Episode One Projector Review: Cheap and Compact, But with Consequences

Episode One Projector Review

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Episode One Projector

2.5/5 Buy on Amazon

The Episode One is a small budget projector that delivers on the features you'd expect, but it does have some shortcomings in terms of brightness and sound.

A small projector simply saves space. They are great for dorms, apartments, and other small or shared living spaces.

The Episode One is made by Formovie, a company that has been making projectors since 2016.

Episode One Projector – Design

Out of the box, you get the projector, a remote control (batteries not included), a power cable, and a user manual.

The Episode One has a brightness of 150 ISO lumens, which makes it not as bright compared to other laser projectors I've seen. It's a fair tradeoff considering the One's price.

Episode One projector review: Three ports and power are neatly placed on the back.

Like other smart projectors, the One offers autofocus, automatic keystone adjustment to correct corners, and obstacle detection and avoidance. The One also only has one USB-A port, an HDMI port, and an audio jack.

The projector can fit in your hands, weighing about 3 pounds. You can easily take it with you to a friend's house or to an event by carrying it in your bag.

Episode One Projector Review: Pretty Easy to Handle!

Additionally, Episode One uses Google TV to provide smart TV capabilities, allowing you to access all your favorite streaming services without having to use your single HDMI port for streaming/hub.

Episode One Projector – Specifications

Product Details	Specifications
OS	Google TV
Brightness	150 ISO Lumens
Dimensions	122mm x 141mm x 175mm
Projection Size	40 inches ~ 120 inches
Resolution	1920 x 1080
Audio	Dolby Audio
Weight	1.25 kg
Autofocus	Yes
Keystone Correction	Yes

Episode One Projector – Use

As mentioned, the One has its advantages in that it is small, lightweight, and easy to set up with built-in smart features from more expensive projectors.

However, in my experience, the small projector doesn’t have much height, so getting a good projection onto a wall may require a stand and some tilt.

As with most other 120-inch projectors, you’ll need about 10 feet to use it to its full potential.

I kept my Episode One on a dresser about 11 feet from the wall, using a repurposed laptop stand to tilt it down toward the opposite wall.

Listening was my biggest gripe. The tinny sound and lack of bass are too significant to ignore in everyday life, and it was simply easier to plug in a Bluetooth speaker and leave it on while I used the projector.

Episode One Projector Review: Projection Quality Is Out of the question.

I've recommended a soundbar or a separate speaker for other projectors in the past, but unfortunately the Episode One simply needs one to provide an acceptable audiovisual experience.

The 150 ISO lumens aren't great during the day either, so turning off the lights and closing the blinds is the way to go with the One.

The Episode One is a budget projector, for better or for worse

There's nothing else to distract from the experience in any meaningful way; navigation, setup, and use are solid. There's a voice dictation button on the remote for searching, and I'm impressed that many of the software features of more expensive projectors are packed into the One without sacrificing much.

Episode One projector review: How 150 ISO lumens perform in light.

Being cheaper, it has its drawbacks, but there are other projectors in the same price range that can still deliver solid sound and brightness, albeit in a larger size.