The HD80 is a DLP projector using Texas Instruments’ latest 1080p digital micro mirror device. The use of a single chip (more expensive projectors actually use three chips) necessitates the use of a spinning color wheel to separate the colors. The HD80 uses a six segment color wheel which in my experience did not produce any of the rainbow artifacts that color wheels sometimes do. It’s a bright projector, using a 300 watt lamp producing a stated ANSI lumen output of 1,300. The stated contrast ratio is also fairly high at 10,000:1.
The HD80 is well outfitted with inputs. There are two HDMI ports, one DVI (that also functions, with adaptors, as a VGA or SCART port), and one each component, composite and S-video. Ideally, you’ll only want to hook up a single HDMI that comes from a receiver or processor that transcodes all the other signals into HDMI, but there aren’t a lot of those on the market at present.
Making a projector with these kinds of specs suggests a few tradeoffs. In this case, as is the case with other Optoma projectors, the tradeoffs affect installation issues. The HD80’s combination of a fixed lens angle, limited zoom range and long throw distance means that you need to be very careful of the room you’re going to put it in. As with the HD73 reviewed earlier this year (on e-gear.com), I highly recommend you measure with extra care before you start drilling holes in your ceiling. In the room I tested it in, the HD80 needed to be mounted several feet back from the location of the HD73 in order to fill the same screen. With only a 1.2:1 zoom ratio and no mechanical lens shift, the projector doesn’t offer you any room for error when setting up. That said, if this is a do-it-yourself project, then take your time. If you’re using a professional home theater installer then just step back and let someone else do the math.
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