This is the case when the purchase was made almost impulsively.
Before that, like most people, I watched dozens of reviews on YouTube. And they let me down. Almost all the videos were positive, and there were practically no critical reviews. At most, it was "well, it's not very bright." But no one pointed out any serious downsides.
проектор Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 та батарея
It was after this purchase that I started to think about the so-called "complementary internet." Today I even wrote a separate post about it. Reviews are increasingly resembling advertising integrations rather than honest user experiences.
Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 is an expensive toy. At the time of purchase, it cost almost 30,000 UAH. The most interesting thing is that even now the price has hardly changed.
Of course, the ability to buy it in installments made the decision much easier. If I had to pay the entire amount upfront, I would probably still be reading forums and Reddit for a few more weeks.
темна кімната. документалка про українських миротворців на суспільному
But what's done is done.
During this time, I have used it enough to form my own opinion.
How I used it
After the purchase, I printed a bracket on a 3D printer and mounted the projector above the bed.
на шафі
At first, it projected onto a gray wardrobe. To be honest - it looked quite good. After a while, I bought a regular roll-up screen, and the picture became much more pleasant.
It seemed like the perfect home theater.
But that’s when all the problems started to surface.
Problem #1. Software
The biggest downside of this projector is the Tizen operating system.
This is the very point that I completely overlooked before the purchase.
You can only install apps from the Samsung store. And there are very few of them.
Netflix, YouTube, Megogo, Sweet.TV - are available.
But if you want to watch something else, launch some third-party service, or simply install an APK - forget it.
There is a browser, but it's only "for show." Pages load, but using it normally is almost impossible. Although this is a problem for most Smart TVs.
Okay, I think. I bought a subscription - let's watch officially.
And that's when other surprises begin.
Apps can freeze.
After turning off, the projector sometimes does not turn on at all with the remote.
You have to simply unplug it and turn it back on.
When you buy a projector for almost thirty thousand and then regularly "restart it by pulling the plug," it somewhat ruins the magic.
By the way, YouTube is more optimized for Tizen. I had the most problems with MEGOGO and Sweet TV.
Problem #2. Brightness
тут в кімнаті темно
This was my first projector.
Before the purchase, I watched a ton of videos where people showed huge beautiful images.
But almost no one explained how critical brightness is.
When I had blackout curtains - everything was great.
I closed the windows, closed the doors - and I could watch movies or anime even during the day.
But after moving, where there were no blackout curtains, the projector practically ceased to exist during the day.
Yes, something is visible.
But it’s no longer watching a movie; it’s a battle with sunlight.
That’s when I understood why people talk so much about ANSI Lumens.
This is not marketing.
This is one of the most important characteristics of a projector.
Problem #3 "Portability"
This is where Samsung's marketing disappointed me the most.
The projector is positioned as portable.
In practice - not quite.
Want to show your friends a home video from a flash drive?
Not going to happen.
There is no USB for video playback here.
So to launch your own file, you will need:
a laptop;
an HDMI → Micro-HDMI cable;
and if you have a MacBook Air - also a Type-C → HDMI adapter.
If you're curious (+ almost one and a half thousand):
Ugreen HD127 micro HDMI to HDMI v2.0 UltraHD 4K-3D 1 m Black cable
Baseus Gleam 7-in-1 HDMI 4K 60 Hz + 3 x USB 3.0 + 1x PD + SD/TF Gray hub
It results in quite a strange picture.
We take the "portable" projector...
...and along with it, we carry a laptop, cables, adapters, and a charger.
I even bought a Micro-HDMI cable that was too short.
Since the projector is mounted above the center of the bed, the laptop simply doesn’t reach.
Holding it in your hands is not an option. Buying a new cable is too annoying. So I placed it next to the bed on an IKEA table (along with the laptop). If you have pets or children - this solution won’t last long.
Then I thought:
"What if I connect a USB hub and a flash drive via Type-C?"
Doesn't work.
It seems that Type-C is only used for power here.
On Reddit, I found a mention that someone managed to do this on the first-generation Freestyle, but without any proof. And it doesn’t relate to the second version anymore.
In the end, all the "portability" looks something like this:
projector;
laptop;
cable;
adapter;
charger;
power bank or charging station (if the laptop doesn’t last long).
and also a screen if there’s no good wall;
екран + проектор + ноутбук + кабель + перехідник
It doesn’t sound as romantic as in the ads.
Yes. I tried the SmartThing app to stream video. I don’t remember the details anymore. But it’s not all that rosy. At most - showing the screen of your phone with a delay.And also... there were options that you need to be on the same local network. I can imagine carrying a router and a battery with me to show a video from my phone.Part of the functionality is only available on flagship Samsung devices.
Let me just plug in a flash drive...
;)
Problem #4 Wi-Fi is not omnipotent either
There’s another point that almost no one talks about.
If you imagined watching a movie somewhere in the yard of a private house via home Wi-Fi - don’t rush.
The antenna here is far from the most powerful.
If the router is in the house and you take the projector outside, it’s quite possible that the video will start buffering.
тут мав би ловити WiFI, але довелось нести ноутбук
And again, you’ll have to bring along some other device or download everything in advance.
How I use it now
A few months ago, Samsung released a firmware update.
I felt that after it, the system became a bit more stable.
But by that time, I had long stopped using the built-in apps.
A small shelf appeared above the bed.
On it sits an old Mac mini 2012, which cost less than a new Xiaomi TV Box.
(you can see a napkin in the photo - this is to raise the image angle. I couldn’t find a 3D model for this projector to adjust this height. So there’s also this nuance)
It’s connected to the projector.
I also bought a wireless keyboard and mouse (which, by the way, turned out to be more expensive than the computer itself).
Now the usage scenario is maximally simple:
turned on the projector;
switched to HDMI;
using a regular computer.
No Tizen lags.
No app store limitations.
No browser freezes.
If I need to go somewhere - then I have to take the whole set with the laptop, cables, and adapters again.
Do I regret the purchase?
In the first weeks - yes (very much). Now I’ve somehow gotten used to the nuances. I wouldn’t recommend this projector.
Now I look at projectors differently. And I don’t even turn on some bloggers on YouTube.
If I had seen at least one honest review with such nuances before the purchase - I would most likely have chosen another projector.
Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 is not a bad device.
It’s compact, quiet, has a cool design, quick automatic image alignment, and generally makes a very good first impression.It works stably on HDMI. The picture in the dark is decent. The sound is quite good.
The problem lies elsewhere.
Marketing creates the impression that this is a universal portable projector "for all occasions."
In reality, it is only well suited for a rather narrow use case.
If you have a darkened room, you watch Netflix or YouTube, don’t plan to launch your own files, and are ready to put up with Tizen - you will probably like it. But not for this money, in my opinion.
But if you want more freedom, use without a laptop, or daytime viewing - you should know about these compromises before the purchase.
It’s these details that I missed in most reviews. Out of curiosity, I opened the promo video
And this made me laugh a lot. Like, the light from the garlands and a nice picture. No way. Maybe this is possible in cinematic screen mode which is created by two projectors.
