Retro-Vision Optoma H77

The Optoma H77 is home theatre projector that offers DLP quality for the mid-range consumer. The H77 now has a price tag of about $3,900 US so it sits just out of range of those buyers who don’t know what they are getting themselves into but just at the right level for those who are looking for a decent upgrade.

The Optoma H77 is certainly an upgrade to think about considering its visually glorious contrast ratio of 3500:1. Keep the room dark for this wonder machine but be prepared for the opposite of eyestrain. Many new machines can boast of HD quality picture and like the H77 they have 720p native resolution on a widescreen format, but without the complementing contrast they may not all be able to live up to the hype.

Like other DLP’s out there the H77 has a relatively low lumens rate at 900 ANSI but I wouldn’t worry about this too much unless you’re into daytime television, oohh Oprah please!

Place the machine wherever you like, as a coaster on your coffee table in front of you or even on a conveyor belt that runs along the length of the room because with the zoom and focus features located in the palm of your hand (on the remote) you can decide how to configure the image.

If you want to reposition the picture vertically you may have to get off your rocker and use the lens shift feature, which must be adjusted manually. Much like the BenQ 7800 the Optoma H77 offers a 5x speed color wheel but the $1000 or so price increase for the H77 is probably spent on the 8 segment color wheel. The combination of more speed and segments on the wheel help to refresh your screen and therefore prevent the irritating rainbows.

LCD lovers might want to put the H77 to the test and see whether they experience an aesthetic that may convince them to make the switch. The H77 has all the standard connectivity features including DVI-HDCP to make sure you have all the bases covered digitally. You will probably make more noise than the H77 especially in eco-mode where it is practically inaudible.

The H77 has significantly dropped in price since it first came out a year ago and if you are a second time buyer looking for the upgrade you should definitely consider a slightly older machine like the H77.