Mini Home Theater

Description

The Optoma HD20 brings a new level of flexibility to your high-definition home theater/multi-media experience. With true 1080p resolution, the HD20 delivers excellent color saturation and subtle details for superior image quality. With its sleek design and weight of 6.4 lbs, the Optoma HD20 is perfect for sharing big-screen movies, sporting events and concerts or for taking your video gaming to the next level by connecting the HD20 to your favorite game console.

Features

• True High Def 1080p Resolution
• 1700 Lumens Brightness
• 4000:1 Contrast Ratio
• Up to 300-Inch Screen size
• HDI Component, Composite, Video, and VGA Connections

Reviews

Bargain buy, AWESOME picture

by Joey Wiggins from on 2010-08-30
I've been an LCD flat panel fan since they first came out, but I wanted something for a media room in my house that the previous owners finished out and was just wasting away. What better than a 92-inch screen? Found it with the Optoma HD20. Awesome picture for the price of a 50 inch 720p plasma, and this is 1080p! I am very pleased.

Dedicated home theater room projector

by LiveLaugh&Golf from on 2010-08-25
I performed a ceiling mount installation with a 13' throw which produced a 115" 16:9 screen. What can I say, it's beautiful, bright even with a fair amount of room lighting, colors are wonderful, quiet, and doesn't seem to have issues with a 25' hdmi connection. I thought hard about a mitsu or epson projector of similar image quality ratings but after reading some of the early bulb blowing stories I'm happy I went with this Optoma HD20. Best on the market for under $1500 if you ask me.

Don't buy any Optoma projectors

by OB21 from on 2010-08-24
This is the second Optoma projector I bought. The first projector was a HD72. When the projector is mounted from the ceiling the lamp becomes loose (due to heat and gravity) and the picture will go out. This is a design flaw which was supposedly fixed with the new Optoma HD20. Unfortunalety I trusted Optoma and bought the HD20. Big mistake! Only after 16 hours of use, the HD20 is doing the exact same thing as the HD72. Picture goes out after a couple of minutes. I am in the process of returning the HD20 and I just bought a Mitsubishi HC3800.

Are you kidding me? AWESOME!!!!

by -MM- from Chicago, IL on 2010-08-09
This thing is an AMAZING value.I ordered the Optoma HD20 on Wednesday night with free super saver shipping and the thing arrived on Friday morning!I popped this thing out of the box and put it on the universal projector mount that the previous owner had left on the ceiling of our house.I then hooked up the HDMI input to our HDDVR cable box and WOW! The picture quality for under $1000 is amazing! It takes a few minor adjustments to get the thing focused and if the mount isn't mounted exactly centered to your screen you will get the standard one corner higher than the other. Nothing you can do about this leveling wise, so just get it the best you can or re-center the screen or projector (depends on if being off by 1 inch on a 300 inch screen bothers you).Long story short after about an hour of messing with the mount in order to get it they way I wanted (nothing to do with the projector) I had this thing displaying AMAZING 8 foot by 5 foot 1080 HD programming.For less than a $1000 this thing blows away my 52 inch Samsung LCD (also purchased off Amazon, and I also think is a great product).I highly recommend this to anyway who has the space. HD programming and / or blu-ray is a must for this projector and sports are really great. This thing is especially good if you have a larger room where you don't feel like you are on top of the screen. Hope you have as much luck with it as I have so far. Enjoy!

great starter projector!!!

by LoreBlob from on 2010-08-07
As a total projector newbie, I did some research on reputed review sites as well as amazon and came up with the Optoma20. It works fantastically well. i do not have a receiver but i just hooked it up to a pair of computer spearks through the projector's audio output. Awesome for DVDs, extremely sharp and bright color, and that's saying something: we live in a loft apartment where it is impossible to black out the entire space, and we have a lot of light pollution at night through the loft windows via the busy street outside. It is still possible to watch movies comfortably. one day i suspect people will start putting lawn chairs outside our window and watch with us.

Description

EPSON PowerLite Home Cinema 705HD Home theater projector

Features

• 720p, high-definition, widescreen performance; for movies, games and more
• Bright — 2500 lumens color and 2500 lumens white light output
• Rich, vibrant true-to-life color — advanced 3LCD, 3-chip technology
• Easy setup — 1.2x optical zoom, auto keystone
• Versatile connectivity HDMI, USB Type A, Component Video, and S-Video digital connections

Reviews

Bright and sharp - but misleading description of what's included

by I care about quality from on 2010-09-03
I've only fired this up once and we're still putting it through it's paces. I will update. Notes so far:* Nice and bright * Easy to set up with a laptop * Shows photos off a USB stick with easeOne gripe so far: The description clearly states it comes with a "Computer adapter" and "Component adapter" but the only cable it arrives with is a 3" (male) VGA to (female) 3-RCA connector. The back of the projector requires 3 MALE RCA connector. Thus the cable they send you, while technically a "component adapter" CANNOT be used to hook a computer up to the projector without buying a male-to-male RCA cable connector. There is NO other adapter so the "Computer Adapter" advertised at the time of this order and writeup does not exist.In short: Out of the box you cannot connect it to anything without more cables, the computer adapter listed in the description is just plain false.Now, I have a house full of cables so this is just annoying on principle, but it's worth others knowing.

Absolutely fantastic product!!!

by PenguinClassics from on 2010-08-11
Without a doubt the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 705 HD 720p 3LCD Home Theater Projector is one of the finest purchases I have had the pleasure of making. Quiet, efficient (In EcoMode), portable with great picture and color quality. The price tag is fantastic as HD projectors are few and far between under $1000. I use it to watch TV, Blue Rays, and play games via my PS3, all of which look much better than any of the over priced behemoths of tv's they sell these days.On EcoMode the lamp life is some 5000 hours, which under our regular (and not so regular all night gaming sessions) is set to last us close to 3 years. The replacement bulbs go for 100-150 dollars on ebay so for 3 years worth of image I'm more than willing to shell out the 150. The filters are easy to clean and with a can of compressed air you should have no problem keeping your projector clean. **********************WARNING************************* ONLY USE THE COMPRESSED AIR ON A POWERED DOWN PROJECTOR THE EXHAUST GETS HOT AND CAN IGNITE THE COMPRESSED AIR!!!!!!!!I cant recommend this product enough, and if you are tired of overpriced, power guzzling, bulky, ugly, SMALL tvs there is absolutely no reason why not to get this projector. I def recommend using the HDMI output as the means of image relay, poor quality in = poor quality out.

Epson 705HD vs Optoma HD66

by Dan Goldstein from San Franciso, CA United States on 2010-07-16
I've never written an Amazon review before, but I've learned a lot about projectors over the past couple weeks, and thought I should share.As prices have been coming down, I finally decide to get a projector. 720p was plenty good for me. After reading plenty of reviews here and the various projector websites out there I narrowed my search down to the Optoma HD66 and the Epson 705HD, both going for +/- $650 at the time of this writing, and both highly rated.A bit about me - I'm not a projector or electronics nut, but I do appreciate knowing that I have the best (or better) of what's out there when I do buy things of significant $$$. Male, early 30's. Don't watch any TV, just the occasional movie at home.After much fuss, I decided to order the Epson. It seemed to have more features, had longer bulb life, and in the end I figured since I'm no projector connoisseur I would be more than impressed with its performance. However, I was not blown away enough, so I ordered the Optoma. I am keeping the Optoma, and returning the Epson. I tested both using a connection to my old Mac Powerbook G4 laptop, projecting onto a white wall painted matte white.Here is what I learned:Epson 705HD:-LCD technology really does display "little pixels" that are visible if you are up close. Not really a big deal with a movie where things are moving all the time. -Significantly brighter than the Optoma. -Better designed box, integrated lense "cap" that slides, easier to use adjustable legs, more friendly packaging/manuel, carrying case. Basically you get the feeling that Epson put some thought into its product. Feels more name brand and consumer friendly. -Supposedly has ~1000 bulb hours more than the Optoma when in Eco mode (a touch less bright than normal mode). -Has a speaker (I didn't use it). -Definitely better for office or daytime use. -Blacks appear grey when compared to adjacent wall. -Compared to the Epson, has a larger "screen size" to "distance from wall" ratio (I think this is called "throw"). Plenty big. In fact I had to "zoom out" as the screen actually felt too large for the distance I was from the screen. The projector was propped up on a table immediately behind my couch. Once adjusted it was fine. The large size could be great for the gamers out there though.Optoma HD66:-Feels more "made in China" with less fancy stickers and design. -Not quite as bright as the Epson. -I have yet to try this one during full daylight, but guessing the Epson would be better here. But this is fine with me b/c I figure if it's bright outside, I should probably be there instead of inside. -Much better colors. -Throw ratio not as good as Epson, but more than adequate for my needs. -DLP really does have much better blacks. The "black frame" around the movies is a far cry from grey, and I have a feeling if I fool around with it, I can probably get it to almost disappear. -Better picture quality - this was apparent to me and all 4 of my non-professional projector testing friends, and more apparent the darker the room is. The Epson is great, but the Optoma is like "Whoa - I wouldn't think I would be able to tell, but I can." -Harder (though still possible) to discern the "pixels" - feels more like film. -I was worried about the "rainbow effect". My friends and I were all able to see RGB shadows if we shook our heads back and forth wildly, and maybe a flash of it once or twice during the movie when our eyes would flick across the screen. Not really a big deal, though I guess some people are more "susceptible" to seeing it than others.Both: -Easily found my computer and displayed the correct resolution automatically. -Amazing resolution. -Plenty of adjustments to mess with color and whatnot. I only fooled around with these for 5 minutes or so. You can easily make the colors warmer or cooler. -Have a small remote with plenty of functions. Batteries included. -Do NOT come with HDMI, DVI, VGA cables. However, each does come with cable that allows you plug the traditional DVD player (the yellow, red, white "RCA?") cables into the VGA port.Like I said in the end I am sticking with the Optoma HD66.Since the reason to get a projector, for me, is to have a really great screen to watch movies on, I figured I should lean toward picture quality over features. If I watched TV for a lot of the day, the brightness and bulb life of the Epson may have swayed me in that direction. I hope this is helpful and saves you all some time.

Epson Endurance seiously lacking

by Kedaar J. Kumar from Cambridge, MA on 2010-06-07
I bought this projector specifically for a video installation project and for future projects because I do live visuals (VJing) and I would probably watch some movies on it. I've run it 5 times tops and on the 4th run at the ACTUAL FESTIVAL it decided to die on me 3 times and the lamp button came on. I've barely had it a month and it's been on for no more 20 hours and it's already dying!!! I even put it in ECO mode and it still died. Seriously?? Needless to say, it's being returned.On a separate note, the image quality is fantastic but what does that matter when the darn thing won't last for 3 hours straight.

Great projector

by M. Kearns from on 2010-05-24
Great projector for the price. It looks better than my big screen tv. We use it outside in our backyard theater projected onto a 16 by 9 screen. Awesome.

Description

Optoma's HD66, 3D-Ready home theater projector delivers the future! Breathtaking and bold, the Optoma HD66 hometheater projector provides stunningly beautiful widescreen viewing. The 3D-Ready HD66 adds a whole new demension to the gaming and home theater experience-and delivers more dynamic learning in education and training applications. With 2500 ANSI lumens, 4000:1 contrast, and native 720p widescreen resolution, the HD66 delivers subtle details and striking clarity for pure viewing delight!

Features

• DLP Technology by Texas Instruments with BrilliantColor Technology
• 2500 Lumens produce a bright, crisp image
• Produces mind-boggling 3D images for high intensity gaming!
• Complete on-screen menu adjustments in 23 languages
• Native 720P widesreen resolution

Reviews

Wow what a projector!

by John Werner from on 2010-09-06
This is my second projector, the first being about 7 years old.This Optima is amazing - I use it with a 104 inch screen in a multi-media family room not dedicated to home theater. My use is in partial light, and with 2,500 lumens, this Optima HD66 blasts through the ambient light without a problem. Just watched a college football game starting @ noon in HD and we're amazed with the quality and enjoyment of the game.Highly recommend for the quality and the price.John

Not for NVIDIA 3D Vision!

by jjRobotek from Long Island, NY on 2010-09-06
I got this PJ Specifically for the 3D about a week ago. It seems to have issues with NVIDIA 3D vision. The 3D vision set up software Will not recognize the projector unless a Driver(inf)for Acer H5360 is used.Optoma says it needs a firmware update, I dont want to send a brand new PJ in for an update..It looks great in 3D but due to the issue above I wish I had gotten the Acer H5360 for less money.I'm Running on a 100" screen and 3D blu ray - games like Just Cause 2 and 3d HD videos look fantastic.Will make due until someone releases a cheap 1080P 3D PJ so I can dump this.

HT Projector review

by Robert Yazell from Nevada City, California, US on 2010-08-31
Needed a projector for both data presentations and video applications. This does both well. Very bright image. Not the greatest for use as a home theater projector because of dark levels, but acceptable, especially in a room with a lot ambient light. Compact and convenient for travel. Build quality is typically Chinese, but performance is good. Wish it had a little better zoom range for the projection lens - you need to set up the projector in a spot that matches the screen location, rather than having the flexibility to put the projector in a more convenient spot. This is the norm for the low cost projectors. The 3D referred to is not suitable for the current 3D technology as it applies to home theater.

great pix

by feelingfroggy from on 2010-08-29
This is the first projestor we have owned but we are very impressed and can't imagine how the picture coutl get better.

Great picture quality for 1/4th the price of similar quality HDTV

by Chris De Cali from Boston, MA on 2010-08-27
This year, I moved into a suite with three roommates. As geeks and audiophiles, we were searching for a solution that could couple amazing 720p, 1080p picture with our 7.1 surround sound for under $1000. After visiting every possible electronics dealer for a discounted, new fangled 120Hz 1080p LCD TV under $1000, we gave up and took to the web to find solutions. That's when we found the Optoma HD66.Based on previous reviews, videos on YouTube, and the projector's specifications, we decided to give this guy a try. Now, after receiving this bad boy just a few days ago, I can tell you we made the first right decision of our college careers. Not only does this projector throw a beautiful 720p or 1080p from a .mkv or Blu-Ray source but it is very easy-to-use for the simple geek. We have yet to try games on it but every movie we have seen on this has wow'd us in terms of quality. We also currently project it on a wall in our living room which has eggshell paint. Therefore, we have yet to see it on a proper screen. Regardless, the image, the throw, and the make of the model has impressed us enough to keep it over any sort of HDTV solution. Currently, we use the HDMI and optical audio inputs as well as the VGA to achieve best picture resolution and quality.However, I will keep viewers updated after we have successfully mounted and constructed a screen. That setup is probably the best way to achieve greatest picture clarity and color for this type of projector.

Description

Powered by DLP technology and featuring a multitude of connections and functionality, the HD65 delivers the vivid and the vibrant in picture performance and image quality. Featuring 1600 lumens, a 4000:1 contrast ratio (with ImageAI), native 720p high-definition resolution, and a 16:9 aspect ratio in a sleek and diminutive form factor at 4 pounds with extensive connectivity options.

Features

• Solid brightness with 1600 lumens and a 4000:1 contrast ratio (with ImageAI )
• Native 720p high-definition resolution with 16:9 aspect ratio
• Light and color processing technologies for remarkable picture quality and contrast levels
• Sleek and diminutive form factor at 4 pounds with extensive connectivity options
• Display Technology: 0.62" DarkChip2 DLP Technology by Texas Instruments
• Resolution: Native 720p (1280 x 720) Maximum Resolution: 1080p (1920 x 1080) Brightness: 1600 Lumens

Reviews

Had it for 2yrs, sent in 3x for repair and went through 3 bulbs

by Jasen V. Ramirez from on 2010-08-07
Excellent when it works...bottom line stay away from optima..or maybe you get what u pay for but...I know of other people that had bad luck w/ optima...

i got a lemon

by Michael J. Hirst from cape cod on 2010-06-09
this projector thinks it's a trust fund socialite!flying from NY to LA more than a coked out fashion model in the last few months.i bought this in December and have used it less than a month!it's been fun carrying it around though. the box looks like a cardboard briefcase. it makes me feel important.when it worked, it was great! don't get me wrong.just know that some models have herpes.

Noisy fan and horrible light leakage

by G. Kuhn from Woodland Hills, CA United States on 2010-06-05
I couldn't be more disappointed with the Optoma HD65. My Panasonic PT-AE700 LCD projector began a rapid decline after only 3000 hrs (and a $300 bulb replacement) due to it's poor optical block design and the dreaded blue blob that eventually covered the entire screen. After being burned by organic LCD technology I decided to switch to DLP. The reviews on this bargain 720p projector seemed too good to be true, and like all things in life that seem that way, it was too good to be true. Sure, I got it for only $614 from Amazon, but what a waste of money. 1) the fan noise is terrible - unless you'll be using it in a noisy family room, trying to use it in a quiet home theater is truly unbearable 2) the light leakage through the cooling vents is ridiculously bad - I can't believe Optoma's designers even think this is acceptable engineering. Mounting the projector on the ceiling, the entire 2'x4' white ceiling panel in front of the projector is lit up and totally distracting. I even tried putting black over the ceiling panel, hoping to absorb some of the light, and it is still bright enough to be noticeable.I could have probably suffered with one of those 2 problems to save the money (now I'm going to have to spend more than twice that to buy the Epson Homelite 8100, which is what I should have done in the first place), but to try and ignore both those major flaws is not worth the constant frustration. I've never experienced as much buyers' regret as I have after buying and trying the Optoma HD65. I only hope that Amazon will credit me a full refund, but even if they don't, it's not worth keeping this piece of junk.By the way, I will say one positive thing about the HD65, the picture quality and color was quite nice. However, I now understand first hand what they mean about how difficult it is to place a DLP projector. This thing has almost zero placement tolerance when it comes to its location in the home theater. I have a 92" screen, and I found that I had about 6-10" of tolerance when it came to its distance from the screen (the zoom is nearly worthless), and even less tolerance in relation to the top edge of the screen (hanging it from the ceiling mount). I guess I was spoiled by the tremendous flexibility of the Panasonic LCD projector, which had a wide range of zoom and excellent lens shift. After relocating my mount more than a foot closer to the screen than the Panasonic, I then had to do all sorts of mods to adjust the height to be able to work with the Optoma. I finally got it lined up and filling the screen, but the amount of effort and frustration was many times more than it would have been with any LCD projector.Even though I was burned by organic LCD technology from Panasonic, my attempt to switch to DLP was such a failure that I'm going back to what I know looked great, so I'm getting the Epson 8100 for around $1350, but it's 1080p instead of 720p, has a quiet fan, great picture, and lots of placement flexibility and none of the horrible light leakage of the HD65.Save yourself the frustration and avoid this product unless you're just getting it to use in the backyard projected against a sheet or white wall. For your home theater you will not be happy with this projector.

OPTOMA HD65

by Earl Brazeal from WOODSTOCK, CT, US on 2010-05-03
I purchased this projector used, with 20 hours on it and 11 months left on the warranty. But, The HDMI input does not work (use YCrCb/RGB instead) but the price was right. Otherwise, the 1080i HDTV, BD and up-scaled DVD images (77" picture at 10') are very bright, richly colored, and very sharp (with "max" sharpness setting). This model (HD65) is still available on the Web at bargain prices (replaced by the HD66).

Exactly what we needed!

by Joel Forsyth from on 2010-03-18
Great picture, great price. HDMI Port along with component and VGA. Menu is sometimes difficult to work with (you can only make changes if you have a source running into it) and picture adjustments are minimal. Requires a pretty good angle to be viewed perfectly. We have to use a few sheets of paper under the feet to offset the angle of the screen. It's ok, though, it performs perfectly with great quality!

Description

Not Good for Presentations in light conditions

Features

• Support 1080P/1080i/720P Signals, Native Resolution 800*480;
• Aspect Ratio: 4:3 and 16:9 adjustable;
• Input jacks: HDMI, Component Video, VGA, AUDIO, TV(analog), Compatible with DVI;
• All in one projector! Can be used with TV, Sky, X-box, X-box 360, PS2, PS3, Wii, PC, Laptop, Satellite/Cable;
• Lamp life is 6000 hours on average;

Reviews

Great Value!

by GrahamGannon&Company,llc. from Chicago, IL on 2010-08-27
You simply can't beat the performance for the price. Great everyday projector for the Kids or home use! While it might lack just slightly from the performance especially in bright conditions that "DLP" or High end LCD ($[...] or more in cost)units may deliver. The up front savings as well as the low, low replacement cost of the bulbs (about $[...] bucks in stead of the HUNDREDS a DLP replacement bulb will cost)makes it a really great choice!

Description

Main FeaturesManufacturer: Optoma TechnologyManufacturer Part Number: BL-FP200CManufacturer Website Address: www.optomausa.comProduct Type: 200W Projector LampLamp Life: 3000 Hour(s)

Features

• 200W
• Fits HD70
• Estimated at 2000/3000 Hours (STD/ECO)

Reviews

Great bulb

by Autodoc from on 2010-08-10
I bought this bulb back in March of 2009 - I now have 3,150 hours on it and finally decided to replace it as it was getting a bit dim during the daytime.Obviously I watch a lot of TV and movies, but for the price I will be ordering another from Amazon when I need a new bulb!Great product - great price!

Worked for only 72 hours.

by Colin O. Schroeder from Anchorage, AK USA on 2009-10-14
Everything seemed fine and normal. I popped the bulb in and it worked ok for about an hour before it started to overheat. I have a bigass fan sitting around so I opened the window and pointed it at the projector. It lasted another month and finally burned out with the bulb lifespan of only 72 hours.Amazon has been awesome in assisting me with my return and full refund. I am mailing the bulb back as we speak.

Bulb lasted 150% advertised life

by Evan Manrow from Novi, MI on 2009-06-29
I know, it's expensive (read the other review). I thought the same thing. But you did check the bulb prices before you bought the projector, right?Right?Anyway, because of my previous experience with an Acer projector, I expected this bulb to last in the area of 750 hours (it's advertised at 2000). To my pleasant surprise, my first bulb went to 2970 before dying.Just make sure, when you replace the bulb, that you carefully clear out any dust from the inside of the case; if your screen is flashing green, your color wheel is probably gummed up. It took me forever to figure that out.Anyhow, your choice is between this bulb at about $250 for 2000+ hours, or some other crappy bulb for $180 at < 1000 hours. You do the math.

So far, so good

by Guy M from Akron, OH on 2009-06-28
I have less than 100 hours on this new bulb, so I can't comment on bulb life. My largest quibble is with the bulb's location on the projector in that I had to take it down from the ceiling and remove the mount to replace the bulb. Also, there were no installation instructions included, so I had to find the owners manual. And these bulbs are still too expensive. But the picture from the revitalized HD70 makes it all worth while.

Description

The Optoma HD700X Provides High Definition Big Screen Fun. Transform any room in your home with the ultimate High Definition entertainment experience. Making the largest big screen TV’s seem small with an image that can fill a wall - the HD700X will immerse you in the action. Fantastic 720P image quality provides life-size movie, sports or gaming characters that look so real you could touch them

Features

• Full HD Ready for 720P TV, Movies or Gaming
• 3000:1 Contrast Ratio for breathtaking lifelike images
• Stunningly vivid &amp;amp; realistic HD colour
• 1300 Lumens for bright brilliant images
• HDMI v1.3 connectors for pure digital image quality

Reviews

i just love it!

by Kuang Lu Huang from LA USA on 2010-09-03
Coming from my Infocus 4805, I must say, I absolutely am Loving it!! Black are darker than I expected. High definition blu-ray movies truly look amazing. It certainly has surpassed all of my expectations. Way to go Optoma!! Cons: Fan noise is there but not loud enough to be bothersome..

did you know?

by Gordon L. Burstein from on 2010-05-09
I do not own one of these projectors. But I think if one purchases this you would need to know the life of the projector bulb.HD700X Bulb - Optoma Projector LampHD700X Optoma Bulb Replacement without cage assembly HD700X Optoma Bulb Replacement Projector Bulb Replacement 180 watt Projection Bulb List Price: $337.61If the life of the bulb is short this is a very expensive purchase!!!!!!

Good with a but

by Divyang B. Joshi from ISU on 2010-02-11
Wow, no reviews on this! Ok, so I have not bought it from here, but I do own one of these. First of all, features, tech and the like 3 stars and the price, one extra star. So, this product is great, with drawbacks obviously.1. I think it is really light compared to many other projectors of the same features and so makes it easier to carry around.2. I live in a dorm, so the brightness is less of a problem, but obviously during the day time, you will be out of luck. Also, if you are considering it for 'home entertainment' then I'd recommend use of another projector since this one is not really that bright. But for a single normal room, it is ok.3. The support for widescreen is awesome. Perfectly fits 1080p resolutions too, with 720p quality ofcourse.4. Fits perfectly on the ceiling with a cool hybrid flip.5: you might find that sometimes the noise can be a problem. It will be quite but will get loud after some time of using it.6. The PRICE kills it :)Hope this clears out a few questions.

Great Deal

by David "Deckhand Davy" Zamora from Mudbowl Lagoons on 2010-02-11
The above poster down rated this projector today since it came up on the Amazon deal list, yet he/she doesn't even own it. I'm going to give the projector a 5 star rating for the sake of fairness. Been seeing a LOT more of these down rating reviews from questionable accounts lately...it's not right.

Optoma HD700X 720P Projector

by Peter Browne from Canada on 2010-02-11
If you check on the web, most reviewers are reviewing the Optoma HD700X, which is 1080P - you are NOT going to get the full value of your Blue Rays with this projector - checkout the Optoma HD700X with the 1080P. It's been given an Excellent review. Comments were also made to the fact upconverted DVDs do NOT look anywhere as good as Blu-rays. Check the web for revues before buying!

Description

BL-FS180C 180-WATT REPL LAMP LAMPFOR HD65 & HD640 SHP

Features

• SHP 180W Lamp, Fits HD65
• Estimated at 2000/3000 Hours (STD/ECO)

Reviews

Great Projector

by SimonRim from on 2010-06-28
Great projector. I haven't even seen the 720p HD display yet and I'm really happy with this projector. Also bought a screen but comparing the image on the screen and on the wall, I can't really see the difference, so I use the wall most of the time.The 2400 lumen version may have been better for daytime viewing in a lit room, but the image is still easily viewable. We hosted 2 world cup parties during the day and everyone was amazed at how good and big the image was (105 inches diag). A night though in a dark room ... WOW!!!

good

by B. yang from on 2010-06-16
It is good to use, but my last one came with my projector only last 1000 hour. Hope this one can last longer time.

So far........

by bonna bing from on 2010-01-30
Ok bought two of these and they appear to be the real deal not sure if they are fakes. Installed one in the projector and seems to be working great so far. Same brightness etc etc. Dont know how many hours it will last but I will deff. update my review. If they last 2000 or more hours it is no doubt a great deal, will let you all know. Ok update have about 805 hours on this bulb and still working fine.

Description

Brand: Optoma - Part No.: BL-FP200E - UPC: 796435216481 - OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer - Warranty: 30 Days - Fits Projector Models: HD71 - HD710 -

Features

• 200W
• Fits HD71/HD710
• Estimated at 2000/3000 Hours (STD/ECO)

Description

PROJECTOR- VIEWSONIC PRO8100 1080P

Features

• State-of-the-art engineering provides unmatched clarity in video entertainment.
• Full 1080p HD resolution, a C2Fine liquid crystal panel produce immaculate HD images.
• Silicon Optix Reon-VX high-performance video processor with HQVTM Hollywood Quality Video) ensures precise HD movies, videos and sports.
• Provides sophisticated color tuning, including 33 levels of gamma correction, 3D color management and auto contrast.
• Includes two HDMI 1.3 and two component video inputs for full component connectivity.

Reviews

Going back

by M. Stringer from on 2010-06-12
I bought this and the green vertical banding is terrible. I did some research and found that nearly every pj ships with this issue. Viewsonic should be ashamed to sell such bad equipment. Mine is going back...

Best Buy

by Heather R. Dailey from on 2010-05-31
I'm blown away by the value of this product. There is a website still selling this thing for 5k. It's much more than I expected. The actual picture is as good as my 50" plasma. Of course the blacks arent as good, but for a projector it's fantastic. It wasn't hard to setup. The remote has a backlight,very nice.

Great if you get one w/o HB

by MKT from OP, KS on 2010-05-04
As others have said, this is a fantastic PJ if as the title says, you get one w/o horizontal banding. Unfortunately it appears that most of the late 2009 and most 2010 builds have it. Some have gone thru three units w/o getting a good one. While ViewSonic says they're working on the problem, it's not apparent to the consumer.But there's a three year warranty and their Express Exchange program, so if you can put up with returning units 'til you get a good one, it's certainly worth it.The only complaint I have is the menu system to change settings is not very user friendly. But once you have the PJ dialed in, you don't have to deal w/ it much.

If you want a projector, buy this one NOW!

by C. Harrington from on 2010-05-02
UPDATE: As I mentioned below, I had an electricity buildup issue with my first unit. I exchanged it, and the second unit works PERFECTLY!I just switched from a Panasonic 900 720p to the Pro8100. It is ceiling mounted about 11 feet from the screen for a 100 inch image, and the picture is absolutely amazing! To my personal taste, a 1080 picture should be sharp, to create depth in the picture. I spent a lot of time over at another website [that you can find by googling the phrase "projector reviews"] comparing the screen shots of the Pro8100 to several other models costing between $5,000 and $10,000, and IMO, the Pro8100 looked better than all of them. This PJ puts out a 100 inch image that is nearly indistinguishable from my 46 inch Samsung.CAVEAT: My unit has the same issue with electricity buildup that some others have reported. If you do not turn off the electricity of your sources or the PJ (as opposed to leaving them in standby), then when you next turn on the PJ you will see streaks in the image for the first 15 minutes or so the PJ is on.One other thing. The menu takes a while to get used to, since there are lots of settings to tweak. Once you do though, the PJ is more versatile than most because of all the adjustments that can be made.

Lots of features, but quality control problems and poor blacks

by David Indech from Atlanta, GA on 2010-05-01
The Pro8100 was sold at first only to professional home theater installers in mid-2008 at an MSRP of $5000. It has since become directly available for around $1200, and has become a popular forum recommendation as a result. It competes with, in ascending price order, the Optoma HD20, Mitsubishi's HC3800, and Epson's 8100.I've had three Pro8100s over the course of a month, all from Tiger Direct and manufactured in February, 2010. All of them have shown moving horizontal scanlines visible from 16' away from a 155" screen. No other projector does this, and the intensity of the banding has varied with each unit. With two of them, it was visible only with rapid onscreen movement or very bright areas. With the third, it was always visible and annoying. It's unclear if this issue will ever be resolved. Viewsonic no longer makes home theater projectors and their support does not acknowledge this issue.I ultimately replaced it with a Mitsubishi HC3800, a DLP projector with far less placement flexibility, but superior image quality. The comparison, side by side with a variety of reference HD material and computer test patterns, was illuminating.The three most important specifications of any projector are lumen output, ANSI contrast, and absolute black levels. Lumen output dictates how well the projector will handle ambient light and large screen sizes without washing out or becoming uncomfortably dim. ANSI contrast measures dynamic range, or the brightest and darkest colors the projector can display at the same time. The 'punch' of a picture with bright lights and dark shadows is heavily dependent on ANSI contrast. Lower ANSI numbers imply a flatter image with grayer blacks. Finally, low absolute black levels ensure that in completely dark scenes, black appears black and not a dark slate.Beyond image quality, certain features aid in placement flexibility. A generous zoom range allows the projector to display a range of image sizes at a particular distance, or the same image size while moving the projector. Lens shift allows the projected image to be moved without moving the projector or incurring keystone distortion. These features are more common in LCD projectors than DLP. The Pro8100 has extensive motorized shift and zoom. The motorization is helpful if the projector is placed in an inaccessible location or constantly switching aspect ratios. For the comparison with the H3800, my screen is 12' x 5', white, and with a gain of about 1.25.Brightness:The HC3800 is capable of going brighter than the Pro8100, even in low-lamp without Brilliant Color. Brilliant Color seems to kick up brightness quite a lot without having any negative effects on color or black levels. It seems to enhance all the 'off' colors (i.e., not a primary) and leave the primaries alone. While I found the Pro8100 wanting for my screen even with full lamp, I see no reason to ever use full lamp on the HC3800. In high-contrast scenes, the Pro8100 seems to near the HC3800's brightness, but only because it's projecting a dull gray relative to the latter's black.Color:Color gamut seems about the same. Color accuracy goes to the HC3800. I've spent probably ten hours just messing with the Pro8100 to get it closer to the calibrated LCD I use with my computer. The closest I ever got was with Art's settings from Projector Review, but they're just borderline acceptable for a very large screen in pitch-black viewing. While it's possible to use the same LCD calibrator on the projector, I really shouldn't need it to get a neutral picture. I'd go so far as to say that it's impossible to achieve with the projector controls alone. That said, before I compared the HC3800 side by side, I thought Art's settings were quite good and the best yet for the Pro8100.Noise:At equivalent brightness, the two have similar noise levels. My observations depend on where the projectors were placed.Sitting two feet from the projector on the floor: The Pro8100 has a bit of whine to complement the fan whoosh. The HC3800 has a slightly stronger whoosh and a subtle, but much higher pitched overtone. Neither are especially quiet. Even the Pro8100's low-lamp mode, which is a level again softer than the HC3800, is noticeable in quiet scenes if the movie isn't particularly involving. On full lamp, the HC3800 is objectionably loud.Sitting on the floor with the projector ceiling-mounted: The Pro8100 is essentially inaudible in low lamp and quiet at full lamp. The HC3800's overtone is audible at all lamp settings, but rarely distracting. Full lamp is acceptable for engaging movies.Sharpness:Definite edge to the Pro8100 here. I consider the Pro8100 about as sharp as a projector can be. My particular HC3800, with the 2.35:1 crop pushed to the very top of what's almost certainly an inferior lens, isn't quite as sharp. The 2 ticks of keystone correction I have to use also add a very subtle softening to text, though seem to have no effect whatever on movies. The Pro8100's keystone controls are similarly excellent, though they shouldn't ever need to be used.Menus and features:Every function in Mitsu's menus appears to work as expected. Not so much the Pro8100; most of the advanced functions harm the image. The advanced gamma controls are particularly egregious, causing posterization. The HC3800 is much better here.The HC3800 also has a useful feature that changes the aspect ratio with a button on the remote. For example, I play movies on my HTPC from within Windows, but my screen doesn't use a 16x9 aspect ratio. With the HC3800, I can set the zoom to fill the 2.35:1 width (cropping the top and bottom of Windows), and then press the Aspect button to get a downsampled 16x9 image in the center of my screen. The image quality in this mode is very good, easily enough to watch a 16x9 movie, so there's no reason ever to touch the zoom or focus controls after the initial setup.In the same circumstance, the Pro8100 would have to be slowly zoomed out with the motorized controls. The benefit to this is that 16x9 movies use the full 1920x1080 resolution, whereas I'm only getting 1450x820 with the Mitubishi's downsample mode.Black levels:Significant difference. The Pro8100 projects a slate gray. The HC3800, something very close to black. Even with the Pro8100 in low lamp in a pitch black scene that'd theoretically favor its dynamic iris, it's still not as good. I was shocked when I saw a space scene on the HC3800. For all three of my Pro8100s, I just assumed that a vaguely washed out picture was as good as it got.ANSI contrast:Huge difference. Huge. The HC3800 looks like a movie theater. The Pro8100, no. The difference isn't as evident on scenes that have few shadow tones (the blue castle fireworks intro on Disney movies) or are almost exclusively dark (the castle assault in Two Towers), but the rest of the time, it's no comparison. While I can definitely say there were particular scenes I enjoyed on the Pro8100, the HC3800 is consistently excellent everywhere.Build:The Pro8100 is large, heavy, pretty, and impressive. The HC3800 is small and light. Build quality is the same. The both have shiny black plastic, no creaking parts, and a general heft. The HC3800's zoom and focus controls are smooth. Focus has no play. Zoom, very little. The Pro8100's lens is centered on the unit. This makes setup easier. The HC3800's lens is offset 2.5" off the centerline and angled inward. This last bit is annoying, it's almost a trig problem to get the lens exactly perpendicular to the screen center unless you have a flexible mount.The Pro8100 has a heavier and more substantial remote with a rubber backing. The HC3800's remote feels cheaper by comparison, but nice enough.Summary:If the Pro8100 was once a $5000 projector, it's irrelevant. You really have to value sharpness, motorized controls, and placement flexibility to choose it over the HC3800's vastly superior picture, contrast, brightness, black levels and color accuracy. Given the quality control problems that appear to have afflicted most units recently shipped, I can't recommend the Pro8100 to anyone. Epson's 8100 offers similar zoom and lens shift (though unmotorized) for installations that would be difficult for the HC3800.