Chinese tech startup IdeaClub has launched an interesting Full HD ultra-short-throw projector on Indiegogo that offers 100-inch visuals and built-in sound, but can also be had with expansion modules that bring touch interaction, extra up time or boosted audio.
The Witseer projector rocks a similar outward appearance to the puppy cube we tried out back in 2018, but instead of nifty touch interactivity being built-in, the IdeaClub unit can be optioned with a motion-senor module that slides over the projection face and plugs into a USB port to the side.
This essentially brings touch to the image thrown down onto a tabletop or office desk by the main projection unit, with the module employing infrared scanning and laser technologies to track a user’s hands and fingers inside the projected canvas.
The system is able to recognize gestures for pinch and zoom, document or browser scrolling, drawing or painting, interactive gaming, and so on – bringing edutainment apps to life for the kids or adding a little extra to team meetings at the office, though users will have to be mindful of tracking issues caused by shadows.
When flipped over onto its back, the DLP projector (sans motion module) can throw 1080p/60-Hz visuals at up to 100 diagonal inches from 17.7 in (45 cm) away from the wall or screen. IdeaClub claims that viewers can look forward to “clear and bright images even in daylight or well-lit rooms” thanks to 1,000 ANSI lumens output from the LED light source, though the best results will be achieved in a darkened room.
Android TV 9 is cooked in for access to thousands of entertainment apps, with Netflix shown as included among the options along with Disney Plus, Prime Video and Apple TV. In addition to the USB port, the side is also home to a HDMI port with audio return (ARC) and a headphone jack. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 are supported too, and the unit comes with two 3-W speakers behind the grilles.
Users looking for more powerful sound can mount the magnetic speaker module to the back, which is built around a 10-W driver co-engineered with the folks at Monster and delivers a welcome bass boost.
The final module available makes the mains-powered UST projector portable courtesy of a 5,000-mAh battery pack, which is also magnetically attached to the back. IdeaClub reckons backyard movie watchers or campsite gamers can look forward to 3.5 hours of playtime per charge.
The Witseer projector is being offered on its own for an Indiegogo perk of US$799, or as a Plus package that includes all three modules for $1,299. The usual crowdfunding cautions apply, but if all goes the plan with the already funded campaign, shipping is estimated to start in June.
Modular approach adds touch, portability and extra bass to HD projector [New Atlas]