Posted on February 21, 2022 By Kam Valentine
The LG HU715Q is a 4K UHD Laser Ultra-Short-Throw (UST) CineBeam Projector that retails for $2,999. Its laser light source is rated to deliver 2,500 ANSI lumens for 20,000 to 30,000 hours. If you are familiar with LG’s UST projectors, the LG HU715Q 4K Laser UST CineBeam Projector is most similar to their LG HU85LS 4K UST Smart Business Projector and LG HU85LA 4K UHD Smart Home Theater CineBeam Projector models. Except for the model number and warranty, the LG HU85LS business projector is identical to the LG HU85LA consumer projector. The projectors are sold through different channels for different applications. If you are not familiar with those two UST projectors, check out Projector Reviews’ full review on the LG HU85LS 4K UHD UST Smart Business Projector and LG HU85LA 4K UHD Smart Home Theater CineBeam Projector. However, when the LG HU715Q is compared to those models, there are some notable differences like the type of laser light source utilized. The new LG HU715Q 4K Laser Ultra-Short-Throw (UST) CineBeam Projector was introduced as a more affordable CineBeam UST projector. The HU715Q provides vivid imagery within an exceptionally short projection distance and creates impressive home cinema video images on screen sizes up to 120-inches.
LG sent Projector Reviews a pre-production demo sample of the HU715Q to review. As I do for most of my reviews, I connected a 4K Apple TV and MacBook Pro via Bullet Train and AudioQuest HDMI cables to the demo LG HU715Q loaned to me for this review. For this review, I projected onto a 110-inch Screen Innovations (SI) Solo Pro 2 Unity AT Pure White 1.3 gain screen and an Elite Screens Aeon CLR® 3 Series, 103-inch ALR screen. The CLR® 3 material is a ceiling light rejecting material that absorbs 90% of overhead lighting.
The LG HU715Q 4K Laser UST CineBeam Projector has many features that are also found on modern flat-panel TVs. Therefore, some in the industry have given smart 4K UST projectors like the HU715Q alternative names like Laser TV, Ultra-Short-Throw (UST) TV, UST Projector, Laser Projector, and Laser Projector TV. However, I will primarily be referring to the LG HU715Q 4K Laser UST CineBeam Projector as a UST and UST Projector from this point forward.
At 12.48-inches from a wall or projector screen, the HU715Q can project a 120-inch image. If you are short on space, the HU715Q can be placed a mere 4.64-inches away from a projection wall or screen to project an 80-inch image. The LG HU715Q has a Manufactures Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $2,999 and hit the market in early Spring 2022.
Most projectors are not very smart. They do not have capabilities such as streaming apps that are common on many modern TVs. The HU715Q utilizes LG’s webOS 6.0, just like what is found on their newest flat-panel TVs. With the HU715Q, you have all the apps and capabilities typically found in a modern smart TV. You can enjoy content with built-in apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube, and Apple TV.
Voice control is also available thanks to LG’s ThinQ AI, which allows you to control not only the projector but a widespread amount of compatible smart home devices using your voice via Google Assistant. The HU715Q even has its own web browser built-in.
Also, like a TV, the HU715Q has a built-in audio system. LG equipped the HU715Q with a built-in 40-watt audio system. LG states the HU715Q has a “2.2 channel Quad Woofer” design. LG placed two tweeters and two woofers on the front of the cabinet that can reproduce the full range and two woofers on the rear of the cabinet to enhance the bass range.
The LG HU715Q is a 4K (3840 x 2160) UST Digital Light Processing (DLP) Laser projector that boots up fast. Fast boot-up, meaning 12 seconds or less in my experience and about 2 seconds to power off. LG rated the HU715Q’s brightness at 2,500 ANSI lumens. The laser light source life span is rated up to 20,000 hours on Energy Saving Mode – Minimum and 30,000 hours on Energy Saving Mode – Maximum. You could get 10 years of usage even if you use the projector for eight hours every single day.
There are usually several shortcomings when comparing most projectors with a modern TV. For example, a traditional projector’s lamp dims over time and must be changed every few thousand hours. Replacing lamp bulbs is inconvenient and adds additional cost to the operation of lamp-based projectors. However, this issue is eliminated by the Laser light source found in the HU715Q, which can provide years of maintenance-free operation. The HU715Q sports a single blue Laser diode and a phosphor wheel.
The HU715Q uses a 0.47-inch DMD Texas Instruments (TI) DLP chipset and a 2,500 ANSI lumen laser diode light source to deliver its 4K (3840 x 2160) displayed resolution. LG states the HU715Q covers 85% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. The HU715Q supports HDR10 and also Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), The projector Dynamic HDR Tone Mapping automatically adjusts both the dark and bright levels to ensure the best picture and optimize the HDR performance. Lastly, the HU715Q also supports HDR Gaming Interest Group (HGiG) which improves the HDR picture quality of games from compatible games consoles and PCs
The HU715Q also supports some advanced HDMI 2.1 features including Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC), and video bandwidth up to 24Gbps. The HU715Q offers a 1.6x zoom lens with horizontal and vertical lens shift, which is not commonly found on DLP projectors, especially at this price point. This makes it easier to align the image perfectly to the screen without using any resolution robbing digital keystone correction,
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