Product test
HU85LS: hands-on experience with LG’s perfect projector
by Luca Fontana
LG HU70LS tested: A great 4K projector
28.2.2020
Translation: machine translated
To enjoy a cinema atmosphere at home, you need more than just popcorn. A projector, for example, provides a good picture. If you don't want to compromise here, you need a quiet, compact device with a sharp, large picture and expressive colours. The HU70LS from LG really does tick almost all the boxes here.
The projector can be used anywhere: outdoors (protected of course and depending on the temperature), indoors, close to the wall, far away, on the table, mounted on the ceiling or directed at the ceiling. It supports various picture modes such as cinema, games, sports and has a setting for bright or dark rooms, so you can find the optimal presets for every programme and every location.
Design and connections
On the rear of the LG HU70LS there are two HDMI ports (1 x with ARC), a slot for USB-C and two for USB-A, an optical output (S/PDIF), an audio output (3.5 mm jack), a LAN port (RJ45) and the connection for the power supply and the Kensington lock.
Saturated colours, sharp picture
The brightness of this model is 1500 lumens. According to LG, the built-in LED technology should last 30,000 hours. A conventional projector lamp usually gets dimmer after around 1000 hours and gives up the ghost after 2500 to 5000 hours.
Overall, the picture is really good. Only the contrast of the HU70LS is not perfect. The black level is rather greyish, which gives the impression of a slight veil of fog. This is particularly noticeable in dark film scenes, but is only unforgivable if you attach great importance to perfect black. In direct comparison with a television, however, the projector image loses out significantly.
Quiet films are enjoyable!
What always bothers me most about projectors is the volume of the fan. When it turns up, any exciting film with quiet passages is ruined. But with the LG HU70LS, I was able to watch films or play video games without being torn out by the fan. The manufacturer specifies a volume of 25 to 30 decibels, which corresponds to a quiet room. In practice, I can hear the device when I concentrate on it, but it's definitely not distracting.
I also really liked the option of setting up the projector vertically. That way, you can project an episode of your favourite series onto the ceiling above your bed in the bedroom before you fall asleep. Two integrated 3-watt speakers reproduce the sound if you haven't connected the HU70LS to your sound system. But here you only get tin can sound. Bluetooth speakers or headphones are the better choice.
WebOS 4.5
You can conveniently control the pre-installed WebOS 4.5 operating system via remote control. If you connect the projector to your internet via LAN or Wi-Fi, you can stream directly via apps such as Netflix, YouTube and more. You can also connect all audio Bluetooth devices and your smartphone or Windows computer via Miracast to stream videos and photos directly to the big screen.
Conclusion: More black, please
The Cinebeam HU70LS Largo 4K from LG is fun and definitely worth the price. The picture is large and sharp, the colours look natural. Only the blacks look more like dark grey, which has a negative effect on the contrast. The LED projector is quiet in operation and the user interface makes it child's play to use. The only thing missing for the perfect cinema experience is the right sound system. The projector is compatible with Dolby Atmos systems, among others.
Most of the time I'm living between bits and bytes, testing alternative Android operating systems and trying to make my life smarter with Open Source technology - always with a focus on privacy and data protection. When I'm not testing cool gadgets, I'm developing video games, writing stories and playing the accordion.
