Viewsonic Precision Pro8100 1080p LCD Video Projector - Review and Rating

With 1,000 lumens output, the Pro8100 projects an image of acceptable brightness, but could be better. On the other hand, this projector produced excellent contrast, black levels, and color rendition. However, if you have a large room, where the projector to screen distance is more than the 18 foot position I used, a projector with a higher lumens output than the Pro8100 may be preferable.

The Color consistency and contrast was excellent throughout, which was evident on standard DVD clips from Moulin Rouge, The Cave and Kill Bill Vol1/2. I found that the Pro8100 was able to bring the out the details in dark scenes very well.

Video Performance - Deinterlacing and Upscaling of Standard Definition Material

In a further evaluation, with regards to its scaling capabilities, tests were conducted using Silicon Optix HQV Benchmark DVD. In order to conduct an accurate projector upscaling test, I set the LG BH100 Blu-ray/HD-DVD combo to 480i output and using the component video connectors between the player and the projector. By doing this, all of the upscaling was done by the projector.

The test results showed that the Pro8100 did a good job with both deinterlacing and scaling.

Jaggie elimination was excellent. Video noise, Mosquito Noise reduction, and moire pattern elimination, were all very good. This projector also did a very good job with the 3:2 Pulldown film cadence and rendering video titles over film elements.

For a closer look at some of the test results, check out Page 2 of my Viewsonic Precision Pro8100 Photo Gallery

What the above technical explanations of the test results mean is that the built-in HQV video processor and scaler can deliver an excellent image on the screen, in real world conditions, with both standard definition and high definition material.

Performance With Blu-Ray/HD-DVD

With regards to Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD true 1080i and 1080p source material, the ability to accept input resolutions up to 1080p (including 1080p/24), and reproduce high-definition resolutions accurately, is a real plus for the Precision Pro8100.

The HD-DVD disc of Batman Begins was most impressive, in terms of color and black levels. Other HD-DVD discs that stood out was Transformers and Serenity, which showed both excellent detail and outstanding color reproduction.

On the Blu-ray Disc side, Hairspray, showed excellent, natural looking color, as well as detail and depth. Another example, Chronicles of Narnia showed excellent facial detail, color, and black levels. Another good example of black level performance was with the Blu-ray edition of Cloverfield.

What I Liked About The Viewsonic Precision Pro8100

1. Very Good Image Quality. Excellent Color and Black levels.

2. Able to produce large images with short projector/screen distance. This is very desirable in smaller rooms or in an installation with a short projector-to-screen distance.

3. Two HDMI ver 1.3 Inputs - Accepts 1080p/60 and 1080p/24 frame rate source sources.

4. Extremely quiet - very little fan noise to distract the viewer.

5. Center Mounted Lens provides visual symmetry and easier table mounting.

6. Excellent, color-illustrated, quick-start guide and user manual. This is very welcome for both the novice and experienced user.

What I Didn't Like About The Viewsonic Precision Pro8100

1. Needs more lumens output for large rooms.

2. Very large cabinet. The Pro8100 is much larger than many projectors in its price class.

3. No separate DVI input (HDMI inputs can be used using DVI/HDMI Converter cable). Although It would be nice to have a separate DVI input, this is not a deal breaker.

4. Menu navigation can be a little tricky. Although the remote control is very well laid out, and the instruction manual is very well illustrated, the actual navigation of the onscreen menu is not as intuitive as other projectors that I have reviewed.

5. Professional tweaking desirable. The Pro8100 has an extensive array of possible settings that may overwhelm the novice user.

Final Take

Setting up and using the Pro8100 was fairly easy. The input connections are clearly labeled and spaced out, and the on-unit control buttons and remote control were easy to use.

The Pro8100 offers power-controlled lens adjustments, which makes projector setup easier.

Although the Pro8100 is not in the same price class as high end video projectors, it none-the-less is an excellent performer. I found the color quality and contrast levels were very good.

In addition, the built-in 1080p scaling of the Pro8100 did and excellent job of upscaling lower resolution 480i DVD material, as well as passing direct 1080p Blu-ray and HD-DVD resolutions, including 1080p/24 signals.

Another welcome observation was that the traditional LCD Screen Door Effect was not noticeable, even on large projected images. The 1080UB is an example of the increasing number of LCD projectors that are providing smoother images, typically associated with rival DLP technology.

In addition, the included wireless remote has a good layout and well-spaced buttons. On other hand, however, the onscreen menu navigation is not as intuitive as other video projector menus I have used.

The Pro8100 is definitely a welcome entry into the midrange video projector market and is illustrative of a trend that is making high quality video projection more affordable for the consumer. This projector offers a lot for its list price of $4,999.

If you are in the market for your first home theater video projector or want to upgrade a older projector, definitely check out the Viewsonic Precision Pro8100.

I was very impressed with the overall performance and function of this projector, but it could use a better lumens output for larger rooms and more intuitive access. Taking all into consideration, I give the Viewsonic Precision Pro8100 3LCD Video Projector a solid 4 out of 5 Stars.

For a closer look at the Pro8100, check out my Viewsonic Precision Pro8100 Photo Gallery