The Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector projects a beautiful picture within a simplistic design. But while you can use it outside, it’s more fitting for indoor use.
Projectors are great for a movie night or bingeing a show with others. You can increase or decrease the screen size, which creates easier viewing with less strain on your eyes.
Additionally, while televisions emit light, projectors reflect off them, resulting in better comfort and less eye strain.
It’s also great for outdoor viewing parties when gathering around the fire, making s’mores, or having a BBQ. It adds a layer of entertainment that everyone can enjoy.
But while you can use the SP005 outside, keeping it within the house for your home theater is better.
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector — Big and simple design
The Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector doesn’t shy away from being big and bulky. The projector embraces its large size with its huge lens and singular power button.
Measuring 11.4 x 11.3 x 7.1 inches and weighing 8.99 pounds, the SP005 is not the smallest or lightest projector on the market. This makes it difficult to take around when wanting to use it in different locations.
On both sides of the projector are 12W 3D speakers that provide immersive sound when viewing content. However, don’t confuse this with Dolby Atmos, which the SP005 doesn’t support.
We connected an Apple TV 4K to the projector, and when we went to play a song compatible with Dolby Atmos, it wouldn’t play. To double-check this, we played music not offered in Dolby Atmos, which played regularly.
Multiple ports on the back help you connect various devices to the projector. These ports consist of:
- One Ethernet LAN port
- Two USB-A ports
- Two HDMI 2.1 ports
- One 3.5mm audio jack
- One USB-C port
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector review: Various ports behind the projector
While there is an Ethernet port, you can still wirelessly connect to the internet, which supports WiFi 6. But when entering your network’s password, you may find it challenging to confirm it. We had to exit and reenter our password multiple times because the system would only let us select “Cancel” instead of “Confirm.”
A giant lens on the front automatically focuses the projector every time you power it. If you want to fine-tune it — or want the projector to refocus again — there are specific buttons on the remote to perform those actions.
The lens has an LED battery life of up to 40,000 hours of continuous use. This equals roughly 4.5 years.
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector review: Projector actively projecting media
When in use, the projector may reach operating noises of 40 dB. This is due to the intelligent temperature system and the three low-decibel cooling fans built into the design. All of this results in the projector operating quietly with minimal noise.
Additionally, the SP005 will range between 32 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit when operating. But it’ll automatically shut off if it reaches 176 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the projector is not water or dust-resistant, Paris Rhone suggests using it at night or in a shaded area if you want to use it outside. This will allow you to get the best operating experience.
With multiple ports on the rear of the Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector, there are different ways to project media, wired and wirelessly.
You can connect your device to either one of the HDMI ports — which can reach 48 Gbps — or the USB-C port. Additionally, if you’re plugging in a streaming box, you can set the SP005 to switch to it when turning the projector on.
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector review: Home screen from Android 9.0
If you decide to go the wireless route, you can connect your devices to the projector through a Bluetooth and WiFi connection. The integrated Android 9.0 operating system allows you to change these settings without a hassle.
One interesting tidbit we discovered is that the projector is equipped with HappyCast. This name may not sound familiar to most, but it’s a program that allows you to stream and share content wirelessly through AirPlay.
Select the projector through the same menu as your other AirPlay-compatible devices to utilize it. An Apple TV logo will accompany its name.
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector review: HappyCast music player
HappyCast will not show the typical AirPlay layout for media, but you can control it the same way. You can stream different media and mirror your device to the SP005.
Unfortunately, while streaming music usually worked, we couldn’t get videos to play through HappyCast. We tried different videos and restarted our devices, but it still wouldn’t work.
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector — A beautiful picture for any size
The picture displayed through the Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector is beautiful by showcasing immersive detail, regardless of screen size.
When projecting, media will be shown in 4K UHD (Ultra High Definition) — if applicable — with a 1600:1 contrast ratio and 1.37:1 throw ratio. The SP005 also has an LCD with a white LED light source.
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector review: 4K media being projected
Accompanying the 4K UHD picture is HDR 10+, which supports up to 600 ultra-bright ANSI lumens. It supports resolutions as high as 3840 x 2160.
One annoyance many projector owners may have is that moving the projector slightly will cause it to lose focus. The SP005 has autofocus built in and will automatically refocus itself if the projector is moved in any way.
However, while this is convenient, it takes away from what is currently playing by showcasing the screen it uses to refocus itself. Although, we didn’t have it frequently happen unless we purposely moved the SP005.
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector review: Screen shown when focusing image
The SP005 is also equipped with 40-degree keystone correction, which will automatically adjust the image shape, and obstacle avoidance, which automatically detects and avoids obstacles within viewing range.
The SP005 can support projection sizes between 60 and 200 inches.
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector — The only controller
The Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector includes a standard remote to control every aspect of the projector. But be careful because this remote is the only way to navigate through it.
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector review: Projector’s remote
While other projectors may have direction buttons on their exterior design, the SP005 only has a power button to turn it on and off.
On the top of the remote are buttons for power, changing the input, quickly accessing Bluetooth, and navigating to the settings menu. Below it is a standard directional pad with a selector in the middle.
Located beneath the directional pad are buttons to return to the previous menu, return to the home screen, and bring out a side menu — allowing you to change the picture and audio settings easily.
Below are buttons allowing you to change the focus of the projected picture. You can increase or decrease the focus point or have the SP005 atomically refocus itself.
When using the remote, you must point it at the projector for it to register the actions. If you just point the remote at the projected screen, it won’t do anything.
The box does not have two AAA batteries to power the remote, but it has an HDMI cable.
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector — Big design with immense projecting detail
The Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector is a great home theatre companion. It projects detailed and precise content while producing minimal noise to avoid interrupting what you’re watching.
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector review: Stationed
Our time with the SP005 has been enjoyable overall, providing a beautiful image and immersive sound. But although the quality was impressive, being unable to listen to Dolby Atmos compatible music — even after being turned off — resulted in us switching back to our HomePod mini as the main speaker.
While you’ll get the best viewing experience with the lights off, the picture was still well-detailed and not as severely washed out when a lamp was on. Additionally, when viewing 4K media, the image is crisp no matter where you view it — if it is a couple of feet back or relatively close.
One area that does need some fine-tuning would be how you control the projector. While the remote works great, only being able to control the project with it makes it virtually useless if you lose the remote or it stops working. We would love to see control buttons added so the projector can still be used if something happens to the remote.
The Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector is an excellent choice if you are looking for a good projector for your at-home theatre setup. However, we suggest looking at different options if you are looking for a portable projector.
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector — Pros
- Beautiful image
- Rich sound from speakers
- Minimalistic operating noise
- Supports AirPlay with HappyCast
Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector — Cons
- Content disappears when the image refocuses
- Cannot control without remote
- Doesn’t support Dolby Atmos music
Rating: 4 out of 5
Where to purchase the Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector
You can purchase the Paris Rhone SP005 True 4K Ultra HD Projector from its website for $699. It’s only available in black.
It’s also available on Amazon for $799. It’s still only available in black.
This story originally appeared on Appleinsider
