The Ultimea Nova C40 projector runs on Android TV. Why is Android TV so important, and how is it better than other Android systems and launchers?

You know, it is pretty hard to find a budget projector with an Android TV system. Yes, we have tested many projectors with smart Android systems, but I haven’t come across a certified Android TV yet. I finally found it. This is the Ultimea Nova C40 projector.

In addition, the new Ultimea projector has 90-degrees gimbal stand, so you can project the picture both on the wall and on the ceiling, native 1080P resolution, 600 ANSI lumens brightness, ToF autofocus and keystone correction, and dual 5W speakers.

You know, the Ultimea company makes soundbars and audio systems, so I expect very good sound quality from this projector.

Let’s start the full review with unboxing. 

Unboxing

Ultimea Nova C40 is an All-In-One Smart Projector

So, the projector comes in a pretty big box, but I hope it is not that big itself. 

We can read on the box that Ultimea Nova C40 is an All-In-One Smart Android TV projector. It means you don’t need a tripod, because it has a gimbal stand; external speakers, because it has built-in ones; external device like TV stick, laptop or game console, because it has an Android TV. Everything you need to watch a movie is already there. 

Opening the box, we see instructions about screen mirroring for iOS and Android devices. We will check it a little later. 

You can also read about mission, vision and values of Ultimea company. I respect the responsible approach of companies. 

Once the protective foam is removed, we finally see the projector. As I thought, it is pretty compact.  

We will talk about its size a bit later, but first, let’s open the box with accessories. There is a power cable, HDMI cable, remote control, and an extended warranty card. 

The user manual in different languages is also included. 

So, there is not a lot of stuff in the kit, but you don’t really need anything else. 

Design

The gimbal stand makes the projector very comfortable to use

As you can see, the Ultimea Nova C40 is a pretty compact projector, but the gimbal stand makes it much bigger. I honestly don’t see how you can remove the gimbal, but I also don’t see why you would do it. In my opinion, the gimbal stand is very convenient.  

By the way, the company says that the gimbal rotates 90 degrees, but it is actually 360 degrees. However, when you plug in the power cable, it can only be rotated up to 90 degrees. 

The gimbal is made of plastic, but it is very durable. It also has large rubberized feet on the bottom, and even a tripod mount. 

By the way, the projector is pretty heavy – 2740 grams, but I think the gimbal weighs half of that. 

Going back to the size of the Nova C40 projector, it is 215 x 160 x 185 mm. Since the gimbal stand is not removable, the height of the projector with it is 240 mm. 

The Ultimea Nova C40 is available in a single gray color. It looks like metal, but it is actually plastic.  

The front panel has a lens, ToF autofocus and keystone correction sensors, infrared receiver and dual speakers. 

All connectivity options are on the back, such as power input, USB, HDMI and AV port, a headphone jack and a second infrared receiver. 

There is only the power button on the top.  

It means you need a remote control. Since the projector has Android TV, there are some useful buttons on the remote, such as voice control, YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video and Disney Plus. 

You can also use the buttons on the remote to manually adjust the focus. 

So, the Ultimea Nova C40 looks and feels like a premium projector. However, its price is only 300 US dollars.

A fully sealed optical engine is a must for any projector

By the way, I forgot to mention that the projector has a fully sealed optical engine. You know, I am paying attention to this now because I have had several budget projectors that quickly got dust inside and their image quality has become much worse. 

A fully sealed optical engine is important to avoid black dots and loss of picture quality. 

Now let’s turn it on and look at the main feature – Android TV. 

Autofocus and Keystone Correction

Every time the projector is turned on, it automatically adjusts the focus and keystone. However, you can turn this off in the settings. Later, I will show you how to do this. 

Android TV Smart System

Now we need to make the first settings for the projector, such as select language, enable voice search on the remote, select language again, and connect to Wi-Fi network. 

Since the Ultimea Nova C40 has an Android TV system, you need to sign in to your Google account. 

You will also be prompted to install some additional apps. 

Done! Now we can see that the Nova C40 projector has an official Android TV.

Which dongle is inside the Ultimea Nova C40 projector?

By the way, when I logged into my Google account, I saw that there was a login from an ETOE D1221 Dongle. This dongle is made specifically for projectors. 

It has Amlogic S905Y4 CPU, as well as 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. It also supports different video codecs, HDR10 and HDR10+, Chromecast and Google Assistant.

What apps are pre-installed on the Ultimea Nova C40 projector?

The projector already has several pre-installed applications such as Netflix, Prime Video, and Spotify. Like on other Android TV devices, you can customize the home screen on this projector. 

You can also go to the Apps section to see all the apps: YouTube, YouTube Music, Play Store, and others. 

In addition, you can go to the Google Play Store, and download any app you want. 

Since this is a certified Android TV, all the streaming services here are official. I don’t have accounts from Spotify, Netflix, or Prime Video because I don’t use them, but those apps run without problems. 

Android TV Settings

There is not much of interest to us in the settings of the Android TV system, other than connecting to a Wi-Fi network.

Projection Settings

However, you can press the Menu button on the remote, and find Projection Settings. 

Here we can change projection mode, zoom in and out, focus settings, keystone settings, corner correction, and keystone correction reset. 

In the Other settings menu, there is Power-On Mode, Key Tone, Screen Saver, Screensaver Timeout Shutdown, Language settings, and Restore Factory Settings. 

Finally, we can go to About menu, and see the model name of the projector, its system version and system temperature. 

By the way, you can press the button with the projector image on the remote control, and go to the projector home screen. However, there is only Android TV, HDMI, USB, AV and Settings. 

You know, I couldn’t find picture settings on the Ultimea Nova C40. 

Screen Mirroring

It’s easy to mirror your phone screen to a projector

Okay, let’s go back to Android TV, and try screen mirroring. 

There is an Air Screen app already pre-installed, and we just need to open it. Make sure that the projector and your smartphone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. 

Now, just take your phone, go to Screen Mirroring menu, and select the AS-D1221 device. 

Now all the contents from your smartphone will be displayed on the projection screen. 

Speaker Quality

Ultimea holds the bar for sound quality

By the way, I expected good quality sound from the built-in speakers of the new Ultimea projector, and it really is. Dual speakers of 5W each makes good stereo sound. 

Moreover, you can connect external speakers or soundbar to the projector via Bluetooth and make the sound even better. I think it would be perfect for a home theater. 

Fan Noise

The Ultimea Nova C40 projector is quieter than expected

I also noticed that the fan of the Ultimea Nova C40 projector is pretty quiet. 

The noise level is only 45dB next to it, and 43dB at a distance of 1 meter. 

Projection Screen Size 

In addition, the new Ultimea projector has a good throw ratio. I placed it about 2 meters from the wall and got the screen size of 80 inches. 

However, you can put it further away from the wall, like about 3 meters, and get a large 120-inch screen. 

You know, the manufacturer recommends using a projector with a diagonal of up to 120 inches. 

However, I think you can make the projection screen bigger if the size of the room allows you, or even smaller. For example, this is about 50 inches. 

Image Quality

The picture is clear thanks to 1080P native resolution 

The Ultimea Nova C40 has 1080P Full HD native resolution, and the image is really clear. You can read the text without any problems. 

Vibrant and saturated colors 

It is also reported that the projector has 100% color reproduction and 95% NTSC color gamut. You can see for yourself that the colors are very good. 

High brightness allows you to watch any video content

The brightness of the Ultimea Nova C40 is 600 ANSI Lumens. That’s pretty good for a budget projector, and enough to watch any content in a dark room. 

Light On/Off

Can the Ultimea Nova C40 projector be used in a bright room?

If you want to watch a movie in a room with lights, that is also possible, but you should expect dimmer colors. Of course, this projector, like any other, is better to use in a dark room. 

Pros and Cons of the Ultimea Nova C40

You know, I don’t see any downsides to the Ultimea Nova C40 projector for its price. It has a nice design with a gimbal stand, autofocus and keystone correction, quality image, good speakers, but most importantly the Android TV system. 

How is Ultimea Nova C40 similar to Yaber V12?

The Nova C40 actually reminded me a lot of the Yaber V12 projector that we tested a couple of months ago. 

It has a similar design with a gimbal stand and overall, they have almost the same features. However, the advantage of the Ultimea projector is the Android TV system. I am sure with a Google certified system, you will not have any problems with YouTube, Netflix, and other apps.