-crime judiciary that constantly makes excuses for the horrible crimes committed by migrants and refuses to punish those migrants for their crimes. Nothing is sugarcoated. It does not try to talk around the political sensitivities of the "Migrants Welcome" left. It does not avoid the racial and religious characteristics of the migrants committing these crimes.
The main character, Sanders, is a wealthy American with business interests in Europe. He becomes disgusted with judicial leniency toward migrants and the unwillingness of the politicians to do anything about it. He has the means and ability to take action, so he starts taking action against some of the criminals and the judges who refuse to punish the migrant criminals.
There is nothing subtle about this movie. It was produced to make a point. It makes the point in action, in monologues, and by showing the senseless brutality of violent migrant crime.
There were only two things about the movie I didn't like. At one point Sanders visits a brothel and employs the services of one of its ladies. This seemed rather gratuitous and I felt like it added very little to the story. The second involved technical defects relating to firearms - a silenced semiautomatic
pistol that was too quiet and never ejected any spent brass.
If you are disgusted by the the violent migrant crime in Europe and America, and are disgusted by a soft-on-migrant-crime judiciary, I believe you will enjoy this movie. I enjoyed this movie, but the women in your life will probably not like it, and it is definitely not a movie for children to see.
Monday, June 22, 2026
Mini Movie Review: "Citizen Vigilante" (A guest post from The Realist)
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Guest Post: Zombie Apocalypse Movie Theater, Part IV - Micro-Theater
The Realist is back with another guest post:
 |
| Post apocalyptic improvised movie theater inside an abandoned building. (Bing AI Image Creator https://www.bing.com/images/cr |
Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this article were purchased by myself. I did not receive free samples, evaluation models, or other compensation from any manufacturer or retailer. I have no formal relationship with any manufacturer or retailer mentioned in this article - I have only been an arms-length customer. All brand names and product names used in this review are the trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Further, this article reflects my unique circumstances and subjective opinions with regard to performance and other characteristics of the products discussed. Your mileage may vary.
The power has gone out and you don't know if it will be returning any time soon. Your family is going stir-crazy. To provide a couple hours of normalcy, you invite your equally stir-crazy neighbors over to your home for Zombie Apocalypse movie night. You pop some popcorn on a small gas camp stove and set up a small movie theater with your battery powered projector to watch a few hours of movies.
While most of the Zombie Apocalypse Movie Theater project has focused on ways to set up an informal movie theater environment for larger groups of people, I have also been looking at trying to produce a minimalist ZAMT configuration for a small group of people.
A minimalist movie theater should include a battery-powered projector, a battery-powered amplified speaker, an audio cable to connect the projector to the speaker, a smaller projector screen, and a USB flash drive for storing movies. Optionally, a tripod could be included to support the projector, and a small power-bank with an appropriate charging cable could be added to extend the operating time of the projector. Further, the components of this minimalist movie theater setup should be selected such that they will fit comfortably in a small backpack.
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| Micro ZAMT components. From top to bottom, left to right: three small Bluetooth speakers including a JBL Flip 4 on the right, the TMY V98 projector with its remote control, the Kodak LUMA 350 projector with its remote control, the Kodak LUMA 75 projector, a small hard case, a zippered EVA case, and a nano USB flash drive in the foreground. The 12 ounce soft drink can is for scale. |
Projector
There have been many battery powered "pico" projectors sold over the years.Unfortunately, most battery powered pico projectors seem to have a relatively short market life before they go out of production.
(Terminology note: Some people differentiate between "pico" and "pocket" sized projectors, with the pocket sized being a little larger than the pico sized projectors. Both are still very small.)
I have tested three currently available DLP (Digital Light Processing) "pico" projectors that are very small, operate for at least a couple of hours on their built-in battery, and have an audio output jack to facilitate hooking up to an amplified speaker. Two of these projectors have a native resolution of 640x360 pixels (360P), which I have found to be acceptable for movie viewing (see the Kodak LUMA 75 DLP projector discussion in Zombie Apocalypse Movie Theater, Part II (https://practicaleschatology.
Kodak LUMA 75 DLP projector (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07
TMY (NUTROMO) V98 DLP Projector (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G
The TMY V98 is a strange little projector, with the reviews suggesting lots of problems (dead-on-arrival, failed after a few minutes, customer returns sold as new), and the seller creating a new Amazon listing to escape all the bad reviews. While my V98 projector may have been a customer return, it worked perfectly out of the box and performed properly for several hours of operational testing. I bought it because it was deeply discounted, but would not have considered it at full price. At full price, the V98 is the same price as the Kodak LUMA 75, with the Kodak LUMA 75 being a better projector.
Kodak LUMA 350 DLP projector (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C
The Kodak projectors have been on the market for several years, which is both good and bad. The good is that these projectors have a proven track record and the manufacturer has had time to work out the design bugs. The bad is that some may consider their limited feature sets and lower resolution to be a detriment. I don't care about being able to stream from Netflix or do wireless smartphone screen mirroring. The lower resolution does not annoy me when watching a movie, although it would drive me crazy if using any of these projectors to display a PowerPoint presentation. I do care about portability, battery operating life, and how well they handle the aspect ratios of various movies. Both Kodak
projectors perform well for my needs.
There are many pico/pocket DLP projectors sold on Amazon. Very carefully scrutinize the descriptions, especially for the more inexpensive listings. Some are just a bare projector with no ability to play movies from a USB flash drive or a micro-SD card. Others lack an audio output jack, and rely solely on Bluetooth for connecting to external speakers. If possible, find and download the owners manual for the projector to verify features if you are unsure. (Just because a USB-A port is present does not mean it will play movies stored on a USB flash drive. Similarly, what looks like a hole for the audio output jack may be a window for the IR sensor for the remote control.)
The cheap twenty-dollar projectors might be categorized as "pico" (or "pocket")size, but they don't have built-in batteries and they otherwise suffer from poor performance. The twenty-dollar projectors operate on 12 VDC, although most will also operate on 5 VDC. But, at 5 VDC, the already dim light output is much dimmer. They could be powered from an external 12 volt battery, but that is added complexity for a very poor result.
Speaker
While these pico projectors have surprisingly capable built-in speakers, a battery powered external speaker would improve the overall sound quality of the movie viewing experience.
The external speaker I have decided on is a standard battery-powered Bluetooth speaker that has a 3.5 mm audio input jack. Even though many projectors can pair with a Bluetooth speaker, I do not want to use Bluetooth because the 200 millisecond (one-fifth of a second) delay in the audio can be very annoying.
There are many battery-powered Bluetooth speaker options available. I settled on a JBL Flip 4 speaker, which is the last of the JBL Flip series to have a 3.5 mm audio input jack. Later models of the JBL Flip lack the input jack. Many, but not all, of the no-name Chinese Bluetooth speakers also have a 3.5 mm audio input jack.
Movies
I did not include a DVD or Blu-Ray player due to the extra bulk and setup complexity. Instead, I decided to dramatically simplify the setup by relying on a USB flash drive to store the movies. I specifically chose a 64 GB nano flash drive because of its low profile and because some projectors cannot read a USB flash drive larger than 64 GB. A low-profile USB flash drive makes it easy to just leave it plugged into the projector - one less item to worry about losing.
The movies loaded onto the USB flash drive were either ripped from DVDs I own or public domain movies downloaded from Internet Archive.
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| Side view diagram of projector and screen alignment. With regular projectors, the axis of the lens must be aimed at the center of the screen. With DLP projectors, the axis of the lens must be aimed at the bottom center of the screen. The axis of the lens should be perpendicular to the plane of the screen. |
Projector Screen
If practical, avoid using a blank wall as an improvised screen with these pico projectors. A quality projector screen will dramatically improve the viewability of the projected image. For this micro ZAMT setup, a Da-Lite pop-up screen or a vintage tripod screen is not practical since those screens are bulky.
For the projector screen, I decided to go with a small IOLIEO fabric screen. As discussed in my ZAMT Part III article (https://practicaleschatology.blogspot.
Since the IOLIEO screens are cloth, they fold up very compactly. The IOLIEO cloth screens come with two different types of mounting hardware for attaching the screen to a wall, along with cords for suspending the screen between two trees or two vertical support columns. The eyelets on the IOLIEO screens are large enough that screws or nails could also be used to attach the screen to a wall.
Due to the widely varying circumstances under which this micro ZAMT may be used, I'll leave supporting/mounting of the screen as an exercise for the reader.
Tripod
While a small tripod is optional, it will make setting up the projector much easier. Since these projectors are small and light weight, an inexpensive aluminum tripod is a practical option for supporting the projector. These inexpensive tripods are fairly light weight, with some weighing as little as 1.3 pounds. A tripod will make setup and proper alignment of the projector with the screen easier.
I would not recommend a tripod any cheaper than the Amazon Basics 50-inch tripod. There are cheaper tripods, but they are very flimsy and have leg sections thinner than a regular pencil.
If you want to purchase a used tripod, make sure it either has a captive 1/4"-20 screw or comes with the quick release plate with its captive 1/4"-20 screw. Avoid the tripod if the quick release plate is not present. While modestly priced quick release plates are readily available on Amazon (there are many styles and sizes), having to purchase a quick release plate could eliminate the cost savings of a used tripod.
If you have a tripod, first set up the screen, then mount the projector to the tripod and adjust the height of the tripod so that the projected image is properly placed on the screen without any keystone issues.
Most regular projectors (i.e. non-DLP projectors) require the lens to be pointed at the center of the screen. Most DLP projectors require the lens to be pointed at the bottom center of the screen. (Ultra Short Throw projectors are outside the scope of this discussion.)
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| Kodak LUMA 350 projector charging with a PD trigger cable, set to 15 Volts, from a PD power bank. |
Accessories
I highly recommend some kind of case to protect the projector during transport. While I prefer hard cases, they can be bulky. EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) zippered cases are inexpensive and will protect these projectors from most normal handling and transportation abuses. EVA cases are generally cheaper than hard cases.
A power bank would allow you to extend the operating time of your projector (e.g. show more than a single movie), and potentially allow you to recharge your projector and Bluetooth speaker while AC power is not available.
If your projector operates/charges off a 5 VDC power source, an inexpensive power bank is sufficient. If your projector does not operate/charge from a 5 VDC source, there are more flexible power bank options available.
With the advent of rapid charging for tablets, smart phones, and some laptop computers, the USB Power Delivery (PD) standard was developed to provide a way for a PD-compatible device to negotiate with a PD-compatible power source to provide the needed charge voltage. Every PD-compatible device I have personally seen uses USB-C for its power input, although not all devices with USB-C are PD-
compatible.
To charge/operate the Kodak LUMA 350 projector from a power bank, I purchased a "PD Trigger Cable" (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F
(If you want to know more about USB Power Delivery, this web page is useful: https://www.ecoflow.com/us/blo
If you include a power bank, be sure to include the necessary USB power cables to reach your projector, and to recharge the projector and speaker after use.
The only audio cable that is necessary is a 3.5 mm audio cable. If you want the amplified speaker to be placed in front of your audience, a cable that is ten to twenty feet (3 to 6 meters) would be necessary. If you hang the speaker from the tripod supporting the projector, a short 3 foot (1 meter) cable would be adequate.
Everything needed for the micro ZAMT, including an
inexpensive aluminum tripod on top of its storage bag, the JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth
speaker, an IOLIEO cloth screen, the Kodak Luma 350 projector (USB flash drive
inserted in the back of the projector) with its remote control and EVA zippered
case, a PD power bank with a PD trigger cable, a ten-foot audio cable, and a
micro-USB charging cable for the Bluetooth speaker. Fully collapsed, as shown,
the tripod is 17 inches long.
Conclusions
The micro ZAMT is optimized for maximum portability and setup simplicity. The equipment selection described above is sufficient for a living-room sized venue. Battery-powered pico projectors are surprisingly capable for their size, and if used in a darkened room, they project sufficient light to fill a moderately sized projector screen with a bright crisp image. A battery powered Bluetooth speaker allows the movie sound to be heard by everybody in the room. And, a small USB flash drive for storing several movies further simplifies the ZAMT.
While highly recommended, a case for the projector and a tripod are optional. A moderately sized power bank and necessary cables are optional but beneficial.
Postscript
In case you are wondering, I am having way too much fun with the Zombie Apocalypse Movie Theater project, which is why there is another installment to the series.
Monday, December 22, 2025
The Realist: NexTool Multitool Review
A guest post from the Realist, who writes:
Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this article were purchased by myself. I did not receive free samples, evaluation models, or other compensation from any manufacturer or retailer. I have no formal relationship with any manufacturer or retailer mentioned in this article - I have only been an arms-length customer. All brand names and product names used in this review are the trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Further, this article reflects my unique circumstances and subjective opinions with regard to performance and other characteristics of the products discussed. Your mileage may vary.
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| The NexTool is the size of a credit card. |
A few weeks ago, I saw a short YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch
I'm a sucker for an interesting multitool design, so I ordered one from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D
Folded, the multitool is 51.7 millimeters (2.0 inches) wide and 85.1 millimeters (3.4 inches) long. It weights approximately 94 grams (3.3 ounces). And, it comes with a fake leather pouch in which to store the multitool if desired.
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| The NexTool on top of its pouch,unfolded to show the various tools. |
The various tools in the multitool consist of:
- Pliars
- Wire cutter
- Wire crimper (back side of the pliar jaws)
- Straight and Phillips screw drivers
- Hex nut wrenches in 3, 4, 5.5, 6, 7, and 8 millimeters
- Bicycle spoke wrench
- Bottle opener
- Wire stripper
- Box opener
- Scraper
- 5 centimeter ruler
- Knife
The knife looks like it has a tanto blade, but the kissaki (angled tip) of the blade is dull. It is already beveled and could be sharpened if desired. The knife edge itself arrived fairly dull. The blade does not lock in the open position.
The other blade, from which the spoke wrench, bottle opener, wire stripper, box cutter, scraper, and ruler is formed, uses a liner-lock style mechanism to lock it open.
The two screwdriver tips are formed on the corners of the members forming the handles when the multitool is closed. They are better than nothing, but are far less functional than the screwdrivers found on a traditional multitool.
The multitool ended up being thicker than anticipated, with the various hinges and pivots being the thickest elements of its construction. The main pivot for the plier jaws was 7 millimeters (0.28 inches) thick. The plier jaws themselves are 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) thick.
Conceptually, the Nextool multitool is a great idea, but poorly executed. I really wanted to like this multitool, but the thick hinges and pivots were a serious design deficiency for something that is supposed to be thin. The next significant deficiency was that the knife blade does not lock open. Another deficiency was the underwhelming screwdriver implementation.
It seems to me that this multitool is a niche product for those who may have specialized requirements for a small lightweight thin-ish multitool.
The NexTool multitool is definitely unique, but unless you have a specific need for a multitool like this, I'd give it a pass.
Monday, December 8, 2025
The Realist: Ozark Trails Stocking-Stuffer Knives
This is a guest post by The Realist:
"Ozark Trails Stocking-Stuffer Knives" by The Realist:
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| Ozark Trail knife and multitool display at my local Walmart. |
Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this article were purchased by myself. I did not receive samples, evaluation models, or other compensation from any manufacturer or retailer. I have no formal relationship with any manufacturer or retailer mentioned in this article - I have only been an arms-length customer. All brand names and product names used in this review are the trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. This article reflects my unique circumstances and subjective opinions with regard to performance and other characteristics of the products being discussed. Your mileage may vary.
My local Walmart finally got around to putting out their seasonal cardboard display loaded with inexpensive stocking-stuffer knives and multitools. I have been watching for several weeks for this display to be put out, and it finally appeared in their sporting goods department.
However, these knives and multitools are no longer five dollars, they are now seven dollars ($6.97). And, they are now made in Vietnam, not China.
The display has several varieties of pocket knives, including folding and fixed blade knives. Surprisingly, all of the knives have a plain edge - no partially serrated blades. There is only the one style of 12-in-1 multitool, looking very similar to prior years' offerings, with various paint treatments to the handles.
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| Ozark Trail #6123 (top) and #6128 (bottom) pocket knives. |
I like simple locking blade pocket knives with a plain edge. My attention focused on two models in the display. First, the Ozark Trails #6123 whose packaging stated it had a "ball bearing open" for its pivot and a "rubberized handle." And second, the Ozark Trails #6128 whose blade style I liked better, and whose packaging also stated it had a "ball bearing open" for its pivot.
Years ago, I purchased a CRKT knife with a ball bearing pivot. It opened smoothly with very little effort - perfect for one hand opening. The ball bearing pivot is the reason I was interested in these two Ozark Trails knives. Their ball bearing pivot is not as good as the one in the CRKT knife, but they open easier than a pocket knife without one.
The blade is made of stainless steel, but there is no mention of the type or formulation. The blades come with a tolerable edge, but they could use some touching up. Both knives utilize a liner lock to lock the blade open while in use. Both knives come with an attached pocket clip, and it appears the pocket clip can be reversed on the #6128, but not the #6123. Both knives are 7.5 inches long when opened, and both knives have a 3.25 inch blade. The blades can be opened with one hand.
The "rubberized handle" of the #6123 knife is indeed rubberized, with it being a thin sprayed-on rubbery coating like that found on many products. It should remain rubbery for several years before the coating deteriorates and becomes sticky.
The fit and finish of both knives are good, but not perfect - much better than what I would normally expect for seven dollars. There are no burrs that could hang on clothing or cause injury while handling the knife. For both knives, when the blade is opened and locked, there is no wiggling - no side-to-side wiggle, and no looseness in the locking mechanism.
For the past few years, I have been adding some of these inexpensive pocket knives to my backup and barter inventory. These knives are good enough in quality that I would not be worried about using one myself, putting one in a 72-hour kit, or giving one to someone else. These knives do not feel cheap - their look and feel is on par with the appearance and feel of more costly mass-market knives. In contrast, the Ozark Trails multitool also for sale in this seasonal knife display looks and feels cheap.
Monday, July 7, 2025
VIDEO: Shooting .22 LR From A Survival Cache
The Realist pointed me to a recent video (below) from YouTuber "704 Gear" who shoots .22 LR ammo that he has stored for 10 years. The first batch was just stored in a shed with no climate control (with temperatures ranging from below freezing in winter to well over 100 degrees in summer), while the second batch was from a buried storage cache. The ammunition was Winchester Super-X. The ammunition was test fired in a Savage bolt-action .22 rifle and a Taurus TX-22 semi-auto pistol. There were no issues with either batch.
VIDEO: "Shooting .22lr From A 10-Year-Old Survival Cache"
704 Gear (4 min.)
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Guest Post: Zombie Apocalypse Movie Theater, Part III
abandoned underground bunker. (Bing AI Image Creator
https://www.bing.com/images/cr
"Zombie Apocalypse Movie Theater, Part III" by the Realist.
Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this article were purchased by myself. I did not receive free samples, evaluation models, or other compensation from any manufacturer or retailer. I have no formal relationship with any manufacturer or retailer mentioned in this article - I have only been an arms-length customer. All brand names and product names used in this review are the trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Further, this article reflects my unique circumstances and subjective opinions with regard to performance and other characteristics of the products discussed. Your mileage may vary.
After I finished my Zombie Apocalypse Movie Theater Part II article, I promised myself I would not do a part three. But, here we are.
In the first ZAMT article, I did some hand waving about projector screens, but did not provide a lot of guidance or suggestions. Further, the one projector screen I specifically mentioned quickly became unavailable. But, I continued to pursue projector screen solutions.
One firm rule I have decided upon for the ZAMT is that it will not be set up outdoors. It must be set up indoors, whether that be a large room in a residential or commercial building, a corner of a warehouse, a barn, or some other enclosed space. The reason for this rule is two-fold: first are the obvious security issues present in a zombie apocalypse environment, and second is the fact that a free-standing projector screen is effectively a large sail in any kind of wind. After looking at many reviews of self-supporting projector screens on Amazon, it became apparent that anything other than the mildest of breezes can be fatal to a consumer grade screen that uses a rigid frame. A gust of wind will topple the screen, and may damage its support frame.
Companies that set up outdoor movie events usually use inflatable screens, and these companies put a lot of effort into tying down their screens so they stay put in the wind.
Why Use A Projector Screen?
While a projector screen is not absolutely necessary, a screen will improve the viewing experience, provide a brighter image compared to an unimproved surface such as a blank wall, and provide greater flexibility in where a ZMAT can be set up.
I became serious about projector screens after I put up an IOLIEO cloth screen (discussed below) and was astonished at how much brighter the image from a lower-power projector appeared. Even a dim twenty-dollar projector was watchable when projected on the IOLIEO projector screen in a dark room. And, I was able to project a much larger watchable image when compared to just projecting against an off-white wall.
Improvised Projector Screen Materials
For potential screen materials, I experimented with different products, including paints, swatches from commercial screen manufacturers, white cloth, and cotton canvas, along with an off-white painted wall in my house. I found white cloth, even a thick table cloth, to be unacceptable because light passing through the cloth would reflect back from whatever was behind the cloth, harming the image quality. Paints were not as white as I had hoped, and then I was still left with the problem of what to apply the paint to when creating a projector screen.
Quality cotton canvas has potential. It is naturally off-white and is thick enough that there is not a significant problem with light passing through the canvas and reflecting back. At the suggestion of an article I saw, I bleached the canvas to try to make it whiter. All the bleaching did was make minor variations in the cotton color more apparent - don't bleach your canvas if you want to use canvas as a screen material.
Modern Inexpensive Cloth Projector Screens
I looked at the inexpensive cloth screens that can be attached to a frame, or stretched and attached to a wall. Most inexpensive cloth screens are somewhat translucent, with a significant amount of light from the projector passing through the fabric and reflecting back from whatever is behind the screen. (The manufacturers of these fabric screens portray being translucent as a desirable feature because you can potentially set up you projector in a rear-projection configuration.)
I also experimented with an inexpensive ALR (anti-light reflecting) cloth screen. The coating on the cloth was very retroreflective. (Retroreflective materials, like those seen on reflective highway signs, reflect the light back to its source with minimal scattering.) Unfortunately, it had such a narrow field of view that it was practically useless. (Many people who have dedicated home theaters use an ALR screen. I expect the performance of expensive ALR screens to be much better than the cloth ALR screen I experimented with.)
I did find a fairly inexpensive cloth screen I really liked. It has two layers sandwiched together - a thick white front layer, and a black back layer. The black backing solves the problem of light passing through the screen reflecting back. The screen I tested was made by IOLIEO (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D
The IOLIEO 84-inch diagonal (73"W x 41"H) cloth
screen. The top shows the screen as set up. The minor wrinkles in the lower-left
corner are not visible during use. The bottom shows a projected image from a
cheap $20 projector. The as-photographed image, filling the full 41-inch
vertical height of the screen, appears somewhat brighter in this photograph than
it was in person, but it was still quite watchable.
With the IOLIEO screen, you still need to come up with some kind of frame for it or use hardware included in the package to attach the screen to a wall. I attached the the top of the screen to a very straight 1x2 board using large binder clips (the binder clips must be able to handle 1-inch thick material). In my case, the 1x2 board was hung from curtain rod supports using small shock cords. Then I attached the bottom of the screen to another very straight 1x2 board using binder clips, letting the board just hang. This setup worked very well. I could just as easily have suspended the screen between a couple of tripods, between a couple of step ladders, or between purpose-built supports.
Modern Inflatable Screens
There are many consumer grade inflatable screens available. They are intended for outdoor use but can also be used indoors, and they generally have a larger screen size than is going to be available with the consumer grade free standing rigid frame screen options.
Most consumer grade inflatable screens usually rely on a blower to keep the screen inflated. And, some blowers can be fairly noisy. (I found four exceptions on Amazon that stay inflated without continuous blower operation.) The blower consumes a lot of power - not a problem when you have access to a stable electrical grid, but a non-starter if trying to power your austere theater from a battery-based source.
I have not done any evaluation of inflatable screens beyond looking at various models available for sale on Amazon and reading their reviews, and seeing what equipment is used by people who provide video projection services for outdoor events.
Vintage Tripod Projector Screens
Growing up, my father had a reasonable sized tripod projector screen made by Da-Lite Screen Company. The surface of the screen was composed of very small glass beads, making the screen retroreflective. The screen was very bright because most of the light from the projector reflected back to the audience. The down side of a glass bead screen is the comparatively narrow field of view compared to matte-white screens - too far off to either side and the image will be noticeably dimmer. But, people used them for years, and as a child I don't remember the field of view being a problem.
Glass bead retroreflective screens started being sold in the late 1920s by various manufacturers, and they continued to be manufactured until a few years ago. While glass bead screens are no longer made, there are lots of used vintage glass bead screens available through various used marketplaces. The most common size is 40-inches by 40-inches - small by current standards, but still quite serviceable in an improvised austere movie theater environment.
Many vintage projector screens were also manufactured with a reflective silvery surface material (probably aluminum paint). I have not experimented with that type of screen, so I cannot offer an opinion on its performance.
Vintage tripod screens are fairly easy to set up, and are fairly robust if not abused.
Modern Tripod Projector Screens
There are a few modern consumer grade tripod screens being sold. Their quality is questionable. I purchased one that had four arms that attached to a center plastic hub at the top of the tripod mast. The individual arms were held in place with easy to lose screws. The ends of the arms then connected to grommets in the corners of the screen. The actual screen material was very nice - a thickened mat with a matte-white surface. I was disappointed that the tripod and support structure was so poor in quality.
My one sample does not give me any confidence that there are reasonably priced quality modern consumer grade tripod screens. I am sure the much more expensive tripod screens for business or institutional use would be higher quality.
Pop-up screens with a 4:3 aspect ratio. From front to
back, the Grandview 50-inch, Da-Lite 60-inch, 80-inch, and 100-inch diagonal
screens. The screens closed and stowed shown at the bottom. A tape measure
extended to 36 inches is provided for scale.
Modern Pop-Up Projector Screens
I stumbled across the Da-Lite Deluxe Insta-Theater product line while searching for vintage Da-Lite screens on ebay. Unfortunately, the Insta-Theater is no longer being made by Da-Lite. The Insta-Theater can easily be set up in less than a minute - rotate the two support feet perpendicular to the screen case, open the screen case, grasp the handle in the center top of the screen and start lifting. Once lifted to near full height, the screen will support itself and stay in place. Take down is equally quick and simple. The Da-Lite Deluxe Insta-Theater has a matte-white screen surface. They were made in 60, 80, and 100 inch diagonal sizes in a 4:3 aspect ratio, and 73 and 90 inch diagonal sizes in a 16:9 aspect ratio.
Kodak sells a pop-up screen very similar to the Da-Lite screen. (https://www.kodakphotoplus.co
Grandview sells a table-top 50-inch diagonal screen, with a 4:3 aspect ratio, functionally similar to the Da-Lite Insta-Theater (https://grandviewscreen.com/s
There are other manufacturers that sell functionally similar pop-up projector screens, but I have not had an opportunity to examine them.
The pop-up projector screens I have examined all have a matte white screen surface. Matte white is a fairly efficient surface while offering a wide field of view.
In general, I like the pop-up screen concept. They are very portable, set up quickly, and are self contained with no parts to misplace. However, they are somewhat fragile and will not handle abuse. And, they can be bulky, with the case for the 100-inch Kodak screen being over 92 inches (7.7 feet) long.
Buying A Projector Screen
As you may have noticed, many of the projector screen options I discussed are no longer manufactured. If you go the discontinued/vintage route, you will be forced to rely on the used markets, such as ebay or Facebook Marketplace. Don't be afraid to talk to friends, too. A friend gave me a vintage tripod screen that was collecting dust in the back of his garage.
For new screens, there is always Amazon and ebay. ProjectorScreen.com (https://www.projectorscreen.c
Observations
Based on my subjective observations, there is little difference in performance between a modern matte white projector screen, a vintage glass bead projector screen or the IOLIEO double-layer cloth projector screen. They are all superior to an as-found surface such as an off-white painted wall or translucent white fabric.
The materials used to make my vintage glass bead screen have yellowed slightly due to age - I'm guessing it was made sometime in the 1960s. However, the performance lost to aging materials is mitigated by the retroreflective nature of the glass bead screen.
Conclusion
My objective with these ZMAT articles has been to identify equipment that can be set up and used in an austere environment where power to operate the equipment must come from a constrained source such as a battery-powered power station.
This article focused exclusively on portable projector screens. While evaluating different projector screen options, I developed a definite preference for the modern pop-up screens manufactured by Da-Lite and other manufacturers.
A quality projector screen can dramatically improve the viewing experience of your austere movie theater and will help you get the most out of your projector. A portable projector screen provides greater flexibility in where an austere movie theater can be set up since you are not dependent on finding a wall with a suitable surface to use as an improvised screen.
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Resources:
This YouTuber provides good reviews of video projectors and projector screens. He uses uses test equipment to objectively measure performance characteristics of the projectors and screens being reviewed. His focus is the home theater, but he also reviews portable video projectors.
https://www.youtube.com/playli
This article explains why projector lumen output matters, and provides recommended lumen output ranges for various environments. I personally think their recommendations, based on my own observations with my equipment being used in a dark room, are a little high. But, their recommendations provide a starting point in analyzing needs.
https://www.projectorscreen.co
Monday, February 3, 2025
The Realist: Harbor Freight Gordon Multitool Review
A guest post by The Realist
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| Harbor Freight Gordon multitool with its included holster. |
In the summer of 2024, I started seeing videos reviewing a new Harbor Freight multitool that looked like a Leatherman Wave. After seeing those videos, I started checking my local Harbor Freight and regularly checking their inventory online in an effort to get one. Finally, in February of 2025 I found this multitool at my local Harbor Freight store.
The Harbor Freight Gordon multitool is almost a clone of the second generation Leatherman Wave. Both have an assortment of knife blades, files, a saw, screwdrivers, scissors, can opener, and needle nose pliers with integrated wire cutters. (Not replaceable cutters as found in the third generation Wave+, Rebar, and other Leatherman multitools.) Along the edge of the handles are inch and centimeter ruler markings. The Gordon multitool adds a carbide tipped nub to the end of the handle to break windows in an emergency, and a "gut hook" on the back of the serrated blade.
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| A comparison of the 2nd generation Leatherman Wave (left) and the Gordon multitool (right). |
The Gordon multitool comes with a holster to carry the multitool that is similar to those provided by Leatherman for their multitools. The Gordon multitool also comes with a removable pocket clip, which is an extra-cost accessory from Leatherman. (The Gordon pocket clip does not fit the Wave.) The packaging says the blades and handles are made of 5Cr15MoV stainless steel.
There are some cosmetic differences, including the pivot screws being slightly different. And, the end caps on the handles opposite the pliers are different, with the Leatherman end caps being rounded, while the Gordon end caps are slightly pointed so one of them can accommodate the carbide window breaker.
Fit and finish is very similar. I only found one defect in the Gordon multitool, and I don't know if this is a design defect or a random manufacturing defect. Both the Leatherman and Gordon multitools use a second piece of metal next to the main scissors member as a spring. The spring is held in place by a dimple that fits in a hole in the scissors member. That dimple in the Gordon multitool is not high enough to hold the spring in place.
The Gordon multitool weighs 236 grams without the pocket clip (241 grams with the pocket clip), while the Wave weighs 241 grams.
The Gordon multitool looks like a competent multitool, and for $39.95 (at the time of this writing) compares very favorably with the second generation Leatherman Wave for $80 and up in secondary markets (the third generation Wave+ has an MSRP of $119.95). Leatherman multitools are made in the United States, while the Gordon multitool is made in China.
If you are on their mailing list, Harbor Freight regularly sends out emails with coupons for percentages off any new item in the store. Ten percent off coupons are fairly common, and occasionally they send out a coupon for thirty percent off an item. So, if $39.99 is too much, wait for one of their coupons to save a few more dollars.
Monday, November 11, 2024
The Realist: Ozark Trails Folding Knife
A guest post from the Realist.
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| Ozark Trail knife and multitool display at my local Walmart. |
The display has several varieties of pocket knives, including plain and serrated edge blades, along with folding and fixed blade knives. There is only the one style of 12-in-1 multitool with various paint treatments to the handles.
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| Ozark Trail #6971 pocket knife |
When it comes to pocket knifes, I like a simple locking blade knife with a plain edge, so I quickly gravitated to the #6971 green liner lock folding knife.
The #6971 knife has a liner-lock to hold the stainless steel blade open, metal liners on both sides that extend the full length of the handle, textured molded plastic handles, and a pocket clip. At the blade pivot point, the blade is separated from the liners by thin washers (they look like nylon) on each side of the blade, which facilitate the smooth opening and closing of the blade.
Fit and finish is good, but not perfect - much better than what I would normally expect for five dollars. The 0.113 inch (2.87 mm) thick blade is a drop-point design, made of an unspecified stainless steel. The blade comes with an okay edge, but it could use some touching up. When the blade is opened and locked, there is no wiggling - no side-to-side wiggle, and no looseness in the locking mechanism. The blade can be opened with one hand.
The ripple pattern on the blade in the picture is purely a cosmetic surface artifact and cannot be felt when running my fingers over that part of the blade.
The packaging claims the handles are "rubberized", but they are not. The handles are just green plastic. The texture is reasonably grippy, and surprisingly improves when wet.
I measured the weight of the knife to be 93 grams (3.28 ounces). Opened, its length is 7.7 inches. Closed, its length is 4.25 inches. The blade is 3.25 inches long.
For the past couple years, I have been adding some of these inexpensive pocket knives to my backup and barter inventory. They are good enough in quality that I would not be worried about using one myself, putting one in a 72-hour kit, or giving one to someone else.
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| Back side of RFID tag found on the Ozark Trail knife packaging. |
As a side note, I have noticed some of the Ozark Trail items starting to have RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags incorporated into their packaging. These are not the same as the anti-theft tags that have been attached to packaging for decades. These tags are approximately three inches long, and incorporate an antenna and a small chip near the center of the tag. The front of the tag superficially looks like a paper tag with the UPC bar code and product name printed on it, with the RF components on the back of the tag. So far, I have seen two sizes of tags, the one pictured, and one that is roughly half the width. I have not yet seen any equipment in the store to utilize these RFID tags.
Sunday, October 27, 2024
The Realist: Zombie Apocalypse Movie Theater, Part II
A guest post from the Realist.
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| Post apocalyptic movie theater set up inside an abandoned warehouse. (Midjourney AI Image Creator) |
Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this article were purchased by myself. I did not receive free samples, evaluation models, or other compensation from any manufacturer or retailer. I have no formal relationship with any manufacturer or retailer mentioned in this article - I have only been an arms-length customer. All brand names and product names used in this review are the trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Further, this article reflects my unique circumstances and subjective opinions with regard to performance and other characteristics of the products discussed. Your mileage may vary.
As I said at the close of the first Zombie Apocalypse Movie Theater (ZAMT) article: "The equipment described above is just a snapshot of my current equipment configuration. I expect that equipment mix to continue to evolve." That equipment mix has evolved, and I have shifted my focus to trying to simplify the setup of a portable theater for austere environments.
My research has continued, including looking at several more projectors, and looking at utilizing Bluetooth speaker systems with built-in amplifiers to achieve a wireless or nearly wireless movie theater setup.
Cheap Projectors
I continued to look at cheap projectors just to see what the minimum capabilities might be. Besides the ultra cheap (YG300, 360x240 resolution) twenty dollar projectors (sometimes over $50 on Amazon), I looked at other projectors that were around thirty-five dollars each.
Only one of the cheap projectors, the Besus "J19 Mini Projector" with 480x360 resolution did not disappoint me. The slightly higher native resolution made a big difference in perceived picture quality. With a vertical resolution of 360 pixels (360P), the picture didn't seem pixelated like it does on lower resolution projectors. The 360P specification will become important later in this article.
Overall, my opinion about cheap projectors remains unchanged: avoid the cheap projectors. Their quality seems spotty, and even when they work properly, they have very limited performance.
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| Anker Nebula Mars 3 (left), ETOE D2 EVO (center), and Kodak LUMA 75 (right) projectors. 12 ounce soft drink can for scale. |
Anker Nebula Mars 3 Projector
The Anker Nebula Mars 3 projector is my current best projector. It is a 1000 ANSI lumen DLP portable HD (1920x1080 native resolution) projector. It has a fairly large 185 Wh built-in battery, allowing it to run for several hours on battery power. It has built-in speakers driven by a claimed 40 watt amplifier.
The Mars 3 runs Android and has WiFi and limited Bluetooth connectivity. It can operate as a Bluetooth speaker (e.g. paired with your smart phone to play music), but it cannot use Bluetooth to transmit audio to a separate Bluetooth speaker.
In my very brief light measurement session, I did not obtained an ANSI lumen number I trusted. The projector was so bright, there was significant light reflection off various room surfaces that biased up the light measurements I was taking. But, I have no doubt it outputs 1000 ANSI lumens in its brightest operating mode.
The Mars 3 is fairly large (6.3 x 10.2 x 9.8 inches), with its smallest dimension being 6.3 inches. I wanted a hard case to protect it, but it is too thick to fit in any of the inexpensive Chinese hard cases, so I ended up spending a fair amount of money on a genuine Pelican case. (For a lot less money, I probably could have purchased a large surplus ammo can and lined it with foam rubber to protect the Mars 3.)
I am annoyed that the Mars 3 cannot use Bluetooth to connect to external speakers.
Kodak LUMA 75 DLP Projector
I purchased this projector as more of a novelty - an almost shirt-pocket sized projector. It is a 57 ANSI Lumen (my measurement) portable projector with a native resolution of 640x360 (360P). It measures 3.5 x 3.5 x 0.9 inches in size. It has a built-in battery that is claimed to operate the projector for two hours. It has one small speaker, driven by a claimed 1.5 Watt amplifier. The projector is charged using a 5 VDC USB-C cable, and can operate from an external USB power source. It did not come with a remote control.
Due to its size, the LUMA 75, is a very basic projector. Navigation of its simple user interface and volume adjustment is accomplished via five touch buttons on the top surface of the projector. Focus is adjusted using a thumb wheel on the side of the projector. There is no keystone adjustment. It can play video via an HDMI cable, or play movies stored on a USB flash drive.
The LUMA 75 does handle various aspect ratios I have tested (4:3, 16:9, 2.35:1) properly.
With only 57 lumens of light output, maximum usable screen size will be limited. An online calculator that calculates screen brightness based on screen size and projector light output recommends a screen size no larger than 36 inches diagonal for acceptable brightness (15 foot-Lamberts) in a completely dark room. I was personally testing the projector with a diagonal screen size of 48 inches (8.3 foot-Lamberts), and thought it was acceptably bright.
For its diminutive size, I really like this projector.
ETOE D2 EVO Projector
I have been interested in a "sealed light engine" LCD projector, which is claimed to be dust proof, since learning such a thing existed. But, their prices typically start at around $150. I found the ETOE D2 EVO projector on TEMU for $84 - apparently, a clearance price. (The updated ETOE D2 EVO Pro is available on Amazon for more than I think it is worth)
It is fairly compact with dimensions of 4.45 x 5.31 x 5.83 inches, and weighs a modest 3.6 pounds. The D2 EVO runs Android and has WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity.
It has a claimed 400 ANSI lumen output, but I measured more like 157 ANSI lumens. Even with the light output being less than half what the manufacturer claims, it seemed fairly bright for such a compact transmissive LCD projector.
Especially for the price, I really like this little projector. It has a bright sharp (after focusing) image, with the corners being less soft than I've seen before in transmissive LCD projectors. I like the dust proof "sealed light engine", which could be a very important feature in a post-apocalyptic scenario were filtered clean indoor air may no longer be common.
One downside of this projector, which I am seeing on a lot of other projectors, is that the projector itself only has a power button. It is unusable without its remote control.
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| Monster X6 (left), ECOXGEAR Boulder Max Pro (right), and Zealot S49 (bottom center) Bluetooth speakers. 12 ounce soft drink can for scale. |
Bluetooth Speakers
Sometime after I finished the first ZAMT article, I started looking at portable amplified speakers to reduce setup complexity. Again, like everything else, manufacturer specifications are exaggerated.
The Bluetooth amplified speakers I have looked at are monophonic - they take the stereo signal, combine it into a single audio channel, and amplify that signal. Of course, you can always directly plug an audio cable into the speaker to use it as a standard amplified speaker, but that kind of defeats the purpose of having Bluetooth speakers. There are Bluetooth speakers that can be set up to be left or right channel for stereo sound, but I have not experimented with any of those speakers.
I first experimented with some inexpensive Bluetooth speakers (Zealot S49) that were only a little bigger than a soft drink can. The manufacturer claimed these speakers had 20 watts output, but I seriously doubt it - a half watt is probably closer to the truth. They sounded muddy and were not as loud as I hoped.
Monster X6 Speakers
I was first exposed to the Monster X6 speakers at my employer's "all hands" meeting held in a large warehouse-like building. But for the horrible acoustics (echo, combined with the speakers sitting on the floor), they would have been adequate for the room that was seating several hundred people.
A couple weeks later, I saw the Monster X6 speakers on sale at Sam's Club. They are a PA and Bluetooth "Party Speaker". I bought a pair and brought them home. They claimed to output up to 600 watts. They have Bluetooth in addition to an amazing number of wired connectivity options. They require 120 VAC. Each speaker came with a tripod stand and an inexpensive microphone. These speakers also have a pair of wheels and an extendable handle so they can be pulled like a rolling suit case.
What makes them a "Party Speaker" is that they have a bunch of LEDs on the sides of the front grill and around the woofer that will light and change color to the music being played - cute for a party, but annoying in a theater environment.
In testing, I overheated them - but fortunately didn't kill them. Just before I shut them down because I was smelling something overheating, the pair were drawing 150 watts - 75 watts for each speaker. No, they were not 600 watt speakers, although they were really loud (I was wearing the hearing protection I would wear when shooting at an indoor range).
The Monster X6 speakers are really big (27.5 x 20.5 x 12.0 inches, 38.8 lbs. not including the stand), so I started looking for smaller Bluetooth speakers, but not too small.
ECOXGEAR Boulder Max Pro Speakers
Again at Sam's Club, I came across ECOXGEAR Boulder Max Pro speakers on sale. While they are still large-ish, they are much smaller (15.5 x 11.4 x 19.8 inches, 30.8 lbs.) than the Monster speakers. The ECOXGEAR speakers are Bluetooth "party" speakers, they are IP67 waterproof (their marketing videos show the speakers floating down a stream), and they are battery powered (7 AH 13.8 volt lead-acid rechargeable). All external jacks (120 VAC, audio-in, microphone, USB) are behind fairly substantial waterproof covers. 120 VAC is required to recharge the built-in battery, and of course, the speakers can run off 120 VAC. The manufacturer claims they output up to 100 watts - I doubt it. These speakers also have a pair of wheels and an extendable handle.
Wireless Speaker Latency
Audio latency between the projector and wireless Bluetooth connected speakers turned out to be a much bigger problem than anticipated. Audio latency is observed as audio and visual events (e.g. speaking lip movement, sharp noises) in the movie not being synchronized.
I expected to observe some Bluetooth speaker latency, but it was more noticeable than expected. I observed an estimated latency of around 200 milliseconds (one-fifth of a second). This 200 ms latency observation is consistent with what I expected from my reading on the subject.
Then I had a bright idea to try using a small analog FM transmitter. These FM transmitters used to be very common in the era where most vehicles only had an AM/FM radio, and there was no other way to connect an audio source (e.g. MP3 player) to the vehicle's audio system. The FM transmitter plugs into the earphone jack of the audio source and transmits a weak short range signal that can be picked up by a nearby FM radio.
The FM transmitter worked beautifully (no audio latency) when I was picking up its signal using an analog FM radio. However, when I used the built-in FM receiver of the party speakers, I observed a latency of 480 milliseconds (almost one-half of a second) - this was completely unexpected and completely unacceptable.
Some projectors have audio latency adjustments, but I have not seen that capability on the low cost projectors. The Mars 3 projector, which lacks Bluetooth transmit capability, has a latency adjustment - up to 250 milliseconds.
Dealing With Audio Latency
There are several ways of dealing with the audio latency:
(1) Ignore it. Much of the time, the 200 ms Bluetooth latency shouldn't be a serious distraction.
(2) Try to adjust it out or minimize it if the projector has a latency adjustment.
(3) Run an audio cable from the audio output (headphone jack) of the projector to the amplified speaker or speakers. (This still reduces complexity over using a separate audio amplifier as I did in the first ZAMT article.)
(4) Use analog FM radios to receive the audio from the FM transmitter, then connect those radios, via their headphone jack, to the amplified speakers. But, this increases setup complexity.
The analog FM transmitter I experimented with was the Scosche FMT7-SP1 FM transmitter, which was around ten dollars. It is fairly small, powered by two AAA cells, with an attached six-inch cable with a 3.5 mm stereo plug to be plugged into a headphone jack. To get acceptable performance, this analog FM transmitter must be coupled with an analog FM receiver to eliminate latency.
(5) Use a special purpose low-latency Bluetooth wireless audio transmitter/receiver set. These require a short cable for the required 5 VDC power, and a short cable for audio. This option has simpler setup than using analog FM radios, since no tuning of radios is required.
I purchased a special purpose low-latency Bluetooth wireless audio transmitter/receiver set that had a claimed 20 millisecond latency. In practice, the latency was imperceptible. The receivers can be powered from the USB port built into the speakers. The transmitter can similarly be powered by the projector if you have a spare USB port.
Media Player
The media player discussion of my first ZAMT article still applies. DVD and Blu-ray disc players, USB flash drives loaded with movies, along with any other video source you might have available are all valid options.
I've noticed that with the NEBULA Mars 3, Kodak LUMA 75, and ETOE D2 EVO, a composite video input has been omitted. However, inexpensive composite-to-HDMI video converters are available if needed, and they work fairly well. These converters need 5 VDC, and the projector's USB plug can provide the necessary power for the converter. These converters tend to run a bit warm, which may reduce operational life - they are cheap, get two.
Almost Completely Wireless Theater
With a battery powered projector (with a short patch cord to a Bluetooth transmitter), battery powered Bluetooth speakers, and movies loaded on a USB flash drive, it is possible to have an almost completely wireless improvised movie theater.
Of course, I could always rely on the built-in speakers of the battery powered Mars 3 or battery powered Kodak LUMA 75 with movies stored on a USB flash drive to be completely wireless.
In most scenarios, electrical power, even if provided by a power station, will still be needed to run the major components. Battery powered Blu-ray players are rare and expensive, so a Blu-ray player will most likely be powered by 120 VAC. Further, having a battery powered projector and speakers does not obviate the need for a reliable power source - those battery powered components will need to be recharged after use.
Conclusion
Even before a zombie apocalypse, there are many circumstances where a semi-portable movie theater that can operate "off grid" would be desirable.
I set out to assemble an entirely wireless movie theater, but quickly discovered that being entirely wireless was impractical. Bluetooth audio latency turned out to be a worse problem than expected, so I explored several alternatives to minimize audio latency while also minimizing setup complexity.
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Resources:
- This YouTuber provides good reviews of video projectors. He uses uses test equipment to objectively measure performance characteristics of the projectors being reviewed. His focus is the home theater, but he also reviews portable video projectors.
- This article explains why projector lumen output matters, and provides recommended lumen output ranges for various environments. I personally think their recommendations, based on my own observations with my equipment being used in a dark room, are a little high. But, their recommendations provide a starting point in analyzing needs.
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