Philips Screeneo U4 Ultra-Short-Throw 4LED Projector Review – Hardware

CHASSIS

The Philips Screeneo U4 chassis is modern looking and compact. The Screeneo U4 dimensions are 4.8-inches wide x 8.8-inches deep x 3.2-inches high. The projector only weighs 3 pounds. Its compact size and light weight make it easily transportable if you wish to take it on the road with you. When looking at the projector from the rear while sitting on a table or tripod, the projector pulls in air from the right side and exhausts warm air on the left side.

CONNECTIONS

Most of the connections and inputs are located on the front (the side facing the projection surface) of the Screeneo U4. The chassis has dual HDMI 2.1 ports. HDMI port one is located on the right side of the chassis. HDMI port two is located on the front of the chassis and has an Audio Return Channel (ARC). The Philips Screeneo U4 has an integrated audio system; however, some end-users may want to attach it to a soundbar or an AV Receiver to take advantage of high-quality sound utilizing the Screeneo U4’s ARC.

In addition, the Screeneo U4 has a 3.5mm audio output jack, an AC power jack, and a USB Type-A port (Power supply, 5V/1.5A). I used the Screeneo U4’s USB Type-A port to provide the power I needed to use a dummy battery (DC Coupler) in my Sony ZV-1 digital camera. The port provided continuous and stable power to my digital camera for hours and hours, so I did not have to swap out rechargeable batteries in the camera while taking photos for this review.

CONTROL PANEL & REMOTE CONTROL

The Screeneo U4 chassis has no control panel other than a power on/off button and two Bluetooth 5.0 connect buttons. Therefore, if you misplace the remote control, you will not have any control of the projector.

The remote control has all the buttons you would expect to find on a projector remote control. These buttons include Power On/Off, Source, Select Input Source, Auto Focus, D-pad with an “OK” button, Back, Homepage, Settings, Volume, Mute, Bluetooth, Brightness, and a Picture Preset button. The only thing missing from the remote control is backlighting. Finding and using the correct remote control buttons in the dark is difficult.

LENS

The Screeneo U4’s lens is located in a small window recessed on the projector’s top. It can be digitally manually focused or autofocused utilizing the included remote control. The lens can also be digitally zoomed in and out. The optical systems of a UST projector like the Screeneo U4 differ from traditional projectors. Typically, a UST optical system uses a complex series of mirrors to project images at steep, extreme angles. UST projectors spread the light out from the lens when sitting on a tabletop (or when mounted to the ceiling). The light travels only a few degrees above horizontal at the far lower right and left. However, light also exits the projector lens from just above horizontal to fully vertical at almost every angle. Therefore, light is projected over an arc of nearly 180 degrees. Even when placing the projector inches away, the Screeneo U4 does a good job of spreading light evenly across the screen.

With a 0.25:1 throw ratio, the Philips Screeneo U4 projector provides a cinematic experience with the convenience of ultra-short-throw projection. At only 7.7-inches or 12-inches away from a projection screen or wall, the Screeneo U4 can project a 60-inch or 80-inch image, respectively. Keep in mind that the distance from the projector lens to the projection surface, the video format, and the zoom setting all play a factor in the projected image quality and size. In addition, the Screeneo U4 delivers Full HD (1080p) resolution images with Rec. 709 color gamut compatibility and HDR10 support.

MENUS

The Screeneo U4’s Homepage button brings you directly to the projector’s home screen. You can access HDMI port 1, HDMI port 2 (ARC), and the media player from the Homepage. Speaking of the integrated media player, projectors with built-in media players are becoming more common these days. In addition, the Screeneo U4’s media player supports externally connected devices like a USB HDD and USB memory sticks.

Pressing the Settings button on the remote control brings up menus for numerous functions like Brightness Mode, Picture Preset, Sound Preset, HDR Brightness, Color Temperature, Geometry Corrections, and Firmware Upgrade.