purely as a projector, it doesn’t
quite match class leaders at this
price for absolute detail, especially
in darker scenes, and offers a little
roll off when it comes to contrast,
but generally it holds its own.
Our only real quibble is to do
with motion processing. LG has
used its TruMotion technology,
designed to reduce and smooth the
judder innate in projectors, but it
can feel a tad overdone. Fast-
moving scenes and camera pans
can feel somewhat artificial,
regardless of the motion setting,
but still this is a trifling caveat when
it comes to a brilliant performance.Sound performance
Our expectations were more basic
when it came to sound, but again
the CineBeam can impress.
It is inherently limited by its form- you’d not be able to fit a projector
with honking great drivers without
it vibrating the whole unit, thus also
the picture – so it is a predictably
lean presentation, but it goes really
rather loud.
Adding an external speaker is by
no means a necessity here, but
doing so offers maximum gains. It
makes for a fine boost to the
system without having to go for a
full surround package.
There’s no doubt that for most
of us the CineBeam is more than a
frivolous purchase for those
every-so-often film nights, but it
performs all of its tasks admirably
enough to be a solid and genuinely
innovative home cinema system.
Even better, as far as we’re
concerned, is how LG has
effectively future-proofed the
unit by offering several means
of upgrades and building a wider
system around it.
More than a portable projector,
this is a home cinema system with
scope to be built on over time.system, however, focus has to be
spread equally across audio as well.
In that regard, LG has enlisted the
aid of Harman Kardon to fit the
CineBeam with a 7W-per-channel
stereo speaker system that emits
sound from either side of the unit.
You can boost that as we’ve
already mentioned by wiring it into
a traditional AV set-up, or use the
Bluetooth or physical audio outputs
- namely 3.5mm aux, SPDIF and
optical digital – to send sound
seamlessly to any speakers.
While providing everything you
need to start enjoying big-screen
movies at home, LG has not boxed
its customers in, offering numerous
ways to upgrade and supplement
the CineBeam.
Picture performance
Often with products such as these,
the importance of a strong
performance is matched by the
necessity of something near that
being achievable with very little
tinkering or scrolling through
menus. The CineBeam sets its stall
out early, and that’s much of what
we love about it.
You’ll need to spend some time
figuring out its ideal placement in
your room, of course, but once the
‘screen’ is big enough, clearly
focused and properly aligned – a
little experimentation at first use
will save you plenty of time next
time you get it out – LG here offers
a mightily impressive picture
straight from the box.
The CineBeam has a number of
presets that make wholesale
changes to the picture, and it’s well
worth giving each a try, but we’d
suggest going for the User setting
and making a few tweaks
depending on light and the surface
onto which you’re projecting.
Fundamentally, though, the
picture is crisp and impressivelydetailed. Projectors of all prices can
suffer when it comes to image
depth, with a flat-looking image
leaving us rather underwhelmed,
but LG here offers a lot in what is a
commendably natural presentation.
That natural feel extends to
colours as well. It isn’t that the
CineBeam doesn’t have the ability
to really pop, and blacks go
relatively deep, but LG has
evidently opted for a more neutral
pallet that focuses on nailing
aspects such as skin tone rather
than blinding us with glaring lights.
It ends up being a more engaging
picture because of it, where
sometimes an over-egging of more
garish hues can leave a picture
somewhat detached from reality.
If you’re looking at the CineBeam“The picture is crisp and impressively detailed.
LG offers a commendably natural presentation”
Upgrade
LG CineBeam HU80KSW
November 2019 | |^85
LGCineBeamHU80KSW
Supplier http://www.lg.com
Resolution 4K UHD, HDR10
HDMI inputs 2
USB inputs 2
Brightness 2,500 lumens
Weight 6.71kgSpecs as reviewed