After the success of the Hisense C1, the Chinese manufacturer has widened its range with several variations: C2, C2 Pro and C2 Ultra. The model that interests us here, the Hisense C2, is positioned as the direct heir to the C1. It takes up the same 0.47 inch DLP chip and an ultra HD 4K definition (3840 x 2160 pixels) by Wobulation, associated with a Triple Laser Trichroma light source as usual at Hisense.
The brightness is of course slightly behind compared to the C2 Ultra (2000 lumens against 3000 for the ultra) and the C2 abandons the optical zoom and the integrated woofer of the ultra C2, but keeps a foot on a practical swing, and all the automatic ultra correction features. Offered at 1800 €, or 1000 € less than the C2 Ultra, it stands out as a much more interesting choice for the general public. He comes to rub shoulders with the Dangbei Mars Pro 2 and the Valerion Visionmaster Pro 2 that we have tested recently, or even in the Xgimi Horizon S Pro.
You will also find the Hisense C2 Pro for around 2000 €, the main difference being a slightly larger light announced at 2600 lumens and the presence of an optical zoom. In any case, we hope that the Hisense C2 did not make too much compromise compared to the C2 Ultra, which we will check right away!
All the brightness and colorimetry measurements mentioned in this article were carried out with a more HL -display calibrated probe and the Calman Ultimate software.
Image qualityA very nice 4K image quality
The C2 can project an image from 65 to 300 inches, which makes it very versatile. During our tests, we displayed an image of 2 m by placing it 2.4 m from our projection canvas.
As always, the Filmmaker mode is the most faithful. In SDR, we noted an average delta e of barely 3.2, guaranteeing a very fair colorimetry for a video projector, even if the red remains a little problematic. The average color temperature reaches 6,390 k, very close to the 6,500 K standard, and the gamma is measured at 2.2, offering a balanced image on the gray levels side.
An almost flawless, especially since the sequential contrast is 1620: 1, offering deep blacks, deeper even as the ultra C2 which is brighter, but which necessarily enhances black levels in passing. The image quality is therefore excellent overall with a good level of detail, impeccable clarity.
The contrasts are very good, but beware of photos that are not always representative.
The integrated MEMC engine effectively improves the fluidity of the content which can be practical for sporting content. However, it is preferable to adjust it on “low” or deactivate it to avoid the “Soap Opera” effect that many will find embarrassing.
HDR
The C2 supports HDR10, HLG, HDR10+formats, but also Dolby Vision which is still rare on this market, although high -end models have more and more certification.
The EOTF curve is properly followed even if the brightness remains a little lower than what it should be, a recurring problem on the video projectors.
The light peak reaches in any case 183 cd/m², an excellent result. It is not at the level of the C2 Ultra and Valerion Visionmaster Pro 2 which exceed the 250 CD/m², but that remains clearly at the top of the basket. In comparison, the mini video projectors on the market cap at around 40 cd/m². We can therefore watch the video projector with a little lighting in the room, even if we recommend as always to be in the full dark to enjoy the best contrasts.
Colorimetric spaces are particularly well covered thanks to the C2 trilaser module with 98.6 % of the REC.2020, 99.4 % of the DCI-P3 and 100 % of the REC. 709. On the other hand, the Delta E in HDR climbed to 8.9 a value far too large to be considered faithful.
On the left, the cover of the DCI-P3 space and on the right, the REC-2020.
Construction & ErgonomieGood
The C2 finishes are simply excellent and its foot on a balance facilitates its positioning in all directions, especially in the absence of Lens Shift. This is an interesting addition compared to the C1, although its size is now much larger. The optical zoom of the ultra C2, however, lacks the call and it will be necessary to be satisfied with a digital zoom.
The foot on a swing is very practical, but it does not integrate a speaker on this model.
This video projector incorporates that says an automatic trapeze correction and a very effective autofocus, which guarantee a perfectly framed and clear image, even if the device is slightly offset from the projection surface. Hisense has added a proximity sensor that can be activated or deactivated and which allows you to cut the projection when you approach the beam too much, thus strengthening the safety of the eyes, especially for children.
Vidaa’s home page.
The connection is generous for a video projector with two HDMI 2.1 ports (including an EARC), two USB 3.0 ports, an optical audio output, a mini-jack socket and an RJ45 Ethernet port. Wireless connectivity is provided by 6th Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The vida u bone, meanwhile, offers a simple and reactive interface, giving direct access to flagship applications such as Netflix, YouTube, Video Prime, Disney+ or Mycanal. We only regret the banners of sponsored content recommendations, unfortunately more and more frequent on the modern interfaces of our video projectors and televisions.
The connection to the rear is very complete.
Finally, the remote control provided is successful, with an elegant design that approaches that of premium TV. It offers practical shortcuts to Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, but also Vidaa Kids and the NBA Pass which will not be really useful in our regions. Compatibility with vocal assistants Alexa and Google Assistant is present and the remote control is backlit, which is very practical when you look at its content in the dark.
The remote control is backlit, it’s rare.
Video game performance
To obtain the best performance in play, you must obviously activate the appropriate mode, but also activate the “turbo DLP” in the adjustment menus in the projector section in order to deactivate any correction of the trapeze which leads to a lot of delay in the display (input lag).
We have measured this one at 38.2 ms, and it is therefore suitable for solo games or non-competitive titles such as a Mario Kart with friends, but lovers of competitive online games will have to turn to more reactive models. For comparison, the C2 Ultra descended to 22 ms and the Visionmaster Pro 2 to barely 17.6 ms.
A very silent video projector
We have measured 33.6 dB at 1 m from the projector and if we hear a slight ventilation noise, this very contained level will not bother viewing, even in silent scenes.