Hands On: SIM2 MICO 50 Projector

There's been a lot of focus lately on "green" technologies.

Topping the list is LED lighting, which, over the past couple of years, has been applied to display devices, including a new generation of projectors.

The SIM2 Grand Cinema MICO 50, which is already shipping, was one of the first projectors in the residential market to include LED technology.

Over the past few weeks, I tried out the MICO 50 with a 1.78 unity-gain screen from Screen Research, as well as a 2.40 Stewart Filmscreen FireHawk G3 and Panamorph anamorphic lens.

I watched lots of HD content, ranging from movies such as "Up" and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" to the NFL playoffs and TV shows such as "Bones" and "Fringe." I was thoroughly impressed with whatever I threw at it.

As SIM2 fills its distribution pipeline with the MICO 50, it will become the go-to projector for installers. The grayscale and black levels are excellent, the colors are vivid, the picture quality is crisp, and I love the fact that it doesn’t need to heat up and cool down to power on/off.

But the MICO 50 isn’t perfect. It's not bright enough for large rooms. Its red bloom out of the box reminded me of CRTs. Its HDMI handshake is susceptible to sync issues. It's bigger than many current generation lamp-based products.

Putting those minor issues aside, the MICO 50 represents a new age in consumer video and a fantastic opportunity for installers to bolster their video business.

I only wish the SIM2 staff would forget it was at my house.

Specs

Here's a closer look at what the SIM2 Grand Cinema MICO 50 Projector has to offer. Images via SIM2.