Front projectors are a wonderful way to affordably obtain a larger-than-life image in your theater, the downside being that there never seems to be a shortage of accessories required to enjoy said image. Front projectors require screens, which, depending on your room, could mean spending a little bit more or a lot more money. Projectors often need long runs of HDMI cables, which like screens, seem to grow exponentially in price with every foot. And last but not least they often require some sort of mount. The problem is no two projectors are alike and while there may be a plethora of HDTV mounts available on the market today, there aren't many front projection mounts. One of the best universal front projection mounts available today is the Sanus VMPR1 Tilt and Swivel Projector Mount. How do I know it's one of the best? Well, as a reviewer I review a lot of projectors and the VMPR1 has been my mount of choice for well over five years.

Additional Resources
• Read more AV mount reviews from HomeTheaterReview.com's staff.
• Explore projectors to mount with the VMPR1 in our Video Projector Review section.

The VMPR1 retails for $149.99 and is capable of securely suspending front projectors weighing up to 50 pounds from your ceiling. The VMPR1 features independent roll, yaw and pitch which are critical when aligning any front projection system. The VMPR1 provides for 30 degrees of tilt, 15 degrees of swivel and six degrees of roll, all of which can be adjusted via a simple Phillips head screwdriver. The VMPR1's legs are fully adjustable and allow them to fit virtually any projector's mounting points. I've used the VMPR1 on Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, Sanyo and Anthem (JVC) projectors without incident. Sanus claims the VMPR1 is compatible with 95 percent of all LCD or DLP-based projectors available today - I would have to agree for I've only encountered one projector, in the SIM2 Mico50, where I couldn't use the VMPR1. The VMPR1 in its flush mount configuration sits four and three quarter inches tall or will suspend your projector four and three quarter inches off your ceiling. If you need more "drop," Sanus provides a seven-inch extension pipe, which does come in handy for projectors with less lens shift capabilities - remember keystone adjustments are the enemy.

In terms of use the VMPR1 is easy come, easy go and performs as advertised. Its plastic covers go a long way in dressing up its otherwise "spidery" appearance and help with cable management too. My personal VMPR1 is finished in a silvery grey, which when placed close to a white ceiling makes it appear more or less white in overall color but black is also available and most likely the preferred color since most projectors are black. I purchased my VMPR1 some time ago to accompany my then brand new Sony "Pearl" projector for which silver was appropriate. Mounting any projector is a job best done by two people but making the requisite alignment adjustments on the VMPR1 is a decidedly solo affair, which is nice, for anyone who's ever installed a front projector will tell you, the devil is in the details. Thankfully, getting those details right is hugely simplified with the VMPR1.

Read about the high points and low points of the VMPR1 projector mount on Page 2.