As our student was getting ready to go home, it was time to set up the den upstairs. The timing couldn’t have been better as BenQ got in touch and asked if we would like to add one of their portable projectors to Automated Home.
What is?
Described as ‘The world’s first 2.1-channel audio portable projector’, the GV30 is an all-in-one projector with sound, measuring approximately 12cm x 20cm x 2cm and weighing 1.6kg. It uses a DLP chip to produce its native 720p image (1280 x 720) and can handle up to 4K UHD input (3840 x 2160).
With brightness rated at 300 ANSI lumens, you need a dark room to get the most out of the GV30. BenQ lists the lifetime of the LED light source as 20,000 in normal operation. To put it in real world terms, if you use the projector 5 hours a day, 6 days a week, it should last more than 12 years.
The noise levels of the cooling fan are very low so that they do not interfere with the operation, and the top buttons allow easy control of the unit. There are 3 speakers built in, a 4 watt unit for each of the left and right channels, plus a third 8 watt woofer for some lower frequencies. This means that this single portable solution provides a 2.1-channel setup.
The speakers produce sound that is a step above many flat screen TVs and is quite loud. There’s also a 3.5mm audio output if you want to plug into an external system. With built-in Bluetooth you can also send music from your phone etc. and use it as a Bluetooth speaker.
As part of the setup process, use a small guitar-shaped tool to pry apart the case and install the BenQ QS01 Android TV Dongle to the internal HDMI. The lid snaps on and gives a clean look without anything sticking out of the unit.
There’s a second HDMI on the side (1.4b/HDCP1.4) if you want to use your streaming stick or other device. The USB-C socket can also be used as a DisplayPort input.
The circular projector is then placed on a magnetic base, allowing it to rotate to the desired angle. Removing the magnetic base reveals a useful tripod socket, making it even easier to mount if you have one on hand.
In the movies
When the blinds are closed, the image comes to life, along with the wow-factor brought by the large projected image. We project the image onto a plain painted wall, which works really well without any special colors or a ‘proper’ screen.
There is no zoom function on the GV30, so the image size is determined by how far it is from the wall. BenQ recommends an image between 30″ and 120″, and with its 135° projection angle, you can place it almost anywhere. On the coffee table, shelf or even on the floor. Anyone who’s used a portable projector before will likely recognize a scenario where you’re looking for a stack of books, just the right height, but this simple but clever swivel base means it’s easy to set up. In our room, the best image size/quality was achieved by placing the unit behind the sofa which gave us a 118″ diagonal in the photo above.
There’s auto-focus and a vertical Keystone function that automatically corrects those trapezoids into rectangles (+/- 40°) and there are 6 picture modes – Bright, Cinema, Daytime, Living Room, Sports and Game with an input lag of 51ms. (1080p@60Hz).
Streaming media, local files
One of the best things about the BenQ GV30 is the built-in Android TV, along with wireless streaming provided by the built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4G and 5G).
You can cast from your mobile device to the projector or play directly from Android apps. To install Netflix first, you will need to grab the “Application Manager” from the Google Play Store. Then open the application manager and find and install “Aptoid” and use it to download “Netflix”.
The built-in battery means you’ll be tempted to take your movies on the go or even try them out outdoors or even camping. You can play your own media by inserting a memory stick into the USB-C port if you’re also offline. In testing, we got about 2 hours of battery life. The projector comes with a really nice carrying case that houses the included remote control and power cord.
Verdict
We’ve tried several portable projectors over the years and this one is a step above. Although it costs a bit more than some of the cheaper options, it’s worth the extra in our opinion.
The portable GV30 is well built and has the benefits of a built-in Android TV and the flexibility that a built-in battery also provides.
It has already provided hours of fun and has quickly become a permanent fixture in our den. Once you’ve seen a movie on the big screen, it’s hard to go back to normal TV!
Available on Amazon: BenQ GV30