Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality Posted on February 20, 2008 By Art Feierman 1. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projectors - Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projectors -Projector Overview2. Optoma HD803 Highlights - Optoma HD803 Highlights3. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector: Physical Tour - Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector: Physical Tour4. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality - Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector: Skin Tones5. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 2 - Optoma HD803 Black Levels and Shadow Detail - Black Levels Comparison6. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 3 - Dark Scene Comparison - Black Level Performance Comparison7. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 4 - Optoma HD803 Shadow Detail - Shadow Detail Comparison - Shadow Detail Comparison8. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 5 - Satellite Comparison9. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 6 - Optoma HD803 home theater projector: Sharpness - Sharpness Comparison - Thumbnail Comparison10. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 7 - Optoma HD803 Overall Picture Quality - Slightly Brighter Comparison11. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 8 - The Lower Cost 1080p Projectors Comparison - HD803 Projector Image Quality: Bottom line 12. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance - Optoma HD803 with Optional Anamorphic Lens - Optoma HD803 Projector: Menus13. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance – 2 - Optoma HD803 Memory Settings - Optoma HD803 Remote Control14. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance – 3 - Optoma HD803 Projector: Lens Throw and Lens Shift - Optoma HD803 Screen Door and Rainbow Effects - Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector: Light Leakage15. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance – 4 - Optoma HD803 Audible Noise Levels - Optoma HD803 Brightness - Measured Lumens - Brightness Comparison16. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance – 5 - Optoma HD803 Lamp Life and Replacement - Optoma HD803 Projector Screen Recommendations17. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance – 6 - Optoma HD803 Calibration - Measurements for Cinema Mode - Set the Color Temp to User - This yielded a much improved grayscale color balance - Default or Bright (Brite) mode, with Color Temp on Mid (default)18. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance – 7 - Adjustment - Defaut TV mode also had color temp set to Mid, which yielded - Color Temp Settings - Optoma HD803 Image Noise 19. The Optoma HD803 Projector Review – Warranty20. Optoma HD803 DLP Projector: Summary - 1080p Projector Competition - 1080p Projector Competition - What about the really low priced 1080p projectors21. Optoma HD803 projector, Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Optoma HD803 projector, Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Optoma HD803 Projector: Pros - Optoma HD803 Projector: Cons - Optoma HD803 Projector: Typical Capabilities - Optoma HD803 Summary22. Optoma HD803 Projector Specifications Check out how the Optoma HD803 fared in our comparison report. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector: Skin Tones Out of the box color accuracy is definitely off, as is true with most projectors. The Optoma needs some calibration to get the most out of it, and to get natural looking skin tones. The settings to accomplish that (at least on my review projector), are listed in the General Performance page. Before we get started, I must point out (as usual) the limitations of the photography I do. As I like to say, the images support the commentary, but really can’t be used stand-alone, to draw many conclusions. Here’s a document I created to explain more about the limitations. All the images shown (unless otherwise indicated), are after a basic grayscale calibration has been performed. Once that has been accomplished, the Optoma HD803 projector produces excellent skin tones. The first three images are from standard DVD movies. The rest (unless noted) are all from hi-def DVD, using a PS3 and Blu-ray discs. Bottom line: The Optoma HD803 can produce excellent skin tones, however, it will require some work to achieve them. As always, there’s nothing like having a projector professionally calibrated, however, using a good calibration disk like AVIA or DVE really can make a huge difference. Alternately, you can use the settings I list in the calibration section, which many find work really well. Just remember there are a few limitations. First, I do my adjustments on basically brand new units, and there is some color shift as the lamp burns in, which is why some calibrators recommend waiting until there is a couple hundred plus hours on the lamp, before shelling out for a professional. Secondly, there is variation from unit to unit due to the lamps. Still overall, you’ll find the numbers I provide should give you significantly better results than the default Cinema setting. (I don’t spend much time on the other settings, so they are not as well tuned.) For our last series, consider these images from Casino Royale. As I like to point out, skin tones will look different under different lighting – sunlight, indoor incandescent lighting, florescent lighting, filtered outdoor lighting, etc. Here are three photos of James Bond, under different lighting conditions. 1. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projectors - Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projectors -Projector Overview2. Optoma HD803 Highlights - Optoma HD803 Highlights3. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector: Physical Tour - Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector: Physical Tour4. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality - Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector: Skin Tones5. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 2 - Optoma HD803 Black Levels and Shadow Detail - Black Levels Comparison6. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 3 - Dark Scene Comparison - Black Level Performance Comparison7. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 4 - Optoma HD803 Shadow Detail - Shadow Detail Comparison - Shadow Detail Comparison8. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 5 - Satellite Comparison9. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 6 - Optoma HD803 home theater projector: Sharpness - Sharpness Comparison - Thumbnail Comparison10. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 7 - Optoma HD803 Overall Picture Quality - Slightly Brighter Comparison11. Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 8 - The Lower Cost 1080p Projectors Comparison - HD803 Projector Image Quality: Bottom line 12. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance - Optoma HD803 with Optional Anamorphic Lens - Optoma HD803 Projector: Menus13. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance – 2 - Optoma HD803 Memory Settings - Optoma HD803 Remote Control14. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance – 3 - Optoma HD803 Projector: Lens Throw and Lens Shift - Optoma HD803 Screen Door and Rainbow Effects - Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector: Light Leakage15. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance – 4 - Optoma HD803 Audible Noise Levels - Optoma HD803 Brightness - Measured Lumens - Brightness Comparison16. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance – 5 - Optoma HD803 Lamp Life and Replacement - Optoma HD803 Projector Screen Recommendations17. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance – 6 - Optoma HD803 Calibration - Measurements for Cinema Mode - Set the Color Temp to User - This yielded a much improved grayscale color balance - Default or Bright (Brite) mode, with Color Temp on Mid (default)18. Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance – 7 - Adjustment - Defaut TV mode also had color temp set to Mid, which yielded - Color Temp Settings - Optoma HD803 Image Noise 19. The Optoma HD803 Projector Review – Warranty20. Optoma HD803 DLP Projector: Summary - 1080p Projector Competition - 1080p Projector Competition - What about the really low priced 1080p projectors21. Optoma HD803 projector, Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Optoma HD803 projector, Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Optoma HD803 Projector: Pros - Optoma HD803 Projector: Cons - Optoma HD803 Projector: Typical Capabilities - Optoma HD803 Summary22. Optoma HD803 Projector Specifications Optoma HD803 Home Theater Projector: Physical Tour Optoma HD803: 1080p Home Theater Projector Review – Image Quality – 2