The Nintendo Wii is one of the most innovative console systems in recent memory. It has become incredibly popular with all age groups due to the motion sensing ability of the controllers. Unfortunately, one risk in using these controllers is the possibility of them flying out of one’s hands and hitting other people or objects. Although they do come with a safety strap, some people eschew them while playing the Wii. Combine this situation and the increased number of LCD and Plasma TVs found in todays households, this creates a recipe for disaster. A smashed display can truly be a devastating scenario.
Unfortunately for one person, James Mieczkowski of the Cheetah Websites Corporation, this exact scenario occurred when his seven-year-old smashed a hole in his new $2,500 LG Flat Screen with a Wii remote.
Luckily for the rest of us, he decided to design a product to protect most sized LCD/Plasma TVs from the scourge of flying Wiimotes. Using an ultra high strength acrylic that is nearly indestructible, he created the Cheetah Screen Protector. Composed of ¼” Plexiglas and elevated away from the television screen with ¼” rubber spacers, the Cheetah Screen Protector provides a ½” buffer between the outside world and your HDTV.
Available in sizes from 22” to 52”, there should be a model that fits most mainstream consumer HDTVs. TvScreenProtector.com even has specially designed protectors for 46” to 52” Sony XBR models.
As a Wii owner and father of two little children, I become very anxious when they decide to play the Wii in front of our LCD HDTV. Today, we will see if the Cheetah Screen Protector can provide some peace of mind and not negatively affect the HDTV viewing experience.
Let’s get started….
Cheetah LCD HDTV Screen Protector Review
Reviewed by: Tomas Ratas
Sponsor: TvScreenProtector.com
Tech Specs,Features or the Basic Info:
Cheetah Screen Protector
The TV Screen Protector is made of ultra high strength acrylic. It has been thoroughly
tested to protect your LCD or Plasma TV from some of the most violent conditions.
The TV Screen Protector is ¼ inch thick, and is supported by ¼ inch clear rubber spacers
that keep the screen protector off of the TV. This allows the TV screen necessary
breathing room for airflow, and the spacers provide additional shock absorption from
a hard impact. There are also black rubber grips on top to hold the TV Screen Protector
in place.
Every TV Screen Protector comes with 1-inch thick black nylon straps and two buckles to
secure it to your TV.
We sell two versions of our TV Screen Protector. A standard one for maximum optical clarity
and a Non – Glare version for TVs in areas that may have bright light or sun light exposure.
Parts also included with the TV Screen Protector include the following:
1) One inch thick nylon straps.
2) Buckles to secure the nylon straps.
3) Clear rubber spacers to keep the TV Screen Protector off of the TV.
4) Logo with website URL.
5) Rubber grips to hold the TV Screen Protector in place.
Price: $169 for the 52” version being reviewed today.
{mospagebreak title=A Better Look at things}
A Better Look at Things
:
The Cheetah Screen Protector arrives in a plain brown card box. The size of the box will depend on the size of the screen protector. Sizes range from 22” to 52” screens.
Upon opening, one finds the Cheetah Screen Protector well protected with bubble wrap and internal spacers boxes.
The Cheetah Screen Protector is protected with an adhesive backing to protect it from getting scratched before one can set it up.
A Better Look at Things
Continued:
The Cheetah Screen Protector is composed of a ¼” acrylic and has two one inch thick nylon straps with buckles, which are fixed on the far left and right side of the screen protector.
The acrylic protector is composed of Plexiglas G, which is designed for best optical quality and long term design stress, which are critical in this type of application.
Here is a set of pictures showing two items shot without and with the Cheetah Screen Protector in front of it.
There are two versions available a non-glare version for rooms with plenty of sunlight and another version designed for optical clarity.
On the inner surface of the protector, are four ¼” rubberized spacers to keep the acrylic from resting directly on the LCD/Plasma screen.
The upper portion “lip” of the Cheetah Screen Protector has three rubberized grips that sit on top of the television to keep the protector in place. On the far left of this lip is the TVScreenProtector.com url.
The 52” model weighs in at 14 pounds and measures 50” x 30”.
Unfortunately, the packaging did not include any instructions, but the setup is easy to figure out.
Installation, Testing and Comparison
For this review, the 52” Cheetah Screen Protector will be tested with a Samsung LN52A550 LDC HDTV, installation required carefully peeling off the protective adhesive from both sides of the Plexiglas.
The nylon straps need to be unfastened before placing the protector onto the television.
Once this is done, carefully place the lip segment on top of the LCD/Plasma bezel. Next, take the straps and bring them around to the back of the television, refasten them and sync them down.
Take care to position the Cheetah Screen Protector so that all four rubberized spacers are on the bezel of the HDTV.
I would recommend having a second person help to keep the protector in place, while the first person anchors the straps in place.
The rubber spacers provide room for air flow around the set keeping the HDTV from getting hotter than necessary.
I have taken some pictures of the TV with and without the Cheetah Screen Protector in place. The clarity of the Plexiglas is excellent. The reflective glare from overhead lights is only slightly more noticeable with the screen protector in place.
As for protective quality, I feel much safer with a buffer of ¼” Plexiglas and ¼” rubberized spacer between my LCD and the Wii users in my house. This ½” buffer seems to provide ample protection from most flying objects. Although, I did not test this theory, the Plexiglas seems to be thick enough to handle anything short of a blow from a swinging baseball bat aimed at the TV.
Summary:
I am very impressed with the quality and design of the Cheetah Screen Protector, not only is the clarity of this Plexiglas shield excellent, it is also solidly constructed and seems more than capable of surviving most Wii/foreign object impacts.
Setup is simple and may require two people for bigger television models.
With the Cheetah Screen Protector in place, I don’t have to worry about the next Wii game being the last one to ever be played on my LCD HDTV.
If you own a Wii and a HDTV and are concerned about your television’s well being, do yourself a favor and order one of the screen protectors. You will not be sorry.
DragonSteelMods gives the Cheetah Screen Protector a 5 out of 5 score and our Editor’s Choice award as well.
Pros:
-Protects your HDTV
-Easily installed
-Does not affect viewing experience
Cons:
-None
I would like to thank TvScreenProtector.com for the chance to review the Cheetah Screen Protector and for their support of DSM. A special thanks to James Mieczkowski for all his help.
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