Dangbei Mars Pro

After comparing the other 3 or 4 contenders in this price range, and after much analysis, the Dangbei was worth the risk, and wound up being a great choice. The picture is gorgeous, even on a cheap $129 120” screen (1.1 reflectivity). 4k is crisp and clean at 4K with keystone correction. I found the auto keystone is a good start, but always needs a tweak with the manual correction. It doesn’t seem to detect the shape / edges of the screen - a problem fixed in seconds with a manual adjustment of each corner. I use the low Motion compensation setting and it eliminates most “jitter”. Dark scenes are not perfect but sufficient contrast. Brightness at night ia so good, we need to set it to “standard” or “energy saver” mode. In day, the 3200 lumens is insufficient to replace a regular TV unless the ambient light is reduced. I would say just at dusk it’s watchable. Others won’t come close to this brighness in this price range (BenQ, XGIMI, Anker). The laser Vs led/Lamp is great because 1) brightness 2) longevity 3) Power consumption. While watching a 4K movie with external Bluetooth speaker connected, the projector drew only 135W. Being that we are powered by solar-charged batteries, every watt counts. It’s also super-quiet; it’s barely noticeable unless for some reason the fan kicks into high for cooling, which hasn’t occurred.

For some, a concern was an “unknown” company Dangbei, but a little research shows they have been around in China for over 10 years. They confirmed in writing a 1 year warranty, and when I had A few issues, they responded within 1 day and resolved everything (nothing wrong, just user error due to some confusing interface issues). I rarely get this response from a US-based company. Also, but it with a credit card that offers warranty doubling and be sure to register it with the CC provider.

The built-on OS is a version of Android TV, with their own Dangbei functions to control the projector directly. It’s a bit limited, but can install google play store. To overcome this, They included a 4K streaming device as a promotion, and this solves the OS problem. I would simply use an Amazon FireStick or similar and power directly from the Dangbei’a USB port (there are 2). Soins is certainly sufficient and full, but I recommend Bluetooth external speaker/s or pair with an Amazon Studio with your FireStick for Dolby Atmos. The dongle they provided also seems to support Dolby Atmos as I linked the echo studio via Bluetooth directly and that option was available.

Something I didn’t see in the manual is that a triple click of The button on the side of the main remote brings up a quick menu which allows you to enable 3D, adjust keystone, focus, brightness, picture, etc.

Overal, we are thrilled with this purchase and highly recommend this company so far!

I have been using this projector to watch movies and this is the best investment you can do for home theater needs.

As a technology lover and film enthusiast, I have been looking for a high-quality 4K projector that meets all my requirements for a long time. And I must say that I am more than satisfied with my latest acquisition. The Dangbei Mars Pro 4K projector not only offers impressive picture quality, but also a variety of functions that take my home cinema experience to a whole new level. I bought it on sale otherwise I probably wouldn't have been able to afford it. First of all, I would like to mention the image quality. With a resolution of 4K, the projector delivers razor-sharp images with vivid colors and incredible detail. Whether I'm watching movies or playing video games, the visual experience is simply breathtaking. The 3200 ANSI lumens also ensure a bright and clear display, even in ambient light. Another outstanding feature is the keystone correction. Whether I place the projector on the ceiling or on a table, I can easily adjust the image and get a perfect square projection on my screen. This feature saved me a lot of time and effort and allows me to flexibly position the projector. The autofocus is another highlight of this projector. With just a push of a button, it automatically adjusts the sharpness and delivers a razor-sharp image. No more manual adjustments, no more blurry images - just perfect sharpness at the push of a button. As for the operating system, I'm excited about the integration of Android. With the Android operating system, I have access to a large number of apps and streaming services directly via the projector. I can stream my favorite movies and series directly from Netflix, Amazon Prime or other platforms without having to connect additional devices. That's just awesome! Another plus is the quiet fan. The projector works almost silently, so I can fully concentrate on the film or the game without being distracted by annoying fan noise. This definitely contributes to better immersion. And last but not least, I would like to mention the self-cleaning function. This innovative feature keeps the projector dust-free, ensuring long-lasting performance and image quality. I no longer have to worry about dust collecting on the lenses and spoiling the picture. This is another plus point that convinced me of this projector. Overall, I am more than satisfied with my new 4K projector. The combination of impressive image quality, keystone correction, autofocus, Android operating system, 3200 ANSI lumens, quiet fan and self-cleaning makes it a real top product.

I have now owned 3 different 1080p projectors that I have used extensively over the last few months :

- The first was an under-$200 unit that had manual adjustments for focus and keystone, a very loud fan, and tinny built-in audio. It came with a 100" fabric screen that I have continued to use. It's still very watchable, but when I had to fall back to it recently, I realized I had forgotten all the limitations.

- The second was a Netflix licensed emotn N1 from the same manufacturer as this product that lists for around $400, currently selling here around $320. This unit added automatic focus and keystone correction, better sound, a brighter & clearer picture, and acceptable sound quality, similar to a TV without a soundbar.

- And finally, this unit, the Dangbei Mars. This is essentially the big brother of the emotn N1, with a brighter image, better optics, and MUCH better sound. I still switch over to my soundbar via Bluetooth when I want to watch a cinematic movie or listen to music, but the internal speakers are more than sufficient for the news and adult cartoons that I frequently watch. Having operated the N1, the family resemblance is unmistakable, with the same basic user interface and OS, identical remote controls, etc.

I have an improvised theater setup with the 100" screen hanging from the mantle over our fireplace, and the Dangbei projector sitting on the coffee table a few feet away. Because the screen is so low relative to the wall, I need to put a spacer under the back edge of the unit to angle the picture down to fit the screen. I should be able to replace that workaround with a couple of self-adhesive legs of the proper height.

When I was using the smaller emotn N1 unit, I hit upon a combination where the built-in "leg" that is provided to prop the thing up at an angle to the screen and the geometry of the room let me leave that projector at the front edge of the coffee table and it all just worked.

With the new, bigger model, I need to pull it back towards the couch to get the proper size, and prop up the back as noted before. (The Dangbei has a threaded tripod connector on the bottom, but no additional legs or screw-feet to adjust the angle.)

Having said all of that, I am very happy to give this new projector a "forever home," and I would happily recommend it to anyone, especially if you need the extra brightness for watching in brighter conditions.

But if you are feeling budget constrained, I can also recommend the emotn N1 at the lower price as a good compromise.

Picture quality is very vivid and clear and definitely it play 4K videos with sharp images. Picture is clear even with light ON. But not sure if projector actually projects 3200 ANSI lumens as promised. I haven't tried Xigmi Horizon pro tough .so can't compare brightness with Dangbei. But it's definitely worth the money you pay.