LG's remarkable CineBeam 4K projector is an intriguing home theatre alternative

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Flat panel TV's are today's staple in home entertainment video devices, but if you want a really, really big picture you'll pay through the nose for one – even though prices continue to drop.

For a more affordable RLS ("really large screen", an acronym I just made up), there are still front projectors you can buy, a wide variety of them in fact, from ultra short throw ones that don't require you to renovate your room, to longer throw ones whose placement is more critical than the others, but who can throw to really, really big screens.

Into this market comes LG's tiny little CineBeam Q 4K projector, a thing so small could fit into a backpack easily. And while it isn't perfect, it's a remarkable thing that offers excellent picture quality and full smart TV features (for better or for worse…) in a package that will only set you back (depending upon when and where you buy it) as little as $1300.

That's pretty darn cheap for something that can do so much!

The CineBeam Q is a 4K DLP (Digital Light Processor) projector that uses lasers to provide the illumination. The laser heart means you won't have to worry about changing bulbs down the road (the projector will probably be obsolete by the time you need to think about such things).

Lasers could also mean you get an incredibly bright picture, but that – unfortunately – is not the case with this unit. I daresay it would be a lot more expensive if it were the case. Alas, there are always compromises.