Vivitek HK2288 4K UHD Home Theater Projector Review – Hardware

Posted on February 6, 2018 by Art Feierman

Vivitek HK2288 4K UHD Home Theater Projector Review – Hardware: Overview, Inputs and Connectors, Lens

Overview

Our look at the physical Vivitek HK2288 begins up front. The recessed 1.5:1 manual zoom lens is offset to the right (if you are facing the projector). Just to its left is the front IR sensor for the remote control. Note that the original sample unit had a problem possibly with the front IR sensor, but even this unit isn’t great, either, but probably will be just fine in most setups.

The HK2288 is finished in white. The otherwise identical HK2299 comes in black.

A top down look at the recessed lens control area of the HK2288, HK2299 projectors. Seen here: Zoom and lens shift. (Focus control is in the front).

The 1.5:1 manual zoom lens performs well. It offers a fairly typical amount of zoom range. with most 4K UHD projectors offering between 1.2:1 and 1.6:1 zooms.

A healthy selection of inputs, including a healthy number of HDMI inputs (3).

The Vivitek HK2299, HK2288 Control panel. It is located on the back of the projector

❮ ❯

Below the front are two adjustable thread front (the rear feet are fixed). Hot air vents out the left side (if you are facing the projector). There is a tab around the lens for the focus, while on the top, behind the lens, and also recessed, are the Zoom and Lens Shift controls. The lens shift dial provides a modest amount of lens shift, but enough so that it can be very handy.

On the top of the HK2288 – and the HK2299 – you will also find the usual three LED indicator lights for Power, Temp, and Lamp.

Pretty much everything else is found on the back of this Vivitek – that is, the Control Panel and all the Inputs and other connectors.

While many projectors put the control panel on the top, Vivitek goes with the back which, also like control panels on the side, tend to be preferred by installers. That makes sense, as I would expect a lot of these HK2288s and HK2299 projectors will be ceiling mounted.

Inputs and Connectors

As already mentioned, there are three HDMI inputs, but also a few other connectors.

From the left side: First is a stereo min-jack for Audio Out. Next over is the rear IR sensor for the remote control. Then comes a USB port for providing 5-volt power. That could come in handy for some HDMI mobile devices that need separate power sources. Next to it is a mini-USB, which should function as a service port. I’m not clear on that, however, the documentation only says that it’s to hook up USB from a computer.

Along those lines, the next connector is an RS-232C serial port (DB9 connector), for old-school “command and control.”

Then come the serious inputs – HDMI 1, 2, and 3. All have HDMI 2.0 rather than having one that is HDMI 1.4, just in case there are issues with very old HDMI sources. I don’t have a problem with that.

That’s it, except for the power cord receptacle and a security bar.

The HK2288 Lens

A 1.5:1 zoom ratio provides very good flexibility, although for most folks that’s not enough range to place the projector on a rear shelf (unless your screen is very large and your distance to the back wall, short). That’s most likely to happen if you are putting the screen on a long wall, rather than a short one.

On the other hand, although the Vivitek’s lens shift isn’t near as great as some 3LCD projectors, it is a significant amount for table top or ceiling mounting when you don’t have an unusually high ceiling (such as a cathedral type ceiling).

Overall sharpness of the lens (we only observe, not measure) seems a bit better than some of the other low cost 4K UHD projectors. I thought the edge to corner sharpness of the HK2288 to be a touch better than, say, the Optoma UHD65, which I compared it to, side by side. We’re quibbling, however. One thing I really liked is that I detected no de-focusing at all as the projector warmed up. Kudos for that. All lenses will roll off a bit in brightness in the corners, but again, the Vivitek seemed to be one of the projectors with better optical performance, with less dimness than some others.

I watched much of Valerian in 4K UHD last night and was overall pleased with the sharpness.

Lens Throw

For the proverbial 100” 16:9 screen:

Placement	Distance
Closest (from lens to screen):	10 feet 1 inch
Furthest:	15 feet 2 inches

Lens Shift

The image can be shifted up 15% or down 10% (so, if ceiling mounted, inverted, you can drop the image 15%, or raise it 10%).

For a 100” 16x9 screen that 15% represents 15% of about 49.5 inches of screen height, which works out to a bit less than 7.5 inches.

An example: For that 100” screen, ceiling mounted, the center of the lens, can be placed almost 7.5 inches above the top of the screen’s surface.

(Numbers based on information provided in the User guide)

Vivitek HK2288 4K UHD Home Theater Projector Review – Hardware: Overview, Inputs and Connectors, Lens

Overview

Our look at the physical Vivitek HK2288 begins up front. The recessed 1.5:1 manual zoom lens is offset to the right (if you are facing the projector). Just to its left is the front IR sensor for the remote control. Note that the original sample unit had a problem possibly with the front IR sensor, but even this unit isn’t great, either, but probably will be just fine in most setups.

The HK2288 is finished in white. The otherwise identical HK2299 comes in black.

A top down look at the recessed lens control area of the HK2288, HK2299 projectors. Seen here: Zoom and lens shift. (Focus control is in the front).

The 1.5:1 manual zoom lens performs well. It offers a fairly typical amount of zoom range. with most 4K UHD projectors offering between 1.2:1 and 1.6:1 zooms.

A healthy selection of inputs, including a healthy number of HDMI inputs (3).

The Vivitek HK2299, HK2288 Control panel. It is located on the back of the projector

❮ ❯

Below the front are two adjustable thread front (the rear feet are fixed). Hot air vents out the left side (if you are facing the projector). There is a tab around the lens for the focus, while on the top, behind the lens, and also recessed, are the Zoom and Lens Shift controls. The lens shift dial provides a modest amount of lens shift, but enough so that it can be very handy.

On the top of the HK2288 – and the HK2299 – you will also find the usual three LED indicator lights for Power, Temp, and Lamp.

Pretty much everything else is found on the back of this Vivitek – that is, the Control Panel and all the Inputs and other connectors.

While many projectors put the control panel on the top, Vivitek goes with the back which, also like control panels on the side, tend to be preferred by installers. That makes sense, as I would expect a lot of these HK2288s and HK2299 projectors will be ceiling mounted.

Inputs and Connectors

As already mentioned, there are three HDMI inputs, but also a few other connectors.

From the left side: First is a stereo min-jack for Audio Out. Next over is the rear IR sensor for the remote control. Then comes a USB port for providing 5-volt power. That could come in handy for some HDMI mobile devices that need separate power sources. Next to it is a mini-USB, which should function as a service port. I’m not clear on that, however, the documentation only says that it’s to hook up USB from a computer.

Along those lines, the next connector is an RS-232C serial port (DB9 connector), for old-school “command and control.”

Then come the serious inputs – HDMI 1, 2, and 3. All have HDMI 2.0 rather than having one that is HDMI 1.4, just in case there are issues with very old HDMI sources. I don’t have a problem with that.

That’s it, except for the power cord receptacle and a security bar.

The HK2288 Lens

A 1.5:1 zoom ratio provides very good flexibility, although for most folks that’s not enough range to place the projector on a rear shelf (unless your screen is very large and your distance to the back wall, short). That’s most likely to happen if you are putting the screen on a long wall, rather than a short one.

On the other hand, although the Vivitek’s lens shift isn’t near as great as some 3LCD projectors, it is a significant amount for table top or ceiling mounting when you don’t have an unusually high ceiling (such as a cathedral type ceiling).

Overall sharpness of the lens (we only observe, not measure) seems a bit better than some of the other low cost 4K UHD projectors. I thought the edge to corner sharpness of the HK2288 to be a touch better than, say, the Optoma UHD65, which I compared it to, side by side. We’re quibbling, however. One thing I really liked is that I detected no de-focusing at all as the projector warmed up. Kudos for that. All lenses will roll off a bit in brightness in the corners, but again, the Vivitek seemed to be one of the projectors with better optical performance, with less dimness than some others.

I watched much of Valerian in 4K UHD last night and was overall pleased with the sharpness.

Lens Throw

For the proverbial 100” 16:9 screen: