Ultra Short-Throw (UST) projectors can fire off a video at point-blank range.
Let’s say you’re a van dweller living that #VanLife.
Would you want a 55-inch TV or a 14-inch gear?
That’s the value proposition behind the Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign for the$700 JMGO’s O1 UST projector.
It fits into the smallest of spaces for less than the competition.
But a $700 UST projector sounds too good to be true.
And are there any better competitors?
Competition
The O1 offers more than just competitive pricing.
But does that mean you should buy it?
If you don’t need the space, you’re better off with a cheaper long-throw projector.
But that’s because there’s almost no competition if you want the lowest-priced 1080p UST projector.
Thecheapest 1080p UST projectorthat I could find costs around $900 on Amazon.
4K UST units can cost twice that much.
And that’s why the O1’s $700 Early Bird crowd-funding price is so surprising.
After all, it’s hundreds cheaper than the nearest competitor.
And even after the funding period expires, at $1,000, it’s still a better buy.
Optoma GT5600
There’s also theOptoma GT5600.
But it’s also brighter and has a higher contrast ratio.
However, the only sales link I could find is for a used unit on Amazon.
And even then, it’s a portable projector and not quite comparable to the O1.
Who Is JMGO and Can You Trust Them?
JMGOis a label of Shenzhen Holatek Co. LTD in China.
Holatek has manufactured projectors since 2011 and operates a US warehouse.
Both factors bode well for the future of the O1.
First, Kickstarters from established manufacturers have an excellent track record of meeting deadlines and delivering a product.
Hardware Specifications
Is the Hardware Good?
The O1’s hardware is excellent for an entry-level UST projector.
It’s fast, loaded with features, and cheaper than any of its competitors.
Although it’s not inexpensive; even the lowest-priced 1080p UST projectors cost more than the cheapest 4K projectors.
In other words, the O1 offers outstanding hardware for the money but it’s not for everyone.
For example, its Mediatek 9669’sArm Cortex A73beats the pants off the chip Xiaomi uses in the Mi Projector.
Overall, the hardware is an oddball mishmash of cutting-edge and older components.
To my knowledge, there are practically no UST 1080p projectors out there.
Almost all are 4K.
Ports
The O1’s offers a reasonable port selection.
You get LAN, S/PDIF, 2x USB 2.0 1x HDMI-ARC, and 1x HDMI.
Overall the port selection is about equal to its competitors.
However, what’s most interesting is its use of a newer HDMI format: HDMI-ARC.
What is HDMI CEC and HDMI ARC?
It’s useful for those who don’t want to fumble around with a remote control.
In other words, ARC cuts down on the number of cables you need.
In comparison, the Optoma GT5600 lacks these features.
MediaTek MT9669 Processor
TheMediaTek MT9669is a modern and performant media-center processor.
That’s a fancy way to say it’s a 1080p projector that will downscale 4K video to 1080p.
In other words, it’s not 4K at all.
The processor also includes real-time image optimization.
The MT9669 automatically adjusts color, brightness, contrast, sharpness, and dynamic range.
Most of its image optimizations are seamlessly made using post-processing, or before the image hits the screen.
For example, I mounted the O1 on a cart to test its autofocus and keystone correction.
Both keystone correction and autofocus work exactly as expected, without serious fault.
However, I should note that the MT9669 will appear in a much wider array of products going forward.
For example, Xgimi recently adopted the MT9669.
How Do Movies Play on the JMGO O1?
The JMGO O1’s playback experience is good.
The video quality is par-the-course for a an RGB-LED system.
The MediaTek processor really shines during playback as it seems to smooth out playback.
30 frames-per-second video gets converted into 60Hz, making movements smoother and more lifelike.
Dynaudio Speakers
The Dynaudio speakers and volume won’t blow anyone’s mind, though.
Part of the reason is that the integrated speakers take up almost the entirety of the gadget.
What Is Luna OS?
Luna OS is a fork, or unauthorized copy, of Android 9.0.
Like most Android derivatives, it lacks the Google Play Store and has a limited app library.
However, the Luna OS app store includes a lot of media-focused apps, like Netflix and Amazon Video.
But if you want an app that’s not on the platform, that means you’ll have tosideloadit.
Further complicating sideloading is JMGO’s use of an older version of Android.
Not only is Android 9 outdated, the O1 has a security patch dating back to 2019.
That means it’s riddled with security vulnerabilities.
If you’re content using the O1 for streaming, JGMO offers adequate app support.
However, if you are comfortable with Amazon eavesdropping on your conversations, the O1 includes the necessary hardware.
I can confirm that there is a four-microphone array embedded in the top of the unit.
The microphone array is daisy-chained, or ganged, into a daughter board which includes a Wi-Fi 5 adapter.
That’s likely because they both transmit data over the same interface.
Other Missing Features
Furthermore, the O1’s image flattening feature requires using theJMGO smartphone app.
seems as if JMGO has issued a limited rollout of their program to get to keep reviews high.
Power Consumption
While idle, the O1 uses around 1-2 watts.
In standby mode, however, the O1 uses around 7 watts.
I’ve seen similar power consumption in devices like Google Home and the Amazon Echo.
And that’s usually because their respective hardware lacks the ability to passively listen for wake words.
Consequently, smart assistants oftentimes keep their entire processor active while actively scanning for wake words.
Fortunately, double-tapping the power button completely shuts the O1 down.
The O1 consumes around 32 watts at automatic brightness and 54 watts at max brightness.
Oddly, increasing brightness doesn’t increase fan noise, which suggests JMGO set a constant fan speed.
A 55-inch TV, for example, uses around 100-120 watts at full brightness.
Most LED-light source projectors offer the same power efficiency as the O1.
However, you’ll find mainly lamp projectors in the budget segment of the UST market.
And lamp projectors are not even remotely efficient.
For example, the Optoma GT5600 uses around 280 watts.
The lux reading is then multiplied by the image area to calculate ANSI lumens.
Many no-name manufacturers use their own internal lumen testing for advertising purposes.
This practice is oftentimes referred to as marketing lumens, although that’s a generous description.
A more accurate term would be “liar lumens”.
However, JMGO undersold the minimum projection size of the O1.
So while JMGO lists 800 ANSI lumens as the maximum brightness, at 45 inches, it appears brighter.
Even so, if you project an 80-inch image, it’s unwatchable during the day.
As such, you would need to move the projector closer to the screen during daylight hours.
The GT5600 has a whopping 3,600 lumens of brightness and a 20,000:1 contrast ratio.
So not only does it offer superior daylight visibility, its picture quality should be superior as well.
I should note that most manufacturers tend to lie about their contrast ratios as well as lumens.
In this case, though, kinda looks JMGO’s projector approaches its advertising claims.
Gregory fromPassionHomeCinemameasured the O1 at 336 Lumens, far lower than the 800 claimed by JMGO.
I lack a lux meter and cannot verify these claims, however.
On automatic brightness, the fan produced the same low whirring sound of 43-44 dBm.
I suspect that JMGO set their fan to a constant speed.
Even so, it’s a quiet-running system, for any projector.
As decibels aren’t linear, that’s a huge difference in volume.
But I did discover two minor issues: first, there’s overuse and poor app of hot glue.
Normally glue is applied to connectors that could come loose during transport.
Second, the fan is hard to access.
And because fans require regular cleaning, this component will require periodic servicing.
But because it’s in a harder-to-access location, you’ll need to take more pains to access it.
Reliability
Some have criticized DLP projectors' DMD chips as being unreliable.
I’ve read accounts that the chip lasts only 2,500 hours before degradation sets in.
But even so, the best data out there suggests that DLP technology is long-lasting and robust.
Warranty
JMGO products come with aone-year warranty.
However, they require that you pay ship-in costs to their US-based warehouse.
The O1 is lightweight and fairly small, so those costs aren’t too high.
But I would have preferred that they pay ship-in costs.
The JMGO O1 Isn’t Perfect
Like all things, the JMGO O1 isn’t perfect.
There are a few issues, but otherwise, it is an excellent budget UST projector.
Can’t Turn Off Android
Google’s Android takes a cavalier approach to consumer privacy.
That means they sell your data.
Luna OS may not be owned by Google but it’s still engineered to collect data.
More concerning: I can’t find Luna OS’s privacy policy anywhere.
Many big-name manufacturers, like Samsung, handle ship-in.
Low ANSI Lumens
At 800 ANSI lumens, you might think the O1 isn’t daylight visible.
That is and isn’t true.
At its “optimal” 80-inch screen size, its daylight images are faint.
But you’re free to increase brightness by moving the projector closer to the screen.
Odd enough, JMGO lists the O1’s minimum screen size as being 60 inches.
It’s more like 45-inches diagonally.
And at 45 inches, it’s usable during the day, although not in direct sunlight.
While the results are almost indistinguishable from a 1080P display, it’s technically not 1080P.
Should You Buy the JMGO O1 UST Projector?
It offers great features and has low-noise production, strong hardware, and competitive pricing.
But if you don’t need to save space, you’re better off with a cheaper projector.
Most people can get away with a short-throw or long-throw projector.
Both of which cost a lot less than UST.
