Sega Homestar Original Black - Home Planetarium - Star Projector

I've been wanting one of these for a long time. I've previously had an uncle milton star theater pro but it eventually died. The image on the sega is very good but very dim. The theater pro was brighter. The shooting star function is fun and looks ok. I wish it were more comet shaped. I also wish it could appear in different parts of the sky. The ring around the lens can adjust the focus and does a good job of it. The discs are easy to replace. The timer function is nice to have. I do think the motor for the rotation is a bit noisier than the theater pro. All in all it does an ok job. It really needs to be brighter and cheaper. It's not really worth $149. I'd gladly pay $60-$80 for it though. I wish there were other alternatives for less money.

I would love to have a custom-designed starry-sky bedroom ceiling, but just don't have the tens of thousands of dollars to have one put in right this minute... So I got this product, and could not be happier. This is a fantastic little device for a child's or adult bedroom.I wouldn't really call this an educational device. Yeah, you can sit under it and point out constellations and such, but it's much more of a relaxation/decoration item. That is its sole use in my home.Do not be influenced by the "Sega" product name; this is not some flimsy, toy-like star projector. Although small, this is a sophisticated (and expensive) device. As such, small children probably should not be allowed to operate it. Older kids, after sufficient supervised training, can understand the controls and functions, and should be able to use it properly.It is not very big, so takes up little space. The power cord is relatively long (could be a foot or two longer) to support your optimal placement in the room. It has a small fan for cooling as well as the rotation motor, and both are very quiet, supporting this as a go-to-sleep device. There is a sleep timer which you can set for 15, 30, or 60 minutes. The rotation option is very nice as it presents an ever-changing view of the star field. It rotates quickly enough that you can discern the rotation readily, but not so fast that you get the spins from staring up into it.As noted by a couple other reviewers, on first use it seems that the device is not focusing properly, and it appears that the focus ring is literally unscrewing from the housing. Not quite so. Be patient and slowly bring that focus ring out and the stars will come into perfect focus.This item is best used in a very dark room, so douse all lights and night lights. If being used in a child's room, the light from this device, if left on all night, serves as a night light on its own. That being said, the light is not harsh, and provides a nice soft glow throughout the room.The shooting star function is a nice little addition, but is kind of a letdown. The product photo appearing to show a shooting star looks a lot more like a comet, but either way, know that this is NOT how shooting star function appears. It's a purely optical effect using the lens, so the shooting star is always the same; it is in the exact same position on the ceiling every time, and its path and appearance are always the same.I recommend purchasing the optional discs as well, as they are a nice change-up to your standard view.Bottom line: I wanted a detailed and diverse starry sky on my bedroom ceiling, and this device has delivered well beyond my expectations.

Ignore all the negativity! This product was better than I expected due to all the negativity! I wanted to write this review for all the people questioning this product because of the negativity.This projector is so worth it! Yes the edges are blurry but it still looks so amazing! From my observation, I'm assuming in order to have perfect focused edges, you have to have a dome shaped ceiling which no one has. Due to it's round projected imagery then it causes the edges to blurry but I still think it looks amazing. I feel this product was made in the best way it could in this price range. Clearly work and detail is shown in this.It's not too bright but bright and vivid enough, soothing to fall asleep, makes you think of the beauty around us, stars appear closer and further due to its amazing detail, rotation function is very close to how stars orbit, shooting star is alright but still nice to look at it, gives a great sense of imagination (at least to me), max 1 hour auto shut off.I feel you will get best maximum experience if you place the projector as close to the middle of the room that you can but I don't feel it's necessary. I feel it may reduce SOME of the the appearance of blurry edges as well.This product really give its value and it shows in the way it was made. When I googled best star projectors of all time, this was in the top 3. If people want to say this product is worth 30$ then please find me a projector in that price range that's better than this.If you're looking for "perfect" no matter how much money you spend then don't buy this. If you're looking for something that's closest to beauty of our stars, then get this. Ignore the negativity!Have an open mind if you're a real star gazer lover!