The Kodak Flik X10 ($139.99) is among the least-expensive 1080p residence leisure mini projectors we have examined, however the operative phrase right here is cheap, not low-cost. The X10 presents impressively good match and end for the worth. And though its brightness, rated at 150 ANSI lumens, is low sufficient to make it greatest restricted to a comparatively small display screen measurement—and ideally a darkish room or dim lighting—it presents a quite-watchable image with respectable coloration accuracy and better-than-merely-decent distinction and shadow element. The mixture makes it a sensible choice for tight budgets or as a reasonable second projector for infrequent gaming or watching a film, whether or not indoors or within the yard.
Simply the Fundamentals
The X10 is comparable in design to any variety of different residence leisure mini projectors that vary in value from rather less than Kodak’s asking for the X10 to greater than twice as a lot. They embrace the Vankyo Leisure 470 on the low finish of the vary, and the Vankyo Efficiency V700W on the excessive finish. The place the X10 differs from the dearer competitors is in what it does not supply. The V700W, for instance is far brighter and has extra strong audio, whereas Kodak’s personal Flik HD10 presents totally built-in Android TV for streaming. The X10 sticks to a decrease brightness degree and fundamental options solely, missing built-in streaming help.
What these projectors all have in widespread is a local 1080p decision, courtesy of a single giant LCD that provides purple, inexperienced, and blue filters over particular person cells. Every triad of purple, inexperienced, and blue serves as a single pixel. (A 5,760-by-1,080 matrix of cells, with three cells per pixel, works out to a 1,920-by-1,080-pixel decision.) In addition they every use a white LED gentle supply, which is supposed to final the lifetime of the projector—20,000 hours for the X10. Projecting all three main colours without delay ensures that vibrant areas will not break up into little rainbows whenever you transfer your eye or one thing strikes on display screen, which is a possible difficulty for single-chip fashions that undertaking the primaries in sequence as a substitute, as is typical for DLP-based projectors.
The X10 measures simply 3.5 by 7.7 by 7.7 inches (HWD) and weighs 2.3 kilos, making it simple to maneuver it from place to position as wanted. Setup consists of little greater than connecting the ability twine and video supply, pointing the lens at no matter you are utilizing for a display screen, and focusing. The connectors—two HDMI 1.4 ports for video sources and a USB port for studying recordsdata from USB reminiscence or powering a streaming dongle in one of many HDMI ports— are all on the again panel.
As is typical for mini projectors, adjusting picture measurement is greatest achieved by transferring the projector. There is not any optical zoom, and the digital zoom is greatest averted. Utilizing it might decrease the brightness, and the rated 150 ANSI lumens is already low sufficient to severely restrict how giant a picture you need to use. One uncommon contact is an adjustable mirror, reasonably than digital changes, for eradicating vertical keystone distortion. This allows you to appropriate for keystone points with out hurting brightness, however in my checks, adjusting the mirror by various levels made it unimaginable to keep up focus over all the display screen.
The onboard audio system, which presents twin 3-watt audio system, delivers usable high quality at a quantity appropriate for a small-to-midsize household room. For increased quantity or higher high quality, you possibly can join an exterior sound system utilizing the three.5mm audio-out port.
Testing the Flik X10: Combined Outcomes for Picture High quality
The X10 menu presents three predefined image modes. The one choice for modifying any of them is altering the colour temperature, with selections of Heat, Cool, and Customary. There’s not even a setting for brightness or distinction. Some preliminary checks rapidly confirmed that Customary mode had each essentially the most acceptable brightness and distinction ranges, and the most effective coloration accuracy, making it the apparent alternative for my viewing checks.
When viewing in a darkish room, colours weren’t fairly as saturated as they need to be, giving them a little bit of a light look, however hues had been typically near correct, making the colour tolerable or higher for informal viewing, relying on how choosy you’re. Equally, the image appeared slightly grainy, however not by sufficient to be a significant issue. Distinction and shadow element had been surprisingly good. Darkish scenes in our check suite misplaced a number of the shadow element I do know is in them, however the X10 saved excess of the minimal wanted to make out what was occurring, and it even maintained a great sense of three dimensionality and far of the visible affect within the scenes. Even in a low degree of ambient gentle, with one ground lamp turned on, the darkish scenes had been fairly watchable, although considerably washed out.
As you would possibly count on at this value, the X10 does not help 3D, HDR, or 4K enter. Nevertheless, it has a brief sufficient lag time to fulfill most informal players. I timed it with a Bodnar meter at 25.7 milliseconds for 1080p/60Hz enter.
In my checks, the X10 delivered roughly the anticipated picture brightness for the score. Following the Society of Movement Image and Tv Engineers (SMPTE) suggestions, when utilizing a 1.0-gain display screen in a darkish room, 150 ANSI lumens ought to be vibrant sufficient for a 47-to-64-inch 16:9 picture (measured diagonally). I discovered that with my most well-liked settings, it gave me a comfortably vibrant picture for prolonged viewing on a 56-inch-diagonal display screen and—as already indicated—the picture even held up pretty nicely at that measurement after I turned on a ground lamp.
Verdict: A Tempting Alternative for a Slim Area of interest
The Kodak Flik X10 cannot provide you with a vibrant picture on the giant measurement a brighter mannequin can ship. However in case you’re searching for one thing to offer you a display screen measurement akin to that of a flat-screen TV, and which you could simply carry from room to room, to a weekend getaway, or to the yard, it might simply fill that function.
In case you’re contemplating the X10 primarily due to its low value, you’ll want to additionally check out the Vankyo Leisure 470, which has a better listing value than the X10, however at present sells for rather less and provides the flexibility to attach by way of Wi-Fi to reflect Android and iOS units. In case your finances can stretch a bit, additionally contemplate the Vankyo Efficiency V700W, which presents notably increased brightness in addition to extra strong audio, or the Kodak Flik HD10, which incorporates built-in Android TV help.
That mentioned, the Flik X10’s low value could make it a great cheap alternative, together with as a useful second projector that can allow you to depart your dearer mannequin in its everlasting setup undisturbed whenever you want an occasional advert hoc setup.
