Optoma HD 806 1080P 1-Chip DLP Video Projector Reviewed
- By: Jeremy Kipnis
- - Reviewer's System
- Category:
- Equipment Reviews, Front Projector Reviews, Video Reviews
- Resources & Links:
- 1080p Video Resoltution ,
- Digital Light Processing (DLP) ,
- View Jeremy Kipnis' Reviews
- November 23, 2008
1080P is the latest benchmark resolution everyone wants for his or her home theater and media/gaming room. Achieving that high resolution up on a big screen totally changes the degree of immersion one experiences. Usually, a big front-projection image needs to be observed in a totally darkened room, like a movie theater, which limits ease and frequency of use. Thankfully, Optoma has released the third in a series of recent one-inch (actual 0.95-inch) DMD single-chip 1080P DLP front projectors capable of a claimed 2,000 ASNI Lumens of light output, which is sufficient to light up a big screen (up to 106 inches diagonally) in a room with some degree of ambient light. The (reported) 8,000:1 contrast ratio is certainly respectable enough to portray both light and shadow detail with equal complexity, powered by a 300-watt UHP user-replaceable lamp with an expected bulb life of 3,000 hours, and a replacement cost of less than $500 USD. Images are rendered through a 1.2:1 manual zoom lens, with a 17-step auto iris system that features a +/- 36 percent vertical lens offset (but no horizontal shift) and (amazingly) the option to accept an accessory 2.35:1 anamorphic lens adapter, making possible the use of the full DLP panel resolution (2,073,600 pixels) during the viewing of scope widescreen films (no more black bars) completely automatically. The proprietary Optoma Image AI-II™ three-stage video processing technology offers a 10-step gamma adjustment and feeds signal to the new brightness enhanced color wheel (necessary in a single-chip color projector) that spins at two times the refresh rate and is composed of six sections: red, green, blue, cyan, magenta and yellow. This allows for an amazing 1.07 billion colors to be displayed. The generous input options include two HDMI 1.3 jacks, one DVI (both A & D) with HDCP, one component video input, RGB on D-sub HD 15-pin for your computer, one S-video jack, a legacy composite input on RCA jack and, finally, an RS-232C control port. The projector can accept signals from 480i (NTSC) and 576i (PAL) up to 1080P at 24, 30, 50 and 60 fps and is therefore compatible with all current formats used throughout the world. The tiny (16 inches wide by 4.6 inches high by 12.2 inches deep) 10-pound, white plastic-cased portable Optoma HD 806 is priced at a very fair $5,199 retail.
Given that people typically live, work and enjoy much of life in environments that feature ambient light, it seems a shame that there aren't more solutions that address making a really big video image (less than 80 inches diagonally) both bright and affordable. Well, the multimedia Optoma HD 806 has both, while preserving the image quality found in their earlier 1080P single-chip home theater front projectors, like the HD81LV, HD81 and HD80. There are quite a few 1080P projectors available these days at this price point, and most are well-suited to completely dark viewing conditions. These include the HD81 and HD80. Now, with the HD 806, a new side to daylight front-projection viewing can be seen and appreciated. The measured performance (after calibration) of 1,089 ANSI Lumens (although understandably lower than the rated output of 2,000, but still almost twice that of the HD80) is still more than bright enough to compete with ambient light in a lit room and still look amazingly good. Given a high-quality HD source, such as a Sony Playstation 3 and a white wall or, better yet, a professional screen like my 106-inch Stewart StudioTek 130 (non-perforated), action films and video games take on a much more compelling quality and, because of its light weight (10 pounds) and simple manual zoom, focus and vertical shift adjustments, one can easily take this projector almost anywhere and get a solid, detailed, colorful image quickly. There is certainly more than enough contrast range for low to medium interior lighting conditions, such as would be found in an average living room during the day; I measured a good CR performance of 1,257:1. The newly designed six-segment double-speed color wheel offers a rich palate of hues and tones that are specifically tuned to look properly saturated and accurate under "lit" conditions. The generous input apron allows for sufficient space to get one's fingers and several connectors in and out fairly easily, and the legacy analog inputs make this projector a good choice when connecting to an older Xbox, Nintendo Wii or PS2 gaming systems. If your penchant is for widescreen movies, this projector offers an add-on anamorphic adapter that moves into and out of the way on an included sled that is good for either ceiling or tabletop installation. The projector automatically senses the incoming signal's aspect ratio and processes for perfect geometry, every time. The AI-II™ three-stage video processing allows for the ability to set up individual picture memories for each input, allowing some real fine-tuning during a full calibration, which this projector takes to very well.
While installation and set-up are fairly simple, there are some liabilities. Because the lens offset is only in the vertical direction (+/- 36 percent), with no horizontal shift whatsoever, the projector must be mounted directly in line with the screen, either attached to a ceiling bracket or sitting on a coffee or end table. This, along with the limited 1.2:1 manual zoom lens, means that the projector needs to be situated fairly close to the screen with respect to seating distance. No other lens options are available (a larger range would have helped), but this keeps the cost down at the expense of limiting off-center sighting. Because of the higher bulb wattage and commensurate light output, the projector's fan noise can be a little bit louder than other home theater projectors found in this category, a measured 33 dB/SPL. This can be slightly distracting if seating is right next to, behind or under the projector, along with a tendency for more localized heating right around the projector. The automatic iris is normally designed to increase the contrast range by selectively widening and narrowing, depending on a particular scene's lighting content. The best of these devices operate at 30 or even 60 frames per second, but the Optoma only makes adjustments every 15 to 30 seconds, which has very little effect on picture quality, if any. There is also the double-speed color wheel, which can exhibit rainbow color separation artifacts during very fast panning of the image; this is typical of a single-chip DLP projector with a slow color wheel. Clearly, this is a cost-cutting measure, but for the most part does not detract too much from an otherwise strongly designed projector.
There are always tradeoffs made in the design of any projector. Most home theater front projectors made these days are opting for higher contrast ratios at the expense of actual light output. This requires that they be installed in a theater where ambient lighting conditions are controllable and, ideally, able to be doused. This is why it is so encouraging to see a company like Optoma create a slight variation on an already very good design - their HD81LV. The new HD 806 offers a refreshing improvement in image fidelity over many other similarly-priced alternatives, specifically when displayed in a room with some degree of ambient lighting. Unlike a typical home theater front projector, which is designed largely for a black box theater, the HD 806 can create the same three-dimensionality and eye-popping detail found on some of today's best 1080P flat screen monitors, but at potentially much larger sizes, up to 106 inches on a screen. You will be hard-pressed to find a more economically verifiable bargain when it comes to a front projector that can be used each and every day, and still be completely portable.
High Points
• Full 1920 x 1080P HD single-chip DLP light engine offers full resolution of high-definition sources.
• Bright rated output of 2,000 ANSI Lumens allows for viewable image, depending on ambient lighting conditions.
• Proprietary Optoma Image AI-II™ three-stage video processing technology offers 10-step gamma adjustment and user-definable settings for each input.
• Anamorphic "scope" widescreen adapter option offers complete panel fill, with 33 percent increased light output and vertical fill factor.
• Generous input apron featuring Two HDMI 1.3 inputs, one component video (and RGB on D Sub-15) and legacy analog inputs capable of accepting 480i & 576i to 1080P at 24, 30, 50 and 60 frames per second.
• Long-life user-replaceable bulbs (up to 3,000 hours) make this projector economical, as well as very bright.
Low Points
• Limited lens offset reduces placement flexibility to only being in line with the screen.
• Black level and contrast ratio are only acceptable and do not compete with other more expensive single- or multi-chip DLP projectors designed for complete blackout conditions.
• Slightly noisy fan and some excess heat radiation can be heard and felt when sitting relatively close to the projector.
• The automatic dynamic iris is essentially useless, as it does not dynamically adjust at or even near frame rate.
• Double-speed color wheels are prone to "rainbow" distortion, and this projector exhibits this effect to much the same extent as other earlier single-chip DLP projectors.
Conclusion
When the home theater projectors first arrived in the early 1970s, they were enormous, heavy three-gun CRT-based pieces of furniture. They required a separate curved screen in order to collate enough light to be seen in a normally lit living room (about 600 Lumens), they were very cumbersome to set up and not easily hidden away when not in use. Today, 38 years later, technology has come a long, long way. The relatively tiny size and weight of the Optoma HD860 with its 2,000 ANSI lumens output, in comparison to the early projectors of yesteryear, makes for a substantially enjoyable viewing experience by any and all. Far too often, the need occurs for a bright, high-resolution projected image that is also portable and easy to set up. With a cost of $5,199 MSRP, this projector falls in the middle price range expected (both today and in years past) for a front-projection product, but it produces nearly twice the light output of most, which is significant when it comes to competing with interior ambient lighting. While other projectors made by Panasonic, Mitsubishi, JVC and Sony can claim to have better blacks and potentially wider contrast ratios, the simplicity, portability and generous input options, along with higher light output and optimized colorimetry, provide a consistently bright, sharp image that is easy to carry about.
Keywords
Front Projector, Optoma, 8,000:1, 1920 x 1080P, DLP, Single-Chip, Cinema, Contrast Ratio, 2000 ANSI Lumen, Blu-Ray, DCI, Digital Cinema, Kipnis Studios, Stewart Filmscreen, Ambient, Lighting, Sony, JVC, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, ANSI, AMPAS, 35mm, film, SMPTE, Calibrator, ISF, Scaler, Dynamic Iris, HD860, HD81LV, HD80
- Anthem LTX 500 LCOS Projector R...
- Bonitor MP201 Pocket PICO Proje...
- DVDO Edge Video Processor Revie...
- Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 610...
- Front Video Projector Reviews a...
- Home Theater Review 2009 Best o...
- JVC DLA-HD100 1080P 3-Chip D-IL...
- JVC DLA-RS2 D-ILA Front Video ...
- Marantz VP-11S2 DLP Front Proje...
- Marantz VP-15S1 1080p HDTV Proj...
- Meridian 810 Reference Video Sy...
- Mitsubishi Diamond Series HC680...
- Mitsubishi HC5500 1080P 3-Chip ...
- Optoma HD 806 1080P 1-Chip DLP ...
- Optoma HD20 Projector Reviewed...
- Panasonic PT-AE2000U 1080P 3-Ch...
- SIM2 C3X LUMIS HOST Projector R...
- Sanyo PLV-Z2000 1080P 3-Chip LC...
- Sanyo PLV-Z3000 1080p 120Hz LCD...
- Sanyo PLV-Z700 16:9 LCD Full HD...
- Sony SRX-R220 4k Professional C...
- Sony VPL-HW10 SXRD 1080p Front ...
- Sony VPL-VW60 Bravia SXRD 1080p...
Featured Audio-Video News
Experiencing Your Dream Home Theater While On Vacation -
It isn't any news that the economy is in the dumps. Morphing your living room, garage or basement into the...
Latest Front Projector Reviews
Mitsubishi Diamond Series HC6800 LCD Projector Reviewed -
Mitsubishi's new HC6800 LCD projector falls near the top of the company's Home Cinema lineup, just below the HC7000. Both models are part of the Diamond Series, which utilizes Mitsubishi's most advanced technologies. The HC6800 is a 1920 x 1080... Click for more...
Bonitor MP201 Pocket PICO Projector Reviewed -
With all the high-tech gadget movies and TV shows coming out over the last few years, it would seem that a miniature "go anywhere, show anything" PICO-projector fitting in your shirt pocket would be a natural for the likes of... Click for more...
Optoma HD20 Projector Reviewed -
One of Optoma's most exciting new products is their new HD20 projector. It is a 1080p DLP-based upon Texas Instrument's .65-inch BrilliantColor 16:9 ratio chipset. The HD20's brilliant color is provided via a six-segment (RGB), four-speed color wheel, with video... Click for more...
Home Theater Review 2009 Best of Awards -
For the first time, Home Theater Review com's editors have picked a select list of the best gear from many of our AV equipment categories. The winners are picked subjectively by our staff. In today's economy, value matters - this... Click for more...
Anthem LTX 500 LCOS Projector Reviewed -
Anthem has had a storied reputation for providing state of the art, cost-no-object performance at prices reasonable men and women can afford. Their D2v AV preamp and matching amplifier line-up have been nothing short of sensational in the eyes of... Click for more...
SIM2 C3X LUMIS HOST Projector Reviewed -
The SIM2 LUMIS HOST projector is an apex predator in the ever-changing world of high-end video. Priced at $39,995, this three-chip DLP projector with sexy Italian lines and a mean motor under the hood is designed to give the guys... Click for more...
Sanyo PLV-Z3000 1080p 120Hz LCD Projector Reviewed -
When one thinks of quality home theater projectors, few brands come to mind. Sony, JVC and Panasonic are some that do. Sanyo, on the other hand, may not be on one's short list. However, they've been making high-quality, affordable home... Click for more...
Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 6100 Projector Reviewed -
Epson is undoubtedly one of the most prolific manufacturers of home entertainment projectors in today's marketplace. While many projection companies tend to release one new projector every year or so, Epson consistently introduces several models each year. The result is... Click for more...
Sanyo PLV-Z700 16:9 LCD Full HD Projector Reviewed -
There seems to be two camps when it comes to today's modern HD projector: high-end/high-cost and the increasingly affordable. Sanyo, a manufacturing giant, has come into the consumer home theater marketplace with a line of front video projectors that are... Click for more...
Sony VPL-HW10 SXRD 1080p Front Projector Reviewed -
It never ceases to amaze me how front-projection display quality continues to progress, while simultaneously dropping in price. Even the normally premium-priced line from Sony now has a very attractively-priced 1080p resolution SXRD projector, the recently introduced VPL-HW10, which starts... Click for more...
Latest Front Projector Reviews
Mitsubishi Diamond Series HC6800 LCD Projector Reviewed -
Mitsubishi's new HC6800 LCD projector falls near the top of the company's Home Cinema lineup, just below the HC7000. Both models are part of the Diamond Series, which utilizes Mitsubishi's most advanced technologies. The HC6800 is a 1920 x 1080... Click for more...
Bonitor MP201 Pocket PICO Projector Reviewed -
With all the high-tech gadget movies and TV shows coming out over the last few years, it would seem that a miniature "go anywhere, show anything" PICO-projector fitting in your shirt pocket would be a natural for the likes of... Click for more...
Optoma HD20 Projector Reviewed -
One of Optoma's most exciting new products is their new HD20 projector. It is a 1080p DLP-based upon Texas Instrument's .65-inch BrilliantColor 16:9 ratio chipset. The HD20's brilliant color is provided via a six-segment (RGB), four-speed color wheel, with video... Click for more...
Home Theater Review 2009 Best of Awards -
For the first time, Home Theater Review com's editors have picked a select list of the best gear from many of our AV equipment categories. The winners are picked subjectively by our staff. In today's economy, value matters - this... Click for more...
Anthem LTX 500 LCOS Projector Reviewed -
Anthem has had a storied reputation for providing state of the art, cost-no-object performance at prices reasonable men and women can afford. Their D2v AV preamp and matching amplifier line-up have been nothing short of sensational in the eyes of... Click for more...
SIM2 C3X LUMIS HOST Projector Reviewed -
The SIM2 LUMIS HOST projector is an apex predator in the ever-changing world of high-end video. Priced at $39,995, this three-chip DLP projector with sexy Italian lines and a mean motor under the hood is designed to give the guys... Click for more...
Sanyo PLV-Z3000 1080p 120Hz LCD Projector Reviewed -
When one thinks of quality home theater projectors, few brands come to mind. Sony, JVC and Panasonic are some that do. Sanyo, on the other hand, may not be on one's short list. However, they've been making high-quality, affordable home... Click for more...
Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 6100 Projector Reviewed -
Epson is undoubtedly one of the most prolific manufacturers of home entertainment projectors in today's marketplace. While many projection companies tend to release one new projector every year or so, Epson consistently introduces several models each year. The result is... Click for more...
Sanyo PLV-Z700 16:9 LCD Full HD Projector Reviewed -
There seems to be two camps when it comes to today's modern HD projector: high-end/high-cost and the increasingly affordable. Sanyo, a manufacturing giant, has come into the consumer home theater marketplace with a line of front video projectors that are... Click for more...
Sony VPL-HW10 SXRD 1080p Front Projector Reviewed -
It never ceases to amaze me how front-projection display quality continues to progress, while simultaneously dropping in price. Even the normally premium-priced line from Sony now has a very attractively-priced 1080p resolution SXRD projector, the recently introduced VPL-HW10, which starts... Click for more...
Latest Equipment Reviews
Mapleshade Time-Correcting Maple Bedrock Speaker Stands Reviewed -
For ages the adage with bookshelf and/or monitor speakers has always been getting the tweeter or tweeter/midrange as close to ear height will yield the best results. Of course proper placement in a room as well as in relation to... Click for more...
Mapleshade Samson V.1 Equipment Rack Reviewed -
Seemingly everyone makes an equipment rack of some form or another these days with varying degrees of success, however for best results you're better off going with a third party or specialty equipment rack. The problem with going with an... Click for more...
Oppo BDP-83 Special Edition Universal Player Reviewed -
Oppo Digital's first Blu-ray player the BDP-83 entered the market in mid 2009 to numerous accolades. A mere half year later, Oppo Digital, not satisfied with the untapped performance potential of the player, released the BDP-83 Special Edition reviewed here.... Click for more...
Parker Audio 95MK II Loudspeakers Reviewed -
Chances are you've never heard of or seen a pair of Parker Audio 95MK II loudspeakers. Because of that fact, you're probably thinking they're some sort of uber-esoteric, high-end, ultra-expensive loudspeakers from some designer's garage in Munich. Well, you'd be... Click for more...
Bel Canto e. One S300iu Integrated Amplifier Reviewed -
Integrated amplifiers have always been an effective and affordable way to get into two-channel audio. However, in recent years, integrated amplifiers have come into their own, offering performance and simplicity that even high-end separate systems have trouble matching. Case in... Click for more...
Bel Canto e.One S300 Power Amplifier Reviewed -
Stereo amplifiers have been a staple since music went from single speakers to two-way back in the day. Over the years, we've seen stereo amplifiers go from simple, manageable black boxes to over-the-top, larger-than-thou space heaters for the home and... Click for more...
OmniMount Link Series A/V Stands Reviewed -
As its name suggests, OmniMount's Link Series is a modular line of A/V stands that you can mix and match to craft the exact entertainment solution you need. You can also add on as your system grows. The Link Series,... Click for more...
Paradigm Reference Studio 20 v.5 Bookshelf Speaker Reviewed -
I've been a fan of Paradigm for years, owning and enjoying seemingly every speaker in their product line from the awesome and affordable Atoms to their flagship Signature S8s. Over the years there have been two Paradigm speaker designs that... Click for more...
Bel Canto REF 1000M Mono Amplifier Reviewed -
When one thinks of a 500-Watt mono amplifier you probably picture a large, heat sink clad hunk of steel that weighs more than the car you drove it home in and probably costs more too. What if I told you... Click for more...
OmniMount VideoBasics TV Mounts Reviewed -
You've spent the extra money to buy an ultra-thin HDTV. The last thing you want to do is hinder the minimalist look by mating the TV with a bulky wall-mount. OmniMount designed the VideoBasics line of flat-panel TV mounts with... Click for more...





Comment on this article
0Post a Comment