Optoma HD8000 Projector: Cons Posted on October 15, 2007 By Art Feierman 1. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 Home Theater Projectors - HD8000 Projector Overview - Optoma HD8000 Highlights2. Optoma HD8000 Home Theater Projector: Physical Tour3. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality - Optoma HD80 and HD8000 Home Theater Projector: Skin Tones4. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-2 - Optoma HD8000 Black Levels and Shadow Detail5. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-36. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-47. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-58. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-69. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-7 - Optoma HD8000 home theater projector: Sharpness10. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-8 - Optoma HD8000 home theater projector: Sharpness-2 - Optoma HD80 Overall Picture Quality - HD8000 Projector Image Quality: Bottom line 11. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 DLP Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance - Optoma HD80, HD8000 with Optional Anamorphic Lens - ptoma HD80 Projector: Menus12. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 DLP Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance-2 - Optoma HD80 Memory Settings13. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 DLP Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance-3 - Optoma HD8000 Remote Control14. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 DLP Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance-4 - Optoma HD8000 Projector: Lens Throw and Lens Shift - Optoma HD8000 Screen Door and Rainbow Effects - Optoma HD8000 Home Theater Projector: Light Leakage15. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 DLP Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance-5 - Optoma HD8000 Audible Noise Levels - Optoma HD8000 Brightness - Measured Lumens - Optoma HD8000 Lamp Life and Replacement16. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 DLP Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance-16 - Optoma HD8000 Projector Screen Recommendations - Optoma HD8000 Calibration - Optoma HD8000 Image Noise 17. The Optoma HD8000 and HD80 Projector Review – Warranty18. Home Theater Projector Reviews: Optoma HD8000 DLP Projector: Summary, Pros, Cons19. Optoma HD8000 Projector: Pros20. Optoma HD8000 Projector: Cons - Optoma HD8000 Projector: Typical Capabilities - Optoma HD8000 Summary21. Optoma HD8000 Projector Specifications 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 SummaryThe 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. 1. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 Home Theater Projectors - HD8000 Projector Overview - Optoma HD8000 Highlights2. Optoma HD8000 Home Theater Projector: Physical Tour3. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality - Optoma HD80 and HD8000 Home Theater Projector: Skin Tones4. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-2 - Optoma HD8000 Black Levels and Shadow Detail5. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-36. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-47. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-58. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-69. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-7 - Optoma HD8000 home theater projector: Sharpness10. Optoma HD80 and HD8000: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality-8 - Optoma HD8000 home theater projector: Sharpness-2 - Optoma HD80 Overall Picture Quality - HD8000 Projector Image Quality: Bottom line 11. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 DLP Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance - Optoma HD80, HD8000 with Optional Anamorphic Lens - ptoma HD80 Projector: Menus12. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 DLP Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance-2 - Optoma HD80 Memory Settings13. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 DLP Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance-3 - Optoma HD8000 Remote Control14. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 DLP Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance-4 - Optoma HD8000 Projector: Lens Throw and Lens Shift - Optoma HD8000 Screen Door and Rainbow Effects - Optoma HD8000 Home Theater Projector: Light Leakage15. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 DLP Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance-5 - Optoma HD8000 Audible Noise Levels - Optoma HD8000 Brightness - Measured Lumens - Optoma HD8000 Lamp Life and Replacement16. Optoma HD8000 and HD80 DLP Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance-16 - Optoma HD8000 Projector Screen Recommendations - Optoma HD8000 Calibration - Optoma HD8000 Image Noise 17. The Optoma HD8000 and HD80 Projector Review – Warranty18. Home Theater Projector Reviews: Optoma HD8000 DLP Projector: Summary, Pros, Cons19. Optoma HD8000 Projector: Pros20. Optoma HD8000 Projector: Cons - Optoma HD8000 Projector: Typical Capabilities - Optoma HD8000 Summary21. Optoma HD8000 Projector Specifications Optoma HD8000 Projector: Pros Optoma HD8000 Projector Specifications