Why go to the movies

The Optoma HD70 DLP Project was clearance at $599.at Best Buy months ago. I was fortunate enough to get a hold of the last one in this store. I have been doing a lot of research trying to build my Home Theater. I considered rear projector DLP such as the Samsung LED DLP 6189 but I didn’t want to pay $2,500 for a 61 inch TV.

I decided that projector would be the way to go since the majority of the time; it will be spent on watching movies and not TV. I looked very hard into the Benq W500, Marantz VP 4001, and the Panasonic AX. But in the end, it was the bang for the buck that I was after and I couldn’t turn down a $600 projector.

The Optoma HD70 is very easy to set up. Just plug away by following the simple manual. It can easily be plug using traditional RCA cable or HDMI depending on what kind of equipment you have. This projector does not have speakers so it needs to be connected to a receiver and speakers for sound or surround sound.

Specs:

Optoma HD70 is a 720p HD, 16x9 wide screen
Comes with a remote control
Brightness: 1,000 Lumens
Contrast Ratio: 3,000/1
Lamp life: 2,000-3,000 hours depending on the use
Compatible to HD: 720p, 1080i, 1080p
Can be projected from ceiling, back of the shelf, or up front on a coffee table.

I came upon the Optoma HD 70 at Best Buy and was nervous about purchasing it because with their setup, HD 70 look extremely weak, faded, and uninspired. The condition was the result of poor lighting. I was concern when I first got home. I quickly connected this projector to my DVD player and projected on the wall of my living room. The result was AMAZING. I was smiling like a little girl….DAMN, I can never go back to small screen again. Remember, this is my first projector and have nothing to compare too. But the picture is amazing with the movie 300. As I look on my wall, my mouth is wide with amazement and thinking to myself, it only cost me $600.

This projector comes with a remote control or you can use the “control panel” on the top of the projector. It is really easy to navigate around the menu using either the panel or remote. (For more options to pop out in the menu, a DVD player and movie must be active and running). The projector must be exactly “centered” and shooting straight forward or it will cause a slanting projection. The fan noise can be heard if no speaker is running and if its right next to your hears. The fan blows hot air sideways. I projected the projector from the coffee table and feel most comfortable from there.

I tested it in the afternoon and at night. I do have a decent dark room despite having a sliding glass door in my living room. Once I close the shade, my room is not dark but shady and the projected pictures looks very, very good. As long as there is no direct light hitting the projected image, picture should be fine. Other words, yes, you can watch Sunday afternoon football with a closed window shade or curtain.

This projector really shines in a dark room. It is amazing especially for a Home Theater Noob like me. Hands down beat my 20-inch TV. The pictures are clear, deep, and very detail. You are not going to get LCD or Plasma quality but you will not be shedding any tears of disappointment considering the size it can project. As a noob, I quickly get lost in the “Big” picture that I don’t even pay attention to the “blacks” in the pictures. Movies I tested and each and every one of them just “WOW” me and left me speechless: All Lords of the Rings, 300, Shinobi. It’s like re-watching movies again for the first time…especially a person like me who only go to the movies once or twice a year.


Rating:

Ease of use: 9/10, I am a lazy guy who barely reads any instructions and found it easy to hook up.

Quality: 8/10. Built from plastic. It’s not something you want to drop too often. Overall from many hours of reading and research, Optoma is very reliable. It has a 2-year factory warranty. Warranties can be bought from other 3rd party insurers such as Mack.

Sound: N/A HD70 does not have any speaker.

Picture: 10/10. Is the quality better than my 20 inch TV? Yes. Is it better than plasma or LCD? No, but I will not hesitate to pick a projector over these two TVs because of the great size.

Bang for the Buck: 10/10. Hands down, bang for the buck Where can you get a 100-inch screen for $599?

Lamp bulbs: 6/10. Projected life span of a bulb is from 2,000-3,000 hours but from my research, there is no telling when it will go. It can go at 10 hours or it can go at 3,000 hours. Bulbs range from $300-400 range.

Overall: Despite the bulb issue, I will not hesitate to get this projector. I don’t think I can go back to a regular size TV again. With the rising prices of Movie Theater, $600 plus $400 bulb prices, I am not sure if I will ever set foot in a theater again. Especially if I can watch one at the comfort of my own home.


UPDATE: 9/03/08

As of today, everything is working as it should. I don't have bulb issues yet. I don't use it for TV or Computer. I use about 6-10 hours a week. Just Movies so I expect my current bulb to last a few more years.

My room is completely dark now and as stated before, it shines best in a dark room or at night. The picture is still amazing to me today as it was the first day I got it.....It's amazing enough that I haven't even bother to buy a screen. I can only imagine how much it would improve the picture quality if I only have a screen. Secondly, I have yet to even tweak my projector. It looks great to me out of the box. I've read that tweaking will maximized this projector's full potential.