Review on XGIMI Horizon 1080p FHD Projector with 4K Support, Harman Kardon Speakers, Android TV 10.0, Auto Focus, WiFi Bluetooth - Experience Crystal Clear Movie Projection by Jeff Henkhaus

Summary: 3/5 stars Aside from the visually appealing form factor with proprietary sound system, the software features for this unit are detrimental to the home theater experience. Options: 5/5 stars. The carton containing the product has been enclosed in an air cushion to ensure adequate protection during transport. It was sealed and upon opening you are greeted with your brand new H2. H2 sits between the foam padding, while accessories - power cord, adapter and remote control - sit in the bottom compartment. Pairing is intuitive and setup is Apple-style with step-by-step on-screen instructions. Xgimi hardware: 4/5 stars. The hardware looks very classy and minimalistic. If you are an Apple fan, this will fit perfectly into your interior. Unlike Apple's sturdy aluminum unibody, this device is mostly made of plastic. A very thin aluminum ventilation grille surrounds the front and two sides of the device. Personally, I don't like how flimsy the aluminum grille is, as it seems prone to denting if you ever mishandle this unit. The top of the device features power and mode buttons, as well as a new volume touchpad that spans the full width of the device. I wasn't impressed because they would remain intact in the mounted use case. On the underside you'll find adjustable feet, a 1/4-inch mounting screw, and a Harman Kardon speaker. Xgimi UX: 1/5 stars. I was very disappointed with the transition from a slick interface to a relatively dark home screen. For me, this made the $899 projector product really cheap. It was like going from an Apple product to Android (device running Android 6.0). It's not a stock version of Android TV, but a very stripped down and limited version of Xgimi, which makes it even worse. The device comes preinstalled with YouTube, a web browser and a very limited app/game store called Aptoide. On Aptoide you can install streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, etc., that's all. I felt like I had experienced everything the software has to offer in 5 minutes, which frustrated me with the purchase. Remote control Xgimi: 2/5 stars. Another Apple-style design with poor button mapping and software functionality. It's a fairly basic device, so I'll focus on its shortcomings - it doesn't recognize the buttons in the dark, the air mouse button is too close to the power button and too far from the OK/Select button, and the Air Mouse mode expires after 60 seconds and requires permanent reactivation. Overall, it's hard to learn, hard to use, and has limited functionality. Xgimi image quality: 4/5 stars. First off, this isn't a true 4K projector, it uses pixel shifting to achieve a "Faux-K" result for 4K content. However, the image quality associated with the 1350 ANSI lumens projected light is good and on par with some of the higher end projectors I have had. Advanced keystone correction was the only viable way to adjust the ceiling, corners, and screen dimensions. I felt the Xgimi projector lacked contrast and color saturation. The motion compensation was a welcome surprise as it makes moving images appear very sharp. Xgimi Software Updates: 3/5 stars. I've gone through 2 upgrades since purchasing this unit and I hope the trend continues. The first was before v1.2.1 and the last was before 1.3.3. However, the updates were nothing special and offered small improvements. Version 1.3.3 actually improved the launcher to look more like the stock Android TV launcher and added Faux-K support for YouTube. I believe future updates should focus on improving the device's user interface and providing a full Smart TV experience. That is, treat it like a smartphone and allow users to download content through the Play Store in your region. Overall 3/5 stars. This is a relatively expensive set top box with software limitations preventing me from using it natively for all my media needs. There are several guides where users have installed the Play Store and other apps with varying degrees of success. Until the software for this device is improved I would not recommend this product and would advise you to use an Apple TV, Revain Fire TV Stick or Google Chromecast in combination for the best experience. Attached is an image showing my projector on the Xgimi floor. projected onto a white wall at a distance of 3 m/10 ft in daylight. Average to good results. I have since learned that there is an H2 Aurora with a full set of glass lenses and a light output of 1500 lumens that will work better. I don't know why Xgimi sells H2 Global without this technology.