The Hisense PX2-PRO 4K projector is designed to be placed at the foot of the wall or screen to project a large, 2 or 3 meter image. Its triple RGB laser, HDR10 and Dolby Vision compatibility, smart TV features and built-in soundbar point to a comprehensive home theater experience. Sold for €2,490, does this ultra short throw projector sand out from its competitors and can it replace a large TV in your living room?
Included accessories
The Hisense PX2-Pro comes with a power cable and a backlit remote control. The manufacturer has added a mini-jack to stereo RCA adapter cable, to connect an analog audio system, as well as two wedges to lock the height adjustment of the front feet. Fabric gloves are provided to handle the projector without leaving fingerprints on the chassis. The box also contains a cleaning blower and brush. A user manual is also included, along with a warranty booklet.
Presentation of the Hisense PX2-Pro
The Hisense PX2-PRO projector is a UHD 4K ultra short throw model. This means that it can be placed just a dozen centimeters away from the wall or screen. It then projects a very large image, ranging from 2.28m to 3.3m across.
The Hisense PX2-PRO can project onto a white wall, but to fully enjoy this projector’s qualities, it’s recommended to use an ultra short throw screen, otherwise known as an anti-reflective or ALR screen. This optimizes daylight projection by drastically limiting light pollution on the screen, resulting in better contrast and more intense colors.
French brand Lumene has several in its catalog, including the Lumene Movie Palace UHD 4K Extra Bright (fixed screen), the Lumene Coliseum Extra Bright 240C (motorized wall or ceiling screen) and the Lumene Eden Extra Bright (motorized floor screen).
This Hisense projector uses DLP XPR projection technology, combined with a TriChroma (RGB) laser. This triple laser technology, the manufacturer’s specialty, allows the PX2-Pro to cover the entire BT.2020 color space. This is more than any television on the market, ensuring an extremely realistic picture with rich and natural colors.
Moreover, the Hisense PX2-Pro supports HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision formats. Consequently, it promises greater detail and nuance in both the darkest and brightest areas of the image.
The front of the Hisense PX2-PRO laser projector is equipped with a soundbar that provides virtual surround sound so that users can enjoy a full home theater experience, similar to that of a television.
Those who want to can still invest in an additional sound system, such as an Atmos soundbar or an AV receiver and a speaker pack, to enjoy even greater audio immersion.
The Hisense PX2-Pro’s connectors include three HDMI inputs, one of which is ARC/eARC compatible, and two multimedia USB ports. Unlike the manufacturer’s laser TVs, the Hisense PX2-PRO doesn’t have a TV tuner. However, it benefits from smart TV features thanks to its proprietary Vidaa U interface that provides access to the most popular streaming services: Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+, YouTube, Paramount+ and Molotov TV.
Key specifications
- Image size: 90” to 130”
- Definition: 4K Ultra HD
- Projection technology: DLP Triple Laser
- Brightness: 2,400 Lumens
- Dolby Vision, HDR 10, HLG
- Ultra HD 4K upscaling
- Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube, etc.
- 3 HDMI ports (ARC/eARC)
- Multimedia player (USB/network)
- Integrated soundbar (Dolby Atmos)
Installation
We tested the Hisense PX2-PRO in the 4K TV and UST projector section of the Nantes Son-Vidéo.com store. The projector was installed on a NorStone Esse TV cabinet, at the foot of a Lumene Eden Extra Bright screen. We paired it with a Sony UBP-X800M2 4K Blu-ray player using a NorStone Jura HDMI cable for Blu-ray and UHD 4K Blu-ray movie playback. We also connected the Hisense PX2-PRO projector to the internet using an SVD Pro Cat 6a double shielded Ethernet cable to enjoy streaming services.
If you want to project directly onto a wall or a height-adjustable motorized screen such as the Lumene Eden Extra Bright, you simply have to place the Hisense PX2-Pro on the floor or a piece of furniture, parallel to the projection surface, and turn it on to instantly enjoy a large picture. The size of the image is determined by the projector’s distance from the wall or screen. The further away it is, the larger and higher the picture is.
Projection onto a fixed screen requires a more meticulous installation to ensure that the image fits perfectly into the frame. The projector’s lens must be centered in relation to the screen, before adjusting its height (adjustable feet), horizontality and spacing. You can then use the keystone correction to fine-tune the picture geometry before adjusting the focus, remote control in hand.
Impressions
Design
This Hisense projector stands out with its industrial chic style. It has an anthracite chassis, decorated with silver elements on the front panel. The base isn’t as aesthetically pleasing, which is a shame. It is very different from the approach taken by Xiaomi, LG and Samsung, whose projectors adopt a single-piece chassis and a white finish with a fabric front panel.
The remote control included with the projector is simple and practical with its many shortcut buttons. It also features backlighting, which is very useful in the dark.
Smart TV
The Vidaa interface provides smooth navigation and is very responsive when using the remote control. The most popular streaming services are easily accessible, as are programs in 4K HDR10 and Dolby Vision. It’s also possible to download other apps such as Plex, and even kid’s video games.
Moreover, the Hisense PX2-Pro’s integrated multimedia player can read many video formats, both HD and 4K HDR, with support for Dolby and DTS audio formats. Whether you connect an external hard drive to one of the USB ports or use the local network to play files, it is easy to navigate through the various folders.
Picture settings
Like the manufacturer’s other projectors, the Hisense PX2-Pro features several picture presets. It is also possible to customize the image by adjusting many different settings: the brightness, contrast, saturation and sharpness can all be fine-tuned. The adaptive contrast (depending on the ambient light), movement compensation (MEMC), noise reduction and color temperature can also be set to various levels.
Furthermore, there’s an automatic mode that adjusts the picture and audio settings depending on the content. For example, during the day in a bright room, the projector increases its brightness so that the image remains perfectly visible.
Picture quality
The different picture modes aren’t particularly well-calibrated right out of the box. Even the Filmmaker mode, which is supposed to deliver an accurate and realistic image, was too red and warm for our taste.
By setting the color temperature to “standard” and reducing the red and magenta saturation, the images became more natural. We were then able to enjoy rich and intense colors, without excessive saturation.
For the most discerning users, it is recommended to hire a professional calibrator to enjoy a perfectly calibrated picture that is adapted to the viewing conditions.
In UHD 4K projection, this Hisense projector offered precise and detailed images. During Top Gun: Maverick, the close-ups of the pilots’ faces during dogfight training revealed the tension felt by the characters.
Dolby Vision encoded images were immediately detected by the projector, which offers four picture modes for different viewing conditions: Bright (day), Dark (night), Custom and Dolby Vision Gaming. As a result, we enjoyed bright images with balanced colors and convincing contrast.
Note, however, that during the day in a well-lit room, contrast will be greatly reduced on a white screen, with a lack of legibility in the brightest and darkest areas of the image. To rectify this, it’s best to use an ultra-short-throw screen, but, as always with projection, you can only enjoy the full richness of pictures in a dark room.
With 1080p HD sources, this Hisense projector provided very effective upscaling into UHD 4K. Images were enhanced without generating any artifacts, and the contours and sharpness weren’t exaggerated. As a result, we enjoyed superb upscaling of HD films and series, with image quality close to native 4K definition.
Audio immersion
The Hisense PX2-Pro’s integrated soundbar was impressive. The sound remained frontal, but benefited from great stereo imaging. The Cinema mode effectively extended the soundstage, which also gained a vertical dimension when the Atmos mode was activated. Another plus is that the dialogue remained audible, even when the soundtrack was full of sound effects.
Hisense PX2-Pro vs Samsung The Premiere LSP7T
€300 cheaper, the Samsung projector also features three HDMI inputs, network and internet connectivity, as well as smart TV features. It also benefits from an HD DTTV tuner and HDR10+ compatibility. However, the LSP7T doesn’t support Dolby Vision and the colors projected by its mono-laser lamp aren’t as rich as those offered by the Hisense’s triple laser. On the screen, this results in more vivid colors for the Hisense model, even though the Samsung projector still manages to stay up to speed, despite its age.
Hisense PX2-Pro vs Epson EH-LS800W
Sold for €800 more than the Hisense projector, the Epson EH-LS800W provides greater brightness and better calibration right out of the box, with an excellent cinema-like picture. Its Yamaha audio section also provides wider spatialization than the Hisense. However, the latter is more powerful regarding image sharpness, and is compatible with 4K content in HDR10 and Dolby Vision for better picture quality. Moreover, its Smart TV features are more comprehensive as it is natively compatible with Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, etc.
Who is this 4K projector for?
The Hisense PX2-Pro is designed for those who want to enjoy a very large picture in their living room, without the constraints of a huge TV. As is the case for all ultra short throw models, it is best to pair it with an anti-glare UST projection screen to maximize contrast and achieve the best colors.
Conclusion
Providing a smart alternative to large 4K HDR televisions and standard projectors, the Hisense PX2-Pro impresses with its picture quality, especially with 4K HDR10 and Dolby Vision content We appreciated the numerous settings to customize the image and improve results with the Filmmaker mode.
The ultra-comprehensive, smooth and responsive smart TV interface is one of this projector’s strengths, as is its multimedia player. Although it doesn’t provide 3D spatial imaging, the audio section provides great stereo effects with a convincing vertical dimension. However, it is a shame that the manufacturer hasn’t included a TV tuner, as it does with its laser TVs. That said, you can always use your internet provider’s router hub.
We liked
- The support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision
- The precise native 4K image
- The high-quality upscaling
- The many image settings available
- The Smart TV functions
We would have liked
- Better factory calibration
- A more enveloping sound
- An integrated TV tuner
