LG AU810PB CINEBEAM 4K LASER PROJECTOR REVIEW – PERFORMANCE

LG AU810PB 4K UST Business Projector Review – Picture Quality: Color Reproduction, Video Quality, Text and Presentation Quality

The AU810PB's color reproduction is good but not as accurate as I would have liked. The LG AU810PB has a total of ten preset picture modes for standard or dynamic range content.

The above images give you a general idea of the color accuracy for each of the picture modes. However, when viewed in person, the colors will look much better than how the photos appear on the screen of the device you are using to read this review.

• VIVID:This is one of the brightest, but it is not very accurate . This mode would be most appropriate for content in a room with a large amount of ambient light.
• STANDARD:This mode provides a balance between brightness and accuracy with nominal video settings.
• CINEMA:This setting is designed for viewing movies in a darkened room. Designed to accurately display cinema content
• SPORTS: Optimizes the projector to enhance fast action
• GAME: This mode optimizes the settings to minimize lag for gameplay.
• HDR EFFECT:Creates a more dynamic-looking picture by enhancing the light and dark areas of the image.
• FILMMAKER: Certified by the UHD Alliance to accurately reproduce cinema content. When it mode if a "flag" is detected in a piece of compatible content, the projector will automatically turn off frame interpolation and video enhancements to accurately display cinema content
• BRIGHTEST: The brightest picture mode but the least accurate
• EXPERT (BRIGHT ROOM): This preset disables all video enhancements. It is designed for viewing content in a brighter room.
• EXPERT (DARK ROOM): This preset disables all video enhancements. It is designed for viewing content in a darker environment. The most accurate picture mode, but brightness is limited.

The STANDARD mode, which is the default picture preset, was cooler with slightly boosted contrast. The BRIGHTNESS mode and VIVID modes are the brightest and they are designed to be used in areas with high ambient light. The EXPERT (BRIGHT ROOM) mode delivered the best balance of brightness and color reproduction.

There are also seven picture modes available for HDR content. The CINEMA and FILMMAKER modes delivered the most accurate color reproduction.

Below is a variety of screenshots showing color reproduction.

The picture modes that are the most accurate out-of-the-box were EXPERT (DARK ROOM) and FILMMAKER which were the closest to the D65 rec709 standard. Prior to calibration, to achieve the best SDR picture, I choose FILMMAKER Mode with the Color Temperature set to WARM. While this mode delivered the most accurate colors, it was also the least bright of all the modes. The overall color balance is out of the box was very good.

The LG AU810PB Laser TV has a rated brightness of 2,700 ANSI lumens. So, how close did the AU810PB come to hitting its target of 2,700 ANSI lumens? I set the projector to BRIGHTEST Mode, which is the brightest picture mode available, and then I set the ENERGY SAVINGS to Minimum (brightest lamp setting). I then took 3-4 readings about 15-20% out from the center of the screen.

LG AU810PB Brightness (Vivid Mode, Maximum Light Level): 2,683 lumens

The AU810PB was close to its brightness claim. The projector's more accurate picture modes did reduce the projector light output but there was still more than enough brightness for viewing both SDR and HDR content on a 100" screen in a room with some ambient light.

Brightness by SDR Picture Mode

As mentioned, BRIGHTEST and VIVID modes are the least accurate and should only be used as a last resort to overcome a significant amount of ambient light. The EXPERT (BRIGHT ROOM) mode delivered the best balance of brightness and color accuracy. The FILMMAKER and EXPERT (DARK ROOM) modes were the most accurate picture modes out of the box. They are noticeable dimmer, but they still produced enough brightness to deliver a quality SDR or HDR image in a dark room.

While several picture modes delivered a good picture right out of the box, the AU810PB would benefit from calibration like any other projector. What is cool is that the AU810PB's Auto-Calibration feature let can quickly fine-tune using the Calman software with the press of a button.

While l I have experimented with Calman Auto Calibration on LG and Sony flat-panel televisions, this is the first time I had the opportunity to try out this feature on a projector. I set up my Klein K10 meter, plugged in my Murideo Seven G test pattern generator, and fired up my Calman software. Once the software identified the meter, pattern generator, and projector, I answered a few questions and pressed a button.

As you can from the image below, the results were outstanding. To test the projector's color accuracy we use Portrait Displays Calman color calibration software. The results before and after calibration are below.

Pre-calibration, the EXPERT (DARK ROOM) mode was pretty accurate, but there was too much blue energy. The Autocal feature took less than 2 minutes to produce excellent results with a delta error average below 1. It would have taken me 30 minutes to an hour to achieve the same results manually.

To utilize Calman AutoCal, you need some costly equipment and software, so this feature focuses on professionals because it speeds up the calibration process. However, it reinforces that AU810PB has one of the most advanced video processors available in a modern projector.

The dynamic contrast ratio of the AU810PB is listed at 2,000,000:1. The projector can modulate its light source from scene to scene, which is why its rated dynamic contrast ratio is so high.

The AU810PB is also equipped with an adjustable iris with three different levels (Bright Room, Medium, Dark Room) along with a customizable user setting so you can optimize the unit's black level performance based on the viewing environment. I set the level to Medium in my test space because it delivered the best balance of black level and brightness.

While the AU810PB still cannot match the black level and native contrast of an LCoS projector, its performance is better than most DLP-based home theater projectors I have reviewed.

Below are images of a variety of videos and photos in 4K and HD resolution. Like all our photos, they remain unadjusted for color, so they do not look as good as what the projector produced. All the HD and 4K images were taken with the AU810PB set to either EXPERT (DARK ROOM) and EXPERT (BRIGHT ROOM) mode.

Since most TV shows and live broadcasted content will continue to be produced in HD for years to come,good 4K upscaling will continue to be important. This projector's upscaling is excellent whether I was watching 720P sports from ESPN or 1080p Blu-ray content, it all looked very good.

While most Blu-ray UHD content is available in HDR10, much of the 4K streaming material is still only 4K SDR. The AU810PB had no problems delivering sharp detailed 4K imagery.

Since a 4K DLP chip does not actually have 8.3 million mirrors, the AU810PB utilizes pixel (mirror) shifting to deliver the perceived sharpness of 4K resolution. This approach works very well. It is very difficult to see a difference in sharpness when comparing a 4K DLP projector like the AU810PB to a native 4K LCD/LCoS model from a normal viewing distance.

Out-of-the-box the 4K picture was good and after calibration the picture would be even better.

Even the brightest HDR projectors struggle to reproduce true HDR content. . The AU810PB can dynamically tone map HDR10 content, and this feature did a good job of maintaining highlight detail. However, tone mapping (whether it is dynamic or not) requires the projector to compromise something (highlights, brightness, contrast, color, or black level). In this case, the AU810PB when Dynamic Tone mapping was engaged, you will sacrifice some brightness. Overall, I still preferred viewing HDR with the setting switched ON.

The LG AU810PB also supports HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) which is the HDR standard developed for live broadcast. Lastly for hardcore gamers out there, since LG is a member of the HGiG (HDR Gaming Interest Group), the AU810PB works with other compatible gaming systems and software to optimize the gaming experience.

The AU810PB has dual 5-watt built-in speakers located on the back of the unit. Its speakers can provide an adequate sound in a pinch and even play loudly enough for use in an average-sized room. When you use the included remote to adjust the volume, the level is conveniently displayed onscreen. While the sound quality would be okay for narration, the placement of the speakers and the position of the projector in the room will often lead to the recommendation of a separate audio system to get the full audio.

Most people who are buying a home entertainment projector at this price point would likely have an external audio system connected to it anyway. The projector provides flexible audio connections, including the option for eARC over HDMI as well as WiSA wireless audio transmission to up to 8 powered speakers.