The Bottom Line
Pros
- Picture Quality - Great contrast And Color - Natural looking image.
- Inclusion of both HDMI and HD-Component inputs
- 1280x768 (720P) Native Pixel Resolution - 16x9 native aspect ratio
- Center Mounted Lens - Very logical design - Makes positioning in smaller rooms especially easy.
- Easy to use remote - in combination with onscreen menu functions
Cons
- No Physical Lens Shift Function
- No Motorized Zoom or Focus Function - must be done manually at lens.
- Lumens output could be higher for very large screen size and large room installations.
- Could also use DVI input as well - in addition to HDMI and HD-Component inputs.
- Replacement Lamp Cost: $395
Description
- Compact Video Projector with Center Mounted Lens.
- Image size range: 40 to 275 inches.
- Texas Instruments Dark Chip 2 with Brilliant Color Technology.
- Native 16x9 Screen Aspect Ratio/Can also be set to 4x3.
- 1280x768 (720P) Native Pixel Resolution - 4000:1 Constrast Ratio.
- 3000 Hour Lamp Life in Econo mode/2000 Hours Lamp Life in Standard Mode.
- Wireless Remote Control.
- Easy to use owner's manual and quick startup guide.
- HDMI, VGA, HD-Component, S-Video, and Composite Video inputs.
- NTSC/PAL compatible - PC/MAC compatible.
Guide Review - Mitsubishi HC3000U HD-Compatible DLP Home Theater Projector
The HC3000's practical center mounted lens design makes it easy to position and line up with the screen, especially in smaller rooms. On the other hand, the lack of motorized zoom and focus does limit flexibility in using it as a ceiling mounted unit, unless the user does mot expect to have to adjust these parameters after installation.
I found the color quality and contrast levels exceeded my expectations.
In terms of 720p performance; in using two different upscaling DVD players (set at 720p), the Samsung DVD-HD931, and the NeuNeo HVD-2085, I found that the HC3000 reproduced the upscaled performance of both units accurately (the Samsung is the better of the two). Although not true HD-sources, the HC3000 delivered the goods in terms of the upscaled source material.
The HC3000 is definitely a welcome entry into the video projector market and is an indicator of a trend that is making high quality video projection available to the average consumer. The HC3000 is a hard one to pass up.
