CHRISTIE LWU530-APS LASER PROJECTOR REVIEW - SPECIAL FEATURES

Christie LWU530-APS Projector Review-Special Features:  Laser Light Engine, HDBaseT and 3G-SDI, Content Over IP, Network Management Tools, DICOM Simulation, Split Screen

The Christie LWU530-APS utilizes a dual blue laser light engine. One blue laser ultimately hits a phosphor wheel to generate red and yellow beams, while the other blue laser handles the blue component. As with all 3LCD projectors a dichroic prism is used to re-assemble the three different colors into a single full color image.

Christie rates their laser light engine for 20,000 hours at full power. There are four modes to adjust the brightness output of the laser light source:

• Normal which sets the brightness to maximum, which is ideal for conference rooms, mid-size auditoriums, lecture halls, etc. For maximum flexibility, the Light Output can be adjusted in 1% increments.
• Light 75% sets brightness to 75% of full power and adjusts cooling to extend the life of the laser light source.
• Light 50% also sets the brightness to 50% and adjusts cooling to extend the life of the laser light source. In this mode the LWU530 laser lamp is rated for 50,000 hours.
• Quiet Mode lowers brightness and reduces the fan speed which dramatically reduces fan noise. This is great for quiet environments like libraries, museums, and art galleries. I used this mode for most of my viewing in my home theater. When set to quiet mode, the fan noise was barely louder than my reference theater projector while delivering nearly 3 times the brightness.

If the Dynamic Black feature is engaged, whenever the LHD530 encounters a “black frame” of information, it can shut down the laser engine completely projecting a true black frame. Another benefit is that power consumption is greatly reduced when this feature is implemented.

The LWU530 is compatible with HDBaseT which lets you send a HDMI signal a distance of up to 100 meters (about 328 feet) over a low cost CAT5e/CAT6 wire. The LWU530 can support up to 4K@30p via HDBaseT. The cost savings of utilizing HDBaseT instead of HDMI can be significant which makes this a very compelling feature for many installations.

The ability to transmit content over IP is a useful feature in many applications where computers and projectors are networked -- for example in business settings or schools. In the past, the only way to show content from a computer or video source on a projector was to physically connect them. This feature makes it easier to project content from a laptop on one side of the room on a LWU530 located on the other.

The LWU530 can also access and present images directly over the network. The LiveViewer software is designed for Windows users. Mobile devices (iOS and Android) can also be utilized via Christie QuickConnect. You can access content from PCs and mobile devices. In order to wirelessly connect the LWU-530 to a network, an optional wireless (2.4GHz and 5GHz) module is required. This is a useful feature for classrooms, video conferencing environments, houses of worship, training rooms, etc.

You can control a LWU530-APS using a compatible web browser. There are two types of interfaces available, Christies’ “Projector Web Control” app or “Crestron e-Control^®” which is a 3rd party control system. Both allows you remote access the projector and the ability to control things like input, adjustments, and test patterns.

You can adjust or control the projector via a network from a web browser like Microsoft^® Edge or Internet Explorer^® 1.1 on a computer connected to the same network.

In addition to basic control, you can check the status of single or multiple networked projectors and perform various projector operations from your computer. You can also select individual projectors or projector groups to check detailed information such as the usage hours of the projector light source, the current input source and any current errors or warnings.

You can even set up a networked LWU530-APS projector to send you an e-mail alert if there is a problem.

The Christie LWU530-APS has a DICOM simulation color mode which is designed to present medical images – such as X-rays, CAT-scans, MRI’s, PETs etc., with enough contrast, detail and quality along with minimal noise for use in medical schools, at medical conferences, and for education purposes, etc.

DICOM Simulation is not high enough quality nor intended to be used as a substitute for doctors reading original medical films. However, it is ideal to be used in a classrooms or teaching settings for training doctors, nurses, and technicians.

While split screen capability is fairly basic compared to some of the other features, it is still worth discussing. The LWU530-APS can project two sources in two similar-sized windows (PbyP) or you can also make one window larger than the other (PiP). Unlike many projectors claiming split screen, both sources can be live content (i.e. video). Once you have selected the two desired video inputs, you can quickly switch the images from left to right, change the sizes, and switch which sound source to output.