Home Theater Projectors Laser TV (UST)

More and more manufacturers are introducing 4K capable ultra-short-throw smart projectors commonly referred to as “Laser TVs”. They can produce a really big image in your living room, family room, and other “common” areas of your house while sitting only inches from the screen. These projectors are intended to be TV replacements, so they include all the smart features and apps found in a modern TV along with an upgraded, built-in sound system.

Pairing one of these projectors with an ambient light rejecting screen allows use during the day and in rooms with higher ambient light.  Looking to replace your TV with something, in our opinion, better? Then be sure to check out the many ultra-short throw projectors that are on the market.

Laser TVs are easy to install, easy to move, and offer an unbelievable picture in a much larger image than a traditional flat-panel TV. Why measure your TV in inches when you can measure it in feet?

With an MSRP of only $2799, it claims 2500 ANSI lumens, at a price point well below the better-known brand names. It can sit several inches away from and several inches below your screen. VAVA says the projector will support screen sizes up to 150” diagonal. Like all Laser TVs, it will work best in rooms with ambient light when paired with one of the screens designed for both UST projectors (Laser TVs), and ambient light rejection (ALR).

The VAVA is smart, you can run apps, like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and many others. Like most new smart projectors, it uses an Android operating system. The VAVA Laser TV supports the usual Alexa and Google Assistant personal support. The VAVA is equipped with a 30 watt x2 stereo system designed by Harmon Kardon speakers which should “blow away” the sound quality of most LCD TV’s

The most notable features of this projector are:

• Smart TV Features – The VAVA utilizes an Android OS operating system so it supports Google Assistant. You can just pick up the remote, hold down the microphone button, and command the VAVA. You also have access to several of the popular streaming apps including Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video.
• Laser Light Engine – VAVA claims their laser light engine can produce 2500 lumens for up to 25,000 hours. At 40 hours a week, that’s over 12 years.
• 4K UHD Capable – While the VAVA’s DLP (0.47″ DMD) chip isn’t native 4K, rapid pixel shifting gives the DLP chip the ability to deliver a perceived resolution of 8.3 million pixels. This system works so well that it would be difficult for any viewer to notice a difference in resolution from a native 4K UHD (8.3 megapixels) imager.
• Harmon Kardon Sound System – Laser TVs typically have a much better built-in sound system than a flat-panel display. This projector’s 30watt x 2 audio system can easily deliver room-filling sound.

The VAVA is an affordable Ultra Short Throw projector, that has 4K UHD resolution, and comes with a built-in media player. It has a hefty, built-in Harmon Kardon sound system (60 watts) and a good picture, but it is a little rough around the edges. That’s fair, as this is their first home theater/home entertainment projector. It claims 2500 lumens. This is a projector that will please a great many people. The picture it puts up can look great.

Hisense’s line-up of Ultra Short Throw laser projectors, also known as Laser TVs, are designed to make front projection more accessible and appealing to a wider range of consumers. The term “Laser TV” has also been adopted by other manufacturers to describe projectors in this category. The Hisense 100L5F Laser TV is a 4K DLP laser ultra-short throw smart projector. With a current advertised price of $3,999, it is the most affordable Laser TV that Hisense has ever offered. The projector’s single DLP chip can reproduce 4K UHD resolution (3,840 x 2,160) via pixel shifting.

The most notable features of this projector are:

• Smart TV Features – The 100L5F utilizes an Android TV operating system, similar to what is found in many of their newest flat-panel TVs. You also have all the apps and capabilities normally found in a Smart TV, including Google Assistant, which allows you to control not only the projector but a wide variety of compatible smart home devices using your voice.
• Laser Light Engine – Hisense rated its Laser light engine at 3,000 lumens for 25,000 hours, equating to years of worry-free operation. The 100L5F uses Hisense’s EX-Fusion™ laser system, which utilizes a blue laser with a phosphor wheel.
• 4K UHD Capable -The 100L5F utilizes a DLP (0.47” DMD) chip to reproduce perceived 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution. I use the term “perceived” because a 4K DLP chip does not actually have 8.3 million mirrors. Hence, the projector utilizes pixel (mirror) shifting to deliver the perceived sharpness of native 4K.
• 100″ Ambient Light Rejecting Screen – The projector is bundled with an ambient light rejecting screen designed specifically for ultra-short-throw projectors. The StarBright CLR material allows viewing during the day or in higher ambient light.
• DBX-TV® Sound System – The 100L5F still includes a better sound system than most TVs or projectors that we have encountered. Built into the cabinet of the 100L5F is a dual-channel sound system powered by a total of 30 watts, which we found had just enough volume and punch to be a satisfying listening experience.

Since the 100L5F was designed to be a replacement for a Smart flat panel TV, it has all the Smart features customers have come to expect from a Smart TV, like voice control. You can use the Smart remote, which has a built-in microphone to not only control basic projector features but also control a wide variety of compatible Smart devices via Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. The 100L5F is the first Hisense Laser TV compatible with both HDR10 and HLG content.

By utilizing a single laser vs a dual laser system, the smaller DLP chip, and a less elaborate sound system, Hisense 100L5F is half the price of the previous model. This makes 100L5F price competitive when compared against other manufacturers 4K Laser TV models including the Samsung LSP7T and the Optoma CinemaX P2.

An Ultra Short Throw projector, like the Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV, makes it easy for the average consumer to own a projector. It comes with the familiar Smart TV functionality of Android, it is easy to install, the laser is rated for a whopping 20,000 hours (eco mode) and the unit comes with a 2-year warranty. At around $5,000 (including the 100-inch screen), the Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV is a real alternative for customers who crave the big screen experience in their living room.

The most notable features of this projector are:

• Smart TV Features – The Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV includes an Android TV operating system and has voice search with built-in Google Assistant. Users can still stream live TV through popular apps, like Netflix, HBO, Showtime, YouTube, Hulu, ESPN, and more.
• Epson Pro-UHD pixel shifting – 4K Enhancement Technology shifts each pixel diagonally to double Full HD resolution of the LCD panels.
• Laser Light Engine – Epson LS500 has a  claimed brightness of 4000 lumens with a rated life of 20,000 hours. The Epson LS500 is one of the brightest Laser TVs on the market today.
• Upgraded Sound System – The projector has a 10W stereo speaker system that produces a wide sound stage and a better sound quality than a flat-panel display.
• 100″ or 120″ Ambient Light Rejecting Screen – Remote Control/Presentation via Smart Device

EpiqVision Ultra LS500 4K PRO-UHD Laser Projection TV, according to Epson, combines modern design with advanced laser technology, Android TV™, onboard sound, and includes a high-resolution ambient light rejecting screen designed specifically for the LS500 to deliver immersive 4K HDR content up to 120 inches.

The HU85LA is the top model in LG’s CineBeam lineup of projectors designed to make front projection more accessible and appealing to a wider range of consumers. LG’s goal was to build a line of projectors that could replace a TV in an environment where a large TV just won’t fit.

The LG CineBeam HU85LA has a rated brightness of 2700 lumen, and its Laser light source will last up to 20,00 hours. The HU85LA is compatible with HDR10 and HLG content and includes HDR Auto Tone Mapping to automatically adjust dark/bright levels to better optimize the unit’s HDR performance.

It has built-in, 5-watt stereo speakers. For those who want to connect the unit to an external, the projector has an HDMI ARC output and is compatible with Bluetooth speakers.

The most notable features of this projector are:

• Smart TV Features – To make the HU85LA as smart as possible, LG utilizes the same ThinQ AI webOS that is offered in their lineup of smart flat-panel TVs. Like their smart TVs, the HL70LA can be voice-controlled and offers a wide variety of apps.
• Dual-Channel Laser Light Engine – The HU85LA sports a dual Laser light engine using both a red and blue laser. This increases the projector’s color gamut coverage and eliminates the need for a spinning phosphor wheel, which reduces the rainbow effect common on many DLP projectors.
• 4K UHD Capable – HU85LA is a 2716x1528x2 pixel shifter – using the larger DLP (0.66″ DMD )chip. This results in higher native contrast and a sharper image than most 4K UHD DLP projectors, which use the smaller 1920x1080px4 pixel shifting chip.
• HDR with Dynamic Tone Mapping – Like LG’s flat panels, the HU85LA can dynamically measure HDR metadata, which further improves the projector’s HDR performance. The goal is to utilize the projector’s brightness capabilities based on the HDR scene being shown.

The HU85LA utilizes their ThinQ AI webOS, which was developed for their flat-panel TVs. You have all the apps and capabilities normally found in an LG Smart TV, including Google Assistant, which allows you to control not only the projector but a wide variety of compatible smart home devices using your voice. Great picture, smart features, and low maintenance make the HU70LA a compelling alternative to a large flat panel TV, especially in a room where space is at a premium.

The CinemaX P1 combines its 4K UHD resolution with its Ultra Short Throw design that allows for it to be placed just below your screen and at less than two feet back from it. It has a rated brightness of 3000 lumens. It supports HDR – both the primary HDR standard and also the newer HLG (hybrid log-gamma), which is more for broadcast and streaming.

• Laser Light Engine – The P1 uses a traditional single blue laser and combines that with a color wheel, with phosphors that produce the other colors. The projector’s light source has a rated life of 20,000 hours at full power, 30,000 in Eco.
• 4K UHD Capable – The CinemaX P1 utilizes a DLP (0.47” DMD) chip to reproduce perceived 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution. I use the term “perceived” because a 4K DLP chip does not actually have 8.3 million mirrors. Hence, the projector utilizes pixel (mirror) shifting to deliver the perceived sharpness of a native 4K display.
• Built-in Soundbar – The NuForce sound system has 19 watts x 2 to drive the four speakers. Those consist of two full-range drivers (one for each channel) and two separate “woofers” to handle the low end. It certainly handles the audio better than any LED/LCD TV and should best many of the lower-cost soundbars for that matter.
• Smart TV Features – The projector is equipped with an Android OS with access to a library of smart TV apps. It also has a USB media player.

The CinemaX P1 delivered a good looking picture with accurate colors out-of-the-box. It was one of the best sounding Laser TVs we have reviewed. Overall, the P1 is an excellent choice, value-wise, for a Laser TV. You will, however, need a screen on top of the projector’s cost.

The Hisense 100L10E Laser TV is an HDR-compatible, 4K DLP, Ultra Short Throw Smart Laser projector which currently retails for $6,999.The unit’s laser light engine is rated to deliver at 3000 lumens for up to 25,000 hours. Since the 100L10E is designed to serve as a TV replacement, it includes most of the features that consumers would expect in a flat-panel TV including a TV tuner, internal speakers with an external wireless subwoofer, and of course, smart features.

Notable features include:

• Dual Laser Light Engine – Hisense’s Dual Color Laser system utilizes two lasers—one blue and the other red—with a green phosphor wheel. Since both red and blue primaries are generated by lasers, the color gamut is wider and the 100L10E can deliver more than 95% of DCI/P3 color gamut.
• 4K UHD Capable – The Hisense 100L100E utilizes a Texas Instruments DLP (0.66” DMD) chip to reproduce perceived 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution. I use the term “perceived” because a 4K DLP chip does not actually have 8.3 million mirrors, so the projector utilizes pixel (mirror) shifting to deliver the perceived sharpness of native 4K.
• Smart TV Features -The 100L10E utilizes the same smart platform originally created for the Hisense flat-panel lineup. It is voice controllable via Amazon Alexa and you can also access many of the other popular streaming services including YouTube, Netflix, Vudu, Fandango Now, and Amazon Prime Video.
• Harmin Kardon Sound System – The 100L10E includes one of the best / biggest sounds I’ve encountered yet on any TV or projector. The cabinet holds a Harmon Kardon multi-driver array powered by a total of 40 watts, plus there is a separate wireless 60-watt powered subwoofer for a total of 100watts. The subwoofer is wirelessly paired to the projector via Bluetooth.
• Ambient Light Rejecting Screen – The 100LE is bundled with an ambient light rejecting screen designed specifically for ultra-short-throw projectors. The StarBright CLR material allows viewing during the day or in higher ambient light. The ALR screen is a real plus because it helps maintain good contrast and rich saturated colors under less than optimal lighting conditions.

The 100L10E was designed to be a replacement for a Smart flat panel TV so it has all the Smart features customers have come to expect from a Smart TV, like voice control. It has one of the best built-in audio systems I have heard from a video display. The HU70LA’s Dual Laser engine delivered rich colors is rated to deliver at 3,000 lumens for up to 25,000 hours.

Great picture, smart features, and low maintenance make the Hisense 100L10E a compelling alternative to a large flat panel TV especially in a room where space is at a premium.