Barco Heimdall Launch in Australia: Re-imagining Projection for Luxury Home Cinemas

Barco Residential has unveiled a new family of single-chip 4K projectors—Heimdall, Heimdall+, and Heimdall CS—each named after the Norse god who guards the rainbow bridge. True to its namesake, the Heimdall lineup delivers brilliant colour, razor-sharp resolution, and cutting-edge laser technology, all geared toward making high-end home cinemas shine. Below, we explore these three new projectors, their standout specs, and why BMC Audio Visual is your perfect partner for a Heimdall installation in Australia.  

1. Introducing the Barco Heimdall Series

1.1 A Norse God of Light in Your Cinema

Barco has framed the Heimdall brand around the idea of illuminating home theatres with wide-gamut RGB laser brightness. The brand references the god Heimdall as the “guardian of Bifrost”—the rainbow bridge—symbolising a full spectrum of colour, from Rec.709 and DCI-P3 to Rec.2020.

1.2 Key Shared Features

• Native 4K DMD: Crisp 4,096 x 2,160 single-chip DLP design (Heimdall CS uses 5,120 x 2,160 for a cinemascope format). Barco Heimdall uses the latest 0.98" DLP Chip, much larger than its predecessors.
• RGB Laser Light Engine: Solid-state lasers deliver up to 25,000 hours of life at full power, minimal maintenance, and up to 100% Rec.2020 coverage.
• Barco Pulse Platform: Low-latency, high-bandwidth processing with advanced geometry correction (Single Step Processing™), ideal for warp/blend or curved screens.
• HDMI 2.1: Frame rates up to 120 Hz, perfect for advanced gaming or ultra-smooth sports playback.
• DynaBlack: Frame-by-frame contrast enhancement to boost dynamic range in darker scenes.

2. Three Variants: Heimdall, Heimdall+, and Heimdall CS

2.1 Heimdall (Standard Model)

• Light Output: ~4,500 lumens
• Resolution: 4,096 x 2,160 native
• Use Case: Balanced brightness for mid-to-large dedicated cinema rooms. Ideal if you want full RGB laser performance without pushing extremes in screen size or brightness demands.

2.2 Heimdall+

• Light Output: ~6,000 lumens
• Resolution: 4,096 x 2,160 native
• Use Case: For those needing extra punch—very large screens, partially illuminated rooms, or more brightness headroom. The “plus” stands for higher lumen capability, ensuring even bigger screens or challenging ambient conditions are handled gracefully.

2.3 Heimdall CS (Cinemascope)

• Light Output: ~4500 lumens, built around a similar RGB laser engine.
• Resolution: 5,120 x 2,160 for a 2.37:1 aspect ratio—cinemascope format.
• Use Case: Film buffs wanting that true wide cinematic ratio natively. When a 2.35 or 2.40:1 screen is your priority, Heimdall CS ensures minimal black bars and fluid transitions between aspect ratios.

2.4 Heimdall+ CS (Cinemascope)

• Light Output: ~6000 lumens, built around a similar RGB laser engine.
• Resolution: 5,120 x 2,160 for a 2.37:1 aspect ratio—cinemascope format.
• Use Case: True native cinemascope screen for massive screens. When a 2.35 or 2.40:1 screen is your priority, Heimdall CS ensures minimal black bars and fluid transitions between aspect ratios.

All Four share the same sealed optical assembly, advanced colour management, and flexible lens options, letting integrators match throw ratios for any given room geometry.

3. Technology Highlights

1. RGB Laser: Each model employs red, green, and blue laser diodes—no lamp replacements. The result: stable color, high brightness, and consistent performance over thousands of hours.
2. Rec.2020 Coverage: Heimdall’s lasers reach up to 100% Rec.2020, widely considered the pinnacle of current display colour standards, ensuring the most vibrant, lifelike shades for modern 4K HDR content.
3. Future Firmware Enhancements: Barco hints at additional functionalities—like advanced colour profiles or improved 3D—coming through software updates.

Why It Matters: These projectors are built for longevity and potential “feature expansions,” protecting your investment in a top-tier cinematic environment.

4. Benefits and What’s New

1. Native 4K / Cinemascope: True 4K or 5K (Heimdall CS) resolution, eliminating upscaling blur or pixel shifting. Sharp details with the latest 0.98" DLP chip, especially on large screens.
2. HDMI 2.1 with High Frame Rates: Up to 120 Hz in 4K, making these projectors gaming-friendly—a major plus for those bridging the gap between high-end cinema and interactive entertainment.
3. DynaBlack Contrast Enhancement: Frame analysis + ultra-fast laser pulsing = deeper blacks in dark scenes, brighter highlights in bright scenes. This yields an improved dynamic range in real-time.
4. Low Latency: Thanks to Barco Pulse’s Single Step Processing, the signal path is shorter and more direct. Even gamers can enjoy minimal input lag.
5. Install Flexibility: Multiple lens choices from short throw to long throw, warping, blending, and geometry corrections for tricky placements or custom screens.

5. BMC Audio Visual: Your Barco Residential Experts

5.1 Official Barco Residential Showroom

With Barco’s Heimdall line making waves, BMC Audio Visual is proud to serve as an authorised Barco Residential dealer and showroom. We invite architects, integrators, and homeowners alike to experience these projectors firsthand, comparing brightness levels, resolution differences, and lens capabilities in a real cinema-like environment.

5.2 Proven Track Record in High-End Cinemas

From designing full-fledged acoustical treatments to specifying best-in-class projectors, BMC Audio Visual has a long-standing reputation for delivering premium home theatre solutions for luxury homes. Our specialists have extensive training with Barco’s projectors—ensuring your system performs at maximum potential, whether you choose the standard Heimdall, the plus variant, or the cinemascope model.

5.3 Turnkey Design and Integration

In addition to providing hardware, we handle AV design, calibration, automation integration, and ongoing support. For instance, we can blend the Heimdall’s advanced capabilities with lighting scenes, motorised masking screens, and immersive audio—transforming your property into a cinematic haven.

Conclusion

Barco’s Heimdall launch signals a new era for luxury home theatre solutions, with multiple variants to match different brightness demands and screen formats. Whether you pick the base model (Heimdall), step up to the extra lumens (Heimdall+), or go for the wide cinematic ratio (Heimdall CS), you’ll enjoy cutting-edge 4K visuals, robust color fidelity, and forward-thinking engineering that only Barco can deliver. If you’re seeking a state-of-the-art projector that merges top-notch performance with design flexibility, look no further.

Ready to Experience Barco?

BMC Audio Visual is thrilled to showcase Barco Residential’s Projection lineup in our Melbourne showroom. Let our experienced team guide you through projector comparisons, discuss lens and brightness requirements for your space, and fine-tune your dream private home cinema.

Contact BMC Audio Visual today to schedule a demo and witness how a Barco Heimdall projector can redefine your home cinema, guaranteeing a truly immersive film experience that stands on the cutting edge of projection technology.