Optoma PRO350W, 2800 lumen, XGA, DLP Multimedia Projector

long story short, I had it for a month and it broke. By itself I wouldn't consider that an issue products are sometimes faulty. It happens. But over a week after receiving the RMA'd projector, Optoma now tells me it will be another 3 weeks (they "hope") before they can get the parts to fix it.

It's unfortunate, especially considering that this projector really is awesome I loved it while I had it. And as I said, I don't consider it a fatal flaw that it broke; that's why we have warranties. But if the company is going to spend a month repairing a nearly brand new projector rather than just replacing it, that's what I consider terrible support.

I have this projector in a bright living room adjacent to our sunroom which lets in tons of sunlight. I can still run this projector and get a very nice picture in the middle of the day. It has the expected DLP "pop" to it and is surprisingly sharp for a 720p model. I actually have a newer 1080p LCD projector that cost twice as much and I still go back and forth trying to decide which one I like best. I am running this projector on a grey 106" screen from about 12 feet back. I did have to put some work in trying to get the picture to fit the screen correctly as there is no offset (as with all but the most expensive DLP units). I've got a HTPC hooked up to watch 3D blu-ray and I can tell you if you like 3D in the theater you will LOVE it on this projector! The only star I can take off is for the price. You can actually get a newer model Optoma for less. However, if you can find one of these (possibly refurbished) at a deep discount don't hesitate to pick one up!

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Ive had this Projector since March this year, and I have been loving it ever since, It has superb picture/color quality, and where I have it positioned I have a ~100" screen. The great thing about this projector is that it is "future proof", meaning it wont become obsolete in 2 months, it comes with a built in HDMI port, and it supports full 1080p. Also for computers that are connected to it, it supports all resolutions up to 1920x1080. It has 2 audio ports, one in, the other out, I have my cable reciever plugged into the HDMI port, and because HDMI also has the audio channel, I connected a 3.5mm jack cable from the projector to a 5.1 home theatre system, and the audio quality is superb, no static or interference. It comes with a standard AV video output for all devices/consoles ect. without an HDMI or VGA connection. It doesnt, however, have the composite input(red blue green video, white and red audio). I also have my computer connected via VGA cable, and the picture again is awesome, where I am sitting(about 10-11 feet from the screen)I cannot see the individual pixels on the wall, the lamp lasts about 4000 hours, if set on standard brightness mode, or 3000 on bright mode. I set it on standard and the picture is still superb. It comes with a sleep timer built in, also a security passcode feature, letting you set a 4 digit code that you have to input when you turn the unit on. As far as sound goes, I sit right below the unit(I have it mounted on the wall with a universal mount) and I don't hear a thing. The only problem that I have is that since the unit is not being manufactured anymore, I had to contact Optoma directly because all of the "authorized dealers" did not carry a replacement lamp, after 4 months of using it almost every day, I am up to 965 hours, so about 1000 hours, every 4 months, the lamp should last about a year. I was able to find a replacement lamp directly from Optoma for about $180, not to bad considering how good the projector is and how long the lamp lasts. Overall this projector is very good quality, I havent had anything break or had to have it repaired. I would definitely recommend this projector to anyone who is a first timer like I am but perhaps also for people who have had other projectors as well. The price for this, $700, is by-far the best price I have seen for this, when I purchased it from Best Buy back in march it was going for $999. $700 for a projector this good is the best its going to get, so I definitely recommend you by this if you are considering it.

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This is my first video projector and it has met my expectations. I am using it for a home theater and have only connected it to a computer for testing. I have it set up across the room to project a 10-foot wide image on a wall painted with regular white paint. With the bulb on the lower setting, the image is still bright. The focus makes a sharp picture, limited only by the projector's native resolution. If you walk up to the wall (or screen), you will see the pixels, nice and sharp. (Because of its oddball "16:10" aspect, watching 16:9 material will give you 720 pixels high, though its true vertical resolution is 800. If you watch 4:3 material, you can use the full 800 and waste some horizontal resolution instead. It's a compromise that ensures the corners of the image area will rarely be used.) It is possible to max out the saturation and brightness settings, but if this happens, you can just turn them down. I don't have a point of comparison for the color and contrast, but I am satisfied.

Now here are all the limitations you should be aware of. None of them keep me from recommending the projector, but you should take these things into account.

The projector is inconsistent when faced with an interlaced video signal. Sometimes it seems to attempt a reverse pulldown or bob deinterlace. Often it does nothing and combing is visible. There is no manual override for this. The best bet is to adjust the settings on the device creating the signal. Most Blu-ray players, DVD players, and cable boxes have settings to choose the output format. If you're watching VHS, you may be out of luck.

Component video can be connected, but a component-to-VGA adapter is needed. These are not easy to find in stores, so plan ahead and order online if you want this. HD15 (VGA) Male to RCA x 3 Female, D / Shield, (HD15 to Component Video) Adaptor, 1 ft -Not For Computer Use If you plan on connecting a Wii, you want this, since the Wii will only give you an interlaced signal over composite.

Consider the 1/8-inch mini audio in and out jacks as a utility convenience only. I tried all kinds of configurations with different cables and adapters. Even when I only routed the audio signal through the projector, it ruined the sound, making it painfully tinny. Connect your audio to a separate sound system if at all possible.

This projector is advertised as being capable of "PC 3d." If you want to watch 3d Blu-rays, you can, but you need to pay a bit extra to get a signal converter box. I purchased the View Sonic 3D HD Video Processor (VP3D1), and confirm that it works together with this projector and a 3d-capable Blu-ray player.

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The image quality esp the color is quite good. I'm pretty picky about this, and found I had very few adjustments to make right out of the box. The size and portability are a plus. I'd seen this brand recommended on a reliable 16mm film collectors' forum.