When new projectors are first conceived and developers get to work, most will immediately be focused on the quality of its images. But the developers of the LightBoks are just as concerned with the aesthetic of the projector itself, and have come up with a classy, retro-style box-shaped body that’s made from solid wood.
What’s more, it’s good quality wood rather than Ikea-style pine. The LightBoks, conceived by the Denmark-based audio firm Openhagen, is currently raising money on Kickstarter, and having already achieved its funding goal, it will soon become the world’s first wooden projector.
Buyers will be able to choose from sustainably-sourced wood that comes in black-stained oak with walnut speaker grills, walnut with oak grills, and an all-oak version.
The fact that the LightBoks is box-shaped means it’s incredibly versatile too, as it can easily be laid down onto its side to better showcase vertically-oriented videos that are commonly found on Instagram and TikTok. According to Openhagen, the LightBoks provides a full-screen vertical display that’s 3.5-times bigger than any other projector, without the vertical black bars on either side of the main image. A perfect viewing experience for vertical pictures, in other words.
As an alternative, the LightBoks’ cubic design means it can also be tipped onto its back, in order to project pictures directly onto the ceiling, so someone can watch a video while lying in bed.
In terms of its specifications, the LightBoks offers a 1080p resolution, but it can support 4K resolution content too. The projected images range from 42-inches to 180-inches at distances of between 1 meter and 5 meters, while sound is delivered through a built-in 5-watt speaker system. Brightness is rated at 300 lumens, which means night time viewing will enable a much better picture. The device can connect to the internet over Wi-Fi, or alternatively users can mirror content from their iOS or Android device.
Openhagen didn’t say anything about the underlying OS, but the LightBoks is said to come with the Netflix app pre-installed, and supports the installation of other major streaming apps.
In terms of its dimensions, the LightBoks measures 18cm high, 17.5 cm long and 17.5 cm wide, making it a not-quite perfect cube. It weighs around 2.3 kg, which ensures it is reasonably portable, and buyers can add optional extras including a roll-up screen, projector stand and carrying case.
While the planned retail price is $899, those who sign up early on Kickstarter will be able to get their hands on one for just $494. Openhagen set an initial funding goal of just $8,655, but has already seen more than $55,000 pledged at the time of writing, so it’s only a matter of when, not if, it finally becomes available.
