Valerion VisionMaster Plus 2 : test / review
Published on: 20-10-2024 / Modified: 20-10-2024
I've been keeping an eye on crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo for years, I regularly buy products through them, sometimes with good surprises ... and sometimes with situations where I've never received the product I bought. Over time, I've developed a list of things to check to reduce the risk of running into a scam. There is no such thing as zero risk but I haven't been ripped off for 2 years now.
Why start an article on a video projector by talking about crowdfunding? Quite simply because the Valerion VisionMaster projector is available on Kickstarter before its official launch and it's exactly the kind of new product I like to test. On paper, it all looks too good, so my alarm bells go off and I go through my checklist one by one. The first is to contact the manufacturer to see if they respond and if their answer holds water.
I very quickly received a reply to my request and Valerion agreed to send me a sample of the Valerion VisionMaster Plus 2. They've seen the type of articles I write, so they agreed to send me a projector with full knowledge of the facts. I have an objective test protocol, I never hide the defects I encounter.
Launch offer
The interest of crowdfunding campaigns is the price and Valerion announces a 40% reduction compared to the final price. I don't know if the final price will really be 40% higher, it's probably a good way to generate sales. If I compare the Kickstarter price with the price of an equivalent projector from another brand, the price positioning on Kickstarter is really very interesting!
If you want to take advantage of it:
Valerion VisionMaster / Kickstarter
Purchasing through this campaign gives you a price reduction without a reduction in warranty, you are covered for 2 years for your purchase. I will try to publish my test results as soon as possible to help you make a decision. My speed will depend on the delivery time and I also have a week of vacation at the beginning of November.
Why this projector?
Valerion is a new brand but behind Valerion, there is an existing manufacturer: Awol. This probably explains why a new brand manages to launch 4 projector models in a single operation with many accessories already available.
The four models available are:
Valerion VisionMaster Max (3000 lumens, optical zoom, 4000:1, vertical shifting, dynamic iris)
Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 (3000 lumens, optical zoom, 4000:1)
Valerion VisionMaster Plus 2 (2000 lumens, fixed optics 1.2:1, 3000:1)
Valerion VisionMaster Plus (1500 lumens, fixed optics 1.2:1, 3000:1)
In common: Dolby Vision, 110% REC 2020, Google TV, max 15 input lag.
The Max model will only be available after May 2025. The others should be delivered from December 2024.
On paper, the features are very attractive. These projectors (even the "Plus" range) include everything you can expect from a projector. I think the reality will be a little less attractive, this was also the case for the JMGO N1 Ultra that I tested but in the end even with weaker features, this projector was still a very good projector.
Manufacturer web site:
https://www.valerion.com
Site where I have bought or received the Valerion VisionMaster Plus 2: https://valerion-vis...
Price Valerion VisionMaster Plus 2
Not yet available / testedTimeline
October 21, 2024: Valerion VisionMaster Plus 2 ShipmentWhy this projector?
Unpacking
Not yet available / testedOperating system
Finish
Not yet available / testedProjection room
My projection room is rectangular, 4.6m by 2.9m (height 2.2m). I have two projection walls, one white wall 2.9m wide with just white paint with a possible 4m setback. I then have a 133 inch ALR screen on another wall with a possible setback of 2.8m. I mainly use the ALR screen except when the layout or type of projector is not suitable for this situation.Battery autonomy
Not yet available / testedPower consumption
Operating noise
Image quality
Colorimetry
More explanations on colorimetry
Measuring color fidelity (colorimetry) is not a subjective question, it is something completely measurable. This measurement is carried out with a device (colorimeter, spectrometer, ...) which measures the difference between the real color and the displayed color. This difference is expressed in delta E (abbreviation: dE). A dE greater than 3 indicates a deviation perceptible to the human eye.
The dE must therefore be as low as possible but projectors rarely have a dE lower than 3 out of the box. They are often between 5 and 10, only a calibration can correctly adjust the colors.
For a perfect calibration, you must call a professional. I give you my parameters which correspond to my situation. These settings might work for your situation but it is not a guarantee, so take them as an indication of the direction to follow.
Not yet available / tested
Brightness
More explanations on brightness
The brightness for a projector is absolutely crucial. The brightness is measured in ANSI lumens and the values provided by the manufacturer are very often higher than reality.
I measure the brightness with a lux meter and I convert my measurements into ANSI lumens in relation to the projection surface. You thus obtain a real value.
A video projector, even if it is bright, cannot compete with a television. The contribution of light (natural or artificial) will have the effect of drastically reducing the contrast of your image. With a brightness lower than 1000 ANSI lumens, the projector must be used in total darkness.
Not yet available / tested
Sharpness
Contrast
More explanations on contrast
Contrast (on/off) is used to measure the difference between white and black. This measurement gives an indication of the ability of a projector to produce a good rendering in dark scenes.
A contrast lower than 500:1 should be considered as a very low contrast and the consequence will be especially visible in dark scenes where you will lose details. This is less of a problem for sports, bright films or even cartoons.
A low contrast ratio does not mean that a projector is not usable, you just have to be aware that for films like Aliens, dark scenes will no longer allow you to distinguish details.
Motion compensation
More on Motion Compensation (MEMC)
Many projectors use a frequency of 60 Hz, which means that they broadcast 60 frames per second. Many films were designed to broadcast 24 frames per second. This means that for each second, the film does not have enough frames to fill the 60 frames broadcast by the projector.
This most often results in a jerkiness in the image. Some projectors are able to attenuate this jerkiness with a motion compensation system (also called MEMC). If you abuse this compensation, you will get what is called the 'soap opera' effect which makes the image a little artificial like the TV series of the 80s.
Image size and projection distance
More explanations on the projection distance
The projection distance determines the size of the image and the size of the image is determined by the projector's throw ratio. If a projector has a throw ratio of 1.2, it will have an image width of 83 cm with possibly a gray border.
The distance also plays a role in the brightness because the brightness decreases with the square of the distance. A projector placed at 4 meters will therefore lose 4 times more brightness than a projector placed at 2 meters.
Keystone image correction does not modify the projection cone, it resizes the image inside the projection cone. This means that in the event of a significant correction, you will see a large gray border appear around your image.
Screen choice
Audio quality
More explanations on audio quality
I use several types of music tracks to illustrate the sound quality of the projector but the rendering will always be limited by the recording device. Since I always use the same device, you will be able to compare the difference on the same basis.
I regularly use well-known songs protected by copyright to illustrate the sound quality of a video projector. It therefore sometimes happens that YouTube decides to block my videos for these reasons. In this case, you can listen to the soundtracks directly on YouTube and hope that YouTube has not completely blocked my channel.
Video games
More explanations video games
To be able to play in good conditions with a projector, the latency must be low. Latency is the reaction time between pressing a button on your controller and the reaction on the screen, this latency is expressed in milliseconds and is also called 'input lag'.
I measure this latency with a specialized device. To be able to play fast-paced FPS-type games online, you need to obtain a latency of less than 30 ms. For games where the reaction time is less important, a latency of less than 100ms should be suitable for most situations.
I generally test ShadowRunner from Geforce Now on my Nvidia Shield except when this is not possible. I'm not used to playing with a controller, so I'm not very good at it, but the point is to show the projector's ability, not mine.
Not yet available / tested
Encoutered bugs
ALR/CLR Projection screen
Are you looking for a good ALR/CLR screen for your projector? I may have what you need:ALR/CLR NothingProjector Screen
Test / Review conclusion
Not yet available / tested
Strengths
Not yet available / tested
Weaknesses
Not yet available / tested
Head of myself on this blog
I share my passions on my blog in my free time since 2006, I prefer that to watching nonsense on TV or on social networks. I work alone, I am undoubtedly one of the last survivors of the world of blogs and personal sites.
My speciality? Digital in all its forms. I have spent the last 25 years working for multinationals where I managed digital teams and generated revenues of over €500 million per year. I have expertise in telecoms, media, aviation, travel and tourism.
Questions/Comments