SIM2 Domino 4H

SIM2 Domino 4H: 4K laser projector

Between a dedicated home theater and a family living room, many spaces call for a refined projected image without room for a bulky device. This is where this entry-level model in the SIM2 2025-2028 range comes in: a 3200-lumen laser source, a 4K DLP chip and the HDR processing of the Italian manufacturer’s higher-end projectors, brought together in a 13 kg chassis clad in crystal glass.

A compact crystal glass chassis

The top and front of the chassis are covered in black crystal glass, a finish that reflects the room’s light and makes the projector look more like a decorative object than a piece of technical equipment. Measuring 481 mm wide, 176 mm high and 300 mm deep, the Domino 4H is more compact and lighter than the Crystal 4SH positioned above it in the catalog, making it easier to accommodate on a rear shelf, on a stand or on the ceiling. SIM2, based in Roveredo in Piano, near Pordenone, introduced this range for its thirtieth anniversary in 2025, hence the “25-28” designation appended to the name in its documentation.

A 0.66-inch DLP chip for UHD images

The image is produced by a 0.66-inch Texas Instruments DLP chip, which SIM2 uses in all its projectors and distinguishes from the 0.47-inch version fitted to more modest models. Its micromirrors tilt thousands of times per second, and a very rapid optical shift of the image displays all 3840 × 2160 UHD pixels on screen. With a single chip, the three colors are necessarily aligned down to the pixel, without the convergence errors that can occur in three-chip systems. Motion compensation offers three settings: it smooths out panning shots and sports broadcasts, at the cost of a more “video-like” look that users will often prefer to disable for films shot at 24 frames per second.

Hybrid laser and colors meeting the digital cinema standard

Light comes from blue lasers, some of which excite a phosphor to produce the rest of the spectrum, hence the term hybrid laser. A four-segment color wheel, with red, green, yellow and clear segments, then splits this light into successive colors. The yellow and clear segments help boost brightness, and SIM2 nevertheless claims an accurate white point and a color gamut that reaches the DCI standard used by digital cinema projectors. The 3200 lumens are enough to illuminate a large screen or maintain a clearly visible image when the room is not completely dark.

The laser source has no bulb to replace and a claimed lifespan of 25,000 hours. For calibration, the menu provides access to the primary and secondary colors as well as the white point, with programmable 12-bit RGB settings: enough to have an installer calibrate the projector for your own screen.

HDR processing from higher-end models

SIM2 has been working on high dynamic range for more than thirteen years, in professional monitors as well as projection, and the Domino 4H adopts the HDR processing of the projectors above it in the range. HDR films are graded for displays capable of several thousand nits, a brightness level no projector can achieve on a projection screen. The challenge is to compress this dynamic range without clipping highlights or crushing shadows, and that is the role of the EOTF, the curve that translates the signal into displayed brightness. The projector handles HDR10 and HLG (the format used for HDR television) with dedicated EOTF modes and four presets for this curve, to be selected according to screen size and the light level actually achieved on screen.

Projection distances and vertical lens shift

The glass lens with manual 1.6× zoom offers a throw ratio of 1.4:1 to 2.24:1, meaning a distance between 1.4 and 2.24 times the image width. For a 2.50 m-wide screen (approximately 113 inches in 16:9), the projector is positioned between 3.50 m and 5.60 m away; for a 3 m-wide screen, between 4.20 m and 6.70 m. This range covers most rooms, from a projector placed at the back of a living room to a ceiling mount behind the sofa.

The optical engine has a 100% offset: when placed on furniture, the projector projects the image entirely above the lens axis, and the reverse when mounted upside down on the ceiling. Vertical lens shift adds fine adjustment of 15% of the image height, or around twenty centimeters on a 2.50 m-wide screen. There is no horizontal shift, so the projector must be centered on the screen. The Digital Perfect Fit function digitally modifies the image format to switch from a 16:9 screen to a 2.35:1 CinemaScope screen, using only a portion of the chip’s pixels.

Connectivity geared toward installation

4K HDR sources, a UHD Blu-ray player, streaming box or console, connect to the HDMI 2.0 input compatible with HDCP 2.2 and MHL 2.1. The second HDMI 1.4a input, limited to HDCP 1.4, is suitable for high-definition sources, while a VGA input accommodates a computer. The projector has no built-in app system: playback requires an external source, and the 5 V / 1.5 A USB port directly powers a streaming stick connected to one of the HDMI inputs.

For automation, the 12 V trigger output lowers a motorized screen when the projector is switched on, while the RS-232 port and RJ-45 network socket connect the projector to a home automation system or its browser-based control interface. A second USB port is reserved for servicing and firmware updates. The power supply accepts 100 to 240 V with automatic adjustment to the mains voltage.

Technical specifications

Display technology

• Display technology: 1.6764 cm DLP UHD UMD
• Chip: 1.7018 cm DLP DarkChip UHD, single-chip architecture
• Stated native resolution: UHD 4K, 3840 × 2160 pixels
• Motion compensation: 3 settings available
• Image size: up to 406.4 cm

Light source and color performance

• Lighting technology: new SIM2 UHD hybrid laser light source
  • Light source: blue lasers and phosphors
  • Stated maximum brightness: 3200 ANSI lumens
  • Stated lifespan: up to 25000 hours
• Color reproduction: natural rendering, optimized color accuracy, enhanced saturation
• Color space: stated coverage of the DCI standard
• Color settings:
  • Primary and secondary color adjustment
  • Precise white point adjustment
  • Programmable 12-bit RGB color settings
• Dual color wheel: more precise color reproduction
  • Listed colors: red, green, yellow, clear

Video processing and HDR

• High dynamic range (HDR) signal compatibility: HDR10, HLG
• SIM2 HDR processing: dedicated electronics for processing high dynamic range signals for greater image detail
• Electro-optical transfer function (EOTF) management: dedicated modes with 4 presets
• Video processing: advanced processing electronics to optimize different video sources

Optics and installation

• Lens: high-definition optics with pure glass lenses
• Light engine positioning: 100% optical offset according to the manufacturer’s design
• Vertical lens shift: +15% according to the manufacturer’s specifications
• Projection angle: 12° as indicated in the documentation
• Throw ratio: 1.4:1 to 2.24:1, with a tolerance of ±5%
• Optical zoom: 1.6 ×
  • Installation: adapts to different projection distances using the zoom
• Focus adjustment: manual or according to the integrated optical system

Connectivity and control

• HDMI 2.0: 1 input with HDCP 2.2 and MHL 2.1 compatibility
• HDMI 1.4a: 1 input with HDCP 1.4
• VGA: 1 HD15 input
• USB Type-A: 1 dedicated power port, 5 V / 1.5 A
• Service USB Type-A: port for maintenance and firmware updates
• 12 V trigger output: 1 control output for compatible equipment
• RJ-45: communication connection and support for control via a web interface
• RS-232: 1 serial interface on a 9-pin D-Sub connector

Frequencies and power supply

• Vertical scan frequency: 24 to 120 Hz
• Supply voltage: 100 to 240 V AC, ±10%
• Mains frequency: 50 to 60 Hz
• Mains voltage adaptation: automatic

Chassis, dimensions and weight

• Chassis color: black
• Dimensions:
  • Width: 481 mm
  • Height: 176 mm
  • Depth: 300 mm
• Weight: 13 kg