Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Summary, Competition, Pros and Cons-1 Posted on August 9, 2008 By Art Feierman 1. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p 3LCD Home Theater Projector Review: - Overview - Mitsubishi HC5500 Highlights2. Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Physical Tour3. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-1 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Out of the Box Picture Quality - Skin Tone Handling4. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-2 - Black Level and Shadow Detail - Black Level Performance5. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-3 - Shadow Detail Performance6. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-4 - Shadow Detail Performance 2 - comparision7. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality 5 - Shadow Detail Performance 3 - comparision8. Shadow Detail Performance 49. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-6 - Mitsubishi HC5500 projector - comparision10. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-7 - Mitsubishi HC5500 projector 211. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-812. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-9 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Image Sharpness 2 - comparision - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports13. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-10 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Overall Image Quality14. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance-1 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Menus - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: User Memory Settings - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Remote Control15. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance-2 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Lens Throw and Lens Shift - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: SDE and Rainbow Effect, Pixel Visibility - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Brightness 16. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance-3 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Audible Noise Levels - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Screen Recommendations17. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance-4 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Measurements and Calibration - calibration, settings - movie watching - Contrast - Brightness - HC5500 Image Noise 18. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Warranty19. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Summary, Competition, Pros and Cons-1 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Typical Capabilities - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Competitive Aspects20. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Summary, Competition, Pros and Cons-2 - Mitsubishi HC5500 vs. Sanyo PLV-Z2000 - Mitsubishi HC5500 vs. Panasonic PT-AE2000U - Mitsubishi HC5500 vs. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB - Mitsubishi HC5500 vs Viewsonic Pro810021. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Summary, Competition, Pros and Cons-3 - Mitsubishi HC5500 vs. Optoma HD80 - Mitsubishi HC5500 vs. BenQ W500022. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Summary - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Bottom Line23. Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector Specifications OK! What we have here, in the form of the new Mitsubishi HC5500 (link to specs), is a projector both better, in terms of picture quality, and worse, in terms of placement flexibility, than the Mitsubishi HC4900 it replaces. At least initially, it’s also selling for more than the HC4900, which for most of its life, was street priced around $2000 or less. The HC5500, by comparison is currently (8/08) street priced at $2495, less a $200 mail in rebate. Because of the higher net street price, the HC5500 is priced below, but much closer to a host of other 1080p projectors, including the Panasonic PT-AE2000U, the BenQ W5000, the Optoma HD80/HD8000 series, and of course, the Epson Home Cinema 1080UB. Of all of those just mentioned, only the Optoma HD8000 sells for $3000 or slightly more (only available from local dealers), while the others are mostly in the $2500 – $3000 range. All of the 3LCD projectors mentioned have much better zoom range, and all have better lens shift range as well. The DLP projectors; the Optomas and BenQ W5000, also have only 1.2:1 zoom lenses, although each has slightly different throw distances. The BenQ W5000 also has lens shift (the Optomas do not), with almost exactly the same range on the lens shift, as the W5000. While the addition of a dynamic iris significantly improves black level performance, the competition is tougher these days. The Epson – the reigning black level champ under about $4000, is definitely a cut above, in this regard. Of the others mentioned, all are roughly comparable in black levels to the Mitsubishi. Further below, I’ll look at how it stacks up to several of the aforementioned projectors. Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical CapabilitiesMitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Pros One of the most affordable 1080p projectors Brighter than most 1080p projectors when comparing “best” color modes Very good color after calibration Extremely sharp image Dynamic iris, for improved black level performance Very good shadow detail Excellent gamma controls Extremely quiet operation Longest life lamp – 5000 hours in eco-mode, for low cost of operation Compact form factor One of the least expensive 1080p projectors Low image noise Very good manual, with reasonable explanations for many functions Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Cons Limited placement flexibility due to 1.2:1 zoom lens, no match for other 3LCD projectors, and no better than DLP projectors Lens shift is more limited than other 3LCD projectors, the same as the BenQ DLP, but of course better than the Optoma projectors, none of which have lens shift No horizontal lens shift (rarely an important issue) Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Typical Capabilities Average brightness in “brightest mode” Manual Good Menus, but nothing exceptional Range of the remote control Lamp life in full power mode Black level performance 2 Year warranty is typical, although longer than some competitors Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Competitive AspectsThe HC5500 is not only more expensive than its predecessor, but improved to the point that the extra few hundred dollars it sells for, is easily justified. That said, though, how does it stack up against the competition. I’ve already addressed the general physical placement issues above, so here’s a quick take on how it compares in other ways. Also, note that the HC5500 is one of the first new home theater projectors released in the second half of 2008, and understand that most new home projectors hit in September thru January, so many of these projectors mentioned will have newer models replacing them in a few months. 1. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p 3LCD Home Theater Projector Review: - Overview - Mitsubishi HC5500 Highlights2. Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Physical Tour3. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-1 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Out of the Box Picture Quality - Skin Tone Handling4. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-2 - Black Level and Shadow Detail - Black Level Performance5. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-3 - Shadow Detail Performance6. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-4 - Shadow Detail Performance 2 - comparision7. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality 5 - Shadow Detail Performance 3 - comparision8. Shadow Detail Performance 49. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-6 - Mitsubishi HC5500 projector - comparision10. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-7 - Mitsubishi HC5500 projector 211. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-812. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-9 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Image Sharpness 2 - comparision - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports13. Mitsubishi HC5500 1080p Home Projector Review: Image Quality-10 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Overall Image Quality14. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance-1 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Menus - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: User Memory Settings - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Remote Control15. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance-2 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Lens Throw and Lens Shift - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: SDE and Rainbow Effect, Pixel Visibility - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Brightness 16. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance-3 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Audible Noise Levels - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Screen Recommendations17. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance-4 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Measurements and Calibration - calibration, settings - movie watching - Contrast - Brightness - HC5500 Image Noise 18. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Warranty19. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Summary, Competition, Pros and Cons-1 - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Typical Capabilities - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Competitive Aspects20. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Summary, Competition, Pros and Cons-2 - Mitsubishi HC5500 vs. Sanyo PLV-Z2000 - Mitsubishi HC5500 vs. Panasonic PT-AE2000U - Mitsubishi HC5500 vs. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB - Mitsubishi HC5500 vs Viewsonic Pro810021. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Summary, Competition, Pros and Cons-3 - Mitsubishi HC5500 vs. Optoma HD80 - Mitsubishi HC5500 vs. BenQ W500022. Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Summary - Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector: Bottom Line23. Mitsubishi HC5500 Projector Specifications Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Warranty Mitsubishi HC5500 Home Theater Projector: Summary, Competition, Pros and Cons-2