Michael Hamilton

Michael Hamilton  |  Sep 29, 2024
As with many communities across the USA, the Tampa Bay area has implemented ATSC 3.0 broadcasting, which has been in service for over a year. Well, of sorts…
Michael Hamilton  |  May 22, 2024

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,700

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Accurate color out of the box
User-friendly auto-geometry set-up adjustments
Movie-friendly Dolby Vision and HDR
Another amazing autofocus application
Unique hybrid laser/LED light engine
Minus
Image size relies principally on physical placement
Sub-class-leading contrast
Ergonomic quirks that should long be resolved
Mediocre remote, lacks backlighting
In the room-to-room category, but handle-free

THE VERDICT
As Larry David often says in Curb Your Enthusiasm: “Pretty good…pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good.” Balancing most aspects critical to me and fancying the Horizon Ultra, I would tend to echo Larry. You may like this projector for your intended use as well. Ultimately, though, after a solid month of steady use, just enough fell slightly outside the bullseye, particularly a less-than-ideal contrast ratio but also a few grating ergonomics that, for now, my AMEX will remain at its zero balance.

A self-described purveyor of “smart projectors and laser TVs,” Xgimi may not be the first brand name mentioned in answer to a man-on-the-street projector query. Though Internet forum gurus and YouTube influencers have done much to espouse Xgimi’s evolutionary stable of products, I am willing to wager that the name still escapes a majority of S&V readers.

Michael Hamilton  |  Apr 24, 2024

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,799

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Wide color gamut
Superb lens with state-of-the-art autofocus
Auto keystone correction
Comprehensive suite of non-global calibration controls
Stylish, conversation-starting design
Minus
Physical placement determines image size
Input lag is tolerable only for casual gaming
Lacks codecs like VVC likely to be used with future 8K content
No carrying handle

THE VERDICT
A quality 300" image from a grab-n-go projector? You’ll have fun, fun, fun until daddy takes the C1 away! (Humblest apologies to Brian Wilson and Mike Love).

Always up for a projector review, I quickly responded, “Send it my way!” when asked about the Hisense C1, though admittedly, at the time, I was unfamiliar with this new model. Having previously reviewed the UST Hisense PX1-Pro and been impressed by its triple-laser light engine—giving it an S&V Top Pick—I was keen to explore any advances made by the self-proclaimed pioneer in Laser TV in the dynamically evolving projector technology category.

Michael Hamilton  |  Nov 15, 2023
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,749

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Bright image with proper screen pairing
Low gaming lag
Portability
Quiet Operation

Minus
Placement woes with short-throw lens
Throw-away audio
Manual Focus
HDMI 2.0 only
Ineffective CMS

THE VERDICT
It may be difficult to wrestle it away from the kids when they are gaming, however, for serious movie watching, that may not bother you. Big and bright for gaming, there are better options from Optoma for cinema-centric viewers.

Optoma boasts of being both the top 4K UHD projector brand globally and the number one Digital Light Processing (DLP) brand in the United States for 2022, citing the PMA Research Worldwide Projector Census, making the company no stranger to the world of projected light.

Michael Hamilton  |  Sep 22, 2022

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $3,500

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Ultra-wide color gamut
Terrific lens for impressive focus
Built-in (ATSC 1.0) tuner
Minus
No dynamic tone mapping
Netflix not part of the Android bundle
Tuner doesn’t support ATSC 3.0

THE VERDICT
With its onboard streaming capability and TV tuner, the Hisense PX1-Pro comes about as close as you can to the proverbial “Home Theater in a Box” concept—one that that lets you savor big-screen fun without leaving home.

Hisense is known by Sound & Vision cognoscenti as a brand taking ambitious steps to spotlight itself as an innovator in leading-edge television technologies with pricing it terms affordable. For those who do not peruse our pages, the Hisense name may be more closely identified with refrigerators and other home appliances. But as a manufacturer in the consumer electronics space, especially one in the business of making flat-panel televisions and projectors, you can legitimately claim to "have arrived" when your products occupy rack space in Costco alongside the best-known brands in TV.

Michael Hamilton  |  Nov 13, 2019
Performance
Setup
Value
PRICE $4,000 (as tested)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Designer colors and mounting options
Rechargeable battery option allows varied placement
Silky smooth, silent retractable operation
Minus
Tab tensioning less robust than competitive retractable screens
Price may deter some

THE VERDICT
The Solo Pro 2 offers a highly flexible alternative to standard motorized screens. And when paired with the company's Slate 1.2 screen material, it provides satisfying viewing in elevated light conditions, and excellent results in lights-out theater mode.

Austin, Texas, that state's vibrant capital city, houses many cultural icons. For Millenials (not me), it means the South by Southwest film, music, and tech festival. For Formula 1 racing fans (ok, I confess...) the Circuit of The Americas is— finally—the home of a United States Grand Prix. And for music devotees of any age (y'all count me in), Austin's official motto, "Live Music Capital of the World," says it all.

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