LG demos tiny 4K 2500-lumen projector with 150" screen size

[Kaido]

Pricing TBA:

https://www.engadget.com/2018/01/04/lg-4k-projector-ces-2018/

Its portable design was made possible by its mirrorless I-shaped engine, which allows it to do its job whether you simply place it on the floor or carefully hang it from the ceiling.

 

[sdifox]

Never understood the obsession for tiny.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Never understood the obsession for tiny.

Never understood the obsession with silent.

 

[sdifox]

Never understood the obsession with silent.

Quiet projector is important since noise does impact viewing experience. Size of projector? Once you hang it, you don't even look at it.

Samething with thickness of tv. I don't stand there all day admiring the profile of a tv. I want my FALD.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Quiet projector is important since noise does impact viewing experience. Size of projector? Once you hang it, you don't even look at it.

Samething with thickness of tv. I don't stand there all day admiring the profile of a tv. I want my FALD.

I was speaking of computers in general. No home projectors come anywheres close to the noise level created by commercial projectors.

 

[Kaido]

Size of projector? Once you hang it, you don't even look at it.

Eh, I've got my HT2050 in my 10x10' bedroom...I wouldn't mind a smaller unit lol.

 

[sdifox]

Eh, I've got my HT2050 in my 10x10' bedroom...I wouldn't mind a smaller unit lol.

Ceiling mount. Also the one in the picture is not much smaller.

Also it looks like it is faux k and not 4k.

 

[Kaido]

Ceiling mount. Also the one in the picture is not much smaller.

It is ceiling mount. It's just huge & ugly lol.

 

[cmdrdredd]

They need to get these things to do HDR properly without being tens of thousands of dollars.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

That carpet will have better black levels than this projector will in that environment.

 

[sdifox]

It is ceiling mount. It's just huge & ugly lol.

I watch the movie, not the projector

 

[Kaido]

I watch the movie, not the projector

It also tends to overheat my bedroom #firstworldproblems

 

[sdifox]

It also tends to overheat my bedroom #firstworldproblems

So get a laser one.

 

[Kaido]

So get a laser one.

Lasers are awful. I don't even like laser-LED hybrids.

LED's have made a lot of headway. My current recommended model is the XGIMI H1. I've installed several...they are excellent, and the lens-shift capability is absolutely insane (you can put it on the far left or far right of the room, not just move the screen inches). Plus the H1 is quiet & doesn't run loud. And the PQ is equivalent to my BenQ (albeit runs cooler, due to the LED light engine).

 

[sdifox]

Err led lasers...

 

[Kaido]

Err led lasers...

I've used both (lasers & LED-laser hybrids). Meh on both (at least the present time). LED projectors are just starting to get really good though!

 

[sdifox]

I've used both (lasers & LED-laser hybrids). Meh on both (at least the present time). LED projectors are just starting to get really good though!

shining a light through LED is never a good thing

 

[Aikouka]

My current recommended model is the XGIMI H1.

I looked it up, and the listings state that it's 900 lumens. That seems really low for a ~$1000 projector as most $500+ projects are about 2000+ lumens.

 

[Kaido]

I looked it up, and the listings state that it's 900 lumens. That seems really low for a ~$1000 projector as most $500+ projects are about 2000+ lumens.

That is correct...ish. LED projects appear brighter than regular projectors. The H1 is pretty much on-par with my HT2050 (2200 lumens) in terms of producing a bright, quality picture. My only real complaint is that the H1 runs cooler (more blue-ish) in terms of color temperature (because of the LED light engine). Despite tweaking, I still think traditional bulbs offer a "warmer" picture. However, I think the H1 is more accurate of a picture. Very sharp. Given the choice right now, today, I would take the H1 over the HT2050 in a heartbeat. Instant-on is great too! On a tangent, if you don't mind dealing with the occasional Chinese menu & associated bugs, the XGIMI H1S-Aurora is available on Amazon with 1,200 lumens, which is a nice jump over 900. From my experience, 800 lumens is the minimum required for LED projectors to look great (like home theater great, not just "wow that's a nice big picture"). I currently have an AAXA HD Pico (720p @ 50 lumens) & it gives a surprisingly great picture that a lot of people would really like:

https://www.amazon.com/AAXA-HD-Pico-150-Minute-Rechargeable/dp/B01MCY4KYH

But if you really want a noice home theater setup, 800+ is required for LED projectors. For my local friends who want a really nice HT setup, I've pretty much only been doing XGIMI H1 installs since they came out last year. Plus the lens shift is mind-boggling, you can literally put it on the left or right side of the room & shoot the picture in the center. It's crazy! Game-changing, really. Plus it doesn't overheat your room, doesn't have a bulb that burns out, doesn't need warm-up time, isn't noisy, etc. Side note, I am not a fan of either of the LG 1080p LED models, especially the UST (cool concept, but I don't care for the PQ).

Anyway, +1 for the XGIMI H1, I totally recommend it. It's an amazing device.

 

[nitsuj3580]

The H1 is amazing. I am so thankful you posted about it back during the Indiegogo early bird time frame so I was able to jump on it at such a great price.

Sounds like you have installed a bunch of H1's. Have you been updating them when updates come out? I am still on the original software/firmware. The first update had issues and I've been reluctant to update since.

 

[Kaido]

The H1 is amazing. I am so thankful you posted about it back during the Indiegogo early bird time frame so I was able to jump on it at such a great price.

Sounds like you have installed a bunch of H1's. Have you been updating them when updates come out? I am still on the original software/firmware. The first update had issues and I've been reluctant to update since.

Yeah, I really wish I had jumped on more units at the pre-order price, but I didn't know how the quality/features were going to be, so it was a dice roll. And of course, the cheapest one on Amazon now is $850 (which is still a very reasonable price for what you get...I'm currently working on my buddy's basement HT with him & we installed a 200" screen for the H1 the other day, it's absolutely ridiculous lol, not to mention SO SHARP!).

I've messed around with some firmwares, but pretty much just left them stock. The Chinese ones gets pretty buggy (although you get the extra lumens). I'm also not an overly huge fan of the onboard Android system, so I typically just set it to boot default to the HDMI input (super quick initialization) & either have them on a Roku or Firestick or run it through a receive in a full surround-sound setup. If anything, I really wish they had done a Roku built-in & just used a single RF remote like the Roku televisions. tbh if they did that, they would sell a million of 'em on Amazon to the American market, thanks to the integrated sound bar, Bluetooth, super-simple operation, amazing PQ, etc. With the crazy lens-shift throwing capabilities, I like this waaaaay more than the ultra short-throw projects, especially because you don't have to worry about protected the UST from kids/pets or remembering to dust the mirror as needed (or dealing with the curvature issues from that, like with the LG LED model).

Pretty much everyone I know IRL who has ever considered a projector n the past, who has seen my H1 in person, has ended up ordering one for themselves. It's just something you have to see in person to experience. Flip it on & voila, a giant freakin' crystal-clear movie screen; it's really the next generation of projectors imo. The Mayweather vs. McGregor fight was bananas on it. I wish I got commission on them because that sold like 3 of them after that showing haha.

 

[Aikouka]

I currently have an AAXA HD Pico (720p @ 50 lumens) & it gives a surprisingly great picture that a lot of people would really like:

https://www.amazon.com/AAXA-HD-Pico-150-Minute-Rechargeable/dp/B01MCY4KYH

Part of me has been tempted to try out one of those cheap projectors on Amazon just to see how good they are. You know... the ones from Alibaba that get rebadged by about five different companies, but they still look the same (apart from the logo). They're probably kind of junky, but for $75, it's not the worst thing.

 

[Kaido]

Part of me has been tempted to try out one of those cheap projectors on Amazon just to see how good they are. You know... the ones from Alibaba that get rebadged by about five different companies, but they still look the same (apart from the logo). They're probably kind of junky, but for $75, it's not the worst thing.

I've worked with a ton of projectors and it's a toss-up. The super-cheap projectors are not great, but it depends what your standards are. I have a buddy who never had a projector & is totally in love with his $99 Chinese VGA projector. I gave a $75 UC46 (800x480) to my nephew for his birthday & he plays old SNES games on it & it's pretty cool. But my friend got a competing model with the same resolution & it's really awful...focus doesn't work right, among other things. So it's kind of hit & miss. I would also say, it's important not to judge projectors by the cheap ones...a lot of people buy cheap ones & get turned off to the idea. The XGIMI H1 is liking having a Samsung LED TV jumbo-sized on you wall, it's really amazing. Cheapo projectors are fun just because you get a big picture for cheap & it's really cool to get a taste of the big screen.

I would say, for you, since you watch a lot of anime cartoons, go for it - cartoons are way more forgiving on the cheaper projectors than live-action movies are because you know what a real-life person is supposed to look like in a live-action film, and cartoons are colored images that can still look fantastic at lower resolutions. The most important part of using an ultra-budget projector, because the lumens & contrast numbers are low, is remembering that it will do best in a pitch-black room at a smaller size (like 50 or 60", which is still plenty big). If you are serious about getting an el-cheapo PJ & have a few extra bucks, I'd recommend springing a little bit extra for the AAXA HD Pico (~$135 shipped) because you get a real HD native resolution (720p), plus it's tiny, which is wicked cool, and it's LED, so no bulb to worry about. I can make a quick video with some anime clips if you want to see what it looks like (also has a built-in battery, which is cool...you can plug in an HDMI adapter cable from your phone & use it in random places, like a bedroom ceiling or camping or whatever). In terms of PQ with anime stuff, AAXA used to sell a short-throw projector (you can use it close to the wall, which is convenient to just put it on your coffee table) called the ST200 that was only 150 lumens, but still looked great: (they have it available refurbished for $209 directly from their website FYI)

If you have a bit more of a budget and want a REALLY decent 720p LED projector (which can do up to a 120" screen pretty dang well!), the P300 is quite amazing: (good enough to use as your "TV", if you have a dark room like a basement or some blackout blinds)

https://www.amazon.com/AAXA-P300-Neo-Video-Projector/dp/B074QK249C/

So the LED projector quality scale is something like:

1. $50 to $200 = hey cool, a big picture on your wall - super neat introduction to the incredible world of projectors

2. $250 to $600 = wow that's pretty great, very impressive (again, the P300 is a gem in this price range)

3. $850+ = that's a real, amazing home theater projector

 

[Aikouka]

I've worked with a ton of projectors and it's a toss-up. The super-cheap projectors are not great, but it depends what your standards are. I have a buddy who never had a projector & is totally in love with his $99 Chinese VGA projector. I gave a $75 UC46 (800x480) to my nephew for his birthday & he plays old SNES games on it & it's pretty cool. But my friend got a competing model with the same resolution & it's really awful...focus doesn't work right, among other things. So it's kind of hit & miss. I would also say, it's important not to judge projectors by the cheap ones...a lot of people buy cheap ones & get turned off to the idea. The XGIMI H1 is liking having a Samsung LED TV jumbo-sized on you wall, it's really amazing. Cheapo projectors are fun just because you get a big picture for cheap & it's really cool to get a taste of the big screen.

I'm not really expecting them to be great, but I'm just rather curious how good they are for the price. I already have a good TV (Sony 930e), so it's just for fun. I also brought up the idea of one of the cheaper projectors as a gift for my friend's son. Younger kids love things that are more adult-like, and I bet he'd love that. Speaking of my TV, when my Vizio developed a line in it, I did consider getting a projector instead of a TV. However, I'd prefer if my wires were run in the ceiling, but no one knows how to get up there. (That's why I still don't have any Dolby Atmos height speakers setup.) So, I ended up going with a TV instead.

I have considered a projector for my other room or even turning my computer room into a smaller theater room. However, I'd prefer to get something good at that price point... probably somewhere $500+. Given my push toward 4K for displays, I'd like to get a 4K projector, but those are still very new. A lot of the UHD projectors that I see just accept UHD and still project 1080p. It makes me wonder if waiting a year or two for a fancier projector might be a better idea.

That small projector is tempting, but I kind of wish I could just get a larger version that has similar specs, isn't portable, but is cheaper. I don't really need the whole handheld aspect of it, and if that could knock it down below $100, that would be nicer.

 

[Kaido]

I'm not really expecting them to be great, but I'm just rather curious how good they are for the price. I already have a good TV (Sony 930e), so it's just for fun. I also brought up the idea of one of the cheaper projectors as a gift for my friend's son. Younger kids love things that are more adult-like, and I bet he'd love that. Speaking of my TV, when my Vizio developed a line in it, I did consider getting a projector instead of a TV. However, I'd prefer if my wires were run in the ceiling, but no one knows how to get up there. (That's why I still don't have any Dolby Atmos height speakers setup.) So, I ended up going with a TV instead.

I have considered a projector for my other room or even turning my computer room into a smaller theater room. However, I'd prefer to get something good at that price point... probably somewhere $500+. Given my push toward 4K for displays, I'd like to get a 4K projector, but those are still very new. A lot of the UHD projectors that I see just accept UHD and still project 1080p. It makes me wonder if waiting a year or two for a fancier projector might be a better idea.

That small projector is tempting, but I kind of wish I could just get a larger version that has similar specs, isn't portable, but is cheaper. I don't really need the whole handheld aspect of it, and if that could knock it down below $100, that would be nicer.

Yeah, the TI 4K chip came out to compete with Sony back in 2016, and we still haven't seen any good cheap knockoffs, especially LED models yet. I can tell you the XGIMI H1 does a great job downconverting 4K to 1080p, and looks stellar overall, but I think a 4K HDR LED projector would really be the cat's meow. Although, you can get a Optoma UHD60 for under $1,800 straight off Amazon these days, and that gives you 4K + HDR + 3,000 lumens, which is a pretty amazing deal for the price.

If you poke around, you can find some good budget projectors. If you don't mind having a square image (instead of widescreen), there is a little gem for $60 (well under $100!) called the GP70 (sold under a variety of rebrandings). It has a native resolution of 800x600 & shouldn't really be used above 80" or so, but it's got a pretty decent picture that isn't ridiculously pixelated:

https://www.amazon.com/Projector-Hausbell-Portable-Outdoor-Theater/dp/B06XX175HS/

I would recommend using a separate set of speakers (like a cheap set of computer speakers from Logitech or maybe one of those mini boomboxes) & a separate media player (HDMI adapter for a smartphone or tablet, or a laptop, or a Roku stick, or whatever), and of course, using it in a very dark room. Sample video: