Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Performance 2

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.

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.

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.