BenQ's GV1 transportable projector sounds like a mechanism you'd see within the background of a Pixar flick. Or within the planet, sort of a Bluetooth speaker. It's cheap, however its resolution is just normal definition and its image brightness is, well, not thus bright. there is not even a true HDMI input, although it will go with a electronic device thus you'll be able to connect HDMI sources. In short, this pipsqueak's style is just about the sole reason to like it. it is so cute i could not facilitate however introduce it to my Dōmo-kun -- they are roughly a similar size at simply half dozen inches tall, and through my review amount the 2 became quick friends.
I did not have the guts to inform to inform i actually felt concerning the GV1. BenQ primarily stuffed a bunch of aging technical school into a small, lovable box. i prefer that there is a inbuilt battery, however the general package is way outmatched by different transportable projectors that price simply a touch a lot of.
That dissatisfactory image quality, along side various usability problems I found throughout testing, created ME wish associate degree updated version with upgraded internals and therefore the same cute case style. because it stands currently, the GV1 is difficult to advocate even at its low value -- it's higher to save lots of up for one thing just like the Anker Nebula Mars II professional.
Basic Specs
- Native resolution: 854x480 pixels
- HDR-compatible: No
- 4K-compatible: No
- 3D-compatible: No
- Lumens spec: two hundred
- Zoom: None
- Lens shift: Tilt solely
- Lamp life (Normal mode): twenty,000 hours
Only the smallest amount costly projectors on the market nowadays still have standard-definition resolutions. That 480p image manifests itself as large pixels you'll be able to clearly see, even once making small projected pictures. From almost the farthest viewing distances, the GV1 has the "screen door" impact that i have not seen within the real projector world for a minimum of a decade. If you are accustomed 1080p projectors or 4K TVs, the image from the GV1 goes to seem like it's made up of Lego set.
The two hundred claimed lumens is pretty low, although different powered projectors just like the Anker that have around five hundred lumens also are costlier. As long as you retain the image fairly little, it's fine.
The internal three,000-mAh battery incorporates a claimed 3-hour run time, however battery mode drops the lumens by concerning 0.5.
There's no lens shift, however you'll be able to tilt the "head" backward to aim the image upward. this is often truly quite elegant answer and lets the GV1 work higher in tight areas than several different projectors I've reviewed. That tilt conjointly reveals the yellow highlights on the case, that look nice.
The focus wheel, on the aspect of the top, is small, plastic and feels rock bottom. Its little diameter makes it tough to induce precise focus.
- Connectivity and convenience
- HDMI inputs: one (via enclosed USB-C dongle)
- PC input: No
- USB port: one (the solely input)
- Audio input and output: None
- Digital audio output: None
- Wi-Fi: a/b/g/n a pair of.4/5Ghz
- Remote: Not backlit
There's a 5-watt speaker within the little case, although it is a bit tinny and not significantly loud. the little remote is ok, although it's generally not enough to adequately navigate bound apps. Thankfully, the BenQ app (iOS and Android) works with the GV1 and incorporates a keyboard.
The GV1's different liability is that the Aptoide store, a "curated" set of the Google Play store. anytime I've reviewed a projector with Aptoide i have been aggravated by it. it isn't well set out, several obvious apps square measure missing, and people you'll be able to realize generally do not work. Spoiler alert! That was a giant drawback during this review, as you will see.
While you'll be able to, in theory, mirror your phone's screen to the GV1, you cannot watch proprietary content during this means. thus no Netflix, Hulu, Vudu etc from your phone. you will need to induce those apps, if you'll be able to realize them. you'll be able to conjointly connect a streaming stick, that we'll cite within the next section.
At least, that was the set up. The GV1 does not settle for a 1080p signal. Well, it does, however solely 1080p30. And despite what i attempted, it simply wasn't ready to communicate that through the distribution amp to any supply.
i am unsure if this is often a problem you may ever encounter, since most of the time the supply and show can agree on the most effective resolution and frame rate they are each ready to manufacture.
however it had been associate degree odd quirk I needed to say. thus I ran the GV1 on its internal apps whereas the Anker and LG ran along from the D/A.
At least, that was the set up. I had the concept to start out my testing with one thing on film maker and, since that was offered on the BenQ, whereas the opposite 2 compete a similar flick on Vudu. On the BenQ the film maker and app hundreds, however once you try and log in, no keyboard shows up, nor will it show up within the smartphone film maker and app thus Disney will "take it from there" because it says to try to to on the login screen. Not a haul. I downloaded the BenQ app, that handily incorporates a keyboard to log therein means.
At least, that was the set up. Once getting into my login information, there was a slip message that aforementioned I required to update my device's code. that is my opening in any review however I check once more. Nope, i am on the most recent code. Not a haul. I switched it around to use the Vudu app on the BenQ and film maker and on the others.
At least, that was the set up. The Vudu app opens sideways, then crashes. Even higher, it turned everything else ninety degrees counterclockwise as well as the most homepage and different apps. luckily gap the settings flipped it back horizontal. thus instead I used a special streaming stick, connected on to the BenQ, to look at content that means.
At least, that was the set up. The Vudu app nuked the GV1. each few seconds the app would try and open, flipping the screen sideways, crashing, then dropping back to the now-sideways main homepage. This loop continued even once restarting the GV1. I contemplate drop testing the GV1 from more and more larger heights beginning with Jupiter.
I achieve deleting the cancerous app. I achieve shift to the external streaming stick. the opposite projectors have gone to sleep. the planet is asleep. The universe has cooled into entropic nothingness.
Picture quality comparisons (finally!)
The GV1 isn't nice. It will best be represented as "fine." Resolution may be a smart place to start out, which, ironically, isn't fine. i can not bear in mind the last show I reviewed that wasn't HD. For the BenQ's value and size, i do not suppose 480p may be a deal breaker, however if you are accustomed observance HD or 4K, the image from the GV1 goes to seem soft. you do not have to be compelled to sit terribly shut, or build the image terribly giant, to ascertain massive honking pixels either.
aspect by aspect with the LG, with a similar size image and sitting simply so much enough that pixels are not visible, the LG appearance perceptibly a lot of careful.
Despite having terribly similar light-weight output and Distinction quantitative relation numbers, the BenQ appearance praise and a lot of washed out than the LG. Knowing that they live thus equally, i ponder what proportion nearer i would are ready to dial within the BenQ had there been any image controls in the slightest degree.
some generic image modes, however no adjustment for distinction, brightness, or color/tint.
Colors but, square measure astonishingly correct. At least, a lot of correct than most different budget projectors. That looks to be BenQ's issue.
Occasionally, the GV1 would begin dropping frames, inflicting the image to seem juddery. i am almost certain what caused this, however unplugging the supply and plugging it back in gave the impression to fix it.
Conclusion
I needed to like the GV1. it's like one thing out of a Pixar flick. Its performance is not nice, however it is also not terribly costly. However, there square measure too several oddities to offset its appearance. For a touch extra money the Anker Mars II professional is simply a neater to use transportable projector and has the additional advantage of being brighter, higher resolution and with higher speakers.
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