Full HD projectors offer stunning images but if you have the space and require gigantic screen sizes, videos will look sharper using a 4K projector. At the moment the price of low-end 4K projectors is slightly more than the high-end 1080p options. Are you willing to go the distance? Coming with a 4K projector is better picture quality, great contrast, wider colour gamut, keystone correction and brightness in a, well, bright room. It’s important to remember that the bigger the screen you want, the brighter the projector must be at producing rich images.
For the last couple of years — that would be the pandemic period — we have been trying out different projectors and one brand that has impressed a lot is Optoma, which offers a good balance of quality and affordability. Recently we had an opportunity to review Optoma UHD55 over three weeks and it’s an example of how projectors are becoming the heart of living rooms around the world, giving TVs stiff competition. If you consider the price of multiplex tickets and throw in all the popcorn and nachos in the mix, having a projector makes sense, especially if you like to binge-watch over weekends. Of course, you can go for bigger television screens but pricing increases drastically.
Powerful output
UHD55 delivers 4K output and peak brightness of 3,600 lumens combined with a contrast ratio of 1,200,000:1. Plus, image size can be up to 300 inches. We wouldn’t recommend 300 inches but images between 120-150 inches look stunning.
Best enjoyed with most lights switched off and no natural light streaming in, the projector covers 97 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour gamut and the built-on colour management system allows you to tune colour settings to perfection. What I like most about the projector is wall colour adjustment. The walls at my place are off-white but I could manage to fix the image with this simple adjustment. I wish I could say that projected images are perfect with all the windows open but in such situations blacks take a hit when watching films. With some natural light entering the room, something like news channels will be perfect but not movies for which lights have to be turned down.
The controls are easy to use
The other reason why the project wins brownie points with me is that I can still enjoy some of the 3D Blu-Ray discs lying around. There is 3D support in side-by-side, top and bottom and frame sequential modes.
Then there are enough reasons for gamers, like the extremely low 4ms input lag for 240Hz at 1080P while it’s 16.9ms for 60Hz at 4K UHD. In gaming mode the input lag is reduced while optimising contrast and colour settings. Hooked to a PC, it can handle up to 240Hz but since there HDMI 2.0 connectivity, you won’t be able to go past 60Hz frame rates in 4K while hooked to a PS5 or an Xbox Series console.
The projector displays HDR10 and HLG HDR content without any issues while PureMotion frame interpolation can handle motion blurring, which comes in handy during action sequences. There is also vertical lens shift, geometric correction (for uneven projection surfaces), corner correction, and keystone correction. In case you are wondering about distortion correction around the edges, there is 3x3 Distortion Correction.
To the could-have-been-better part. The speaker system is only 10W and there’s no mention of Dolby Atmos. The sound is clear but good enough for a small- or medium-sized room, otherwise hook up an external speaker.
On a brighter note, there are Smart Home features including Optoma Marketplace, File Manager, Creative Cast, and connectivity with voice assistants. For access to streaming services, you’ll need to pair it with a dedicated streaming dongle or box. There are enough ports to hook up almost anything you want.
The remote control is well-designed, covering all the important features
Take a note...
• High contrast ratio ensures deeper blacks than most 4K projectors offer
• The wide-colour-gamut support allows the projector to show most of the DCI/P3 colour gamut
• Good high dynamic range support allows you see improved detail in highlights
There is enough ventilation on the projector for air to be circulated around the unit
At a glance
Device: Optoma UHD55
Price: Rs 295,000
High notes
- 4K UHD resolution
- Easy to set up
- Excellent brightness and contrast
- Good lamp life (Dynamic Black mode — 15,000 hours; Eco mode — 10,000 hours and Bright mode — 4,000 hours)
Muffled notes
- Speakers are clear but not loud enough
Ports
USB 1-USB 2.0, VGA im, USB 2-USB 2.0 (USB stick and Wi-Fi dongle), RJ45, RS-232, HDMI 1-V2.0, HDMI 2-V2.0, USB 3-USB 2.0 (USB stick and Wi-Fi dongle), S/PDIF (support PCM 2 channel), 12V out, audio in (stereo, 3.5mm jack), audio out (stereo, 3.5mm jack)
