Optoma HD33 Projector Calibration and Settings Posted on July 11, 2013 By Art Feierman 1. Optoma HD33 Home Theater Projector Review - Optoma HD33 Projector Overview - Optoma HD33 Projector Highlights - Optoma HD33 Special Features - 1.2:1 Zoom Lens - HD33 Projector 3D - HD33 Creative Frame Interpolation - CFI - smooth motion2. Optoma HD33 Projector – Physical Tour - Optoma HD33 Projector - Appearance - HD33 Control Panel - HD33 Projector - Input/Output3. Optoma HD33 Projector – Physical Tour 2 - HD33 Menus - Optoma HD33 Remote Control - Optoma HD33 Lens Throw - Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens - Wide Screen4. Optoma HD33 Projector – Image Quality - Optoma HD33 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Optoma HD33 Projector - Flesh Tones5. Optoma HD33 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Optoma HD33 Black Levels & Shadow Detail - HD336. Optoma HD33 Projector – Image Quality 3 - Optoma HD33 - Overall Color & Picture Quality - Optoma HD33 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports - Optoma HD33 Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports7. Optoma HD33 Projector – Performance - Optoma HD33 Brightness - Optoma HD33 Sharpness - Optoma HD33: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise8. Optoma HD33 Projector Calibration and Settings - Optoma HD33 Color Temperature - Optoma HD33 Basic Settings - HD33 RGB Settings9. Optoma HD33 – Projector Screens - Optoma HD33 Projector Screen Recommendations10. Optoma HD33 – Competitors - Optoma HD33 vs. Epson Home Cinema 8350 - Optoma HD33 vs. Mitsubishi HC4000 - HD33 vs. Sanyo PLV-Z700 - Optoma HD33 vs. Optoma HD20 - Optoma HD33 vs. Sharp XV-Z17000 - Optoma HD33 vs. Panasonic PT-AE7000, Rumored Epson Home Cinema 5010 - Viewsonic Pro8200 vs. Optoma HD33 - Panasonic PT-AE4000 and Epson Home Cinema 8700UB compared to the Optoma HD3311. Optoma HD33 Projector – Warranty - Optoma HD33 Projector - Warranty12. Optoma HD33 – Review Summary - Optoma HD33 Projector - The Bottom Line13. Optoma HD33 – Review Summary 2 - Optoma HD33 Projector: Pros - Optoma HD33 Projector: Cons - Optoma HD33 Projector: Typical Capabilities14. Optoma HD33 Projector – Full Specifications Naturally, we calibrate every home theater that we review. The Optoma HD33received the usual treatment. This time, Mike got to calibrate it before I really started watching the HD33. Our calibrations, including the Optoma HD33, are normally limited to a grayscale calibration, along with brightness, contrast, color saturation, tint (where applicable), etc. Only in very special circumstances will we calibrate the individual colors, in which case we discuss why. Let’s take a look at the numbers: Optoma HD33 Color Temperature Color Temp over IRE Range (Cinema mode) 30 IRE 7130 50 IRE 7170 80 IRE 7037 100 IRE 7334 Before we provide our settings, let’s see what we started out with: Pre calibration, these are the color temperatures over the grayscale range: Lumen Output and Color Temp at 100 IRE (mid zoom) Cinema 1138 @ 7334 Bright 1148 @ 7369 Photo 1117 @ 8486 Reference 1138 @ 7352 User 1146 @ 7350 Optoma HD33 Basic Settings Basic Settings Cinema Bright Photo Reference User Contrast (8) 8 (9) 8 (5) 6 (2) 8 (2) 8 Brightness (-2) 0 (-2) 0 (-3) 0 (-2) 1 (-2) 1 Color (N/A with HDMI) Tint (N/A with HDMI) Color Temp (Warm) (Warm) (Warm) (Warm) (Warm) Gamma (Film) (Graphics) (Video) (Standard) (Standard) In addition to calibrating Red Green and Blue for a correct grayscale balance (6500K), there are a number of other settings that come into play. Typically Contrast and Brightness (white balance and black balance), need to be done first. Color saturation and gamma also need adjustment. Settings for measurements (default values are in parenthesis): Lamp Mode= Bright (unless noted otherwise) NOTE: The Image AI lamp mode is the same brightness as Bright lamp mode. All other settings at default (untouched) Optoma HD33 Post Calibration Grayscale: User Mode Color Temp over IRE Range (Post calibration): User 20 IRE 6271 30 IRE 6460 40 IRE 6519 50 IRE 6509 60 IRE 6416 70 IRE 6445 80 IRE 6485 90 IRE 6669 100 IRE 7162 Average gamma= 2.21 HD33 RGB Settings HD33 Post Calibration settings: Gain User R (0) 4 G (0) -2 B (0) -1 Bias User R (0) G (0) B (0) -1 Mike provided these additional notes, regarding the ability to calibrate different settings, limitations, etc.: NOTE: Grayscale calibrated pretty well, with the exception of the big imbalance at 90 and 100 IRE. Delta E, which was less than 1.0 from 20 to 80 IRE (an excellent result), jumped to over 9 at 90 and 100 IRE. This might improve with more hours on the lamp, but it’s still a lot worse than most new projectors. The lack of Color and Tint controls make it impossible to improve the skin tones, which are a little too red. Turning on any level of PureColor just makes things worse. The CIE graph is better than a lot of DLP projectors that have undersaturated or yellowy-greens. I prefer the slightly oversaturated greens. Ultimately, the HD33 produces reasonably good color, even better if calibrated. It should prove more than satisfactory for the HD33’s target market. They have the higher end HD8300 to compete against higher end home theater projectors. 1. Optoma HD33 Home Theater Projector Review - Optoma HD33 Projector Overview - Optoma HD33 Projector Highlights - Optoma HD33 Special Features - 1.2:1 Zoom Lens - HD33 Projector 3D - HD33 Creative Frame Interpolation - CFI - smooth motion2. Optoma HD33 Projector – Physical Tour - Optoma HD33 Projector - Appearance - HD33 Control Panel - HD33 Projector - Input/Output3. Optoma HD33 Projector – Physical Tour 2 - HD33 Menus - Optoma HD33 Remote Control - Optoma HD33 Lens Throw - Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens - Wide Screen4. Optoma HD33 Projector – Image Quality - Optoma HD33 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Optoma HD33 Projector - Flesh Tones5. Optoma HD33 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Optoma HD33 Black Levels & Shadow Detail - HD336. Optoma HD33 Projector – Image Quality 3 - Optoma HD33 - Overall Color & Picture Quality - Optoma HD33 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports - Optoma HD33 Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports7. Optoma HD33 Projector – Performance - Optoma HD33 Brightness - Optoma HD33 Sharpness - Optoma HD33: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise8. Optoma HD33 Projector Calibration and Settings - Optoma HD33 Color Temperature - Optoma HD33 Basic Settings - HD33 RGB Settings9. Optoma HD33 – Projector Screens - Optoma HD33 Projector Screen Recommendations10. Optoma HD33 – Competitors - Optoma HD33 vs. Epson Home Cinema 8350 - Optoma HD33 vs. Mitsubishi HC4000 - HD33 vs. Sanyo PLV-Z700 - Optoma HD33 vs. Optoma HD20 - Optoma HD33 vs. Sharp XV-Z17000 - Optoma HD33 vs. Panasonic PT-AE7000, Rumored Epson Home Cinema 5010 - Viewsonic Pro8200 vs. Optoma HD33 - Panasonic PT-AE4000 and Epson Home Cinema 8700UB compared to the Optoma HD3311. Optoma HD33 Projector – Warranty - Optoma HD33 Projector - Warranty12. Optoma HD33 – Review Summary - Optoma HD33 Projector - The Bottom Line13. Optoma HD33 – Review Summary 2 - Optoma HD33 Projector: Pros - Optoma HD33 Projector: Cons - Optoma HD33 Projector: Typical Capabilities14. Optoma HD33 Projector – Full Specifications Optoma HD33 Projector – Performance Optoma HD33 – Projector Screens