We tested the Sim2 Nero 3D-2 home theater projector!

We tested the Sim2 Nero 3D-2 home theater projector!

Sim2 is an Italian company created in 1995. The brand offers innovative video and audio solutions, promises unparalleled performance, and outstanding design. Holders of numerous awards, the company is based in Pordenone, Italy.

Features of Nero 3D-2 DLP projector

The Nero 3D-2 is a one-chip, full HD, 3D projector with excellent optics, featuring Pure Motion and Pure Movie image enhancement technologies, delivering minimal noise and an excellent cooling system.

Equipped with a 280-Watt, dimmable lamp, it can provide brightness of up to 2,000 lumens depending on the lens. With Dynamic Black turned on, the contrast ratio is 30,000: 1. It has 2 HDMI 1.4 inputs, works with Live Colour Calibration 2 software, measures 459 x 210 x 455 mm and weighs 11 Kg.

Three Nero models have been produced so far; in addition to the Nero 3D-2, the cheaper 3D-1 and the 3D HB, which also have 3D capabilities. The base model is 3D1, which is the cheapest, offering 1600 lumens of brightness and a 10000: 1 contrast ratio. Each member of the Nero series is a one-chip DLP projector, which is important to mention because before that, Sim2 entered the market with 3-chip projectors.

This model is designed for dedicated home theatres. The Italian curved design is stylish having a matte black housing especially convenient in a dark cinema room. High quality parts were used for the production. The engineers paid attention to every detail and elaborated the Nero 3D-2 meticulously. Thanks to its relatively compact size, it is easy to find the right place for it; can even be mounted on a shelf and has 3 adjustable feet.

Excellent glass lens, amazing optics

The glass lens of the Nero 3D-2 projector is of extremely high quality, which is why the projector is quite expensive. The lens is located on the right side of the front of the device. The projector uses Texas Instruments 0.95-inch 1080p DMD technology. The maximum brightness of the UHP bulb reaches 2000 lumens. The Nero 3D-2 does not have a horizontal lens calibration, so mounting angle is limited, but it is not very important how high you may place it as this model has a manual shift that can move the image by up to 50% vertically. The lens can be shifted over the lens housing using an Allen key. Of course, it has motorised objective Zoom and Focus functions. It has standard, high-quality genuine glass lenses, and the manufacturer also offers two optional, also high-quality glass lenses. There is an optional lens system that can be fixed or motorised. The infrared receiver is located directly under the lens, and there is another one at the back along with the power cord cable socket.

The Nero 3D-2 projector can operate at 200 and 240 volts at 48-62 Hz and comes with a cable of about two meters. In addition to the power connector and the power switch, all other connectors are located on the back of the device, such as the analog composite video input, the RCA connector, the component input, and the RS232 and USB sockets, as well as three more Trigger outputs. The device has a standard Sim2 2005 remote control, which is extremely easy to use, although could be more ergonomic.

Settings

Life Colour Calibration 2.0 allows perfect colour coordinates and white level adjustments, image optimisation is basically self-served, and Pure Movie and Pure Motion 3D features give you a true cinema like experience, providing fantastically sharp contrasts without losing sharpness of images.

The Sim2’s 3D function is almost perfect. The emitter this model features (emitter) synchronises the projector with the 3D glasses via infrared signals. Entering and navigating the menus was a bit confusing at times, but with the remote control, it was easier to do. In the Picture menu, you can select the aspect ratio and resolutions. There is also a submenu here to select Gamma Correction, further subdivided to Dynamic and Parametric functions, where the parametric control allows you to select the gamma setting from a number of different settings. There is also a colour management option in the settings menu, as well as optional ceiling or floor mounting, a digital keystone control, which is not really recommended because you can easily lose high resolution details. You will further find settings for variable iris, test patterns, and initial setup features. Without pretending to be exhaustive, all the usual adjustment functions can be accessed in settings, such as brightness, contrast, sharpness, noise reduction etc. Thanks to the Colour Management submenu, the colour gamut and colour temperature can be selected.

Sim2 Nero 3D-2 Movie test

We chose the exciting and twisted thriller Black Butterfly for testing the projector. The tests were performed in a fairly large home theatre room. It is a room of about 30 square meters, with acoustic sound absorbers and diffusers mounted on the walls and ceiling, so the sound system in place in the home theatre also provided a perfect sound. To complete the cinema experience, thick, densely woven, sound-absorbing and at the same time darkening acoustic curtains in front of the windows ensured complete darkness.

After calibration with LCC software, we found incredible colour accuracy, contrast ratio, resolution. In a nutshell the projector performance was truly impressive. Even in moving scenes, the images remained sharp without any blur. Pure Motion mode offers adaptive motion processing, but since DLP projectors are generally said to handle motion very well, you don’t really need to use it. Dynamic Black is only available in Movie mode and is designed to increase the black level of the projected image.

The 2-dimensional image performance was excellent, the colour gamut accurate, we were absolutely happy with the natural colours and smooth transitions. It should be noted, however, that Nero 3D-2 had a really great, incredibly detailed picture for high-definition content. Otherwise, one of the main advantages of single-chip DLP projectors is sharpness. Lenses of exceptional quality and performance are also to be commended because they have delivered a truly impressive performance. Another strength of DLP projectors is the motion control, and this projector excelled at it. We had dynamic and amazing colours, the brightness was also really stunning. Thanks to its high brightness, the Nero 3D-2 is perfect for use in a room with a white wall or ceiling, possibly a brighter one. During the projection of the images, we discovered that the black level was low.

However, the 3D image performance was incredible, and thanks to the high brightness, this model also eliminates the problem that usually occurs when using 3D glasses ( i.e. a significant reduction in light, which can reduce light output by 50-75 percent on most projectors, and thus the image becomes blurred), but in the case of the Sim2 Nero 3D-2, the high-performance bulb produced bright and clear, sharp 3D images even when using glasses. Sim2 has optimised the new brand XpanD glasses, and these glasses did not disappoint us during the tests, although they were a bit heavy and not very comfortable to wear for a long time. There was no disturbing rainbow effect on the 3D content either.

Verdict

The Nero 3D-2 projector is also in the premium category in terms of design and quality. Thanks to the extremely high brightness, the 2D and 3D image quality is also perfect, the grayscale and colour scale feature also reference levels. After some calibration the video processing is impressive and with the help of the colour calibration software we shall get incredibly vivid colours.

The black levels were slightly below what we expected. The remote control could be a little more transparent and better designed. Its level of video projection is limited and as far as the price tag goes it fits in a fairly high price range, in fact between mid- and high-end models. But compared to a JVC projector, the JVC projector provided better performance and nicer images in our opinion.

G.H.

Written by:

Róbert Polgár