Samsung in CES announced an 8K ultra-short-throw projector called The Premiere. It’s an updated 2020 4K Premiere, a single box designed to sit on a low table directly below it and a few inches from a wall or screen. Using special lenses and video processing, he can create an image up to 150 inches diagonally.
There are built-in speakers and Dolby Atmos to fill the room with sound and light. As you would expect, it also has Samsung Smart TV features, with Netflix, Disney Plus, etc.
Read more: Here’s another Samsung device we’re excited about (hint: it’s a foldable phone)
While the idea of an 8K projector capable of producing a huge picture on any wall sounds interesting, UST projectors aren’t the magic they first appeared. Here’s what we know so far.
8 kilos?
Ultra-short-throw projectors, like the 4K The Premiere from 2020, claim to be able to create an image on any wall, but all projectors can do this.
Samsung
yes, 8 kg. This is four times the resolution of a 4K projector. There is currently no widely available 8K content, which is an issue that also plagues 8K TVs. Without 8K content, you can’t take full advantage of the extra pixels, although the projector will downconvert everything you send to 8K, so it may appear sharper than a 4K projector displaying a similarly sized image. Keep in mind that there are more important aspects of image quality than resolution.
Premiere isn’t the first 8K projector out there, but there are only a few on the market. JVC It has many models, starting at $11,000 and going up from there. This uses a 4K imaging chip and a pixel converter to create 8K resolution on the screen. This is similar to how most projectors are built in 4K, using a chip with a resolution of 1080p or lower, and doubling or tripling the pixels in the imaging device to get nearly 4K resolution. While Samsung hasn’t revealed the specs of the projector, this is almost certainly how 8K is created as well.
On the professional side, digital projection It has many 8K models, but it is for actual movie theaters and other large venues.
What is an ultra short throw device?
It is important to remember that any ambient light will affect the image from the projector, including UST projectors.
Samsung
Conventional projectors need about 10 feet of distance to project a 100-inch image. High-end models can sit further back, while short-drop models can sit closer. UST projectors sit just a few inches from the wall and still manage to produce huge images thanks to smart lenses and video processing.
The two major downsides to all floor cabinet projectors are price and picture quality. Because of their complex designs, floor cabinet projectors tend to cost significantly more than traditional projectors.
Another downside, also as a result of how they work, is a decrease in Contrast ratio. UST projectors usually have worse contrast ratios than conventional projectors, making their images look flatter with less “punch”. Usually, manufacturers try to compensate for this by increasing the brightness significantly, but this does not improve the quality of the image, but rather makes the image brighter.
assumed features
No matter how bright it is, the under cabinet projector will not be able to compete with ambient lighting without a special screen. Even then, it would look much better with the curtains drawn.
Samsung
Samsung hasn’t announced many details about the new Premiere, but we can guess a few things. It was the previous model laser litAnd it is possible that the new model will be as well. This is because lasers perform better in terms of light output (brightness) and color. They also typically last the life of the projector, unlike the replaceable bulbs on most lower-end projectors.
4K The Premiere has built-in speakers, allowing it to act as its own amplifier. This is another potential advantage since most floor cabinet projectors aim to be a one-stop-shop when it comes to in-room entertainment. The new model will have Dolby Atmos, which was not present in the old model.
It’s also safe to assume that they will be bright. 4K The Premiere had two versions, a “120-inch” version and a “130-inch” version. Neither of them actually came with a monitor, and it can actually create a range of image sizes from 90 to 120 inches with the former, and 100 to 130 inches with the latter. The difference was slight, with 2,200 and 2,800 claimed, respectively. These are very good numbers, although other floor cabinet projectors in a similar price range are much brighter. The $4,000 Epson LS500, for example, put out 4,000 lumens. Samsung claims the new model will be able to take “150-inch” photos, so expect a bump in lumens.
Price and availability
Samsung has not announced pricing or availability yet. Generally speaking, products announced at CES take place in the spring or summer. Price-wise, this almost certainly won’t come cheap. The previous Premiere offer was $3,500 for the 120-inch version, and $6,500 for the 130-inch version. With only other consumer 8K PJs starting at $11,000, and those are for traditional (aka not UST) designs, it seems safe to assume that the 8K The Premiere will cost at least what the previous model did, and possibly much more.
Keep an eye out for CNET’s CES coverage for further information.