If you like the thought of movies made large in the living room, but are not so keen on a huge TV dominating the space, a smart projector might be the way to go. But tapping into Netflix isn't always easy. Chinese audio-visual brand Dangbei addresses that with its Neo model.
For many streaming entertainment consumers, Netflix is readily available via TV menus or an app. But folks who like to throw content on the wall using a smart projector may find that the streaming service is not natively supported. There are ways around this, but Dangbei notes that "Netflix will regularly check and will ban the apps on unlicensed products." So the company has sought an official license for its Neo projector, and even added a Netflix hotkey on the remote for direct access.
Dangbei has already had some approval success this year when its sub-brand Emotn launched the Netflix-packing N1 back in February. Now the Neo DLP projector has been added to its trophy cabinet, and is also good for Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) visuals up to 120 diagonal inches.
There's support for HDR10 and HLG media formats, the LED light source can manage 540 ISO lumens (with the best image being produced after dark with ambient lighting turned down), and input latency is reported to go as low as 30 milliseconds, which could satisfy the needs of casual gamers.
Around 90% of the DCI-P3 color gamut is supported too, and the Neo offers three color temperature options for fine tuning to preference. Easy setup is catered for by autofocus and auto keystone correction via the built-in ToF camera system, though manual adjustment is available as well. And the projector can resize the thrown output to avoid static obstacles, and will intelligently adjust to fit a screen.
The Neo runs on Linux, not Android TV, so users won't have access to Google's Play Store for entertainment apps but Dangbei has pre-installed a bunch of apps, including Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube. There's 1 GB of DDR3 RAM and 8 GB of eMMC5.1 storage, Bluetooth 5.0 is onboard along with 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Ethernet LAN, and USB and HDMI inputs also feature.
At 3.13 lb (1.4 kg), the unit can be carried to a new location in one hand but it doesn't have its own power source so if you set it up for backyard movie nights you'll need to factor in a wall outlet. There's no need to connect to home theater audio as the unit includes two 6-W speakers rocking Dolby Audio. And the device can share a smart device's screen via the Mirrorcast and Homeshare apps.
The Neo is available now for US$699.99 on Amazon.
Source: Dangbei via PRNewswire
