Mitsubishi HC1500 projector, Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities

Posted on August 4, 2007 by Art Feierman

Mitsubishi HC1500 Projector: Pros

Overall, excellent performance for a sub-$1000 home theater projector
Better than average sharpness
Extremely bright projector (one of the brightest 720p models out there)
Especially bright in Cinema mode - my 128" screen was not a problem
Far less visible pixels than any of the LCD projectors (except the more expensive Panasonic PT-AX100U - which produces a softer image)
Good but not great color balance out of the box (generally a bit "cool"), easily adjustable
Good menus
Filter free design, for less maintenance
Very good manual, with good levels of explanation for most items
Brilliant Color allows easy enhancement of image, and rich colors
12volt screen trigger
Easy to use

A bit noisy in bright lamp mode, but not overly so (typical DLP projector)
Limited zoom range
HDMI 1.2, not 1.3 (only a couple of projectors with 1.3 are currently shipping as of this writing)
One year parts and labor warranty is shorter than some in this price range
Backlit buttons on the remote are very dim
Projector must be unmounted to change the lamp
Small "main" menu stays on screen until you close it.
Lack of lens shift (typical of under $2000 DLP projectors)
Limited placement flexibility