PicoPix Max 620 V2 - significant changes!

Hi all,

Just to let you know - I got my PPX 620 back in July 2021 through on of the largest electronics retailers in Poland. But since around March/April 2022 I started having problems with focus - pressing autofocus button would make the screen completely out of focused / blurred. The only help was to manually adjust the focus.

So since it was still under warranty, I sent it to the retailer, and then under initial inspection, they sent it to to Philips in Poland. It turned, they can’t fix it, so they will send me a brand new set.

I got it today… and was like hmm I got a new set, maybe I’ll sell it and get Xgimi Halo Plus since it was Android TV, 900 lumens and HDR10. But I then I decided to keep it.

So I fired the projector - first impression was… it’s very snappy! Nothing to compare with what it used to be (just pressing arrows and going into different apps used to be glitchy).

I started digging and downloaded AIDA64… and to my surprise it turned that this is PPX 620 V2! The processor and GPU have been upgraded!

The processor was upgraded from ARM Cortex 53 to Cortex 55 and GPU from Mali-450 to Mali-G31! On the paper, 55 to 53 is 18% more power and 20% more efficiency. When it comes to power - it’s far more that that. So what are the outcomes?

  1. It is very snappy now - in both the menu and in the apps. Load times have increased even by 5 times! At least when it comes to loading apps (maybe not to load the projector itself).
  2. It now supports HDR10 and HLG! That’s a game changer here. Colours are much more vivid and the overall image quality is superior to V1
  3. Autofocus is much quicker. In the settings I also found that either you can use autofocus in Standard Mode, or AI mode. Not sure how will this AI mode impact focusing in the long term.
  4. The projector stand’s legs are much stronger, they don’t bend so easily
  5. The remote seems to have better quality of material it’s made off - more “rubberish”
  6. There is additional 4th power mode - Eco, which dimms screen even more. So I can assume, in a complete darkness, with more efficient processor, it may even run up to 4 hours on the battery
  7. There is a sleep mode (I don’t recall it to be in V1) - you just have to press a switch on/off button on the remote (just a short press instead oh holding it a bit longer, what eventually will completely turned the projector off)

However, for now I have also found some drawbacks/issues and have to contact Philips Projection:

  1. Despite being connected to the original plug, it can’t reach the full brightness in the presentation mode (so in presentation mode, whether it’s plugged in or not, it’s the same brightness. With V1, the full brightness could have been achieved only with the original brick, other 65W chargers wouldn’t provide enough power). Thus, I can’t fully test HDR mode
  2. While sharpening is much faster now, there is no manual sharpening. In most cases, I feel like it’s not sharpened enough (projecting on the far from perfectly flat wall). Also - the screen gets resharpened sometimes when a scene changes from dark do bright and the other way around - but maybe it’s a temp drawback due to AI learning patterns.
  3. USB-C (TB4 port in a laptop) to usb-c video in the projector - still not working (didn’t work in v1)

It’s running ver 1.3.3. from 13th December 2021 - version not publicly available.

@Philips_Support_N and chance for the feedback regarding my issues?

When was V2 introduced? Why has there been no announcement ?
4. Not battery indicator when plugged in and charging - either you have to unplug or go to AIDA64
2. While

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Update, as I have been waiting for a week for this post to be approved:

  • with manual focus, it works. Just in a different way - you have to now press and hold a focus button for 2 seconds, then adjust manually
  • total brightness still not running, maybe it’s a chargers issue, waiting to hear from Philips support if they can send a replacement. But if it’s not a case of a charger, it seems I may need another replacement.

One thing I certain for sure - even if a room is totally dark, because of HDR, you need a full brightness of 850 lumens. HDR darkens overall image, but brightens certain element of the scenes. Otherwise although the colors are better, the over watching experience is average. I’m pretty sure with a max brightness it will make a difference.

Hello,

Our customer team is in contact with you and will come back to you asap.

Yes, someone contacted me, but still haven’t answered my question.

In order to achieve full brightness in the presentation mode, whether a wall charger or powerbank, does it need exactly 4/15v = 60W, or it needs at least 60w with 4a, so 4a / 20v = 100w would provide enough power?

Hello there, the V1 and V2 have exactly the same brightness because we use exactly the same power and same optical engine. ALso, the color calibration is the same. 60 watts is enough, inputing more power won’t increase the brightness and you will damage your projector.

I don’t think presentation mode will help you since its color calibration is on the greener side if it’s still the same as V1. Also, I’m a bit envious because mine was also replaced but it’s still V1 since I’m one of the early ones who got it so I got it replaced early too XD

Why are you all doing everything not to answer the question directly? Both here and over the email…

I didn’t ask whether the brightness is the same in v1 and v2.

Let me say once again - it seems you have no idea how your product works… Ohh and by the way, over the email I have been corrected and told that that 850 brightness isn’t ANSI lumens but LED Lumens and that in ANSI Lumens it’s 350

In the campaign and specs provided by the stores online and even on the packaging, it says 850 ANSI LUMENS. In fact there is one review, which confirms it is actually aroudn 350 ANSI lumens:

It means you have provided an incorrect information to the backers, other customers and retail and online stores internationally. So it seems when a competition claims 500-600 ANSI lumens, it means their projector is significantly brighter.

This is a video comapring Xgimi MoGo to PPX 620. Yes, Xgimi MoGo is slightly dimmer. However, they do officialy claim it’s a a 300 ansi lumens device. But their Xgimi Halo has 800 ansi lumens, and their Xgimi halo+ has 900 lumens - they are significantly briighter. So in order to try competing with them you have lied to people!!!

It seems you have intentionally fooled/lied to everybody.

Any explanation on this?

When it comes to charging and brightness.

The original charger PPX 620 is 65W max and has PD Output 3a/5v, 3a/9v, 3a/12v and 3.25a/20v (the last one provides a total of 65W). So it’s the same as what my Asus laptop charger provides. However, your charger also has a very unusual and hardly ever seen in any commercial electronics 4a/15v.

So if I use my ppx either connected to the wall charger or on battery in normal mode, the brightness is roughly 600 lumens. When I switch to Presentation mode, whether on battery or with any charger other than original one, it reaches around 700 lumens. It only reaches max brightness of 850 with the original charger.

It’s not about total PD output because both PPX charger and my asus charger have a max 65w (3.25a/20v). So - does the charger NEEDS TO SUPPORT EXACTLY 4a/15v (it seems the only other available usb-c charger and powerbanks are those offered by chargeasap like flash pro, but based on the discussion on Indiegogo, they have questionable quality), or it needs to have at least 4a and a total of at least 60w, so any usb-c gan charger or powerbank with a usb-c pd output of 5a/20v = 100w (even a usb-c cable you provide has a support up to 5a and 30v so 150w).

Most likely, I am going to file a complainy to the store I bought it from and claim full refund…

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If we buy a new picopix max how do we know its v1 or v2 ?
And now many years after release of this projector i have yet found an replacement for this projector in similar and protable size and brightness .

I know the battery will die one day
And still nolnr have found any similar compatible battery that fits inside ?
China makes like 1 trillion diffrent kind of batteries noone ?

I really love this projector and wich philips would make a real gen 2 of this one
Piece out