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@@thiagodelgado3128 We are loving the OLED we just reviewed. It's an 83" (this one here amzn.to/3tppAmy and currently on sale) and I think gives you the best of both worlds. We've got a 98" coming soon. Looking forward to seeing it on the wall.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews 15:28 Once again, you're making an *incorrect* blanket statement about all projectors in dark scenes. These UST PJs have terrible native contrast. Most of them around 1000:1. LCD projectors like the Epson 12000 that you reviewed last time are ~3-5000:1. JVC LCoS PJs start at 40,000:1. Get one of the JVC NX or even better, NZ units, to review, and you'll see what projectors are capable of. I have an 83" LG C1, yet find myself mostly watching the JVC NX9 on a 135" screen.
The greatest reason to buy any projector is the feeling of being at a theater.. I bought a cheap projector 6 years ago and was completely blown away at a 150" screen on my wall. Throughout the pandemic when theaters were completely shutdown it was refreshing. I upgraded to a short throw laser projector and went about adjusting my theater room to handle such a large screen. I agree that a TV has a much better picture but I was raised on black and white TVs. I compare my experience to a movie theater and not television. As Samsung and LG continue pushing the technological advances it has truly become a theater experience. Much like record players having that amazing sound has made a resurgence the current experience from UST projectors give that wonderful feeling of being at the movies. I purchased the Jamo speakers you reviewed some time ago and I am filled with such joy that I have now put a projector and sound system in the bedroom. No more glasses needed to watch. The wonderful sound of a thunderstorm with a glorious 120 inch screen to sleep by is just incredible. Television is for a television experience. But a projector is 100 percent a movie theater experience. The new Lord of the Rings show is a theater experience, not a TV show. Watch it in both ways and feel the great difference just incredible.
Very nice, my projectors have replaced TVs altogether in my house and I love it. Going on 7 years now and yes, I have the windows open/lights on and can still clearly see the images. 3LCD or TriChroma laser is key here.
I don't get these comparison video's. A tv is not a projector, a projector not a tv. Both can give great images though in there own right. They don't use tv's in a cinema and for me a projector in the living room for daytime viewing is a no go if you want to equal a tv there. Tv make great images, is easy to live with but i would say the image is to clean, to hard. Tv's lack the cinematic look a good projector has. If you have a dedicated darkend room, a good projector is way better than putting a 85 inch oled in this case. A 150 inch screen in a living room looks nice, but don't expect top tier like a big tv can do in places like this without a lot of hassle. Best is to have a tv and a projector. Just my 2cents owning and using both.
I agree with Kristi 100% about the media cabinets. I went through almost half a dozen of them but nothing worked for me. They all were just too big and chunky so now I have started the slow process of building one to suit my needs.. Thanks to both of you being honest and professional on all your reviews!!
I have a dedicated theater room with a 7.2.4 speaker set up and a 123” screen. A 98 inch tv ( which is rated as kinda avg by some) would be pointless. It just doesn’t give that theater experience. For my man cave OLED was my only choice. But for a dedicated theater room a Long Throw or Short Throw paired with a 120” and up screen is the only option.
Bro...you just helped me out greatly!!!! I almost went for a 4k short throw but halted pressing the buy button. Thank you for saving me thousands!!!!!! Samsung looks nice but I have low ceilings at 8ft.
Fantastic, comprehensive review. I moved from projection 2 yrs ago and got a massive 85" TV. It's a little smaller (my screen was a little under 100"), but the picture quality, especially in 4k hdr or Dolby Vision, is so much better on every level. Add in the ease of use, and the lack of noise (pj's are NOISY!!), It becomes a no brainer. I still love projectors, but they need a dedicated room built around them. Trying to shoehorn a projector in a living room is nonsensical, in my opinion. Great video!😉
Your review was spot on. I've had this projector for almost a year now. Coming from a 65" LG OLED, the IQ is obviously not even close. The only reason I got this setup was for the size to price ratio. There are no reasonably priced TV's that are 120" (or 130" for that matter). If you wait for a deal, you can get the Premier 130 for around 3500 + 2k for a screen and that is still less than the TCL. If there was a 120" OLED for 10k I would be all over it though.
Big props on mentioning the vertical throw. I was super excited until I actually measured and taped off my area that would be the screen if i were to put it on my tv stand and found out the grim news for myself.
Great, honest review. For that money, I’m taking an 83” OLED every time. Perfect black and infinite contrast have a way of helping one not fret too much about some extra diagonal inches.
83 inches is small. I know what I am talking about as I own a Sony 83A90J. I bought a Formovie Theater UST with a floor rising 120 inches screen from Vividstorm and it’s much more immersive than a 83 inches OLED
He's given up on reviewing projectors in search of the OLED holy grail. Formovie Theater is a great UST and the best part is there are no glare or reflections during your dark scenes. Also, projectors cover way more of the Rec2020 color spectrum than OLEDs ever could so there's that too.
I upgraded 1 year ago to this very projector from a Samsung JS 9000 55" after considering many 65" and 75" TVs. 📺. Andrew and Kristi nailed it on the head with their review 👏 I love this thing and would only go back to a TV if it was 75" or bigger. Know the tradeoffs. When going for a projector, you are getting the wow factor of giant size and a cinematic look thanks to the giant reflected light image. Great for watching movies 🎬 and filmed TV and streaming series. 👌 The tradeoff is that because you aren't watching a projected light image -- at their heart, all TVs are just projectors shooting light out at you that you look at directly -- they cannot display HDR highlights properly. Of course, neither can your movie theater and nobody leaves a movie complaining about the lack of HDR. Now this isn't a problem really for movies and filmed TV and streaming shows. Most actually look bad because of too much HDR on a TV in my opinion. But it's a huge problem for non-filmed visuals: sports, news, animation, reality TV, game shows, talk shows. You know, the majority of what's actually on TV. Video games especially look dull. This is all offset by the huge size and easy on the eyes image. So again, know what you're getting into. Projectors make everything look like a movie even when they shouldn't. TVs make everything bright and specular, even when they shouldn't. Make a choice you're happy with. I am personally very happy with my projector and will be for many years. But for sure my next upgrade will he an 85" or bigger TV.
Can the dullness be overcome if the TV was projecting the same light into a smaller window (e.g. 80 inches) or is it inherently dull compared to a TV regardless of how much light you throw on it?
@@techsamurai11 Assuming you actually meant projecting onto a smaller area, Samurai, then yes the image will get brighter but we are not talking TV levels of brightness here. It was also not overcome the "dullness" that you refer to because the image will always be reflected light. You'd have to have the projector source shoot out dangerously high levels of blinding light from the source to overcome that which would also presumably require dangerously.high levels of energy to run as well as put out equally dangerous levels of heat. True.whether using bulbs or lasers.
Hi Andrew, I am glad you are reviewing projectors. I use projection, have used it for a while and never going back to bulky and cumbersome TV screens. Of course, there are+/- for everything... a TV set can give better picture quality, especially during daytime. However, the projector has an advantage that for me was ultimately the deciding factor. And that is: The lower image quality is noticeable only at first glance. When I am 3-4 minutes into watching a movie, it does not matter anymore. What matters is the size of the screen, for movie viewing experience the giant comfortable screen is far more impactful than a comparably smallish and superbright picture of a TV set. Also, the projector has enough resolution that for example I can see the reflections on the actors eyeglasses, and such miniature details that I cannot see from sitting position, and have to go up to the screen to see them. (And my question, why on Earth would I ever want more than that???! It's already more than my eyesight can interpret, at this stage I need better eyes, the projection is not the limiting factor.) After watching BOTH projectors and TVs for many decades, I can say that projectors are MUCH easier on the eyes, cause much less eye strain than TV sets. I can watch the projector 12 hours straight with minimal eye fatigue.... TV set.. after 3 hours eyes are already bleeding. So, for someone who watches a lot of movies, projector is the most eye-friendly way to go in case one wants to continue this habit two decades from now in the future... and when you really want to immerse into movie marathons (and keep your vision intact). Cheers, Janos
I run a combo set up in my cinema room. My 65” plasma handles my TV viewing and my Epson 5050/100” motorized drop down screen handles my movie days. Both techs have their merits and compromises hell, literally all things do…. Anyone who is enjoying generational changes with tech has always enjoyed them for what they offer (flaws and all). 😁👍✌
I really enjoy how you two review a product as if you're going to live with it long term. This projector made me really want a projector, until your set-up made me realize that it won't work for me either. Thanks again.
It’s simple for me, if one wants a home theater experience, projection is the preference. I’ve had a dedicated home theater since 1993, a 2:39 anamorphic setup since 2006. Flat screen displays are great for family rooms and bedrooms.
I started using a projector for movies 8 years ago, with a 1080p projector and 120" screen. I kept building the setup, and now in 4k I have a setup no tv will ever be able to replicate. for day to day use, yes an led or oled is best, and I do watch some TH-cam or tv shows on the tv, if I am at home during the day. but for movie nights with friends, or cherished movies you can't get in the cinema, there is no substitute. in the cost of a huge tv, you can get a big enough tv, and a projector. I am watching a movie right now, the screen is 2,5 metres high, and 4,4 in width. Yes, you need the space, the speakers, the receiver... but I find it's much easier to move all of those if you rent a place, than a 75 inch tv. take a 500 usd projector, an Apple TV and two HomePods and you can go anywhere.
Great video, completely agree (building a home theater with a 7 ft ceiling, couldn't even consider a UST). I think the vast majority of consumers value screen size way more than picture quality and the marketing teams know it. Almost everyone I know thinks I'm crazy for getting a 65" OLED while they're out buying 85" TV's for $1500. A lot of them I think would be happy to watch a wavy faded wall picture if they could say it was 120". I feel like to have TH-cam even suggest this channel you have to be a step above your average consumer.
Thank you for your comment, Joe. To your last point, I sincerely hope that enthusiasts and the "average consumer" can enjoy the content on this channel as we strive to make it as approachable as possible.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I apologize, anyone CAN AND WOULD enjoy this channel, I didn't mean to imply any sort of gatekeeping or elitism. I just can't get even get my friends and family to consider checking A SECOND STORE let alone watch a TH-cam review when buying a tv. My friend just bought a 4 figure tv because it was "the biggest and cheapest at Sams Club". 🤦
As a projector enthusiast, I think the major issue is that it's really hard to step down. I completely acknowledge that new TVs are better all around, especially in terms of HDR. The problem is immersion. I went to all the insane effort to run cables and power to have a rear throw projector with a tensioned 120" screen and now that it's installed, every time I go into a store and see an 85" + screen, it just seems small, like a TV as opposed to a personal movie theater. Once I can buy modular TVs that tile together, then I'll likely switch. Until then, I have to choose immersion over picture quality (using a 4K projector is still pretty high quality). All that said, a UST doesn't make much sense to me as it has all of the limitations of projectors but without the advantages. It must be all about the marketing for those...
The subject of immersion is one that I see projection fans bring up a lot. On one hand I totally get it. I too love a big screen. What I find a lot in the comments at least, is that many people talking about the importance of immersion eventually divulge that they sit really close, as in too close or closer than recommended based on their room and screen size, so the idea of immersion IMO falls apart in that case. If you sit too close to a big screen, you are not going to be able to take in all of the content comfortably based on the resulting field of vision. At that point, the argument seems to be solely about having the biggest thing possible with little regard to anything else. ✌️
@@KristiWright I completely agree with you about the insanity of PJ people and I will say that I have not paid attention to the correct distance calculators that abound ( I do what I want! - Eric C). I realize you're speaking in generalities but for my specific situation, I have 20 feet of possible distance from the screen so I can play with couch/chair distance as needed. I look at it this way, I can simulate the field of view of an 85" TV with my 32" computer screen by sticking my nose closer/farther to the screen but no matter what my head placement is, my 32" monitor will never "feel" the same as the 85" TV in term of immersion. I'm certainly not an experienced reviewer like you and Andrew so I could easily be missing the perceptual background that explains this effect. I'm quite satisfied with my HT but I still go to a real theater when I want maximal engagement to blow my mind, and yes, I do sit closer to the front :)
@@KristiWright This is such a anecdotal case point to base your opinion off of. No way to know how many people sit too close or what too close is for different people.
@@aslanme387 Actually, there are seating distance standards set by THX, SMPTE and others that exist so that viewers can experience a consistent level of immersion and picture quality. My comment was based on the knowledge of those standards and comments left on this channel that routinely illustrate that many people sit entirely too close or they are installing screens that are too large for their rooms which keeps them from sitting the proper distance away. I am fully aware that there are going to be those who disregard those standards out of personal preference, that said, it doesn't change the fact that guidelines still exist.
I was one of the people who had some issues with the last projector review and we had a nice talk about it last time. I will say I am much happier about your talking points of this projectors review. I am very curious what you guys would think about the JVC NZ7. I recently went to an AV even called Mwave and the offered a projector shootout with all the newest laser projectors. I finally got to see what you meant about the blacks of the Epson (though I’m ok with them personally). What did blow us away though was the JVC lineup and how amazing those projectors looked. I would love to see what you guys think of it if you could get your hands on one for a review. Also not that I think it would be important but they also showed us a piece of hardware/software you can use for tone mapping for a projector called MADVR. If EVER you guys could see what that does I think you would be blown away. It took the 5k Epson and made it look better than JVC’s highest end laser which is saying a lot as the NZ9 looked almost tv like. None the less great job on the review and looking forward to more projector reviews in the future!
There really is no comparison between JVCs and any non-LCoS PJs. I used to own DLP and LCD PJs before getting on the JVC train, and was skeptical about all the hype. My last PJ before JVC was Epson 5050UB, which has very similar performance to the Epson LS12000 they reviewed recently. I can't imagine going back. The contrast difference is night and day, and built in tone mapping is just icing on the cake.
Hi there Andrew & Kristi. Can I offer an alternative opinion. Horses and courses. We have a 65" LG OLED and the new Samsung Atmos 990 soundbar. It's lovely in our lounge and works great without controlled lighting. However, my favorite way to see movies at home is our JVC 4K projector onto a Stewart 150" 2.35 aspect ration screen in a dedicated room with a 7.2.4 sound system and theater seating. It's a complete wow versus the OLED, but they are very different systems. The manufacturers selling projectors for light rooms are either misleading people or don't understand physics. I'm fortunate to have both. Is a projector as "good" as an LG OLED TV? Yes and No. Yes if you have light control and want scale and a truly theatrical experience. No if you're in a light (aka normal) room and want absolute black. You guys do great work!
Thanks again for another great video. Projectors are not on my radar at this time. Until they can figure out how to project a really nice picture in a bright room, there is no point in me buying one. And where I have my theater setup, I could only fit about a 100” screen max anyway. Once prices of 95”-100” TVs come down to a reasonable amount, it will be a no brained to grab one of those over a projector with all their limitations. For those with dedicated theater rooms, totally understand why you prefer projectors.
I'm watching this on a projector, that I use as my primary display. As I've mentioned before, the reason I do it is because of my room. The only place I have for a large display in my living room is over a stairway, and it's much easier to mount a screen there than an actual TV. But I also really enjoy the smoothness of a projected image. I'm using a Sony projector and a DaLite HD Pro 0.9 100" screen. I did a full calibration using an i1display colorimeter and HCFR. Overall I'm very happy with it. In short, I don't think people should ignore projectors if it's the best solution for their room, or if they just like them.
That will be entirely up to B&O. They didn't even send us a press release for the soundbar prior to launch --so we found out about same as y'all. They claim we're on the list to get one, but....🤷♂
I returned my laser projector the next day. I would strongly recommend getting an 83"-85" plus ~$2K LCD or similarly sized e.g. $5K priced 83" Sony A90J OLED for anywhere in your home with maybe the exception of a dedicated theater room. These TVs don't last that long and in the staggering price difference to buying near 100-in panels. Plus I look at them as disposable or shifting to a different room. At least that's my rationalization. I remember when it took a forklift to install a 32-in Mitsubishi tube TV in our entertainment center. Things have gotten a lot different since then and now there's a high demand for much larger screens so the prices are just going to drop like a rock. At least that's my crystal ball...
Hi! Good to know about the vertical throw part, hadn't considered that before. Looks like USTs have quite a way to go before being a full on TV replacement.
The vertical throw of this projector is in the neighborhood of 14-16 inches and it is FIXED as there is no lens shift like with traditional projectors.
Nice honest review. Thank you for that. I'm still owning a 82" 4K Samsung SmartTV from 2019 that I'm liking very much. But since the release of the Samsung Premiere Projectors I wanted one to even get a bigger image to watch my movies. So today I've found out that there's a limited offer for the LSP9T at 3999 euro's (that's around 4250usd) including a 130" Projecta FullVision screen including installation. So as this is a hell of a deal I went for it and I'm waiting for everything to be delivered in the coming days.
Totally agree with you both about projectors. I have just sold my old Mitsubishi 1080p projector and screen and purchased the Sony X95J 77 inch. (based on your review) Even though the screen is now smaller, its so much better than the projector and I actually prefer the smaller screen. As I only sit about 4.2 metres away I found that I was sometimes moving my head from side to side when watching the projector. Will never go back.
If you want a projector too look as good or better than a tv, you MUST have a theater room with black walls or blackout curtains for light control, and black ceiling or black sound foam above the projected image (critical). An Epson 3lcd projector will look better than most LCD tvs like this, with extra benefits over LCD tvs (no dirty screen effect, and PERFECT viewing angles). The whole point of a projector is large >120" screens for special viewing at night or in a special room. And it can be done cheaply with an entry level 3lcd projector.
My line of work has me having a very similar conversations with my clients in the first 30 mins seeing their space. (In regards to the first 3 mins of the video) I will say lots if the UST units sound great on paper. I've sold and installed 4 in the last 6 months and to achieve what the client wants required them to 1. set the UST on the floor 2. buy new a stand that worked for the the throw calculations. 3. have to make modifications to the room on top of what they already had done to make a "Movie space". None of these are great options. I personally believe when modular TVs become a reality for the average home enthusiast we will have the best of both worlds. Until then unless you have a budget to make a true home cinema I would always go the road of large LED tv and then spend the extra on the audio and get a more complete experience. Too many people forget what a great sound stage can do for a movie or tv watching experience. This was a great review. Thank you! After thought here: Why don't you guys try Si or Stewart screens for projector reviews? Just a curiosity.
First of all I think we are in total alignment. RE: the screen brands The very first brand we reached out to was SI back in Austin. They kindly agreed to work with us to furnish us with one of their screens. Unfortunately, when it came time to put that screen together, it didn't. In other words, some of the machined parts had alignment issues that kept that screen from being possible to assemble. We then used an Elite Screen in its place while in Austin and had we not moved, it likely would have been the screen you saw here in our new home. Fixed frame screens once assembled don't really travel well. When we got to our new house, we got another Elite Screen but this one had similar assembly issues to the SI screen so we got a floor rising screen, again from Elite to simply our life as a review channel since we routinely review TVs as well. That screen was a unity gain screen which we used in our Epson review. That screen ultimately elicited quite a bit of displeasure from projection enthusiasts who made it pretty clear that in our in our non light controlled room, we needed to use an ALR style screen (which I don't disagree with but given that we had three of them turn out to not work, we decided to try something different hence the unity.gain). This go around we opted to try out an entirely new brand (amzn.to/3AziUVN) that we purchased ourselves and wouldn't you know it, of all the screens we've had, it has performed the best and gone together the smoothest. I wish it wasn't a point 6 gain screen but at $500, I don't really expect better. I'm actually very happy with the screen and feel the image looks pretty good. Can you do better? Sure, absolutely you can. Is better going to cost you multiples more? Yes. Truthfully, we just don't have "Stuart Screen" money for a category that we don't cover regularly, and we didn't have time to try and forge a relationship, etc...If all I did was review projectors, I would likely have a Stuart Screen - just for the record. I've owned them in the past along with SI and thank very highly of both brands.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews What is up with these screens. I bought an in ceiling from elite they came damaged. Realized Amazon was the only way to go due to quality control and bought another of them and it was obvious a return so we didn't even install it and got a replacement which is absolutely perfect which for a motorized screen is rare. Ironically eventually elite screens agreed to replace the first and now it's in transit to me which they have verified before leaving the factory to be good I'm still keeping the one I have. I just don't want to risk messing with it. The other one is going to be my backup when this eventually breaks.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thank you for the response. I agree that we are in alignment. Make a more complete experience not just a visual one. It’s unfortunate that the Si screen didn’t work out. I feel that when you end up with a projector review that would end the rebuttals of the enthusiast of not having the “best” screen. If you did have a Si or Stuart (beat auto correct this time). Also I do think most people don’t understand that when they say get an ALR screen that most don’t work how intended with a UST unit. Due to how the the light is projected. The Best ALR work with a front throw projector as they reject the the light that’s not coming from on center. But that the light is thrown “down” on to the center of the screen instead of “up” from a UST. This won’t give you the true capability of the ALR along with wasting a large chunk of change to not get what the technology is capable of providing in non light treated rooms. Thank you again for a great review and a great response.
I dunno about being a replacement for a tv, but I gotta agree with a lot of the comments. If you have a dedicated theater space, the large screen for night movies is something that a TV just can't compete with. I think projectors have a market for a certain customer and will never be a mass market item. Watching a 150" screen is an awesome experience.
That's funny because I have replaced all my TVs with projectors of some sort or another. The technology has gotten so good lately that tv's need more than "ultra deep OLED blacks" to make a sale for me. The glare ruins the immersion/experience so I stay away from Flat Panel TVs as much as possible. I've been a projector owner/user for 7 years now and STILL love it very much. In fact, I almost cringe when I have to watch something at a bar/restaurant's Flat Panel TVs or at a Friend's house's Flat Panel TV......except this one bar that had a long throw projector at each booth...it was really cool watching sports there since each game was on a projector instead of a TV.
A great review as always. For me the big talking point is, TV or projector. The pros and cons of them. As someone who was thinking of having a small dedicated cinema room, do I go for an OLED packed with quality and features, or a mid range projector and miss out on those features, but get some of that cinema feel back after lockdown has made going to the cinema less of a desire.
Hi Andrew, good review as always. You should review the international version of the Fengmi T1. It's the 3 laser UST to beat and less than half the cost of the Samsung.
I have an LG UST Projector with a 100 inch alr screen in my office and an 85 inch samsung qn90a in my living room. Both are incredible but the projector is by far my favorite experience. It gives me a more "filmic" look and feel. It is incredibly immersive. But the tv is more practical for my bright living room. If you have the money and a room then a projector is a must own. But if you only have the option for 1 then a tv is a better option.
I definitely understand many of the points and they apply to most home setups. After all projection is a niche market driven by people who above everything else value the immersion aspect of watching a movie and are willing to sacrifice many other aspects of an image and environment including the decor, the sharpness, etc... but ultimately, when you value immersion above everything else, no TV (not talking about LED Walls, but these are only for the uber rich for now) can compete with a light controlled room with a projector. I experimented a bit and bought a 85" SONY Z9-G (which i have for sale now) which reaches almost 4000 nits and has approx 720 local dimming zones and the sense of immersion pales compared for example to what i have now, which is an 11ft wide cinemascope screen with an old SIM2 3D-S (its a 1080p projector). After all i think the magic of movies lies in their power to draw you into the movie and TV sizes even 98" ones cannot really provide that sense of immersion
25 years of projectors for me. But RIP projection, for way cheaper and absolutely no maintenance the Sony X90K 85” from ten feet away is a no brainer. Absolutely stunning all purpose TV.
I went from this exact setup, to the TCL 98". No regrets whatsoever. Projectors have nothing on emissivity displays other than pure size, and at that point you need a Christie and a dedicated large room and screen for it to really hit you better than something like the TCL or Samsung giant tvs
100% agree! I would go with a Christie or one of Sony's pro line projectors if I were to build a dedicated theater space. Great knowing you're enjoying the TCL. I can't wait to get ours up on the wall!!!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews watch for dirty screen effect. I had to get my first replaced because at a 20% Grey scale and darker it was VERY noticeable, Second one is flawless and BRIGHT, even in a fully lit 16 window great room. (Also much nicer than using our basement as a theater for light control)
What type of screen material or brand would you recommend for a living room projector? (I watch TV mostly at night). I currently have an Elite Screens MaxWhite 1.1 gain, as you said having the screen is noticeable better than projecting on the wall. But I haven't try their other types of screen, or the ones with light rejection. Thanks for the great review!
Hi Andrew and Kristi. Long time fan. Despite that I'm not a projector owner, I hope that I can offer an answer to your question at the end of the video. I'm sure that there are plenty of honest salespersons out there, but I don't know where they are. I've been jaded by marketing and sales talk for a few decades. Being in sales I know very well about the mindset. Even more, I don't have confidence in the product knowledge of the average sales person because the powers of qualifying the customer is key. As such I've been counting on my research above all. Unfortunately, it can be a lot of work - too much sometimes when I'm green in the technology. It would be great if intelligent and honest 'purchase facilitators' were the norm. So, when I buy at a physical store, I only need the salesperson to fetch me the box, having done my due diligence. I use channels just like yours to help me. I see advertising the same as I see politics - unhelpful rhetoric. Keep up the great work! (also, been enjoying your speaker series of late).
Some really good points on this video. First the marketing is complete bs and I ignore it completely. I run a dual system in a dedicted home theater room. I cheap projector on an xgimi elfin ceiling mounted 150" screen that retracts into the ceiling and a hisense 65" u8g behind the screen inset into the wall. The xgimi is cheap under 1,000 dollars but my room has no windows and dark walls. I still get the huge screen effect and for tv I use thr hisense. So for dedicted theater rooms I think the projector still has a place.
We have a floor rising screen that makes switching to a projector easier but it's not a good aesthetic match so we never use it. I wish it had a border all the way around so it would look nicer. Thanks for watching, Wesley!
It's possible, but I also know that Samsung and others don't (really) make these projectors, instead they buy the platform from (I believe) TI and then package them, which is why you have so many of these types of projectors on the market and all with eerily similar specs and price points.
Thank you again for you amazing review You should also try the Fengmi Formovie theater, less expensive, much better black level, shadow details and Dolby Vision!
Exactly. That’s what I told him. The Samsung LSP9T is two years old with a 1000:1 sequential contrast where as the Formovie Theater is around 3300:1, very good blacks, Dolby Vision and HDR10+
@@thomasmorel1447correct and not everyone knows that Xiaomi is one of the founder of Fengmi and they made the ALDP chip (4th gen now) that is leading the way in back and contrast. They recently won the projector screen award competing with Samsung, hisense and more well known brands. Would be amazing if Kristie & Team can review it :)
I recently purchased the LSP9T. We went with a 120" Vava screen (same as a Wemax). Our ceiling is 9' and our console is 22". The throw distance is not bad but the projector does stick out a bit so that the console can be as close to the wall as possible. We still probably have about a foot of space between the top of the screen and the ceiling. My wife really wanted the 22" high console so we made it work. Paired with the screen I am happy with daytime viewing in ambient light. I didn't want a part-time projector given the cost, so this means a lot to me. If you hunt for rainbows or laser speckle you can find it but overall it's easy to put out of mind. I plan to try the filmmaker mode with warm color. Thank you for the suggestion. Overall I'm happy with the buy, but I did get a deal. I wouldn't pay the retail price some places are trying to sell this at. Find a deal.
Hi Andrew and Kristie. When i had an extension room added to the back of my house back in 1983 for the purpose of listening to music, little did i know that 20 years later, it would become a perfect home cinema . By adding block-out shutters, dark brown curtains along the side walls, black wood grain wallpaper on the rear wall motorised heavy velvet curtains that open and close in front of the motorised 120 inch diagonal screen, dark blue carpet and dark blue ceiling. The result is a stunning projector image from my Epson projector. This mimics the true cinema experience you get at the public cinemas. I can watch different aspect ratio movies by using lens shift and rising or lowering the screen so that the image fits perfectly. Plus this has resulted in a tremendous improvement in listening to music.
just bought a epson LS500 that has 4,000 lumen for 2500 at amazon ...I already had a 120 inch screen from proHT that cost 150...the colors jump out at you and my neighbor with the expensive 75 inch sony oled just ordered the epson at amazon after watching the Lakers playoffs games at my place
Hi Andrew and Kristi. I'm from down under and I really enjoy the content you both produce, been following for a while. I feel you do present all your reviews fairly and real world as much as they can be. Which has been the case here. I love projectors but personally find UST trying to be a bit best of both worlds master of none, but the laser and screen tech is interesting nonetheless. . What I'm saying is TVs or projectors don't have to be a binary choice in a non dedicated space. I run a 70" TV and long throw Projector with lens shift mid zoom at 120" 16x9 in the same living room. 4m x 5.6m and 8ft ceiling (not a huge room by any means) with a stand up elite screen in front of the TV. The same thing can be achieved with better quality drop down tensioned or non tensioned screen from the ceiling of course. It's awesome. It is Best of both worlds. 70" for casual viewing but 2.35 wide-screen should be shown wider than what a TV can represent. That's what the projector is for. OK I have put the time into self taught calibration with an i1 display pro colorimeter and chromapure. Delta e under 2. Not everybody has the time or dedication for that I get it. But I can be done. My room was white for 10 years and now its light grey with white lighlights. Both displays benefited from the non objectionable colour change. Let TV's be TV's and projectors be projectors I reckon ;)
I agree with you, I had a Epson 5030ub with 100inch screen in a dedicated room for years and I wanted to go 4k. I couldn't find a good 4k projector for my needs at the time. I ended up with an LG CX 77 inch, I honestly have never looked back. In a few years I will probably upgrade my tv when they hit 100 inches because I do miss that extra large screen immersion. Great review.
Lol, it must be difficult to review equipment when you’re not “in love” with it but you don’t hate it either. You do a great job of walking that fine line. I’ve never considered projectors. Just too many cons for my taste and the image and brightness of even a relatively inexpensive tv these days makes it almost nonsensical. Still, if I had a dedicated viewing room with space for a large image, then yes, it makes more sense. Nuff said, thanks for another excellent review for those hardy souls that like a challenge.
If the price of the projector set up and screen , do you think it would be easier to recommend a ust projector? … I know I wouldn’t be going this route but if you had the option between a 75” tv around 3 or 4k and a short throw or projector getting a 100 or 150” screen which would you be leaning towards?
This a tough choice. I have a ust with a 100 inch screen and an 85 inch samsung qn90a. The projector is a better experience by far. It has a more filmic celluloid look. But the tv is more convenient and a projector wouldn't work in my living room. I mainly use my projector in the evening.
Have u checked the price of the praise tour lately? U can get for around 3500€ now. Actually the price has been like this for almost the hole summer now.
Just got my ls12000 up and running and basically agree with everything you have said however my 120 inch screen drops from the ceiling and due to having windows behind it there's no way I can fit larger than a 85 inch TV on the wall which I have. The TV doesn't come close to delivering that cinematic experience. I doubt a 100 inch screen would either. Does it match an oled. Of course not but black levels were actually far better than when I watched top gun in an actual cinema. With my lock out blinds and grey walls it works really well but projectors are definitely not plug and play. In a dedicated space like mine they sill have their place but forget about it if you plan on using them in a standard living room so 1000% agree with this review. However have you thought about heading over to a showroom to give your thoughts on that environment. I would be curious to know
Great video Andrew and Kristi will your channel be covering the Xgimi and Anker Nebula projectors by any chance? Will like to hear your take on them as they are considered in the consumer friendlier price point?
To me, the point of having a projector is to not only be immersed but to also have a good picture. With that said, I have a JVC projector that will not compromise blacks and turn them gray like these UST projectors. I just can't do these UST. Then again, I have an OLED in one room and a dedicated home theater room, so my opinion could be biased.
great review, i own this and ALR coming shortly, are you willing to share your calibrated settings inclufing CMS? woild be a hood start before i get it calibrated, many thanks
QOTD, It is a misrepresentation of proper use of projectors with the bright rooms in their advertising. Most living spaces 85” is plenty. Those who are interested in projectors should know in advance they will need a special set up or room to get full benefits. The advertisement that it’s for any consumer is also misleading since it’s not as easy as setting up a tv. Thanks for the review. There is s place for projectors and higher end surround sound systems since comercial theaters are falling behind in quality to what some can attain in our own homes.
The last year I had a tv was 2017. It's been projectors ever since. My "special room" is my bedroom lol. My"special setup" is black out curtains. I put the projector on a stand, plugged it in, aimed it at the wall and ran an hdmi cable from my ps4. Within a whoppping 5 minutes I had a 154 inch screen. I carried the projector home in my backpack. When I last bought a tv (around 2010) I had to first get it on my vehicle. Since my bedroom is downstairs I had to lift it through my window. I then had to take it out of the box, locate a screwdriver and attach the stand. Wall mounting would have been a nightmare. I had to get something to place it on . After some heavy lifting I finally was able to plug it up. My 40 inch screen in front of my 12 foot wall. Imagine if I had a 55 inch.Tv's are anything but easy.
@@TheMeefive that is great, I too have a portable projector, and a dedicated projector for my multi purpose theater room. I am all team projector, my mistake for assuming tvs requires no set up but most will agree for some it’s just easier for every day use to set up a tv and just watch without worrying about a washed out picture.
I switched from TV to projector almost 2 years ago and will never go back. Sure, TVs these days have amazing resolution, but that’s part of the reason I like a 1080p HD projected image. There’s something about the “lo-fi” 1080p projected image that is so much warmer and easy on the eyes, not to mention it just feels cinematic. An HD flat screen TV, no matter the size, just feels too “perfect” to me, inorganic and electronic. I think projected light brings something to the table, it gives me that movie theatre vibe. I opted for a UST model from Epson. I love it. I don’t even need a screen. I have a nice white wall which works amazingly. I heard all the complaints about hard to position USTs, but I think that’s overblown. It was not difficult to set up in my situation. It’s so minimal too. No huge physical TV present at all times and painful when it comes to moving. I’d encourage anyone to give a projector a try, especially UST. And you don’t really need 4K or 8K. Remember when we all were amazed at 1080p? It was not so long ago.
Can you recommend any projectors that have three HDMI inputs? If I’m replacing a TV how can I watch Apple TV Netflix and prime if I’m already using the HDMI port to connect something like a hi-fi rose for my two channel set up?
Thanks for the review. I havr a question though. I have eye strain issues thanks to the screen time I have one. Daily basis, and my LG OLED makes it worse. Heard projectors are better in that respect. Would you have any inputs on this please?
Hey man, i have eyes strain to with a hight photosensitivity. I own both an LG oled and an Epson ls500 3lcd projector and it is clear that the projector image is much less aggressive for eyes, it's soften, less numeric with smooth judder. Not trying to sell you projectors, there's a lot of downsides , but that's maybe something to consider. Also be careful with dlp projectors they can produce "rainbows effects" that can lead to headaches for some of us.
Depends on the projector. We have a UST and a Lumagen video processor attached to it so the PQ and HDR are simply stunning. We prefer this over our 75” OLED. Sorry every TV just looks so small and that is something hard to ignore. Granted adding a Lumagen increases the price a lot but no projector as far as I’m concerned is complete without it.
I enjoyed the review as was considering changing my 65 inch led tv to the Sammy so can watch at 80-100 inches, but I’m really thinking now that maybe just upgrade to a 85inch oled as will watch in day time too. BUT, I’m worried THAT such a big tv so near me will hurt my eyes so give me motion vertigo or headaches while projectors are supposed to be easy on eyes. Are the new extremely large oleds hard on eyes so may cause more headaches or vertigo than a projector for such large pictures? P.s will be sitting very near for at 2.5-3m away.
If price is a limiting factor, try the Optoma Cinemax P2 4K projector. The usual projector quirks aside that Andrew covered, its pretty good on a ALR 120/100 screen. I have been using it regularly for past 2 years and love it!
to me is the cost for the size that you can't beat in a greater than 100" screen so i went with samsung in my dedicated movie room. i spend 8k for my set up for a 120 inch and would have cost over 100k with a tv that size. but i do agree tv do give you better quality picture in any room.
I tend to agree with you guys.. if you have a space to have a 200" screen in a darked space for movies only it's great for just sheer scale. But I don't know anyone who has the space for that. And day time viewing on projectors is always sub optimal.. most projector enthusiasts I know are sub 100" in the UK and at that point the why jumps in. Projectors are fun in a very specific space and light situation and 99% truly do not have that situation.
I really like your center console where you stow your gear - color and height is what I’m looking for. Do you mind providing a link for it, or provide the manufacture’s name. I’ve been looking at BDI Corridor (around 3k), but prefer the simplicity of yours. Thanks again for a great review.
FYI: We provide links to what we show in the description. If you are talking about the white benches, those are no longer available but I do provide a similar option for you in the desx as well as the BDI we used in our old house.
Excellent review as always! I’m a bit confused by the math in regards to projecting a 100” image on a 9’ wall. If the bottom of the projected image (while on a 30” stand) is 46”, the top of the projected image would be roughly 96”. 96” = 8’. That sounds like it would fit with 1’ to spare. Not ideal having it quite that high but seems doable.
I have had a projector set up since 2000 in a dedicated theatre room with a 100 inch Stewart Firehawk screen. Have upgraded twice since that time and currently have a Sony native 4K projector that is 5 years old. Still love it! No TVs in the house since around 2010.
Interesting how projection fall short of HDR because of brightness limitations and expected reference level color representation, but OLED tvs also fall short too with the standard HDR brightness of at least 1000nit including not being able to produce 100% DCI-P3 and Rec. 2020 color space.
20:07 As much as I love digital projectors and have a few older Canon projectors that I enjoy using on my 120-inch projection screen in a basement makeshift media room, I honestly don't see a bright future (no pun intended) for projectors when as Andrew stated, 4K flat screen TV's are getting much larger (up to 85 inches now or more) and prices are dropping every six months or every year. Add to that how the brightness, image quality, and versatility of 4K flat screen TV's generally offer less hassle and room-arranging than setting up these "short throw" projectors and the choice becomes clear in the long-run in favour of TV's. Plus, there is no way that I would pay $6,000 for a projector when a 75-inch 4K TV is around $1,500 to $2,000. That $6,000 price tag is out of touch with the evolution of TV technology.
I don't think there's any question about TVs being capable of better picture quality, especially with HDR. However, if you have the right environment I don't think anything beats the audio and video immersion a projector with a great surround sound system utilizing an acoustically transparent screen. I don't think that is practical in the average family / living room. However I think the focus is often weighted too much towards video, and audio usually suffers because of it. Whether using a a UST projector with ALR screen or VERY large TV both require one to place their center speaker/soundbar closer to the ceiling or floor. Personally, I would prefer going slightly smaller with the screen size while still allowing placement for good audio. YMMV.
I am in the process of building a new home and I am trying to decide between a 120" UST and sitting further, vs an 83" OLED TV and sitting closer so the viewing angle is about the same. TV seems more reasonable, but I am thinking that those extra 35"+ I can get with a projector will trump any advantages the TV might have.
It is going to depend on your room (i.e is it an open living space with windows and such or a dedicated room typical no windows/dark walls etc) as to what will be the better solution. On a 120" screen the recommended viewing distance (according to THX) is 13 to 19 feet. An 85" screen is 9 to 13 feet. If you take those two scenarios into account, you would have exactly the same field of view. If you have that room to work with and can control the light, then you are a candidate for projection. But if that isn't your situation, the OLED TV is the better overall option. Our room 100% qualifies in terms of size but we do have a lot of windows so for us, the OLED is the better viewing experience in more lighting situations.
As Andrew said, it will really depend on your room treatment. I sit about 7.5' from an 83" OLED in my family room, and about 10' from a 135" PJ screen in a dedicated theatre. The OLED looks better (though not by much, my PJ is a high end JVC), and I can tell you the PJ is FAR more immersive and enjoyable to me. IF you have the dedicated room and money to go high end PJ and a big screen, it's the path I would recommend every time.
The disadvantage of UST projectors is where on earth do you put your center speaker? You can’t put it behind the screen since you need an ALR screen, which don’t come in an acoustic transparent variety. And it’s hard to put below the screen because the projector sits there. Best case scenario would be having a phantom center channel, I suppose. But I will always say, unless you have a dedicated media room, a TV will always be a better solution than a projector.
I updated my man cave over Covid. I was on the fence about a projector but it just wouldn't do Everything I needed. My 7 year old likes to play down there with his friends with a movie or show on in the background, so it would never be total darkness. I went with an 85" Sammy and saved a few grand . Couldn't be happier
Projection has a place, but I agree with your take- the cost to do it right and still have a lot of compromise to deal with is not worth it in the age of dozens of excellent, and huge OLED TV’s
One question (a little off subject): If a AV receiver doesnt support independent subwoofer signal… does it still matter if you use 1 or 2 subs? Im thinking about buying either 1 powerful (800w) sub or 2 (400w).
I’m assuming that your receiver doesn’t have dual sub out and just a single sub out? If so you can just use a y splitter to send the LFE out to 2 subs. That’s what I’m doing to my living room setup.
It depends on your room really. Dual subs don't have to be in stereo to be relevant Low bass is very non-directional, so sending a mono signal to two subwoofers won't sound much different than sending left to one and right to the other. Also, the "point one" LFE channel in 5.1 etc is not in stereo. So it depends whether you are using the subs to extend the low bass of your left and right speakers, or just fr LFE. Either way, depending on the size of your room and the layout, using two subs instead of one larger sub can result in smoother bass response.
@@djsoulfilter it does have dual sub out. Marantz 6015… I was wondering if its better to have a 2 (400W) or just 1 (800w) subwoofer? Ohh and its a big room.
@@KristiWright I too look forward to modular screens becoming practical and affordable, but there are differences between emissive and projected images beyond size. Both have their pros and cons. HDR favors emissive, but projected is easier and healthier on the eyes (no blue light). There's also something about a projected image that's hard to quantify, it just "feels" different, and to me, more pleasant. Projector screens are also not reflective like TV screens. This is less of a problem in a dark room, but not eliminated. When a big TV lights up the entire room, and you see it reflected back at you, it breaks immersion. Emissive is certainly the more practical and hence more mainstream approach.
@@budala1969it’s like when audiophiles say, “everything sounds better on vinyl,” emissive displays are objectively better in every measurable way, but that discounts that some people will always prefer the way a projected image looks. Personally, I don’t really care for the lower contrast that comes from projection, even in a state of the art commercial theater, but I also have a specific vision condition that makes lower contrast images problematic. What I’m looking forward to, eventually, with micro LED displays is their availability in wider aspect ratios. For the right (read: extremely large) sum of money, the hardware exists to do it now, but I’ve never seen it tried. Tell you what, though, if I win Powerball I’ll let you know how it turns out. :)
Thanks to bring this product to our attention. For those interested in checking it out, here you go: amzn.to/3KBWjfT While we haven't tested it, looking at the details, it very well may be the same projector (minus different built in speakers) as the one in this review. Thanks for watching!
For those interested in checking it out, here you go: amzn.to/3KBWjfT While we haven't tested it, looking at the details, it very well may be the same projector (minus different built in speakers) as the one in this review.
Well, u have successfully dampened my wishful dreaming of having the big screen. Don’t get me wrong Andrew. I thank you for that. So much info that I would have probably learned the hard way. Anyway, wanted to ask if you may review ifl Aurora
I have the 120 single laser version of this projector, can confirm hdr content is not great! Pairing with a panasonic ub420 helped tremendously for 4k disc playback tho cause the panasonic has lots of hdr tone mapping settings, most hdr on streaming services is garbage tho haha I turned hdr off in my nvidia shield
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that scene in stranger things 4 is still unwatchable? O: looking for a good hdr projection
We didn't try ST but the new GOT show is an equally good torture test. You need to turn off HDR to see the image (discussed in the review).
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Yeah I see, I being sad with that, if you wanna to enjoy all new tech you can't, maybe I will get a bigger TV
@@thiagodelgado3128 We are loving the OLED we just reviewed. It's an 83" (this one here amzn.to/3tppAmy and currently on sale) and I think gives you the best of both worlds. We've got a 98" coming soon. Looking forward to seeing it on the wall.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews 15:28 Once again, you're making an *incorrect* blanket statement about all projectors in dark scenes. These UST PJs have terrible native contrast. Most of them around 1000:1. LCD projectors like the Epson 12000 that you reviewed last time are ~3-5000:1. JVC LCoS PJs start at 40,000:1. Get one of the JVC NX or even better, NZ units, to review, and you'll see what projectors are capable of. I have an 83" LG C1, yet find myself mostly watching the JVC NX9 on a 135" screen.
The greatest reason to buy any projector is the feeling of being at a theater.. I bought a cheap projector 6 years ago and was completely blown away at a 150" screen on my wall. Throughout the pandemic when theaters were completely shutdown it was refreshing. I upgraded to a short throw laser projector and went about adjusting my theater room to handle such a large screen. I agree that a TV has a much better picture but I was raised on black and white TVs. I compare my experience to a movie theater and not television. As Samsung and LG continue pushing the technological advances it has truly become a theater experience. Much like record players having that amazing sound has made a resurgence the current experience from UST projectors give that wonderful feeling of being at the movies. I purchased the Jamo speakers you reviewed some time ago and I am filled with such joy that I have now put a projector and sound system in the bedroom. No more glasses needed to watch. The wonderful sound of a thunderstorm with a glorious 120 inch screen to sleep by is just incredible. Television is for a television experience. But a projector is 100 percent a movie theater experience. The new Lord of the Rings show is a theater experience, not a TV show. Watch it in both ways and feel the great difference just incredible.
We'll said. Recently I bought a cheap $200 projector (not UST) and I am blown away by 200 inch projecton on the wall.
Very nice, my projectors have replaced TVs altogether in my house and I love it. Going on 7 years now and yes, I have the windows open/lights on and can still clearly see the images. 3LCD or TriChroma laser is key here.
I don't get these comparison video's. A tv is not a projector, a projector not a tv. Both can give great images though in there own right. They don't use tv's in a cinema and for me a projector in the living room for daytime viewing is a no go if you want to equal a tv there. Tv make great images, is easy to live with but i would say the image is to clean, to hard. Tv's lack the cinematic look a good projector has. If you have a dedicated darkend room, a good projector is way better than putting a 85 inch oled in this case. A 150 inch screen in a living room looks nice, but don't expect top tier like a big tv can do in places like this without a lot of hassle. Best is to have a tv and a projector. Just my 2cents owning and using both.
I agree with Kristi 100% about the media cabinets. I went through almost half a dozen of them but nothing worked for me. They all were just too big and chunky so now I have started the slow process of building one to suit my needs.. Thanks to both of you being honest and professional on all your reviews!!
I have a dedicated theater room with a 7.2.4 speaker set up and a 123” screen. A 98 inch tv ( which is rated as kinda avg by some) would be pointless. It just doesn’t give that theater experience. For my man cave OLED was my only choice. But for a dedicated theater room a Long Throw or Short Throw paired with a 120” and up screen is the only option.
Bro...you just helped me out greatly!!!! I almost went for a 4k short throw but halted pressing the buy button. Thank you for saving me thousands!!!!!! Samsung looks nice but I have low ceilings at 8ft.
Fantastic, comprehensive review. I moved from projection 2 yrs ago and got a massive 85" TV. It's a little smaller (my screen was a little under 100"), but the picture quality, especially in 4k hdr or Dolby Vision, is so much better on every level. Add in the ease of use, and the lack of noise (pj's are NOISY!!), It becomes a no brainer.
I still love projectors, but they need a dedicated room built around them. Trying to shoehorn a projector in a living room is nonsensical, in my opinion. Great video!😉
Your review was spot on. I've had this projector for almost a year now. Coming from a 65" LG OLED, the IQ is obviously not even close. The only reason I got this setup was for the size to price ratio. There are no reasonably priced TV's that are 120" (or 130" for that matter). If you wait for a deal, you can get the Premier 130 for around 3500 + 2k for a screen and that is still less than the TCL. If there was a 120" OLED for 10k I would be all over it though.
Thank you for another honest review with the downsides to a projector and to curb your expectations.
Always!
Big props on mentioning the vertical throw. I was super excited until I actually measured and taped off my area that would be the screen if i were to put it on my tv stand and found out the grim news for myself.
Great, honest review. For that money, I’m taking an 83” OLED every time. Perfect black and infinite contrast have a way of helping one not fret too much about some extra diagonal inches.
83 inches is small. I know what I am talking about as I own a Sony 83A90J.
I bought a Formovie Theater UST with a floor rising 120 inches screen from Vividstorm and it’s much more immersive than a 83 inches OLED
Curious on your thoughts on the Formovie Theater
He's given up on reviewing projectors in search of the OLED holy grail. Formovie Theater is a great UST and the best part is there are no glare or reflections during your dark scenes. Also, projectors cover way more of the Rec2020 color spectrum than OLEDs ever could so there's that too.
I upgraded 1 year ago to this very projector from a Samsung JS 9000 55" after considering many 65" and 75" TVs. 📺. Andrew and Kristi nailed it on the head with their review 👏 I love this thing and would only go back to a TV if it was 75" or bigger. Know the tradeoffs.
When going for a projector, you are getting the wow factor of giant size and a cinematic look thanks to the giant reflected light image. Great for watching movies 🎬 and filmed TV and streaming series. 👌 The tradeoff is that because you aren't watching a projected light image -- at their heart, all TVs are just projectors shooting light out at you that you look at directly -- they cannot display HDR highlights properly. Of course, neither can your movie theater and nobody leaves a movie complaining about the lack of HDR. Now this isn't a problem really for movies and filmed TV and streaming shows. Most actually look bad because of too much HDR on a TV in my opinion. But it's a huge problem for non-filmed visuals: sports, news, animation, reality TV, game shows, talk shows. You know, the majority of what's actually on TV. Video games especially look dull. This is all offset by the huge size and easy on the eyes image.
So again, know what you're getting into. Projectors make everything look like a movie even when they shouldn't. TVs make everything bright and specular, even when they shouldn't. Make a choice you're happy with. I am personally very happy with my projector and will be for many years. But for sure my next upgrade will he an 85" or bigger TV.
Can the dullness be overcome if the TV was projecting the same light into a smaller window (e.g. 80 inches) or is it inherently dull compared to a TV regardless of how much light you throw on it?
@@techsamurai11 Assuming you actually meant projecting onto a smaller area, Samurai, then yes the image will get brighter but we are not talking TV levels of brightness here. It was also not overcome the "dullness" that you refer to because the image will always be reflected light. You'd have to have the projector source shoot out dangerously high levels of blinding light from the source to overcome that which would also presumably require dangerously.high levels of energy to run as well as put out equally dangerous levels of heat. True.whether using bulbs or lasers.
Great presentation Andrew and Kristi. Always fun to listen to.
Much appreciated!
Hi Andrew, I am glad you are reviewing projectors. I use projection, have used it for a while and never going back to bulky and cumbersome TV screens. Of course, there are+/- for everything... a TV set can give better picture quality, especially during daytime. However, the projector has an advantage that for me was ultimately the deciding factor. And that is:
The lower image quality is noticeable only at first glance. When I am 3-4 minutes into watching a movie, it does not matter anymore. What matters is the size of the screen, for movie viewing experience the giant comfortable screen is far more impactful than a comparably smallish and superbright picture of a TV set. Also, the projector has enough resolution that for example I can see the reflections on the actors eyeglasses, and such miniature details that I cannot see from sitting position, and have to go up to the screen to see them. (And my question, why on Earth would I ever want more than that???! It's already more than my eyesight can interpret, at this stage I need better eyes, the projection is not the limiting factor.) After watching BOTH projectors and TVs for many decades, I can say that projectors are MUCH easier on the eyes, cause much less eye strain than TV sets. I can watch the projector 12 hours straight with minimal eye fatigue.... TV set.. after 3 hours eyes are already bleeding. So, for someone who watches a lot of movies, projector is the most eye-friendly way to go in case one wants to continue this habit two decades from now in the future... and when you really want to immerse into movie marathons (and keep your vision intact).
Cheers, Janos
I run a combo set up in my cinema room. My 65” plasma handles my TV viewing and my Epson 5050/100” motorized drop down screen handles my movie days. Both techs have their merits and compromises hell, literally all things do…. Anyone who is enjoying generational changes with tech has always enjoyed them for what they offer (flaws and all). 😁👍✌
I really enjoy how you two review a product as if you're going to live with it long term. This projector made me really want a projector, until your set-up made me realize that it won't work for me either. Thanks again.
Glad it was helpful!
It’s simple for me, if one wants a home theater experience, projection is the preference. I’ve had a dedicated home theater since 1993, a 2:39 anamorphic setup since 2006. Flat screen displays are great for family rooms and bedrooms.
I started using a projector for movies 8 years ago, with a 1080p projector and 120" screen. I kept building the setup, and now in 4k I have a setup no tv will ever be able to replicate. for day to day use, yes an led or oled is best, and I do watch some TH-cam or tv shows on the tv, if I am at home during the day. but for movie nights with friends, or cherished movies you can't get in the cinema, there is no substitute. in the cost of a huge tv, you can get a big enough tv, and a projector. I am watching a movie right now, the screen is 2,5 metres high, and 4,4 in width. Yes, you need the space, the speakers, the receiver... but I find it's much easier to move all of those if you rent a place, than a 75 inch tv. take a 500 usd projector, an Apple TV and two HomePods and you can go anywhere.
Great video, completely agree (building a home theater with a 7 ft ceiling, couldn't even consider a UST). I think the vast majority of consumers value screen size way more than picture quality and the marketing teams know it. Almost everyone I know thinks I'm crazy for getting a 65" OLED while they're out buying 85" TV's for $1500. A lot of them I think would be happy to watch a wavy faded wall picture if they could say it was 120". I feel like to have TH-cam even suggest this channel you have to be a step above your average consumer.
Thank you for your comment, Joe. To your last point, I sincerely hope that enthusiasts and the "average consumer" can enjoy the content on this channel as we strive to make it as approachable as possible.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I apologize, anyone CAN AND WOULD enjoy this channel, I didn't mean to imply any sort of gatekeeping or elitism. I just can't get even get my friends and family to consider checking A SECOND STORE let alone watch a TH-cam review when buying a tv. My friend just bought a 4 figure tv because it was "the biggest and cheapest at Sams Club". 🤦
As a projector enthusiast, I think the major issue is that it's really hard to step down. I completely acknowledge that new TVs are better all around, especially in terms of HDR. The problem is immersion. I went to all the insane effort to run cables and power to have a rear throw projector with a tensioned 120" screen and now that it's installed, every time I go into a store and see an 85" + screen, it just seems small, like a TV as opposed to a personal movie theater. Once I can buy modular TVs that tile together, then I'll likely switch. Until then, I have to choose immersion over picture quality (using a 4K projector is still pretty high quality). All that said, a UST doesn't make much sense to me as it has all of the limitations of projectors but without the advantages. It must be all about the marketing for those...
The subject of immersion is one that I see projection fans bring up a lot. On one hand I totally get it. I too love a big screen. What I find a lot in the comments at least, is that many people talking about the importance of immersion eventually divulge that they sit really close, as in too close or closer than recommended based on their room and screen size, so the idea of immersion IMO falls apart in that case. If you sit too close to a big screen, you are not going to be able to take in all of the content comfortably based on the resulting field of vision. At that point, the argument seems to be solely about having the biggest thing possible with little regard to anything else. ✌️
@@KristiWright I completely agree with you about the insanity of PJ people and I will say that I have not paid attention to the correct distance calculators that abound ( I do what I want! - Eric C). I realize you're speaking in generalities but for my specific situation, I have 20 feet of possible distance from the screen so I can play with couch/chair distance as needed. I look at it this way, I can simulate the field of view of an 85" TV with my 32" computer screen by sticking my nose closer/farther to the screen but no matter what my head placement is, my 32" monitor will never "feel" the same as the 85" TV in term of immersion. I'm certainly not an experienced reviewer like you and Andrew so I could easily be missing the perceptual background that explains this effect. I'm quite satisfied with my HT but I still go to a real theater when I want maximal engagement to blow my mind, and yes, I do sit closer to the front :)
@@KristiWright This is such a anecdotal case point to base your opinion off of. No way to know how many people sit too close or what too close is for different people.
@@aslanme387 Actually, there are seating distance standards set by THX, SMPTE and others that exist so that viewers can experience a consistent level of immersion and picture quality. My comment was based on the knowledge of those standards and comments left on this channel that routinely illustrate that many people sit entirely too close or they are installing screens that are too large for their rooms which keeps them from sitting the proper distance away. I am fully aware that there are going to be those who disregard those standards out of personal preference, that said, it doesn't change the fact that guidelines still exist.
I was one of the people who had some issues with the last projector review and we had a nice talk about it last time. I will say I am much happier about your talking points of this projectors review. I am very curious what you guys would think about the JVC NZ7. I recently went to an AV even called Mwave and the offered a projector shootout with all the newest laser projectors. I finally got to see what you meant about the blacks of the Epson (though I’m ok with them personally). What did blow us away though was the JVC lineup and how amazing those projectors looked. I would love to see what you guys think of it if you could get your hands on one for a review. Also not that I think it would be important but they also showed us a piece of hardware/software you can use for tone mapping for a projector called MADVR. If EVER you guys could see what that does I think you would be blown away. It took the 5k Epson and made it look better than JVC’s highest end laser which is saying a lot as the NZ9 looked almost tv like. None the less great job on the review and looking forward to more projector reviews in the future!
We appreciate you watching and thanks for sharing!
There really is no comparison between JVCs and any non-LCoS PJs. I used to own DLP and LCD PJs before getting on the JVC train, and was skeptical about all the hype. My last PJ before JVC was Epson 5050UB, which has very similar performance to the Epson LS12000 they reviewed recently. I can't imagine going back. The contrast difference is night and day, and built in tone mapping is just icing on the cake.
Hi there Andrew & Kristi. Can I offer an alternative opinion. Horses and courses. We have a 65" LG OLED and the new Samsung Atmos 990 soundbar. It's lovely in our lounge and works great without controlled lighting. However, my favorite way to see movies at home is our JVC 4K projector onto a Stewart 150" 2.35 aspect ration screen in a dedicated room with a 7.2.4 sound system and theater seating. It's a complete wow versus the OLED, but they are very different systems. The manufacturers selling projectors for light rooms are either misleading people or don't understand physics. I'm fortunate to have both. Is a projector as "good" as an LG OLED TV? Yes and No. Yes if you have light control and want scale and a truly theatrical experience. No if you're in a light (aka normal) room and want absolute black. You guys do great work!
This is one of your best review you was really funny you had me laughing throughout the hold review thanks😂
I appreciate that!
I did not test the coax connection as we do not watch TV shows over the air/via antenna.
Thanks again for another great video. Projectors are not on my radar at this time. Until they can figure out how to project a really nice picture in a bright room, there is no point in me buying one. And where I have my theater setup, I could only fit about a 100” screen max anyway. Once prices of 95”-100” TVs come down to a reasonable amount, it will be a no brained to grab one of those over a projector with all their limitations. For those with dedicated theater rooms, totally understand why you prefer projectors.
Thanks for the Samsung UST projector, looks nice to me!
I'm watching this on a projector, that I use as my primary display.
As I've mentioned before, the reason I do it is because of my room. The only place I have for a large display in my living room is over a stairway, and it's much easier to mount a screen there than an actual TV. But I also really enjoy the smoothness of a projected image.
I'm using a Sony projector and a DaLite HD Pro 0.9 100" screen. I did a full calibration using an i1display colorimeter and HCFR. Overall I'm very happy with it.
In short, I don't think people should ignore projectors if it's the best solution for their room, or if they just like them.
Really appreciate you sharing!
Awesome review. USTs are solid options.
As always great video 👍. On the home cinema topic, any chance you will be reviewing the new B&O soundbar?
That will be entirely up to B&O. They didn't even send us a press release for the soundbar prior to launch --so we found out about same as y'all. They claim we're on the list to get one, but....🤷♂
I returned my laser projector the next day. I would strongly recommend getting an 83"-85" plus ~$2K LCD or similarly sized e.g. $5K priced 83" Sony A90J OLED for anywhere in your home with maybe the exception of a dedicated theater room. These TVs don't last that long and in the staggering price difference to buying near 100-in panels. Plus I look at them as disposable or shifting to a different room. At least that's my rationalization.
I remember when it took a forklift to install a 32-in Mitsubishi tube TV in our entertainment center. Things have gotten a lot different since then and now there's a high demand for much larger screens so the prices are just going to drop like a rock. At least that's my crystal ball...
Hi! Good to know about the vertical throw part, hadn't considered that before. Looks like USTs have quite a way to go before being a full on TV replacement.
The vertical throw of this projector is in the neighborhood of 14-16 inches and it is FIXED as there is no lens shift like with traditional projectors.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews That would make it very inconvenient to place in a room.
Nice honest review. Thank you for that. I'm still owning a 82" 4K Samsung SmartTV from 2019 that I'm liking very much. But since the release of the Samsung Premiere Projectors I wanted one to even get a bigger image to watch my movies. So today I've found out that there's a limited offer for the LSP9T at 3999 euro's (that's around 4250usd) including a 130" Projecta FullVision screen including installation. So as this is a hell of a deal I went for it and I'm waiting for everything to be delivered in the coming days.
Was it worth the change? Is it better on the eyes and does it give less headache or vertigo when watching nearbye then the older led you had?
Totally agree with you both about projectors. I have just sold my old Mitsubishi 1080p projector and screen and purchased the Sony X95J 77 inch. (based on your review) Even though the screen is now smaller, its so much better than the projector and I actually prefer the smaller screen. As I only sit about 4.2 metres away I found that I was sometimes moving my head from side to side when watching the projector. Will never go back.
If you want a projector too look as good or better than a tv, you MUST have a theater room with black walls or blackout curtains for light control, and black ceiling or black sound foam above the projected image (critical). An Epson 3lcd projector will look better than most LCD tvs like this, with extra benefits over LCD tvs (no dirty screen effect, and PERFECT viewing angles). The whole point of a projector is large >120" screens for special viewing at night or in a special room. And it can be done cheaply with an entry level 3lcd projector.
Can you mount the projector on the ceiling?
My line of work has me having a very similar conversations with my clients in the first 30 mins seeing their space. (In regards to the first 3 mins of the video) I will say lots if the UST units sound great on paper. I've sold and installed 4 in the last 6 months and to achieve what the client wants required them to 1. set the UST on the floor 2. buy new a stand that worked for the the throw calculations. 3. have to make modifications to the room on top of what they already had done to make a "Movie space". None of these are great options. I personally believe when modular TVs become a reality for the average home enthusiast we will have the best of both worlds. Until then unless you have a budget to make a true home cinema I would always go the road of large LED tv and then spend the extra on the audio and get a more complete experience. Too many people forget what a great sound stage can do for a movie or tv watching experience.
This was a great review. Thank you!
After thought here: Why don't you guys try Si or Stewart screens for projector reviews? Just a curiosity.
First of all I think we are in total alignment.
RE: the screen brands
The very first brand we reached out to was SI back in Austin. They kindly agreed to work with us to furnish us with one of their screens. Unfortunately, when it came time to put that screen together, it didn't. In other words, some of the machined parts had alignment issues that kept that screen from being possible to assemble. We then used an Elite Screen in its place while in Austin and had we not moved, it likely would have been the screen you saw here in our new home. Fixed frame screens once assembled don't really travel well.
When we got to our new house, we got another Elite Screen but this one had similar assembly issues to the SI screen so we got a floor rising screen, again from Elite to simply our life as a review channel since we routinely review TVs as well. That screen was a unity gain screen which we used in our Epson review. That screen ultimately elicited quite a bit of displeasure from projection enthusiasts who made it pretty clear that in our in our non light controlled room, we needed to use an ALR style screen (which I don't disagree with but given that we had three of them turn out to not work, we decided to try something different hence the unity.gain).
This go around we opted to try out an entirely new brand (amzn.to/3AziUVN) that we purchased ourselves and wouldn't you know it, of all the screens we've had, it has performed the best and gone together the smoothest. I wish it wasn't a point 6 gain screen but at $500, I don't really expect better. I'm actually very happy with the screen and feel the image looks pretty good. Can you do better? Sure, absolutely you can. Is better going to cost you multiples more? Yes. Truthfully, we just don't have "Stuart Screen" money for a category that we don't cover regularly, and we didn't have time to try and forge a relationship, etc...If all I did was review projectors, I would likely have a Stuart Screen - just for the record. I've owned them in the past along with SI and thank very highly of both brands.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews What is up with these screens. I bought an in ceiling from elite they came damaged. Realized Amazon was the only way to go due to quality control and bought another of them and it was obvious a return so we didn't even install it and got a replacement which is absolutely perfect which for a motorized screen is rare. Ironically eventually elite screens agreed to replace the first and now it's in transit to me which they have verified before leaving the factory to be good I'm still keeping the one I have. I just don't want to risk messing with it. The other one is going to be my backup when this eventually breaks.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thank you for the response. I agree that we are in alignment. Make a more complete experience not just a visual one.
It’s unfortunate that the Si screen didn’t work out. I feel that when you end up with a projector review that would end the rebuttals of the enthusiast of not having the “best” screen. If you did have a Si or Stuart (beat auto correct this time).
Also I do think most people don’t understand that when they say get an ALR screen that most don’t work how intended with a UST unit. Due to how the the light is projected. The Best ALR work with a front throw projector as they reject the the light that’s not coming from on center. But that the light is thrown “down” on to the center of the screen instead of “up” from a UST. This won’t give you the true capability of the ALR along with wasting a large chunk of change to not get what the technology is capable of providing in non light treated rooms.
Thank you again for a great review and a great response.
I dunno about being a replacement for a tv, but I gotta agree with a lot of the comments. If you have a dedicated theater space, the large screen for night movies is something that a TV just can't compete with. I think projectors have a market for a certain customer and will never be a mass market item. Watching a 150" screen is an awesome experience.
That's funny because I have replaced all my TVs with projectors of some sort or another. The technology has gotten so good lately that tv's need more than "ultra deep OLED blacks" to make a sale for me. The glare ruins the immersion/experience so I stay away from Flat Panel TVs as much as possible. I've been a projector owner/user for 7 years now and STILL love it very much. In fact, I almost cringe when I have to watch something at a bar/restaurant's Flat Panel TVs or at a Friend's house's Flat Panel TV......except this one bar that had a long throw projector at each booth...it was really cool watching sports there since each game was on a projector instead of a TV.
A great review as always. For me the big talking point is, TV or projector. The pros and cons of them. As someone who was thinking of having a small dedicated cinema room, do I go for an OLED packed with quality and features, or a mid range projector and miss out on those features, but get some of that cinema feel back after lockdown has made going to the cinema less of a desire.
Hi Andrew, good review as always. You should review the international version of the Fengmi T1. It's the 3 laser UST to beat and less than half the cost of the Samsung.
I have an LG UST Projector with a 100 inch alr screen in my office and an 85 inch samsung qn90a in my living room. Both are incredible but the projector is by far my favorite experience. It gives me a more "filmic" look and feel. It is incredibly immersive. But the tv is more practical for my bright living room. If you have the money and a room then a projector is a must own. But if you only have the option for 1 then a tv is a better option.
I definitely understand many of the points and they apply to most home setups. After all projection is a niche market driven by people who above everything else value the immersion aspect of watching a movie and are willing to sacrifice many other aspects of an image and environment including the decor, the sharpness, etc... but ultimately, when you value immersion above everything else, no TV (not talking about LED Walls, but these are only for the uber rich for now) can compete with a light controlled room with a projector.
I experimented a bit and bought a 85" SONY Z9-G (which i have for sale now) which reaches almost 4000 nits and has approx 720 local dimming zones and the sense of immersion pales compared for example to what i have now, which is an 11ft wide cinemascope screen with an old SIM2 3D-S (its a 1080p projector). After all i think the magic of movies lies in their power to draw you into the movie and TV sizes even 98" ones cannot really provide that sense of immersion
25 years of projectors for me. But RIP projection, for way cheaper and absolutely no maintenance the Sony X90K 85” from ten feet away is a no brainer. Absolutely stunning all purpose TV.
I honestly do not blame you. Been there and done that for sure.
I may appear ignorant but it won't be the first or the last time. 😁 What sort of maintenance do projectors need?
I went from this exact setup, to the TCL 98". No regrets whatsoever. Projectors have nothing on emissivity displays other than pure size, and at that point you need a Christie and a dedicated large room and screen for it to really hit you better than something like the TCL or Samsung giant tvs
100% agree! I would go with a Christie or one of Sony's pro line projectors if I were to build a dedicated theater space. Great knowing you're enjoying the TCL. I can't wait to get ours up on the wall!!!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews watch for dirty screen effect. I had to get my first replaced because at a 20% Grey scale and darker it was VERY noticeable, Second one is flawless and BRIGHT, even in a fully lit 16 window great room. (Also much nicer than using our basement as a theater for light control)
@@Luke-qs2cg Good to know! Thanks for the heads up.
I have been doing this for a about as year. Short throw projectors are awesome. 120 inch screens are great for sports.
What type of screen material or brand would you recommend for a living room projector? (I watch TV mostly at night). I currently have an Elite Screens MaxWhite 1.1 gain, as you said having the screen is noticeable better than projecting on the wall. But I haven't try their other types of screen, or the ones with light rejection. Thanks for the great review!
Not sure what size you are looking for but I like the one we used here. Check out the description for links to the 100 and 120" screen.
Hi Andrew and Kristi. Long time fan. Despite that I'm not a projector owner, I hope that I can offer an answer to your question at the end of the video.
I'm sure that there are plenty of honest salespersons out there, but I don't know where they are. I've been jaded by marketing and sales talk for a few decades. Being in sales I know very well about the mindset. Even more, I don't have confidence in the product knowledge of the average sales person because the powers of qualifying the customer is key.
As such I've been counting on my research above all. Unfortunately, it can be a lot of work - too much sometimes when I'm green in the technology. It would be great if intelligent and honest 'purchase facilitators' were the norm.
So, when I buy at a physical store, I only need the salesperson to fetch me the box, having done my due diligence.
I use channels just like yours to help me. I see advertising the same as I see politics - unhelpful rhetoric.
Keep up the great work! (also, been enjoying your speaker series of late).
Can you do a review on the "Formovie theater " short throw ?
is that samsung q990b in the background🙃
Yes. If you're ever curious, you'll find out this info by referring the description box.
Some really good points on this video. First the marketing is complete bs and I ignore it completely. I run a dual system in a dedicted home theater room. I cheap projector on an xgimi elfin ceiling mounted 150" screen that retracts into the ceiling and a hisense 65" u8g behind the screen inset into the wall. The xgimi is cheap under 1,000 dollars but my room has no windows and dark walls. I still get the huge screen effect and for tv I use thr hisense. So for dedicted theater rooms I think the projector still has a place.
We have a floor rising screen that makes switching to a projector easier but it's not a good aesthetic match so we never use it. I wish it had a border all the way around so it would look nicer.
Thanks for watching, Wesley!
Do you think the high cost of the projector is more related to low sales numbers or high manufacturing costs?
It's possible, but I also know that Samsung and others don't (really) make these projectors, instead they buy the platform from (I believe) TI and then package them, which is why you have so many of these types of projectors on the market and all with eerily similar specs and price points.
Thank you again for you amazing review You should also try the Fengmi Formovie theater, less expensive, much better black level, shadow details and Dolby Vision!
Exactly. That’s what I told him. The Samsung LSP9T is two years old with a 1000:1 sequential contrast where as the Formovie Theater is around 3300:1, very good blacks, Dolby Vision and HDR10+
@@thomasmorel1447correct and not everyone knows that Xiaomi is one of the founder of Fengmi and they made the ALDP chip (4th gen now) that is leading the way in back and contrast. They recently won the projector screen award competing with Samsung, hisense and more well known brands. Would be amazing if Kristie & Team can review it :)
I recently purchased the LSP9T. We went with a 120" Vava screen (same as a Wemax). Our ceiling is 9' and our console is 22". The throw distance is not bad but the projector does stick out a bit so that the console can be as close to the wall as possible. We still probably have about a foot of space between the top of the screen and the ceiling. My wife really wanted the 22" high console so we made it work.
Paired with the screen I am happy with daytime viewing in ambient light. I didn't want a part-time projector given the cost, so this means a lot to me.
If you hunt for rainbows or laser speckle you can find it but overall it's easy to put out of mind.
I plan to try the filmmaker mode with warm color. Thank you for the suggestion.
Overall I'm happy with the buy, but I did get a deal. I wouldn't pay the retail price some places are trying to sell this at. Find a deal.
Hi Andrew and Kristie. When i had an extension room added to the back of my house back in 1983 for the purpose of listening to music, little did i know that 20 years later, it would become a perfect home cinema . By adding block-out shutters, dark brown curtains along the side walls, black wood grain wallpaper on the rear wall motorised heavy velvet curtains that open and close in front of the motorised 120 inch diagonal screen, dark blue carpet and dark blue ceiling. The result is a stunning projector image from my Epson projector. This mimics the true cinema experience you get at the public cinemas. I can watch different aspect ratio movies by using lens shift and rising or lowering the screen so that the image fits perfectly. Plus this has resulted in a tremendous improvement in listening to music.
Sounds like you’ve found a solution for you!
@@KristiWright Thanks, Kristi.
So you still (potentially) get the rainbow effect even on a triple laser projector ?
No sign of rainbow effect on mine...
just bought a epson LS500 that has 4,000 lumen for 2500 at amazon ...I already had a 120 inch screen from proHT that cost 150...the colors jump out at you and my neighbor with the expensive 75 inch sony oled just ordered the epson at amazon after watching the Lakers playoffs games at my place
Hi Andrew and Kristi. I'm from down under and I really enjoy the content you both produce, been following for a while. I feel you do present all your reviews fairly and real world as much as they can be. Which has been the case here. I love projectors but personally find UST trying to be a bit best of both worlds master of none, but the laser and screen tech is interesting nonetheless. .
What I'm saying is TVs or projectors don't have to be a binary choice in a non dedicated space. I run a 70" TV and long throw Projector with lens shift mid zoom at 120" 16x9 in the same living room. 4m x 5.6m and 8ft ceiling (not a huge room by any means) with a stand up elite screen in front of the TV. The same thing can be achieved with better quality drop down tensioned or non tensioned screen from the ceiling of course. It's awesome. It is Best of both worlds. 70" for casual viewing but 2.35 wide-screen should be shown wider than what a TV can represent. That's what the projector is for. OK I have put the time into self taught calibration with an i1 display pro colorimeter and chromapure. Delta e under 2. Not everybody has the time or dedication for that I get it. But I can be done.
My room was white for 10 years and now its light grey with white lighlights. Both displays benefited from the non objectionable colour change.
Let TV's be TV's and projectors be projectors I reckon ;)
Any plans to review the RP 8000 mkII?
I'm sure we will at some point but nothing is on the schedule currently.
I agree with you, I had a Epson 5030ub with 100inch screen in a dedicated room for years and I wanted to go 4k. I couldn't find a good 4k projector for my needs at the time. I ended up with an LG CX 77 inch, I honestly have never looked back. In a few years I will probably upgrade my tv when they hit 100 inches because I do miss that extra large screen immersion. Great review.
What about ceiling mount?
Lol, it must be difficult to review equipment when you’re not “in love” with it but you don’t hate it either. You do a great job of walking that fine line. I’ve never considered projectors. Just too many cons for my taste and the image and brightness of even a relatively inexpensive tv these days makes it almost nonsensical. Still, if I had a dedicated viewing room with space for a large image, then yes, it makes more sense. Nuff said, thanks for another excellent review for those hardy souls that like a challenge.
If the price of the projector set up and screen , do you think it would be easier to recommend a ust projector? … I know I wouldn’t be going this route but if you had the option between a 75” tv around 3 or 4k and a short throw or projector getting a 100 or 150” screen which would you be leaning towards?
This a tough choice. I have a ust with a 100 inch screen and an 85 inch samsung qn90a. The projector is a better experience by far. It has a more filmic celluloid look. But the tv is more convenient and a projector wouldn't work in my living room. I mainly use my projector in the evening.
Have u checked the price of the praise tour lately? U can get for around 3500€ now. Actually the price has been like this for almost the hole summer now.
Sorry for the auto correction. …….the price of the projector lately…….
Just got my ls12000 up and running and basically agree with everything you have said however my 120 inch screen drops from the ceiling and due to having windows behind it there's no way I can fit larger than a 85 inch TV on the wall which I have. The TV doesn't come close to delivering that cinematic experience. I doubt a 100 inch screen would either. Does it match an oled. Of course not but black levels were actually far better than when I watched top gun in an actual cinema. With my lock out blinds and grey walls it works really well but projectors are definitely not plug and play. In a dedicated space like mine they sill have their place but forget about it if you plan on using them in a standard living room so 1000% agree with this review. However have you thought about heading over to a showroom to give your thoughts on that environment. I would be curious to know
Great video Andrew and Kristi will your channel be covering the Xgimi and Anker Nebula projectors by any chance?
Will like to hear your take on them as they are considered in the consumer friendlier price point?
I'd love to see you review the Formovie Theater. It just won the UST Showdown and is priced at $3k.
To me, the point of having a projector is to not only be immersed but to also have a good picture. With that said, I have a JVC projector that will not compromise blacks and turn them gray like these UST projectors. I just can't do these UST. Then again, I have an OLED in one room and a dedicated home theater room, so my opinion could be biased.
great review, i own this and ALR coming shortly, are you willing to share your calibrated settings inclufing CMS? woild be a hood start before i get it calibrated, many thanks
QOTD,
It is a misrepresentation of proper use of projectors with the bright rooms in their advertising. Most living spaces 85” is plenty. Those who are interested in projectors should know in advance they will need a special set up or room to get full benefits. The advertisement that it’s for any consumer is also misleading since it’s not as easy as setting up a tv. Thanks for the review. There is s place for projectors and higher end surround sound systems since comercial theaters are falling behind in quality to what some can attain in our own homes.
The last year I had a tv was 2017. It's been projectors ever since. My "special room" is my bedroom lol. My"special setup" is black out curtains. I put the projector on a stand, plugged it in, aimed it at the wall and ran an hdmi cable from my ps4. Within a whoppping 5 minutes I had a 154 inch screen. I carried the projector home in my backpack.
When I last bought a tv (around 2010) I had to first get it on my vehicle. Since my bedroom is downstairs I had to lift it through my window. I then had to take it out of the box, locate a screwdriver and attach the stand. Wall mounting would have been a nightmare. I had to get something to place it on . After some heavy lifting I finally was able to plug it up. My 40 inch screen in front of my 12 foot wall. Imagine if I had a 55 inch.Tv's are anything but easy.
@@TheMeefive that is great, I too have a portable projector, and a dedicated projector for my multi purpose theater room.
I am all team projector, my mistake for assuming tvs requires no set up but most will agree for some it’s just easier for every day use to set up a tv and just watch without worrying about a washed out picture.
I switched from TV to projector almost 2 years ago and will never go back. Sure, TVs these days have amazing resolution, but that’s part of the reason I like a 1080p HD projected image. There’s something about the “lo-fi” 1080p projected image that is so much warmer and easy on the eyes, not to mention it just feels cinematic. An HD flat screen TV, no matter the size, just feels too “perfect” to me, inorganic and electronic. I think projected light brings something to the table, it gives me that movie theatre vibe.
I opted for a UST model from Epson. I love it. I don’t even need a screen. I have a nice white wall which works amazingly. I heard all the complaints about hard to position USTs, but I think that’s overblown. It was not difficult to set up in my situation. It’s so minimal too. No huge physical TV present at all times and painful when it comes to moving.
I’d encourage anyone to give a projector a try, especially UST. And you don’t really need 4K or 8K. Remember when we all were amazed at 1080p? It was not so long ago.
Can you recommend any projectors that have three HDMI inputs? If I’m replacing a TV how can I watch Apple TV Netflix and prime if I’m already using the HDMI port to connect something like a hi-fi rose for my two channel set up?
Thanks for the review. I havr a question though. I have eye strain issues thanks to the screen time I have one. Daily basis, and my LG OLED makes it worse. Heard projectors are better in that respect. Would you have any inputs on this please?
Hey man, i have eyes strain to with a hight photosensitivity. I own both an LG oled and an Epson ls500 3lcd projector and it is clear that the projector image is much less aggressive for eyes, it's soften, less numeric with smooth judder.
Not trying to sell you projectors, there's a lot of downsides , but that's maybe something to consider.
Also be careful with dlp projectors they can produce "rainbows effects" that can lead to headaches for some of us.
Do you feel that a grey a.l.r. screen would have yielded better results especially with ambient light/s ? Thx 👍🏽
Depends on the projector. We have a UST and a Lumagen video processor attached to it so the PQ and HDR are simply stunning. We prefer this over our 75” OLED. Sorry every TV just looks so small and that is something hard to ignore. Granted adding a Lumagen increases the price a lot but no projector as far as I’m concerned is complete without it.
Fair comparisons to LG would be the new flagship HU915QE. Would be awesome if you could compare. Reviews claim HDR is really good with this new model.
Good review. But still like my Oled better (and I have had most of them, LED, Oled, Projector's with great screens, etc).
I enjoyed the review as was considering changing my 65 inch led tv to the Sammy so can watch at 80-100 inches, but I’m really thinking now that maybe just upgrade to a 85inch oled as will watch in day time too. BUT, I’m worried THAT such a big tv so near me will hurt my eyes so give me motion vertigo or headaches while projectors are supposed to be easy on eyes. Are the new extremely large oleds hard on eyes so may cause more headaches or vertigo than a projector for such large pictures? P.s will be sitting very near for at 2.5-3m away.
...but can you just carry a 130" TV anywhere like with this projector?
@audionoob4189 That's the reason I'm considering a projector.
In Germany, you can buy the LSP9T for about 3000€ now, with a Samsung discount. I think, it‘s a good deal
If price is a limiting factor, try the Optoma Cinemax P2 4K projector. The usual projector quirks aside that Andrew covered, its pretty good on a ALR 120/100 screen. I have been using it regularly for past 2 years and love it!
to me is the cost for the size that you can't beat in a greater than 100" screen so i went with samsung in my dedicated movie room. i spend 8k for my set up for a 120 inch and would have cost over 100k with a tv that size. but i do agree tv do give you better quality picture in any room.
I tend to agree with you guys.. if you have a space to have a 200" screen in a darked space for movies only it's great for just sheer scale. But I don't know anyone who has the space for that. And day time viewing on projectors is always sub optimal.. most projector enthusiasts I know are sub 100" in the UK and at that point the why jumps in. Projectors are fun in a very specific space and light situation and 99% truly do not have that situation.
I really like your center console where you stow your gear - color and height is what I’m looking for. Do you mind providing a link for it, or provide the manufacture’s name. I’ve been looking at BDI Corridor (around 3k), but prefer the simplicity of yours. Thanks again for a great review.
FYI: We provide links to what we show in the description. If you are talking about the white benches, those are no longer available but I do provide a similar option for you in the desx as well as the BDI we used in our old house.
Excellent review as always! I’m a bit confused by the math in regards to projecting a 100” image on a 9’ wall. If the bottom of the projected image (while on a 30” stand) is 46”, the top of the projected image would be roughly 96”. 96” = 8’. That sounds like it would fit with 1’ to spare. Not ideal having it quite that high but seems doable.
Projector is always good with hi res, hi bit rate videos..
I hope you'll do a test on the EPSON EH-LS800 soon. Should be interesting. :)
And thank you for your great tests. Very honest!
I have had a projector set up since 2000 in a dedicated theatre room with a 100 inch Stewart Firehawk screen. Have upgraded twice since that time and currently have a Sony native 4K projector that is 5 years old. Still love it! No TVs in the house since around 2010.
Interesting how projection fall short of HDR because of brightness limitations and expected reference level color representation, but OLED tvs also fall short too with the standard HDR brightness of at least 1000nit including not being able to produce 100% DCI-P3 and Rec. 2020 color space.
20:07 As much as I love digital projectors and have a few older Canon projectors that I enjoy using on my 120-inch projection screen in a basement makeshift media room, I honestly don't see a bright future (no pun intended) for projectors when as Andrew stated, 4K flat screen TV's are getting much larger (up to 85 inches now or more) and prices are dropping every six months or every year.
Add to that how the brightness, image quality, and versatility of 4K flat screen TV's generally offer less hassle and room-arranging than setting up these "short throw" projectors and the choice becomes clear in the long-run in favour of TV's.
Plus, there is no way that I would pay $6,000 for a projector when a 75-inch 4K TV is around $1,500 to $2,000. That $6,000 price tag is out of touch with the evolution of TV technology.
I don't think there's any question about TVs being capable of better picture quality, especially with HDR.
However, if you have the right environment I don't think anything beats the audio and video immersion a projector with a great surround sound system utilizing an acoustically transparent screen. I don't think that is practical in the average family / living room.
However I think the focus is often weighted too much towards video, and audio usually suffers because of it. Whether using a a UST projector with ALR screen or VERY large TV both require one to place their center speaker/soundbar closer to the ceiling or floor. Personally, I would prefer going slightly smaller with the screen size while still allowing placement for good audio. YMMV.
I am in the process of building a new home and I am trying to decide between a 120" UST and sitting further, vs an 83" OLED TV and sitting closer so the viewing angle is about the same. TV seems more reasonable, but I am thinking that those extra 35"+ I can get with a projector will trump any advantages the TV might have.
It is going to depend on your room (i.e is it an open living space with windows and such or a dedicated room typical no windows/dark walls etc) as to what will be the better solution. On a 120" screen the recommended viewing distance (according to THX) is 13 to 19 feet. An 85" screen is 9 to 13 feet. If you take those two scenarios into account, you would have exactly the same field of view. If you have that room to work with and can control the light, then you are a candidate for projection. But if that isn't your situation, the OLED TV is the better overall option. Our room 100% qualifies in terms of size but we do have a lot of windows so for us, the OLED is the better viewing experience in more lighting situations.
As Andrew said, it will really depend on your room treatment. I sit about 7.5' from an 83" OLED in my family room, and about 10' from a 135" PJ screen in a dedicated theatre. The OLED looks better (though not by much, my PJ is a high end JVC), and I can tell you the PJ is FAR more immersive and enjoyable to me. IF you have the dedicated room and money to go high end PJ and a big screen, it's the path I would recommend every time.
The disadvantage of UST projectors is where on earth do you put your center speaker? You can’t put it behind the screen since you need an ALR screen, which don’t come in an acoustic transparent variety. And it’s hard to put below the screen because the projector sits there. Best case scenario would be having a phantom center channel, I suppose.
But I will always say, unless you have a dedicated media room, a TV will always be a better solution than a projector.
I updated my man cave over Covid. I was on the fence about a projector but it just wouldn't do Everything I needed. My 7 year old likes to play down there with his friends with a movie or show on in the background, so it would never be total darkness. I went with an 85" Sammy and saved a few grand . Couldn't be happier
Projection has a place, but I agree with your take- the cost to do it right and still have a lot of compromise to deal with is not worth it in the age of dozens of excellent, and huge OLED TV’s
One question (a little off subject): If a AV receiver doesnt support independent subwoofer signal… does it still matter if you use 1 or 2 subs? Im thinking about buying either 1 powerful (800w) sub or 2 (400w).
I’m assuming that your receiver doesn’t have dual sub out and just a single sub out? If so you can just use a y splitter to send the LFE out to 2 subs. That’s what I’m doing to my living room setup.
It depends on your room really. Dual subs don't have to be in stereo to be relevant Low bass is very non-directional, so sending a mono signal to two subwoofers won't sound much different than sending left to one and right to the other. Also, the "point one" LFE channel in 5.1 etc is not in stereo. So it depends whether you are using the subs to extend the low bass of your left and right speakers, or just fr LFE. Either way, depending on the size of your room and the layout, using two subs instead of one larger sub can result in smoother bass response.
@@djsoulfilter it does have dual sub out. Marantz 6015… I was wondering if its better to have a 2 (400W) or just 1 (800w) subwoofer? Ohh and its a big room.
@@zachariahadams ok. Thanks.
@@harleyn3089 thanks m8.
@Andrew Robinson Great Review as always, have you heard about the new Klipsch The Fives McLaren Edition ? Thoughts? Maybe review incoming ?
I hope that one day, micro LED displays like those from Samsung and Planar will be good and cheap enough to use in a home theater.
We saw "the wall" at an Apple store recently and it was AMAZING. One day. One day :).
@@KristiWright I too look forward to modular screens becoming practical and affordable, but there are differences between emissive and projected images beyond size. Both have their pros and cons. HDR favors emissive, but projected is easier and healthier on the eyes (no blue light). There's also something about a projected image that's hard to quantify, it just "feels" different, and to me, more pleasant. Projector screens are also not reflective like TV screens. This is less of a problem in a dark room, but not eliminated. When a big TV lights up the entire room, and you see it reflected back at you, it breaks immersion. Emissive is certainly the more practical and hence more mainstream approach.
@@budala1969it’s like when audiophiles say, “everything sounds better on vinyl,” emissive displays are objectively better in every measurable way, but that discounts that some people will always prefer the way a projected image looks. Personally, I don’t really care for the lower contrast that comes from projection, even in a state of the art commercial theater, but I also have a specific vision condition that makes lower contrast images problematic. What I’m looking forward to, eventually, with micro LED displays is their availability in wider aspect ratios. For the right (read: extremely large) sum of money, the hardware exists to do it now, but I’ve never seen it tried. Tell you what, though, if I win Powerball I’ll let you know how it turns out. :)
@@KristiWright yes, they look incredible! Check out the Planar Luxe… 200 inches, 8K, and probably only costs a half dozen human souls. :)
@@FrostyDog9186 I mean really. What's a few human souls every now and then? LOL :)
Can you review formovie theater projector? It’s cheaper and is suppose to have better hdr
Thanks to bring this product to our attention. For those interested in checking it out, here you go: amzn.to/3KBWjfT
While we haven't tested it, looking at the details, it very well may be the same projector (minus different built in speakers) as the one in this review. Thanks for watching!
Review the Formovie Theater!!! It's supposed to be amazing
Two votes for Formovie!
For those interested in checking it out, here you go: amzn.to/3KBWjfT
While we haven't tested it, looking at the details, it very well may be the same projector (minus different built in speakers) as the one in this review.
Well, u have successfully dampened my wishful dreaming of having the big screen. Don’t get me wrong Andrew. I thank you for that. So much info that I would have probably learned the hard way. Anyway, wanted to ask if you may review ifl Aurora
I have the 120 single laser version of this projector, can confirm hdr content is not great! Pairing with a panasonic ub420 helped tremendously for 4k disc playback tho cause the panasonic has lots of hdr tone mapping settings, most hdr on streaming services is garbage tho haha I turned hdr off in my nvidia shield