Bra-fing-vo! so happy you did the 3D. Great review. Wish it came in black, but for $1699 I think I'm gonna grab it. Thanks for listening to your followers.
Looks like a great projector. I have the AWOL Vision 3500 UST. I'm running the beta version of Dolby Vision on it now. Official release coming soon. The AWOL is 3500 lumens so a bit brighter than the XGIMI.
The dolby vision is tempting, I have been rocking an Optoma UHD51ALV for a while now and I love it, the 3D is a big deal to me so it’s nice to see this projector does that as well, may be in the market for a new one soon
Just for reference between this and the JMGo N1 Ultra. The JMGU does have a digital zoom (not optical) like this one its in the settings so as to get a larger or smaller picture without having to move the projector close or farther away and using the digital along with auto focus corrections nothing distorts and it also has a pan setting that lets you move the len vertically and horizontaly as well so I don't know why some are saying there's no zoom on the JMGU and the instant auto correction is faster than the XHU but the XHU is so sleek
@@user82938 I have it and it is NOT a speckle problem at all as long as your not using an ALR or CLR screen but on a matte white or textured wall or screen it's a XHU killer... Actually go check avs forums type in Xgimi Horizon Ultra then select newest posts and you'll see it doesn't compare... Most of these guys are either paid partnership promoters or just absolutely love dolby vision so much they'll just take it over any other lifestyle projector ...Believe me I've done my research for months
Digital zoom will shrink the image and you will lose resolution. Optical zoom uses lenses to maginify and is vastly superior to digital zoom (also used in Keystone) if you're on a wall it wont matter but on a screen it's very distracting to have glow outside of the screen. They are both great projectors - I own both, but ended up permenantly mounting the XHU in my setup now.
Thanks for the video! Will dolby vision work directly on that Netflix integrated app arrangement or you need to connect a AppleTV ou something familiar?
@@BuildMontage I don’t see it happening, but we will see? Seems like they would have to redo all of their marketing material, manuals, everything. Plus I assume that they are licensing fees involved?
@@BuildMontage 100 percent mate yeah. I just went to pretend to buy it and it didn’t do the conversion rate. The price stayed the same. I would buy it but I’m going to be poor for a little while. Just bought a 700k house and land so I’m done for a couple of years lol. But the technology is going to just get better and better it unreal 🙏🏻
Thank you very much for this review. Since you also tested the BenQ W4000i, I'm very interested in your opinion on it. Is the picture quality with Dolby Vision significantly better than with the W4000i? Which one would you prefer? I understand that the price is almost double, but I'm looking for a long-term investment.
I had the choice of buying the w4000i after the review, however, I got this one in shortly after while I was deciding and I went with this one. The BENQ is no slouch - I just wanted the dolby vision and electronic controls vs manual controls of the BENQ.
Hi! you think that xgimi Horizon Ultra has as good contrast image quality as the BenQ w4000i. of course the price is different... but to choose the difference will be big or no . Thanks ! your work is excellent 👌🏼
Ok Dolby Vision is 1 feature I really wanted in a long throw is down. Now for someone other than a single projector from Acer to put in VRR. But for now this looks like a strong contender for my projector.
Another great video Tony 😁! I was wondering how this compares playback wise to the Formovie which according to your review is another laser projector supporting Dolby Vision (but obviously a short throw versus a long throw).
Oh yeah definitely not a fair comparison between them. I feel they have different use cases. UST projectors to me are replacements for TV more so than a dedicated cinema projector.
The PQ does look good but it isn't something I'd buy for my home theater. But hopefully this will pave way for major home theater projector providers like Sony, JVC and Epson to finally come out with projectors that support Dolby Vision.
I have a JVC NP5 in my main room - I tried to show the use cases for this projector and the fact it does Dolby Vision is pretty incredible for the price.
@@paulrevere1479 I didn't say I wouldn't buy a Dolby Vision projector, I said I wouldn't buy this projector. If Sony, JVC or Epson comes out with PJ that have Dolby Vision, then I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
@@BuildMontageWould you still recommend a Sony 5000es or JVC projector at around $6k versus the xgimi under 2k? It seems like the xgimi is a really good deal at less than half the cost of the big ones
Hard to do a direct comparison - what specifically do you want comparisons on? It's a HUGE job to do a thorough comparison especially considering there are limitless projectors to compare it with. My mind goes into doing a review of the product, not trying to compare it with other projectors before unpacking the projector's properties first. Hope that makes sense ::)
Both projectors are similarly priced and getting positive reviews. So, many will like to know which one is the best and a better value for money. No need to review specifications and features as these are available for everyone but it would be interesting to know your personal opinion on picture quality of both, performance in both SDR and HDR, black levels and con trast. This will be of great help to people considering one of them and finding it hard to make choice. @@BuildMontage
Me too, especially accounting for the price difference. I love the gimbal design on the jmgo and am strongly leaning in that direction, however I am intrigued by The XGMI duel light source, Dolby vision
That's pretty cool that projector can accept Dolby Vision. I'm not sure if it's your camera or it's from the projector but seems kinda fuzzy. The image doesn't seem sharp.
I did my best but in a dark room when you record a screen, you can get outerglow which makes it super hard. I thought I'd captured it clearly enough but everyone has different standards I guess :) All I'll say is it's a very difficult task filming a screen.
Tony...from what im seeing this is a native 4k imaging chip is that right? You said the image looks almost 4k so i wasnt sure if it was pixel overlap to remove screendoor effect or the pixel shift tech. It seems like native. Be honest was it hard going back to the NP5 after? Does it feel flat? I care ALOT about blacks and contrast so im not sure which image would work better is a dedicated theatre 130inch @ 5m throw vs say a NX5 Also i presume there is no 2.35:1 settings in there? Once again great review mate.
OK - so this isn't a native 4K chip - it uses the 0.47" DMD however, I am constantly blown away by how good the image is. No it's not better than my NP5 - the contrast on that thing is unrivaled, but what I do love about the XHU is that its a 2 second power on and you get Dolby Vision. In a dedicated room, this would be excellent but with DLP you will always get grey bar overscan and if you care about black levels, stick with the JVC. This one for me though is my dedicated projector for my upstairs setup and the NP5 for my dedicated room!
Excellent review I had the Horizon Pro prior Im sold. Question for you in the horizon pro had on the tripod stand but with room still was sometimes trapezoidal due to angle of room. Did this change to make always automatically centered square with the Ultra no matter the angle ? Looks like a perfect projector . Love this brand.
Im not sure if I just found the right angle but it's pretty square for me hanging from the ceiling now. I was able to get it right on the edges of my screen.
Man….if these specs are even somewhat accurate attached to the price, JVC and Sony will be a less likely consideration in this category. Interested to gauge the vibe at CEDIA next week.
Hi Tony, greetings from Brazil! 🇧🇷 Thanks for the review. While I do understand the relevance of DV, what makes me more curious about this PJ is the physical iris. How does it work? Can you see any flickering? Does it improve contrast and black levels? And how would you compare this to the BenQ 4000i and JMGO Ultra N1? I'm sorry for asking so many questions but here in Brazil we do not have many information about HT gear so folks like you are my eyes and ears! Thanks, mate!!!!! 😉
Unfortunately I can't give you a comparison as I don't do those types of videos as there are infinite brands that could be compared against. However, All 3 of those projectors menitons would work. The Ultra has the least amount of laser speckle and banding out of all 3, with RBE being more visible on the N1 and 4000i, but that's what you will get from a DLP projector - there's no avoiding it. What tipped me toward the Ultra over the N1 was optical zoom that is also electronic - so that also beat out the w4000i. Add Dolby Vision and I think it's a winner.
Tony - looks really promising. Do you know what will be the throw distance for a 150 inch screen size and will the keystone work if the projector is kept to the side of the room . 😊
I'm currently shopping the XGIMI Horizon Ultra & JMGO N1 Ultra to be used as a portable unit pulled out for special occasions some of which are outdoor. brightness & screen size are are vital features. since you've tried out both, do you have an opinion on which would be best for setting up in the driveway for big groups?
Both are bright but the JMGO N1 Ultra does feel to be brighter, but the picture quality from the XHU is better overall. Hard to split. I own both, but I decided to go with the XHU for a few reasons being throw distance and Dolby Vision with a small sacrifice in light output. Outdoors at night it may not be a big issue. Its almost impossible for me to recommend one over the other as every use case is different.
Is the projector bright enough for 135inch screens? I use a pretty old Optoma UHD 550x currently. Black levels suck on this model and after calibration it's not even that bright. It's not horrible but DV seems tempting on this new projector.
I couldn’t tell you. It’s enough for me at 16:9 120”. I think the black levels are as good as you can expect on a DLP and I have better results than other reviewers because I calibrated mine with a sensor. I am also now using a long throw alr screen which I’m going to review very soon and that helps a lot also. Love this projector.
I don't know about losing quality but the bigger the screen, the more light required to fill it and the further back the projector has to go. I am at 120" now and have no issues with the light output but I couldn't say for certain at 158".
Hi, hope you can Help me! I’m looking for some info on juddering. I have my actual projector that supports natively 24hz, and it’s very smooth. I read this projector instead is only a 60hz, so, when you play a 24hz source is there any judder effect? Have you set your Apple TV on 4k 60hz permanently or it switchs the frame rate and the projector does the conversion to 60hz? Thank you!
I have motion smooting turned on for a single notch and that helps. It does do 24hz though - the signal changes when it goes into 24hz mode on my screen anyway.
The XHU has optical zoom so you can use it to zoom in and out before engaging digital zoom. This is the first projector of this pricepoint and concept that I've seen with optical zoom.
@HankeyElfordArgent I would use a white screen if u don’t have ambient light or a grey screen if you have a lot of light, but not a clr or alr which are designed for ultra short throws.
Heya, I haven't reviewed the C1 yet so I couldn't tell you however I am personally using the XHU in my upstairs setup, even though I have access to many other projectors :)
I’m traveling overseas from the US to Europe and will stay in Europe for about a year. Do you think this projector is too big for carry on luggage? I wanna get one with me since Airbnb TVs usually small size.
I know they are very different products, but I'm just curious if you prefer the picture to the Benq 4550i? Meaning, if you got both to look they best they could, do your like one over the other.(I know the Benq has great accuracy and a lot of settings) I would even be curious about the Optoma uhz50 4k because it just dropped in price to $1500.
I was going to buy the Benq after I did the review, however, ultimately, I decided to go with the Xgimi Horizon Ultra. I felt the Dolby Vision tipped it over the edge a little plus I also felt it had better brightness/contrast. The Benq def had a more cinematic image, but after weighing everything up I decided to keep and mount the XHU.
Make sure you have no auto-keystone or auto focus enabled and make sure you aren't zoomed in. The only reason for the grey bars will be if there is some kind of digital zoom going on. You can see on the swipe wheel it starts in optical and then if you keep zooming in it will engage digital where you will have the white light.
Great review, thanks . I am very tempted but users are saying the contrast is really poor, have you tried it on a while screen ? How do yhe blacks compare to the jvc
Which users are saying that? If you see my review, does it look like low contrast? I will say one thing - I don't think the preset options do very well for contrast. I used a calibration sensor and the image turned out fantastic when I manually corrected the colour temperature and also the colours RGBCMY. I think possibly this may be why people are saying the contrast is low - because out of the box, it needs to be corrected. I can't say for certain but I am using it, and the demos you saw are 100" un-edited - it's impossible to "add" contrast to a video and still keep the detail without a harsh contrast between black and white - and my demos show how natural the image is.
@@BuildMontageGood Black Levels? Acceptable Contrast? Stop lying! Your viewers count on you to be honest and sincere. People spend they're hard earned money on these products and often rely on reviewers like you to point them in the right direction. YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THIS REVIEW WAS BS AND 100% INFLUENCED BY $$. Shame on you.
@creyes4381 this is not the case. I use this one on a daily basis and the contrast paired with an ALR screen is excellent. I was absolutely not paid to do the review and don’t do sponsored videos. I have a JVC and yes the black levels are no comparison with that but for what you pay for this unit I think it’s great.
I’m looking forward to an end of year best buys video. Where you can give your recommendations at different budget levels. Or a best of category, such as best home cinema and best daytime projector. It seems this year is shaping up to have some strong contenders fighting it out.
Thanks for this video Tony! My question is, it's my understanding that DV requires for displays to produce certain amount of nits and since this PJ is DV certified, what is the difference between this one and other projectors in terms of performance?
The same thing was said about HDR (not to be confused with HDR10) - a few years ago people were lamenting the fact that HDR could not be possible on a projector as it's impossible to guarantee NIT levels etc - same arguments have started up about Dolby Vision. It's too wide a question to answer in terms of differences - what specific differences to you mean? And which specific projector? All I know is that this projector has legitimate Dolby Vision support, so when a DV title is being played from any source, the projector detects it and switches modes, locking off all the main tuning options for HDR and instead providing DV tone mapping. Remember the price - Im not saying this can replace a Barco but for what it is, in the use cases I mentioned, this is a pretty great projector.
@@BuildMontage thanks for your quick response. I was wondering what this projector has (hardware or software technology) that others in its class or above don't to support DV.
if you are aware of the BenQ HT5550 (i think in the US), how would this compare? Would this be an upgradefrom that? I am not informed enough to make those distinction from specifications.
Ive not tested that one so I cant give you an answer. I avoid comparisons in my videos. Instead, I focus on the actual product Im reviewing to show it in the best possible way to give you a real view of how I see it.
$1699USD is amazing value, however the conversion of $3500AUD on the XGIMI Australian website is absolute highway robbery. You also sound like a fellow Aussie, so you should be vocal about it.
Pricing is conversion to AUD, plus shipping costs to bring them here, plus GST, plus import tax... I don't really know what the landed cost would be but usually products I see that are actually brought into the country, not shipped to the customer from overseas, generally attract a higher cost. I do have a discount code you can use, the provided it to me after I had people from Oz asking, I think it knocks off $175 off the price. Other than that I'm not sure what else I can offer here.
Hey Tony. I was thinking of this for my 2nd theater room, and watch a mixed bag of 16:9 and 2.35:1 content. Does this projector have any form of lens memory? I googled for a bit and can't seem to find an answer. I know it has digital zoom that can I do it manually, but my JVC has me spoiled. BTW: Love your content and theater tours, keep it up! I've gotten a lot of inspiration from your show.
I have a JVC NP-5 so I totally get it - 26000:1 contrast ratio measured in my main room :) This projector is perfect for my second casual space which is still pretty crazy with high end gear (7.2.4 Krix, Yamaha a8 and separate amp etc) and for now, it's staying in place. I would love a second NP-5 up there but it would then lose the casual nature of the room I'm trying to create. I love not worrying about anything like bulb life, can just sit up there and relax no strings.
Can you turn Soap Opera effect off? Motion smoothing kills the film look for me and some projectors still have the uncanny valley feel even with Memc turned off. Thanks.
I dont have the nebula any more. The way I do my reviews is to showcase the unit without comparing it to something else rather I focus on each units strengths and weaknesses. If you watch each of the videos I have done on these projectors you should be able to form an opinion.
Ceiling mount wortked for me and I didn't need to lens shift. It naturally angles square at the screen when flipped upside down. Keep it as high up to the ceiling as possible.
@CupOfMoe totally random mount I found in one of my drawers. I was search Amazon for a while and could t find anything short enough. I’ll see if I can find one and I’ll post it.
My thoughts are that I don't do comparison videos. There are just way too many projectors and combinations, and it's impossible to do for me. What I do usually is showcase each projector to the max potential it has and let people compare themselves. The LS12000B is a great projector of course. The XHU is insane for the price and feature set. The LS12000B has obvious advantages in colour accuracy and brightness, but it doesn't do Dolby Vision, and costs way more. It's hard for me to say, buy this one or that one.. Everyone has different budgets and desires.
Hi Tony, hope you are doing great!! I might see you again at Melbourne HiFi Show in few days? Need you expertise advice please... I have ordered Xgimi Horizon Ultra and desparately awaiting to check the performance in my room. My room is total light controlled fully dark. Already have Elite Screen 125" (white). But was looking to upgrade to Grey colour 135" screen. Do you know any Throw ratio calculations for this projector? Should I upgrade my 125" white screen to 135" Grey screen? Thanks, Diamond
Yes I'll be there, come say hi for sure. I don't know the throw ratio - but it has a zoom lens so you just need to place it dead center of your screen / room and make sure it's back far enough to get to height. I don't recall seeing a throw ratio im sorry.
Good review, how do these pixel shifting lifestyle projectors compare to true 4k projectors? I know they somehow trick the human eye but I would think going from 1080p to 4x the resolution would be detectable. I'm wanting to upgrade my BenQ HT2150ST but can't decide which "4k" would be best.
To clear up something, True4K is still a form of pixel shifting, often used on a .67"DMD vs the .47"DMD - however it's still a form of pixel shifting. I think you're referring to Native 4K such as the JVC and Sony projectors - there aren't a lot of native 4K projectors contrary to what people think - that are within an affordable pricerange. I am hoping it will change but to answer your question, I can tell you that there is a sharpness about native 4K which is obvious, however, a pixel shifter still generally looks better than a native 1080p display. So you would have to weight up your price for performance and go with a display which looks good for your eyes.
@@BuildMontage Yes I meant native resolution. I've never actually seen in person an actual 4k projector whether native or with a form of pixel shifting.I was looking at the BenQ X3000i which seems reasonable in price. I like the big screen experience but also look for a quality picture. I think maybe I'll try to be content with my 77" oled and maybe in 2-3 years the laser projectors will be perfected and more affordable.
Unfortunately, my settings won't help you. You need to use a sensor and measure and then adjust according to your light source, ambient light, screen material/gain etc. I get asked a lot and have shared before and they can make it worse. I know the update they did made a big difference, but also what screen are you using and what is the light like in your room?
@@BuildMontage hi thanks for your reply can I ask you another question. Is there a way I can bring up video information on screen that will tell me if the show I’m watching is playing in HD, 4K etc
Yes however you need to do this through your reciever if you have one - you would go into the information settings and it would show you what signal it is processing. I dont think you can do that from the projector itself - it does also show you if it's switching to Dolby Vision, and you can see the settings will block you from changing things if its in that mode at the time@@ciaranh5907
Hello, I see on the backsite from the beamer two usb ports. Is it possible to play directly a film from a usb stick,let say a mkv movie? Thanks for responding.
@@BuildMontage ooh ok.. but i can see them while watching your review video in white scene.. i guess many more folks notice that effect in white background scene
@Dr-Anant.A that’s not rainbow - it’s colour fringing caused by my camera refresh rate being slightly out of synch with the screen. Not seen in person.
I have a JVC NP-5 and it cant compete with it's black levels, but no projector realistically can in my opinion - until you spend some serious dollars on a video processor or a really expensive projector like a Sony GTZ-380. So I have both projectors and I wouldn't say this could replace my JVC but for my casual 7.2.4 space upstairs this projector has been brilliant. Dolby Vision etc - plus LED/Laser - it means I can watch without worrying about the bulb hours.
It's hard to say as both looked pretty great when I reviewed them. I think there's a touch more brightness in the XHU over the Benq, but the Benq has a lot of calibration options. I almost bought it to put in my setup but I returned it after I did my review, and I'm keeping the XHU in my setup - its now ceiling mounted :)
@@BuildMontage Yes, me too. I posted something but I deleted it the other day. I’m thinking to buy this one too as benq needs to either drop the price or offer better performance. I was wondering though is it possible to ceiling mount xgimi with minimum keystone correction? Or is the corrections so good that it doesn’t affect the image?
Great video mate! Was sold! But went to AU link supplied...AU price is more than double US price...with conversion shouldn't be that expensive 😢. Plus the discount code does not work.
Hmm.. I will let XGIMI kow as they provided me with the code - I couldnt test as it wasn't live until launch. I'll let you know the outcome. The price is what it is locally, I assume it's due to shipping cost, import taxes and GST, we get a royal serving when it comes to bringing products in from overseas... but if you think it's worth it.. could still be a good investment. I'll try get you that discount code!
My old Epson 9300? Yes this is better overall. It has lens memory, just not lens SHIFT.. so optical zoom but you can't shift it unless you keystone... then u r using digital zoom and moving it around
So in a nut shell yes.. but I'll explain... The projector was mounted down almost in line with the bottom of the screen so there was no issue with it reflecting the light back to eyes. I even had my N1 ultra ceiling mounted and it also still showed the image perfectly - so I'm skeptical on the whole CLR/ALR concept after my real world tests with 3 projectors so far... I have actually replaced this one with a 120" ALR screen, and the image doesn't look any brighter than the CLR screen I used. I also had no choice to use what I had, but the reality is, you can see in the demos, it was still very bright - look at the Mario demo. Either way, it did the job for the purposes of the review in a real world situation.
@@BuildMontage The image certainly looks a lot better than you would except. Sizing up to 120 inches significantly dims the image due to the much larger area. So I wouldn’t expect it to be brighter. Your experience certainly calls some typical dealer advice into question though.
Wow. Appreciate your review. But DLP and RAINBOW Worries me so much, cause I can always see it. Love the picture of DLP. But RGB Effect ruins it for me. I guess I will have to have a look myself. Thanks. - Toronto, Canada.
I didnt see any on this one - what was explained to me was the dual light source of LED and Laser gets rid of the colour speckles from the laser, and the colour fringing (RBE) - on this one I didn't see it at all. If you don't want to experience it you would need to go a JVC or Sony but they cost significantly more.
@@BuildMontage yes I heard from your review. I appreciate your response. Very tempting. Right now I am still using the Second release of the Epson 3D projector. I went through 3 models, and 13 projectors to get the right one. Back then I made a calibration disc for 3D projectors/tvs and gave the .iso file away for free on the forums. There wasn't any around back then. The only thing I couldn't provide to people was the Blue Filter you would need to properly calibrate your colour, and tint. But you could pick one up from THX if possible for the DISNEY CALIBRATION Disc came with one. I am a huge 3D fan, and I take it, you don't really care for it. But I want to get another projector with 4K. Thing is because the tech was new I had to return a few projectors, and because of the trouble and the way I handle the returns with the companies and relations. They gave me two extra pair of glasses, and an extra bult. And I still get better 3D at home than I do at the theatre, in dedicated Theatre Room. But this sounds like a decent projector and price. I really appreciate and believe your review and how true it came across as. You answered all my questions. And even responded. Thanks so much.
Hi, I have a Epson 3800 which is very good but of course I have been looking to upgrade to either a UST Laser proyector or something else, Do you think this could be the one to buy?
Probably less bright being it's 2300 ISO lumens (around 2800 ANSI) and your lighting conditions, screen gain, and distance from the screen and screen size will all impact - 125" is pretty big.
@@BuildMontage Room has no ambient light and screen is an Akia CineWhite UHD-B with a gain of 1.3. Should I wait for the others new proyectors that are going to be released with Dolby Vision?
“Dolby Vision” Heavy emphasis on the quotations. Nah… I’m happy Dolby is finally supporting Projectors. Bottom line: projectors can’t hope to accurately represent HDR but that’s why Dolby Vision is so important for them. As projector owners are typically enthusiasts getting a tone map that takes the guesswork out with metadata-based HDR tone mapping is paramount. So far, the manufacturer’s solutions around HDR10 have been hit or miss (Epson/Sony miss, JVC/BenQ hit). Now, the real question is: can we get this in some better quality projectors? Nothing against the Xgimi but I wouldn’t put them near the top of my projector wish list.
I applaud XGIMI for doing this. I have a JVC NP5 with gorgeous picture quality and at 120" around 120nits in HDR so plenty of brightness and over 26K:1 contrast - and I use the XGIMI as my daily driver in my second setup. It's incredible how well it punches above it's weight. Room conditions and the screen you use play a big part in the HDR rendition on any projector, so while I see your point, it's not an absolute. I see these types of projectors as the trickle up effect, with some of the bigger players really should be taking note and trying to include these features. I think adding DV to the JVC lineup would be awesome and I do kinda spoof it a little already on my JVC with a HD Fury with incredible results.
I have an NP-5 - and no it doesn't. Being objective. The contrast ratio on my NP-5 measured in at 26K:1 after calibration. I would say this one is significantly lower. Doesn't make it bad, it's just not a fair comparison. Like asking if my VW Beetle compares to a Ferrari....
Can anyone suggest between the formovie x5 , benq ht4550i, hisense c1 pro and xgimi ultra..im really having a tough time understanding the pros and cons amongst.these as all these from the reviews were pretty damn good.
Your question needs to be more specific. What criteria are you after? Lowest price… best HDR? Dolby Vision, best contrast… it’s almost impossible to give you an answer taylored to your needs without knowing what you want specifically as a priority.
Having owned higher end equipment from Panasonic in the past, I know the 'light engine' is always the component that bricks a projector. Having two light sources sounds like a double opportunity for failure to me.
@@user-zl9qk1sg2f I don’t believe so. 4000 nits may come off of a TV but not a projector screen. A bright projector screen will read usually between 100-200 nits. There are differences between the way projector screens work with reflected light vs the light coming directly from a TV screen.
I have no idea why it’s Dolby Vision certified …it’s not even any closer professional level projectors in terms of specs …..guys don’t even think of putting this in your main theatre probably there will be big catch
Yeah I just wanna hear about the contrast levels not a single spec on anyone's reviews even scrubbing the entire net I mean his vid samples look insane but most of that is camera iso and settings
This is why I love experiencing and testing things rather than looking at a spec sheet because it often gets in the way of your enjoyment. For me, in my casual space, this is perfect. I have a JVC NP5 in my dedicated room. I don't know what the big catch is you mention at the pricepoint of $1699, I can't see what the risk is. I also showed this in my casual space, not my dedicated space specifically for that reason.
@@BuildMontage all I’m saying is people can’t just replace their main projector to this just bcoz the Dolby Vision naming on it….I suppose that includes you and I wouldn’t also bcoz image recreation includes colour rendering,pixel perfection clarity ,contrast ratio and finally colour accuracy , consistency all this focused on professional series of projector like Sony, Jvc … I’m definitely not a fan for specification that’s why I like Sony projectors.
@@balakrishnan2997 where did I say to replace your main projector with this? I have a JVC NP-5 in my main room - I never said I was replacing it for this. I actually said where it would work well.. In a casual space or portable gaming. Did you watch the video or just comment off the title?
@@BuildMontage you would not replace ,nobody would that’s my point . I just felt it’s a missing directing it’s purpose like it’s a replacement for commercial projector I’m not pointing particularly you and it would be nice if any mentions for it’s purpose before people running to get one, I did watch your video and I like it no offence…
I wouldnt be able to say off hand. I have my projector around 4 1/2 meters back and I have to zoom in to get 120" so from 6m you would have a pretty big picture.
The projector's throw ratio is 0.25:1 to 0.33:1, which means that for every 25 centimeters (0.25 meters) the projector is moved away from the screen, the image size will increase by 10 centimeters (0.1 meters). At a distance of 6 meters (600 centimeters), the smallest image size will be 80 inches (203 centimeters) and the largest image size will be 150 inches (381 centimeters).
After buying the $300 mount for the n1 and punching holes in my ceiling… I decided to switch to this one… the optical zoom and native Dolby vision are very hard to pass up on. The n1 has a brighter image but having to place it perfectly made it really hard to line up. I’ve still got the n1 ultra and the image is pretty crazy on that unit as well. These cheap projectors are crazy good for what you pay for them.
@@BuildMontage That’s about what I expected to hear you say…the fact that this actually had optical zoom is for sure what all of these lifestyle projectors have been missing and it totally helps with setup and utilizing the full light output.
@@BuildMontage I have a couple Horizon Pros (one is our bedroom “TV” projecting onto a floor raising 70” screen at the foot of the bed) and I have the N1 Ultra from its crowd funding campaign and it has really impressed me…especially for that price. Thanks for taking the time to respond.
@DustinFrancis the n1 ultra is fantastic as well don’t get me wrong but I’ve installed this one - more patching now but I have it behind the seated position now so it’s out of view. I had the n1 in view because I had to - no optical zoom.
I don’t have that info either. It’s decent but but any measurements I take will be skewed by my screen, distance from screen and ambient light. Native contrast can only really be given from the manufacturer under stringent testing conditions. I showed the projector in real world conditions best I could so you could judge it based on that until XGIMI release the rating.
Native contrast can really only be done in very specific conditions. Measuring off your screen with a sensor will give you the on to off contrast, not native. Not sure who you're referring to but I know that the conditions of the room, ambient light, screen gain will all affect the on to off contrast so you can have wildly different results - as well as to whether or not the projector has been calibrated first, grey scale corrected etc....
🛍 BUY HERE bza6.short.gy/xhu
Bra-fing-vo! so happy you did the 3D. Great review. Wish it came in black, but for $1699 I think I'm gonna grab it. Thanks for listening to your followers.
Looks damn impressive in this review! Well done!
Thanks for watching mate
Looks like a great projector. I have the AWOL Vision 3500 UST. I'm running the beta version of Dolby Vision on it now. Official release coming soon. The AWOL is 3500 lumens so a bit brighter than the XGIMI.
Nice! I am hoping to get the new AWOL in for a review within the next month. There's more projectors coming out with DV too.
Thanks for the amazing review❤
The dolby vision is tempting, I have been rocking an Optoma UHD51ALV for a while now and I love it, the 3D is a big deal to me so it’s nice to see this projector does that as well, may be in the market for a new one soon
Most intelligent projector on planet 😮
Just for reference between this and the JMGo N1 Ultra. The JMGU does have a digital zoom (not optical) like this one its in the settings so as to get a larger or smaller picture without having to move the projector close or farther away and using the digital along with auto focus corrections nothing distorts and it also has a pan setting that lets you move the len vertically and horizontaly as well so I don't know why some are saying there's no zoom on the JMGU and the instant auto correction is faster than the XHU but the XHU is so sleek
Also, the JMGo is reported to have lots of laser speckle and it sounds like that is less of a problem with this dual light source.
@@user82938 I have it and it is NOT a speckle problem at all as long as your not using an ALR or CLR screen but on a matte white or textured wall or screen it's a XHU killer... Actually go check avs forums type in Xgimi Horizon Ultra then select newest posts and you'll see it doesn't compare... Most of these guys are either paid partnership promoters or just absolutely love dolby vision so much they'll just take it over any other lifestyle projector ...Believe me I've done my research for months
Digital zoom will shrink the image and you will lose resolution. Optical zoom uses lenses to maginify and is vastly superior to digital zoom (also used in Keystone) if you're on a wall it wont matter but on a screen it's very distracting to have glow outside of the screen. They are both great projectors - I own both, but ended up permenantly mounting the XHU in my setup now.
Thanks for the video! Will dolby vision work directly on that Netflix integrated app arrangement or you need to connect a AppleTV ou something familiar?
It works on any source that can play dolby vision!
I'm sorry, did you say your "casual" theater room has a 7.2.4 system? That's better than my dedicated theater room.🤣
Yes, casual room so I can have fun with trying new gear more often. My dedicated room is on my channel as well if you take a look on my channel page.
If only there was black version😔
Ironically I always had that opinion however in my casual space I can't paint the room black sos it blends in better in my ceiling.
Bunnings 10 bucks lol
Great review! Thanks. Two questions - can this be ceiling mounted? How does it compare with BenQ X3000i ?
Yes it can be - I explained it in the video :) And compare is hard - compare what specifically? It's a very broad question.
so will JVC and Sony come out with a firmware update at CEDIA that gives them Dolby Vision?
I've heard rumors, but I doubt it. I hope that they do!
That would be pretty cool
@@BuildMontage I don’t see it happening, but we will see? Seems like they would have to redo all of their marketing material, manuals, everything. Plus I assume that they are licensing fees involved?
Great video mate. Wow the picture was just perfect . Cheap at $1700 US
I think so too… price is nuts for the features
@@BuildMontage 100 percent mate yeah. I just went to pretend to buy it and it didn’t do the conversion rate. The price stayed the same. I would buy it but I’m going to be poor for a little while. Just bought a 700k house and land so I’m done for a couple of years lol. But the technology is going to just get better and better it unreal 🙏🏻
@@bradthurkle7217 there should be one for your country and a discount code as well in the description.
@@BuildMontage ok bro cheers. I’m in perth mate lol
Thank you very much for this review. Since you also tested the BenQ W4000i, I'm very interested in your opinion on it.
Is the picture quality with Dolby Vision significantly better than with the W4000i?
Which one would you prefer? I understand that the price is almost double, but I'm looking for a long-term investment.
I had the choice of buying the w4000i after the review, however, I got this one in shortly after while I was deciding and I went with this one. The BENQ is no slouch - I just wanted the dolby vision and electronic controls vs manual controls of the BENQ.
I think I'm getting this. Thanks for the review!
Got to admit the horizon Ultra seems fantastic!
I think so too for the price and use cases.
@@BuildMontage as it is my nebula cosmos laser has already replaced my tv entirely.
@@sharksbean that's also a pretty good unit - I reviewed that one as well.
@@BuildMontage it’s the 1080p version and yeah that was a good video.
Hi!
you think that xgimi Horizon Ultra has as good contrast image quality as the BenQ w4000i.
of course the price is different...
but to choose the difference will be big or no .
Thanks !
your work is excellent 👌🏼
My screen is 120 pouce the room same that you 👌🏼
I have the same question!
I think that both make great options. The XGIMI is brighter, but the Benq has a superb image as well. I ended up choosing the XGIMI
Ok Dolby Vision is 1 feature I really wanted in a long throw is down. Now for someone other than a single projector from Acer to put in VRR.
But for now this looks like a strong contender for my projector.
Another great video Tony 😁! I was wondering how this compares playback wise to the Formovie which according to your review is another laser projector supporting Dolby Vision (but obviously a short throw versus a long throw).
Oh yeah definitely not a fair comparison between them. I feel they have different use cases. UST projectors to me are replacements for TV more so than a dedicated cinema projector.
@@BuildMontageexactly
How far does it need to be placed for 100” 16.9 screen, thanks
I had it around 3 1/2 meters back from the screen for 100" and used optical zoom to go out more - no keystone :)
The PQ does look good but it isn't something I'd buy for my home theater. But hopefully this will pave way for major home theater projector providers like Sony, JVC and Epson to finally come out with projectors that support Dolby Vision.
I have a JVC NP5 in my main room - I tried to show the use cases for this projector and the fact it does Dolby Vision is pretty incredible for the price.
You wouldn't buy a Dolby Vision projector because?
@@paulrevere1479 I didn't say I wouldn't buy a Dolby Vision projector, I said I wouldn't buy this projector. If Sony, JVC or Epson comes out with PJ that have Dolby Vision, then I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
@@BuildMontageWould you still recommend a Sony 5000es or JVC projector at around $6k versus the xgimi under 2k? It seems like the xgimi is a really good deal at less than half the cost of the big ones
Thanks for this video! Is there a way to mount the projector on the ceiling?
Yes I use a 1/4" short mount and it works perfectly.
Thanks for the review. It is interesting to know how it compares with JMGO N1 ultra
Hard to do a direct comparison - what specifically do you want comparisons on? It's a HUGE job to do a thorough comparison especially considering there are limitless projectors to compare it with. My mind goes into doing a review of the product, not trying to compare it with other projectors before unpacking the projector's properties first. Hope that makes sense ::)
Both projectors are similarly priced and getting positive reviews. So, many will like to know which one is the best and a better value for money. No need to review specifications and features as these are available for everyone but it would be interesting to know your personal opinion on picture quality of both, performance in both SDR and HDR, black levels and con trast. This will be of great help to people considering one of them and finding it hard to make choice. @@BuildMontage
Would love to see a comparison
Me too, especially accounting for the price difference. I love the gimbal design on the jmgo and am strongly leaning in that direction, however I am intrigued by The XGMI duel light source, Dolby vision
That's pretty cool that projector can accept Dolby Vision. I'm not sure if it's your camera or it's from the projector but seems kinda fuzzy. The image doesn't seem sharp.
I did my best but in a dark room when you record a screen, you can get outerglow which makes it super hard. I thought I'd captured it clearly enough but everyone has different standards I guess :) All I'll say is it's a very difficult task filming a screen.
@@BuildMontage it's all good, we appreciate your effort 👍
It is not a borderline obsession with Dolby Vision. It is a full blown obsession with Dolby Vision 😂😅
You’re not wrong!
Tony...from what im seeing this is a native 4k imaging chip is that right?
You said the image looks almost 4k so i wasnt sure if it was pixel overlap to remove screendoor effect or the pixel shift tech. It seems like native.
Be honest was it hard going back to the NP5 after? Does it feel flat? I care ALOT about blacks and contrast so im not sure which image would work better is a dedicated theatre 130inch @ 5m throw vs say a NX5
Also i presume there is no 2.35:1 settings in there?
Once again great review mate.
OK - so this isn't a native 4K chip - it uses the 0.47" DMD however, I am constantly blown away by how good the image is. No it's not better than my NP5 - the contrast on that thing is unrivaled, but what I do love about the XHU is that its a 2 second power on and you get Dolby Vision. In a dedicated room, this would be excellent but with DLP you will always get grey bar overscan and if you care about black levels, stick with the JVC. This one for me though is my dedicated projector for my upstairs setup and the NP5 for my dedicated room!
Another great review from The Beard on an exciting new projector
Haha thanks mate
Excellent review I had the Horizon Pro prior Im sold. Question for you in the horizon pro had on the tripod stand but with room still was sometimes trapezoidal due to angle of room. Did this change to make always automatically centered square with the Ultra no matter the angle ? Looks like a perfect projector . Love this brand.
Im not sure if I just found the right angle but it's pretty square for me hanging from the ceiling now. I was able to get it right on the edges of my screen.
Can it be mount on a ceiling upside-down like other long throw projectors?
Yes it can - that is now how I have it in my setup.
Man….if these specs are even somewhat accurate attached to the price, JVC and Sony will be a less likely consideration in this category. Interested to gauge the vibe at CEDIA next week.
I hope JVC add DV to their lineup. It's a LUT effectively so I can't understand why more aren't pushing for certification.
I enjoy watching the video clip I like the product gives a great picture but I have know place to put it I have to stick to 65 inch TV.
I’ve got a 120” now 😂 it’s a very cool picture I won’t lie!
I wished I was as casual as you are!
You can be if you want to be!
Hi Tony, greetings from Brazil! 🇧🇷 Thanks for the review. While I do understand the relevance of DV, what makes me more curious about this PJ is the physical iris. How does it work? Can you see any flickering? Does it improve contrast and black levels? And how would you compare this to the BenQ 4000i and JMGO Ultra N1? I'm sorry for asking so many questions but here in Brazil we do not have many information about HT gear so folks like you are my eyes and ears! Thanks, mate!!!!! 😉
Unfortunately I can't give you a comparison as I don't do those types of videos as there are infinite brands that could be compared against. However, All 3 of those projectors menitons would work. The Ultra has the least amount of laser speckle and banding out of all 3, with RBE being more visible on the N1 and 4000i, but that's what you will get from a DLP projector - there's no avoiding it. What tipped me toward the Ultra over the N1 was optical zoom that is also electronic - so that also beat out the w4000i. Add Dolby Vision and I think it's a winner.
Tony - looks really promising. Do you know what will be the throw distance for a 150 inch screen size and will the keystone work if the projector is kept to the side of the room . 😊
Excellent video as always, genuinely thinking about getting one and swapping out from my OPTOMA UHZ65 due to all the tech upgrades this has!
Discount code in the description :)
@@BuildMontage Amazing thanks!
Hybrid Laser/LED light source may have shorter lifespan compared to traditional lamp projectors.
I'm currently shopping the XGIMI Horizon Ultra & JMGO N1 Ultra to be used as a portable unit pulled out for special occasions some of which are outdoor. brightness & screen size are are vital features. since you've tried out both, do you have an opinion on which would be best for setting up in the driveway for big groups?
Both are bright but the JMGO N1 Ultra does feel to be brighter, but the picture quality from the XHU is better overall. Hard to split. I own both, but I decided to go with the XHU for a few reasons being throw distance and Dolby Vision with a small sacrifice in light output. Outdoors at night it may not be a big issue. Its almost impossible for me to recommend one over the other as every use case is different.
Is the projector bright enough for 135inch screens? I use a pretty old Optoma UHD 550x currently. Black levels suck on this model and after calibration it's not even that bright. It's not horrible but DV seems tempting on this new projector.
I couldn’t tell you. It’s enough for me at 16:9 120”. I think the black levels are as good as you can expect on a DLP and I have better results than other reviewers because I calibrated mine with a sensor. I am also now using a long throw alr screen which I’m going to review very soon and that helps a lot also. Love this projector.
Hello, great video! Would you lose quality if i went to a 158" screen?
I don't know about losing quality but the bigger the screen, the more light required to fill it and the further back the projector has to go. I am at 120" now and have no issues with the light output but I couldn't say for certain at 158".
Hi, hope you can Help me! I’m looking for some info on juddering. I have my actual projector that supports natively 24hz, and it’s very smooth. I read this projector instead is only a 60hz, so, when you play a 24hz source is there any judder effect? Have you set your Apple TV on 4k 60hz permanently or it switchs the frame rate and the projector does the conversion to 60hz? Thank you!
I have motion smooting turned on for a single notch and that helps. It does do 24hz though - the signal changes when it goes into 24hz mode on my screen anyway.
My screen is going to have to be 18feet away from the actual projector, can you zoom in and out or is it really a fixed lens?
The XHU has optical zoom so you can use it to zoom in and out before engaging digital zoom. This is the first projector of this pricepoint and concept that I've seen with optical zoom.
Perfect! Lastly, any special screen, ALR or any grey screen?
@HankeyElfordArgent I would use a white screen if u don’t have ambient light or a grey screen if you have a lot of light, but not a clr or alr which are designed for ultra short throws.
Nice Video Tony! How does the XGIMI Horizon Ultra look compared to the Epson LS1200?
It's a nice image for what it is. The LS12000 has more contrast and brightness but is also significantlly more expensive.
nice. any new ultra short throw projector models released by Xgimi?
Not that I know of
Hi, can you tell me which one is better xgimi horizon ultra or hisense c1, really confused in choosing the one?
Heya, I haven't reviewed the C1 yet so I couldn't tell you however I am personally using the XHU in my upstairs setup, even though I have access to many other projectors :)
I’m traveling overseas from the US to Europe and will stay in Europe for about a year. Do you think this projector is too big for carry on luggage? I wanna get one with me since Airbnb TVs usually small size.
It's a little heavier than something like the JMGO N1 Ultra but still definitely portable enough.
I know they are very different products, but I'm just curious if you prefer the picture to the Benq 4550i? Meaning, if you got both to look they best they could, do your like one over the other.(I know the Benq has great accuracy and a lot of settings) I would even be curious about the Optoma uhz50 4k because it just dropped in price to $1500.
I was going to buy the Benq after I did the review, however, ultimately, I decided to go with the Xgimi Horizon Ultra. I felt the Dolby Vision tipped it over the edge a little plus I also felt it had better brightness/contrast. The Benq def had a more cinematic image, but after weighing everything up I decided to keep and mount the XHU.
Great video. How did you connect it to your receiver?
Really long hdmi cable through the roof :)
Just set mine up, whats with the massive light box thats sit around the image? I am full wide and there is a light box shining all around?
Make sure you have no auto-keystone or auto focus enabled and make sure you aren't zoomed in. The only reason for the grey bars will be if there is some kind of digital zoom going on. You can see on the swipe wheel it starts in optical and then if you keep zooming in it will engage digital where you will have the white light.
Great review, thanks . I am very tempted but users are saying the contrast is really poor, have you tried it on a while screen ? How do yhe blacks compare to the jvc
Which users are saying that? If you see my review, does it look like low contrast? I will say one thing - I don't think the preset options do very well for contrast. I used a calibration sensor and the image turned out fantastic when I manually corrected the colour temperature and also the colours RGBCMY. I think possibly this may be why people are saying the contrast is low - because out of the box, it needs to be corrected. I can't say for certain but I am using it, and the demos you saw are 100" un-edited - it's impossible to "add" contrast to a video and still keep the detail without a harsh contrast between black and white - and my demos show how natural the image is.
@@BuildMontageGood Black Levels? Acceptable Contrast? Stop lying! Your viewers count on you to be honest and sincere. People spend they're hard earned money on these products and often rely on reviewers like you to point them in the right direction. YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THIS REVIEW WAS BS AND 100% INFLUENCED BY $$. Shame on you.
@creyes4381 this is not the case. I use this one on a daily basis and the contrast paired with an ALR screen is excellent. I was absolutely not paid to do the review and don’t do sponsored videos. I have a JVC and yes the black levels are no comparison with that but for what you pay for this unit I think it’s great.
I’m looking forward to an end of year best buys video. Where you can give your recommendations at different budget levels. Or a best of category, such as best home cinema and best daytime projector. It seems this year is shaping up to have some strong contenders fighting it out.
Thanks for this video Tony! My question is, it's my understanding that DV requires for displays to produce certain amount of nits and since this PJ is DV certified, what is the difference between this one and other projectors in terms of performance?
The same thing was said about HDR (not to be confused with HDR10) - a few years ago people were lamenting the fact that HDR could not be possible on a projector as it's impossible to guarantee NIT levels etc - same arguments have started up about Dolby Vision. It's too wide a question to answer in terms of differences - what specific differences to you mean? And which specific projector? All I know is that this projector has legitimate Dolby Vision support, so when a DV title is being played from any source, the projector detects it and switches modes, locking off all the main tuning options for HDR and instead providing DV tone mapping. Remember the price - Im not saying this can replace a Barco but for what it is, in the use cases I mentioned, this is a pretty great projector.
@@BuildMontage thanks for your quick response. I was wondering what this projector has (hardware or software technology) that others in its class or above don't to support DV.
if you are aware of the BenQ HT5550 (i think in the US), how would this compare? Would this be an upgradefrom that? I am not informed enough to make those distinction from specifications.
Ive not tested that one so I cant give you an answer. I avoid comparisons in my videos. Instead, I focus on the actual product Im reviewing to show it in the best possible way to give you a real view of how I see it.
$1699USD is amazing value, however the conversion of $3500AUD on the XGIMI Australian website is absolute highway robbery. You also sound like a fellow Aussie, so you should be vocal about it.
Pricing is conversion to AUD, plus shipping costs to bring them here, plus GST, plus import tax... I don't really know what the landed cost would be but usually products I see that are actually brought into the country, not shipped to the customer from overseas, generally attract a higher cost. I do have a discount code you can use, the provided it to me after I had people from Oz asking, I think it knocks off $175 off the price. Other than that I'm not sure what else I can offer here.
@@BuildMontagethat would be awesome, i am actually keen on picking this up soon for the family. Could I please trouble you for a code :)
XGIMIBM1@@panamacspana8498
@@BuildMontage Thank you so much!
Hey Tony. I was thinking of this for my 2nd theater room, and watch a mixed bag of 16:9 and 2.35:1 content. Does this projector have any form of lens memory? I googled for a bit and can't seem to find an answer. I know it has digital zoom that can I do it manually, but my JVC has me spoiled. BTW: Love your content and theater tours, keep it up! I've gotten a lot of inspiration from your show.
I have a JVC NP-5 so I totally get it - 26000:1 contrast ratio measured in my main room :) This projector is perfect for my second casual space which is still pretty crazy with high end gear (7.2.4 Krix, Yamaha a8 and separate amp etc) and for now, it's staying in place. I would love a second NP-5 up there but it would then lose the casual nature of the room I'm trying to create. I love not worrying about anything like bulb life, can just sit up there and relax no strings.
Can you turn Soap Opera effect off? Motion smoothing kills the film look for me and some projectors still have the uncanny valley feel even with Memc turned off. Thanks.
Yes it can be completely off, or 3 ranges of strength. I find that low is actually the sweet spot.
How does this compare to the BenQ w4000i?
Compare in which way?
Thank you for the response. In terms of its image in general, does it look better or is the BenQ better?
Amazing review man! Can you use the horizon ultra outdoors?
As long as u have a power source I can’t see a reason why not!
Thanjs for the video what's the throw distance
for a 120 inch screen?
I’ll try to find out. I just put mine at around 4m and I now have a 120” and I could zoom in heaps more than I needed to.
I would have it about 13.5 feet away. Would that work for a 120” screen. Cheers.
Waiting for nebula laser 4k vs horizon ultra comparison.
I dont have the nebula any more. The way I do my reviews is to showcase the unit without comparing it to something else rather I focus on each units strengths and weaknesses. If you watch each of the videos I have done on these projectors you should be able to form an opinion.
I'd be all over it, but I would need Lens Shift in my current setup. Unless I ceiling mount and angle down perhaps?
Ceiling mount wortked for me and I didn't need to lens shift. It naturally angles square at the screen when flipped upside down. Keep it as high up to the ceiling as possible.
@buildmontage which ceiling mount did you use? Looking for one that works with my Horizon Ultra!
@CupOfMoe totally random mount I found in one of my drawers. I was search Amazon for a while and could t find anything short enough. I’ll see if I can find one and I’ll post it.
Awesome, thanks a bunch! Looks like most any 1/4 mount will work. Jazzed to ceiling mount the XGU.
Nice review
Thank you! Cheers!
Thanks! whats your thoughts on comparing it too a much more expensive Epson LS12000?
My thoughts are that I don't do comparison videos. There are just way too many projectors and combinations, and it's impossible to do for me. What I do usually is showcase each projector to the max potential it has and let people compare themselves. The LS12000B is a great projector of course. The XHU is insane for the price and feature set. The LS12000B has obvious advantages in colour accuracy and brightness, but it doesn't do Dolby Vision, and costs way more. It's hard for me to say, buy this one or that one.. Everyone has different budgets and desires.
Hi Tony, hope you are doing great!! I might see you again at Melbourne HiFi Show in few days?
Need you expertise advice please... I have ordered Xgimi Horizon Ultra and desparately awaiting to check the performance in my room. My room is total light controlled fully dark. Already have Elite Screen 125" (white). But was looking to upgrade to Grey colour 135" screen. Do you know any Throw ratio calculations for this projector? Should I upgrade my 125" white screen to 135" Grey screen?
Thanks,
Diamond
Yes I'll be there, come say hi for sure. I don't know the throw ratio - but it has a zoom lens so you just need to place it dead center of your screen / room and make sure it's back far enough to get to height. I don't recall seeing a throw ratio im sorry.
@@BuildMontage Thanks Tony. Do you think 135" Grey screen will work better for this projector than my current 125" white screen? Room is totally dark.
@@diamondjiwanpuri I would avoid grey screens in light controlled room
Good review, how do these pixel shifting lifestyle projectors compare to true 4k projectors? I know they somehow trick the human eye but I would think going from 1080p to 4x the resolution would be detectable. I'm wanting to upgrade my BenQ HT2150ST but can't decide which "4k" would be best.
To clear up something, True4K is still a form of pixel shifting, often used on a .67"DMD vs the .47"DMD - however it's still a form of pixel shifting. I think you're referring to Native 4K such as the JVC and Sony projectors - there aren't a lot of native 4K projectors contrary to what people think - that are within an affordable pricerange. I am hoping it will change but to answer your question, I can tell you that there is a sharpness about native 4K which is obvious, however, a pixel shifter still generally looks better than a native 1080p display. So you would have to weight up your price for performance and go with a display which looks good for your eyes.
@@BuildMontage Yes I meant native resolution. I've never actually seen in person an actual 4k projector whether native or with a form of pixel shifting.I was looking at the BenQ X3000i which seems reasonable in price. I like the big screen experience but also look for a quality picture. I think maybe I'll try to be content with my 77" oled and maybe in 2-3 years the laser projectors will be perfected and more affordable.
Xgimi Horizon Ultra vs Formovie X5 projector? What’s your pick? Please help me make a purchase decision.
I havent tested the X5 yet. I still think the XHU is best bang for buck on the market right now in that pricerange its crazy cheap.
@@BuildMontage Here in my country, the price is almost the same. So I need to make a decision between either one of them!😅
Hi can you post all your colour settings I’m having trouble with my black levels
Unfortunately, my settings won't help you. You need to use a sensor and measure and then adjust according to your light source, ambient light, screen material/gain etc. I get asked a lot and have shared before and they can make it worse. I know the update they did made a big difference, but also what screen are you using and what is the light like in your room?
@@BuildMontage hi thanks for your reply can I ask you another question. Is there a way I can bring up video information on screen that will tell me if the show I’m watching is playing in HD, 4K etc
Yes however you need to do this through your reciever if you have one - you would go into the information settings and it would show you what signal it is processing. I dont think you can do that from the projector itself - it does also show you if it's switching to Dolby Vision, and you can see the settings will block you from changing things if its in that mode at the time@@ciaranh5907
Hello,
I see on the backsite from the beamer two usb ports.
Is it possible to play directly a film from a usb stick,let say a mkv movie?
Thanks for responding.
Yes you could if you installed VLC player :)
@@BuildMontage thank you for responding
It sucks that it's $3049.87 where I live.
Did you end up trying any other 3d movies? I wouldn't put Gravity in my top 50 for 3d quality.
Not in time for the video unfortunately. I’m hunting for some titles to check it out
I'm looking at this one as a good projector for the price. The Awol 3000 is awesome and I I'm considering it too.
I have both. I have the xgimi in my upstairs setup
@@BuildMontage Nice. Would you say anything positive about it as it compares to AWOL.
Thanks BM 👍
Can you give more clarifications on rainbow effect.. as I am more sensitive about it
I don't notice it much on this one at all - only if I have test patterns up for calibration - but not when its playing a movie.
@@BuildMontage ooh ok.. but i can see them while watching your review video in white scene.. i guess many more folks notice that effect in white background scene
@Dr-Anant.A that’s not rainbow - it’s colour fringing caused by my camera refresh rate being slightly out of synch with the screen. Not seen in person.
@@BuildMontage ok thank you so much sir 🤠🙏
Ive been curious how a projector like this stands up to a higher end one like the JVC NX5 i have
I have a JVC NP-5 and it cant compete with it's black levels, but no projector realistically can in my opinion - until you spend some serious dollars on a video processor or a really expensive projector like a Sony GTZ-380. So I have both projectors and I wouldn't say this could replace my JVC but for my casual 7.2.4 space upstairs this projector has been brilliant. Dolby Vision etc - plus LED/Laser - it means I can watch without worrying about the bulb hours.
Tony the blacks and depth of the image look better than the benq 4550 ?? Or its just me
It's hard to say as both looked pretty great when I reviewed them. I think there's a touch more brightness in the XHU over the Benq, but the Benq has a lot of calibration options. I almost bought it to put in my setup but I returned it after I did my review, and I'm keeping the XHU in my setup - its now ceiling mounted :)
@@BuildMontage Yes, me too. I posted something but I deleted it the other day. I’m thinking to buy this one too as benq needs to either drop the price or offer better performance.
I was wondering though is it possible to ceiling mount xgimi with minimum keystone correction? Or is the corrections so good that it doesn’t affect the image?
Some reviewers of this projector are saying that the contrast is so so
It’s not that bad - and I main a JVC and still have this in my second setup. Makes a beautiful picture. I calibrate with a sensor.
@@BuildMontage is there anything I can buy to improve the contrast?
@@user-zl9qk1sg2f Boreal ALR Normal Throw Projector Screen
Looks awesome
Great video mate! Was sold! But went to AU link supplied...AU price is more than double US price...with conversion shouldn't be that expensive 😢. Plus the discount code does not work.
Hmm.. I will let XGIMI kow as they provided me with the code - I couldnt test as it wasn't live until launch. I'll let you know the outcome. The price is what it is locally, I assume it's due to shipping cost, import taxes and GST, we get a royal serving when it comes to bringing products in from overseas... but if you think it's worth it.. could still be a good investment. I'll try get you that discount code!
@BuildMontage Thanks mate! Yes...I have the Horizon Pro....great unit. The Ultra looks like a good upgrade. Cheers
Hey there - I got the discount code updated for the Australian buyers if you're still interested :)
Hey mate, how does this compare to your Epson? Is it worth sacrificing lens memory for?
My old Epson 9300? Yes this is better overall. It has lens memory, just not lens SHIFT.. so optical zoom but you can't shift it unless you keystone... then u r using digital zoom and moving it around
@@BuildMontage thanks for the response!
You mention you have an NP5, how does this compare to that?
Which metrics would you like comparisons on? "Compare" is very open ended.
@@BuildMontage I guess as simple as which one you would pick if both were free but you could only pick 1
@ztcpsp2487 I’m a massive JVC fan - so JVC. But it’s also triple the price.
Just so I am getting this right, you tested a long throw projector on a CLR screen (for a UST)?
So in a nut shell yes.. but I'll explain... The projector was mounted down almost in line with the bottom of the screen so there was no issue with it reflecting the light back to eyes. I even had my N1 ultra ceiling mounted and it also still showed the image perfectly - so I'm skeptical on the whole CLR/ALR concept after my real world tests with 3 projectors so far... I have actually replaced this one with a 120" ALR screen, and the image doesn't look any brighter than the CLR screen I used. I also had no choice to use what I had, but the reality is, you can see in the demos, it was still very bright - look at the Mario demo. Either way, it did the job for the purposes of the review in a real world situation.
@@BuildMontage The image certainly looks a lot better than you would except. Sizing up to 120 inches significantly dims the image due to the much larger area. So I wouldn’t expect it to be brighter. Your experience certainly calls some typical dealer advice into question though.
I was quite shocked - I was told it will not work - but you can see the evidence I recorded it there for all to see :)
Wow. Appreciate your review. But DLP and RAINBOW Worries me so much, cause I can always see it. Love the picture of DLP. But RGB Effect ruins it for me. I guess I will have to have a look myself. Thanks. - Toronto, Canada.
I didnt see any on this one - what was explained to me was the dual light source of LED and Laser gets rid of the colour speckles from the laser, and the colour fringing (RBE) - on this one I didn't see it at all. If you don't want to experience it you would need to go a JVC or Sony but they cost significantly more.
@@BuildMontage yes I heard from your review. I appreciate your response. Very tempting. Right now I am still using the Second release of the Epson 3D projector. I went through 3 models, and 13 projectors to get the right one. Back then I made a calibration disc for 3D projectors/tvs and gave the .iso file away for free on the forums. There wasn't any around back then. The only thing I couldn't provide to people was the Blue Filter you would need to properly calibrate your colour, and tint. But you could pick one up from THX if possible for the DISNEY CALIBRATION Disc came with one. I am a huge 3D fan, and I take it, you don't really care for it. But I want to get another projector with 4K. Thing is because the tech was new I had to return a few projectors, and because of the trouble and the way I handle the returns with the companies and relations. They gave me two extra pair of glasses, and an extra bult. And I still get better 3D at home than I do at the theatre, in dedicated Theatre Room. But this sounds like a decent projector and price. I really appreciate and believe your review and how true it came across as. You answered all my questions. And even responded. Thanks so much.
Hi, I have a Epson 3800 which is very good but of course I have been looking to upgrade to either a UST Laser proyector or something else, Do you think this could be the one to buy?
Yes, absolutely
@@BuildMontage got another question do the lumens in this proyector are as bright as the 3,000 of the Epson? I have a 125” screen?
Probably less bright being it's 2300 ISO lumens (around 2800 ANSI) and your lighting conditions, screen gain, and distance from the screen and screen size will all impact - 125" is pretty big.
@@BuildMontage Room has no ambient light and screen is an Akia CineWhite UHD-B with a gain of 1.3. Should I wait for the others new proyectors that are going to be released with Dolby Vision?
this has really peaked my interest, also, what movie is that with the cars?!?!?!
I labelled every movie so not sure which one you mean... do you mean Kate?
@@BuildMontage yes sir, see that later in the video on a bigger screen, thanks, love the videos
Hi mate. Is this native 4K? I know most likely not for the price.
No - I explained it all in the video :)
@@BuildMontage sorry mate must have missed that part.
No single chip DLP projector is native 4k. They're all pixel shifting.
“Dolby Vision”
Heavy emphasis on the quotations.
Nah… I’m happy Dolby is finally supporting Projectors. Bottom line: projectors can’t hope to accurately represent HDR but that’s why Dolby Vision is so important for them. As projector owners are typically enthusiasts getting a tone map that takes the guesswork out with metadata-based HDR tone mapping is paramount. So far, the manufacturer’s solutions around HDR10 have been hit or miss (Epson/Sony miss, JVC/BenQ hit).
Now, the real question is: can we get this in some better quality projectors? Nothing against the Xgimi but I wouldn’t put them near the top of my projector wish list.
I applaud XGIMI for doing this. I have a JVC NP5 with gorgeous picture quality and at 120" around 120nits in HDR so plenty of brightness and over 26K:1 contrast - and I use the XGIMI as my daily driver in my second setup. It's incredible how well it punches above it's weight. Room conditions and the screen you use play a big part in the HDR rendition on any projector, so while I see your point, it's not an absolute. I see these types of projectors as the trickle up effect, with some of the bigger players really should be taking note and trying to include these features. I think adding DV to the JVC lineup would be awesome and I do kinda spoof it a little already on my JVC with a HD Fury with incredible results.
Is Xgimi's Horizon Ultra does it come cloes to jvc np5🤔
I have an NP-5 - and no it doesn't. Being objective. The contrast ratio on my NP-5 measured in at 26K:1 after calibration. I would say this one is significantly lower. Doesn't make it bad, it's just not a fair comparison. Like asking if my VW Beetle compares to a Ferrari....
Can anyone suggest between the formovie x5 , benq ht4550i, hisense c1 pro and xgimi ultra..im really having a tough time understanding the pros and cons amongst.these as all these from the reviews were pretty damn good.
Your question needs to be more specific. What criteria are you after? Lowest price… best HDR? Dolby Vision, best contrast… it’s almost impossible to give you an answer taylored to your needs without knowing what you want specifically as a priority.
Does this thing support eARC for the Sonos arc?
Yes it has one port for earc
@@BuildMontage Thx!! Appreciate it, that thing is now a must purchase to replace my broken projector
Having owned higher end equipment from Panasonic in the past, I know the 'light engine' is always the component that bricks a projector. Having two light sources sounds like a double opportunity for failure to me.
I don't see that as a reason not to own something like this, especially at the pricepoint and use cases I mentioned.
I do have a question about this projector Since it can do Dolby Vision this projector is 4000 nits
Can u please rephrase your question?
@@BuildMontage Dolby Vision needs to be 4000 nits or higher. My question is this projector can do 4000 nits or higher for Dolby Vision
@@user-zl9qk1sg2f I don’t believe so. 4000 nits may come off of a TV but not a projector screen. A bright projector screen will read usually between 100-200 nits. There are differences between the way projector screens work with reflected light vs the light coming directly from a TV screen.
@@BuildMontage thanks
Dolby vision vs imax enhanced..... Which is best ?
I don't think it's a matter of best.. I love Dolby Vision,, but I also enjoy IMAX
Add a hdfury vrroom and every projector can do dolby vision.
What’s a HDFury? ;) th-cam.com/video/8esU8-lndSE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=V2JoUbYiiHXE4wTx
I have no idea why it’s Dolby Vision certified …it’s not even any closer professional level projectors in terms of specs …..guys don’t even think of putting this in your main theatre probably there will be big catch
Yeah I just wanna hear about the contrast levels not a single spec on anyone's reviews even scrubbing the entire net I mean his vid samples look insane but most of that is camera iso and settings
This is why I love experiencing and testing things rather than looking at a spec sheet because it often gets in the way of your enjoyment. For me, in my casual space, this is perfect. I have a JVC NP5 in my dedicated room. I don't know what the big catch is you mention at the pricepoint of $1699, I can't see what the risk is. I also showed this in my casual space, not my dedicated space specifically for that reason.
@@BuildMontage all I’m saying is people can’t just replace their main projector to this just bcoz the Dolby Vision naming on it….I suppose that includes you and I wouldn’t also bcoz image recreation includes colour rendering,pixel perfection clarity ,contrast ratio and finally colour accuracy , consistency all this focused on professional series of projector like Sony, Jvc … I’m definitely not a fan for specification that’s why I like Sony projectors.
@@balakrishnan2997 where did I say to replace your main projector with this? I have a JVC NP-5 in my main room - I never said I was replacing it for this. I actually said where it would work well.. In a casual space or portable gaming. Did you watch the video or just comment off the title?
@@BuildMontage you would not replace ,nobody would that’s my point . I just felt it’s a missing directing it’s purpose like it’s a replacement for commercial projector I’m not pointing particularly you and it would be nice if any mentions for it’s purpose before people running to get one, I did watch your video and I like it no offence…
What about contrast?
400:1 contrast ratio is pretty horrible to be honest.
At 6 meters projection distance what is the image size (smallest / largest ) ? thanks
I wouldnt be able to say off hand. I have my projector around 4 1/2 meters back and I have to zoom in to get 120" so from 6m you would have a pretty big picture.
I emailed manufacturer to get projection specs but they have not replied. My screen is 130 inches
The projector's throw ratio is 0.25:1 to 0.33:1, which means that for every 25 centimeters (0.25 meters) the projector is moved away from the screen, the image size will increase by 10 centimeters (0.1 meters). At a distance of 6 meters (600 centimeters), the smallest image size will be 80 inches (203 centimeters) and the largest image size will be 150 inches (381 centimeters).
@@trendyprojectors4743 Where did you obtain the throw ratio from ? thanks
@@SandyToesDetecting Why? Wasn't it correct? Actually, I used a tool.
So do you prefer this over the JMGO N1 Ultra? What about this vs. the N1 Ultra with an HDFury?
After buying the $300 mount for the n1 and punching holes in my ceiling… I decided to switch to this one… the optical zoom and native Dolby vision are very hard to pass up on. The n1 has a brighter image but having to place it perfectly made it really hard to line up. I’ve still got the n1 ultra and the image is pretty crazy on that unit as well. These cheap projectors are crazy good for what you pay for them.
@@BuildMontage That’s about what I expected to hear you say…the fact that this actually had optical zoom is for sure what all of these lifestyle projectors have been missing and it totally helps with setup and utilizing the full light output.
@@BuildMontage I have a couple Horizon Pros (one is our bedroom “TV” projecting onto a floor raising 70” screen at the foot of the bed) and I have the N1 Ultra from its crowd funding campaign and it has really impressed me…especially for that price. Thanks for taking the time to respond.
@DustinFrancis the n1 ultra is fantastic as well don’t get me wrong but I’ve installed this one - more patching now but I have it behind the seated position now so it’s out of view. I had the n1 in view because I had to - no optical zoom.
@@DustinFrancis that’s awesome! I have the n1 from the original crowdfunding campaign as well. Trying to decide if I sell or keep 🤔
Are the blacks on this comparable to JVC blacks?
No, definitely not. I have a JVC NP5 and the native contrast is substantially lower. But so is the price :)
Jvc are the kings of black levels
What is the native contrast ratio for the projector? I couldn't find it online
I don’t have that info either. It’s decent but but any measurements I take will be skewed by my screen, distance from screen and ambient light. Native contrast can only really be given from the manufacturer under stringent testing conditions. I showed the projector in real world conditions best I could so you could judge it based on that until XGIMI release the rating.
@@BuildMontage thank you sir! Amazing video as always
Mondoprojos measured at 432:1.
Native contrast can really only be done in very specific conditions. Measuring off your screen with a sensor will give you the on to off contrast, not native. Not sure who you're referring to but I know that the conditions of the room, ambient light, screen gain will all affect the on to off contrast so you can have wildly different results - as well as to whether or not the projector has been calibrated first, grey scale corrected etc....
Can this fill a 135" screen?
Yes it can.
This is on the short list.