Manufacturers of portable projectors see demand for these devices, as exemplified by the latest premiere by Epson. Hisense presented the C2 4K projector, which is a cheaper version of the popular C2 Ultra 4K. The lower price of the device should attract a larger group of buyers, and the specifications do not differ greatly from the more expensive model.
The Hisense C2 4K features the same triple laser light system as its more powerful sibling C2 Ultra and can achieve a brightness of 2000 lumens. This solution provides a richer color palette, and the brightness is at a good level, as long as we are actually able to achieve such a result. The contrast ratio is 1700:1, and the projector supports high dynamic range formats – Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG.
The refresh rate is 60Hz at 4K resolution, although it can be doubled to 120 Hz in games, but then the resolution drops to 1080p. The projector does not display native 4K, as it achieves this through pixel shifting, which involves displaying multiple images of 1920x1080p that overlap to create the impression of 4K resolution. The pixel shifting technique is widely used by many reputable projector manufacturers, including Epson, BenQ, and JVC. In our editorial opinion, the use of this technology is a good solution, as the quality of the lens is still a limiting factor. This technique serves its purpose, but it certainly does not provide the same effect as native 4K on a large glass lens. Of course, such solutions are more expensive, and this projector was intended to be a cheaper model, which is probably why we do not find native 4K here.
The C2 model does not have a zoom lens, which means it has a fixed projection ratio of 1.2:1. Nevertheless, it allows for projecting images with a diagonal from 65 to 300 inches on any surface. It is assisted by an adjustable base, which allows us to position the device at different angles. Like its more expensive counterpart, it still features motorized focus adjustment and automatic image correction, which facilitates setup.
Players can appreciate that the projector has 2 HDMI inputs, one of which supports the ALLM feature. There are also two USB 3.0 ports, a headphone jack, and a LAN connection. Wireless data transfer is supported by Wi-Fi 6e and Bluetooth 5.3. Sound is delivered by a pair of integrated JBL speakers with a total output of 20 watts.
The projector operates on the proprietary operating system Vidaa, well known from Hisense televisions. This gives the user access to many streaming applications, and wireless image transmission is also possible, although AirPlay support will be available with upcoming software updates. Currently, the device is available for pre-sale with our western neighbors for 1999 euros. The C2 Ultra model currently costs 2499 euros, making it 20% more expensive. Will this price difference encourage the purchase of a new projector? Time will tell, and we are curious when both models will be officially presented in our market.
Source:
https://www.heimkinoraum.de/beamer/nach-herstellern/hisense/hisense-c2-trichroma-4k-beamer-4473
https://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/hisense-announces-c2-4-k-short-throw-projector
