Skip to main content

Hisense Laser TV is a projector that puts 100 inches of awesome on your wall

Oops! We couldn't load this video player
Lasers! And TV! What could be better? That’s the premise behind the Hisense Laser TV, which was revamped for CEDIA 2017 attendees last month and unveiled in a New York City event Tuesday evening. Priced at $10,000, the all-new 100L8D Laser TV looks like a short-throw projector — and that’s because the system is based around one — but with an over-the-air (OTA) TV tuner and speakers built in, Hisense can technically call it a TV.

The NYC event took place at the retail home of high end audio brand Harman Kardon, which will make the built-in 2.1-channel audio system in the product. Hisense says it will push out 110 watts, which should make for decent sound.  More interesting is the overall idea behind the 100L8D Laser TV — something Hisense calls a “market-creation” product — which is meant to serve those who want a big-screen experience without the hassles and limitations associated with conventional front-projection systems.

Recommended Videos

Utilizing an ultra-short throw lens, the heart of the 100L8D Laser TV can be positioned mere inches below an included 100-inch Screen Innovations Short Throw screen, presumably placed alongside all connected components. The 100L8D’s laser light source is rated for 20,000 hours and puts out an impressive 3,000 ANSI lumens, while the projector’s Texas Instruments DLP engine delivers 4K Ultra HD resolution with high dynamic range (HDR10) support bright enough to do battle with well-lit rooms.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The included projection screen has a matte finish, so glare from outside light sources is essentially eliminated, and it is extremely light — much lighter than similarly sized TVs — thus no reinforcement is needed to mount it. Another benefit is that no wires need to be run up the wall, and power does not have to be supplied behind the screen. Because the screen is optimized for high reflection of light for a bright image, the viewing angle is somewhat limited, though not nearly as much as conventional LED TVs.

The projector includes just two HDMI inputs, which limits the potential number of connected devices such as Blu-ray players and cable/satellite boxes, but Hisense’s own smart TV interface is built in for access to streaming apps like Netflix, Vudu, and others. A coaxial cable connection is supplied for those who wish to connect an antenna, but Hisense also points to the availability of the Tiki Live app, which promises streaming versions of some local broadcast channels.

For sound, the 100L8D Laser TV has two midrange drivers and two tweeters, each powered by 15-watt amplifiers, built right into the projector — previous prototypes had placed the speakers in a separate sound bar, which bulked up the installation. Harman Kardon supplies the sound tech here, which also includes a 60-watt 8-inch subwoofer to cover the low end. If an A/V receiver is used with the 100L8D Laser TV, the built-in speakers will double as a center channel.

Hisense hasn’t furnished a release date for the 100L8D Laser TV yet, but talks with representatives at CEDIA indicate the product should be available in the next few months.

Caleb Denison
Digital Trends Editor at Large Caleb Denison is a sought-after writer, speaker, and television correspondent with unmatched…
Hisense shows off massively bright 98- and 100-inch TVs
Hisense spokespeople present the company's new TVs at CES 2024.

Hisense spokespeople present the company's new TV lineup at CES 2024. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

In case the theme of CES 2024 wasn't yet apparent, Hisense's announcement of its new TV lineup makes it clear: Bigger, brighter screens are what it's all about this year. The company had already signaled that this would be the case when it gave us an early look at its astonishingly bright 10,000-nit, 110-inch 110UX mini-LED TV in December 2023.

Read more
Hisense teases 110-inch, 10,000-nit TV ahead of CES 2024
The Hisense 110UX ULED X mini-LED 4K TV.

Hisense says its new 110UX TV will do something no other consumer display has ever done: deliver 10,000 nits of peak brightness. The 110UX, which has a 110-inch diagonal screen size and apparently has its own console-style stand and audio system, will get its official debut at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January.

In typical fashion for a CES sneak peek, Hisense hasn't released any pricing or availability information for the scorchingly bright 110UX. The new model is based on Hisense's ULED X technology platform which it first announced in 2023 with the debut of the Hisense UX.

Read more
You Asked: Soundbars vs. receivers, TVs with no speakers, and car stereos
You Asked Episode 5

In this installment of You Asked, our series that answers the Digital Trends community’s most frequently asked AV questions, we’ll talk about soundbars versus an AV receiver and speakers, whether I will ever review laser TVs/UST projectors, and why TVs can’t just come without speakers.

Soundbars vs. receivers/speakers
We’ll start with a question I’ve seen asked a lot, especially in the past couple of years.

Read more