LG's second generation CineBeam Projector is a 4K DLP design that features a ultra-short throw lens, allowing it to be placed mere inches from a wall.
Is there still a space for projection in the living room? With today's 4K TVs available at approachable prices and sizes up to 85 inches, the days of setting up a projector on a coffee table to get a big picture up on the wall are of a bygone era. Projection has retreated to dedicated home theater rooms, or more casual gaming applications. But now, thanks to multiple offerings in the UST (ultra short throw) category, projection appears to be making a bid to reenter the living room. For example, the new LG HU85L that will make an appearance at CES 2019 sporting a 2500-lumen laser light source and 4K resolution.
The main selling point of this new model is the UST capability, which allows it to project a 90-inch (diagonal) image while sitting only 2 inches away from the wall. If you give it 7 inches of space, the maximum image size increases to 120 inches.
“The new CineBeam Laser projector marries spectacular 4K viewing experience with the convenience of AI technology,” said Jang Ik-hwan, head of LG’s IT business division. “There is no other product like this on the market, illustrating how LG continues to deliver unique value to consumers.”
Unlike some projectors, this consumer friendly device is loaded with smart features, including voice recognition using LG ThinQ AI. You'll be able to control functions, such as powering the unit down, as well as request content such as videos on YouTube.
I took a good look at this new projector while at CES 2019 and what I saw was encouraging. This is a DLP projector, which means its black levels are not as deep as a dedicated home cinema unit. But, the demo was held in a fairly bright area adjacent to the show floor in LG's booth and the light pollution would render a home theater projector useless. What you get instead is a lot of brightness at 2500 lumens, enough to create a 120" 16:9 image that can overcome typical living room lighting.
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I'm an avid AV enthusiast, photographer, video producer, and drone pilot who spends his spare time exploring cities, listening to music, watching movies, and playing video games.
I'm an avid AV enthusiast, photographer, video producer, and drone pilot who spends his spare time exploring cities, listening to music, watching movies, and playing video games.
I’m really hoping this is good. The 0.19:1 throw ratio is really nice. My current projector is 0.23:1 and not an inch of vertical space to spare with my 120” screen. Also I have to have my credenza an entire foot away from my wall. I hope it has 3D but I doubt it will considering the HU80K doesn’t. So strange, it would cost little considering the use of a .47 dmd.
I’m really hoping this is good. The 0.19:1 throw ratio is really nice. My current projector is 0.23:1 and not an inch of vertical space to spare with my 120” screen. Also I have to have my credenza an entire foot away from my wall. I hope it has 3D but I doubt it will considering the HU80K doesn’t. So strange, it would cost little considering the use of a .47 dmd.
And if it is? That's how a majority of business is done, you go to a company who provides OEM equipment, you tweak it, perfect it and put your own company logo on it. Happens in just about every industry out there from cars, to TVs, projectors, monitors, cell phones, etc.
Not a concern of mine if it can deliver the goods and not that Appotronics has a bad name or anything, tons of front running companies use their tech.
Would like to know if one can buy from appotronics directly, though the way you worded your response it sounds like they don't sell directly to consumers. I'm new to this tech having never owned a projector and want to make an informed decision out of the gate so we have something we can use for awhile. I was ready to purchase jmgo u1 directly from China, though since reading this thread and others it makes sense to wait for this unit or something equal so one has warranty and support etc.
Would like to know if one can buy from appotronics directly, though the way you worded your response it sounds like they don't sell directly to consumers. I'm new to this tech having never owned a projector and want to make an informed decision out of the gate so we have something we can use for awhile. I was ready to purchase jmgo u1 directly from China, though since reading this thread and others it makes sense to wait for this unit or something equal so one has warranty and support etc.
bix26, how do you like the PX800HD thus far? Would you suggest that as a good first purchase UST (to get my wife to buy in) before buying this new HU85L etc?
bix26, how do you like the PX800HD thus far? Would you suggest that as a good first purchase UST (to get my wife to buy in) before buying this new HU85L etc?
I really like it. I had the BenQ HT1075 prior. The contrast is slightly better than the HT1075. Everything else seems nearly identical (which is a good thing). I have a 120” Silver Ticket screen in my living room. It does really well in moderate ambient light. The screeen isn’t perfectly flat so there are some distortions. These distortions are a lot less bothersome than the wires I used to have hanging from the ceiling. Considering how soon Optoma, LG, ViewSonic, Xiaomi, Vava and possibly others will have 4k UST projectors available I would wait. I got mine refurbished and wouldn’t have paid msrp. At the time the Xiaomi 1080p was much more expensive, now the price is much closer to my PX800HD and is sold through WallMart. If you need a projector now that would be my suggestion.
It’s a Silver Ticket screen with a large velvet border. It’s tensioning system leaves the corners a bit recessed. Also the top portion of the frame bows out in the middle by about an 1/8th of an inch. It’s a great screen and these issues weren’t noticeable when I used it with a standard throw projector. It’s really not that bad unless your looking at a test pattern. I’m pretty sure their thin bezel screen is probably much flatter.
It’s a Silver Ticket screen with a large velvet border. It’s tensioning system leaves the corners a bit recessed. Also the top portion of the frame bows out in the middle by about an 1/8th of an inch. It’s a great screen and these issues weren’t noticeable when I used it with a standard throw projector. It’s really not that bad unless your looking at a test pattern. I’m pretty sure their thin bezel screen is probably much flatter.
Yeah, that’s my dilemma. I really like the aesthetic and convenience of having a UST setup. But if the BenQ HT3550 ends up being better than all these 4k UST’s then it will be really hard to justify the extra cost of a new projector and screen. If I’m going to spend 3 or 4 times the price the picture needs to be at least as good if not better.
I know it's all speculation since no one has placed hands on this new projector, but any opinions on getting it above 120 inches? The last gen marketed up to 150 yet this one doesn't seem to take a similar campaign. I would speculate that it may be able to go bigger at the cost of some lumens thus the marketing department prioritized the lumen # game over size.
Anyone have another perspective? I'm looking to go 135 which is approx 10ish % over the advertised thus okay with 10ish % less lumen if that's the cost. Thoughts?
I know it's all speculation since no one has placed hands on this new projector, but any opinions on getting it above 120 inches? The last gen marketed up to 150 yet this one doesn't seem to take a similar campaign. I would speculate that it may be able to go bigger at the cost of some lumens thus the marketing department prioritized the lumen # game over size.
Anyone have another perspective? I'm looking to go 135 which is approx 10ish % over the advertised thus okay with 10ish % less lumen if that's the cost. Thoughts?
The focus range is probably pretty conservative, I still wouldn’t risk it unless your willing to go with a smaller screen. I’m pretty sure a reviewer will test this once it comes out. With a shorter .19:1 ratio you should be able to keep it pretty close to the wall for a 135” screen. That’s a good thing, because the larger the screen the lower and further you have to place the projector. My current projector is a .23:1 ratio and needs to be about 2’ plus from the wall with my 120” screen right at the top of my ceiling.
What is worse is that after all that engineering that goes into creating this projector, some brilliant mind decided to paint the projector in WHITE color so that you can be distracted by the whiteness while watching a movie in a darken room.
If you have a blacked out dedicated theater, this isn't for you. It's clearly meant for a living room, and many (especially with modern style homes) have white TV stands. One of mine is white, the other is a dark smoke glass. Set a black PJ on a white TV stand... distracting?
I know it's all speculation since no one has placed hands on this new projector, but any opinions on getting it above 120 inches? The last gen marketed up to 150 yet this one doesn't seem to take a similar campaign. I would speculate that it may be able to go bigger at the cost of some lumens thus the marketing department prioritized the lumen # game over size.
Anyone have another perspective? I'm looking to go 135 which is approx 10ish % over the advertised thus okay with 10ish % less lumen if that's the cost. Thoughts?
I think USTs are marketed at the casual living room viewer who wants a theater experience from time to time, probably people in condos/apts. If so, they want a compromise between size and brightness. You can get a much bigger screen with a dark room, but would look terrible during the daytime.
One solution would be to have a large screen that can be easily masked down to a smaller screen for daytime viewing, you just have to flip the mask in place and scoot the PJ.
If you have a blacked out dedicated theater, this isn't for you. It's clearly meant for a living room, and many (especially with modern style homes) have white TV stands. One of mine is white, the other is a dark smoke glass. Set a black PJ on a white TV stand... distracting?
Exactly, this will look great on my white credenza. [emoji41]. If for some reason someone wanted to put this in a dedicated theater (Don’t know why someone would) they could always hide it in a DIY cabinet.
Exactly, this will look great on my white credenza. [emoji41]. If for some reason someone wanted to put this in a dedicated theater (Don’t know why someone would) they could always hide it in a DIY cabinet.
That's what I was thinking. My jvc is a big black sofa cushion pushing against my rear window hanging from the ceiling. This would mount right in front of the screen and I could run the wires in the wa behind the screen.
I know people talk about this on their stand, but then where are people putting their center channel? [emoji848] My Monitor Audio Gold is pretty big. Not fitting it on a shelf lower. It'd also need an extreme angle and would possibly be blocked by the coffee table.
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