If you have a projector or you’ve used projectors before, there’s one question you’ll ask yourself when you take a look at the CINEMOOD Portable Movie Theatre for the first time: what’s the difference between a projector and a portable movie theatre?
As it turns out, quite a bit. While a standard projector must connect to your computer or video source to display content, the CINEMOOD Portable Movie Theatre has kid’s content, including Disney content, pre-loaded. A projector may need to connect to your computer to stream video from online sources like Netflix and YouTube, while the CINEMOOD is a smart projector and can do that with a few taps on the top controls.
CINEMOOD is an all-in-one smart projector in a sturdy, handheld package. It’s easy enough for any child to navigate and use. If my 9-year-old and his friends are any indication, kids absolutely love this amazing little device.
Here’s my take on the CINEMOOD, the pre-loaded content, and why you’ll take this projector everywhere you go.
Design of CINEMOOD Portable Movie Theatre
The CINEMOOD is a small, white smart projector. It’s 3″ around and weighs only 0.5lb. The design is sturdy. I’m sure it would survive if you accidentally dropped it, but given that it’s a projector I wouldn’t make a habit of it.
- Display size of 12 feet in HD 1080p resolution
- Has a 6m or 19.69-foot throw distance
- Pre-loaded with Disney content, cartoons, lullabies, and music
- Additional content can be purchased right on the device
- Streams Netflix, YouTube, and Prime
- Controllable via the device, app, and Apple Watch
- Micro-USB lets you add your own content
- Doesn’t require connection to external source or power while using
- Charges for 4 hours and charge lasts for approximately 5 hours
- 20,000 hour lamp lifetime via 35-lumen bulb
- 16 GB internal memory
- Works without internet access
- 2.5-watt speaker built-in
- Connects to headphones for private listening
CINEMOOD is a pocket projector for the whole family
Where was the CINEMOOD Portable Movie Theatre when my kids were babies? This really is a device the entire family will enjoy year after year, and in my family that also includes the cats.
The design is user-friendly. It has controls right on the top and sides. You just need to tap to turn it on and off, tap to sharpen the picture quality, and tap to choose content. Unless you’re streaming YouTube, Netflix, or Prime, you don’t need an Internet connection or power to watch the content, making it a great device to take in the car.
Video and sound quality on CINEMOOD Portable Movie Theatre
The CINEMOOD Portable Movie Theatre is HD 1080p. You can project a display size of 12 feet with a throw distance of not quite 20 feet.
I found it works best in dark or dim lighting, but you can also see the projection in bright light if you aren’t projecting too far away.
The CINEMOOD Portable Movie Theatre has a 2.5-watt speaker built in. You can adjust the volume right on the top controls or in the app. I was surprised at how loud it could get, especially since the projector is so small.
When I put a digital book I had to turn it down because the voice came through so loudly we all jumped, but when streaming on YouTube I had to turn it up because the voices were too quiet.
The projector runs very quietly too, so you don’t have to worry about a fan running and having that interrupt your movie.
Pre-loaded content on the CINEMOOD
In total, there are 120 hours of content on CINEMOOD Portable Movie Theatre. That content includes Disney content in the form of digital books and safety videos. I didn’t get through all of the pre-loaded content, but my son enjoyed a few of the videos featuring the Science of Imagineering and different attractions at Disney parks. There’s also content from Frozen, Toy Story, and the Lion King.
The cartoons were mostly for a younger audience than 9, but they were cute. They are short enough to keep their attention, and the CINEMOOD is easy for kids to scroll through to choose another video. There’s also a few games like Shadow Puppets, and you can also add your own content via micro-USB.
If you have younger kids who enjoy lullabies, this is a great device to play them. You can put it up on a shelf and use the app to choose different audio and videos. That frees you up so you don’t have to disturb your little one if you want to change the song or restart it.
There are also video lullabies you could stream to the ceiling above their bed. They’re pretty soothing. I played them a few times for my son, and even though he’s a big kid, he really liked them.
You can use the free content or add your credit card and create a CINEMOOD account for more. I didn’t add my credit card so I didn’t access the extra content, but there is a prompt that will ask you if you’d like to before it would charge you.
You can also change the operating theme of the CINEMOOD. I switched mine up from default and used the Halloween theme for a while.
Streaming video on CINEMOOD
There is nothing quite like curling up in bed and watching a movie on Netflix, and with CINEMOOD you can do that in anyone’s room on any wall. I love the video streaming on this device. As long as I had it attached to a strong Wi-Fi connection there was no lag, delay, or choppy video. I kept it about 6 feet away from the bed and we enjoyed two movies before the battery drained.
The only thing I would do differently is place the CINEMOOD on the shelf. It sat in my lap and bumped every time we moved around, so keeping it some place stable makes for a better viewing experience.
My son spent a lot of time watching YouTube videos on CINEMOOD, and he found the search bar easy to tap through and the content quick to load. In my review video, I included a clip of my cat enjoying a bird video we streamed via CINEMOOD. Both the video and audio were clear enough for him to think he could attack the wall and snap up that bird.
Parental Controls on CINEMOOD
The content pre-loaded on CINEMOOD is all kid-friendly. You can use the built-in shut-off or timers to have it turn off at a certain time, and you always have full control of the device via the app. The only thing you really need to be able to control is what your child views while streaming, but if you’re logged into your existing streaming accounts the parental controls you’ve set up on them are still usable on this projector.
If you’re using the projector and you don’t want to watch kid’s content, you can definitely do that. You’ll also be able to pair your own headphones with the device and enjoy watching solo.
One other thing to keep in mind: CINEMOOD projects without blue light. There’s a lot of data available on blue light you should read up on if your kids spend a lot of time in front of a screen. Long story short, blue light can penetrate all the way to the retina of your eye. Because of that, it can cause digital eye strain and increase the risk of macular degeneration. Watching on CINEMOOD is a safer experience because it streams crystal clear video without blue light.
Why I love the CINEMOOD Portable Movie Theatre
It’s hard not to love CINEMOOD. It’s a tiny little powerhouse that gives you true viewing flexibility. Although I loved it myself, my kids loved it even more. It’s the type of device I never knew I always wanted, and it’s now on my son’s birthday gift list.
In the time we tested it we had several movie nights all huddled under the blankets. We took it in the car and watched videos while waiting to pick up the other kids, and we spent a ridiculous amount of time laughing over bird videos while our cat tried to scale the wall. It never gets old.
The controls are easy to use and my kids had them figured out in a few minutes. The battery lasts a long time and it doesn’t take that long to charge, but you can watch while plugged in too so you don’t have to be without it. With a lamp lifespan of 20,000 hours, you’re set up to watch video for a long, long time.
It’s such a great little projector you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. You can find your own CINEMOOD Portable Movie Theatre on Best Buy right now.
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