Formovie Theater Premium 3 1 4K DLP Projector
  • Performance
  • 3
  • Features
  • Ease of Use
  • Value
Pros
  • RGB Laser+Phosphor light source
  • Dolby Vision Support
  • B&W audio with Dolby Atmos support
  • 150-inch maximum image size
  • Good measured contrast
Cons
  • Disappointing out of the box color accuracy
  • Color Space not correctly detected and switched with content type
  • ALLM gaming function negatively affects input lag
  • No 3D support at launch
Our Take

Formovie has released the successor to the Formovie Theater, which delivered some of the best performance in the ultra-short throw space. However, the new model's performance unfortunately falls short of its predecessor in terms of color accuracy even while it adds some desirable new features.

formovie theater premium front angle

Update: On 12/19/24, Formovie pushed to all users its updated firmware version RTM9.241015.074 which addresses some of the issues identified by our reviewer. HDR brightness is said to have been remapped to account for higher nit source material up to 2,000 nits peak, which could reduce the excessive clipping with HDR described in the review. The projector is also now said to be able to adapt to content of different color gamut and offers options for Rec.709, DCI-P3, Adobe RGB, Rec.2020, and its native gamut. Updates to address our other concerns, notably the poor out-of-box color accuracy, are said to be in the works. As noted in the review, we will continue to monitor Formovie's progress in bringing the Theater Premium along and will re-evaluate the projector and update our findings when the factory has completed its planned improvements.—Rob Sabin


The Formovie Theater, originally released in late 2022, received high praise for its excellent contrast and minimal laser speckle. It did not receive a refresh in 2023, but fans didn't have to wait long, as the Formovie Theater Premium launched in November 2024.

Building on the foundation of its predecessor, the new Formovie model retains some familiar features, including excellent contrast, minimal laser speckle, great sound quality, and a compact size. Notable upgrades include an authorized Netflix app built-in, and a promised over-the-air (OTA) 3D update. With a competitive street price of $2,999.99, it has the potential to once again be one of the best ultra-short throw (UST) projectors on the market. Nonetheless, it fell short on a couple of key fronts, most notably with poor out-of-box color accuracy and an inability to properly adjust its color space to different content types.

Features

The Formovie Theater Premium is the successor to the popular Formovie Theater UST which ProjectorCentral reviewed in 2022. Building on many features of its predecessor, the Formovie Theater Premium is a native 1080p/60Hz projector that uses a single-chip Texas Instruments DMD 0.47-inch DLP chipset and a 4-Way XPR (Xpanded Pixel Resolution) actuator. This combination enables the Formovie Theater Premium to fully display and resolve 4K UHD resolution.

It also utilizes the same ALPD 4.0 RGB+ triple-laser technology as its predecessor. For those unfamiliar, it incorporates a single blue laser+phosphor light source alongside a secondary RGB (red, green, blue) laser configuration. This setup delivers the wider color gamut and higher color brightness associated with RGB laser designs, but with reduced laser speckle. The technology remains highly effective, as I observed no laser speckle during my time with the Formovie Theater Premium—a consistent result with the previous model. Additionally, I did not notice any rainbow effect from the single-chip DLP, which is excellent news. However, potential buyers sensitive to the rainbow effect should note that it could still be an issue for some, as sensitivity to rainbows can vary from viewer to viewer.

formovie theater premium lightpath
The ALPD 4.0 RGB+ triple-laser technology in the Formovie Theater Premium uses a single blue laser+phosphor with a secondary RGB laser configuration.

The Formovie Theater Premium is rated at 2,200 ISO lumens, a nice improvement over the 1,800 ISO lumens of the Formovie Theater. Formovie also claims a gamut coverage of 107% BT.2020, though this claim fell short during our review. The unit we tested achieved only 84.51% xy and 89.54% uv coverage for BT.2020, while fully covering 100% of both P3 and Rec.709. Unfortunately, the color accuracy of the unit left much to be desired.

The projector continues to excel in contrast performance, however, boasting a 3,000:1 FOFO (full-on/full-off) contrast ratio. Like its predecessor, this claim held up during our testing, where we measured a contrast ratio of 3,200:1 FOFO. In the ultra-short-throw (UST) projector space, very few models offer such high contrast ratios, and Formovie maintains its edge in this area.

The Formovie Theater Premium features a reduced throw ratio compared to its predecessor, yet it can still project a large 150-inch diagonal image. This improvement allows users to achieve larger screen sizes while utilizing less space. Previously, the Formovie Theater required approximately 19.3 inches of distance from the wall to project a 150-inch image. Now, the Formovie Theater Premium requires only 15.75 inches from the rear of the unit to the wall for that image size. With its 0.21:1 throw ratio, the projector can display image sizes ranging from 80 inches to 150 inches diagonally, with placement as close as 2.83 inches and up to 15.75 inches from the rear of the unit to the wall. I found these claims accurate: projecting a 100-inch diagonal image required about 6.25 inches of clearance, while a 120-inch diagonal image required about 10 inches from the rear of the unit to the screen, which aligns with Formovie's distance charts.

formovie theater premium lifestyle3

The Formovie Theater Premium retains the same weight and physical dimensions as its predecessor, weighing 21.6 lbs with dimensions of 21.65 x 4.23 x 13.74 inches (WHD). Its compact depth remains smaller than many other UST (ultra-short throw) projectors on the market. The industrial design is also identical to the original Formovie Theater, featuring leveling dials for the feet on the front left and right sides near the bottom for precise alignment adjustments. To plan ahead you can visit the ProjectorCentral Formovie Theater projection calculator. Proper and patient setup can help to avoid reliance on features like the available 4-point or 8-point keystone geometric correction, which best maintains image integrity.

The Formovie Theater Premium offers an almost identical feature set to its predecessor, with a few enhancements and changes. One notable update is the switch from Android TV 11 to Google TV. The primary difference between the two is the user interface presentation; Google TV also provides viewing recommendations, essentially serving as a rebranded version. Notably, it includes an authorized Netflix app, eliminating the need for an external streaming device to access this service. Additionally, the Premium model introduces 3D support, which will be delivered via an OTA (over-the-air) update.

Like the Formovie Theater, the Theater Premium supports Dolby Vision, including a new Dolby Vision Vivid picture mode, bringing the total to three modes: Bright, Dark, and Vivid. Other features include Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, HDR10+, and access to the Google Play Store with apps such as MAX, Disney+, Hulu, and Prime Video. Like its predecessor, the Formovie Theater Premium supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 and features sound by Bowers & Wilkins. The sound system has been upgraded to what is referred to as Advanced Gen 2 Acoustics, although details on the changes from the first generation were unavailable.

Unfortunately, the Formovie Theater Premium does not seem to support VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) as the original Formovie Theater did, at least out of the box. Our review of the Theater revealed issues with the implementation of VRR, and some users reported that VRR was eventually dropped as a feature in later firmware updates. Upon reviewing the EDID information the Formovie Theater Premium sends to source components via HDMI to describe its capabilities, the VRR support flag was no longer visible.

To confirm, I connected an Xbox Series X to the unit via the HDMI1 port to check if VRR might still be available. This produced surprising results: the Formovie Theater Premium did not even recognize the Xbox Series X as a 4K/60Hz-capable device and failed all video compatibility checks. Additionally, it defaulted to a resolution of 640x480, with no other resolutions available for selection. After investigation with Formovie, it was clarified that with current firmware the unit ships from the factory with HDMI1 set as the HDMI debug port, though there's no identification of this on the unit. This was causing the the Xbox to not properly see the full available resolution of the display. I was ultimately only able to get full resolution from my gaming console via the HDMI 2 and HDMI3 ports. Ideally, this issue should be resolved with a firmware update, though it would have been preferable for the device to launch without such problems.

Also related to gaming, the new model does still offer the support for ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) found in the original Theater. This feature automatically enables Game Mode when a gaming signal is recognized via HDMI from a console or other device. But unfortunately, the execution of ALLM in the Theater Premium is also problematic, as I learned when I tried measuring the latency in Game Mode. Formovie is claiming an improvement from the original Theater's performance of 43 milliseconds to 18 ms in the new model. However, for reasons explained below, I was only able to confirm a low of 35 ms, and I discovered after experimenting that achieving the lowest possible latency meant having to turn off ALLM functionality in the menu because of a quirk in the operating system that leads to an unexpected interaction.

Here's what happens: With current firmware, when ALLM is turned on in the menu it automatically deactivates Game Mode and enables the MJC motion compensation feature, which will typically be at the default Medium setting if it wasn't previously changed. With MJC on and Game Mode off, latency is very high, measuring around 135 ms, and even turning MJC to Off from its dedicated menu does not correct this. The only way to fully disable MJC is to enable the PC mode, which still delivers higher latency than just using Game Mode. The only way to achieve low latency is to disable ALLM and have only the Game Mode enabled.

With these settings, I was able to measure around 35-36 ms lag with 1080p and 4K resolutions at most frame rates. Unfortunately, while the projector did accept a 1080p/240 signal that would have theoretically resulted in a lower input lag, it did not properly display the flashing test pattern from my Murideo generator to measure that particular signal type. I was therefore not able to confirm anything lower than 35 ms. So, it is clear that the Theater Premium's ALLM function is currently broken and will likely require a firmware fix.

formovie theater premium front right angle

The Formovie Theater Premium is listed as an HDMI 2.1 device and includes an EDID for HDMI 2.1. However, it does not support FRL (Fixed Rate Link), which is a feature of true high-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 devices, and it endures the same limitation found in most other single-chip 4K DLP projectors, which top out at displaying 4K/60 Hz on screen and cannot fully utilize 4K/120 signals coming from late-generation game consoles or PCs.

The Google TV (version 12) interface is responsive, familiar, and operates like a mature platform, with minimal bugs or issues. However, this level of polish does not extend to some of the controls, which will be discussed later in the Performance section of this review. As with its predecessor, the settings are independent for each input and are separate between the smart platform and HDMI inputs, except for the 11-point white balance, which is global across all sources. While universal settings would save users from having to configure them multiple times depending on the source, the current setup allows for a high degree of customization. For instance, users can have slightly different settings for Google TV versus HDMI input sources if desired.

The included remote is a straightforward, standard Android remote. It provides buttons for User, Voice, Settings, Navigation, Back, Home, TV, Volume, and dedicated Netflix and YouTube shortcuts. The remote is responsive, thanks to its Bluetooth connection.

formovie theater premium remote

The Formovie Theater Premium features an excellent integrated sound system designed by Bowers & Wilkins. Like the original Formovie Theater, the sound performance is substantial. The system includes two 15-watt speakers, each equipped with titanium dome tweeters, mid-bass drivers, and a side-firing bass reflex port. It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X via surround virtualization, delivering an impressive and convincing surround sound effect. Of course, while the built-in audio is excellent for an integrated solution, it cannot replace a dedicated audio system or a high-end soundbar with subwoofers and rear satellites. That said, it is more than capable as a temporary or secondary solution, or even a primary solution for less demanding viewers.

The rear I/O of the Formovie Theater Premium is identical to that of its predecessor. It includes three HDMI inputs, this time version 2.1, all supporting ALLM and game mode, with eARC available on HDMI 3. Other ports include a 3.5mm audio output, an S/PDIF (optical) output, two USB 3.0 Type-A inputs for media playback, and a LAN port. Additionally, the device supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. This connectivity should meet the needs of most users, especially those pairing the unit with an AVR or soundbar with additional HDMI inputs while utilizing the eARC feature.

Performance

Color Modes. The Formovie Theater Premium offers a total of 15 picture modes. Of these, six are designated for SDR and six for HDR. The naming conventions are consistent between the two, though HDR modes include an "(HDR10)" designation after each name. Additionally, there are three picture modes specifically for Dolby Vision: Dolby Vision Bright, Dolby Vision Dark, and Dolby Vision Vivid. Notably, no distinct HDR10+ picture modes were available when playing HDR10+ content, as only the standard HDR10 modes were displayed. Additionally, there is no flag displayed indicating HDR10+ content is playing.

formovie theater premium top

The picture modes for both SDR and HDR include User, Standard, Vivid, Sport, Movie, and Game. All picture modes are fully configurable, with their default differences primarily based on settings like gamma, color temperature, and various image enhancements, which are preconfigured to different strengths.

The Formovie Theater Premium provides comprehensive controls for grayscale, color temperature, and color management across all picture modes. The color temperature settings allow for adjustments within the User Color Temperature preset. If changes are made to other color temperature presets, the system automatically switches to the User Color Temperature mode. The projector also includes a global 11-point white balance correction system, which starts at 5%, then moves to 10%, and increases in 10% increments up to 100%. This feature, carried over from its predecessor, applies globally to all picture modes, HDMI inputs, and the Google TV OS.

The Color Management System (CMS) offers adjustments for hue, saturation, and gain for as well as primary and secondary colors (RGBCMY) within the target color space. While these controls functioned correctly, their usefulness was limited due to the out-of-the-box (OOTB) accuracy issues and improper color mapping within the color gamut. Addressing the underlying color mapping problem would be necessary for these tools to achieve their full potential.

One persistent issue from the original Formovie Theater that I was hoping to see fixed is the Color Space Auto option. Instead of mapping to the appropriate color space based on the input signal (Rec.709 for SDR content or BT.2020 for HDR), the predecessor Theater model would always default to its widest available color space. This required setting the color space to On rather than Auto for proper SDR content handling. Unfortunately, I was unable to verify if this was resolved in the Formovie Theater Premium due to the fact that the entire gamut selection functionality is broken.

formovie theater premium side

Currently how this works at the time of writing this review is that no matter the option selected on the Color Space control, all signals map to the widest available color space the Formovie Theater Premium is able to produce. Additionally, if a user calibrates for SDR, the saturation points from 90% to 100% are firmly fixed outside of the gamut, so any content that would be in that range is extremely over saturated. In addition to this behavior, when HDR is sent to the projector, all color points from 40% and higher are pushed outwards to the gamut edge, again resulting in extremely over-saturated color, while the points below 40% are also over saturated and extremely off hue, just not to the same extent. The issue with trying to correct HDR is that so much adjustment is needed it results in two things occurring. The first is that not enough range is available for some of the controls; a user will easily max them out and the result will still be incorrect. The second is that it makes the image look flat if you are trying to correct it, because so much color has to be removed to address the oversaturation.

The gamma options are predefined values categorized as Bright, Middle, and Dark. The Middle gamma corresponds to an effective gamma of 2.1 and is the native gamma setting for the Formovie Theater Premium. The Dark option measures at an effective gamma of 2.3, while the Bright setting measures at 1.8 gamma.

Out-of-the-box performance was, frankly, underwhelming, especially for SDR content, which as mentioned appeared significantly oversaturated. HDR performed somewhat better but was still visibly inaccurate. All picture modes exhibited a noticeable blue bias, particularly in whites.

The Formovie Theater Premium undeniably requires calibration, but this comes with its own challenges. The key issue is that if the problems described above are eventually addressed through a firmware update, as Formovie now promises after being made aware of the flaw, the question still arises: what exactly will be fixed? For instance, if the update resolves color gamut detection for Rec.709 conversion but not the oversaturated color mapping, a calibration might remain effective. However, if the color mapping is fixed but the conversion mechanism isn't, or vice versa, the calibration would need to be adjusted accordingly. Given this uncertainty, I can't recommend spending time or money performing a calibration until these performance issues are resolved.

For out-of-the-box viewing, I suggest starting with the Movie or User picture modes, as well as Dolby Vision Dark. Ideally, users should reduce the global color setting to tone down the oversaturation until the image appears visually balanced. Using the Dark gamma setting is also recommended for a more accurate display.

I began calibration of the Formovie Theater Premium using Calman Ultimate calibration software from Portrait Displays, a Colorimetry Research CR-250 Spectroradiometer, a Colorimetry Research CR-100 Colorimeter, and a Murideo 8K Seven Generator. The Formovie Theater Premium was calibrated to 120-inch diagonal on an Elite Screens Kestrel Tab-Tension 2 CLR lenticular ALR screen, which has a 0.6 gain.

Starting with SDR, pre-calibration measurements had very large dE (DeltaE) errors. (DeltaE is the metric used to determine the visible error. 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.) Grayscale pre-calibration measurements of User mode had dE errors with an average of 4.6dE and 6.7dE max. Color gamut color points for the Rec. 709 color space had errors with an average of 9.1dE and a 15.3dE max. I ran a large pre-calibration color checker and the results showed an average of 6.3dE with a max of 18.4dE. HDR saw similar errors with averages all in the double digits with max errors up to 19.7dE. (The Calman ColorChecker measures accuracy on a wide range of color swatches corresponding to skin tones, blue sky, etc.)

Utilizing the provided Color Temperature adjustment, 2-point gain and bias controls, and 11-point White Balance correction for adjustments I targeted the production industry standard D65 neutral gray white point. Afterwards, I performed a full CMS (color management system) calibration for the RGBCMY primaries and secondaries.

Post calibration errors improved but due to color mapping some errors remained very high. Running the extensive color checker of 150+ patterns resulted in an average of 3.5dE, and a max of 16.3dE. The grayscale measurement for SDR saw the most improvement, dropping down to an average of 1.1dE with a max of 2.4dE, which is an acceptable result.

HDR also improved with better grayscale by utilizing the 11-Point White Balance, but the EOTF still under tracked throughout the whole range. Adjustments for CMS were not utilized because of the impact they had on the picture, which ultimately resulted in the out-of-box errors persisting even after White Balance adjustment.

formovie theater premium front

The devices I used for reviewing content post calibration were R_Volution PlayerOne 8K Media Player, Apple TV 4K, Panasonic UB820, and Xbox Series X.

1080p/SDR Viewing. To audition SDR content at 1080p, I chose to watch The Last Kingdom, Season 1, Episode 2 on the Apple TV 4K. The show's color palette worked well with the Formovie Theater Premium due to the program's subdued and neutral tones. Skin tones were reproduced accurately and looked natural, which was great. The costumes and landscapes were also rendered well, such as during the scene where Uhtred and Brida were talking in the ransacked village after fleeing from Uhtred's uncle. Shadow detail was good, particularly noticeable in the scenes where Father Beocca was speaking with King Alfred in the library and walking through the various halls.

4K/HDR Viewing. The first movie I chose to watch was the animated feature Zootopia using the R_Volution PlayerOne 8K Media Player. While the overall image quality was acceptable, it lacked a sense of depth. The color reproduction was noticeably off, which resulted in elements that should have displayed smooth gradation and contrast appearing flatter than expected. This issue was particularly evident during the scene where Judy takes the train into Zootopia and observes the various biomes for the first time.

Additionally, there was significant clipping in the clouds, most noticeable in the scene where Judy arrives at her apartment for the first time and looks out the window. In this scene, a water tower, a building, and clouds are typically clearly visible. However, on the Formovie Theater Premium, most of the clouds were blown out, resulting in a loss of detail, and the water tower and building appeared less distinct than they should have been.

The next movie I watched was Deadpool & Wolverine on Apple TV 4K. While the movie looked okay overall, the color issues were again noticeable. At times, however, the oversaturation didn't necessarily look bad. One such example is the "Bye, Bye, Bye" opening scene, where the oversaturation of Deadpool's red suit was noticeable but still acceptable. However, when the title for Deadpool & Wolverine appeared, the red used for the "Deadpool" text was so intense that it worked against the overall aesthetic.

Other inconsistencies included scenes like when the TVA visited Wade's apartment on his birthday. The TVA logos appeared red instead of their usual orange hue, and this color inconsistency persisted throughout the movie. On a more positive note, the motion handling during the fight scenes was excellent, with very smooth motion and seamless panning throughout the film.

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The last movie I watched was Solo: A Star Wars Story via Apple TV 4K in Dolby Vision. I focused on the Kessel Run scene, where the group escapes the Maw and a creature is pulled into it. The highlights emerging from the Maw were noticeably clipped. Additionally, when the scene shifted to the crew inside the ship, red contouring was clearly visible on the faces of Han and the rest of the crew. The image also had a very flat appearance, especially noticeable after they made the delivery and were waiting for Dryden. This issue occurred in all three Dolby Vision modes: Bright, Dark, and Vivid. It was similar to the appearance I observed in other HDR content I viewed.

Conclusion

The Formovie Theater Premium boasts excellent contrast and a solid feature set with Dolby Vision and HDR10+, as well as having a great built-in sound system and more features such as 3D playback promised in future updates. Given its price and its potential performance, it could someday be an outstanding UST, especially at the current promotional street price of $2,999.

However, I feel it is somewhat unfinished due to issues with its color space detection, which prevents it from switching to the correct color space needed for the content, as well as the problems with the color mapping. The original Formovie Theater also had issues with handling color spaces, though it could be calibrated to some degree if set up properly. Unfortunately, the Formovie Theater Premium doesn't offer the same level of adjustment due to its current performance limitations. In its current state, it's hard to overlook its visual flaws, such as noticeable image clipping, a somewhat flat appearance, and excessive oversaturation.

formovie theater premium front left angle

These issues may be addressed at some point with a firmware update, which would be great news. Formovie says they are working on fixes. However, the unit is on sale now, which is why I consider it to be unfinished. As mentioned, it's also unclear whether an update will fix only the color space detection issue, the problematic color mapping, or both. If a successful firmware update can resolve these key issues and result in better out-of-box color accuracy, the Formovie Theater Premium ought to rival and even surpass the original Formovie Theater. At this moment, however, I feel the Formovie Theater Premium is performing below its predecessor.

I do think it is a unit worth watching to see how it potentially evolves with firmware updates and new features. However, at the time of this review, I would recommend steering clear and considering an alternative such as the recently reviewed Hisense PX3-PRO, which performed well in our tests and is arguably one of the best performing UST projectors available today.

Measurements

Brightness. Editor's Note: The Formovie Theater Premium is rated for 2,200 ISO21118 lumens. A 9-point averaged ANSI or ISO lumen measurement taken across the image is technically independent of screen type or size and can be used to calculate a projector's light output at any image size. However, as we have previously reported, UST brightness measurements conducted with a handheld luminance meter facing into the lens, as typically performed by ProjectorCentral reviewers, tend toward a high margin of error due to the extreme angle of light coming from the lens—minute physical movements of the meter can produce large swings in the readings.

For purpose of this review, we are providing for the reader's reference our accurate off-screen brightness measurements from the center of our recommended 0.6 gain lenticular UST ALR screen material at the popular 120-inch image size. An alternate reading from a 100-inch image in the brightest User picture mode is also provided. Despite its contrast-enhancing negative gain, this screen type offers near-perfect brightness uniformity across its surface that results in an approximately 180-degree viewing window. Measurements were taken with a lab-grade tristimulus colorimeter positioned perpendicular to the screen surface. Note that use of a higher gain screen or a smaller image size would result in a brighter image, just as a larger image would result in less brightness. —Rob Sabin

Formovie Theater Off-Screen Brightness, Center Sector, 0.6-gain lenticular UST screen, nits/ft-Lamberts

SDR/HDR MODE 120 inches 100 inches
User 67.23 cd/m2 ; 19.62 fL 94.64 cd/m2; 27.62 fL
User (9-point average) 63.72 cd/m2; 18.59 fL
Standard 54.59 cd/m2 ; 15.93 fL
Vivid 53 cd/m2 ; 15.46 fL
Sport 53.81 cd/m2 ; 15.70 fL
Movie 54.83 cd/m2 ; 16.00 fL
Game 54 cd/m2 ; 15.76 fL

Brightness Uniformity. The Formovie Theater Premium projecting a 120-inch diagonal image resulted in measured brightness uniformity of 71%. The brightest portion of the screen was the middle bottom sector, and the dimmest the top left. The difference in brightness on a full white screen was slightly noticeable as well as in content noticeable while viewing content.

Fan Noise. Formovie rates the fan noise at less than 28 dB. Using Room EQ Wizard software and a Umik-1 microphone, my theater room ambient noise floor is 33.3 dBA. The Formovie Theater measured at the following dB for both SDR and HDR, in the Office brightness mode, from a distance of approximately 3 feet.

SDR/HDR

Front: 36.9 dBA
Left: 37.9 dBA
Right: 37.4 dBA

Input Lag. As noted in the text, activating ALLM resulted in high input lag readings unsuitable for gaming. Input lag measurements while using Game Mode and ALLM disabled recorded as follows: 1080p/60 Hz=36ms; 1080p/120=35ms; 1080p/144=35ms; 1080p/240=35ms, 4K/60=36ms.

Connections

formovie theater premium connections
  • HDMI 2.1 (x3; HDMI 3 eARC; HDCP 2.2)
  • USB 3.0 type A (x2; media playback support)
  • 3.5mm Audio Out
  • S/PDIF (Optical output)
  • RJ-45 LAN port

Calibrated 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

Picture Mode: User
Brightness: 50
Contrast: 50
Saturation: 34
Hue: 3
Sharpness: 2

Advanced Settings

Color Temperature: User
Red Gain: -2
Green Gain: 0
Blue Gain: -24

Dolby Vision Notification: On

DNR: Off
MPEG NR: Off
Max Vivid: Off
Adaptive Luma Control: Low
Local Contrast Control: Medium
Color Space: On (Does not work at time of review)
Flesh Tone: Off
DI Film Mode: Off
Blue Stretch: Off
Gamma: Dark
Game Mode: Off
ALLM: On
PC Mode: Off
De-Counter: Off
MJC: Off
Low Blue Light: Off

Color Tuner: On

Color Hue Saturation Brightness
Red 49 70 77
Green 35 53 100
Blue 45 47 74
Cyan 50 45 100
Magenta 38 59 81
Yellow 47 44 50
Flesh Tone 50 50 50

Offset
Red: 50
Green: 50
Blue: 50

Gain
Red: 41
Green: 50
Blue: 42

11 Point White Balance Correction

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

Red Green Blue
5% 50 50 50
10% 50 50 50
20% 57 50 52
30% 57 50 52
40% 56 50 53
50% 63 54 55
60% 58 50 50
70% 60 51 52
80% 54 44 46
90% 53 50 44
100% 61 43 44

HDR Settings

Picture Mode: User (HDR10)
Brightness: 50
Contrast: 50
Saturation: 50
Hue: 0
Sharpness: 2

Advanced Settings

Color Temperature: User
Red Gain: -3
Green Gain: 3
Blue Gain: -27

Dolby Vision Notification: On

HDR: On
DNR: Off
MPEG NR: Off
Max Vivid: Off
Adaptive Luma Control: Medium (or Low)
Local Contrast Control: Medium
Color Space: Auto (N/A)
Flesh Tone: Off
DI Film Mode: Off
Blue Stretch: Off
Gamma: Dark
Game Mode: Off
ALLM: On
PC Mode: Off
De-Counter: Off
MJC: Off
Low Blue Light: Off

Color Tuner: On

Color Hue Saturation Brightness
Red 50 50 50
Green 50 50 50
Blue 50 50 50
Cyan 50 50 50
Magenta 50 50 50
Yellow 50 50 50
Flesh Tone 50 50 50

Offset
Red: 50
Green: 50
Blue: 50

Gain
Red: 50
Green: 50
Blue: 50

11-Point White Balance Correction: On

Dolby Vision Dark Settings

Picture Mode: Dolby Vision Dark
Brightness: 50
Contrast: 50
Saturation: 50
Hue: 0
Sharpness: 2

Advanced Settings

Color Temperature: User
Red Gain: 0
Green Gain: 0
Blue Gain: -0

Dolby Vision Notification: On

DNR: Off
MPEG NR: Off
Max Vivid: Off
Color Space: Auto (N/A)
Flesh Tone: Off
DI Film Mode: Auto
Blue Stretch: Off
Gamma: Dark
Game Mode: Off
ALLM: On
PC Mode: Off
De-Counter: Off
MJC: Off
Low Blue Light: Off

Color Tuner: Off

11-Point White Balance Correction: On

For more detailed specifications and connections, check out our Formovie Theater Premium 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.

 
Comments (16) Post a Comment
Chris Posted Dec 17, 2024 7:04 AM PST
For all those of us comparing the FMTP with the HiSense PX3-Pro, which is brighter? I've discovered it's not as simple as a straightforward ISO to ANSI maths conversion.
Rob Sabin, Editor Posted Dec 18, 2024 9:54 AM PST
Chris, given that Formovie was pushed to using ISO lumens by an Epson lawsuit, I think you can probably count on the projector being more or less faithful to its 2,200 lumen spec for brightest mode. Ditto for the PX3-PRO with its 3,000-lumen ANSI spec. Note that, despite what you may have read elsewhere, there is no simple math conversion for ISO to ANSI or the other way. An ISO reading is basically an ANSI reading, using the same 9-point measurement technique, that has potentially (but not necessarily) been artificially bumped up to reflect an average of all production units.

Putting aside that the Hisense is undoubtedly the brighter projector, you would need to read the review to learn that short of a significant firmware update to fix the various problems encountered by our reviewer, these projectors are not presently in the same class. We are not recommending the Formovie Theater Premium for purchase at this time, while the PX3-PRO received our rare Editor's Choice award. I think that's all that needs to be said.
Alex Posted Dec 18, 2024 12:02 PM PST
So what you are saying is that there is no way to get the 18ms latency test with the current model. That's crazy I guess I'll hold of on buying until I hear about new updates. Can you post what version of firmware you had during testing for future reference.
Rob Sabin, Editor Posted Dec 18, 2024 12:13 PM PST
We aren't saying that it won't do 18ms, but the projector's behavior with Sammie's test equipment was not the expected behavior with the highest frame rate signals so it would not provide a reading despite that gear working perfectly with similar signals on other projectors. So...we could not confirm its ability to achieve that lag reading.
Alex Posted Dec 21, 2024 9:25 AM PST
I saw that an update was released that specifically addresses color space saving, hdr and brightness. Do you guys do retests?
David Posted Jan 11, 2025 10:55 AM PST
Any plans to revisit the Formovie Premium after most recent firmware revision? Or after the 3D update that's expected?

Would the calibration settings in this article still apply after the new firmware?

Seems like Formovie released the hardware before the software was ready.
Rob Sabin, Editor Posted Jan 15, 2025 3:51 PM PST
David, PC will continue to wait until Formovie has addressed some of the other significant issues identified in the review before considering re-evaluation.
Steve Posted Jan 21, 2025 10:53 AM PST
fwiw, i've downloaded the latest firmware and i was still having maddening color issues. i was using running my video through my AVR (Yamaha RX-V7685). it would recognize pass-thru of dolby vision or 4k/60 HDR 12-bit 4.2.2 but DV was terrible and regular HDR was mostly ok but inconsistently over-saturated. finally discovered the only fix was sending video directly to the formovie and using ARC to send audio to the AVR. in the brief time that this has worked, i still see insonsistency across source material but nothing has looked obviously "wrong" (vs some material looking wow and some just kinda underwhelming). obviously none of this is remotely technical and objective like the reviewer's helpful assessment (which came too late for my purchase unfortunately). just sharing my experience because my color woes ended up being something unexpected given my AVR is supposed to handle 4k/60 DV and HDR passthru and everything was recognizing properly but still looking wonky.
Sam Posted Jan 22, 2025 4:45 AM PST
A little disappointing considering how well the Formovie Theater performed. Hope Formovie addresses and fixes the color issues as soon as possible.

One other issue I noticed on the previous Theater version is that if you have your own sound system in conjunction with an AV Receiver and opt to switch-off the internal speakers, you get this annoying reminder that the internal speakers have been deactivated every time you switch on the projector. I hope that has been resolved in the Premium version.
Steve Posted Jan 25, 2025 10:38 AM PST
so after a i posted the comment above, i got agitated about my suboptimal setup (not running through my Yamaha AVR because the DolbyVision was registering but doing wonky colors) and i decided to just grab a bunch of different pieces, reset, and start from scratch methodically swapping out cables, inputs, outputs, resetting and rebuilding all settings, etc. so i unplug and power everything down, go back to my original setup through the AVR, and ... everything works now. the DV colors look good across sources and media. i didn't even get to reseting or changing settings. my only guess is that after the firmware update, i didn't power cycle all the other pieces (the AVR and the chromecast)? i'm too casual/ignorant to pinpoint causality. so fwiw, my colors in 4k/60 DV were wonky before (and were inconsistently ok using HDR 12-bit), but now, after the firmware update (not asserting that was the fix because i'm not qualified to know), i seem to be seeing consistently good colors in DV. man i hope this sticks because now the formovie premium is everything i was hoping it would be.
Sam Posted Feb 2, 2025 4:38 AM PST
Do the line-out and internal speakers work simultaneously in the Premium version? - This would allow the incorporation of a sub which is not possible in the previous model.
David Posted Apr 28, 2025 2:12 PM PST
Recently received my 3rd firmware update. Formovie has fixed many things but I'm still struggling to get a Dolby Vision image that's on par with HDR. I emailed support and they told me the problem was in my streaming device (which I'm not using) or my network connection (which is hardwired Ethernet to a 1GB Fios fiber connection with <10ms latency).

They seem to think Dolby Vision is working as designed. Is the firmware at a point PC would take another run at this projector? I'm struggling to understand how DV wouldn't perform better than HDR...must be something to calibrate here.
David Posted May 20, 2025 11:15 AM PST
Will Projector Central taking another look after all their firmware updates?
Jeremy Glowacki, Editor Posted May 20, 2025 12:27 PM PST
We do not plan to retest this model.
David Posted May 22, 2025 9:06 AM PST
Thanks Jeremy. Would you be able to confirm if the calibration values provided here are still applicable after Formovie supposedly fixed the color space issues?

I applied them last night, SDR looks better but HDR/DV are still off.

Thanks for all that you all do, appreciate all the info.
Jeremy Glowacki, Editor Posted May 22, 2025 9:20 AM PST
Hi David,

I really appreciate your engagement with this review. It's a tough one for me, because it pre-dates my taking over Rob Sabin's role here at PC. I reached out to Sammie about this and unfortunately he already returned the Formovie to the manufacturer and cannot retest with new firmware. He has asked around and had this to say about the update: "[while the] firmware was supposed to fix some of the issues, from what I was told by a few people some things got fixed, some got worse." Sorry we can't be more helpful than that. Your insights as an owner of the product might be more helpful to readers of these comments than anything else.

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