Category: Home Theater - Page 2

Posted on October 28, 2024 by DA Gadgets

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: this well-priced 4K smart projector just rocketed its way to the top of my wishlist

Anker
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE:
two-minute
review

The

Anker
Nebula
Cosmos

4K
SE
is
a
laser
and
LED
smart
projector
capable
of
projecting
4K
Dolby-Vision-enhanced
imagery
up
to
200
inches.
It
was
first
released
in
the
US,
followed
by
the
UK
in
August
and
September
2024
for
a
list
price
of
$1,299.99
/
£1,299.99.

It’s
cheaper
than
its
predecessor,
the
Anker
Nebula
Cosmos
4K,
which
has
an
extra
400
ANSI
lumens
of
brightness,
and
a
full
laser
light
source,
compared
to
the
4K
SEs
laser
and
LED
HybridBeam.
The
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
has
plenty
to
boast
about
though,
with

Google
TV
built-in,
offering
effortless
access
to
popular
streaming
apps
like
Netflix
and
Disney+,
and
many
other
useful
apps,
as
one
would
expect
from
Google.
There’s
decent
support
for
external
content
too,
with
HDMI
and
USB-C
ports
making
it
simple
to
connect
a
disc
drive
or
laptop.

The
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
has
a
stated
brightness
of
1,800
ANSI
lumens
–
this
is
some
way
short
of
most
of
the

best
4K
projectors.
Our
testing
didn’t
provide
results
to
get
excited
about,
with
measurements
taken
including
122
nits
peak
brightness,
which
wasn’t
radically
different
from
the
BenQ
v5000i,
and
grayscale
accuracy
of
8,
plus
a
color
accuracy
of
3.4.

Coverage
of
the
UHDA-P3
color
gamut
came
in
at
88.9%,
with
BT.2020
reading
76.3%.
The
input
lag
measured
up,
with
35ms
of
lag
in
Game
Mode
Standard,
and
18.5ms
in
Game
Mode
Extreme.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Real-time
autofocus,
auto
keystone
correction,
and
auto
screen
fit
worked
well
when
projected
onto
small
targets,
but
I
found
I
had
to
manually
alter
the
four
keystone
points
to
get
the
image
to
sit
centrally
(just
about)
on
my
100-inch
screen.
I
could
only
watch
at
60
inches,
as
I
lacked
the
space
to
have
the
projector
the
required
7.8ft
/
2.4
meters
away
from
the
screen.
If
you
have
your
heart
set
on
getting
the
full
movie
theatre
experience
without
having
to
shell
out
on
a
house
extension,
I’d
recommend
taking
a
look
at
our
pick
of
the

Best
ultra
short
throw
projectors
instead.

When
it
comes
to
the
performance
of
the
contrast
and
brightness
when
watching
content,
darker
scenes
in
movies
and
TV
shows
with
a
dark
aesthetic
were
plagued
by
pixelated
grays
where
darker
areas
would
otherwise
be
visible
while
watching
on
a
TV.
This
isn’t
entirely
uncommon
for
projectors,
as
producing
dense
blacks
is
naturally
difficult
given
how
the
image
is
generated,
but
I
can’t
say
that
it
didn’t
subtract
from
the
otherwise
fabulous
viewing
experience.
Scenes
in

Damsel
and

Prometheus
in
particular
showcased
the
Cosmos
4K
SE’s
ability
to
deliver
stunningly
vivid
color
and
intricate
details,
no
doubt
thanks
to
the
addition
of
Dolby
Vision.
This,
along
with
the
two
built-in
15-watt
Dolby-Audio-enabled
speakers
made
watching
movies
and
series
with
this
projector
a
satisfyingly
immersive
experience.
You
can
read
further
details
about
this
in
the

Picture
Quality
section
below.

In
a
nutshell,
provided
you
have
the
space
to
achieve
the
screen
size
you
want,
you’re
happy
watching
content
in
little
more
than
a
dim
light,
and
you
have
the
space
to
place
this
chonky
example
of
a
portable
projector,
I’d
highly
recommend
the
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Anker
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
review:
price
and
availability

List
price:
$1,299.99
/
£1,299.99

Available
in
the
US
and
the
UK

Released
in
August
/
September
2024

The
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
became
available
in
the
US
in
August
2024,
followed
by
the
UK
in
September
2024,
at
a
list
price
of
$1,299.99
/
£1,299.99.
Apart
from
the

Amazon
Prime
Day
sales,
when
it
dropped
to
$999
/
£999,
which
Anker
matched
on
the
Nebula
website,
the
cost
of
the
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
looks
to
have
remained
at
its
usual
price.
At
the
time
of
writing,
the
Cosmos
4K
SE
is
not
available
in
Australia.

While
unlikely
to
be
a
spontaneous
purchase
at
this
price,
the
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
is
still
miles
cheaper
than
all
but
one
in
our
choice
of
the

best
4K
projectors.

Anker
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
review:
specs

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Screen
sizes
supported

20
–
200
inches

Brightness
(specified)

1,800
ANSI
Lumens

HDR
support

Yes,
Dolby
Vision

Optical
technology

HybridBeam
(Laser+LED)DLP
0.47-inch
DMD

Yes

Speaker

15W
×2
(Dolby
Audio)

Google
TV

Connections

Bluetooth,
HDMI
2.1(eARC),
HDMI
2.1,
USB-A,
AUX,
AC-in

Dimensions

10.4
x
8.7
x
6.5
inches
/
264
x
221
x
165mm

Weight

9.9
lb
/
4.5kg

Anker
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
review:
design
and
features

Google
TV
built-in

Large
but
technically
portable

Efficient
auto-correction
and
calibration
features

The
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
just
about
classes
as
portable,
though
it
is
a
bit
of
a
chonk,
weighing
in
at
4.5kg
/9.9lb,
and
with
dimensions
of
10.4
x
8.7
x
6.5
inches
/
264
x
221
x
165mm.
I
was
able
to
pick
it
up
and
carry
it
about,
but
I
had
to
be
careful
about
it.
It
would
be
even
more
of
a
hassle
if
it
wasn’t
for
the
helpful,
and
comfortable
silicone
inbuilt
handle
that
protrudes
from
the
top
of
the
projector
body.

This
projector
is
solely
mains-powered,
with
no
built-in
battery
or
compatible
battery
pack.
So
while
you
might
be
able
to
carry
it
outside,
you’ll
need
to
have
access
to
a
suitable
power
outlet
for
al
fresco
viewing.

The
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
uses
its
HybridBeam,
which
is
a
combo
of
laser
and
LED,
to
generate
images
with
up
to
a
specified
1,800
ANSI
lumens
of
brightness.
The
auto
screen
adjustment,
auto
keystone,
and
autofocus
features
did
a
great
job
of
projecting
images
that
were
rectangular
and
crisp
for
the
most
part,
especially
when
projecting
onto
smaller
targets,
which
for
me
in
particular
was
the
wall
space
next
to
my
bed.
However,
I
found
I
was
limited
to
just
60
inches
when
trying
to
watch
on
my
100-inch
screen.
This
forced
me
to
make
use
of
the
four-point
manual
keystone
correction,
as
the
Cosmos
4K
SE
insisted
on
fixing
the
60-inch
projection
to
the
upper-left
corner
of
the
screen
each
time,
which
looked
all
kinds
of
wrong.
After
some
investigating,
I
learned
that
the
4K
SE
needs
to
be
at
least
7.8
feet
/
2.4
meters
away
from
the
target
to
project
at
90
inches
or
above.
I
was
using
the
projector
in
quite
a
large
room,
so
this
seems
fairly
limiting.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Anker
claims
that
it’s
possible
to
watch
a
60-inch
projection
in
a
well-lit
room
with
windows
and
indirect
daylight,
but
unfortunately,
I
must
disagree.
The
issues
I’ve
already
mentioned
regarding
the
contrast
and
black
density
were
when
watching
in
darkness.
When
I
tried
to
watch
with
additional
light
sources
any
stronger
than
the
colorful
LED
strips
behind
my
TV,
this
contrast
issue
got
worse,
and
anything
more
than
very
dim
sunlight
made
it
very
difficult
to
see
most
of
what
was
going
on
in
whatever
I
was
watching.

Having
a
light
source
in
the
room
also
plays
havoc
with
the
Wall
Color
Calibration
feature,
which
is
intended
to
alter
the
coloring
of
the
projection
so
that
it
still
looks
correct
regardless
of
the
color
of
the
wall
you’re
projecting
against.
I
tested
this
out
in
our
TechRadar
music
room,
which
is
painted
a
deep
teal
color.
When
I
tried
this
with
some
indirect
sunlight
coming
from
the
small
window
far
over
to
the
right
on
the
same
wall
I
was
projecting
onto,
the
“color
corrected”
image
had
an
off-putting
blue
tint
to
it.
When
I
repeated
the
calibration
with
the
lights
off,
it
worked
perfectly,
and
I
was
really
impressed.

(Image
credit:
Future)

I
found
the
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
easy
to
control
thanks
to
the
backlit
remote
control’s
handy
voice
assistant
feature,
as
I
could
ask
Google
to
whisk
me
straight
to
the
content
I
wanted.
The
Nebula
Connect
app
also
worked
well
as
a
remote
control,
too.

I
love
that
the
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
comes
with
Google
TV
built-in,
as
in
my
experience
it
has
proven
to
be
the
most
efficient
Android
TV
OS
by
far.
As
expected,
it
provides
access
to
all
of
the
popular
streaming
apps
like
Netflix,
Disney
Plus,
Prime
Video,
and

Apple
TV,
plus
easy
access
to

YouTube,
naturally.
It’s
simple
to
access
content
from
external
sources
too,
thanks
to
the
USB-C
input
and
the
two
HDMI
ports,
one
of
which
is
a
HDMI
2.1
(eARC),
supporting
4K
visuals
at
60
hertz,
with
lossless
transmission.

When
it
comes
to
audio
output,
the
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
has
two
built-in
15-watt
speakers
enabled
with
Dolby
Audio.
I
didn’t
observe
any
issues
with
the
sound
quality
during
my
testing,
I
was
very
satisfied
with
the
quality.
I
would
have
picked
up
quite
quickly
if
there
were
any
issues
that
a
typical
user
would
notice
–
I’ve
tested
a
lot
of
Bluetooth
speakers
in
my
time
so
I
will
spot
from
a
mile
off
poor
clarity
or
if
the
bass
and
treble
are
below
par.

Design
score:
4/5

Anker
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
review:
picture
quality

Beautifully
vivid
color

Disappointing
lack
of
contrast

Immersive
cinematic
experience

When
I
got
my
hands
on
the
Cosmos
4K
SE,
I
was
really
excited
to
try
it
out.
I’d
previously
tested
the
Nebula
Mars
3
Air
back
in
my
freelancing
days,
which
I
loved,
so
I
was
expecting
big
things
from
the
4K
SE.

After
letting
it
warm
up
for
an
hour,
myself
and
my
colleague
James
conducted
tests
to
evaluate
the
projector’s
capabilities.
The
peak
brightness,
when
viewing
in
Movie
Mode
and
measured
on
a
white
10%
window
pattern,
was
122
nits
in
SDR,
which
isn’t
far
off
the
peak
brightness
reading
we
got
for
the
more
expensive

BenQ
v5000i,
and
119
in

HDR,
surpassing
the
reading
we
got
for
the
BenQ.

The
color
performance
figures
that
resulted
from
our
testing
didn’t
blow
me
away,
but
at
this
price
and
for
casual
viewing,
I
can
forgive
the
Cosmos
4K
SE
for
this.
The
projector
achieved
a
Grayscale
accuracy
of
8,
and
a
3.4
for
color
accuracy,
which
was
just
a
whisker
off
our
target
level
of
3.

Coverage
of
the
BT.2020
scored
76.3%,
and
the
UHDA-P3
color
gamut
coverage
was
also
nothing
to
shout
about
at
88.9%
meaning
that,
although
the
colors
were
satisfyingly
vivid,
they
weren’t
as
rich
and
varied
as
those
projected
by
the

LG
CineBeam
Q,
which
gave
an
impressive
reading
of
98.7%.
These
test
figures
were
obtained
while
viewing
in
HDR
Movie
Mode.
The
input
lag
in
Game
Mode
Standard
was
35ms,
and
in
Gaming
Mode
Extreme
was
18.5ms,
which
supports
Anker’s
claims
of
the
4K
SE
being
low
latency
with
under
19ms
of
lag
and
should
satisfy
the
majority
of
casual
gamers.

(Image
credit:
Future)

In
terms
of
the
brightness
and
contrast
when
viewing
there
were
mixed
results.
In
lighter
scenes,
the
whites
and
colors
were
satisfyingly
bright
and
dazzling,
but
the
handling
of
the
contrast
in
dark
scenes
left
a
lot
to
be
desired.
The
first
film
I
watched
on
the
Cosmos
4K
SE
was

Damsel
on
Netflix,
starring
Millie
Bobby
Brown.
I
can
easily
jump
straight
into
all
the
positives,
as
I
was
stunned
by
the
beautiful
imagery
that
the
projector
delivered,
but
I’ll
get
the
negative
out
of
the
way
first.
It
was
clear
fairly
early
on
that
there
was
a
contrast
issue.

When
the
main
character
Elodie
enters
a
dark
cave,
all
detail
is
lost
around
her,
with
stonework
being
replaced
with
grey
pixelated
sections.
Achieving
a
quality
deep
black
can
prove
difficult
for
projectors,
especially
those
that
don’t
possess
full
laser
optical
technology
–
with
a
238:1
contrast
ratio
reading
from
the
Cosmos
4K
SE,
it’s
hardly
surprising
that
it
didn’t
perform
brilliantly
in
this
area.
Aside
from
this,
there
were
so
many
scenes
that
took
advantage
of
the
projector’s
strengths,
likely
due
to
the
presence
of
Dolby
Vision.
The
scenes
involving
the
luminescent
grubs
and
the
crystal
caves
were
visually
stunning,
with
the
vivid
colors
and
clarity
making

Damsel
a
delight
to
watch.

During
the
opening
sequence
of

Prometheus,
the
level
of
brightness
was
impressive,
as
was
the
color
density.
The
delicate
details
on
the
spaceship
as
it
came
in
to
land
were
visible
and
clear,
as
were
the
pores
and
veins
on
the
Engineer’s
face.
The
level
of
intricacy
in
the
DNA
scenes
when
the
strands
were
getting
affected
by
the
black
pathogen
highly
impressed
me
too.
The
scene
that
really
caught
my
attention,
though,
was
when
David
has
a
drop
of
Chemical
A0-3959X.91
on
the
tip
of
his
finger.
The
close-up
shots
of
this
were
visually
stunning,
so
much
so
that
I
started
to
calculate
quite
how
I
could
incorporate
a
projector
screen
into
my
living
room
on
a
permanent
basis.
Despite
the
darker
scenes
in

Maleficent
and

Damsel
noticeably
lacking
contrast,
similar
scenes
appear
to
be
handled
better
in

Prometheus;
they
still
weren’t
perfect,
but
darker
details
were
more
visible.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Despite
my
undeniable
admiration
of
the
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE,
I
wouldn’t
recommend
it
to
anyone
who
regularly
enjoys
programs
with
a
darker
aesthetic.
Series
like

Marvel’s

Daredevil
take
a
real
hit
due
to
the
lack
of
good
contrast,
making
the
scenes
appear
grainy
and
low-quality.

Avengers:
Age
of
Ultron,
playback
was
smooth
during
intense
fight
scenes,
with
the
images
remaining
crisp
and
high
quality,
despite
the
fast
movement.
The
detail
is
fantastic
once
again,
with
the
intricate
weave
of
the
fabric
of
Hawk
Eye’s
suit
clearly
visible.

Despite
my
undeniable
admiration
of
the
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE,
I
wouldn’t
recommend
it
to
anyone
who
regularly
enjoys
programs
with
a
darker
aesthetic,
even
when
watching
in
the
dark.
Series
such
as
Marvel’s

Daredevil
take
a
real
hit
due
to
the
lack
of
good
contrast,
making
the
scenes
appear
grainy
and
low-quality,
which
is
a
real
shame
considering
the
projector’s
fabulous
performance
in
other
areas.

Picture
quality
score:
4/5

Anker
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
review:
value

Good
picture
quality
for
the
price

Delivers
a
satisfying
at-home
cinema
experience

Uses
Laser
and
LED
hybrid
optical
technology

At
$1,299.99
/
£1,299.99,
the
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
is
$400
/
£400
cheaper
than
the
previous
model,
the
Nebula
Cosmos
4K,
despite
the
4K
SE
having
a
large
projection
range,
Google
TV
built
in,
and
Dolby
Vision.
This
price
difference
is
likely
due
to
the
400
additional
ANSI
lumens
and,
more
importantly,
due
to
the
original
4K
utilizing
a
laser
light
source,
compared
to
the
4K
SE’s
laser
and
LED
HybridBeam,
which
could
explain
its
lackluster
brightness.

Overall,
the
viewing
experience
was
fantastic
when
in
a
dimly
lit
room,
and
the
sound
quality
was
spot
on.
It
was
like
having
a
pop-up
cinema,
with
beautifully
vivid
colors
and
no
problems
with
fast-paced
scenes.
The
downsides
can’t
be
ignored,
however,
with
a
lack
of
contrast
in
some
darker
scenes
when
watching
in
the
dark,
and
a
distractingly
bad
lack
of
contrast
and
brightness
issues
when
watching
in
the
light,
despite
viewing
at
the
projection
size
that
Anker
claims
would
be
visible
in
a
well-lit
environment.

While
it’s
pretty
chunky,
and
not
exactly
an
attractive
addition
to
the
decor
unless
it’s
situated
in
a
casual
TV
and
gaming
den,
it
feels
suitably
robust
for
the
price.
While
the
size
and
weight
initially
made
me
question
its
apparent
portability,
this
weight
pales
in
comparison
to
other
4K
projectors
such
as
the

Samsung
The
Premiere
9,
and
the
carry
handle
definitely
makes
moving
it
about
a
simpler
task.
If
the
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
might
upset
your
Feng
Shui,
then
fear
not,
as
more
attractive
alternatives
are
available,
such
as
the

LG
CineBeam
Q,
which
you
can
learn
a
little
more
about
in
the

Also
Consider
section
below.

Value
score:
4/5

(Image
credit:
Future)

Should
I
buy
the
Anker
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE?

Buy
it
if

Don’t
buy
it
if

Anker
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
review:
also
consider

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Header
Cell
–
Column
0

Anker
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE

Anker
Nebula
Cosmos
Laser
4K

Hisense
PX3-Pro

LG
CineBeam
Q

Price

$1,299.99
/
£1,299.99

$1,999.99
/
£1,799.99

$3,499
/
£2,499

$1,299
/
£1,299
/
AU$2,499

Screen
sizes
supported

20
–
200
inches

60
–
150
inches

80-150
inches

50
–120
inches

Brightness
(specified)

1,800
ANSI
Lumens

2,200
ANSI
Lumens

3,000
ANSI
Lumens

500
ANSI
lumens

HDR
support

Yes,
Dolby
Vision

Yes

Yes,
Dolby
Vision

Yes

Optical
technology

HybridBeam
(Laser+LED)DLP
0.47″
DMD

Laser
DLP

3-laser
DLP

RGB
laser
DLP

Yes

Speaker

15W
×2
(Dolby
Audio)

10W
×2
+
5W
×2
(Dolby
Atmos)

Dolby
Atmos
and
IMAX
Enhanced
for
DTS

3-watt
mono
speaker

Google
TV

Android
TV
10.0
(dongle)

Google
TV

WebOS

Connections

Bluetooth,
HDMI
2.1(eARC),
HDMI
2.1,
USB-A,
AUX,
AC-in

Bluetooth,
HDMI
2.0
(ARC),
USB-A,
AUX,
AC-in

2
x
HDMI
2.1,
HDMI
2.0
(eARC),
2
x
USB-A,
optical
digital
audio
out,
3.5mm
audio
out,
Ethernet

Bluetooth,
HDMI,
USB-C
(display,
power)

Dimensions

10.4
x
8.7
x
6.5
inches
/
264
x
221
x
165mm

10.4
x
8.7
x
6.5
inches
/
264
x
221
x
165
mm

21.7
x
11.7
x
4.8
inches
/
550
x
300
x
122mm

5.3
x
3.1
x
5.3
inches
/
135
x
79
x
135mm

Weight

9.9
lb
/
4.5
kg

10.7
lb
/
4.9
kg

19.8
lb
/
9
kg

3.3
pounds
/
1.5
kg

How
I
tested
the
Anker
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE

Tested
at
home
and
in
the
TechRadar
music
and
TV
testing
rooms

Tested
in
different
lighting
conditions

Measurements
were
made
using
Calman
color
calibration
software

I
got
the
Anker
Nebula
Cosmos
4K
SE
setup
and
had
an
explore
around
the
available
features,
apps,
and
settings.
I
tried
out
the
various
display
presets
to
determine
the
most
satisfying
option
for
casual
viewing.
I
watched
several
films,
series,
and
online
content
to
establish
how
well
the
projector
handled
the
different
aesthetics.
I
tested
the
visibility
of
the
projection
by
watching
in
total
darkness,
minimal
lighting,
and
daylight.

My
colleague,
TV
expert
James,
and
I,
measured
the
white
balance
(grayscale),
gamma,
and
color
point
accuracy
using
Portrait
Displays’
Calman
color
calibration
software.
The
results
provided
Delta-E
values
(the
margin
of
error
between
the
test
pattern
source
and
what’s
shown
on-screen)
for
each
category,
providing
us
with
figures
to
assess
the
projector’s
overall
accuracy.

We
also
ran
tests
to
obtain
measurements
of
the
peak
light
output
in
both
standard
and
high
dynamic
range
modes,
and
measured
the
coverage
of
DCI-P3
and
BT.2020
color
space,
to
obtain
readings
that
determine
how
well
the
projector
can
render
the
extended
color
range.
Finally,
we
measured
the
contrast
ratio,
determining
the
brightest
white
to
the
darkest
black
that
the
projector
is
capable
of
displaying,
and
the
input
lag,
which
is
an
important
reading
if
you’re
looking
for
a
gaming
projector
in
particular.

Sony UBP-X700 review: a brilliant budget player that’s great for Dolby Vision

Sony
UPB-X700
review:
One
minute
review

The

Sony
UBP-X700
is
an
affordable

4K
Blu-ray
player
($199
/£199
/
AU$369
at
the
time
of
writing
six
years
on
from
its
release)
that
supports
Dolby
Vision

HDR
and
Dolby
Atmos
and
DTS:X
soundtracks.
It
also
supports
a
wide
range
of
media,
including
3D
Blu-ray
discs,
SACDs,
DVDs
and
CDs
and
has
Wi-Fi
for
streaming
from
apps
such
as
Netflix
and
Prime
Video.

Performance-wise,
the
Sony
UBP-X700
is
an
all-around
brilliant
player.
It
doesn’t
quite
manage
the
jack-of-all-trades
excellence
of
the

Panasonic
DP-UB820,
but
it
delivers
superb
4K
images
with
punchy
color,
accurate
and
refined
textures
and
contrast
up
there
with
the

best
4K
Blu-ray
players,
especially
when
fed
Dolby
Vision
discs.
Upscaling
is
generally
effective
–
more
on
Blu-ray
rather
than
on
the
lower-resolution
DVD
format
–
and
while
it
does
enhance
certain
colors
and
applies
some
artificial
cleaning
to
film
grain,
the
UBP-X700
still
offers
excellent
image
reproduction,
especially
compared
to
the

Panasonic
DP-UB154
–
a
solid,
similarly
priced
player.

The
UBP-X700
effectively
handles
Dolby
Atmos
soundtracks
and
has
balanced
and
accurate
sound
reproduction.
CD
playback
is
also
effective.

The
UBP-X700’s
interface
is
easy
enough
to
navigate,
although
a
little
on
the
plain
side.
A
good
number
of
settings
for
video
and
audio
are
provided.
Design-wise,
the
UBP-X700
is
compact,
making
it
ideal
for
smaller
spaces,
though
its
physical
design
is
plain
–
an
LED
display
with
playback
info
would
have
been
welcome
–
and
its
remote
feels
very
dated.

It’s
tough
to
argue
against
the
value
of
the
UBP-X700
as
it’s
an
overall
fantastic
performer
for
an
affordable
price.
Pairing
this
with
one
of
the

best
TVs,
particularly
one
of
the

best
OLED
TVs
such
as
the

Samsung
S95D
or

LG
C4,
will
lead
to
a
match
made
in
heaven.

The
Sony
UBP-X700’s
home
page
is
a
little
on
the
plain
side

(Image
credit:
Future)

Sony
UBP-X700
review:
Prices
&
release
date

Release
date:
January
2018

Prices:
$199
/
£199
/
AU$369

The
Sony
UBP-X700
is
a
mid-range
model
in
Sony’s
4K
Blu-ray
player
lineup,
sitting
below
the
Sony
UBPX-800MKII.
At
the
time
of
its
release
in
2018,
the
UPBX700
was
priced
at
$249
/
£249
/
AU$399.

Several
years
on
prices
have
dropped
overall,
with
the
UBP-X700
sitting
at
roughly
$199
/
£199
/
AU$369
at
the
time
of
writing,
though
it
has
previously
sold
for
as
low
as
$149
/
£149
/
AU$225.

Sony
UBP-X700
review:
Specs

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

HDR
support

Dolby
Vision,
HDR10

Audio
support

Dolby
Atmos,
Dolby
TrueHD,
DTS:X,
DTS-HD

Music
support

CD,
Hi-res
audio
playback
including
DSD,
ALAC,
FLAC

Connectivity

Coaxial
Audio
Output
(s):
1
(Rear),
Ethernet
Connection
(s):
1
(Rear),
HDMI
Output
(s):
2
(Rear),
USB
Input
(s):
1
(Front)

Dimensions

(W
X
H
X
D):
12.5
x
1.7
x
8.5
(inches)
/
320
x
45
x
217
(mm)

Weight

3lbs
/
1.4kg

The
Sony
UBP-X700
offers
a
good
number
of
connections,
including
dual
HDMI
and
coaxial
digital
audio
outputs

(Image
credit:
Future)

Sony
UBP-X700
review:
Features

Dolby
Vision
HDR
support

Dolby
Atmos
and
DTS:X
support

Built-in
Wi-Fi
and
streaming
capability

The
Sony
UBP-X700
supports
4K
Blu-ray,
regular
Blu-ray,
DVD
and
3D
disc
playback.
It
also
plays
not
only
audio
CDs
but
SACDs
–
a
disc
format
the
more
premium

Panasonic
DP-UB820
and
many
other
4K
Blu-ray
players
don’t
support.

The
UBP-X700
supports
the
Dolby
Vision
and
HDR10
high
dynamic
range
formats,
but
not
HDR10+.
For
comparison,
the
cheaper
Panasonic
DP-UB150
supports
HDR10+,
but
not
Dolby
Vision,
while
the
pricier
Panasonic
DP-UB820
supports
both
Dolby
Vision
and
HDR10+.

For
audio,
the
UPBX700
supports
Dolby
Atmos
and
DTS:X
soundtracks
(bitstream
only)
and
can
decode
Dolby
TrueHD
and
DTS-HD
soundtracks.
There
is
also
support
for
High-res
audio
file
formats
including
ALAC,
DSD
and
FLAC.

The
UBP-X700
isn’t
as
well
stocked
with
connections
as
more
premium
4K
Blu-ray
players
such
as
the
DP-UB820,
but
has
two
HDMI
ports
–
one
for
video
and
audio
and
one
audio-only
–
as
well
as
a
coaxial
digital
audio
output.
There
is
also
an
Ethernet
port
and
a
front
USB
port.
Built-in
Wi-Fi
allows
access
to
streaming
services
including
Netflix,
Prime
Video
and

YouTube,
and
there’s
BBC
iPlayer
for
UK
customers.

In
terms
of
performance,
navigation
was
easy
enough
without
any
stutter
or
slowdown.
A
good
number
of
settings
are
provided
for
both
picture
and
sound,
including
a
4K
upscaling
setting
with
three
different
modes,
a
Digital
Music
Enhancer,
audio
dynamic
range
control
and
more.

One
frustration
I
had
involved
the
player’s
Dolby
Vision
menu
setting.
With
Dolby
Vision
turned
on,
the
UBP-X700
indicated
it
was
displaying
Dolby
Vision
movies
even
when
it
wasn’t
–
even
leaving
it
on
when
watching
regular
Blu-ray
discs
without
HDR.
I
could
see
no
obvious
related
picture
issues,
but
it
was
still
frustrating
having
to
turn
this
on
and
off
as
there
are
some
SDR-specific
picture
settings
to
improve
quality
which
are
locked
when
Dolby
Vision
HDR
is
activated.
If
you
regularly
switch
between
4K
and
standard
Blu-ray/DVDs,
that’s
something
worth
bearing
in
mind.

Features
score:
4.5
/
5

The
Sony
UBP-X700’s
color
display
is
fantastic,
filled
with
vibrancy
as
shown
here
on

La
La
Land

(Image
credit:
Future)

Sony
UBP-X700
review:
Performance

Short
disc
load
time

Bold,
vibrant
colors

Effective
4K
upscaling

The
UBP-X700
demonstrated
surprisingly
short
load
time
for
a
cheaper
4K
Blu-ray
player.
Loading
a
disc
into
the
disc
tray
to
seeing
the
first
logos
on
screen
took
roughly
30
seconds
–
some
5-10
seconds
faster
than
the
Panasonic
DP-UB820
and
nearly
30
seconds
faster
than
the
Panasonic
DP-UB154.

For
testing,
the
UBP-X700
was
connected
to
a
Panasonic
MZ1500

OLED
TV.

Starting
with
4K
Blu-rays,
the
UBP-X700
demonstrated
excellent
picture
quality.
In

La
La
Land
(HDR10
format)
colors
were
bright
and
vibrant,
with
plenty
of
dynamic
punch
throughout.
Colors
with
the
Sony
had
a
more
vivid
look
than
with
the
Panasonic
UB820
and
UB150,
both
of
which
had
a
more
natural,
subdued
appearance.
This
isn’t
to
say
colors
were
oversaturated
on
the
UPBX700,
but
they
definitely
had
a
glossier
look
than
on
the
Panasonic
players.

I
did
notice
during
the
‘A
Lovely
Night’
scene
in

La
La
Land
that
the
UBP-X700
favored
a
cooler
color
palette,
accentuating
the
blues
and
purples
of
the
night
sky
in
the
background.
The
colors
were
still
accurate
and
crisp,
but
it’s
worth
noting.

Moving
on
to

The
Batman
on
4K
Blu-ray
in
Dolby
Vision,
the
UBP-X700
demonstrated
superb
black
levels
and
contrast,
with
the
opening
crime
scene
showcasing
a
great
balance
between
the
lights
in
the
room
and
hallways
and
the
darkened
floors
and
walls.
Shadow
detail
was
also
excellent,
with
details
in
clothing
maintained
even
in
the
darkest
shots.

Moving
onto
standard
Blu-ray,
I
used
the
same
scene
from

The
Batman
to
test
the
effectiveness
of
the
UBP-X700’s
upscaling.
Although
it
was
not
as
good
as
the
Panasonic
UB820,
the
UPBX700
still
did
an
impressive
job.
Textures
were
a
touch
softer
and
contrast
wasn’t
quite
as
good
as
you’d
find
on
more
premium
players,
but
the
Sony’s
upscaling
did
improve
the
overall
sharpness
of
the
picture.

The
UBP-X700
even
did
a
decent
upscaling
job
with
a
DVD
of

The
Amazing
Spider-Man,
improving
textures
and
colors.
It
was
more
effective
here
than
the
Panasonic
UB154
but
not
as
effective
as
the
Panasonic
UB820.

I
also
analyzed
how
much
film
grain
the
UBP-X700
left
intact
with
older
movies.
Watching
a
Blu-ray
of

Thief,
particularly
shots
at
dawn
in
the
opening,
the
UBP-X700
did
maintain
some
grain
but
there
was
less
present
compared
to
the
same
scene
played
through
the
Panasonic
UB820.
I
also
found
this
to
be
the
case
when
watching
4K
Blu-rays
of

The
Batman
and

La
La
Land.
Film
purists
may
want
to
make
note
of
this.

For
audio,
I
had
no
issue
playing
Dolby
Atmos
soundtracks
through
the
UBP-X700.
I
also
tested
a
CD
in
the
UPB-X700
and
found
no
issues
with
stutter
or
load
times.

Performance
score:
4.5
/
5

The
Sony
UBP-X700
has
short
loading
times
of
under
30
seconds
from
when
the
disc
is
inserted
to
first
logos
appearing
on
screen

(Image
credit:
Future)

Sony
UBP-X700
review:
Design

Very
light
and
compact

No
front
LED
display

Old-school,
cheap
remote

The
UBP-X700
is
a
lightweight
and
compact
player
compared
to
the
wider
and
deeper
Panasonic
UB820
and
UB154,
making
it
more
versatile
for
smaller
spaces.
It
feels
less
premium
and
uses
cheaper
materials
than
players
such
as
the
UB820,
but
looks
and
feels
sturdy
enough
for
the
price.

One
thing
to
note
is
there
is
no
front
LED
display
to
notify
of
timing
while
watching
a
movie,
a
feature
found
on
the
Panasonic
UB820.
Timing
and
other
info
can
be
shown
on
your
TV
by
pressing
the
info
button
on
the
remote,
however.

The
UPBX700
features
two
HDMI
ports
and
a
coaxial
digital
audio
output
alongside
an
Ethernet
and
a
front
USB
port.
This
is
a
respectable
number
of
connections
and
while
it
doesn’t
match
up
to
more
premium
players,
it’s
more
than
found
on
the
budget
Panasonic
UB154.

The
small
supplied
remote
feels
a
little
dated
and
cheap.
While
I
wasn’t
expecting
a
premium
remote,
I
found
the
smaller
buttons
to
be
a
little
more
difficult
to
use
compared
to
those
found
on
Panasonic
player
remotes.

Design
score:
4
/
5

The
Sony
UBP-X700
has
a
small,
cheap-feeling
remote

(Image
credit:
Future)

Sony
UBP-X700
review:
Value

While
the
Sony
UBP-X700
isn’t
going
to
beat
the
workhorse-like
Panasonic
DP-UB820,
it
does
offer
great
performance
and
a
good
number
of
features
including
Wi-Fi
for
streaming,
which
is
a
rare
feature
in
an
affordable
player.

At
$199
/
£199
/
AU$369
–
even
dropping
as
low
as
$149
/
£149
/
AU$369
–
the
UBP-X700
is
great
value
for
money
and
while
it
lacks
the
full
HDR
support
of
the
Panasonic
DP-UB820,
Dolby
Vision
is
an
excellent
feature
in
a
cheaper
player.

Value
score:
4.5
/
5

Contrast
in
the
Sony
UBP-X700’s
picture
is
also
very
rich

(Image
credit:
Future)

Should
you
buy
the
Sony
UBP-X700?

Buy
it
if…

Don’t
buy
if
it…

Also
consider

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Row
0
–
Cell
0

Sony
UBP-X700

Panasonic
DP-UB820

Panasonic
DP-UB150/154

Reavon
UBR-X100

Price

$239/£219/AU$319

$499/£349/AU$769

$199/£149/AU$299

$799/£799/AU$1,399

HDR
support

Dolby
Vision,
HDR10

Dolby
Vision,
HDR10+,
HDR10,
HLG

HDR10+,
HDR10,
HLG

Dolby
Vision,
HDR10+,
HDR10,
HLG

Audio
support

Dolby
Atmos,
Dolby
TrueHD,
DTS:X

Dolby
TrueHD,
Dolby
Atmos,
DTS:X,
DTS-HD
Master
Audio

Dolby
Atmos,
Dolby
TreuHD,
DTS:X,
DTS:HD
MA

Connectivity

2x
HDMI,
1x
USB,
1x
optical
output,

2x
HDMI
output
(1x
Audio,
1x
Audio/Video),
Digital
optical
output,
Analogue
audio
LR
output,
Analogue
Audio
7.1
ch
output,
Wi-Fi,
LAN,
2x
USB

1x
HDMI,
1x
LAN,
1x
USB
(2.0)

2x
HDMI,
2x
USB,
1x
optical
output,
1x
coaxial
output,

The
Sony
UBP-X700’s
settings
menu

(Image
credit:
Future)

How
I
tested
the
Sony
UBP-X700

Tested
using
a
variety
of
discs
formats
including
4K
Blu-ray,
Blu-ray
and
DVD

Tested
with
Panasonic
MZ1500
OLED
TV

To
test
the
Sony
UBP-X700,
I
connected
it
to
the

Panasonic
MZ1500
OLED
TV,
which
supports
Dolby
Vision.

For
picture
quality
testing,
I
primarily
used
reference
scenes
from
4K
Blu-ray
discs
I
use
for
testing
TVs
such
as

The
Batman,

La
La
Land,

Top
Gun:
Maverick
and
more.
I
also
used
a
Blu-ray
version
of

Thief
to
test
the
UBP-X700’s
film
grain
accuracy.

I
used
standard
Blu-rays
and
DVDs
to
test
the
UBP-X700’s
upscaling
ability
and
a
CD
to
test
the
UBP-X700’s
audio
playback.

I
also
tested
the
UBP-X700’s
software
by
navigating
through
different
menus,
testing
response
times,
and
exploring
the
level
of
settings.
I
also
streamed
content
via
Netflix
and
BBC
iPlayer
to
test
the
UBP-X700’s
streaming
capabilities.

Posted on October 26, 2024 by DA Gadgets

I tried JBL’s new Dolby Atmos and Xbox-friendly AV receivers and Stage 2 speakers, and it’s high-end sound without the high-end price

Not
surprisingly,
the
entrances
to
New
York
City’s
music
recording
studios
are
almost
always
unmarked.
That
was
the
case
on
October
16,
2024
when
I
visited
Republic
Studios,
in
the
city’s
Chelsea
district,
for
the
launch
of

JBL’s
Modern
Audio
AV
receivers
(AVRs)
and
Stage
2
speakers.
Luckily
for
me,
next
to
Republic’s
front
door
on
the
day
of
my
arrival
was
a
large
“JBL”
sign
decked
out
in
the
company’s
trademark
burnt
orange
color.

The
Modern
Audio
AVRs
and
Stage
2
speakers
are
not
aimed
at
deep-pocketed
high-end
audio
enthusiasts.
Rather,
they
target
the
latest
generation
of
music
and
movie
lovers,
many
of
whom
haven’t
upgraded
from
the

best
wireless
speakers,

best
headphones,
and

best
soundbars
due
to
the
cost
and
complexity
of
getting
better
sound.

Suggested
retail
pricing
for
the
Modern
Audio
AVRs,
five
models
in
all,
ranges
from
$399
(around
£310
/
AU$600)
to
$1,599
(around
£1,230
/
AU$2,420).
The
eight
different
Stage
2
speaker
models
range
in
price
from
$299
(around
£230
/
AU$450)
to
$1,195
(around
£920
/
AU$1,800)
per
pair.
This
means
that
$1,700
can
buy
a
complete
5.1-channel
audio
system.
Both
product
lines
are
available
in
Espresso
(black),
which
many
will
find
appealing
for
a
darkened
TV
room,
and
a
modern,
clean-looking
Latte
(white).

(Image
credit:
Howard
Kneller)

Entering
through
the
studio’s
reception,
I
found
myself
in
a
very
large
open
room
containing
stylish
lounge
and
bar
areas.
I
later
learned
that
the
room
is
used
by
Republic’s
staff
and
its
guests
for
parties,
music
release
events,
live
performances
by
artists
like
the
Jonas
Brothers,
and
creative
meetings.

I
was
then
escorted
along
with
several
other
press
members
into
a
large
theater
where
we
were
shown
a
video
presentation
and
heard
from
JBL,
Dolby
Laboratories,
and
Republic
Studios
representatives
about
the
Modern
Audio
AVRs
and
Stage
2
speakers.
A
generous
selection
of
both
product
lines
was
set
up
in
the
theater
and
elsewhere
in
the
studio
for
two-channel
and
multi-channel
Dolby
Atmos
demos,
which
I
will
discuss
momentarily.

(Image
credit:
Howard
Kneller)

Modern
Audio
AV
receivers

The
Modern
Audio
lineup
are
the
first
JBL-branded
AVRs
and
they
emphasize
simplicity
and
style.
Their
faceplates
have
full-color
displays
and
a
clean,
minimalist,

Apple-esque
industrial
design
that
is
said
to
provide
only
what
the
customer
wants
–
controls
for
volume,
input,
and
surround
sound
mode.
They
are
not
made
to
connect
to
other
audio-only
components,
but
rather
devices
such
as
one
of
the

best
TVs
and
gaming
consoles
via
HDMI
connections.

Each
AVR
features
built-in
“EZ-Set
EQ”
app-based
calibration
to
optimize
the
sound
to
the
user’s
room
and
the
top
two
models
are
also
Dirac
Live
ready.
Each
AVR
also
integrates
with
IoT
smart
home
products
such
as
lighting
and
window
shades.
Further,
the
AVRs
are
said
to
be
easy
to
operate
and
connect
to
a
Wi-Fi
network
and
Bluetooth
devices
quickly
and
with
no
fuss.
Their
remote
controls
are
said
to
be
simple
and
non-imposing.
And
in
a
feature
that’s
inspired
by
some
gaming
devices,
the
two
upper-level
AVRs
sport
color-changeable
LED
lighting
under
their
chassis.

Sign
up
for
breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

As
you
go
up
the
Modern
Audio
AVR
line,
you
get,
among
other
things,
higher
performance,
increased
power
to
accommodate
larger
rooms,
more
audio
channels,
and
the
ability
to
decode
Dolby
Atmos
and
DTS:X
immersive
audio
formats.

Stage
2
speakers

The
eight
Stage
2
speaker
models
consist
of
floorstanders,
bookshelves,
and
subwoofers
(two
of
each
type),
a
center
channel,
and
an
Atmos-enabled
height
module.
Optional
stands
for
the
bookshelf
models
retail
at
$249
per
pair.

The
design
and
construction
of
the
Stage
2
speakers
display
lots
of
technological
know-how.
To
enhance
efficiency,
dynamics,
and
off-axis
response,
the
bookshelves
and
towers
feature
anodized
aluminum
tweeters
in
a
newly
designed
horn
waveguide.
Each
of
the
line’s
speakers
has
Polycellulose
ribbed
woofer
cones
for
what
is
said
to
be
deep,
accurate,
room-filling
bass.
Finally,
premium
inductors,
capacitors,
and
other
components
in
the
speakers’
crossovers
are
also
said
to
improve
performance.

For
the
Stage
2
speakers,
the
higher-end
models
allow
for
increased
performance,
often
in
the
bass
and
upper
bass
frequencies,
and
the
ability
to
work
well
in
larger
rooms.

(Image
credit:
Howard
Kneller)

Stereo
demos

The
focus
of
the
Modern
AVR
and
Stage
2
gear
in
the
theater
was
on
two-channel
audio,
with
a

JBL
Spinner
BT
($399)
Bluetooth-enabled
turntable
pressed
into
action
for
the
occasion.
Various
model
configurations
were
demoed,
but
regardless
of
configuration,
the
takeaway
was
that
these
days,
upgraded
sound
is
not
out
of
reach
for
the
younger
generation.

With
tracks
from
artists
such
as
the
Beatles,
Shaed,
Rihanna,
Lizzo,
Owl
City,
and
Ariana
Grande,
instruments
were
cleanly
delineated
from
each
other
with
plenty
of
air
between
them.
The
noise
floor
was
low,
electronic
instruments
and
sounds
were
crisp
and
punchy,
and
acoustic
ones
were
warm
and
tonally
on
the
mark.
Bass
notes
sounded
extended
and
deep.
Take
for,
example,
Rihanna’s

Love
the
Way
You
Like
(Piano
version),
where
the
singer’s
voice
was
silky
and
without
fatiguing
sibilance.
On
Lizzo’s

About
Dam
Time,
the
bass
notes
were
deep,
tuneful,
and
had
my
head
bobbing
up
and
down.
Bluetooth
performance
from
the
Spinner
BT
‘table
was
very
satisfying.

(Image
credit:
Howard
Kneller)

Home
theater
demos

We
then
headed
through
one
of
the
recording
studios
towards
Republic’s
artist’s
lounge
for
multi-channel
Dolby
Atmos
demos
in
a
Modern
AVR/Stage
2
speaker
channel
system.
On
the
way
there,
we
passed
striking
music-related
art
and
an
incredible
selection
of
guitars
hanging
on
the
studio’s
walls.

With
a
scene
from
the
movie

Ghostbusters:
Afterlife,
the
sounds
of
pounding
thunder
and
a
truck
smashing
through
a
gate,
repeatedly
flipping
over
in
a
wooden
area
and
smashing
through
trees,
were
detailed,
clean,
and
impactful.
With

Top
Gun:
Maverick,
the
gunfire
and
missile
strikes
were
just
as
visceral.
Even
the
sound
of
air
rushing
around
the
planes
while
they
traveled
at
Mach
speed
was
detailed
and
convincing.

Audio
for
the
modern
era

They
say
that
the
high-end
audio
business
is
doomed
as
the
younger
generation
is
unwilling
to
upgrade
their
home
audio
gear
due
to
the
costs
and
inconveniences
of
separate
components.
With
the
Modern
AVRs
and
Stage
2
Speakers,
JBL
has
made
getting
better
sound
painless,
both
for
consumers
and
their
wallets.
Since
these
products
are
from
a
single
brand,
they
will
almost
certainly
work
well
together
and
deliver
great-sounding
music.
For
movie
and
gaming
fans,
just
add
a
video
source
or
console
and
you’re
good
to
go.

You
might
also
like…

Posted on October 22, 2024 by DA Gadgets

Forget 4K Blu-ray for Alien: Romulus – get it on VHS instead, physical media fans

One
of
the
things
I
really
love
about

Alien
and
its
sequels
is
their
distinctly
low-tech
take
on
high
technology:
this
was
a
universe
of
interstellar
travel,
cryogenic
freezing
and
other
wonders
run
on
1970s
computer
tech
with
big
clacky
buttons
and
green-hued
CRT
displays,
a
design
decision
that
was
also
carried
across
to
the

Alien
Isolation
video
game.

So
it’s
nice
to
see
that

Alien:
Romulus
is
committed
to
the
retro-futurist
vibe
too
–
so
much
so
that
it’ll
be
released
on
“fully
functioning
VHS
tape”
in
December
with
a
4:3
aspect
ratio
and
a
vintage-style
sleeve.

The
news
comes
via

The
Verge,
which
hasn’t
been
able
to
confirm
how
many
copies
of
the
tape
there
will
be
or
how
much
it’s
going
to
cost.
It’s
clearly
intended
to
be
a
collector’s
item
rather
than
something
you’ll
watch
more
than
once,
if
at
all.

(Image
credit:
20th
Century
Studios
/
Disney)

How
to
watch
Alien:
Romulus
if
you
don’t
buy
the
VHS

The
age
of
the
VHS
officially
ended
in
2008
when
JVC
stopped
making
VHS
players,
but
it
went
into
steep
decline
in
the
1990s
when
DVD
and
later,
Blu-Ray
came
along.
It’s
the
format
I
watched
the
original

Alien
on,
and

Aliens
too,
so
it’s
really
nice
to
see

Romulus
going
onto
the
format
too.

If
you’d
prefer
to
watch
the
latest
Alien
movie
with
more
current
home
theater
tech,
it’s
obviously
going
to
look
much
better
in
its

4K
UHD
steelbook
physical
release
on
one
of
the

best
4K
Blu-ray
players
–
this
is
due
for
released
on
3
December
2024,
along
with
the
VHS
version
(and
DVD
and
regular
Blu-ray).

It’ll
also
obviously
look
better
on
streaming
–
the
date
hasn’t
yet
been
announced
for
it
to
arrive
on
Hulu/Disney
Plus,
but
late
November
or
early
December
seems
likely,
possibly
alongside
the
physical
releases.

But
it’s
not
about
what
it
looks

best
on,
it’s
about
what
it
looks

most
atmospheric
on.
What
could
be
more
atmospheric
than
starting
this
movie
with
the
clunk
of
the
video
cassette
player
taking
this
movie
in.

Sign
up
for
breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

You
might
also
like…

Posted on October 18, 2024 by DA Gadgets

The new Xbox Series X offers a cheaper version without the 4K Blu-ray player disc drive – could we be seeing the loss of another Trojan horse for cinephiles?

The
release
of
a
cheaper,
discless
Xbox
Series
X
model
is
another
small
blow
to

4K
Blu-ray
and
its
future
accessibility
to
a
wider
audience.
With
the
new
digital
edition
serving
as
the
cheapest
entry
into
the
lineup,
there’s
a
good
chance
it’ll
become
the
most
popular
model,
meaning
that’s
fewer
people
who
will
stumble
upon
the
discovery
that
physical
media
offers
far
higher
quality
than
streaming
and
become
converts.

The
latest
version
of
the
Xbox
Series
X
–
the
1TB
Digital
Edition
–
has
been
released
and
is
priced
at
$450/£430
–
roughly
$50/£50
cheaper
than
the
standard
model.
The
Digital
Edition
comes
without
a
disc
drive
whereas
the
‘standard’
model
–
which
may
not
be
one
of
the

best
4K
Blu-ray
players
for
pure
quality,
but
does
a
good
job
–
has
one
built-in.

With
this
new
Xbox
Series
X
Digital
Edition
being
released
at
a
cheaper
price,
and
it
will
most
likely
see
discounts
and
price
drops
over
Black
Friday,
this
could
lean
people
towards
opting
for
it
over
the
disc
model
–
and
this
would
be
bad
news
for
4K
Blu-ray.

During
its

release
announcement
in
June,

Microsoft
said
the
three
new
models
–
which
include
the
Xbox
Series
X
Digital,
Xbox
Series
S
with
1TB
storage
and
the
Xbox
Series
X
Galaxy
Edition
2TB
–
would
“join
its
current
lineup”,
suggesting
that
Xbox
Series
X
disc
model
will
remain
an
option,
but
with
a
cheaper,
discless
model
available,
will
the
disc
version
suffer?

The
PS5
already
took
the
approach
of
having
a
cheaper
discless
model,
and
then
dropped
the
built-in
disc
drive
totally
on
the
PS5
Slim
and
new
PS5
Pro.
Now
that
Microsoft
is
seemingly
moving
towards
going
discless
–
though
we’ve
no
idea
what
the
future
holds
for
the
next
console
generation
yet
–
it’s
another
avenue
where
4K
Blu-ray
has
taken
a
hit,
because
these
consoles
provide
a
chance
to
test
the
format
without
splashing
out
on
expensive
player.

It’s
worth
noting
there
are
optional
disc
drives
for
an
extra
$99/£99
for
the
PS5,
but
this
obviously
only
will
be
bought
by
more
hardcore
physical
media
believers
anyway,
so
doesn’t
help
with
the
casual
buyer.

More
4K
Blu-ray
woes

While
the
Panasonic
DP-UB820
(pictured)
is
a
better
standalone
4K
Blu-ray
player,
the
Xbox
Series
X
and
PS5
offer
4K
Blu-ray
playback
to
a
wider
audience.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Both
the

PS5
and

Xbox
Series
X
are
an
excellent
alternative
to
a
standalone
4K
Blu-ray
player
and
although
they
don’t
offer
the
same
level
of
features
as
said
regular
4K
Blu-ray
players,
such
as
the

Panasonic
DP-UB820
which
offers
Dolby
Vision
playback
on
4K
Blu-ray
discs
(the
consoles
don’t),
they
do
provide
access
to
4K
Blu-ray
playback
for
a
wider
ranging
and
more
casual
audience
than
just
the
dedicated
home
theater
fan.

Sign
up
for
breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

People
buying
elite
consoles
will
often
have
a
good-quality
TV
because
they
want
the
latest
features
–
the

best
gaming
TVs
tend
to
look
great
as
well
as
supporting
4K
120Hz
–
and
a
good
sound
option
to
immerse
themselves
in
games.

One
day,
they
might
try
a
4K
Blu-ray
since
they
already
have
the
tech
built
into
their
consoles,
and
discover
the
better
picture
quality,
and
the
even
more
clearly
better
sound.
Maybe
that
leads
them
pick
up
more
4K
Blu-rays,
helping
to
keep
the
industry
in
good
health.

But
if
they
don’t
have
the
disc
drive
because
they
wanted,
very
reasonably,
to
save
a
bit
more
cash,
then
they’ll
never
make
this
discovery.

The
world
of
4K
Blu-ray
has
been
tumultuous
in
the
last
12
months,
with
signs
pointing
towards
its
death.
Disney
and
Best
Buy
made
the
move
to
stop
selling
4K
Blu-ray,
although

Sony
has
since
come
in
and
taken
over
4K
Blu-ray
distribution
on
Disney’s
behalf,
and
many
retailers
signalled
a
decrease
in
physical
media
sales,
with
customers
moving
towards
the

best
streaming
services
such
as
Netflix
instead.
But,
things
have
taken
a
turn.

The
efforts
of
companies
such
as
Arrow
Video,
Criterion
Collection
and
more
have
aimed
to
stop

4K
Blu-ray
from
dying
despite
Disney
and
Best
Buy’s
efforts
and
there’s
been
more
positive
news
in
recent
months
with

2
major
stores
in
the
US
agreeing
to
stock
more
4K
Blu-ray
and
a

major
UK
retailer
saying
4K
Blu-ray
sales
are
on
the
rise
as
the
price
of
streaming
sites
across
the
board
continue
to
rise.

After
lots
of
good
news
and
hard
work
by
4K
Blu-ray
publishers,
this
move
away
from
disc
drives
in
its
consoles
as
standard
by

Sony
Microsoft
could
not
have
come
at
a
worse
time.
Not
everyone
has
the
money,
space
or
even
a
need
for
a
dedicated
4K
Blu-ray
player,
and
games
consoles
provided
an
avenue
for
casual
4K
Blu-ray
collectors
to
own
and
play
their
favorite
movies.

Fingers
crossed
that
this
isn’t
the
death
knell
for
4K
Blu-ray
in
consoles,
because
that
really
would
be
a
blow
to
the
future
of
people
getting
into
discs.

You
might
also
like

Posted on October 5, 2024 by DA Gadgets

Hisense’s small 4K laser projector can go up to 300 inches, plus has 120Hz support and JBL sound

Hisense
is
launching
an
entry
level
version
of
its
C2
Ultra

4K
short-throw
projector.
The
new
Hisense
C2
lacks
some
of
the
more
powerful
bits
of
its
Ultra
sibling,
but
it
comes
in
at
a
considerably
lower
price
and
includes
many
of
the
most
important
features.
The
C2
hasn’t
launched
globally
yet
but
the
full
specification
has
been
published
along
with
marketing
materials
by
a
German
retailer,
as
spotted
by

Notebookcheck.

The
C2
has
a
triple-laser
light
system
just
like
its
more
expensive
sibling,
and
the
brightness
is
2,000
ANSI
lumens
– impressive
for
a
laser
projector,
although
the
C2
Ultra
is
even
brighter.
The
contrast
ratio
is
1,700:1
and
there’s
support
for
HDR10,
HDR10+,
HLG
and
Dolby
Vision.

Hisense
C2
4K
projector:
key
features
and
pricing

The
C2
doesn’t
have
the
zoom
lens
of
the
Ultra,
so
it’s
got
a
fixed
projection
ratio
of
1.2:1.
That
enables
you
to
project
an
image
from
65
inches
to
300
inches,
and
there’s
motorized
focus
adjustment
and
automatic
keystone
correction
to
deliver
images
in
the
right
proportions.

The
quoted
refresh
rate
is
60Hz
at
4K,
but
you
can
double
that
to
120Hz
for
gaming
if
you
drop
down
to
2K/1080p
resolution;
4K
is
delivered
using
a
technique
called
pixel
shifting.
Instead
of
projecting
a
true
4K
image,
pixel
shifting
outputs
multiple
1920
x
1080
images
that
overlap
to
give
the
impression
of
4K.
It’s
been
common
as
a
technique
among
the

best
4K
projectors
for
a
long
time,
although
it’s
often
known
by
different
names:

Epson
calls
it
4K
Enhancement,
BenQ
prefers
XPR
and
JVC
calls
it
E-Shift.
The
big
benefit
here
is
simple:
it
makes
4K
projection
possible
for
a
fraction
of
the
expense,
though
purists
far
prefer
‘native’
4K
resolution
–
and
also,
this
projector
isn’t

that
cheap.

There
are
two
HDMI
inputs
here,
one
with
ALLM
for
games
consoles,
and
there
are
twin
USB
3.0
plus
ethernet
and
a
headphone
jack.
There’s
also
an
integrated
sound
system
by
JBL
with
a
total
output
of
20W.
You
can
stream
with
the
built-in
apps
for
now
and
AirPlay
support
will
be
available
soon
via
a
software
update.

We
don’t
know
global
pricing
yet
but
the
German
listing
has
a
price
tag
of
€1,999,
which
is
roughly
$2,200
/
£1,700
/
AU$3,200.

You
might
also
like

Sign
up
for
breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

Posted on October 2, 2024 by DA Gadgets

This box can send Dolby Atmos over power lines, for easier home theater setup

There
are
many
terrible
things
in
this
world,
and
I
think
we
can
all
agree
that
running
speaker
cables
is
one
of
the
worst.
That’s
one
of
the
reasons
why
the

best
soundbars
now
have
wireless
subwoofers
and
sometimes
wireless
surround
speakers
too,
but
many
of
those
options
are
manufacturer-specific
and
some
wireless
connections
are
laggy
or
lossy.

US
firm
Fasetto
thinks
it
has
a
better
option:
Dolby
Atmos
via
your
home’s
power
lines.
Its
Audio
Cu
system
delivers
audio
without
lengthy
cabling,
and
it’s
just
been
certified
for
Dolby
Atmos.

Audio
Cu
works
in
much
the
same
way
as
powerline
networking
devices
do:
it
sends
signals
over
the
in-wall
wiring
in
your
home.
Audio
signals
are
sent
from
a
transmitter
attached
to
your
TV
or
AV
receiver,
decoded
by
boxes
that
receive
the
signals,
and
then
sent
to
your
speakers
as
normal.
The
system
supports
surround
sound
setups
up
to
7.1.2
with
Dolby
Atmos
and
should
work
with
any
speakers
with
the
familiar
black
and
red
wiring
terminals.

That’s
the
good
news.
Now
for
the
potentially
not-so-good.

How
much
does
wireless
surround
sound
cost?

We
don’t
know
the
price
yet,
but
it
isn’t
likely
to
be
cheap.
We
know
that
you’ll
need
an
Audio
Cu
receiver
for

each
speaker
as
well
as
the
main
Audio
Cu
transmitter
you’ll
attach
to
one
of
the

best
TVs
or
an
audio
source;
each
receiver
will
need
to
be
its
own
amplifier
as
well
as
a
receiver,
and
of
course
that
ups
the
cost
somewhat.
As
the
technology
is
largely
the
same
as
powerline
networking,
a
look
at
the

best
powerline
adapters
gives
some
indication
of
what
the
prices
will
be
at
a
minimum.

Is
it
worth
it?
According
to
the
firm,
latency
is
down
to
less
than
20
milliseconds,
there’s
virtually
no
packet
loss,
and
the
signals
are
not
affected
by
interference,
which
can
be
an
issue
with
over-the-air
wireless
connections.
A
single
transmitter
can
handle
up
to
10
channels
of
audio,
and
if
you
have
a
mansion
you
can
run
up
to
six
transmitters
in
separate
setups
in
the
same
home,
with
a
max
of
32
audio
channels
in
total.
You
don’t

need
an
AV
receiver
(though
if
you
have
one
of
the

best
4K
projectors,
you
may
well
be
using
one
anyway),
and
all
the
EQ
and
configuration
is
done
in
the
iOS
or
Android
app.
You’ll
also
be
able
to
control
the
volume
via
your
TV
or
projector.

According
to
Fasetto,
“The
future
of
home
audio
connectivity
has
arrived
with
AUDIO
Cu”
and
the
firm
is
“the
only
company
that
has
overcome
all
the
obstacles
of
moving
data
cleanly
over
power
lines
in
all
environments”.
If
the
system
is
as
good
as
it
sounds,
it
could
be
an
interesting
option
for
people
who
want
a
home
theater
setup
without
installing
cables
or
running
them
across
the
floor.
You
can
find
out
more
on
the

Fasetto
website.

Sign
up
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news,
reviews,
opinion,
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tech
deals,
and
more.

You
might
also
like

Posted on September 30, 2024 by DA Gadgets

Disney’s 4K Blu-rays are finally getting Dolby Vision HDR – including two of this year’s biggest movies

Dolby
Vision

HDR
support
is
finally
coming
to
Disney’s
future

4K
Blu-ray
releases,
as
reported
by

Forbes
–
and
the
first
two
releases
to
include
this
are
both
summer
blockbusters.

Disney
has
announced
that

Deadpool
&
Wolverine,
set
for
release
October
22,
and

Alien
Romulus,
set
for
release
on
December
3,
will
both
support
Dolby
Vision
HDR,
marking
the
first
Disney
releases
(other
than
some
James
Cameron
titles)
since

Star
Wars:
The
Last
Jedi,
which
was
released
in
2018,
to
support
Dolby
Vision.

Dolby
Vision
is
a
popular
HDR
format
that
is
seeing
increasing
support
in
the

best
TVs
available
–
even
budget
models
such
as
the

Amazon
Fire
TV
Omni
QLED
support
it.
Dolby
Vision
improves
picture
quality
on
Dolby
Vision
compatible
displays
by
improving
color,
contrast
and
brightness
to
give
a
wider
dynamic
image
and
better
handling
of
highlights
and
dark
tones
in
difficult
scenes
depending
on
what
your
TV’s
capable
of.

Disney
initially
only
used
the
standard
HDR10
format
on
its
Blu-rays,
and
it’s
not
entirely
clear
why
it
has
now
decided
to
support
Dolby
Vision
(considering
it
supports
it
on
the
Disney
Plus
streaming
platform
already)
–
although
it’s
possible
that

Sony’s
acquisition
of
Disney’s
physical
media
production
may
have
something
to
do
with
it,
as

Sony
itself
is
a
big
user
of
Dolby
Vision
in
its
TVs,
including
the
Sony
Bravia
9,
and
some
of
the

best
4K
Blu-ray
players.

Whatever
the
reason
why,
it’s
great
news
for
home
theater
fans.

More
4K
Blu-ray
good
news

(Image
credit:
Future)

It’s
no
secret
that
the
state
of
4K
Blu-ray
and
physical
media
has
been
looking
bleak
in
recent
years,
with
Disney
all-but-signaling
a
shift
away
from
it
when
it
announced
it
would

no
longer
sell
4K
Blu-ray
in
Australia
last
year.
It
came
down
to
the
efforts
of
publishing
houses
such
as
Arrow
Video,
Criterion
Collection
and
more
to
keep

4K
Blu-ray
from
dying.

However,
earlier
this
year,

2
big
stores
in
the
US
announced
they
would
stock
discs
and
in
the
UK,
HMV,
a
major
AV
retailer,
announced
that

its
physical
media
sales
were
on
the
rise.

Sign
up
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breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

With
the
arrival
of
Dolby
Vision
on
Disney’s
4K
Blu-rays,
it
hopefully
signals
even
more
investment
into
the
field
that
seemed
to
be
in
its
‘dying
days’
not
too
long
ago.
Starting
with
a
major

Marvel
release
in

Deadpool
&
Wolverine
could
bring
more
exposure
into
the
benefits
of
Dolby
Vision
in
home
media,
and
in
turn
lead
to
a
further
resurgence
in
the
physical
media
sector
–
showing
streaming
sites
such
as
Netflix,
Prime
Video
or

Disney
Plus
and
Hulu,
both
of
which
recently
announced
further
price
hikes,
that
making
streaming
platforms
more
expensive
is
not
a
good
look.

You
might
also
like

Posted on September 29, 2024 by DA Gadgets

HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC: the differences explained

Behind
every
good

home
cinema
setup,
there
is
an

HDMI
cable
–
or
so
the
saying
goes
(sort
of).
While
HDMI
cables
might
not
be
the
most
exciting
things
in
an
AV
system,
it’s
hard
to
overstate
how
essential
they
are
to
its
proper
operation.

Besides

iPhone
chargers,
HDMI,
which
was
introduced
in
2002,
may
well
be
the
most
common
cable
that
the
world
owns,
transferring
up
to

8K
video
and
multichannel
audio
to
the

best
TVs
of
any
size
or
type.

Today,
we’re
taking
a
look
at
two
innovations
in
the
HDMI
cable
connection
standard:
HDMI
ARC
and
HDMI
eARC.

ARC
stands
for
Audio
Return
Channel,
and
eARC
stands
for
Enhanced
Audio
Return
Channel.
ARC
was
introduced
as
part
of
the

HDMI
1.4b
Specification,
and
allows
for
the
two-way
travel
of
audio
data
over
an
HDMI
cable
to
and
from
a
TV.
A
standard,
pre-ARC
HDMI
port,
in
contrast,
only
supports
video
and
audio
transmitted
from
a
source
device
directly
to
a
TV
or
another
type
of
display.

The
biggest
practical
application
of
ARC
is
to
have
just
one
cable
that
connects
a
smart
TV
and
one
of
the

best
soundbars
or
another
external
sound
system,
which
would
have
previously
required
multiple
cables.
In
2024,
the

best
TVs
across
all
price
ranges
will
come
with
HDMI
ARC
or
eARC
ports.

(Image
credit:
Future)

How
HDMI
ARC
and
eARC
differ
from
regular
HDMI
ports

As
just
discussed,
HDMI
ARC
–
or
Audio
Return
Channel
–
offers
one
huge
benefit:
as
well
as
receiving
audio
and
video
like
normal,
your
TV
can
send
audio
back
over
the
same
HDMI
cable.
That
means
audio
from
the
TV’s
built-in
streaming
apps
like
Netflix,
as
well
as
source
devices
connected
to
the
TV
via
its
other
HDMI
ports
such
as
a
gaming
console
or
one
of
the

best
4K
Blu-ray
players,
can
be
routed
to
an
external
speaker
system
like
a
soundbar
or
AV
receiver.

The
result:
fewer
cables
(or
even
just
one
cable
connecting
the
TV
and
a
soundbar)
in
your
home
theatre
setup.

Sign
up
for
breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

(Image
credit:
bomg
/
A_R_Uzzal
/
Shutterstock)

The
difference
between
HDMI
ARC
and
HDMI
eARC

So,
what’s
the
new
thing
that
the
“e”
in
eARC
introduces?
What
does
“enhanced”
mean
for
an
HDMI
connection?

The
answer
is
that
eARC,
introduced
as
part
of
the

HDMI
2.1
standard,
brings
several
important
improvements,
most
notably
in
the
quality
and
type
of
audio
formats
it
can
handle.

While
HDMI
ARC
is
limited
to
compressed
audio
formats
like
Dolby
Digital,
Dolby
Digital
Plus,
and
DTS,
HDMI
eARC
is
a
significantly
higher-bandwidth
connection
that
allows
for
the
transmission
of
lossless,
high-quality
audio,
including
Dolby
Atmos
and
DTS:X,
providing
a
richer
and
more
immersive
listening
experience.

Briefly,

Dolby
Atmos
–
a
technology
you
might
have
seen
more
and
more
about
in
recent
years
–
adds
a
3D
element
to
surround
sound
by
producing
sounds
above
the
listener,
as
well
as
sounds
that
come
from
front
and
behind
in
a
traditional
5.1
or
7.1
setup.

Given
that
you’re
reading
this
article,
we
imagine
you
care
about
these
somewhat
small
details,
so
eARC
is
definitely
a
benefit
if
you
want
to
harness
the
full
power
of
your
home
theatre
rig.

(Image
credit:
Sonos)

TV
and
cable
requirements

Let’s
get
into
the
nuts
and
bolts.
In
terms
of
TVs,
HDMI
ARC
is
supported
on
most
modern
models,
but
only
one
HDMI
port
is
typically
designated
as
ARC-compatible.
If
you’re
using
a
soundbar
or
AV
receiver,
you’ll
need
to
make
a
connection
from
its
ARC
port
to
the
ARC
port
on
your
TV.
For
eARC,
you’ll
need
a
TV
with
an
HDMI
2.1
port,
which
is
found
on
newer
models.

For
making
ARC
connections,
a
high-speed
HDMI
cable
is
recommended.
For
eARC,
both
a
standard
HDMI
Cable
with
Ethernet
and
a
high-speed
HDMI
Cable
with
Ethernet
will
work,
according
to
HDMI
Licensing.

Even
though
many
existing
high-speed
HDMI
cables
will
work
fine
with
both
connection
types,
ultra-high-speed
HDMI
cables
offer
more
robust
performance
for
higher
bandwidth
needs,
such
as
8K
and

4K
120Hz
video
and
uncompressed
Dolby
Atmos
audio.

(Image
credit:
Bose)

So
do
I
need
HDMI
ARC
or
eARC?

Good
question!

The
answer
is
most
probably
yes,
given
the
upsides
of
two-way
audio
transfers,
better
audio
quality,
and
generally
keeping
up
with
technological
trends.

Of
course,
if
your
current
AV
setup
is
working,
and
you’re
happy
with
it,
ripping
everything
apart
to
fit
in
a
new
ultra-high
speed
HDMIcable
probably
doesn’t
make
sense.
But
for
your
next
TV
purchase,
definitely
keep
these
standards
in
mind.

The
convenience
of
only
having
to
run
a
single
cable
from
your
smart
TV
to
your
soundbar
makes
the
dream
of
a
“cable-less”
setup
from
a
viewer’s
perspective
much
easier
than
it
was
before.

You
might
also
like…

Posted on September 21, 2024 by DA Gadgets

Hisense PX3-Pro: a perfect ultra short throw projector for gaming and movies

Hisense
PX3-Pro:
two-minute
review

Hisense
has
been
has
been
responsible
for
some
of
the

best
ultra
short
throw
projectors,
and
the
Hisense
PX3-Pro
is
among
its
latest.
The
PX3-Pro
has
a
daunting
task
following
up
on
the

Hisense
PX2-Pro,
but
Hisense
has
pulled
it
off
with
some
key
upgrades.

The
new
Hisense
PX3-Pro
differs
in
design
from
the
PX2-Pro,
but
under
the
hood,
it
gets
an
upgraded
projection
system
that’s
much
brighter
at
3,000
lumens
and
also
boasts
a
1080p/240Hz
mode.
This
feature
turns
it
from
an
exceptional
ultra
short
throw
(UST)
projector
into
a
speed
demon
of
a
gaming
projector
–
Hisense
even
bills
it
as
the
“world’s
first
designed
for
Xbox
UST
projector.”
And
with
rich
color,
strong
contrast,
and
Dolby
Vision
HDR
support,
the
PX3-Pro
ranks
up
there
with
the
best
4K
projectors
when
it
comes
to
picture
performance.

While
the
PX3-Pro’s
built-in
sound
isn’t
quite
as
impressive
as
its
picture,
it
at
least
has
the
volume
level
to
match
the
visuals,
and
Hisense
offers
plenty
of
ways
to
connect
to
better
speaker
systems.
All
of
this
comes
at
a
higher
price
than
its
predecessor,
but
it
seems
well
worth
the
extra
expense.

Hisense
PX3-Pro
review:
price
and
release
date

First
available:
October
2024

Price:
$3,499
/
£2,499

Availability
of
the
Hisense
PX3-Pro
is
set
to
begin
in
mid-October
2024.
It
is
priced
at
$3,499
/
£2,499,
a
marked
increase
over
the
lower
brightness
PX2-Pro,
which
launched
at
$2,999
in
June
2023.
Like
the
rest
of
the
Hisense
PX
series,
the
PX3-Pro
doesn’t
come
with
a
projection
screen.

The
Hisense
PX3-Pro
comes
with
a
full-size
remote
control
and
features
the
Google
TV
smart
TV
platform
for
streaming

(Image
credit:
Future)

Hisense
PX3-Pro
review:
Specs

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Screen
sizes
supported:

80-150
inches

Brightness
(specified):

3,000
Lumens

HDR
support:

Dolby
Vision,
HDR10+,
HDR10,
HLG

Optical
technology:

3-laser
DLP

Smart
TV:

Google
TV

Connections:

2x
HDMI
2.1,
1x
HDMI
2.0
with
eARC,
optical
digital
audio
out,
3.5mm
audio
out,
2x
USB-A,
Ethernet

Dimensions:

21.7
x
11.7
x
4.8
inches
(55
x
30
x
12.2cm)

Weight:

19.8
pounds
(9
kg)

The
PX3-Pro
features
dual
HDMI
2.1
ports
and
supports
gaming
at
1080p/240Hz

(Image
credit:
Future)

Hisense
PX3-Pro
review:
design
and
features

Futuristic-looking
design

All-in-one
capability
plus
flexibility
for
different
setups

Streaming
and
gaming
benefit
from
hardware
and
software
upgrades

Where
the
Hisense
PX2-Pro
was
a
simple
under-the-hood
refresh
of
its
predecessor,
The
PX1-Pro,
the
new
PX3-Pro
sees
some
bigger
changes
both
to
its
internal
components
and
its
outward
appearance.
The
design
has
a
stylistic
resemblance
to
its
predecessors,
but
it
gives
off
more
of
a
proper
futuristic
vibe
than
the
prior
models
with
their
retro-futuristic
looks.

The
whole
unit
is
done
up
in
gray
and
silver
surfaces
of
all
types:
matte,
shiny,
smooth,
and
coarse.
It
features
large
grilles
on
either
side
for
air
intake
and
exhaust
–
generating
3,000
lumens
creates
some
heat
even
when
using
lasers.
The
front
also
gets
a
perforated
grille
for
the
built-in
speakers.
At
either
side
of
the
grille
are
vertical
slots
in
shiny
housing
that
have
standby
lighting
built
in,
so
when
the
projector
is
turned
off,
these
illuminate
the
mirrored
finish
inside.
This
may
appeal
to
some,
but
I
found
it
a
little
tacky
compared
to
the
PX2-Pro’s
subtler
design.

Style
aside,
perhaps
the
most
critical
design
change
is
the
projector’s
size.
It’s
a
little
wider
and
taller
than
its
predecessors,
but
not
as
deep
front-to-back.
That
combined
with
a
shift
from
a
0.25:1
throw
ratio
to
a
0:22
throw
ratio
means
the
PX3-Pro
can
sit
closer
to
a
wall,
protruding
into
the
room
less,
and
still
provide
a
massive
picture.

The
PX3-Pro
sits
on
four
height-adjustable
feet,
which
helps
get
the
picture
aligned
with
a
screen.
It
also
offers
digital
image
correction
and
adjustable
focus,
letting
you
dial
in
everything
perfectly.

Around
the
back,
you’ll
find
three
HDMI
ports,
including
one
with
eARC.
There’s
also
a
high-speed
USB
type-A
port
(and
another
on
the
right
side),
and
both
and
optical
digital
and
3.5mm
audio
output.
With
Google
TV
onboard,
the
PX3-Pro
can
tap
into
plenty
of
streaming
services,
including
Netflix,
and
has
both
Wi-Fi
6E
and
Ethernet
network
connections.

The
Hisense
PX3-Pro
has
comprehensive
high
dynamic
range
support,
including
Dolby
Vision
and
HDR10+.
Its
built-in
speakers
support
Dolby
Atmos
and
IMAX
Enhanced
for
DTS,
though
audio
is
best
passed
on
to
an
outboard
sound
system.
Unlike
its
predecessors,
the
PX3-Pro
offers
Active
3D
support
(requires
optional
3D
eyewear).

There
are
still
a
few
features
the
PX3-Pro
could
have
benefitted
from.
Optical
image
adjustments
beyond
focus
would
be
a
welcome
addition,
especially
zoom,
though
I’ve
never
seen
that
feature
in
a
UST
projector.
A
cover
would
be
a
more
reasonable
one,
as
dust
can
gather
quickly
on
top
of
UST
projectors.

Design
and
features
score:
4.5/5

The
PX3-Pro
has
exceptional
color,
along
with
powerful
contrast
in
dim
lighting
conditions

(Image
credit:
Future)

Hisense
PX3-Pro
review:
picture
and
sound
quality

Exceptional
color
and
brightness

Crisp
4K
picture
with
comprehensive
HDR
support

240Hz
mode
is
a
perk
for
gamers

The
Hisense
PX3-Pro
builds
on
a
strong
picture
quality
foundation.
The
PX2-Pro
offered
stunning
color
from
its
tri-chroma
projection
system
and
the
PX3-Pro
takes
that
up
a
notch
with
a
notably
brighter
picture,
rated
to
reach
3,000
lumens.
For
some
content,
like
cartoons
and
sports,
that’ll
make
a
very
presentable
picture
even
with
high
ambient
room
lighting.
It
also
gives
the
PX3-Pro
plenty
of
latitude
in
dim
lighting
conditions,
with
a
bright
enough
picture
that
it
can
call
for
some
dimming
of
the
laser
in
a
dark
room.

While
the
projector
has
powerful
contrast
as
is,
a
High
Dynamic
setting
for
Laser
Luminance
can
further
enhance
its
picture.
I’m
normally
wary
of
settings
like
this
that
adjust
the
picture
based
on
the
content
being
displayed
as
they
tend
to
have
noticeable
artifacts,
but
the
PX3-Pro
managed
it
admirably,
with
imperceptible
transitions.
The
only
odd
behavior
I
noted
was
a
sudden
brightening
when
white
subtitles
appeared
onscreen
during
dark
scenes.
Otherwise,
this
played
out
well
for
Guy
Ritchie’s

Sherlock
Holmes,
helping
to
punch
up
the
bright
scenes
while
avoiding
pumping
up
black
levels
in
dark
ones.

The
PX3-Pro’s
comprehensive
HDR
support
made
the
latest
seasons
of

The
Rings
of
Power
in
HDR10+
and

The
Avengers:
Endgame
in
Dolby
Vision
both
look
fantastic.
The
wide
color
gamut
of
the
triple-laser
projection
system
played
a
big
part
in
this,
giving
the
PX3-Pro
simply
astounding
color.
One
downside
of
this
is
that
rainbows,
a
regular
artifact
of
DLP
technology,
can
seem
a
little
more
pronounced.

The
PX3-Pro
serves
up
a
big,
bright
4K
picture
ranging
from
80
to
150
inches.
While
it’s
possible
to
project
images
beyond
these
sizes,
the
focus
range
is
limited
and
you
may
end
up
with
a
softer
image.

For
gamers,
the
Hisense
PX3-Pro
has
something
extra
special
in
store.
In
addition
to
simply
switching
to
a
game
mode
with
lower
input
lag,
the
projector
can
swap
over
to
a
1080p/240Hz
mode.
This
sacrifices
some
picture
detail
but
provides
buttery
smooth
visuals,
and
the
DLP
system
has
minimal
ghosting.
The
gameplay
is
highly
responsive
and
a
big
perk.
Though
the
projector
will
also
display
4K
120Hz
signals,
it
doesn’t
appear
to
display
every
frame
but
rather
skips
every
other
one
as
checked
with

Blur
Busters’
frame
skipping
tool.

Audio
on
the
PX3-Pro
isn’t
half-bad
either.
Its
50W
Harman
Kardon-designed
speakers
can
get
loud
enough
to
match
the
size
of
the
pictures
the
PX3-Pro
projects,
and
the
sound
has
an
impressive
range
with
booming
bass,
though
it
doesn’t
get
deep
into
sub-bass
territory.
What
it
really
lacks
is
the
spatial
aspect.
The
stereo
separation
isn’t
very
wide,
and
there
are
no
side,
rear,
or
height
channels.
This
means
that
even
though
the
projector
supports
Dolby
Atmos
and
Imax
Enhanced
for
DTS,
it’s
best
used
with
external
speakers.

Picture
and
sound
quality
score:
4.5/5

The
PX3-Pro’s
Google
TV
smart
interface

(Image
credit:
Future)

Hisense
PX3-Pro
review:
value

High
price
but
a
compelling
picture

Versatility
adds
to
its
value

The
Hisense
PX3-Pro
doesn’t
come
cheap
at
$3,499.
Its
price
puts
it
a
ways
above
its
predecessor
and
sets
it
up
against
others
like
the

Epson
Home
Cinema
LS800.
It
also
raises
the
question
of
whether
you
should
instead
opt
for
a
big
TV
since
you
can
get
an
83-inch
OLED
like
the

LG
C4
for
not
too
much
more.

But
the
PX3-Pro
brings
a
lot
to
the
table.
It
has
enough
brightness
and
detail
to
comfortably
stretch
its
4K
picture
to
massive
proportions.
The
PX3-Pro
also
supports
3D
content
and
a
wide
range
of
HDR
formats,
has
a
240Hz
refresh
rate
mode,
and
has
Google
TV
built-in
(with
a
fast
enough
processor
to
run
it
smoothly).
There’s
little
question
that
the
PX3-Pro
UST
offers
a
lot,
and
it’s
a
worthy
rival
to
TVs
and
other
projector
types.

Value
score:
4.5/5

(Image
credit:
Future)

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Hisense
PX3-Pro

Row
0
–
Cell
0

Notes

Rating

Design
and
features

An
impressively
compact
all-in-one
package
that’s
versatile
enough
to
work
with
all
sorts
of
external
home
theater
hardware

4.5/5

Picture
&
sound
quality

Color
gamut
stands
out,
and
the
extra
brightness
alongside
wide
HDR
support
makes
for
visually
stunning
images.
It’s
no
match
for
a
sun-drenched
room,
but
excels
in
dim
and
dark
ones.

4.5/5

Value

It’s
not
cheap
but
offers
great
picture
quality,
features,
and
a
high
level
of
versatility
for
the
money.

4.5/5

Should
I
buy
the
Hisense
PX3-Pro?

(Image
credit:
Future)

Buy
it
if…

Don’t
buy
it
if…

Also
consider…

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Comparison:
4K
UST
projectors

Hisense
PX3-Pro

Hisense
PX2-Pro

Epson
LS800

Hisense
L9G

Price:

$3,499

$2,999

$3,499

$5,499

Screen
sizes
supported:

80
to
150
inches

90
to
130
inches

Up
to
150
inches

100
inches

Brightness
(specified):

3,000
lumens

2,400
lumens

4,000
lumens

3,000
lumens

HDR
support

HDR10+,
HDR10,
HLG,
Dolby
Vision

Dolby
Vision,
HDR10,
HLG

HDR10,
HLG

HDR10,
HLG,
Dolby
Vision

Optical
technology:

3
laser
DLP

Laser
3LCD

3
laser
DLP

Smart
TV:

Google
TV

Google
TV
/
VIDAA

Android
TV

Connections:

2x
HDMI
2.1,
1x
HDMI
2.0
(1
with
eARC),
optical,
3.5mm

2x
HDMI
2.0
(1
with
ARC),
HDMI
2.0

3x
HDMI
2.0
(1
with
ARC)

2x
HDMI
2.1,
1x
HDMI
2.0
(with
eARC),
1x
RF,
optical

(Image
credit:
Future)

How
I
tested
the
Hisense
PX3-Pro

Tested
at
home
in
multiple,
real-world
viewing
conditions

Presented
the
display
with
a
variety
of
media
and
formats

I
have
tested
numerous
projectors
and
displays
over
the
last
half-decade

I
tested
the
Hisense
PX2
Pro
at
home,
in
real-world
conditions.
This
saw
it
faced
with
ambient
light
coming
in
from
numerous
windows,
in-room
lighting,
as
well
as
ambient
noise
that
both
the
projector
and
speaker
systems
had
to
overcome.
The
projector
was
tested
both
against
a
bare,
white
wall
and
an

Akia
Screens
CineWhite
screen.
It
was
presented
with
standard
definition
and
4K
HDR
streamed
content,
and
PC
gameplay.

My
testing
evaluates
the
projector’s
performance
with
respect
to
its
price
and
competition
from
other
models
I
and
colleagues
at
TechRadar
have
tested.