3D Projector Reviews

Full-On/Full-Off Contrast Ratio: 1,208:1

Pre-calibration measurements were made in the Reference mode at the default settings on a 90-inch-diagonal Stewart Cima Neve 1.1-gain matte white screen. Post-calibration measurements were made in the User mode with Auto color space selected. Maximum contrast measurements were made with the Eco Brightness and Dynamic Black modes enabled. With these settings, the HD142X’s black level measured 0.019 ft-L and peak white 22.97 ft-L, for a contrast ratio of 1,208:1.

Highest peak brightness was delivered by the default settings in the Bright preset: 66.83 ft-L. Fan noise in this and other modes with lamp brightness set to Bright was notably higher than with the Eco lamp brightness mode active.

Before calibration, the HD142X’s Standard color temperature preset in Reference mode delivered a reddish grayscale with poor tracking. The Delta E of its pre-cal grayscale averaged out to 7.7. Calibration in the User mode greatly improved that to 1.4, with a high of 3.3 at 10% brightness. (Delta E is a figure of merit that indicates how closely a display adheres to the Rec. 709 HD color standard. Experts generally agree that levels below 3 are visibly indistinguishable from perfect color tracking.)

The Delta E of the HD142X’s color points in the Auto color space mode averaged out to 4.0. Adjustments made in the projector’s color management system menu improved color point accuracy, reducing the Delta E to 2.8, with only blue remaining stubbornly high at 3.9.

With the Reference preset and Standard 2.2 Gamma selected, gamma averaged 1.9 and tracked evenly. Post-calibration, gamma remained linear and averaged 2.2.

Picture uniformity was very good. The Optoma passed most of our video processing tests, tripping up only on the 2:2 HD and 2:2 SD pulldown patterns.—AG