CE Pro December 2021 - 59

Gamut at extended versus
the auto option.
For additional video
settings, you can also turn
on/off HDMI Ultra HD Deep
Color, Instant Game Response
and Filmmaker Mode
Auto Change. I set these all
to 'on' and even though I
realized there would be a big
difference, toggling the Deep
Color just validating why
it's important to ensure this
setting is on.
Note that LG also includes
pre-set CalMan software so
pros can connect to a PC
and program calibration in
roughly a half hour, according
to the company.
Performance
& Conclusions
My theater room actually
doubles as the display in
my home office, so I was
using the projector during
both daytime and nighttime
hours and varying degrees of
ambient light potentially impacting
performance. There
are a couple of windows,
one with complete blackout
shade and the other covered
by blinds that let in some
natural light.
The ambient light levels
really didn't matter as the
LG unit shows the benefits
of buying a step-up projector.
In my situation, the
laser light engine created a
great image that looked solid
during the day and stellar as
the room darkened.
In a nutshell, the performance
of this step-up 4K
projector versus previous
entry-level UHD models
I've spent time with earn its
keep, especailly in areas like
image processing, sharpness,
smoothness while scenes
panned, and color accuracy.
High Dynamic Range
(HDR) content looked
striking, aided by LG's
dynamic tone mapping
capabilities; while clarity
of the 8.3-million pixels
allowed for very smallscale
details - like hikers
traversing mountains or the
flowing waterfalls taken
from distant aerial cameras
in the 4K (and even 8K
now) YouTube nature videos
I love watching - to make
more visual impact than
mere background blurs.
LG's webOS 5.0 platform
provides easy access to services
I use quite a bit, especially
for 4K streaming, such
as Disney+ and YouTube. If
you're familiar with LG's ecosystem,
you can also engage
the projector interface as
a dashboard for connected
home activities, as well as for
other streaming channels...
not to mention you can
screen share via Miracast.
I did a lot of YouTube
viewing via the projector and
through my connected Sony
Ultra Blu-ray player, which I
also used for Netflix, which
offers some 4K content. I
also watched som disc-based
UHD, legacy Blu-rays and
even DVDs.
I noticed an immediate difference
compared with previous,
more budget-minded
4K projectors when I began
watching the stunningly shot
flyover videos showing aerial
footage of Iceland, Scotland,
Norway, Africa, etc., on the
Scenic Relaxation YouTube
channel. The other projectors
were solid for the price
but the LG AU810PB just
took things to another level.
The landscape color specThe
rear panel and side panel of the LG projector provide
access to connections and lens shift functions.
trum of browns and greens
among the various vegetation
and rocks/mountains
was impressively rendered.
Combined with the depth
and microdetail from the
landscape features and textures
that are magnified on a
92-inch screen, those videos
looked jaw-dropping (integrators
should subscribe).
On 4K Netflix content, the
opening scene in a season 1
episode of " Stranger Things "
showed the boys trying to figure
out what to make of Eleven
as she sits on a 1970s-type
of couch; there are so many
brown/yellow family colors
and different fabric textures,
cepro.com
CE PRO
VERDICT
LG AU810PB 4K
UHD CineBeam
Projector
lg.com; $3,999 MSRP
PROS: High level of detail,
color accuracy/gradation,
clarity and vibrancy of
images; efficient, quick
and quiet operation; sleek
and pleasant aesthetics of
projector to blend in
CONS: Price as step-up
solution might limit
client pool
but the set decoration pops
instead of being muddy.
I was struck by how sharp
and punchy older DVDs I
own like " Goodfellas " and
" What About Bob? " looked,
and 1080p Blu-rays were
almost as stunning as Ultra
Blu-ray. For the latter, scenes
like Rey's jungle training and
the final battle from " Star
Wars: The Rise of Skywalker "
felt wonderfully immersive
via the AU810PB.
Another LG differentiator
is that the unit also provides
for some audio design
flexibility. If it's going into
a smaller secondary room,
the built-in 10-watt stereo
speakers might suffice. LG facilitates
a potentially simple
5.1-channel option with its
WiSA (Wireless Speakers &
Audio) Association support
and WiSA Ready dongle. The
AU810PB also has a S/PDIF
audio output.
Ultimately, LG's projector
will please customers in any
room.
December 2021 CE Pro | 59
http://www.lg.com http://www.cepro.com
CE Pro December 2021

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