May 6, 2011

Reasonably priced for 1080p
Performs well on color tests
Needs to be significantly far from screen
Intro
There’s plenty to be excited about in the Optoma HD20. It’s a 1080p projector for under a thousand dollars. That alone is merit enough to read the rest of the review. But it’s not a perfect projector, that’s for sure. The brightness is weak enough that ambient light presents a real challenge. Is it still worth it?
| Section | The Good | The Bad | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tour & Design | Looks decent | Feels cheap | |
| Blacks & Whites | Smooth transitions in the greyscale gamma | Not a very bright projector | |
| Color Accuracy | Very good color performance | Colors fail to match up to the rec. 709 color standards | |
| Motion | Decent motion performance | Suffers from the rainbow effect that all DLPs have | |
| Viewing Effects | 1.2x zoom lens makes placement more flexible | Requires significant distance from screen | |
| Calibration | Easy to calibrate | No modes for no-white surfaces (i.e. chalkboards, etc.) | |
| Connectivity & Media | Two HDMI inputs | No audio interfaces | |
| Power, Noise & Heat | Relatively low noise | Kicks out a lot of heat | |
Shop for the Optoma HD20
Latest News
& Reviews
-
02-Feb-2012
Vivitek D950HD Video Projector Review
The Optoma HD20 is one of a few 1080p home theater projectors out now that cost less than a grand. Read More...
-
24-Jan-2012
ViewSonic PRO8200 1080p Projector Review
We caution against using this projector for presentations in a meeting or a classroom setting, as the peak brightness does not allow for a large picture in even medium amounts of light, but it could make for an affordable home theater setup. Read More...
Optoma HD20 Manual
Top Rated Video Projectors
-
All TypesBusinessHome TheaterInstallPortable--- - "" - "" - Portable - "" - Business - "" - Home Theater - ""
-

$4,799.002Canon REALiS SX7 Mark II
The Canon SX7 is a high-end projector with a premium price point. For an entry fee around $3600, you'll get a projector that's about two times brighter than the average unit. Read full 16-part review
$4,799.00All TypesBusinessHome TheaterInstallPortable--- - "" - "" - "" - Business - "" - Home Theater - "" -

$849.993Vivitek D950HD
The Vivitek D950HD is one of a few 1080p home theater projectors out now that cost less than a grand. Read full 14-part review
$849.99All TypesBusinessHome TheaterInstallPortable--- - Portable - Home Theater -

$587.024ViewSonic PJD6531w
The ViewSonic PJD6531w produced a lot of light and had good color performance—after it was calibrated. Read full 16-part review
$587.02All TypesBusinessHome TheaterInstallPortable--- [] -

$783.995ViewSonic Pro8200
We caution against using this projector for presentations in a meeting or a classroom setting, as the peak brightness does not allow for a large picture in even medium amounts of light, but it could make for an affordable home theater setup. Read full 15-part review
$783.99All TypesBusinessHome TheaterInstallPortable--- - Portable - Business - Home Theater
