The Mars Pro 2, also known as the model DBOX02, is a 4K HDR laser projector introduced in May 2024 by Dangbei, succeeding the Mars Pro, an earlier 4K model launched in June 2023. The Mars Pro 2 offers several new features and upgrades over its predecessor while maintaining a competitive price point. Currently priced at $1,899 MSRP, the Mars Pro 2 can be found during promotional periods for considerably less, making it an attractive option. For example, at the time of this writing during the 2024 holiday season it was selling online at Amazon for less than $1,400 when bundled with its matching gimbal desk stand, floor stand, or ceiling mount.

Features

Similar to its predecessor, the Mars Pro 2 is a single-chip 0.47-inch DLP projector with an ALPD laser phosphor light engine, offering up to 30,000 hours of laser life, depending on usage. The Mars Pro 2 increases the brightness from its predecessor Mars Pro 4K model to 2,450 ISO lumens. This boost in brightness is beneficial when projecting a 200-inch diagonal image, as every bit of brightness helps at larger screen sizes. During our testing, the Mars Pro 2 met its claimed spec, measuring 2,464 lumens in its brightest picture and brightness mode settings, following the same 9-point measurement technique shared by the ISO 21118 standard and now-retired ANSI standard. This is excellent for producing bright and impactful images.

As with most 4K DLP projectors, the Mars Pro 2 is not native 4K and uses pixel shifting to achieve its 3840x2160 UHD resolution from a native 1080p micromirror chip. However, it projects a very sharp and crisp image that is difficult to distinguish from native 4K unless viewing single-pixel test patterns. Fortunately, during my time with the Mars Pro 2, I did not experience any rainbow effect or laser speckle. Additionally, the Mars Pro 2 supports 10-bit color and HDR10+. It's predecessor only supported HDR10 and HLG high dynamic range signals, both of which are still supported in the Mars Pro 2.

The chassis design of the Mars Pro 2 is identical to its predecessor, featuring an aluminum frame and a glass top with a capacitive touch power button. It uses a fixed focal lens and powered focus. With a throw ratio of 1.27:1, the Mars Pro 2 is capable of projecting an image from 40 inches to 200 inches diagonal.

The Mars Pro 2 does not support features such as lens shift, but it does provide horizontal and vertical keystone correction with a range of +/-30 degrees, which can be used separately or in conjunction with Dangbei's InstanPro AI Image Setup. This AI Image Setup performs all the necessary adjustments to get the image projected correctly right out of the box, whether for a quick viewing session in a temporary setup or for fine-tuning if something changes. The AI Image Setup includes features such as Auto Focus, Auto Keystone, Screen Fit (which scales the image to fit within a defined region), Obstacle Avoidance (which shifts the image for an unobstructed view such as a picture frame hanging in the projection area), Eye Protection (which turns off the picture to prevent eye hazards), and AI Brightness (which adjusts the picture's luminance to suit the room).

Additionally, the Mars Pro 2 does not have a true zoom function and only offers a digital zoom that scales the image down to 50% of its original size. Initially during my time with the unit, I found some inconsistencies in its function; sometimes it worked, and other times it didn't. It seemed that if the zoom was used and a message appeared stating it was zoomed to its maximum amount, it would stop working completely. Thankfully Dangbei has since fixed this bug, which disappeared upon upgrading the firmware to version V11.1.0.89. So if anyone is experiencing this issue, updating to the aforementioned firmware should resolve it.

The unit itself is rather compact and can be used with its gimbal-style stand, which is sold separately for $139. I did not test this accessory, but rotating and tilting gimbal stands have become a common design feature or add-on for the newer top-line lifestyle projectors, as they can considerably simplify and speed setup when combined with these projectors' sophisticated auto-setup routines. Considering the AI image setup and the size of the Mars Pro 2, which weighs 8.8 pounds and has dimensions of 6.43 x 9.29 x 7.93 inches (HxWxD), it can be installed almost anywhere (including for front and rear tabletop or ceiling positions). As always, to maintain image integrity, it is recommended to avoid using features such as keystone correction. However, for the temporary setups a projector like this is likely to be used for, it remains a viable option. To help aid installation be sure to visit the ProjectorCentral Dangbei Mars Pro 2 Throw Calculator.

Dangbei does not provide specifications regarding the color gamut coverage of the Mars Pro 2. However, our testing showed 91.8% Rec. 709 coverage, with no apparent way to achieve a wider color gamut beyond Rec. 709. This resulted in DCI-P3 gamut coverage of only 74.45% in xy and 78.53% in uv, while BT.2020 measured 54.05% in xy and 60.2% in uv. This is unfortunate, as many projectors can achieve near full P3 coverage or, in the case of triple-laser RGB models, almost complete BT.2020 coverage, albeit at a higher cost and with the possible introduction of noticeable laser speckle. Most HDR content today is mastered to the wider DCI-P3 color gamut, so reaching full DCI-P3 would greatly enhance HDR viewing experiences by providing more faithful content reproduction, particularly in the saturation of red objects.

One of the major features of the Mars Pro 2 is the Google TV operating system running natively on the unit without needing an external dongle. Dangbei claims to have been the first out with a 4K projector using Google TV, whose primary benefit is a baked-in, authorized Netflix app—something that had been missing from many Android TV based projectors that preceded it and necessitated Dangbei offering an accessory streaming dongle with the original Mars Pro. Google TV has now become the go-to OS for most new Android-based projectors, bringing with it other features as well including access to the Google Play app store, Chromecast built-in, Google Assistant support ,multiple user profiles, and a basic TV mode (which allows setup and use of the projector when there is no Internet).

Despite Netflix being preinstalled and officially licensed, I was initially unable to utilize it. Although I was able to log in, I couldn't select a profile, and the Mars Pro 2 would just display the Netflix red loading icon. Even after rebooting the unit, I couldn't select a profile. Dangbei advised fully cutting power to the projector by unplugging, replugging, and then retstarting, which fixed the issue.

As with a number of Android-based projectors, I also found the menu layout and structure left much to be desired. This was due to how the menus worked in general, such as how they displayed on-screen elements like controls for brightness and contrast. For example, if the user selects the Brightness Mode option and chooses Custom, the slider appears at the bottom of the screen, which is fine. However, the menu itself returns to the projector menu, and when the user hits the return key, it displays the Brightness menu again. This behavior is seen with any menu option that has a slider to adjust a setting. So, while the Mars Pro 2 OS supports Google TV, it could use some further refinement.

The Mars Pro 2 also offers a good game mode with low latency. To achieve the lowest latency, it requires an input signal with a refresh rate of 120Hz or 240Hz at 1080p resolution, which can provide latency as low as 10ms for both 240Hz and 120Hz. While 120Hz is available from newer game consoles, few games actually support this. On a PC, however, 120Hz and 240Hz are easily achievable. At 60Hz, the latency measured significantly higher at 35ms, which is a bit slow for competitive gaming but acceptable for more casual experiences.

The Mars Pro 2 also includes 3D support, which is always a welcome addition. Users are required to select the 3D mode manually, which is available when a 3D signal is detected at an HDMI port. Initially there was a bug that prevented the 3D mode from activating, but this issue has been fixed with the same V11.1.0.89 firmware update mentioned earlier.

The I/O provided on the unit includes the essentials needed to connect your devices, with eARC on HDMI input 1. The Mars Pro 2 is listed as an HDMI 2.1 device and allows you to change the EDID to HDMI 2.1. However, when reading the EDID, it is clear that the HDMI ports do not support FRL (Fixed Rate Link), which is true HDMI 2.1. Therefore, the HDMI 2.1 listing for the Mars Pro 2 likely comes from having eARC support, as no other HDMI 2.1 features are present. Besides the two HDMI inputs, the Mars Pro 2 offers two USB 2.0 ports, one RJ45 LAN port, a 3.5mm audio out port, and S/PDIF out for optical audio. Additionally, it supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and DTS:X.

The Mars Pro 2 uses a stereo set of 12-watt speakers in a 600ml chamber. The sound output is quite good for the size of the unit. While a good soundbar or external audio system based on an AV receiver would be ideal, the built-in speakers are sufficient for temporary setups and many users will be pleased with the experience.

The remote included with the unit pairs via Bluetooth and provides direct key access to streaming apps such as YouTube, Netflix, and Prime Video. Two buttons on the side of the remote allow quick access to autofocus and the projector menu. The remaining buttons are fairly standard for Google devices, including home, apps, back, volume, navigation ring and button, and voice command. The remote is responsive, but it does lack direct buttons for key functions like Picture Mode and Input selection. Fortunately, pressing and holding the Home key brings up a Quick Settings menu that provides faster access to these two plus the Sound menu.

Performance

The Dangbei Mars Pro 2 has 10 picture modes, with 5 modes for SDR and 5 for HDR. These modes share the same names, except for an HDR label added to the HDR picture modes. The modes are Standard, Vivid, Movie, Game, and Custom. Thankfully, the Custom mode can have separate settings per dynamic range, allowing for different settings for SDR and HDR if needed or desired. The picture modes themselves are all fairly similar, with Movie being the darkest and warmest (with white leaning toward pink), while the others are fairly cool (leaning toward blue). None of them come out of the box looking what I would consider accurate; Movie is far too warm, and everything else is much too cool. Additionally, there are off hues, such as cyan being too blue and yellow being too green. Despite these issues, all modes are effectively usable, as they provide a similar picture, though only Custom allows for correcting the white point.

The Mars Pro 2 provides controls only in Custom picture mode for basic picture settings such as Brightness, Contrast, Saturation (a global Color control), Sharpness, and Hue (i.e., Tint). Gamma is available through its pre-defined values of Normal, Dark, and Bright. The Color Temperature settings include Cool, Normal, and Warm, in addition to Custom, which allows for single-point adjustment. A CMS (Color Management System) was added in firmware version V11.1.0.89 and is available for adjusting the limits of the color space. An 11-point white balance adjustment was also added in the update, though is global to all picture modes.

I began calibration of the Mars Pro 2 using Calman Ultimate calibration software from Portrait Displays, a Colorimetry Research CR-250 spectroradiometer, Colorimetry Research CR-100 Colorimeter, and a Murideo 8K Seven Generator. Murideo 8K Seven Generator. The Mars Pro 2 was calibrated to 100-inch diagonal on a 1.3 gain Stewart Filmscreen. Prior to beginning calibration, I ran various measurements to confirm what I saw in OOTB viewing.

The Mars Pro 2 is not accurate out of the box (OOTB) in regards to the grayscale or in its color mapping within the gamut. It showed high average and maximum DeltaE errors on these measures as well as on a very large Color Checker of approximately 150+ swatches representing various skin tones, blue sky, etc. (DeltaE is the metric used to determine visible errors. It has been determined that anything over a dE of 3 is visible, anything over 2.3 is a just noticeable difference for trained eyes and anything below 2.3 should ideally not be seen to the eye.)

OOTB the Mars Pro 2's grayscale had an average of 7.4dE with a max of 11.7dE for the grayscale in the Custom picture mode, using the Custom color temperature with no adjustments. Color gamut/color points showed an average of 6.8dE with a max of 11.9dE. The large Color Checker had an average of 6dE with a max of 12.6dE. HDR performed similarly, with averages in the high single digits an max dE errors upwards to 18.4dE.

Post calibration DeltaE errors improved for both SDR and HDR, lowering the averages in almost all areas. The grayscale benefitted the most from calibration. Using the Custom mode with Custom Color temperature, and making adjustments with the 2-point white balance controls (though only using gain), the 11-point white balance, and the CMS, I found that SDR dialed in very well—though red still untracked and was off hue. The post-cal grayscale average was 0.8dE with a max of 1.2dE. Color gamut came in at 7.3dE average with a max of 11.8dE, due primarily to blue being unable to be pulled in to its target location, as well as red and magenta. The Color Checker came in with 2.1dE average and 12dE max.

HDR did reasonably well, though the 11-point white balance controls were not used; since they are global, a user has to decide if they want to use it for SDR or HDR as it did not translate well between the two picture modes. But the grayscale was actually very tight. HDR saw average errors in a smaller Color Checker as low as 4.3dE when not including luminance errors (which are typically high with projectors), with a max of 16.1dE in the DeltaE ITP formula.

The devices used for reviewing content post calibration were AppleTV 4K and R_Volution Player One 8K.

4K HDR Viewing. The first movie that I selected to watch was Captain America: The Winter Soldier in HDR via the R_volution Player One 8K. What was most noticeable was the crushed shadow detail during the ship infiltration at the beginning of the movie. This was particularly evident during the camera pan over the ship, especially when it panned over the helicopter, which appeared mostly black. Increasing the brightness helped somewhat, but it also washed out the image. Despite this, the image was very sharp, and skin tones looked good, with only a slight hint of hue issues and some clipping on faces with highlights, such as Rumlow's face when Cap jumped out of the jet without a parachute at the beginning of the infiltration. Ultimately, the Dangbei performed well in bright, higher APL (average picture level) scenes but struggled somewhat in darker, low APL scenes.

I next decided to watch Vikings Valhalla on Apple TV 4K and selected Season 1, Episode 2. The scene I focused on was when they were beginning to sail from Kattegat, as this scene has very bright specular highlights on the water as the ships are leaving the port. This scene displayed a lot of clipping in the sunlight bouncing off the water and in the clouds, which resulted in less detail in these areas. While the scene didn't look bad, it was missing a lot of detail. The overall brightness of the scenes was good, which was expected based on the various content I watched prior.

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SDR Viewing. The last movie I watched was Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows via the R_Volution Player One 8K in SDR. Skin tones generally looked good, though some discrepancies were visible in the colors of the clothing, particularly in burgundies and reds. For instance, this was evident when Irene met with Moriarty in the restaurant with the curtains. Shadow detail also struggled, especially in the next scene when Watson went to visit Holmes. Some of the furniture lacked any detail, as did Watson's shirt, appearing pure black with no visible detail. This is most noticeable when Holmes pours himself a drink later in the scene, as various parts behind the glass appear completely black. The viewing experience did leave a little to be desired, though it wasn't unpleasant; some scenes just struggled more than others.

Conclusion

The Dangbei Mars Pro 2 is an excellent value projector for those considering entering the realm of projection. Its cost is very reasonable given its feature set. Users can enjoy a high-brightness image up to 200 inches diagonal with HDR10+ support and built-in Google TV, which, with its working Netflix app, may eliminate the need for a separate set-top box such as an Apple TV or Fire TV. It also features a long-lasting laser light source without any visible laser speckle and an optional gimbal-style stand.

However, the Mars Pro 2 could benefit from some improvements, such as better out-of-box color accuracy, wider gamut coverage, and better menu design. Serious gamers may also want to look for a more game-oriented projector offering lower input latency. Some of these issues may not be a concern for many, considering the trade-offs they get in return at this price point and the more casual user one might expect for a portable lifestyle projector like this one. Nonetheless, they are things to consider when making a purchase decision.

In summary, the Mars Pro 2 is neither a bad projector nor a great one. It performs everything well or decently, but could stand to see improvements. Its real appeal lies in the price, and its bright, solid-state light source and Google TV operating system. It offers a very easy-to-use plug-and-play solution that will draw viewers into an immersive viewing experience. It definitely deserves consideration for those looking to get into projection, as it truly is a good value.

Measurements

Brightness. The Dangbei Mars Pro 2 is rated for 2,450 ISO lumens. The brightest picture mode, using the High-Performance brightness mode, was both Standard and Vivid. These picture modes were not offensive or overly green as is often seen in a projector's brightest mode, but they had a blue bias to the image which makes them more suitable for bright room viewing. Using the traditional 9-point averaged measurement technique described in the ISO21118 standard, these picture modes measured 2,464 and 2,461 lumens respectively, slightly exceeding the specification. Please note that the High-Performance Brightness mode is very loud and would likely not be suitable for standard viewing. All picture modes measured the same in HDR as SDR.

Selecting Eco resulted in a 41.1% light decrease, while Auto brightness mode resulted in a decrease of 7.7%, and Standard and Custom 10 resulted in a 8.6% decrease.

Dangbei MARS PRO 2 Lumens

SDR/HDR Modes	High Performance	Standard/Custom10	Auto	Eco
Standard	2,464	2,252	2,274	1,451
Vivid	2,461	2,249	2,271	1,449
Movie	2,015	1,842	1,859	1,187
Game	2,358	2,155	2,176	1,389
Custom	2,452	2,241	2,263	1,444

Brightness Uniformity. The Dangbei Mars Pro 2 projecting a 100-inch diagonal image resulted in measured brightness uniformity of 86%. The brightest portion of the screen was the left Bottom sector, and the dimmest the Right Middle sector. The difference in brightness on a full white and solid color screens was not noticeable nor was it noticeable in actual moving content.

Fan Noise. Dangbei reports the Mars Pro 2's fan noise at 24dBA in Standard Brightness Mode from 1 meter in distance. Using Room EQ Wizard software and a Umik-1 microphone, with my theater room ambient noise floor reading 33.3 dBA, it measured as followed. All measurements were taken at a distance of approximately 3 feet away from each side of the unit with the unit in the Standard and High-Performance brightness mode. Note that, except for the High Performance mode most readings were very nearly at or below the room's noise floor. However, engaging the High Performance mode to tap the projector's full brightness resulted in exceptionally high noise that would not likely be suitable with viewers sitting in close proximity to the projector.

SDR/HDR (all picture modes)

Auto/Standard/Eco/Custom:
Rear: 33.8
Left: 33.9
Front: 33.9
Top: 34.3
Right: 34.1

High Performance:
Rear: 45.1
Left: 48.5
Front: 51.5
Top: 51.3
Right: 47.8

Input Lag. Input lag measurements were done using the Game Picture Mode with Game Mode Enabled. The following supported resolutions and framerates were tested: 4K/60 = 35ms, 1080/120 = 15ms, 1080/240 = 10ms.

Connections

• HDMI 2.0 (x1; HDCP 2.2)
• HDMI 2.1 (x1; eARC on HDMI Input 1)
• USB 2.0 Type A (x2)
• RJ45 LAN port
• 3.5mm Audio Port
• S/PDIF
• Bluetooth 5.2
• Wi-Fi 6 (Dual-band 2.4/5GHz)

Final Settings

Calibrated image settings from any third-party do not account for the significant potential for sample-to-sample variation, nor the different screen sizes and materials, lighting, lamp usage, or other environmental factors that can affect image quality. Projectors should always be calibrated in the user's own space and tuned for the expected viewing conditions. However, the settings provided here may be a helpful starting point for some. Always record your current settings before making adjustments so you can return to them as desired. Refer to the Performance section for some context for each calibration.

SDR Settings:

Brightness: 7

Picture Mode: Custom
Brightness: 50
Contrast: 50
Saturation: 50
Sharpness: 0
Hue: 0

Color Temperature: Custom
Red Gain: -1
Green Gain: -9
Blue Gain: -24

Gamma: Dark

Expert Settings

Adaptive Luma Control: Off
Local Contrast Control: Low
DNR: Off
MPEG NR: Off
Blue Stretch: Off
Low Blue Light: Off
Color Space: Auto

Color Tuner: On

Color	Hue	Saturation	Brightness
Red	53	49	62
Green	53	45	50
Blue	41	40	73
Cyan	47	50	50
Magenta	47	36	50
Yellow	50	38	50
Flesh Tone	50	50	50

Offset
Red: 50
Green: 50
Blue: 50

Gain
Red: 50
Green: 49
Blue: 50

De-Counter: Off

11 Point White Balance Correction

(*NOTE* These values are global. Once entered they apply to all picture modes in SDR and HDR. Because of this they will only be listed once in the SDR mode.)

	Red	Green	Blue
5%	51	54	50
10%	50	53	50
20%	53	54	51
30%	53	55	50
40%	52	55	50
50%	51	56	55
60%	52	56	50
70%	50	56	50
80%	50	57	50
90%	50	57	50
100%	50	50	50

HDR Settings

Brightness: 9

Picture Mode: Custom (HDR)
Brightness: 50
Contrast: 50
Saturation: 50
Sharpness: 0
Hue: 0

Color Temperature: Custom
Red Gain: 6
Green Gain: 0
Blue Gain: -16

Gamma: Dark

Expert Settings

Adaptive Luma Control: Medium
Local Contrast Control: Medium
DNR: Off
MPEG NR: Off
Blue Stretch: Off
Low Blue Light: Off
Color Space: Auto

Color Tuner: On

Color	Hue	Saturation	Brightness
Red	52	56	50
Green	50	50	50
Blue	46	44	50
Cyan	48	58	50
Magenta	52	50	50
Yellow	49	45	50
Flesh Tone	50	50	50

Offset
Red: 50
Green: 50
Blue: 50

Gain
Red: 50
Green: 49
Blue: 48

De-Counter: Off

11 Point White Balance Correction: Off

For more detailed specifications and connections, check out our Dangbei DBOX02 projector page.

To buy this projector, use Where to Buy online, or get a price quote by email direct from Projector Central authorized dealers using our E-Z Quote tool.

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