The LG AU810PB is a 4K DLP Laser Smart projector with a suggested retail price of $3999. This projector offers a great deal of performance and numerous advanced features for its price. The LG AU810PB has a rated brightness of 2700 Lumens, and its Laser-light source is rated to last up to 20,000 hours.
AU810PB is a 1920x1080x4 pixel shifter – using a DLP (0.47″ DMD) chip. DLP XPR technology leverages the immense speed of the DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) to process pixels faster than the rate of the video signal. The XPR chip tilts in 4 directions and operates fast enough for our eyes to see all the pixels and perceive the entire image all at once.
While the newest 0.47″ DMD chips only have about 2.1 million mirrors, they can deliver a perceived resolution of 8.3 million pixels. This system works so well that it would be difficult for any viewer to see a difference in resolution from a native 4K UHD (8.3 megapixels) imager.
Often when comparing projectors against flat-panel TVs, the projector can fall short in certain areas such as a lamp in a traditional projector dimming over time and needing to be changed after a few thousand hours. This not only adds to the cost of operation but can be inconvenient to the owner. Because the AU810PB uses a Laser-light source, this is no longer an issue when considering projection over a traditional TV and this type of illumination can provide years of maintenance-free operation.
The AU810PB's dual Laser-light engine uses both a red and blue Laser which increases the projector's color gamut and eliminates the need for a spinning phosphor wheel. This feature reduces the rainbow effect that is common on many DLP projectors.
The AU810PB is one of a small number of projectors that is capable of Dynamic HDR Tone Mapping when viewing your HDR10 content. What this feature does is automatically adjusts both the dark and bright levels to ensure the best picture and optimize the HDR performance.
The projector is one of the first projectors that supports several advanced HDMI 2.1 features including ALLM (auto low latency mode), eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel), and bandwidth up to 24Gbps.
LG also offers a less expensive model with similar performance called the HU810P ($2999 SRP). Stepping up to the AU810PB ($3999 SRP) adds WiSA, custom integration features, auto CalMan calibration capability, and a longer warranty.
The AU810PB offers a 1.6x zoom lens with horizontal and vertical lens shift, which is not commonly found on DLP projectors, especially at this price point. When this is combined with vertical keystone correction, it will reduce the image distortion and allow for precise alignment with the screen.
The AU810PB has LG's webOS, which is what is found in their latest flat-panel TVs. This feature makes the projector very smart so you have all the apps and capabilities also found in a Smart TV. It includes Google Assistant, which allows you to control not only the projector, but a wide variety of compatible smart home devices, like your lights, or blinds, using only your voice.
As I have mentioned throughout this review, the LG AU810PB combines all the Smart capabilities of flat-panel TVs but with the high-quality, maintenance-free Laser-light engine and 4K resolution to make it a true flat panel TV replacement.
