I have been waiting a long time for an upscale Android-powered projector, and thankfully, I found one that I love. Called the Cinema Edge from Formovie, a Mi ecosystem company (Xiaomi + Appotronics), this 4K UHD projector is powered by Google TV, making streaming all of my favorite content right onto the wall a very simple process.
For specs, Cinema Edge features an ultra short-throw ratio of only 0.23:1, with the ability to cast a projection of up to 150 inches while still looking very clear. Colors are very accurate and contrast levels seem spot on right out of the box. I hardly had to tweak anything after setting the display type to Vivid. Peak brightness is listed at 2100 ISO lumens, which has been great for day-time viewing and especially in the dark during this time of year. Let’s just say that the horror movie marathons have been lovely on this thing.
Other specs include a 60Hz refresh rate, Dolby Audio and DTS-HD via two 15W speakers built into the unit, MediaTek-made MT9629 chipset with 2GB RAM, 32GB of storage, WiFi 6, and multiple HDMI 2.1 ports. The unit’s remote is a basic plastic clicker with Google Assistant support, as well as dedicated buttons for Netflix and YouTube.
Setting up the actual unit is very simple, thanks to Google TV. You set it up like any other Android device, then have full access to Google Play for all of your apps and services. To get things aligned, you have built-in keystone correction, which can help shape the projection to whatever surface you have. Since this is just a review unit, I had to assemble just the right height off of my floor with a combination of boxes and books I had in the home, but once everything was aligned and placed where it needed to be, it’s been a perfect viewing experience. The Witching Hour during NFL RedZone, plus college football Saturday with YouTube TV’s multi-game view has been ridiculously fun to watch.
Thanks to a large amount of inputs on the unit’s backside, you can hook up all sorts of devices for projecting onto a wall, such as gaming consoles, computers, or anything else you might need. In total, there are 3 HDMI 2.1 ports (1 port with eARC), 2 USB ports, a 3.5mm and optical audio output, plus a LAN port. I’ve been strictly running WiFi 6 to the box and it works well. For sound, I paired it with dual studio speakers from Edifier via the 3.5mm jack and it’s been a perfect combo for my needs. The built-in speakers get plenty loud, but for the cinema-like experience at home, I recommend something bigger.
For my screen needs, Formovie was generous enough to send along its 100-inch wall-mounted screen with the Cinema Edge unit. If you have the money to splurge for the 120-inch floor-rising screen, I wouldn’t overly recommend the wall mounted option, but that’s me. Set up of the screen felt very difficult, but I’m also someone who has very little patience for this stuff. For example, I don’t do IKEA furniture anymore because building it with my wife could end in divorce. I’m being dramatic, but you get my point. However, after the hour+ it took me to build it and place it up on the wall, it’s been great. It’s very good about limiting reflection from the projection, which is important considering it can get very bright, as well as bouncing other external light sources (indoor lighting, sunlight, etc.).
For cons, my only real issue with Cinema Edge can be the performance at times. Like all other Google TV boxes, it can feel underpowered, especially after using something like the Apple TV box, which is extremely snappy and responsive. Upon first boot, Cinema Edge takes a minute or so to “warm up,” but once it does, it runs fine. When I think of spending this type of money on an Android device, I want future proofing, which to me means more storage and more RAM.
If you want a premium big screen projection powered by Google TV in your entertainment room, I can easily recommend this product. It looks good and performs well, which is all I would need from a projector. Units are currently on sale for $2199, down from the usual $2499. The screens are also on sale right now, with the wall mounted unit currently at $999 ($300 off) and the floor rising model down to $2300 ($400 off). None of these things are cheap by any means, but if you want a serious upgrade in the entertainment setup at home, this is a good option.
Ask any questions you might have in the comments and I can try to assist to the best of ability.
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