Dangbei Mars 1080P Full HD Projector Review - PAGE 1

Dangbei Mars 1080P DLP Projector Introduction

The Dangbei Mars is a 1080p laser DLP projector offering up to a 180-inch image at 2100 ISO Lumens, HLG and HDR10 format support, and dual 10W Dolby Audio speakers. The Mars offers higher performance compared the portable Neo model I reviewed in June, and is also available in a Pro variant capable of multi-directional 3D playback at 4K resolution and 3200 ANSI Lumens.

The Mars has all of the same features found on the Neo, including auto keystone correction and auto focus. with a 30,000 hours light source lifespan. The Mars has 8GB eMMC5.1 storage, 1GB of DDR4 RAM, and uses a Linux-based operating system that is more responsive versus Android. The Mars and Mars Pro add an eye protection feature that can dim the screen if movement is detected in front of it to help protect the eyes of any passersby.

You can find the Dangbei Mars on Amazon for $999.99 USD with a $100 coupon at the time of writing, while the Pro version is priced at $1,274.29.

Dangbei Mars 1080P DLP Projector Closer Look

The Dangbei Mars comes double boxed for shipping. Bundled accessories include the power brick, remote, a PTZ sticker if you use a camera tripod or similar, a microfiber cloth, and user documentation.

The Mars is a much larger projector than the Neo, but I would still consider it to be very portable. The front has an off-center lens, with sensors to the left for automatic keystone/focus functions. The back of the projector offers several input/output connections: dual USB ports (5V 1A), an HDMI/ARC port, a regular HDMI port, an S/PDIF optical audio port, a LAN port for wired connections (the Mars also supports Dual-band 2.4/5GHz and 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi), and the DC power port.

The top of the Mars has a single power button near the rear. Four feet at the bottom provide stability, and the projector also features a ¼” PTZ mount which could be used with a camera tripod or other mounting solutions. One side of the projector displays an RG2 warning. RG2 stands for Risk Group 2, which falls in a range of ratings for retinal injury from laser illuminated projectors: RG0 is relatively the safest, while RG2 is safe with aversion responses if you keep exposure under 0.25s to avoid the retinal thermal exposure limit. RG3 projectors are basically professional-grade only, and are to be designed to be mounted above viewers to avoid direct eye contact. The other side has a Dolby Audio icon.

Dangbei Mars 1080P DLP Projector Features

Information Courtesy of Dangbei @ https://us.dangbei.com/products/dangbei-mars-1080p-laser-projector-with-native-netflix

Dangbei Mars 1080P DLP Projector Setup and Experience

The PTZ washer allows the Mars feel very solid when mounted on a camera tripod, and I was able to adjust the projector all about while maintaining stability. The Auto-keystone works alright. It won’t work if you try to set the projector up at extreme angles, but you can manually adjust it as desired; if you’re close to squared up with the screen, then the projector will adjust the image as needed! The Auto Focus feature worked great for me, as the projector automatically lined up with the bottom corner of the screen even when I manually adjusted the keystone for testing.

Initial setup:

Settings, Auto-Keystone, Auto-focus:

Media:

The photos do not give the Mars display justice. The media is extremely vivid and high-quality, and the laser maintains proper brightness even while ambient lights are on, and potentially during daylight depending on your home layout. The image was good enough for me to be enjoyable in indirect sunlight throughout the day, although it did lose out on dark scenes since the background was washed out in these scenarios.

Dangbei Mars 1080P DLP Projector Conclusion

The Dangbei Mars is a powerful projector that provides a beautiful and vivid image while remaining quiet during operation. The brightness is great, although if your environment tends to have a lot of ambient light then you may want to opt for the even brighter Mars Pro model. The sound quality is great on the Mars, and you can een use it as a sound bar or pair it to one over Bluetooth. The wireless connection is solid, and the USB ports worked great for playing back a variety of media from external storage. The only potential issue is that app support is limited; there is an app store where you can get Plex, but less popular apps like Emby or Jellyfish won’t be available. You could still easily add a device to the HDMI port if you require more options. Netflix of course works great, as does Amazon Prime and YouTube. The Linux operating system is very fast, and the features and included apps all worked. The Open browser works well, and is serviceable with the included remote but will work even better with a USB wireless keyboard/mouse unit.

If you want a high-quality FHD projector experience without breaking the bank, it is hard to beat the price-to-performance of the Dangbei Mars.