The pixel shifting – based Xpanded Pixel Resolution (XPR) technology by Texas Instruments opened up excellent prospects for the development of low cost DLP 4K projectors. In fact, the relatively inexpensive 1080p chipsets with (1,920 x 1,080) micromirrors use two- or four-phase pixel shifting to display 8 million pixels of 4K content.
Physically, the projector splits 4K content into four parts of 2 million pixels each, and plays 4 separate frames.
Strictly speaking, each 1/4 part of the image contains only 2 million pixels at every moment. Then, the projector displays the next 2 million pixels at a 1/2 pixel shifting, etc. But our vision and brain do not perceive the micro-delay between their switching, creating the illusion of a holistic image.
Pixel shift is done by tilting the lens 2 or 4 times per second (two- or four phase shift) using four electromagnets of XPR module.
As a result, the market quickly formed a segment of relatively affordable 4K DLP projectors, the price of which varies in the range of $ 1,500 to $ 2,000.
Moreover, the progress of light engines based on LEDs or laser LEDs allowed developers to radically reduce the projector size. For reference, a laser LED is an LED with an optical resonator, which provides more powerful coherent radiation. Unlike traditional metal halide lamps, their operating temperature is significantly lower. Therefore, they do not require the use of a powerful fan and a large internal volume for heat dissipation. As a result, today companies are actively offering compact mid-focal 4K Home Theaters projectors.
In fairness, the Full HD models do not give up, offering half the price. In addition, the importance of resolution has some nuances.
Resolution
About 10 years ago, the first 8K TVs sparked a debate about the importance of image resolution. Perhaps the falcon’s keen eyesight allows it to discern even very small details from quite a distance. But a person with normal vision stops perceiving the difference between Full HD and 4K on a 55″ screen from a distance of 2-3 meters.
One of the South Korean giants conducted a similar study. Most of the subjects could not correctly determine the image resolution. But 80% of them perceived the 4K picture with smoke over hot coffee in a cup as ‘hotter’. Based on these results, some experts formulated a hypothesis about the effect of resolution on the degree of immersion.
In addition, some physiologists believe that higher resolution reduces brain fatigue due to a decrease in the level of necessary interpolation of ‘missing’ pixels by our brain.
But the modest increase in quality coupled with a significant increase in price radically limits the popularity of 8K TVs. As a result, media producers practically do not offer 8K content, and 8K TVs only provide Full HD / 4K / 8K upscaling.
But the viewer is primarily interested in the image clarity, which depends on the pixel density (PPI). With a very low PPI, the image becomes grainy and blurry.
But high PPI is especially important for phones, tablets and monitors with a relatively small screen and a short viewing distance. At a distance of 30 – 90 cm, it varies from 100 to 500 PPI. A 55″ TV with a viewing distance of some meters requires only 40 -100 PPI.
A 100″ diagonal screen with 1080p / 4K resolution has 22 PPI / 46 PPI. Considering the fairly large distance when viewing a huge projector screen, even 22 PPI eliminates pixelation.
New models
4K projectors:
– BenQ X300G – $ 1,500 (2,000 ANSI Lumens brightness, LED);
– Dangbei DBOX02 Mars Pro 2 – $ 1,400 (2,450 ISO lumens);
– ViewSonic LX700-4K – $ 1,600 (3,500 ANSI Lumens);
– XGIMI Horizon Ultra – $ 1,600 (2,300 ISO Lumens);
– Optoma UHZ55 – $ 2,300, (3,000 ANSI Lumens), etc.
But despite the triumph of 4K DLP projectors, Full HD models continue to compete successfully due to their lower price, which ranges from $ 500 to $ 1,000. List of new projectors:
– Dangbei Atom (2024) ~ $ 900, Laser Phosphor light engine, 1,200 ISO Lumens brightness, Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) resolution, Google TV with built-in Netflix, Full HD 3D, (5 x 20 x 20 cm) and 1.3 kg / 2.8 lbs, 2 x 5.0W internal speakers, auto focus + keystone + intelligent screen fit + obstacle avoidance.
– ViewSonic M10 Portable RGB Laser Smart Projector £ 1,500 / $ 1,700, RGB Laser, 2,200 RGB Laser Lumens, Harman Kardon Speaker.
For reference, the company specifies brightness in ‘RGB Laser Lumens’, taking into account the Helmholtz-Kohlrausch (HK) effect (dependence of brightness perception on color saturation);
– XGIMI MoGo 3 Pro – $ 450, LED, 450 Lumens;
– XGIMI Elfin Flip – $ 400, LED, 400 Lumens.
Full HD 2023 models:
– ASUS ZenBeam L2 ~ $ 700, LED, 400 ANSI Lumens, Full HD resolution, Google Certified Android 12 TV box with pre-loaded Netflix, (17 x 13 x 13 cm) and 1.6 kg / 3.5 lbs, auto focus + geometric correction.
– XGIMI MoGo 2 Pro – $ 370, LED, 400 Lumens;
– Optoma ML1080 / 1080ST – $ 900 / $ 1,000, Laser Phosphor, 400 ANSI Lumens, etc.
JmGO Picoflix
The new JmGO Picoflix 1080p DLP projector is another expansion of the range.
The JmGO brand is well known in Asian markets. China’s Shenzhen Holatek has been designing, manufacturing and selling projectors under the JmGO brand for over 10 years and is one of the industry leaders. For example, it was one of the developers of the new group standard, which approved a new unit of measurement of projector brightness called CVIA (China Electronics Video Industry Association) Lumens. This methodology considers the amount of ambient light in the viewing room and the projector’s color temperature (6,000K – 18,000K). As a result, CVIA lumens ratings tend to be typically higher vs ANSI lumens ratings for the same projector. The difference is 5-10% and appears when playing dark scenes.
The JmGO Picoflix costs $ 550, has 1080p resolution and 400:1 (full on/off – FOFO) contrast, uses LED light engine with brightness of 450 ANSI Lumens and covers 124% in Rec.709 standard. Its weight of 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs and dimensions of 8 cm x 24 cm x 8 cm fully correspond to the classification ‘portable’.
Despite its compact size, the projector has built-in 10W dual speakers with Dolby Audio support, and can be used as a Bluetooth speaker. Its 10,000mAh battery provides up to 4.5 hours of movie watching in eco mode or 7 hours of music playback.
The model also offers Full HD 3D, Auto Focus and Auto Keystone Correction. The integrated, versatile gimbal provides projection angle adjustment up to 127°.
Key Features
Diagonal image size varies from 40″ to 180″ (1.1 m – 4.8 m Throw Distance at 1.20:1 Throw Ratio, 100″@2.7 m). Строго говоря, this is the focusing range. In fairness, many companies indicate huge sizes in their specs without specifying their impact on image quality. Unfortunately, only powerful and expensive models can support a colorful image on a huge screen. Insufficient brightness due to too large a size or ambient lighting causes image colors to appear dull and faded. But JmGO Picoflix has such recommendations.
As an outdoor model, Picoflix has a FlexiSmart Adaptive System. Together with an integrated gimbal, it simplifies installation to the maximum.
Smart functionality is also extremely convenient and includes Google TV with native Netflix, Google Assistant AI, built-in Google Cast, etc.
The built-in Wi-Fi provides connection via a router at home or to a mobile hotspot on your phone outside. Google TV provides easy access to preloaded streaming apps, including Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, and others via the Play Store. The HDMI slot is designed for connection to a different media player.
Input lag up to 22 ms is superb for a 1.5 kg portable model.
Conclusion
Overall, PicoFlix can easily be positioned as one of the best-performing budget portable DLP projectors. The developers have found a good compromise between portability and functionality. The 1.5 kg model, which fits in your hand, offers quite acceptable brightness of almost 500 ANSI Lumens, Dolby Audio, auto settings, and a very capacious battery. Moreover, Google TV with native Netflix, Google Assistant AI and built-in Google Cast provide the delivery of almost any content and convenient control. Of course, $ 550 is not the lowest price for the Full HD projectors. For example, XGIMI offers several models with similar specs priced at up to $ 450. On the other hand, a slightly brighter Dangbei Atom costs ~$ 900, and the price of last year’s ASUS ZenBeam L2 is ~$ 700. Therefore, the marketing prospects of JmGO Picoflix seem quite cloudless.
The video shows the new portable Full HD JmGO PicoFlix projector.