It’s not typically we see a house cinema projector – that the majority old school and clunky of gadgets – with three distinctive options. And but, that is precisely what you will discover on the Optoma UHL55 HDR projector.The primary notable characteristic is built-in voice management for each Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Spectacular, however not surprising. The second is a compact one-box chassis with built-in audio system that – get this – allows the UHL55 double as a standalone Bluetooth speaker and stream music to it straight out of your telephone. Thirdly, this 4K projector can play 4K movies straight from a USB reminiscence stick or flash drive.All of this – plus entry to Android TV apps like Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, Ted TV, CBC Information, BBC Information, NBA, a Firefox browser – leaves the WiFi and Bluetooth-endowed UHL55 trying like an thrilling new take (LG CineBeam apart, maybe) on the normal idea of a house cinema projector. However is it? On the checklist of negatives you will discover value ($1,599/£1,299), restricted voice assist (restricted to the US, UK and Germany at launch) and low brightness (1,500 ANSI lumens). None of which means the Optoma UHL55 is destined for mediocrity – we really fairly prefer it, actually – nevertheless it does imply that its attraction is restricted.Design and setupMeasuring 220 x 220 x 135mm and weighing three.8kg, the UHL55 is designed to be extremely transportable. You possibly can simply carry in beneath one and climb the steps/stroll to the automotive with out breaking right into a sweat … although it might have been good if it got here with a pretend leather-based cowl, or related, to assist stop knocks and scratches. Nevertheless, at the least there’s a sliding lens cowl to maintain the glass protected.The lens cowl doubles because the on/off swap, so unveiling its lens additionally brings the UHL55 to life. Regardless of its small, transportable measurement, the UHL55 isn’t as versatile because it might be by way of the place it should sit in a front room: This isn’t a short-throw projector, although to utilize the auto-focus characteristic – and get a decent-sized picture of 80-inches and above – means inserting the UHL55 about 2m from the display or wall. Nevertheless, even when the auto-focus characteristic works, it’s not fairly spot-on. Irrespective of, as a result of guide focus is simple sufficient … Or it might be if the dinky Bluetooth distant management was extra responsive. As an alternative, virtually each different button-press lagged throughout our check, which was irritating. Fortunately, Alexa involves the rescue. Getting set-up is just a little long-winded, although no extra so than any Alexa gear is; you first must create an account with Optoma, then get a serial quantity, swap it with the projector, obtain the talent, and so forth… Regardless of the complexity of the directions, nonetheless, all of it labored effectively upon first set up and was lightning-quick.By way of connectivity, the UHL55 greater than covers the fundamentals: There are two HDMI 2.zero slots to hook-up a video games console, set-top field or Blu-ray participant, whereas audio outputs comprise optical audio (to path to a sounder or AV amplifier) and an ordinary three.5mm audio jack. It might have its personal audio system on the entrance, however the UHL55 additionally has Bluetooth to obtain audio streams from a smartphone. In observe that actually helps with the straightforward occasional cinema the UHL55 is clearly aimed toward creating. Activated by long-pressing the on/off swap on the distant, the UHL55 seems instantly as a Bluetooth supply. What it lacks in outright quantity (a home party-creator this isn’t) it makes up for in rounded sound high quality, which has simply sufficient bass to make the UHL55 carry out one other helpful job whereas sitting in any other case unused on a front room bookshelf. Nevertheless, the UHL55 can even decode Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks to ship to a separate encompass sound speaker system over an optical audio cable.PerformanceDespite its not thoughtless picture skills, it’s the voice management characteristic that the UHL55 will stay or die by. The excellent news is that in our check with an Amazon Echo Dot (third technology), the UHL55 excelled. After deciding to name the UHL55 ‘front room’ (there’s an extended checklist of decisions), we advised our resident Echo Dot to “enhance the quantity on front room”, “swap to HDMI2 on front room”, and to “quick ahead on front room” with none hitches. The latter works when throughout the Media Participant, which performs again 4K MP4 movies from a USB stick. In our check it flawlessly picked-up some MP4 recordsdata rendered in 3840×2160 pixels and performed them with no hitch. From each USB and a linked 4K Blu-ray participant, the UHL55 confirmed deliciously detailed photographs containing well-saturated shade, and though its photographs are greatest considered in a blackout, it may possibly simply stand up to ambient mild. That’s an enormous plus, although don’t count on cutting-edge black ranges.We’re much less satisfied by Optoma’s frame-interpolation know-how, known as PureMotion. It’s designed to easy out movement blur on fast-moving scenes, and take away picture judder from 24p pans. It largely works effectively, although not everybody will recognize the video-like impact it subs-in. Nevertheless, the UHL55 is strictly a 4K machine. Flip to a HD supply – on this case a broadcast of F1 motor racing from Austin, Texas on the 4HD channel through a Virgin Media V6 field – and picture high quality collapses. The automobiles look a contact blurry in some sequences, however the individuals within the crowds in backgrounds lack any form of definition or element. PureMotion makes no distinction. It’s nice that inbuilt audio system have gotten normal on projectors of every kind, and the UHL55’s 8W stereo audio system pack simply sufficient energy and punch. Nevertheless, that choice to hyperlink a smartphone to the UHL55 through Bluetooth speaker is a master-stroke. VerdictThe UHL55 has quite a lot of distinctive options, nevertheless it does come at a excessive value and lacks versatility in the case of video sources. 4K impresses, so does Alexa voice management, and we love the choice to stream to its audio system from a telephone through Bluetooth. It won’t be the very best projector to ever cross the edge of our front room, however add the UHL55’s recent compact design, respectable built-in audio and a content-savvy consumer interface, and general we’re impressed if not fairly head-over-heels for it.
More