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Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector - Performance 2

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Art Feierman

HC8000 D in Eco-mode vs. Full power

Lumen Output of Cinema mode on Low Lamp (All else on default settings) 338

That's a drop from 486, a drop of almost exactly 30% - a fairly typical drop going from full power to an eco lamp mode.  Running eco mode will get you 5000 hours on the lamp instead of 2000, and it will be quieter.  The question is, on this not overly bright projector to begin with, how many will be willing to give up 30% of limited brightness.

 

Mitsubishi HC8000D Pre-Calibration Color temp, Cinema Mode

Color Temp over IRE Range, Best Mode
30 IRE 6551
50 IRE 6634
80 IRE 6576
100 IRE 6582

Mike looked to find the best mode to start with, which he determined to be Cinema. Video, Game and 3D seem similar to Cinema , but Cinema has slightly better grayscale.  Game and 3D have Brilliant Color turned on (Video and Cinema have it off), which has a number of effects, including cooling the picture - in the low 7000's instead of the mid-upper 6000s.

As you can see, that's pretty close to the ideal 6500K.  And, as Mike noted, the colors are in proper balance (grayscale).  It's if you boost the contrast that the grayscale needs more work.

Mike calibrated the Cinema mode (as a starting point for AV Memory 1), and came up with the results below.

Post calibration: AV Memory 1 Mode HC8000D Color Temp over IRE Range

20 IRE  6402
30 IRE  6550
40 IRE  6496
50 IRE  6527
60 IRE  6485
70 IRE  6486
80 IRE  6541
90 IRE  6510
100 IRE 6527
Average Gamma 2.18
Lumens at 100 IRE 465 @ 6527

That's a nicely tight set of numbers above. That's with the exception of the very darkest ranges, where there is a touch too much red.  It may be that boost in red, in the dark ranges that helped give the uncalibrated HC8000 that slightly sunburned look on skin tones.  (You may remember, I mentioned that was the case, particularly in darker scenes.

Turning Brilliant Color on increases lumen output, but to the detriment of grayscale. Calibrating with BC on brings the lumen output down close what it is with BC off. 

Lumen Output of Cinema mode with Brilliant Color on:  613

That compares with 486 lumens in Cinema with BC off.  Thus engaging Brilliant Color on the HC8000D boosts brightness by approximately 26%.  Overall picture quality, as expected, is better with BC off.

Mitsubishi HC8000D

Comparing Default Modes

Brilliant Color Off

Brilliant Color On

Not a huge difference, but a bit more contrast in the image below. A little more pop.Viewing the larger versions you can see that the man's skin tones are a bit smoother with BC off. This Brilliant Color implementation is rather good, but then with only a 26% difference in brightness, Mitsubishi isn't cranking BC up. (Some projectors have multiple settings for Brilliant Color. Texas Instruments (of DLP fame) provides projector manufacturers with the basic Brilliant Color option, then the manufacturers customize it to their tastes.

High Bright Color Temp ("3D" mode - the brighest)

AV memory 1

Cinema

AV Memory 2 (quick-cal - "brightest mode")

3D

Game

Video

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