CROWDFUNDING REVIEW – Should you’re available in the market for a house projector, there are in all probability two key specs you’re in search of: decision and brightness. Many entry stage projectors are 720P (and even worse), however you’re going to need no less than Full HD (1080P) for any first rate sized display. Should you’re going actually large, then you definitely would possibly profit from a 4K decision projector, however these are typically a fairly large bounce in worth. For most individuals wanting a theater expertise, a 1080P projector goes to do an incredible job (particularly since a number of people nonetheless don’t have house web able to streaming 4K at first rate bitrates). The brightness of the projector is the subsequent key aspect: many entry-level and mid-level projectors are supposed to solely be utilized in a really darkish room, and can seem washed out if the room is vivid. A whole lot of price range projector fashions on fashionable web sites like Amazon and Ebay will promote tens of hundreds of “lux” brightness, however that is usually deceptive and even outright lies (I’ve personally purchased projectors prior to now marketed at 10k+ lux that find yourself being dimmer than a ~250 nit pc monitor, even in a darkish room and smaller projector display). I’ve discovered to look at for precise ANSI lumen brightness rankings, these appear to be a greater indicator of efficiency. Primarily based on these two specs, the KJM K3 projector seems like a great worth, particularly for the early crowdfunding costs (although with crowdfunding there’s at all times a level of threat – I’ve had a number of crowdfund initiatives I backed fail with no refunds, so purchase at your personal threat!).
What’s it?
The KJM K3 projector is an LCD projector able to Full HD (1080P @ 60 FPS) decision, 1500 lumens brightness, loud JBL audio system, and authorized compatibility with most main streaming providers like Netflix and Prime Video. Suppose sensible TV blown as much as 100-200 inches on a wall or display.
What’s within the field?
- KJM K3 projector
- 3x AC energy cables (for various areas)
- AC energy brick
- HDMI cable
- Sensible controller
- Batteries for controller
- Instruction handbook
{Hardware} specs
- Measurement: 11.1″ x 11.1″ x 6.7″
- Weight: 9 kilos
- Working temperature: 32-104 °F
- Controller: Bluetooth
- Decision: 1920 x 1080 @ 60 FPS
- HDR: HDR10
- Audio: 2x 15W JBL stereo audio system with Dolby Audio
- Brightness: 1500 ANSI Lumens (max)
Design and options
The KJM K3 projector has nice curved edges and I like the fabric parts on the entrance. The physique has a plastic exterior, however doesn’t really feel low cost. The lens cap retains mud off the lens when not in use.
There’s an IR sensor on the entrance and rear, however the included Bluetooth distant doesn’t use these so it have to be for common remotes.
Across the again, the JBL audio system are coated by extra of the fabric materials. A pair of HDMI ports help you join different TV gadgets, recreation consoles, or computer systems. USB inputs can present low quantities of energy (for streaming TV sticks), or learn video/picture/audio information with fairly a couple of file varieties supported. Energy enter, an Ethernet port, and audio/headphones output rounds out the again IO.
4 rubber toes and a filter cowl are on the underside. I like that this filter is well detachable for cleansing. Projector mount factors can be found in these rubber toes (and the picture could be flipped within the settings when you mount it the wrong way up, wish to a ceiling mount).
Either side of the KJM K3 projector have vents for airflow (and audio output?).
Up prime is the only management button, which acts as the facility on/off swap and has a hoop LED mild to point standing.
Lastly, the KJM K3 projector’s distant is fairly small and slim (which isn’t a nasty factor), powered by two AAA batteries (included), and consists of fast shortcuts to Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video. The fourth button within the heart cluster triggers autofocus. Format is sweet, and after utilizing it a couple of occasions I can simply use it at the hours of darkness (which is sweet because it doesn’t have any backlighting).
Setup
Setup begins with distant pairing as proven above.
After which a sequence of steps, which incorporates information assortment by MediaTek. You’re prompted to login to Netflix, however can select to skip and do that later (or by no means).
The opposite a part of setup is selecting a display or related flat floor to venture onto. KJM is promoting a 100 inch display on their Indiegogo marketing campaign, and this might in all probability be a great measurement for this decision (except you will have a big auditorium sized house or yard space and need to go as much as a 200 inch display). Rising display measurement will make every thing a bit blurrier (except you’re bodily farther away), and also will unfold the projectors mild over a bigger space, thereby reducing the brightness-per-square-inch on the display (that is like shining a flashlight on a wall from 1 foot away versus 10 toes away, you’ll get a a lot smaller however brighter mild up shut).
Efficiency
It’s at all times onerous to convey how a display or projector behaves by recording it with one other digital camera after which having you, the reader/viewer, watch in your display. The video above reveals totally different scenes and the KJM K3 projector autofocus in motion. Word the brightness of the nearly-pitch-dark room in vivid scenes – and likewise how this brightness can wash out the darker areas of the scene (the starry night time scene at 1:20 particularly is black between the celebs on my laptop computer’s mini-LED display, however seems darkish gray on the projector display). Total although for many content material, the watching expertise was improbable for films, TV, and video games (I examined with PC video games and an Xbox Collection X, no enter lag felt and the 60 frames per second had been nice). My moveable projector display is 120 inches however due to the way it stretches I used to be truly projecting to nearer to 100 inches.
The brightness is especially good when you have some ambient mild within the room, I might nonetheless simply see something I attempted to look at in all however direct daylight.
The sound is phenomenal for a projector of this measurement and worth. Bass is first rate, and mids and highs are effectively balanced and sound nice to my ears. The projector fan is unquestionably audible although in quiet scenes (or when sitting on the menu display), it sounds to me like a typical laptop computer with followers happening medium speeds.
One good characteristic of the KJM K3 projector is the choice every time you flip it off to completely energy off, or to modify to Bluetooth Speaker mode (which turns off the projector mild however retains a Bluetooth speaker connection out there). This labored nice, the system features similar to every other moveable Bluetooth speaker when this mode is turned on.
The interface is … attention-grabbing. The precise structure is unquestionably impressed by different fashionable streaming apps so it feels acquainted, however I’m hoping they optimize and enhance it as a result of in the course of the a number of weeks of testing it out it was intermittently agonizingly sluggish. I’m used to “Sensible TVs” having fairly awful interfaces, however there have been occasions the place I’d press buttons, then press them once more considering I hadn’t pressed onerous sufficient, then wait one other 5+ seconds earlier than one thing lastly occurred.
The app choice is fairly first rate, with Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube entrance and heart. I’ve seen claims that KJM is including Apple TV and Disney Plus licensed apps together with others, however on the time of this assessment those talked about above are the one main ones licensed and preinstalled. The “netrange” app retailer is usually filled with apps I’ve by no means heard of apart from Plex:
The KJM K3 projector’s autofocus labored nice for me each time. The ensuing picture is sharp and clear except you’re projecting onto an enormous display, and utilizing the handbook focus possibility didn’t obtain any higher image high quality.
If I used to be utilizing this as our primary house theater projector (our present TV beats it in picture high quality so it’ll be assigned to backyard-movie-night responsibility), I’d positively use one thing like a Google/Apple TV system fairly than the inbuilt stuff. I do like that they’re engaged on certifications for many of the main streaming providers and have some large ones already achieved, however a proprietary Linux-based projector isn’t as prone to get the identical stage of app updates sooner or later.
What I like
- Nice picture and sound high quality for the worth (no less than on the crowdfunding ~$300 worth)
- Good distant, feels intuitive
- Bluetooth speaker can stay lively when projection is turned off
What I’d change
- In the event that they elevate the worth to full retail after the crowdfunding launch, it will likely be a a lot decrease value-for-price
- Constructed-in UI wants optimization and enchancment, the fully-frozen laggy moments make navigation troublesome
Last ideas
The KJM K3 projector is a strong LCD projector on the early launch worth. I at present can’t discover something related below $300 that looks like it will match the image high quality and brightness I’m getting on it. Nonetheless, in the event that they go to their full retail worth after the crowdfunding launch, it will be a lot more durable for me to suggest, with the laggy person interface and some-but-not-all large streaming apps supported. Each time an organization can’t get all the large streaming apps licensed, you would possibly as effectively simply use a third occasion system like Apple or Google TV or an Amazon Hearth stick, and many others., except you’re solely ever watching those already on right here.
Value: $558 ($279 early fowl deal out there at time of assessment, estimated transport November 2023)
The place to purchase: Indiegogo
Supply: The pattern of this product was offered by KJM
