November 2015 - Projector Lamp Leaders

Optoma HD28DSE Home Theater Projector

November 25, 2015

What makes the HD28DSE different from other Optoma projectors released in 2015? For starters, the HD28 is the DARBEEVision Special Edition, hence the DSE suffix. DARBEEVision is an advanced image processing system that adds detail, clarity and saturation to images, and it’s rare for a projector of this price to be equipped with the technology.

What’s more: The HD28DSE is competitively priced for the entry-level home theater projector segment. It starts at $799, which seems middle-of-the-road in terms of pricing for feature-rich budget-friendly home theater projectors. For example, the Optoma GT1080 and the BenQ HT1085ST – both of which are best sellers in the category – cost $699 and $899 respectively and offer a similar set of features.
Finally, this Optoma delivers many of the features that are now common-place for entry-level home theater projectors: HDMI connectivity with MHL, Full HD 3D, a super long lamp life, 3,000 lumens of brightness, and a 30,000:1 contrast ratio. This long list of features makes the HD28 a favorite in this hotly contested category.
Why the Optoma HD28DSE Stands Out.
The Optoma HD28 does many things right, but there are a few areas in which the projector excels where others do not. This includes:

DARBEEVision: DARBEEVision technology is designed to completely enhance images, adding additional layers of depth. For example, when DARBEEVision is engaged, shadow detail, clarity and color saturation are all enhanced, and viewers can choose which level to set the feature from 0% to 120%. This feature is especially useful for video gaming and some animated movies, as it draws out the details and boosts contrast. Yet, when used at the largest settings, DARBEEVision has been known to cause a “soap opera” effect, meaning the image looks unnatural.
Portability: Although it’s not as unique, the HD28 is a super portable projector. For starters, it weighs just 5.7 pounds. Plus, it’s equipped with horizontal and vertical keystone correction, as well as a four corners adjustment system. This enables operators to quickly adjust the image to fit the screen.

Optoma HD28DSE Inputs

Other Deciding Factors
In addition, the standard specs for the HD28 make this an attractive piece of hardware. Specs include:

3,000 Lumens ASNI Brightness
30,000:1 Contrast Ratio
4,000-, 6,000-, 8,000-hour lamp life settings
Built-in 10W speakers

Bottom line, for a home theater projector priced at $799, the HD28 provides a range of features, powerful image and color performance, and it is super portable. It is an ideal projector for home entertainment and would be at home in any living room.

Epson Home Cinema 2040 Entertainment Projector Review

November 23, 2015

When the Epson Home Cinema 2040 was unveiled just a few short months ago, it instantly stood out in the budget-friendly 1080p projector class. The projector has all the usual features: 1920×1080 native resolution, 3D capabilities, and a bright-output lamp. Yet, the 3LCD Epson 2040 offered something that’s a rarity from sub-$1,000 HD projectors: Frame interpolation and detail enhancement technology.

Both features – which were borrowed from the Home Cinema 5030 – boost the image quality, smoothing out fine details and high-movement scenes. At this price point, you just don’t find many offering frame interpolation. That’s why the Home Cinema 2040 is such a unique projector: It’s extremely affordable and delivers stunning 2,200-lumen images, but the image quality is off the charts thanks to its advanced features.
A Closer Look at the Epson Home Cinema 2040
The Home Cinema line-up – including the 2040’s predecessor the 2030 – is well-known for delivering bright, crisp and clear images. But the 2040 advances the more budget-friendly Home Cinema models image quality specs a few steps forward. Here’s how:

Frame Interpolation: With standard technology, fast-moving pictures can create a noticeable blur effect. If you’ve ever watched an action-packed chase scene on a XGA or standard 1080p, you’ll very likely familiar with this. Frame interpolation – which has long been available in the more expensive Home Cinema projectors – improves and eliminates motion blur, by analyzing input images. The feature then adds additional frames between existing content to smooth out blurs.
Detail Enhancement: Another note-worthy feature, detail enhancement analyzes the images and smooths out the finer details in these images. The effect is subtle, but adds another layer of detail that often gets lost on lessor projectors.

Epson Home Cinema 2040 Rear Inputs

These two features accompany a range of already great features you’ll find the previous models like the 2030. For example, the Home Cinema 2040 is equipped with a range of ports including HDMI, USB, and it supports MHL-enabled devices like Chromecast or Roku. Additional features include Full HD resolution, 3D capabilities, and a built-in 5-watt mono-speaker.
But frame interpolation and detail enhancement wouldn’t make much difference if they weren’t backed up by the 2040’s powerful lamp. The 2040 is equipped with a UHE 200-watt bulb that delivers a maximum of 2,200 lumens of brightness. Plus, with a lamp life of 4,000 to 7,000 hours and with replacement lamps starting around $100, the cost of ownership is extremely low.
All of these reasons are why the Home Cinema 2040 is one of the best budget-friendly 3LCD Full HD projectors on the market. At $799, the Epson 2040 delivers extremely useful features and image quality that’s far above average for a similarly priced machine.
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BenQ HT3050 Full HD 1080p Projector Review

November 19, 2015

Earlier this year, BenQ launched a trio of Full HD 1080p projectors, the HT2050, HT3050, and HT4050. The HT3050 fell in the middle pricewise, starting at $999, and it offers a range of benefits compared to the low-end HT2050. In reality, the HT3050 is unique portable projector, especially for the price.

You get all the benefits you would from similarly priced 1080p projectors: Excellent image quality, high brightness, and long-lasting performance. But the HT3050 does two things especially well: It delivers impressive audio quality. Equipped with two 10W speakers, the HT3050 is one of the best – if not the best – projectors in terms of built-in audio for the price range. Secondly, the HT3050 is built with a range of 21^st Century connections including 2 HDMI ports, one of which is MHL-enabled. That makes the projector compatible with Chromecast, Roku and other streaming devices, as well as smartphones and tablets.
For the price, the BenQ HT3050 offers plenty of benefits: High-definition images, awesome color performance and great audio. Compared to similarly priced projectors, the HT3050 is certainly a leader in the class and it should warrant consideration from those shopping for a home entertainment projector.

BenQ HT3050: Key Features
Compared to other similarly priced projectors, the HT3050 does two things better than the competition: Audio performance and MHL connectivity. Here’s a more in-depth look at those two features:

Impressive Built-In Audio: Many sub-$1,000 projectors are equipped with built-in audio. But generally, the audio from these projectors has many limitations. Smaller 5W options, for example, aren’t great for noisy environments and the sound is scratchy at maximum output. Additionally, single 10W speakers aren’t great at reproducing sounds from video, live TV and video games. But the HT3050 offers a solution. With dual built-in 10W speakers, the projector’s audio performance is well above-average; audio is crisp and clear. The built-in speakers completely eliminate the need for external audio in home theaters, living rooms and small spaces – especially for TV, gaming and home entertainment. The performance isn’t quite on par with full surround sound, as it lacks the depth and bass of dedicated audio systems. But the dual speakers deliver audio performance that works well in most cases.
MHL Connectivity: One key difference between the HT2050 and the 3050 is the addition of an MHL-enabled HDMI port. The 3050 has two HDMI ports, and one offers compatibility with MHL-enabled devices. This makes it possible to stream live TV from Chromecast and Roku, as well as connectivity with other devices like smartphones and tablets. Although MHL compatibility is quickly becoming a must-have feature, many projectors priced below $1,000 do not have it yet. The HT3050 is an exception, making it ideal for cord cutters.

What Else the BenQ HT3050 Does Right
Aside from MHL and audio, the HT3050 delivers performance similar to what you can expect from budget-friendly Full HD projectors. For starters, BenQ is well-known for delivering high-quality imaging, and that’s certainly true of the HT3050. Compared to the HT2050, the 3050 has been calibrated in Cinema mode, providing more robust colors and details. But that’s just one of many standard features. Here’s a look at the quick specs:

Brightness: 2,000 lumens
Contrast: 15,000:1
Lamp Life: 3,500-6,000 hours
Connections: RS232, USB, 3-RCA, VGA, Composite Video, mini-USB, audio in/audio out
Other Features: Vertical lens shift, Full HD 3D, 1.3X manual zoom,

If you’re considering Full HD home entertainment projectors, you have a range of options to choose from. But the BenQ HT3050 is certainly well positioned in the class, especially with a starting price around $999. It delivers key connectivity, useable audio, plus all the features you’d expect from similarly priced HD projectors. In other words, this projector should be on your short list.
Looking for low-cost OEM-quality replacement projector lamps? MyProjectorLamps is your source. With a massive selection, fast shipping, and the best prices, we are the Web’s premier projector lamp shop.

ViewSonic PJ258D ViewDock Projector Review

November 10, 2015

The ViewSonic PJ258D was released in 2007, and at the time, it featured a novel tool that hadn’t been introduced in many projectors: An iPod docking station. Not an iPhone, but a port for an iPod! That’s how dated the projector sounds these days.

And that feature was the biggest selling point. The DLP-based projector was just average in other areas. For example, it offered 2,000 lumens, broadcast images in the XGA 1024×768 native resolution, and it originally retailed for $1,399 MSRP. Today, those aren’t very impressive specs, and in 2007, they weren’t that impressive either. Yet, with its iPod dock, the PJ258D did find buyers who were looking for a solution to play video from an MP3 source.
ViewSonic PJ258D: The Pros
The PJ258 did a few things right, and in some ways, it paved the way for more modern budget DLP-based projectors. Here are a few of the ViewSonic’s best features:

Lightweight Design: Weighing just 3.9 pounds, the PJ258D was a super portable projector. Even today, 4 pounds is considered light for a projector. Plus, the ViewSonic featured a sleek piano-key black case, which was before its time.
iPod Connectivity: The iPod dock, at the time, was a novel innovation. Now, we can see the limitation of the technology. Technology is constantly changing. The PJ258D wouldn’t support today’s iPhones. This feature, though, is built into a range of projectors today, and in many ways, the PJ258D was one of the first to popularize the idea.
Average Lamp Life: In 2007, the average lamp life for a single-chip DLP projector was about 2,000 hours. The PJ258D was rated for 2,000 hours, with a boost to 3,000 hours in economy mode. Today, many operators are looking for replacement lamps. Fortunately, a PJ258D replacement lamp starts at $239, a small price compared to the original MSRP. The lamp part number was also known as RLC-025.

Viewsonic PJ258D Rear Inputs

ViewSonic PJ258D: The Cons
Outside of the iPod dock and lightweight design, the PJ258D was limited in a few areas. Image quality left something to be desired, and its built-in speaker delivered barely useable audio.

Poor Audio Quality: The PJ258D was equipped with a 1-watt mono-speaker. In the quietest of places, that might suffice, but it still wouldn’t be great. The audio performance was sub-par. Fortunately, the projector had an audio-out connection, and external audio was a must for this projector.
Below-Average Image Performance: Early reviews noted a similar problem: The PJ258D was prone to the rainbow effect. Although it delivered 2,000 lumens of light with a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, the image was average at best with noticeable rainbow effect.
Limited Connections: For a projector released in 2007, the PJ258D had a decent range of connections: S-Video, Composite-Video, and VGA inputs. Today, that would be considered a below-average range.

The PJ258D offered a new feature in 2007, an iPod dock, but apart from that, it wasn’t a great projector. There were better similarly priced projectors that were released that year. Even so, the projector performed OK, and it was ideal for iPod early adopters. If you own this model, MyProjectorLamps offers the best price on a PJ258D replacement lamp.

Mitsubishi XD90U: Specs, Features and Limitations

November 6, 2015

Originally launched in 2009, the Mitsubishi XD90U was a powerful XGA projector, ideally suited for business and classroom environments. It was priced in the mid-range for XGA projectors, starting at $2995. And for the price, the XD90U didn’t deliver an impressive spec sheet or features: There was no built-in audio, connections were limited, and the brightness output was just acceptable.

The projector did a few things right. For one, it was extremely lightweight and portable, weighing just 3 pounds. That’s considered great even by today’s standards. Plus, the images it projected were above average, with only a few limitations. And finally, the XD90U’s lamp performed well, lasting well over 2,000 hours.
Today, the projector – and Mitsubishi – is no longer in production. Yet, a reasonably priced used or overseas model might be great for at-home entertainment or classroom and business presentations.
XD90U: Quick Specs

Lumens: 1,500 ASNI Lumens
Contrast Ratio: 2,000:1
Native Resolution: XGA (1024×768)
Aspect Ratio: 4:3
Video Compatibility: S-Video, Composite, Component

Best Features of the XD90U
The best features of the XD90U: Impressive portability, above-average image quality, decent lamp life, and acceptable brightness.

Portability: At 3 pounds, the XD90U was super lightweight, making it ideal for portable home entertainment and multi-classroom presentations. Additionally, it measured about the size of a hardcover book, upping its portability. One limitation: It didn’t have lens shift capabilities, making this more difficult to fit to a specific screen.
Image Quality: Overall, with an output of 1,500 lumens, the XD90U’s images were bright and for the untrained eye, they would look crisp and clear. But with larger images, and in environments with ambient light, the details started to wash out and small text wasn’t clear.
Lamp Life: For an XGA projector released in 2009, the XD90U received average lamp life. The projector’s bulb was rated at 2,000 hours, which, although it would be considered below average today, was about par for the course at the time. Fortunately, the cost of maintenance is affordable. A replacement lamp for the Mitsubishi XD90U which is also known as part number VLT-XD90LP starts around $300.

Mitsubishi XD90U: Limitations
So you see there were things to like about the XD90U, but what were the limitations?

Mitsubishi Is No More: For one, Mitsubishi has dropped out of the projector market. This doesn’t reflect on the projector, but rather, it can make finding replacement hardware more difficult to locate. Fortunately, XD90U replacement bulbs are easy to find; but switches, power cords and circuits can be a challenge to track down.
No Sound or 3D: The XD90U didn’t have built-in sound or 3D capabilities. The lack of sound limits its use as a portable projector. 3D though is more of a concern for home video viewers; it’s not usually an issue for business and classroom presentations.

Limited Connections: There is no HDMI or USB port on the XD90U. That severely limits its capabilities, especially for those looking to hook this projector up to a Blu-ray or DVD player.

Overall, the XD90U does provide a range of useful features. But today, some of the technology seems dated. On the used market, it might be an ideal solution as a secondary TV-only projector, or for business presentations on a budget. But the price must be right.

BenQ MX602 Business Projector Review

November 3, 2015

BenQ is known for developing high-quality, great-value projectors, and the BenQ MX602 is the perfect example. It delivers impeccable image quality, with high brightness and life-like color, it’s eco-friendly with long-lasting lamp performance, accommodates a range of connections, it’s low-noise and the MX602 is affordable. Put simply: For an XGA projector, the MX602 is a powerful A/V machine that will help transform your presentations.

BenQ MX602: Quick Specs

3,500 ASNI Lumens
13,000:1 Contrast Ratio
XGA Native Resolution
4:3 Aspect Ratio
HDMI, USB and S-Video Connections

Most Impressive Features and Specs
For a budget-friendly XGA projector, the MX602 offers a ton of upside. For starters, the projector utilizes BenQ’s innovative DLP technology to produce vibrant, razor-sharp images. Plus, the projector delivers a range of features that aren’t commonly available in budget XGA projectors. Here’s a look at the MX602’s best features:

Image Quality: The MX602 utilizes a range of technologies to produce high-quality, high-clarity images. For starters, BrilliantColor produces extremely life-like, saturated color. Additionally, the images are extremely bright – 3,500 ASNI lumens – and highly contrasted with a ratio of 13,000:1. With black-on-white text, the MX602’s impressive contrast ratio is evident, as text is crisp and clear. This projector is also ideal for pairing with laptops with XGA native resolution and 4:3 aspect ratio.
Lamp Life: Even in standard operating mode, the MX602 performs impressively, with a lamp life of 3,000 hours. But BenQ’s advanced eco-friendly operating modes and energy-saving features provide a huge boost. There are two eco settings: The first improves lamp life to 4,000 hours and the most advanced maximizing lamp life to 7,500 hours. Fortunately, a replacement lamp for the BenQ MX602 is fairly affordable, starting at about $250. The part number is also known as 5J.JD105.001.
Portability: This projector is extremely useful for classroom and business applications in which the projector moves around frequently. For starters, it weighs just 6 pounds and it’s about the size of a large dictionary. Plus, with keystone correction, it’s easy to adjust the image to fit the screen. Unfortunately, the projector isn’t equipped with lens shift or a powerful zoom, which does limit its portability.
Connections: In general, budget-friendly projectors are equipped with a limited range of connections, but that’s not the case with the MX602. The projector supports HDMI and USB A and mini-B connections, as well as S-Video and Composite Video connections. That means the projector can support Full HD video.

BenQ MX602 Rear Inputs

Pitfalls of the BenQ MX602
The MX602 doesn’t disappoint in many ways, but there are some features – or lack of features – that make this a less-desirable projector. One downfall is the lack of useable audio. The projector is equipped with a 2-watt monospeaker. That’s certainly at the low-end of the audio spectrum. Plus, the projector isn’t built for wireless networking and even with wired connections the MX602 poses problems.
In spite of these pitfalls, the MX602 does nail the core functionality of a projector: Providing high-quality images. The XGA projector produces vibrant, highly contrasted images that are better than those produced by similarly priced projectors. The bottom line: This is a useful XGA projector that can accommodate Full HD video, and it would be well-suited for many classroom and business environments.

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Monthly Archives: November 2015