Best Reviewed
Projectors
- Budget home-theater projector Optoma HD66 *Est. $650
- Budget 1080p projector Optoma HD20 *Est. $1000
- Best value 1080p projector Epson Home Cinema 8350 *Est. $1300
- Top-quality 1080p projector Epson Home Cinema 8700UB *Est. $2100
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Budget 1080p projector
- Inexpensive for a 1080p projector
- Very bright
- Good color
- Lots of connections
- Blacks could be darker
- Placement in a room can be difficult
- Auto iris not the best
- Rainbow effect
The Optoma HD20 is among the least expensive 1080p projectors available, and reviews thus far say it is more capable than similarly priced projectors, such as the Vivitek H1081 (*Est. $950) . Picture quality is good, with terrific colors right out of the box. Brightness is high enough that the Optoma HD20 will work in most viewing settings, including living rooms and family rooms. Black levels are good but are bested by higher-end -- and more expensive -- projectors. Finding a good spot in your viewing room can be a challenge because of the limited zoom range and lack of any lens-shift adjustment. Additionally, this is a DLP projector, and those few people who can see that technology's rainbow-effect artifact will likely be happier with another choice. Best blacks and contrast levels are achieved using the projector's auto-iris feature, but reviewers say the way that works is so distracting that most recommend skipping it. If you have a bigger budget, the Epson Home Cinema 8350 (*Est. $1,300) delivers great colors and deeper blacks and is easier to place in a room. That projector uses LCD technology, so it's a better fit for rainbow-effect sufferers.
The Optoma HD20 has been extensively reviewed. The best reports can be found at ProjectorCentral.com and ProjectorReviews.com, two enthusiast sites that do a great job of testing and evaluating projectors. PCMag.com, Audioholics.com and Britain's TrustedReviews.com also weigh in with competent and testing-based reports. User reviews can be read at Amazon.com and Newegg.com.
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| Optoma HD20 High Definition 1080p DLP Home Theater Projector (Grey) | |
(184 reviews) In Stock. Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping |
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Our Sources
Although Art Feierman's report on the Optoma HD20 can be a little rambling at times, the depth and detail provided are unsurpassed. Black levels produced by the HD20 are a minus, but color performance is a plus. Feierman's bottom-line assessment is that at its price, "you definitely get what you pay for with the HD20, and then some," and he gives it a Hot Product designation.
Review: Optoma HD20 Projector Review, Art Feierman, Aug. 2009
Though not as detailed or as long as the report at ProjectorReviews.com, this review does a great job of getting to the heart of the matter regarding the Optoma HD20. Bill Livolsi finds some shortcomings, such as less-than-perfect black levels, an automatic-iris system that's too distracting to use, and installation challenges. But of those drawbacks are tempered by picture quality that's solid overall and an unbeatable price for a 1080p projector. As a result, the HD20 earns a Highly Rated award here. Most recently, the HD20 beats out all similarly priced options in a shootout of 1080p projectors conducted by the site.
Review: 1080p DLP Home Theater Projector, Bill Livolsi, Aug. 28, 2009
M. David Stone calls the Optoma HD20 a "game changer" for delivering a high-quality image at a previously unheard of price. Shortcomings in bench tests are noted, but those largely don't show up in hands-on viewing except with standard-definition (480i) signals. Rainbow effect is seen, but it appears less often than with many other DLP projectors.
Review: Optoma HD20, M. David Stone, Aug. 21, 2009
The essentially identical British edition of the Optoma HD20 is tested here. John Archer admits that while the HD20 isn't the very best projector available, it is better than what should be expected at its price. The HD20 earns a solid 9 out of 10 rating and the site's Recommended award.
Review: Optoma ThemeScene HD20 DLP Projector Review, John Archer, Oct. 7, 2009
Tom Andry is amazed by the value of the Optoma HD20. He adds that the picture quality is impressive given the price, with good brightness and well saturated colors.
Review: Optoma HD20 DLP Projector Review, Tom Andry, Feb. 26, 2010
6. Amazon.com
Following more than 125 reviews, the Optoma HD20 appears to be enjoying a solid track record with owners. Overall, the projector earns a nice 4.3 out of 5 rating, though a handful of owners report issues with their projector or with the company's customer service.
Review: Optoma HD20 High Definition 1080p DLP Home Theater Projector (Grey), Contributors to Amazon.com
7. NewEgg.com
More than 50 reviewers at this technology-oriented retailer site give the Optoma HD20 a good overall rating of 4 out of 5 "eggs". Of the six owner-reviewers who give it less than 4 eggs, one complains that the lamp warranty should be longer given the bulb's 4,000-hour rating. Another is disappointed by lag on the composite input but says that otherwise this is a 5-egg projector.
Review: Optoma HD20, Contributors to Newegg.com
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