The holiday season is an ideal time for family and friend reunions, and there is no other place that is more convenient and heartwarming to reunite than home. However, keeping them entertained might not be enough with a typical smart TV considering the screen size. Thankfully, smart projectors, such as the Epson CO-FH02 Smart Projector, are now available for such a purpose. Is it worthy of a spot inside your home? Let us find out in this review.
Measuring 320 mm × 211 mm × 82 mm and weighing approximately 2.6 kg, the Epson CO-FH02 Smart Projector is a compact projector that users can easily carry and store, allowing convenient transport for presentations away from the office. Clad in a white casing with simple lines, the minimalist design of the Epson CO-FH02 Smart Projector easily blends well with any environment, whether it is an office, a living room, or a coffee shop.
Consistent with the minimalist design, the Epson CO-FH02 Smart Projector has only one physical button (the power button), which sits on top of the device near the focus lever. The focus lever is also located near the vents for the 5 W internal monaural speaker. Projector settings (zoom, horizontal, and vertical keystone) are accessible through the onscreen menu using the supplied remote control. Beneath the spot near the lens, the projector has a foot release lever that extends and retracts, allowing users to adjust the projected image height. The projector also has rubber feet underneath, preventing accidental falls.
The Epson CO-FH02 Smart Projector has a 0.62-inch (C2 Fine) LCD, a projection lens with f/1.44 and 16.4 mm focal length, and an ultra-high efficiency (UHE) lamp with 188 W wattage. With these components, the Epson CO-FH02 Smart Projector can deliver a screen size ranging from 26 inches from a distance of 0.91 meters and up to 391 inches from 10.40 meters. The standard screen size the projector offers is 60 inches from a distance of 1.58 meters.
The Epson CO-FH02 Smart Projector has a brightness level ranging from 2000 lumens (eco mode) to 3000 lumens. This brightness level range ensures that projected images by the projector are visible and brilliant even when ambient light is kept. This brightness level range makes the projector ideal for various settings, such as home entertainment rooms, classrooms, and conference rooms with windows. The projector can also work well in outdoor environments.
On the side, the Epson CO-FH02 Smart Projector has a slide cover that hides the physical connectors when they are not in use. Sliding the cover toward the rear reveals the HDMI port, USB-B port, USB-A port, and the air vent for cooling and heat dissipation. The space inside the slide cover also houses the bundled Android TV dongle (ELPAP12), which attaches to the USB-A port as a power source. Connecting the dongle to the HDMI port turns the Epson CO-FH02 into a smart projector, allowing wireless internet connectivity, access to various media streaming services, such as YouTube and Netflix, and installation of other apps downloadable through the Google Play store. Internet connectivity triggers firmware updates automatically.
Images projected by the Epson CO-FH02 Smart Projector are bright and vibrant. To prove it, we played media streaming services using the Android TV dongle. Old movies and TV series, such as Alien (1979) and The X Files (1993) looked refreshing as if they were recent releases. The striking colors and details of wildlife videos on YouTube, as well as the contrasting hues in Coco (2017), Cruella (2021), and Dune: Part One (2021) are given adequate justice using the Epson CO-FH02 Smart Projector.
The Epson CO-FH02 Smart Projector is a versatile projector that meets your work-related goals and entertainment endeavors. If you have space at home for a projector, this Epson offering is worth considering . With the holiday season fast approaching when family and friends reunite, the Epson CO-FH02 Smart Projector can be a timely appliance to keep them entertained in the comfort of your home. In the Philippines, the projector is available for the price of ₱38,000.