Are you look for the best projectors with HDMI ARC? If yes, you’ve landed on the right page.
HDMI ARC port transfers audio signals, which eliminates numerous other wires and works with a single remote.
In addition, we’ve also included 4K projectors with HDMI eARC technology.
Are you ready?
Let’s get started!
3 Best Projector with HDMI ARC
1. Hisense PX1
The Hisense PX1 comes in a new line of laser projectors from Hisense, a popular TV manufacturer.
If you’re looking for the best projector with HDMI ARC, it doesn’t get better than Hisense PX1.
Here’s why?
The Hisense PX1 comes with HDMI eARC technology, an improved version of the regular HDMI ARC technology.
How improved, you might ask? For example, it supports HDMI with Ethernet. On top of that, it also supports Uncompressed 5.1 and 7.1 audio.
It also supports a high bit rate with up to 192KHz and 24-bit audio, which is impossible with regular HDMI Arc.
While a regular HDMI Arc supports up to 1Mbits/second audio bandwidth. The HDMI eARC supports a whopping 37Mbits/second audio bandwidth. As a result, HDMI eARC can support high-quality and theater-like formats such as DTS:X and Dolby Atmos.
Talking about Hisense PX1, it’s a native 4K projector that supports up to 120-inch projection screen.
It uses DLP projection with pixel-shifting technology to produce a 4K image. More importantly, this projector supports 4K content at a 120Hz refresh rate. As a result, you can connect it to a PS5 and enjoy AAA games with a higher refresh rate.
The Hisense PX1’s design is nothing to talk about. It looks basic and resembles most Ultra Short Throw projectors available in the market.
It can produce up to 2000 lumens brightness. Thanks to the TriChroma light engine, the projector can produce up to 1 billion colors for a truly vibrant experience. It also produces 107% of the BT.2020 colors, meaning the color will look more vibrant than its competitors.
The projector’s front is also embedded with a soundbar. It can produce up to 30W sound output with Dolby Atmos support.
However, to get the best audio experience. I recommend pairing the Hisense PX1 projector with a top-notch Vizio 5.1.2 soundbar with HDMI eARC support.
2. Xgimi Horizon
The Xgimi Horizon is one of my favorite all-in-projector under $1000. It has high brightness, built-in Android TV, and decent speakers to get you started!
Thus, you don’t need to connect any external device to use this projector. Thanks to its portable size, you can easily carry it anywhere and enjoy a high-quality home theater experience.
While most all-in-one projectors come with limited connectivity options; however, the Xgimi Horizon doesn’t skimp on anything.
As a result, it comes with essential wireless connectivity options like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and screen mirroring. In the wired department, it comes with 2x HDMI ports, 2x USB 2.0 ports, an Optical port, an Ethernet port, and a headphone jack.
The HDMI 1 port supports HDMI ARC technology, enabling you to control your entire home theater setup through the projector.
Suppose you don’t want to install a soundbar or a hi-fi sound system immediately. In that case, you can enjoy audio through the projector’s 2x 8W Harman Kardon speakers.
While the audio experience isn’t immersive, it’s much better than seen in most projectors with built-in speakers.
Most all-in-one projectors suffer from lower brightness. However, that’s not the case with Xgimi Horizon. It produces up to 2200 lumens brightness, paired with HDR10 and HLG technologies. Thus, you can enjoy a vibrant experience while watching movies in your home.
It comes with Android TV10 that offers 5000+ apps, including Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, etc. Other than that, you can also install several games and play them with your siblings.
The Xgimi Horizon has a minimalist design that gets carried to its remote control too. The remote control is minimalist, with a quick access button for Google Assistant.
This projector has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080p with 4K content support. It feels like a value-for-money product. It’s because its bigger brother, the Xgimi Horizon Pro, offers 4K native resolution but costs double the price.
3. Epson Epiqvision Mini EF12
If you want a compact projector with excellent image quality, you shouldn’t overlook the Epson Epiqvision Mini EF12.
Unlike its name, the Epson Mini EF12 has a compact cuboid design, having a width and depth of less than 7 inches. It is approximately 5 inches high and weighs 4.7 pounds.
The projector design is similar to the Epson Mini EF11 except for the top portion. The EF12’s top contains stereo speakers from Yamaha. There are 2x 5W stereo speakers that offer better audio quality than ones I’ve seen in projectors that cost over $1500.
While the design doesn’t look as cool as Xgimi Horizon, its compact size does give it some brownie points.
More importantly, it has all the necessary wired connections, including 2x HDMI ports, 1x USB-A port, and a headphone jack.
The HDMI 1 port supports ARC technology, opening multiple possibilities.
What makes the Epson Epiqvision Mini EF12 special is its display technology.
While most projectors under $1000 come with DLP technology and Lamp-based or LED light source. However, the Epson Mini EF12 comes with Epson’s 3LCD projection technology, which is better than the DLP technology you’ll find in most projectors at a similar price.
On top of that, the 3LCD projection technology is backed by a laser light source. Thus, you can enjoy a vibrant image output with hardly any dispersions.
The Epson Mini EF12 has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080p and supports up to 4K content. It also has built-in Android TV; however, Epson doesn’t mention the version.
The projection technology on the Epson Mini EF12 is better than Xgimi Horizon, but the only downside here is the brightness. The EF12 can produce up to 1000 lumens brightness, which pales compared to the Horizon’s 2200 lumens. Thus, the Epson Mini EF12 is an ideal projector for indoor use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all projectors have HDMI ARC?
No! All projectors do not have HDMI ARC support. However, newer projectors meant for home theater usage come with HDMI ARC as standard.
Is HDMI ARC better than regular HDMI?
Yes! With an HDMI ARC you can transfer audio signals from your projector to your soundbar. It eliminates the need for several remotes to control the volume of your projector and soundbar separately.
Do Epson projectors have HDMI ARC?
Yes! Few Epson projectors have HDMI ARC ports, especially those catering to home theater usage.
How do I know if the HDMI port on my projector supports ARC?
You’ll see an ARC label next to the HDMI label on your projector’s HDMI port, which is the easiest way to know. Other than that, you can also check your projector’s specifications and user manual to check HDMI ARC compatibility.
Is HDMI ARC better than Optical?
Yes! HDMI ARC is better than an optical audio port. HDMI ARC supports uncompressed 7.1 and has 37Mbits/second bandwidth, whereas optical port supports compressed 5.1 channels and only 384Kbits/second bandwidth.
Conclusion
I hope this article helped you learn about the best projectors with HDMI ARC.
HDMI ARC is essential for setting up a home theater and connecting a high-quality speaker system to your projector. Make sure your speaker system supports HDMI ARC too.
If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments section below.