The PX1 is part of the new design found on the PX1-PRO minus the circle motif on the front right side of the PRO model.
The Hisense PX1 is smaller than many of its competitors in the ultra-short-throw category. The new design choices Hisense has chosen for this Laser Cinema projector to be compact, measuring 20.5″ x 12.8″ x 6.3″ (LxWxH) and weighing 20.3 lbs.
The projector chassis is made from metal and molded plastic parts. Hisense has chosen two colors for the PX1, with most of the chassis (top, sides, bottom, and back) painted a metallic blue hue, and the front grill is gray. It looks remarkable.
Power On/Off is the only control button on the projector, located on the top of the projector's front/right corner. The remote control must control everything else.
All inputs and connections are located on the back panel of the projector except for a single USB on the bottom right side of the projector.
INPUTS AND CONNECTIONS
Inputs and connections are on the projector rear and the right-side bottom.
On the rear of the PX1, there are two HDMI inputs on the PX1. Both of the Hisense PX1's two HDMI inputs support HDMI 2.1 features. HDMI input 2 supports Enhanced Audio Return (eARC) functionality.
Theoretically, HDMI 2.1 inputs can support bandwidth up to 48 Gbps for playback of 8K/60p and 4K/120p content. While this projector's DLP chip only supports up to 4K@60Hz video playback, these types of HDMI inputs still offer a few notable benefits, including ALLM and eARC.
The PX1 can also control connected devices, such as an A/V receiver, via HDMI CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) to control each connected device.
Other available inputs include a USB 3.0 Type-A input and a USB 2.0 Type-A input on the side. The projector also has a LAN port, optical-digital, L/R analog audio outputs, and an RF antenna input for the unit's built-in ATSC 1.0 tuner.
The Hisense PX1 is designed to be a viable alternative to a flat-panel TV, so Hisense included an onboard TV tuner. This is a must-have for customers looking to replace a flat-panel TV with a projector. On the back, with the other connectors, users will find the standard 75-ohm coaxial connector used by TV antennas. Users can also plug in the coaxial cable signal from a set-top box. However, most of today's cable, satellite, or media boxes will offer the best performance from HDMI.
Built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Google Assistant, and Alexa mean the PX1 can be easily integrated into a smart home ecosystem, allowing users to create multiple automation should they wish.
THE LENS
The Hisense multi-element ultra-short-throw lens maximizes brightness and image uniformity.
The Hisense PX1 UST projector's optical system uses complex mirrors to project images at steep, extreme angles. Even with the projector only a few inches from the screen, the PX1 does an excellent job of evenly spreading light. This brightness uniformity is notable because ultra-short-throw projectors have only sometimes been able to achieve it.
Hisense makes two types of ultra-short-throw projectors that they brand as Laser TV and Laser Cinema. The critical difference between these two lines of products is that Laser-TV-branded projectors come with a screen as part of a package. The PX1 and the PX1-PRO are branded as Laser Cinema and do not come with a screen. Laser Cinema projectors such as the PX1 also feature a digital focusing control allowing the projector to be used with any ultra-short-throw compatible screen from 100 to 120 inches diagonally. Digital Lens Focus allows ultra-fine tuning via menu controls to get the best overall focus uniformity from the projector.
The Hisense PX1 includes both an auto and manual Geometric Correction feature.
The PX1 also has an Auto Geometric Correction feature and a manual one. The Auto Geometric Correction tool uses a mobile phone to capture where users are in the image-squaring process. All users have to do is take a picture and send it to Hisense. Using this data, Hisense can automatically configure the projector's screen geometry to provide the best-aligned image possible.
These tools, while helpful, come at a cost. They should only be used as a last resort. Projector Reviews strongly encourages users to take extra time and effort to manually get the projector squared to the screen. Geometric Correction and Digital Keystone Correction are very convenient; however, they reduce overall image quality.
REMOTE CONTROL
The included remote is slim, with a plastic shell sporting a brushed metal look. The power and dedicated service buttons for the built-in media player, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+, Tubi, and Google Play are all on the remote. Bluetooth pairing ensures the projector is controlled even when the remote is not in direct line of sight of the projector. The remote control includes Infrared (IR), which can work the projector or a third-party cable/satellite box. For custom integration, the PX1 can also be controlled via RS232.
Located at the top center of the remote is a dedicated Google Assistant button for voice control of a wide range of smart features, including but not limited to voice search, compatible projector switching, hardware controls, and many IoT- (Internet of Things) compatible devices.
