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Tag Archives: Front Projector Reviews

Optoma CinemaX P2 Ultra-short Throw Projector Review

CinemaX P2

I find that there are two main types of projector enthusiasts: those that are able to dedicate and properly build out a room solely for a projector setup, and those that are kept from those aspirations due to extenuating circumstances. Many times, one of those extenuating circumstances is the inability to mount the projector in a suitable location. The depth of the room might be insufficient for the projector’s throw, a homeowner’s association might have strict rules about installing something on the ceiling, or running a long HDMI cable through the room from sources to the projector might look unseemly. Because of these issues, some might opt for a TV instead, but projectors are still a possibility that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Ultra-short throw (UST) projectors alleviate all of those issues. They can be placed on the same credenza as a TV, mere inches from the screen. No need for mounting on a ceiling, a deep room, or hiding a cable with a throw rug. Optoma’s most recent UST solution is the CinemaX P2, an update to the excellent CinemaX P1 that was released in 2019, and best of all the CinemaX P2’s $3,299 retail price is $500 less than the P1.

Setting Up the Optoma CinemaX P2

Since the Optoma CinemaX P2 sits so close to the screen, it doesn’t look like a traditional projector. The white case has an indentation in the top where the lens sits, and along the front there’s a light gray angled grille that covers the 40-watt two-channel, four-speaker array. On the back (the side that faces the screen) are two HDMI 2.0 inputs with HDCP 2.2 (one with ARC), two USB 2.0 ports, an optical out, 3.5mm audio out, and Ethernet connection. There’s an additional USB power and HDMI 1.4 input on the right side. A single button on the top left turns the projector on and off, while all other controls are relegated to the remote. It’s a sleek design that looks attractive on the top of a table, and while it’s significantly deeper than a TV, at 5.12 x 22.68 x 15.08 inches (HWD), it is less than half the width of the average 55-inch TV and much less obtrusive when it’s off.

One of the initial difficulties of setting up an ultra-short throw projector is positioning it correctly. Any slight adjustment can make some significant changes to the geometry of the picture. There’s the ability to correct that in the projector’s menu or by using the SmartFIT app (although I found the app to be finicky), but making those changes can affect picture sharpness and brightness output. Best to spend the time and get it right from the get-go. Optoma includes a template to help with the placement in relation to the screen, but if you already have a screen installed on the wall and a table or credenza in place, the most difficult part is getting the height correct. For a 120-inch diagonal screen, the top of CinemaX P2 needs to be about a foot below the bottom of the screen edge, and the back of the projector needs to be 13.5 inches from the screen (which puts the front of the projector 28.6 inches away from the screen). It takes some time to get the picture just right, but in the end it’s worth it.

If you haven’t yet mounted your screen, I suggest figuring out your projector placement measurements first so you don’t have to come up with a solution to lift the CinemaX P2 up higher. There are adjustable feet, but they are only for fine tuning. If you haven’t yet bought your screen, then I recommend looking into an ambient light rejection (ALR) screen for UST projectors. These are manufactured with microscopic fins on them that reflect the light from the projector out towards your eye, while absorbing or deflecting light from other directions away from you. The result is a brighter, less washed-out image that holds up better to a room with ambient light — be it from the sun or your room’s lighting. Fret not, though, if you have a traditional non-ALR screen. I reviewed the CinemaX P2 with my Stewart Grayhawk and, as you’ll read later, the Cinema picture mode was able to provide enough light for casual afternoon viewing.

Instead of a traditional lamp, the CinemaX P2 uses one of Optoma’s DuraCore laser light engines. It’s IP5X/IP6X certified, which keeps the optical engine free of dust and moisture, and will last up to 30,000 hours in Eco mode (20,000 in Normal) before reaching half brightness. So while the cost of lamp replacements needs to be factored in to the lifetime purchase price of traditional projectors, laser projectors need zero normal maintenance for their life.

The DuraCore light source sends a blue laser through a yellow phosphor before passing through a six-segment RGBRGB color wheel. This is one of the changes from the P1, which used an eight-segment RGBYRGBY color wheel that boosted the brightness at the expense of some color accuracy. Once passing through the color wheel, the light bounces off the DLP chip, out the lens, and onto the screen. A drawback of single-chip DLP projectors with color wheels, like the CinemaX P2, is the possibility of rainbows. I’m not very susceptible to them, but did briefly see them on one occasion. If the rainbow effect bothers you, I’d recommend finding a sample to look at or at least buy the P2 from somewhere that has a good return policy.

The CinemaX P2 uses a 0.47-inch TI chip with XPR technology that pixel shifts the image in order to achieve its 4K resolution. There are those that feel this isn’t real 4K resolution — or “FauxK” — and while a side-by-side comparison might show a pixel-shifted image to have less clarity, anyone would be hard pressed to find flaw with the Optoma’s resolution. The image is incredibly sharp even out towards the edges, which are usually a weak spot for UST projectors. At close inspection, the edges of the CinemaX P2 do start to get a tad softer, but it isn’t perceptible from a few feet away.

The small, black metal remote operates via Bluetooth instead of IR. It’s light, only has a half dozen buttons in addition to a directional pad and volume control, and has a dim backlight that won’t blind you in a dark room. The remote doubles as a wand, which becomes a necessity for some of the apps available through the awful Aptoide OS (more below in The Downside). Instead of changing batteries, the remote is chargeable with a USB cable.

The built-in 40-watt sound system consists of two 2-inch full range aluminum drivers and 2.75-inch woofers with ported chambers. There’s good dialogue clarity from the speakers, and the ported chambers help a little with the bass response, but there’s only so much you can expect in that department from a 2.75-inch woofer.

One interesting feature that Optoma added to the P2 is the FRAMED app. Instead of a typical screensaver, the FRAMED app has twelve different curated pieces of art that were created by ten different digital artists. It’s a nice way to add some beautiful works of art to your wall.

How Does the Optoma CinemaX P2 Perform?

While there are six different picture modes on the CinemaX P2, I generally only used two of them for SDR — Reference and Cinema. Reference was the most accurate, but was also the dimmest and didn’t hold up as well against ambient light as Cinema did, which was a bit bluer than Reference. Additional picture modes include Bright (far too green for serious viewing), HDR Sim. for simulating the HDR effect with SDR content, Game (very blue tinted but acceptable if you need extra brightness), and User, which was virtually identical to Cinema by default. With HDR content, the CinemaX P2 automatically switches to its HDR picture mode (there’s also a dedicated mode for HLG content). If you hire an ISF calibrator, they can access and calibrate five different ISF picture modes — Day, Night, HDR, HLG, and 3D.

RGB Gain/Bias and color point calibration controls are available for all picture modes. Using Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays, an X-Rite i1Pro3 spectrophotometer, and a Murideo Six-G signal generator, I was able to calibrate Reference picture mode to be even more accurate (out-of-the-box it has a slightly red/orange tint), although there was a slight loss of light output (not an unexpected consequence).

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I’ve been slowly working my way through The Clone Wars animated series in chronological episode order on the Disney+ app (I used my Roku Streaming Stick+ for it, not the Aptoide OS). There’s some absolutely fantastic storytelling throughout the series, but I feel it starts to hit its stride when we get to Mandalore and the relationship between Obi-Wan and Duchess Satine. The colors used in the animation looked wonderfully vibrant, particularly the blues and purples in Duchess Satine’s ceremonial robes. In Reference picture mode, to see shadow detail in some of the darker night scenes required the curtains to be drawn or to wait until the evening. Switching to Cinema gave it a little extra kick in brightness as well, and the animation still looked rich, although blues were a little too oversaturated. Sharpness needs to be dialed back a bit to around 3 or 4 from the default. That gets rid of enhancement artifacts but still keeps a nice sharp picture.

Projectors in general have a tough time with HDR due to their lower light output as compared with today’s better TVs. But that isn’t to say HDR can’t be enjoyable on a projector when it’s done well, and the CinemaX P2 does it pretty well. When HDR picture mode turns on, there are four different settings — from darkest to brightest they are Detail, Film, Standard, and Bright — which can be chosen depending on the overall brightness of the movie. Even with dark titles like Blade Runner 2049, I found Film to be more than adequate to add some depth to the shadows around the furnaces of the orphanage. And when playing around with the setting during brighter scenes — such as K’s approach to Vegas — I found Standard to work well. The Bright preset pushed the whites a bit too much.

While the CinemaX P2 has a Game picture mode, gaming mode can be turned on in the menu no matter what picture mode you’re in. It disables extra processing, like PureMotion, to bring down the input lag. Unfortunately it only brings the lag down to 58.4ms. That’s a significant improvement over the 121.5ms I measured without gaming mode turned on, but it still means aiming and firing my weapons in Cyberpunk 2077 felt sluggish. And playing against other players online in games like Overwatch could have a detrimental effect on your rankings.

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The Downside

By far the biggest drawback of the Optoma CinemaX P2 is its streaming OS. Aptoide is awful and I wish it would ride off into the sunset. Or die in a fire, either way, just as long as companies stop using it. It’s unbearably clunky to navigate and some of the most popular streaming apps are severely limited. The directional pad doesn’t work properly with the Netflix login (thankfully the remote wand works). Even worse, it only plays at 480p. Getting a Roku, Fire TV, or some other media streamer is an absolute necessity if you plan on watching any streaming apps.

Not a huge downside, but the low-frequency response of the built-in Dolby system is lacking. If you plan to use the speakers, you’ll need to invest in a subwoofer to connect to the audio out if you want any sort of thump. For the majority of the review time, I turned off the internal speakers and used my surround sound system. Very occasionally on startup the internal speakers would turn on as well and cause an echo effect (the audio delay setting in the menu was different between the two), even though the menu had them listed as off. It was an easy, although annoying fix, toggling it to on and then off again.

How Does the Optoma CinemaX P2 Compare to the Competition?

The most direct competition to the Optoma CinemaX P2, at least in terms of price, is the VAVA 4K projector. It’s $500 cheaper than the Optoma and has a rated light output of 2,500 lumens, which is 500 less than the P2. This is VAVA’s first projector, and while they definitely have a desire to continue to improve their product — and have been through firmware updates — the Optoma is a vastly superior projector, with better grayscale and color accuracy. 

Most other UST projectors, such as the Samsung Premiere LSP9T and LG HU85LA, cost up to twice what the Optoma sells for. Samsung has another UST model, the LSP7T, which costs a couple hundred dollars more than the P2, but has less light output. 

An interesting release at the end of last year is the Hisense 100L5F Laser TV (it’s really an ultra-short throw projector). It originally sold for $3,999, but at the time of writing can be found for $2,999. And it includes a 100-inch ALR screen. Hisense just announced a version that comes packaged with a 120-inch screen for $5,000.

Final Thoughts

As the months go on, Optoma is facing more and more competition in the UST projector market. But luckily for the company, the CinemaX P2 is a top-notch model. Even if you don’t get the projector calibrated, the out-of-the-box settings are very good, and when the time is taken to set it up properly, it puts out a crisp, vibrant picture in both SDR and HDR. It could use an additional subwoofer to fill out the sound, and getting an aftermarket streaming stick is an absolute must. But for someone that’s looking for an alternative to a TV, but doesn’t have the throw space for a regular projector, the Optoma CinemaX P2 is an excellent alternative.

LG CineBeam HU85LA Projector Review – Is UST Ideal for Your Home Theater?

LG CineBeam85

It’s no secret that UST (Ultra Short Throw) projectors have been around for a long time, but thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic keeping a record number of people inside, and lots of technological innovations happening with solid state light sources right now, the UST projector market is currently flush with near-complete TV-replacement options to choose from. Without practical means to watch movies on the big screen in commercial theaters, many are choosing UST projectors as a way to fill the void and create their own big screen experiences at home. 

LG CineBeam HU85LA 4K Laser Projector

LG is no stranger to the UST projector market, with the company offering several UST options for consumers to choose from. With their latest flagship CineBeam HU85LA ($4,999), the company is touting its proprietary three-channel laser system, developed specifically for this projector, as a way to reel in customers. The advantage to this system is that light no longer needs to be filtered through a spinning color wheel in order to create each primary color, as the lasers themselves do this on their own.

Not only does this increase the efficiency of the light engine; it also means the HU85LA can offer high brightness without a huge sacrifice in color saturation performance like you see with most other high-brightness, single-chip DLP projectors that rely on a spinning color wheel. Additionally, the use of lasers adds the benefit of long life, reliability, and a slow, linear reduction in light output over time, advantages normally reserved for flat panel televisions. LG specifies the HU85LA’s output at up to 2,700 lumens, with the projector needing 20,000 hours of use before noticeable light loss occurs.

Other notable specifications include a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, UHD resolution through the use of an XPR-enabled .66-inch DLP DMD, 12-bit video processing and color gradation, HDR10 support with REC2020 compatibility, real-time dynamic tonemapping for HDR10 video sources, LG’s ThinQ AI smart-enabled software features, and a two-year limited warranty.

Additionally, the HU85LA includes other TV-replacement features, such as a digital TV coax input, a built-in speaker system, and a smart-enabled operating system. In fact, as far as I can tell, this is the same LG-designed webOS operating system used on the company’s premium LCD and OLED televisions. This means you can run apps directly from the projector as you would from any smart TV. LG even includes a back-lit variant of the company’s wonderful and intuitive Magic Remote to control the projector. To date, this is one of the most well-rounded TV replacement options I’ve seen. Once you purchase a screen, you can say goodbye to your flat panel television and hello to the new big-screen experience at home. 

Setting Up the LG HU85LA

One of the most important aspects of setting up any UST projector is pairing it with the right screen. Because the HU85LA is intended to be used inside a living room as a TV replacement, ambient and reflected light within this environment has the potential to wash out the projected image. For this review, Screen Innovations was kind enough to send over one of its Solo Pro 2 screens (Available at ProjectorScreen.com) featuring the company’s Short Throw screen material, which is a great match for this projector. It’s designed to more ideally reflect the shallow angle at which these projectors throw their image, so that more of this light is reflected back towards viewers. It also has ambient light rejecting (ALR) optical coatings. If you’re planning on buying this projector and using it in an untreated space, a screen like this is an absolute must if you want to get the most from the projected image. 

For connections, the HU85LA offers a pair of full-bandwidth HDMI 2.0 ports (one ARC compliant), an optical TOSLINK audio port, an RJ-45 LAN port, the aforementioned digital TV coaxial antenna input, a Kensington lock for extra security, and a pair of type-A and single type-C USB ports to power connected devices. Be aware that if you’re installing the projector close to a wall to fill a smaller screen, you may need to buy some 90-degree cable adapters for this type of installation to work. The ports are located on the side of the chassis that will face your screen wall, and although they’re recessed into the chassis a bit, the cavity may not be deep enough for a straight install, depending on the thickness of your cables.

The HU85LA has an exceptional short 0.19:1 fixed throw ratio. With this throw, LG says owners can create a 120-inch diagonal image from 7.2 inches, or one as small as 90-inches from just 2.2-inches away from the screen. This particularly short throw ratio makes setting up the projector a bit more time consuming and tedious than usual, even compared with other UST projectors. For best results, you’ll want to take your time and make sure the projector and screen are symmetrically mirrored in physical planes with one another as close as you can get. Otherwise, you may see issues like waves in the image, focus non-uniformity, trapezoidal image geometry, and hotspotting. To help with proper positioning, the HU85LA includes four adjustable feet underneath. For dialing in focus, you’ll find an adjustment knob hidden underneath a door on the top of the chassis.

The projector itself comes in a fairly compact form factor, measuring in at 26.8 by 5.0 by 13.7 inches and weighing 26.9 pounds. Build quality is excellent overall, with premium materials used throughout. Be aware that the only finish option available is matte white. However, the projector comes with a grey “kvadrat” cloth grille cover to break up the all-white chassis and conceal the pair of five-watt speakers built into the projector.

If you’ve adjusted the feet and you’re still seeing issues with image geometry on screen, you have the option to use image manipulation software within the menu system of the projector. But tread lightly. The more you rely on this software, the more potential it has to diminish image resolution and subjective sharpness. My advice is to get it as close as you can physically before you use this software.

Once you have the projector installed, you’ll find the initial software setup process is essentially identical to pretty much all currently selling smart TVs on the market. You’ll start by setting up your internet connection (either wired or wireless), then you’ll want to download and sign in to your desired streaming apps, adjust your audio output if you don’t plan on using the included speakers, and then dive into calibration controls if you’re the kind of person who likes to fine-tune the image.

During my own setup process, I was a little disappointed to find that the list of available apps was far less extensive than what’s offered on the LG B8 OLED installed in my living room, despite the fact that it runs the same webOS operating system. It’s also worth noting that the user interface felt less fluid and responsive. I suspect these issues stem from the projector not using one of LG’s newest processing solutions. With that said, you still have access to Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Plex, Google Play Movies, Disney+ and Spotify, among others.

If you’ve used any webOS-enabled LG display from the past several years, finding your way through the menu system on the HU85LA should be second nature. Menu items are logically placed and named to avoid confusion as to what each option does. You’ll find several preset picture modes to choose from. For SDR content, I’d recommend going with Expert (Bright Room) mode, and for all HDR10 content, Cinema user mode. Each of these offered the best out-of-the-box performance for their corresponding content. 

The HU85LA offers an extensive set of video adjustment and calibration controls for those who’ll use them. These include basic Brightness, Contrast, Sharpness, Color and Tint controls, but you’ll also find a full color management system, extensive white balance controls, and user-selectable gamma options. There are also options to manually adjust settings for color gamut, dynamic range, smooth motion frame interpolation, dynamic digital contrast and color enhancement, smart sharpening controls, and customized tonemapping options for how the projector processes and displays HDR10 video content. 

If you plan on watching HDR10 video content, I highly recommend enabling the projector’s Dynamic Tonemapping menu option. That’s because the HU85LA shares the same excellent real-time dynamic tonemapping software found on LG’s higher-end flat panel displays. When enabled, the projector will automatically adapt the HDR image to better suit the real-world capabilities of the projector. 

While it would have been nice for LG to include some customizable settings for the software, such as setting the peak white image brightness for better tone mapping performance, it’s still a useful and effective tonemapping tool. With it enabled, you can expect an image with colors that appear more natural and fully saturated, with a far better sense of dynamic range and brightness within the image overall. This is the type of HDR video processing I wish others in the home theater projector industry would adopt as well. Currently, JVC is the only other company that I’m aware of that uses this type of software. 

How Does the LG HU85LA Perform?

Before we get into the measurements, I want to discuss who I think the HU85LA would be an excellent choice for. Because this is a single-chip DLP projector, it’s going to have inherent strengths, relative to most other projection technologies, in motion, ANSI contrast, image sharpness, resolution, and uniformity. These strengths lend themselves well to brighter, higher frame rate video material like you’d typically find with certain broadcast television, live sporting events, and video games. As you’ll see, on/off contrast performance and black level are not among its many strengths. This means it’s going to struggle a bit with many Hollywood-style films and television shows, as this type of video content is typically dark overall and requires solid on/off contrast performance to look good in a subjective way. So if you are planning on watching a lot of movies with the HU85LA, keep your expectations in check.

Out of the box, I found that Expert (Bright Room) mode offered the most accurate out-of-the-box image for SDR video content, so I used that as a starting point for calibration. With the projector placed in its highest light output mode (Minimum Energy Saving), I measured a peak of 1,953 lumens after calibration. This is a relatively competitive amount of calibrated light output for an UST projector in this price class. If you require less light output, the projector has a Medium and Maximum Energy Saving mode, each reducing light output by nearly 20 percent. I wouldn’t recommend using the lowest output mode, however, as I found it added a large red push in white balance. With that said, all of my subjective viewing was using this projector’s highest light output mode. In this mode, using the projector’s two-point white balance controls, delta errors averaged 4.1 prior to calibration and just 2.1 after.

I found that out-of-the-box color accuracy was quite good as well. For SDR content, in Expert (Bright Room) mode, the HU85LA can fully cover the REC709 color gamut. Delta errors averaged 3.5 prior to calibration and just 1.5 afterwards. For HDR10 video content, the projector switches over to a REC2020 compatibility mode with several picture modes to choose from. I found that Cinema mode offered not only the most accurate image for HDR video content, but also the most color saturation performance as well. I measured this mode to cover 94.5 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut within the REC2020 triangle, with delta errors averaging 2.1 after calibration. Be aware that this boost in color saturation costs you about ten percent in light output over Expert (Bright Room) for SDR video.

While this extra color saturation past REC709 is definitely welcome, I was expecting to measure quite a bit more due to the fact that this projector employs an RGB laser light source. Incredibly deep color saturation has been one of the defining features of RGB laser light sources for years, with most projectors that use them (some far less expensive than this projector) being capable of saturation past REC2020, which is something no other consumer display technology can currently achieve. So not seeing this type of color performance, especially at this price point, was a bit of a letdown.

But I wouldn’t let this level of color performance bother you. The fact remains that there are only a handful of movies out there that utilize color saturation past DCI-P3. Even on some of the movies that do, such as the recently remastered version of The Matrix on Ultra HD Blu-ray, the deep shades of cyan and green that this movie is known for still appeared satisfyingly saturated and natural in tone. The list of movies graded beyond DCI-P3 is more than likely to grow in the future, though, so if you were eyeing this projector’s RGB laser light source as a means to a more future-proof purchase, the HU85LA might not be the best choice. With that said, color performance is still up there with some of the best home theater projectors on the market today.

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Contrast performance offered by the HU85LA is only middle-of-the-road. I measured a peak native contrast ratio of 1,695:1 after calibration. While this is definitely a great level of native contrast for a single-chip DLP projector in this price range, the problem is that the projector lacks a dynamic contrast system to take things to the next level. Without one, it really holds back the image relative to other projectors that are currently selling in this price segment, and even some other UST options that cost considerably less.

While the HU85LA was here, I took a look at a few scenes from the movie Ad Astra on Ultra HD Blu-ray. This movie can be tough for any display to render convincingly, not just projectors. Like most sci-fi movies, it has shots of pure black space, dimly lit interiors, and plenty of shots where mixed bright and dark elements appear on screen at the same time.  The HU85LA had no problem with most of the shots when mixed content was on screen, but fell apart anytime most of the image needed to be black. Shots of space subjectively looked more like a shade of gray. A dynamic contrast system would have helped dramatically throughout. So if you watch a lot of sci-fi or horror movies, you may want to consider a different projector. 

Brighter video content is where this projector comes alive. I played back a few scenes from the movie Midsommar on Ultra HD Blu-ray. The bright outdoor sequences portraying the idyllic Swedish retreat where the majority of this movie takes place looked remarkably good. Thanks to LG’s excellent dynamic tonemapping solution for HDR10 video material, the image had an impressive sense of depth, dynamic range, and natural color rendition. There was also an impressive sense of image sharpness and resolution that few other UST projectors that I’ve seen, at any price point, have.

Video games also suit the HU85LA extremely well. I can’t tell you how much fun I had playing games like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order on the big screen in my living room. The HU85LA offered an image that was tack sharp, with lots of pop and apparent resolution. Flying around in Flight Simulator was extremely impressive, with the projector allowing me to see extremely far off in the distance and able to make out exquisite detail rendered in distant objects. Pans and other fast movements had an impressive sense of motion resolution as well, something I think gamers will really appreciate.

With that said, input lag isn’t the best. I measured 53 milliseconds with my Leo Bodnar input lag tester. This should still be low enough for most casual, noncompetitive titles like a flight simulator or real-time strategy games. In my own experience, I didn’t run into any major issues. However, if you’re a more competitive gamer, you might want to look elsewhere.

I also tested the speaker system built into the projector. As expected, bass performance was lacking. But this level of bass performance is pretty typical for speaker systems built into projectors. Dialogue sounded great. It was crisp and detailed and the volume can go pretty high without any major issues with audible distortion. At this projector’s price point, I suspect most owners will opt for a dedicated two-channel or surround sound system anyways, so I don’t expect this to be a deal breaker for most.

The Downside

As mentioned above, the only major gripe I have with the HU85LA is its lack of a dynamic contrast system. Historically speaking, one of the big ways premium displays differentiate themselves from the more value-oriented segment of the market is by offering up enhanced contrast performance. You saw this with plasma and continue to see this with OLED televisions. And that’s because contrast performance is one of the most important aspects of a subjectively pleasing image. And when you’re using DLP as your display device, a technology that hasn’t kept up with LCD-based projector technology in terms of native contrast over the years, a dynamic contrast system has become even more important if the projector wants to remain relatively competitive, especially in the more premium part of the projector market.

Another issue I see with the HU85LA is the DMD LG has chosen to use. The .66-inch XPR DMD has a hardware limitation that forces all video to be output at 60 Hz. This means 24p film cadence often takes a noticeable hit. You may see some occasional judder introduced by the forced 3:2 pulldown. Playing back the iconic Minas Tirith sequence from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King clearly showed off this motion deficiency. As Gandalf and Pippen ride their way up through the city, these long panning shots were filmed with 24p cadence in mind and are supposed to appear smooth. Through the HU85LA, there was noticeable judder added into the moving image. One way to help lessen this issue is to enable the De-Judder option found in the TruMotion menu system. Set to level 1, I found this helped remove most of the obvious judder, but could not fix this problem completely.

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One last thing you should be aware of is that, despite using an RGB laser light source, the HU85LA is still prone to color breakup artifacts, more commonly referred to as rainbows. I see a lot of mixed information out there regarding solid-state illumination and how it relates to creating (or not creating) these artifacts. Creating this artifact is determined by how quickly color can be provided in sequence to the DLP DMD imaging device, not necessarily the type of light source being used. While there are some LED and laser bank controllers that can provide colors in sequence fast enough to avoid seeing the issue, in the case of the HU85LA, it doesn’t appear that LG is using a controller that can supply color and sequence fast enough to avoid the phenomenon. Based on my subjective testing, rainbows are still visible, appearing about as often as I’ve seen them on projectors using a six-segment RGBRGB color wheel that are typically found in projectors near this price point. So if you’re sensitive to seeing these artifacts, you’re more than likely going to see them with this projector on occasion.

How Does the LG HU85LA Compare to the Competition?

One of the HU85LA’s closest competitors in feature-set and overall performance is Optoma’s CinemaX P2. Like LG’s projector, the P2 is a 4K/HDR10 capable, single-chip DLP projector featuring a laser-based light engine, stereo speakers, and a smart operating system to provide owners with a near-complete TV-replacement package. Despite these similarities, the P2 comes in at a far more attractive price point of $3,299. But it’s not just price where the P2 takes a lead. Optoma also delivers an additional 300 lumens of specified image brightness, a slightly more expansive range in color reproduction, and, most importantly, a true dynamic laser dimming feature for improved contrast performance that that HU85LA desperately needs to compete at its high asking price. If you’re looking to stick with a single-chip DLP projector, the P2 is high on my list of other projectors to consider. 

Priced at $5,999, Epson has taken direct aim at the HU85LA with the company’s recently released LS500 UST projector. Like the LG and Optoma UST projectors, the LS500 also includes a long-lasting laser-based light engine, stereo speakers, and an AndroidTV operating system. One of the ways the LS500 separates itself from the HU85LA, however, is that a 120-inch ALR screen is bundled in at that price, making the LS500 a truly complete TV-replacement package. Because this is 3LCD-based, you do lose out on a few inherent strengths that DLP projectors offer, such as great motion resolution and higher on-screen resolution, but in lieu of that, you’ll be gaining better native and dynamic contrast and won’t need to worry about color breakup artifacts interjecting themselves when viewing high-contrast video material.

Final Thoughts

Whether or not the HU85LA is right for you truly depends on the type of video content you typically watch. If it will be primarily used for sports, video games, and brighter TV-style content, I think this projector is a great option. The image is tack sharp, provides excellent resolution and class leading performance in motion, color, video processing, and a multitude of smart TV software options that a lot of owners will find useful.

The main problem I see with the HU85LA is the lack of a dynamic contrast system. And because I’m coming at this review with home theater in mind, the way this projector recreates a movie-viewing experience is my main focus. And it’s in this area where I feel this projector simply lacks what’s needed to keep up with other options currently on the market, some of which are quite a bit less expensive. And at this projector’s premium price point, solid contrast performance is definitely needed to justify the cost.

BenQ GS2 Wireless LED Portable Projector Review

I’ve always talked about setting up an outdoor projector for movie nights during the warmer months, but the complexity of projectors has always scared me away. And I imagine I’m not alone in that. The good news is that BenQ has made the difficulties of setting up a portable backyard cinema disappear. The company’s new GS2 wireless portable projector was made for people exactly like me.

The $599 projector is rated to deliver 500 ANSI lumens output, and although projected resolution is limited to 720p (1280 x 720 pixels, 16:9), it will accept a 1080p signal via HDMI. Its internal battery will last for about the length of an average movie – with power saving features enabled it is likely to reach 3 hours.

In a nutshell, the BenQ GS2 projector is not only portable but truly lives up to the promise of “hassle-free wireless setup.” Going into it skeptically, I went from unboxing the GS2 to streaming video through it via my iPhone literally within minutes, much to my surprise. 

For testing purposes, I relied on both a home-made plywood outdoor screen and my living room wall (textured paint). In both cases the image was crisp and sharp from edge to edge with vivid accurate colors. There was no vignetting and viewing angles were great.

Aside from the easy setup, there’s a lot to like about the cube-shaped portable projector, which measures in at 5.4 by 5.6 by 5.4inches and weights just 3.5 pounds. Very often, products are described as portable when they really aren’t. The GS2, though, earns that adjective not only due to its size, but also its nice, soft canvas carrying case, which holds everything you need for an impromptu exhibition, including the projector’s power adapter along with a few accessories. 

Like most people, I rarely read electronics instruction manuals. But in this case the quick start guide was right there, so I took a look.

The process it details will almost take you more time to read than it actually takes to do. First, you connect the included magnetic power adapter, which is great for instantly disconnecting in the event someone trips over the cord. Then install the wireless dongle.

The bottom of the BenQ GS2 has a standard 1/4”-20, which instantly brought to mind thoughts of my Gitzo tripod. The projector attached securely to the tripod and now can be placed anywhere, not just where I have a flat surface. Relying on the level built into the tripod head, it was quick and easy to get the projector positioned and oriented in no time at all. I also attached a small sand bag to keep it in place.

For the most part, any flat surface will work, just make sure it’s sturdy. The BenQ GS2 has a built-in keystone adjustment of 1D, Vertical ± 40 degrees, making it easy to get a level image.

Once the BenQ GS2 is powered up, focused, and centered on the screen, choose the Wi-Fi network and your device (iOS, MacOS, or Android), and connect them. It was seamless connecting an iPhone, iPad, and MacBook Pro, although the content you can stream varies by device.

Via my iPhone, I was able to get directly onto specific TV apps for local stations and CNN, for example. When I went to play Netflix, though, I got an on-screen message: “The app is not compatible with your device. You can download a compatible version from the Netflix website.” Except I couldn’t.

As stated on the BenQ website, “Please be informed that watching online streaming media content, like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Disney+, from mobile devices with a BenQ projector is not a viable option at this moment. This is due to their subscription-based business model with license and copyright concern.”

Hopefully someday soon the copyright gods give our iPhones streaming permission with Netflix and other streaming services to all devices. But not to be defeated, I took out my MacBook Pro and, with Firefox as my browser, I had my Netflix and YouTube accounts working perfectly with the BenQ GS2.

All in all, downloading apps directly to the BenQ GS2 was kind of confusing, but after a few tries I had them playing. Part of the confusion was due to the wireless remote, which did drove me crazy. It not very responsive and it seemed like I had to have it pointing directly at the sensor and be within a short distance. I put in a new battery and it wasn’t much better.

The BenQ GS2 is built with durable construction, though, including a unibody structure and soft rubber exterior, enabling it to withstand a 1.6-foot drop, which doesn’t seem like much, but it’s something. The projector is also IPX2 splash resistant, meaning it can withstand dripping water when it’s tilted at an angle up to 15 degrees. Even knowing, play it safe. Don’t drop it and don’t set it up next to your pool. 

Some features of the BenQ include built in Bluetooth 4.0 to send the audio to your own speaker if you don’t want to rely on the pair of internal two-watt speakers. Built in Wi-Fi works with 2.4 and 5GHz and the interface ports include HDMI (1.4a with HDCP 1.4), USB-C, USB 2.0 (type A), 3.5 mm audio out, and a light sensor.

High Points

  • The BenQ GS2 is just as advertised, a portable projector that is easy to use.
  • Thanks to its built-in battery and speakers, the GS2 is a complete package for a quick, easy family movie night under the stars.
  • The image it delivers is crisp and sharp from edge to edge, with vivid and accurate colors
  • At only $599, you’re getting a lot of projector for your money, assuming you don’t expect 4K imagery or HDR support.

Low Points

  • Not all streaming services are available, but hopefully that will change in time.
  • The wireless remote needs to be close to the GS2 and isn’t always responsive.
  • Battery life could be improved.
  • The internal speakers are there, but the sound isn’t going to be the life of a party, adding your own speakers makes it come to life.

Anker Nebula Cosmos Max 4K Projector Review – Is it the Ideal Portable?

Anker

The Cosmos Max 4K Home Projector ($1,799) is at the top of the line for Nebula – a brand that may not be as well-known as Epson, JVC, or Sony, but as a division of Anker Innovations, there is serious backing behind the name. The Cosmos Max is more than a simple video projector, in that it has built-in speakers and Android TV 9.0, making it an all-in-one entertainment system.

The Cosmos Max 4K is a “Faux-K” projector in that it utilizes a 1920×1080 DLP panel and uses pixel shifting to create a 3840 x 2160 image. Nebula obtains 1500 ANSI lumens with an RGB LED light source. In addition to Android TV streaming capabilities via Wi-Fi, the Cosmos Max 4K can also receive signals via Chromecast, as well as its HDMI and USB inputs. The HDMI input will accept signals up to 4K at 60 frames per secondm with support for HDR10 and HLG. Its static contrast ratio is rated at 1000:1, witha claimed dynamic contrast ratio of 100,000:1. The fixed 1.2 zoom means you will need to place the projector between 31 and 157 inches from the screen to get an image between 30 and 150 inches. The instructions suggest placing the projector so it squarely faces a flat, white wall. The Cosmos Max has a built in autofocus system that worked to quickly focus the projector, resulting in a sharp picture. I tried the keystone correction and it worked fairly well, but resulted in some visible artifacts that were easily eliminated by squaring the projector up to the wall.

The Cosmos Max has a socket in the bottom for mounting to an optional ceiling pole mount or tripod. I used a tripod I already had on hand and placed it approximately nine feet from the wall, which provided an image measuring just over 7.5 feet wide. The image was bright enough to be watchable during the day in a room with windows, so long as the sun was not directly hitting the viewing surface. Contrast was fairly good in a dark room, but the image appeared washed out in a room lit well enough to read. While the Cosmos Max’s brightness is reported as 1,500 lumens, it appeared a bit dimmer than other similarly spec’d projectors.

During my time with the projector, most of my viewing was through the built-in streaming apps, including my son’s favorite, YouTube. Netflix had to be “side loaded” with the firmware I had, but that may change with future versions. I also did a little bit of viewing via my Oppo UDP-203 using the Cosmos Max’s HDMI input. The Cosmos Max had no problem accepting signals ranging from 480p to 4K and did a decent job with upscaling lower-resolution signals, but with a few more jagged edges than when I set my Oppo to do the scaling.

In addition to trying a white wall as a screen, I also used my Stewart StudioTek100 screen, which made a noticeable improvement on sharpness and color uniformity. I should note that those of you without a screen or white wall are not entirely out of luck, as the settings menu has presets for other wall colors. I tried them on other walls of different colors and it was a decent start, but the farther you get away from white, the harder it will be to get reasonably accurate colors.

The speakers on the Cosmos Max sounded decent for their size, but don’t expect the equivalent of a dedicated audio system.  If you are used to a full-blown speaker setup like I am, you may find the same quirk as I did.  If the projector is close to the wall, the sound will come from an imaging point that makes sense, but if you hang the projector from the ceiling or set it on a table, voices will be strangely oriented from the projector rather than where you see the projector. Connecting the Cosmos Max to an external audio system will of course fix this.

High Points

  • The Cosmos Max is incredibly easy to setup and use, making it much more likely to be used more often.  
  • The built-in speaker sounds surprisingly good, with intelligible dialogue, reasonable dynamics at moderate volumes, and even a respectable soundstage.
  • The video quality of the Cosmos Max, with its out of the box settings and autofocus, was not entirely accurate on the color spectrum, but quite watchable without further tweaking.

Low Points

  • The Cosmos Max’s power cable has a large brick in a few feet away from the projector. This is not a problem if you are setting it on a tabletop or tripod, but can be a problem if you are doing a ceiling mount.
  • There is a slight green tint to the right of white text that is visible when sitting close to the screen.
  • The picture is a bit dimmer than what I would expect to see given the rated light output.

How Does the Nebula Cosmos Max Compare to the Competition?

The BenQ HT3550 ($1,699) is also a DLP pixel-shifting projector, but has ISF Certification settings and a large color gamut. The speakers do not appear to be as good as those built into the Cosmos Max, but the 2000 lumens of brightness may make up for it depending on your needs. If you need even more brightness, the BenQ TK850 has less color accuracy but is brighter at 3,000 lumens.

Optoma’s UHD52ALV ($1,799) 3, projector appears to employ the same DLP chip and has an optional wireless dongle for streaming. It also has Alexa and Google controls.

Lastly, the Epson EF12 ($899) is a small laser-based 1080p, LCD, 1,000-lumen unit with built in streaming.

For a more projector related information please be sure to check out HomeTheaterReview.com’s projector page.

Final Thoughts

The Cosmos Max surprised me, in a pleasant way. I am used to high-performance projectors and audio gear in a dedicated theater room, which doesn’t exactly make me a prime candidate for reviewing an all-in-one unit. Then again, although the Cosmos Max cannot match the performance of any of the better 4K projectors or any decent audio system, it doesn’t really need to. The projector puts out a perfectly watchable image so long as the room is relatively dark, and while the sound may not shake the room, it is enough to be engaging. In my many years of reviewing audio gear, this is one of only a handful of products that has caught the attention of my “non-techie” friends.

My friends were impressed by the same thing I found to be the real beauty of the Cosmos Max: it’s a highly portable entertainment system that you can set it up just about anywhere in just a couple of minutes and start watching whatever you want to stream. If you want even more performance, you can use the menu to adjust the picture and audio output to connect to a full audio system. The flexibility of the Cosmos Max to be either a portable, all-in-one entertainment system or a projector in a dedicated theater system makes it attractive. At $1,800, it’s a good start for a home projector from a relatively new brand, but I think it would be more attractive in the $1,400 to $1,600 price point.  If the price tag is a little too steep for your wallet, there is a 1080p version called the Cosmos (sans the “Max”), available for $799.

Sony VPL-VW915ES 4K SXRD Projector Review

After posting my initial First Look article for Sony’s new VPL-VW915ES, the company was kind enough to let me hang on to it so I could get a more in-depth feel for the projector. As I previously wrote, Sony has added in some new hardware and software features over the previous model, which help improve the overall experience and improve picture quality, too. While I don’t think it’s fair to say these improvements constitute a revolutionary jump in overall performance, the improvements over the VPL-VW885ES the 915ES replaces are the types of gains in performance that were needed most. And, most importantly, Sony has dropped the price by twenty percent, bringing the MSRP down to $19,999.

The first of these improvements is an updated dynamic contrast system, which Sony calls Dual Contrast Control. At launch, the 885ES was only using its laser light source to dynamically boost contrast performance. With DCC on the 915ES, Sony has enabled the iris found within the lens to help further enhance contrast. With two ways to boost contrast, Sony can not only more efficiently adapt the projected image, it can also do it with fewer visible dynamic contrast-related artifacts. In fact, with the exception to full-fades-to-black, the 915ES has one of the most well-programmed dynamic contrast systems found in any home theater projector available today. With normal, everyday video content, I witnessed no issues with pumping, flickering, or gamma shifts like you see on most other projectors using dynamic contrast.

The second notable improvement is an updated video processing solution, which Sony claims can analyze more parameters of the video than ever before, down to the individual pixel level. The new ‘X1 for projector’ video processing solution found inside the 915ES also allows Sony to include a new HDR processing mode called Dynamic HDR Enhancer. As I mentioned in my First Look article, however, this new software feature is not a dynamic tonemapping solution that many were hoping for. Instead, this appears to be no more than an updated and tweaked version of the Contrast Enhance software feature of the 885ES. While this new software definitely provides a boost in subjective image quality when viewing HDR10 video, it still falls a bit behind some of the more advanced tonemapping techniques currently employed by other brands in the premium projector market. More on this later.

As I mentioned before, pretty much everything else with this projector remains the same compared to the previous model. The 915ES still uses Sony’s latest 0.74-inch native 4K SXRD panels, a long-lasting Z-Phosphor (blue laser and phosphor) light source providing owners with up to 2,000 lumens of light output, a fully motorized lens with lens memories, Sony’s Reality Creation upscaling and image refinement engine, Digital Focus Optimizer to help offset lens focus non-uniformity, MotionFlow creative frame interpolation with video sources up to 4K60p, as well as support for HLG, HDR10 (with REC2020 compatibility), and 3D.

Setting Up the Sony VPL-VW915ES

The 915ES comes in an attractive matte black chassis that looks nearly indistinguishable from the 995ES I reviewed last year. This is a fairly large and bulky projector, weighing in at a hefty 44 pounds. Take note of this if you plan on ceiling-mounting the projector. You’re going to need an extra set of hands if you want to do this safely.

The main thing that sets the 915ES apart from the 995ES in looks is a slightly less impressive lens to help justify the reduction in price. Sony specifies the throw ratio for this lens as a wide 1.38:1 to 2.83:1, with up to ±85 percent vertical and ±31 percent horizontal lens shift. This gives owners a ton of flexibility in where the projector can be placed in relation to the screen. And with the lens being centrally mounted and fully motorized, it makes the initial setup quick and painless. Owners can simply walk up to their screen and dial in zoom, shift, and focus with the remote control. If you notice some issues with convergence during setup, the 915ES features a digital convergence correction feature in the menu system to better align the projector’s three primary color images. I highly suggest you take advantage of this software for the sharpest-looking image possible.

Connection options are pretty typical for a home theater projector in this price segment. Owners will find a pair of full-bandwidth HDMI 2.0b ports; a pair of 12-volt triggers; dedicated IR, IP, and RS-232 system control options; and a type-A USB port for system updates. If you happen to misplace your remote, Sony has also included physical buttons on the chassis to control the projector. The included remote is one of the best in the business. It’s large, backlit, and gives you direct access to nearly every picture control option you’d want to have in the palm of your hand.

The menu system is intuitively laid out, with a whole host of options available within to alter the image and control the projector. As well as basic calibration controls, the 915ES offers a full color management system, two-point white balance controls, user-selectable gamma settings, and laser power settings to control the peak white image brightness of the projector. Other useful settings found within the menu system are the Reality Creation smart sharpening and noise reduction options, MotionFlow smooth motion options, Cinema Black Pro dynamic contrast options, manual HDR video processing options, and manual color space control options. 

The projector also comes with several preset picture options to choose from, each ideal for a different setup scenario. Unless you’re placing the 915ES in a less-than-ideal space with poor light control, you’ll want to stick to the projector’s Reference picture mode, as it offers the best out-of-the-box image performance, but the least amount of light output. If you’re struggling with image brightness, you have the option of choosing a different image mode to gain some light output, but at the expense of image accuracy.

If you plan on gaming with the 915ES, you’ll find a dedicated low-lag video processing mode that dramatically reduces the time it takes for the signal to be received and ultimately displayed on screen. With my Leo Bodnar input lag tester, I measured an excellent 21 milliseconds of lag, which is about as good as it gets for a projector in this price range and a low enough figure for most non-competitive gamers.

If you plan on using an anamorphic lens with the 915ES, you’ll be happy to hear that the projector not only includes an anamorphic scaling mode for traditional 1.33x anamorphic lenses, but also those manufactured by Panamorph, which allows owners to use the entire 4096 by 2160 pixel count of the projector for increased image brightness on screen. If you zoom to fill your anamorphic aspect ratio screen, you can set lens settings to memory to be recalled later. Owners have five dedicated memory slots that can be used for specific aspect ratios.

While all major 3D formats are supported, glasses are not included in the box. The 3D emitter is built into the projector, with no dedicated port on the back for use with a third-party emitter. So if you plan on watching 3D, be sure to pick up some glasses when you order the projector.

How Does the Sony VPL-VW915ES Perform?

At the 915ES’s premium $19,999 price point, I was expecting nothing short of class leading performance across the board. And, other than with some issues in the way this projector handles HDR10 video (which we’ll discuss more in the next section), the 915ES provides one of the best projected images available today.

Sony has designed a projector that offers top-tier performance in nearly every facet of its image. This projector offers a rare combination of high contrast, high brightness, strong color saturation, native 4K resolution, and high-quality video processing that few other projectors currently have. With SDR video in particular, you’d be hard pressed to find another projector available today that looks as good as the 915ES does overall. And if we look at the measured performance, it’s easy to see why.

Out of the box, choosing the projector’s aptly named Reference picture mode, the 915ES offers just that. In fact, once I calibrated out the small white balance shift my screen introduced into the image with the included two-point white balance controls, the 915ES offered the best out-of-the-box image performance I’ve seen from any projector to date. No other changes within the menu system were needed to achieve an accurate calibration. And, compared to the lamps typically used in home theater projectors, this projector’s laser light source is far less prone (though not immune) to changes in the quality of light entering the optical engine, so owners should expect this level of performance to remain for quite some time.

As you can see, grayscale performance tracked nicely across all IREs, with the projector accurately covering the entire REC709 color gamut required for most SDR video. And with the gamma correction setting option enabled within the menu system, opting for the 2.2 preset, I measured flat performance across all IREs as well, with delta errors across the board well below 3.0, which is the threshold for visible errors.

For HDR10 video sources, the 915ES offers a REC2020 compatibility mode. After calibration, I measured the projector to cover nearly 90 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut within the REC2020 triangle. While this level of color performance is technically a step below a few other projectors near or below the 915ES in price, in practice, I found this level of color saturation beyond REC709 still subjectively satisfying enough and definitely noticeable with content that makes good use of it.

I often use Inside Out on Ultra HD Blu-ray to test out color saturation performance because it has some of the deepest and most vibrant shades of color found in any video material available today. And while a few other projectors may have a small yet noticeable lead in color rendition, I was still more than satisfied by the performance offered by the 915ES. Colors appeared well-saturated and natural in tone.

Light output offered by the 915ES is class competitive. After an SDR calibration, with the projector’s lens set to maximum zoom and the laser light source set to maximum output, I measured peak light output at 1,750 lumens, which is bright enough to fill a fairly large sized projection screen in a dedicated, light-controlled space. If you prefer less light to hit your screen, you have the option to adjust the laser light source output, in one percent increments, down to your desired level.

Contrast performance is also very good overall. I measured a maximum native contrast ratio of 14,300:1, after calibration. And with regular video content playing on screen, you can expect just under 30,000:1 dynamic contrast with Sony’s new Dual Contrast Control system enabled. Additionally, with the dynamic contrast system setting set to Full, the lasers shut off when an all-black image is detected, effectively giving the 915ES an infinite level of contrast. However, throw just a few pixels of non-black picture information into frame and you jump back up to the same black level that 30,000:1 in on/off contrast provides.

Other than what’s provided by current JVC projectors, the 915ES is about as good as it gets for contrast performance from any home theater projector available today. Despite being used to the level of contrast my reference JVC DLA-NX9 provides, there were only a few instances throughout my time with this projector where I felt the level of contrast provided was at a disadvantage. 

It took some pretty challenging video, such as the opening sequence of Avengers: Infinity War, to show the difference. I like to use this sequence to test contrast and black level performance because it not only shows the blackness of space, but also some pretty tough low-lit interior shots where mixed dark and bright elements appear on screen at the same time. While this sequence through the 915ES didn’t have quite the same dynamic range or black floor provided by my NX9, the performance was still extremely impressive, dwarfing all of the other projectors that I’ve reviewed recently in terms of raw dynamic range within the image. So, unless you plan on watching a lot of extremely dark video content, like you’d find on the later Harry Potter films or Game of Thrones, the 915ES should satisfy all but the pickiest of videophiles.

Keen-eyed readers may have noticed that a lot of these measurements are nearly identical to those I measured from Sony’s far more expensive VPL-VW995ES projector, which helps cement the idea I’ve had ever since the 915ES arrived – you’re getting nearly the same overall level of performance and image quality, but for dramatically less money. The crucial bit that I think makes this a reality is a much-improved lens compared to older 4K SXRD projectors that use, supposedly, the same lens. I’m assuming that Sony is hand-picking the best lenses for this model, which would explain what I’m seeing. The 915ES focused down on pixels a bit tighter and focus uniformity across the entire image has improved over previous models that share this same lens. It’s to the point where, from a normal seating distance, I don’t know how much an improvement in image sharpness the 995ES’s ARC-F lens would add.

The only areas of measured performance I’d like Sony to try and improve upon would be to increase native on/off contrast performance closer to what JVC is currently offering near this price point, and provide additional color saturation performance to cover, at minimum, the full DCI-P3 color gamut within REC2020.

The Downside

The only major drawback to the 915ES is with its software handling of HDR video material. Let me be clear – if you want to get the most from this projector when playing back HDR10 video material, like you’ll find on Ultra HD Blu-ray discs and HDR video from most streaming services available today, you’ll want to steer clear of the built-in HDR video processing solution. It’s not that what’s included is bad, per say, it’s just that the way it processes and displays HDR is outdated by today’s standards. It’s the kind of HDR rendering performance I’d expect to see in the sub-$5,000 price segment, not something worthy of a projector costing four times more. So if you want to leverage all that this projector has to offer in terms of dynamic range and color fidelity, you’ll want to purchase something like a Lumagen Radiance Pro or madVR Envy to dynamically tonemap HDR video content instead.

The problem is that Sony is still adhering to either a reference PQ curve or an optional static tonemapping solution (enabled by default), which can be further augmented by Sony’s new Dynamic HDR Enhancer software tool. You can think of a static tonemap as a way to compress the huge amount of dynamic range encoded into an HDR10 image down into a fixed range set by the software that’s easier for low-light displays to handle. 

The problem with this method is that the amount of dynamic range encoded into the video signal fluctuates as it moves from scene to scene and frame to frame, so this single set of instructions on how to compress an ever-changing amount of dynamic range found in the video is rarely ideal for all portions of the video being played back. What you’re often left with are clipping artifacts and an image that can appear overly dark, colors that appear oversaturated, and, ironically, subjectively lacking in dynamic range. Sony uses their Dynamic HDR Enhancer tool to try and fix some of these inherent flaws to a static tonemap approach. This software is what’s known as a digital contrast enhancement tool, not dynamic tonemapping. 

In a nutshell, with this software, Sony shifts certain brighter pixels rendered within the static tonemapped image brighter, and makes certain darker pixels darker, in an effort to give the appearance there is more dynamic range within the image. Additionally, the software applies some desaturation of color to help mitigate any obvious oversaturated color issues. The processing works on a frame-by-frame basis. But compared to more advanced ways to tonemap HDR10 video material, even Sony’s Dynamic HDR Enhancer software leaves a lot to be desired. You still end up with an image that can appear overly dark and lacking in apparent dynamic range and, with particularly high-nit HDR10 video content, pixel information that’s supposed to be visible can be lost to clipping.

These inherent problems are why others in the industry, such as JVC and LG, have switched to a dynamic tonemapping (DTM) solution instead. Properly implemented DTM removes all of these issues because it can change the tonemap settings for each individual frame, providing viewers with not only all of the pixel information a static tonemap approach loses to clipping, but an image that appears far brighter overall, with more natural looking colors, and a better sense of dynamic range. When implemented correctly, DTM affords low-light output displays, like most home theater projectors, a new lease on life when it comes to presenting HDR. This is why JVC and LG include such software with their projectors and I’d like to see Sony make the same move on any subsequent 4K SXRD models. JVC and LG currently offer this type of HDR processing on models costing nearly a quarter the price of the 915ES, so Sony has no excuse not to include it as well. It really does make that much of a difference.

I fully realize that adding one of these outboard video processing solutions dramatically increases the cost of owning this projector. If you find yourself struggling to justify the additional cost, I’d recommend using one of Panasonic’s Ultra HD Blu-ray players to handle HDR10 video material instead. All models, including Panasonic’s $249 DP-UB420, feature the company’s excellent smart static tonemapping software, which not only gives you more control over how the HDR image is processed and rendered; HDR image quality is a step above what Sony’s built-in processing provides, too.

How Does the Sony VPL-VW915ES Compare to the Competition?

JVC’s DLA-NX9 (aka DLA-RS3000 in certain markets) is the 915ES’s direct competitor. These projectors have a lot in common and also a few key differences. Both are native 4K, offer a similar level of light output, similar build quality, and feature many of the same video processing and software features. 

One of the main differentiating features between the two is that the NX9 is lamp-based, while the 915ES uses a laser-based light source, which is where I think Sony justifies asking $2,000 more for their projector. But the NX9 offers far greater native and dynamic contrast ratios, more color saturation, a slightly nicer lens, and a far more robust HDR video processing solution (the real-time dynamic tonemapping mentioned above), which elevates stock HDR performance well above what the 915ES currently offers.

At the end of the day, if you’re the kind of person who plans on watching a lot of HDR video, the NX9 is simply a better projector for this type of video content. That is, unless you want to spend extra money on an outboard video processing solution to bridge the gap with the 915ES. If HDR isn’t your cup of tea, however, as I noted throughout my review, SDR video performance is extremely impressive, with image quality that truly reflects Sony’s asking price.

Final Thoughts

Sony’s VPL-VW915ES offers the kind of measured performance and image accuracy that most home theater projectors only wish they could have. With that said, I feel that Sony has dropped the ball a bit with its software handling of HDR10 video material compared to others in the premium home theater projector space. And with HDR video quickly becoming ubiquitous across all platforms, this puts the 915ES a step behind some of its direct competitors.

If you’re spending nearly twenty grand on a projector, I think it goes without saying that you’re looking for a complete solution that allows you to maximize picture quality, no matter the type of video content being played back. The 915ES has the ability to look excellent with HDR video material relative to what others in the premium home theater projector market space are currently offering. Remember, it has the raw image performance necessary to do this. It’s just that it needs some help to get there. Namely from a Lumagen Radiance Pro or from madVR. I had the opportunity to use both of these video processors with the 915ES while it was here and can attest that HDR did indeed look excellent. So if you plan on buying this projector, know that adding an outboard video processing solution is a prerequisite If you want to take advantage of all that the 915ES has to offer.

Epson Home Cinema 3800 4K PRO-UHD 3LCD Projector Review

While Epson might be marketing its new Home Cinema 3800 as an evolutionary jump in performance over the HC3700 it replaces, this new projector simply feels like so much more. That’s because Epson has given the HC3800 several really important performance and functionality upgrades that I think make it an incredible value for its $1,699 asking price.

One of the most important new features is the company’s proprietary 4K PRO-UHD pixel shifting technology. 4K PRO-UHD supplements the projector’s native 1080p image to increase perceived resolution to near-4K. The HC3700 was limited to native 1080p, and while pixel-shifting can’t quite match the single pixel performance of true native 4K panels, in my experience, it gets you most of the way there.

The other huge upgrade the HC3800 gets is compatibility with Ultra HD video sources with support for both HDR10 and HLG high dynamic range. To make this happen, Epson has overhauled the electronics and video processing of the projector. In fact, as far as I can tell, you’re now getting essentially the same video processing solution found in the 5050UB (reviewed here). And, as you’d expect from any 4K HDR-compliant display, Epson has upgraded the HDMI ports to be 18Gbps HDMI 2.0 compliant.

Like the previous model, Epson is still specifying 3,000 lumens of light output. However, it appears there have been some changes made to the projector’s light engine. Epson now claims up to 100,000:1 dynamic contrast, which is a more than 40 percent increase over the previous generation.

Most of the other specifications remain the same. Notable features include continued support for all major 3D formats, an all-glass lens with both horizontal and vertical lens shift, a stereo pair of 10-watt speakers, aptX Bluetooth connectivity, a 250-watt UHP lamp rated for up to 5,000 hours of use, and a two-year limited warranty.

If you’re considering this projector, you might also be considering a single-chip DLP projector. Both technologies have their pros and cons, but I think the pros are what makes the HC3800 such a great value. The first strength is its 3LCD light engine, which makes the projector immune to visible color breakup artifacts (more commonly referred to as rainbows) from which most single-chip DLP projectors suffer. This artifact presents itself as fleeting flashes of color in your peripheral vision when mixed bright and dark elements appear on screen at the same time. They can be a bit distracting when you’re trying to watch a movie, so the Epson’s lack thereof is a big deal for people especially susceptible to this artifact.

What’s worse, visible color breakup artifacts are even more problematic for single-chip DLP projectors in the era of HDR. As manufacturers continue to increase light output to better display this high-brightness format, the color breakup artifacts associated with sequential-color DLP projectors become exponentially easier to see. So if you’re even the slightest bit sensitive to rainbows (most people are), going with a single-chip DLP projector that’s as bright as the HC3800 is probably not the best idea. Choosing a projector that uses a 3-chip light engine is a much safer choice in this regard.

Another huge advantage of this projector is its color performance, especially in comparison to many of the brighter single-chip DLP projector options in this price class. In order for brighter DLP projectors to put out a competitive level of light, they often sacrifice color saturation performance to get there, with many not even able to fully cover the REC709 color gamut (1080p Blu-ray color reproduction), let alone color saturation past this to better handle the deeper gamut encoded into most of the 4K HDR10 video content available today. The HC3800 has a picture mode that allows for both high brightness and relatively strong color saturation performance that’s important to more faithfully render Hollywood films and shows.

The HC3800 also has a significant edge in on/off contrast performance. Most Hollywood films and shows these days are fairly dark overall, so choosing a projector with an inherent strength in contrast performance should be near the top of your list of things to consider when shopping for a home theater projector, especially if movies dominate your viewing habits. Unfortunately for DLP, the technology has actually gone backwards in potential contrast performance over the last ten years, with Texas Instruments now focusing more on how much resolution hits your screen over some of these other, more important, aspects of image quality.

Setting Up the Epson HC3800

The HC3800 is a relatively small and light projector, which made installation and setup quite easy compared to most of the other home theater projectors that have come through here recently. I chose to shelf-mount the projector in the back of my theater, but the HC3800 can just as easily accommodate a ceiling mount installation. For those shelf mounting, Epson includes a pair of adjustable feet to help achieve proper image geometry on screen.

Unlike most projectors at or around its price, the HC3800 offers a wide throw range of 1.32 to 2.15 and a generous amount of lens shift, specified as ±60 percent vertical and ±24 percent horizontal. This gives you a ton of flexibility as to where the projector can be placed in relation to the screen. For trickier setup scenarios, the projector includes keystone correction software that allows for ±30 degrees in both vertical and horizontal planes. If you can avoid it, though, I highly suggest setting the projector up in a location that does not require the use of this software, as keystone correction reduces image resolution and apparent sharpness.

All lens controls are manual, as one would expect from a projector at this price. But other than dialing in the focus adjustment, this doesn’t really pose any major issues during the setup process. With that said, I’d recommend taking your time dialing in the focus on this particular projector. On my review sample, I found the focus sweet-spot to be quite small. Like a fussy shower faucet, dialing it even just a hair off of that spot resulted in obviously soft focus (though, thankfully, I was never frozen or scalded in my experimentation)

Lens quality is decent for a projector at this price, with no obvious signs of onscreen chromatic aberrations. Panel convergence was also spot on with my review sample. Should your HC3800 need some help in this area, you can take advantage of the convergence correction software found in the menu.

For connections, the HC3800 comes equipped with the aforementioned pair of HDMI 2.0 ports, but also a pair of USB ports to power connected devices, a 3.5mm analog audio output to feed external speakers, a single 12-volt trigger port, an RS-232 port for system control, and a Kensington lock for installations where extra security is needed.

While the HC3800 supports 3D, be aware that the projector doesn’t have a 3-pin DIN port to allow use of 3rd party emitters and glasses. Instead, the 3D emitter is built into the projector, with Epson specifying the company’s V12H548006 3D glasses as the only ones compatible with the projector. Glasses aren’t included in the box, so you may want to order some with the projector if you plan on watching 3D.

If you’ve used an Epson home theater projector in the past decade or so, you should feel right at home inside the menu system of the HC3800. You’ll will find four preset picture modes to choose from, although if you care about image accuracy, you’ll want to select Cinema mode. It’s the only picture mode that fully covers the REC709 color gamut (and then some). However, this mode offers the least amount of light output. So if you’re installing the projector in a setting where you need to fight some ambient light, like in a living room or office, you may want to consider using Natural mode instead. It won’t offer reference image performance, but it’s still reasonably accurate and provides an additional 25 percent in light output over Cinema mode.

The picture controls and optional video processing features on the HC3800 are essentially identical to Epson’s more expensive home theater models. If you’re the kind of person who likes to dial in the image or have a full calibration done, the projector offers extensive white balance, gamma, and color control options that make achieving a reference image easy. In fact, for its price, the amount of control you have over the image is class-leading. In particular, the gamma control options are better than some of projectors costing tens of thousands of dollars more.

Other useful settings in the menu system include three separate lamp modes to dial in your desired image brightness, two contrast-boosting dynamic iris modes, manual color space and dynamic range controls, dedicated scaling modes for use with an anamorphic lens, IP system control options via WiFi, 12-volt trigger modes, and settings to enable the projector’s smooth motion frame interpolation software. The latter is only available when a 1080p resolution image (or lower) is sent to the projector, though.

Just like the 5050UB I reviewed last year, the HC3800 also includes a suite of image enhancing software options meant to complement its 4K PRO-UHD technology. Most of these settings are designed to remove artifacts or help extract more detail out of the high-resolution video being sent to the projector. Epson includes five preset modes with increasing strength that can be further customized and saved to memory. I’d advise going light on these settings, though. When set too high, they often have a net-negative impact on image quality, resulting in a hard, overly processed picture.

How Does the Epson Home Cinema 3800 Look?

For all of the reasons detailed above, I selected the Cinema picture mode as a starting point for calibration. Prior to calibration, the projector’s white balance had too much blue. Using the projector’s 2-point white balance controls fixed the excess in blue, with delta errors averaging 2.9 after calibration, which is just below the detectable threshold for visible errors.

For color performance, I measured Cinema mode to cover 114 percent of the REC709 color gamut. This can be toned down if you find colors a bit too saturated. There was a bit of shift with shades of orange that I wasn’t able to calibrate out, as you can see in this color checker test found within Chromapure. Despite this, delta errors still averaged 2.7 after calibration, with the projector nailing most of the other color points. 

For light output, Cinema mode offered a maximum of 1,615 lumens in High lamp mode, 1,422 lumens in Medium, and 1,196 lumens in Eco after calibration. For any reasonably sized projection screen in a light controlled environment, Eco mode should offer enough light to fill a screen for SDR video content. The added benefit of using Eco mode is that fan noise from the projector is drastically reduced to a near-whisper level. Most similarly priced projectors I’ve tested recently are considerably louder when calibrated to output this much light. So, if your seats are close to where your projector is placed inside your room and you’re looking for a really quiet projector, the HC3800 is a great option based solely on this aspect.

For HDR10 video content, the HC3800 offers a REC2020 compatibility mode where the projector’s color performance past REC709 can be used to good effect. I measured it to cover 84 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut within the REC2020 triangle. It doesn’t quite reach full DCI-P3 color performance like some DLP projectors near its price, but the color performance is still more than acceptable.

Contrast performance from the HC3800 is class-leading. After calibration, I measured a maximum native on/off contrast ratio of 2,004:1. If you choose to enable the projector’s dynamic iris, it substantially boosts on/off contrast performance. You can choose between Fast and Normal modes, each of which alters how quickly the iris moves when it detects a change in the average picture level of the video. Both modes increased contrast performance the same, to 31,259:1. If this sounds too good to be true, you’re absolutely right. This high level of contrast is only achievable when the projector detects an all-black image. After I introduced a single, non-black pixel into the image, the amount of dynamic contrast dropped down to about 6,000:1, which is the peak amount of contrast you can expect when actual picture information is on screen. Despite the drop, this is still very good performance for a projector at this price.

For gamers, the HC3800 offers owners a low-lag video processing mode to cut down on the time it takes the projector to process and display an image. With my Leo-Bodnar input lag tester, I measured just under 21 milliseconds of input lag. This is a better-than-average measurement relative to other home theater projectors on the market, making the HC3800 a great choice for non-competitive gamers. Just be aware that certain video processing options within the menu system are unavailable when using this mode, as outlined in the user manual.

Testing the Epson Home Cinema 3800 with My Favorite Demo Material

So, what do all these numbers mean in terms of picture quality with actual video content? In most of my recent projector reviews, I’ve been using the first twenty minutes or so of Frozen II on Ultra HD Blu-ray for initial subjective impressions. The beginning of this movie has pretty much everything needed to test out a display’s performance. Scenes transition between extreme darkness and startling brightness several times. There are also plenty of shots with a kt of fine detail, fast camera movement, long sweeping pans, and vibrant colors that are meant to pop. To display this type of content convincingly, the projected image needs to have solid contrast performance, a decent level of image brightness, and provide deep, saturated colors. And, as we already know, the HC3800 excels in all three of these areas.

Despite this, I was still a little worried about some of the darker scenes, especially coming from my (much pricier) reference JVC DLA-NX9, with its far more impressive contrast performance. But those worries were soon put to rest. Even in the really dark sequences, like you see as King Agnarr begins to recount his tale, the HC3800 held its own. Coming from my JVC projector, yes, I could tell the level of black was raised in some of these darker scenes, but not in the obnoxious way you see with many projectors near this price. I found it took some fairly challenging video content to make the difference in contrast performance obvious. You’d be hard pressed to find another projector close to the HC3800’s price point with more apparent dynamic range in the image.

Motion and color performance also looked excellent. After the title sequence, there’s a long panning shot over water that ends on a close up of Elsa staring out from a balcony. The pan was smooth, with excellent motion resolution. Skin tones on Elsa’s face looked convincing as well, while the red and green accent colors painted on the balcony looked satisfyingly saturated.

When the movie transitions to one of its brighter sequences, like where we meet up with Olaf and Anna, subjective performance moves from good to great. The image in this sequence has excellent apparent dynamic range and looks positively three-dimensional. This is one of those image-quality traits you get when you have strong brightness and contrast performance at the same time. 

In particular, ANSI contrast performance is important for brighter video content like this. I didn’t get a chance to measure for this, unfortunately, but when I pulled up the test pattern, it was obvious that this projector excels in this area as well. This is a performance trait normally reserved for DLP projectors. Because of this, the image had an impressive looking-through-the-window quality that’s very rare for a projector at this price. As an example of what I mean, as Olaf turns his head to talk to Anna, you’re almost tricked into thinking his carrot nose protrudes from the screen into your room. Some shots also felt as if I was literally peering into the scene on screen. With imagery this three-dimensional, who needs 3D glasses?

Frozen II was not the exception to the rule. I had similar experiences watching titles like Star Wars: Episode IX, Midsommar, and Mortal Engines on Ultra HD Blu-ray. All looked remarkably good for a projector anywhere near this price.

The Downside

With all that said, there is a bit of a caveat to all of this. I suspect many of you plan on watching a lot of HDR10 video material through the HC3800. To get the most from the projector, I’d actually advise you to steer clear of the built-in HDR static tonemapping solution. Very few home theater projectors offer excellent tonemapping performance, and the ones that do are considerably more expensive. For those unfamiliar, tonemapping is how a display reduces the huge amount of dynamic range encoded into the HDR video to a range that relatively low-brightness displays (like home theater projectors) can actually display on screen. Having a solid tonemapping solution is pivotal if you want to achieve good HDR image quality through a projector.

What I’d recommend instead would be to use Panasonic’s $249 DP-UB420 Ultra HD Blu-ray player. It has the same excellent HDR Optimizer smart tonemapping solution found on the flagship UB9000 (reviewed here). Epson’s tonemapping isn’t bad at all for a projector at this price, but Panasonic’s tonemapping looks much better overall. The image is brighter, colors pop more, and there’s more apparent dynamic range. Consider this a must-have purchase if you plan on watching a lot of Ultra HD Blu-ray content through the HC3800. Play around with some of the tonemap settings on the player until you find a combination that looks best to you.

For a brief period of time, I also tested out the 10-watt stereo speakers built into the projector. As you can imagine, sound quality is lacking. To be fair, these speakers weren’t designed to replace a set of full-range speakers, so keep your expectations in check. Dialogue, however, was nice and clear and they can get pretty loud without obvious signs of distortion. Predictably, though, bass performance was lacking. With that said, I’m sure many will find the speakers handy in a pinch for an impromptu outdoor movie night or something similar. 

A more significant caveat is that Epson needs to work on the programming for their dynamic iris. Even with Fast mode selected, I don’t think it reacts quickly or smoothly enough when needed. This is especially evident when there are quick fades to black. The iris simply takes too long to close down and, as such, you can see a bit of pumping when it closes down and again when it opens back up as picture information returns. Thankfully, the iris isn’t programmed too aggressively when normal picture information is on screen, so it doesn’t intrude in on the experience of watching a movie very often, at least not to the degree I’ve seen from many of the DLP projectors at this level. Though, to be fair, those need more aggressive dynamic contrast solutions to help with their limited native contrast. Either way, the iris can be a bit clunky in its operation and I’d like to see Epson program it to work a bit smarter, if possible.

The only other thing I wish the projector included is a color filter to boost color saturation. I’d like to see at least full coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut. Most Hollywood films in HDR10 are color graded to offer deeper shades of color that reach out to DCI-P3 saturation within the REC2020 gamut the content is mastered for.

How Does the Epson Home Cinema 3800 Compare with the Competition?

If you’re looking to stick to 3LCD, I’d take a look at Epson’s very own Home Cinema 3200. This is considered the step-down model to the HC3800 and shares the vast majority of hardware and software employs in the HC3800. The main differences between the two are in contrast and light output. The HC3200 is rated for half as much contrast and a little less light output. This may remove the strong contrast advantage the HC3800 offers over most of the DLP projectors near its price, but if you’re planning on using a projector in an environment without adequate light control, you might not benefit from the extra contrast the HC3800 offers anyways, so the HC3200 may be the more logical choice. If you’re viewing in a more light-controlled environment, I’d say the increase in contrast offered is well worth the extra money if you can afford it.

If you’re also considering a single-chip DLP projector, I’d look into the Optoma UHD60. Yes, I know it’s three years old, but this model is still selling quite well and for good reason. At its $1,799 asking price, it’s one of only a few DLP options that seriously competes with the HC3800 in overall image quality and features. The fact is, most of the newer DLP projectors using the .45-inch XPR DMD are severely limited in contrast performance, which I think is extremely important for any projector claiming to be designed for home theater use. With the UHD60’s larger .67-inch DMD and its more optimized light engine, it’s going to offer owners a lot more native and dynamic contrast compared to most of the newer DLP competition.

Final Thoughts

I think it’s pretty obvious that Epson’s Home Cinema 3800 impressed me. In particular, the balance this projector strikes between contrast, light output, on-screen resolution, and color performance give it a substantial leg up on most of its competitors. I’m actually a little jealous of the people looking to get into the home theater hobby this year. It’s the kind of projector I wish were available 15 years ago when I first got into this hobby. If the HC3800 fits into your budget, place it on your short list of projectors to consider. I think you’ll be impressed with what you see.

Additional Resources
• Visit the Epson website for more product information.
• Epson’s New Projector Offers a Workspace Solution at HomeTheaterReview.com.
Epson Expands Home Cinema Projector Line at HomeTheaterReview.com.

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