Optoma HD81 DLP Projector

Optoma has a very nice booth at CES this year. They were displaying their new HD-81 1080p DLP projector on a huge 132" white screen. The images we viewed looked absolutely stunning. The new projector is a two piece unit with an external video processor which can be remotely located in an equipment rack or placed near the projector. The projector boasts a 6000:1 contrast ratio, 1400 ANSI lumens and a seven segment color wheel.

The Optoma HD81 home theater projector is a true 1080p (1920 x 1080) projector (both native input or via upconversion) that features Texas Instruments' BrilliantColor color technology, and DarkChip3 DMD chipset.

The HD81 highlights Texas Instruments' BrilliantColor color processing technology to deliver higher brightness and provide truer, more vibrant colors to the projected picture. The HD81 features 10-bit color per channel color processing, a 7-segment color wheel and its amazing 6000:1 (full on/off) contrast ratio.

With its new industrial design, the HD81 lowers the noise level usually associated with other typical home theater projectors. The patent pending tunnel cooling system is designed for near-silent operation with minimal light leakage.

Specifications:

Display Technology: Single 0.95 DarkChip3™ DLP™ technology

Brightness (typical): 1400 lumens with a 300W lamp and five-step output control

Resolution: 1080p native, with 1080i HD-deinterlacing and color management

Image scaler: Gennum VXP solutions

Color Management: Studio-grade CMS , 10-step Gamma enhancement, RGBCYM 6-color, 15-region adjustment

Video Compatibility: NTSC , PAL , SECAM, HDTV (720p, 1080i), EDTV (480p), SDTV (480i), 576i/p

Aspect Ratio: 16:9 native, 4:3 compatible

I/O Connectors: x3 HDMI + 1x External HDMI™ expansion, 2x RBGHV(BNC), 2xRCAcomponent, 3 S-Video, 3 Composite, 1 VGA ( RGB /YPbPr/SCART), 2xRS232, 2x 12V Trigger, 1xIR port extension

CEDIA certification: ISF ccc certification

The HD81's video/color enhancement processing system delivers an advanced three-stage process flow (decoding, image enhancement, color reproduction enhancement) that offers impressive, personalized adjustment setting at each stage.

Optoma's innovative single-cable solution makes bulky, wire-filled installations a thing of the past. Optoma developed this single cable solution that delivers a loss- and interference-free signal from the video/color enhancement box to the HD81 1080p projector. This fully digital source-to-display link is connected through a high-speed digital cable signal; and then transmits data to more than 100 feet.

The two-piece design eliminates the need for multiple cables; all that is needed for the projector to be connected is one single cable to the image enhancement box. With the image enhancement box's extensive inputs, there are more than enough connections to up-convert sources to 1080p for optimal viewing.

The Optoma HD81 home theater projector will be available in Q2 2006 (June/July) for an estimated MSRP of $10,000 through authorized Optoma dealers.