Optoma HD8000 Projector: Cons

Posted on October 15, 2007 by Art Feierman

Placement flexibility: Limited zoom lens range (1.2:1)
Placement flexibility: No adjustable lens shift at all
"Out of the Box" color accuracy is not good, but very fixable
Large lens offset, requires projector well above, or below screen surface - a problem for those with low ceilings (or normal ceilings, and larger screens)
One of the louder projectors in full power lamp mode
Lamp door on bottom, requires removal from a ceiling mount, to change out
Remote has more limited range than most - hard to get a bounce off the screen in larger rooms

Optoma HD8000 Projector: Typical Capabilities

Lamp life
Pixel visibility (for a DLP projector)
Documentation (needs better, more, explanations of features)
Placement flexibility is average (relative to most other DLP projectors, although some projectors are much, much, better)

Optoma HD8000 Summary

The HD8000 is a projector aimed at a large market segment. It offers very impressive performance at a reasonable price. The "magic" though, is that it should prove to be readily accessable through local installing dealers. Because Optoma doesn't plan to make it available online, that also means that its likely that many local dealers will even be able to properly demonstrate one in their showrooms.

The key to getting the most out of the HD8000, I believe, is to get it properly set up. If your local dealer doesn't have a calibrator, they should at least be able to recommend one. Bottom line, you end up with a tuned projector that should easily impress everyone short of a video production engineer (and some of them, too).

The HD8000, when it comes to picture quality, is very well balanced. The HD8000 may not be the best at anything, such as shadow detail, black levels, skin tones, but it is good to very good at just about everything, with not a significant weakness anywhere.

This is what Optoma does, they provide a wide range of consistently competent, quality projectors. The HD8000 fits the role perfectly. Get out your checkbook, call your dealer, bring them over to see your room, and get your theater or media center, or family room done the way you want. The HD8000 should fit well for many of you.