The issue showed up both 1080p SDR and 4K HDR versions of the same movies, but was more extreme with the 1080p versions. In one case, an orange color was added to shadowed areas. In scenes where there was no additional detail to bring out, the result was posterized. To show that level of detail, however, the Nova brightened up images by so much that they looked washed out and lacked drama. In the darkest scenes in our test suite, which I've watched hundreds of times, I saw shadow detail that I have never seen before with any projector. With movies on disc, the Nova appeared to adjust its tone mapping for the overall image brightness of each frame. If you use the projector solely for streaming, you should be more than happy with the picture quality. Even the same movie watched both ways looked far better in streaming format. However, for streaming projectors, we also look at streaming video and film, which the Nova seems to have been tuned for. If movies on disc were all we considered in our testing, I would have given the Nova poor marks for image quality. You can also use the Nova as a Bluetooth speaker. For higher volume or better quality, you can connect an external audio system to the 3.5mm audio out or the S/PDIF optical audio out. The two 10-watt full-range speakers and two 5-watt tweeters deliver good audio for a projector and easily sufficient volume to fill a large family room.

I was pleasantly surprised by the onboard sound system, complete with Dolby audio and DTS-HD. The rating of 2,100 ANSI lumens is bright enough to light up a roughly 110-inch, 1.0 gain, 16:9 screen in moderate ambient light, which is a comfortably large size for a home entertainment projector serving as a TV in a family room. Note that the recommended range for the screen size is 80 to 150 inches, at distances of roughly 5.5 to 19.3 inches from the screen. I found the powered focus easy to adjust to give a suitably sharp image. An eight-point geometric adjustment is available if needed, but I recommend avoiding it, since it can introduce artifacts and lower image brightness. Like most UST models, the Nova doesn't have optical zoom, so you'll need to adjust the position to match the image size to your screen. The panel facing the screen includes an Ethernet connector and three HDMI 2.0 ports Wi-Fi is also supported. Connect the power cord, optionally connect HMDI cables to one or more devices, and connect to an internet-connected network. The Nova is both lighter and more compact than most of its competition, at 16.5 pounds and 3.6 by 18 by 12.1 inches (HWD), which makes it easy to handle during setup.

Best projectors for live visuals