The idea of a $1000 1080p projector is enticing, but are the first products to reach this price, the VIvitek H1080FD and the Optoma HD20, any good? Yes, yes they are.

I have to admit, I didn’t have high hopes for these two machines. The first “budget” products in any category always seem to fall short, but in this case I was pleasantly surprised. Both the Vivitek H1080FD and the Optoma HD20, which use DLP technology, offered exceptional performance for the price, but one definitely stood out.

The Results…

The Vivitek takes gold almost every category.
Stack those results up (by weighting each gold medal with 3 points and each silver with 2), and you can see how it all adds up.

Winner: Vivitek H1080FD

While the Optoma HD20 and the Vivitek H1080FD are alike in many respects, the bottom line is that Vivitek pushed the envelope a bit more with picture quality, and provided more of those features that you might find in a pricier projector.

It’s a shade bigger than the Optoma, and a little more than a pound heavier at 7.8 lbs, but it is still an extremely portable device (they even go so far as to throw in a carrying case). Both the Vivitek and the Optoma lack lens shift capability, so I had to set them up on this ghetto cardboard box on top of a card table configuration in order to deliver a straight, unobstructed picture to the wall. However, once things were set up and calibrated properly, the Vivitek offered up slightly richer colors and better overall contrast (5000:1) than the Optoma—although black levels and overall quality of the 1080p picture appear similar between the two devices. I also give the Vivitek an edge in the brightness department—especially when comparing the brightest modes. Still, after running through several 1080p video clips on both machines, I was really wowed by the overall image quality on these entry-level projectors.

As I mentioned earlier, the Vivitek brought a few features to the table that you usually find in pricier models. For one thing, it’s extremely quiet—especially when compared to the Optoma. It also features more inputs/outputs than the Optoma, including S-Video, RS-232c connector and audio jacks (although it would be a crime to use S-Video). It even features a small 5W onboard speaker which aids in portability and ease of use for those who are looking for a simple, all-in-one solution. The speaker is basic, but I found it helpful in my temporary setup when I just wanted to plug and play.

There isn’t much to complain about with regard to the Vivitek H1080FD, but I did notice that menus in the UI don’t collapse, so you have to exit in order to get a full picture of your changes. However, the most troubling negative has to do with the $400 cost of a replacement lamp. The overall lamp life of the Vivitek and the Optoma are the same, but there is a $150 difference in the price of the replacement. Given the fact that there isn’t a vast difference in performance between the two models, this expense could be a real dealbreaker for people who are looking to use their projector on a more regular basis.

Runner-Up: Optoma HD20

Sure, the runner-up in a contest of two is the “loser,” but there’s a lot to like about the Optoma. Right off the bat, you have to marvel at how small this thing is. At 12.76″ x 3.82″ x 9.21″ and 6.4 pounds, users don’t need to use the HD20 in a permanent setup. It can be easily stored and transported—but, again, the lack of lens shift means you might struggle to get an optimum viewing angle.

Granted, the HD20 isn’t going to blow away enthusiasts who will settle for nothing less than the blackest blacks and whitest whites, but most of us will be more than satisfied with the clarity, color and contrast (4000:1). Overall lumen output wasn’t quite up to snuff when compared to the Vivitek, but it was still considerably better than you would expect in a budget model in both bright and theater modes—easily allowing for a screen just under 100″ in my living room to be comfortably viewable with ambient light.

Of course, the HD20 is not without it’s flaws. First of all, excessive fan noise makes it sound more like what you might expect from buying a cheaply priced DLP. It’s noticeable in Standard mode, but I was definitely distracted by it in Bright (users might also find the light emanating from the front vent to be distracting). I also found the UI to be well organized but fairly annoying to navigate, mostly because the remote isn’t very responsive. I felt like I had to mash the button down to get a response.

Feature Comparison

But What If You Spend More?

OK, so what if you’re willing to spend a bit more than $1000?

Epson’s HC 8100 represents a price point in the entry-level market for consumers willing to pay extra for better 1080p performance. At $1600, the LCD-based 8100 is a big step up from the Vivitek and the Optoma. In my opinion, it is worth the added expense.

Simply put, it easily outstrips both of its cheaper competitors in just about every performance category. It also has some advantages that the others lack, many of which derive from the advantages 3LCD has over DLP. Brightness and color accuracy are better, no color wheel means no rainbow effect (for the people who suffer from that—you know who you are) and it has a high degree of vertical and horizontal lens shift, meaning you can put this thing just about anywhere and throw a clean image. However, it is literally twice as big and heavy as the Vivitek, which could make it unsuitable for some setups.

If you are concerned with the long term cost of ownership, the Epson is competitive in that area with a $300 lamp replacement cost (4000 hour lamp life in Normal and Eco modes) and a two-year limited warranty. So, in that sense, it could be cheaper to own in the long term than both the Vivitek and the Optoma, depending on your usage.

Verdict

If you have your heart set on 1080p, the good news is that you will probably be satisfied no matter which one of these projectors you choose—definitely an encouraging sign at these price points. That having been said, I think it is worth spending an an extra $600 for the improved performance of the Epson HC 8100.

However, if the HC 8100 isn’t in your budget, there is no shame in going with the Vivitek—it will deliver a lot of bang for your buck. On the other hand, if you plan on using your projector frequently and the long term cost of ownership is a concern, the Optoma HD20 will be less expensive in the long run—and the choice might be further justified since there isn’t a vast difference in performance. Perhaps the best news is that, within the next year, more 1080p projectors from the likes of Sony and Panasonic will be competing at these lower prices, too. If you are patient, it might be worth it to wait and see how the market develops. [Epson and Vivitek and Optoma]

If you’ve somehow managed to hold out from joining into the HTIB revolution, the time for caving is upon you. LG has just tapped Sir Mark Levinson to engineer the acoustics behind its latest bundle, the HB954SP. Packing a 5.1-channel sound system that includes 1,000 total watts of power, a quintet of oval drivers and a ported subwoofer, the system gets direction from a BD-Live-enabled Blu-ray player that’s actually a fair bit more stylish than the tried-and-true black rectangle. You’ll also find a pair of HDMI inputs, an iDock function for charging and controlling your iPod / iPhone right from the BD deck, 1080p upscaling of traditional DVDs, touch sensitive controls, a USB port for loading up external media and an optical audio input. There’s nary a mention of price, but it should splash down this November for a hefty premium.

LG’s 5.1 HB954SP Blu-ray HTIB system makes room for your iPod or iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 08:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For decades, receiver innovation has been stuck in tar, an anonymous group of large black boxes with way too many buttons. Now, the neoHD hopes to re-imagine what the receiver can be.

The NeoHD may support 5.1 surround sound, but it dubs itself a “media connector,” not a receiver. That’s because the model I tested, the YMC-700 ($800), includes ethernet, Wi-Fi and USB drive support. The other big NeoHD revolution is supposed to be its Logitech Harmony-like interface. And the kicker? It’s all managed by the most minimal remote you’ll find in the home theater world.

What’s Really Different with the neoHD?

• graphic-driven interface
• tiny remote
• about half the size of your average receiver
• removes audio modes like Theater, Live, Sports, etc
• gladly supports 2.1 virtual surround or 5.1
• streams web-based radio, network audio
• IR repeaters can control other devices through onscreen remote

Watch, Listen and Play

Every receiver I’ve ever seen is driven by Inputs. You know, HDMI 1, HDMI 2, Component 3. But when you load the NeoHD, you see Watch, Listen and Play. Like a Harmony, the interface is purpose-driven, not device-driven.
Of course you plug in the PS3 through HDMI just like any other receiver, but going through guided setup, the system asks what you want to do with this device. And if it happens that you use it to watch movies, listen to music and play games, guess what? The PS3 will propagate in a submenu under each of those shiny icons.
Herein lies my main problem. I always knew that I wanted to listen to music from my PS3. That was a complete thought. But using the NeoHD’s menus, I need to say, listen to music. Then I need to sort through a list including a slew of other devices. And if I own an Xbox 360, which I do, I need to recall whether the PS3 is Game Console 1 or Game Console 2. (Technically this is the Play menu – I ended up turning off music for both my consoles after encountering the issue.)

I see the intent for a simple UI. But how is this system easier than before? Even the grandma stereotype will be just as lost in this second menu, filled with inputs, as she would be a normal receiver.

Wouldn’t it be better for the main menu just to show an icon of a PS3, an Xbox 360, my satellite dish and whatever else I had around?
To make matters worse, this lack of formal inputs means there’s no input button on the remote. I haven’t been able to find a way to change inputs other than hitting a back button, a la webpage, to slowly back my way to the main screen. The neoHD hopes to replace your universal remote altogether, controlling your TV and cable box through IR blasters. But how can I expect it to replace every remote in the house when it can’t adequately replace itself?

Connectedness

Let’s call the system halfway there.
I found that the neoHD can just as easily play FM as it can stream music from its large library of internet radio stations. But even when streaming music from my Mac (which requires TwonkyMedia Server, bundled free) there’s no way to pause or stop your music, even using a button that brings up onscreen controls. Why can I loop a track but not pause it?

It was also a great disappointment when I realized that the iPod and Bluetooth functions both require external adapters to work. The USB port won’t even charge your iPod.

But the biggest issue that many Giz readers may have is that the neoHD can’t stream video of any sort, nor can it load video from USB. In this regard, the you can’t justify a neoHD purchase knowing that it could replace an Apple TV, Roku, Xbox…you know, anything you use to watch those torrents on the big screen, let alone web content.

Music streaming works, and updating the NeoHD’s firmware couldn’t be easier (it’s basically one button in the settings menu). But ultimately, the AV networking aspects are a bit of a tease without both the A and the V arriving in full force.

Sound

Oh right, this thing drives speakers, doesn’t it? I tested the YMC-700 with 2.1 speakers found bundled with the cheaper, Wi-Fi-less YMC-500. So we’re talking two small front speakers and a subwoofer setup through an automated microphone tone test.
Watching Hero on Blu-ray, the water droplets panned sporadically through the front half of my living room with distinct, round plops, before the clash of swords sliced through atmosphere. The faux surround fills your ears completely, but it only captures the front 150 degrees of your perspective (at least in my living room). Still, I was pleased with the quality. Honestly, voices and shows over DirecTV have never sounded so good, and I use the impressive ZVOX 550 on a daily basis. Not bad.

It’s the Thought that Counts

I know this will sound condescending, but I mean it sincerely. While the neoHD has a flawed UI and limited media support for a media connector, at least Yamaha is trying something new.

There are good ideas here. I’ve never had such an easy time setting up components in any large AV system. And it is inherently easier to manage something like networked audio through your receiver than both your receiver AND your Xbox AND your TV.

But if you’ve already networked your home theater and just want an easy way to add surround sound, you might be better off going with a lower end receiver and a really nice remote. [Yamaha]

Super easy setup


Solid 2.1 performance


Simplified interface often just slows you down


No video codec support whatsoever


Component to HDMI conversion was blurry

We’re still wrapping our heads around Pioneer’s Project ET. It’s sort of every piece of media squeezed into one set-top box—with masterful execution.

Project ET, also known as Project ETAP, is due sometime next year for an undisclosed price. The system is essentially a Linux-based networked computer with a 1TB hard drive and Blu-ray player.

OK, so what? Here’s a full list of what it can actually do:

• Play Blu-ray movies
• Managed Copy (backup) Blu-ray movies
• Connect to video services like Netflix (though definitely not Hulu)
• Stream stuff like MovieTrailers.com with a polished, non-web interface
• Link you to buying related movies/products through an unobtrusive interface
• Support Windows Media Center (possibly through DLNA)
• Be controlled through Android phones, the Nokia N810 (demoed perfectly), and the iPod touch (limited demo through the web)
• Load 128 USB connected drives (which it encrypts in some cases)
• Rip music in FLAC and PCM
• Automatically include the album art and lyrics
• Stream LastFM, Rhapsody and support Rhapsody downloads
• Integrate third party home automation devices
• Update Twitter
• And do everything listed above through a SlingBox-like, web-mirrored interface

All of this sounds great, but if the UI is either slow or ugly, none of the features matter. Luckily, the interface is easy to navigate, tastefully designed, and oh yeah, fast. In fact, Blu-ray JAVA loads 6x faster on the ET than the PS3.

None of these features are set in stone. Pioneer explained that, depending on public response, they could pull the hard drive completely or ditch Blu-ray. In fact, Project ET may not be a standalone product but a platform for future Pioneer products. They just want to create an internet-connected media network to trump everything that’s come before. And…well, they’re certainly in contention.

We’d just like to see DVR and CableCard support. Because then it would pretty much do everything.

Pioneer Project ET Hands On from Gizmodo on Vimeo.

Looks like our dreams of a discrete, low cost home theater PC are about to be realized. ASUS has a new EeeBox PC EB1012 touting a dual-core Atom N330 (just as rumored), NVIDIA MCP7A ION graphics, a 250GB SATA hard disk, 2GB of DDR2-800 memory expandable to 4GB, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n WiFi, S/PDIF 5.1 audio jack, and HDMI out. As such, this little 222 x 178 x 26.9mm box should handle your hardware accelerated 1080p content just as readily as it does full-screen Flash video from Hulu and beyond — a place where single-core Atom-based Ion nettops fail. It also features an eSATA jack, 4x USB ports, and an SDHC card reader for plugging in more media. No word on price or ship date but we’ll keep an eye out.

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

Filed under: Desktops

ASUS EeeBox EB1012 teases home theaters with dual-core Atom and Ion graphics originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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