Tech Talk: A superb home theatre experience with the Dangbei Mars Laser Projector

Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Recently I reviewed the N1 projector by Emotn, an amazing device which evoked memories of the day I borrowed a device from work to screen a back garden evening film for my son's birthday celebrations, a bedsheet acting as a makeshift screen as his seven-year-old party pals, can of Coke and pizza slice in hand, looked on in wide-eyed amazement.

Projectors have moved on so much since those days 13 years ago, and I waxed lyrical about the N1 - the only observation being that the projector, like most, really needs a darkened room or a moonlit garden, in order to be seen as clearly as a backlit TV screen, and so not something you could probably use all of the time.

Enter the Mars, from Emotn parent company Dangbei, a premium provider of smart large-screen services and a specialist in designing and developing software matrix, operating systems, smart projectors and more.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And now (and I also have to say Wow!) all boxes are fully ticked. A full HD (1080p) laser home projector, the Dangbei Mars features advanced ALPD® (Advanced Laser Phosphor Display) technology, delivering an impressive HD resolution and a brightness I was immediately flabbergasted with on first switch-on.

The Dangbei Mars Laser ProjectorThe Dangbei Mars Laser Projector
The Dangbei Mars Laser Projector

Even with a projection size of a whopping 180 inches (or 15 feet!) the Mars holds its brightness. Believe me, daytime viewing is not a problem, not with an eye-watering 2,100 ISO lumens of brightness, powered by an ultra-bright laser light source that can last up to 30,000 hours.

With various super-intelligent automatic setup features that instantly transform the image to a perfect square shape (Keystone correction technology), the Mars is a versatile home theatre. Unlike RGB lasers that may produce a speckle effect, the Mars prioritises the comfort of viewers and delivers a speckle-free experience. HDR10 technology also gives lighter whites, darker blacks and a whole gamut of vibrant colours in between.

With AI Brightness Adjustment, the viewing experience adapts to any lighting environment, autofocus makes things simple, and the Mars even incorporates Obstacle Avoidance technology - so the projection will avoid the picture of Auntie Jean on the wall!

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Mars features two built-in 10W speakers that support Dolby Audio and DTS-HD, providing an immersive sound experience, but you can also Bluetooth to your own speakers if needed.

The connections at the rear of the Dangbei Mars Laser ProjectorThe connections at the rear of the Dangbei Mars Laser Projector
The connections at the rear of the Dangbei Mars Laser Projector

The Mars setup is almost identical to that of the N1, so you may have feelings of deja vu as I crib from before - no sense in reinventing the wheel!

Inside the box is the gleaming and glossy black Mars projector, a power cord, transformer, remote control and a small start-up manual.Connecting to the wifi is straightforward, with a keyboard appearing on screen with which to navigate through via the remote. Once connected, subscription details to Netflix and Amazon (if you have them) can be input in the same way. YouTube can be set up too so have your required Google password and username details handy.

The remote control features hotkeys for these three main video services allowing you to access their go-to apps with a single press.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad