Optoma H31 DLP Projector Review!

[Clint DeBoer]

We get asked fairly regularly to review more budget-minded products for our readers. In particular, everyone seems fascinated by the influx of lower-priced front projection systems that are competing for a large financial portion of the home theater display market. These front projection systems promise large viewing screens with an almost unbeatable price point. Sure there are trade-offs, mostly in terms of ambient light management and viewing distance, but if you can overcome these obstacles then you are looking at a tremendous opportunity. The Optoma H31 DLP projector has a host of excellent features and functions that makes it a tremendously configurable entry-level home theater display as well as an adaptable one. We found more than a few positives with this 480p projector and were very pleased with its performance.

[Read the Review]

[RLA]

Nice review Clint
I have been seriously thinking about getting one of these for my bedroom
It appears like this is a quiet< (less audible fan noise) solution to the very popular Infocus 4805
Entry level projector are now more than ever an acceptable solution to flat panel displays and rear crts

For about $2,000 you can have a very nice system Mate this with a Carada 45x80 screen, ceiling mount and a nice set of component cables or DVI/HDMI and you will transform your living room/family room into a cinema If I get my hands on one I will post all my tweaks and calibrations for all to see As good as it is I bet we can make it better

[Takeereasy]

Great review as always guys. I love seeing budget projector revies. In the reasonably near future I hope to have a front projecor and screen. That is my last purchase though. I can't belive how the cost has come down on these things as the years have gone by.

[Clint DeBoer]

We're making a conscious effort to offer more budget product reviews this year.

The H31 impressed me on several fronts - the connectivity and calibration options being at the top of the list. And the remote was quite cool - though that weighs very little into my scoring.

While it has a fan that blows LOTS of hot air out its starboard side - it never struck me as loud.

[gene]

We're making a conscious effort to offer more budget product reviews this year.

Yea I just completed a review of a $6,000 receiver

[Tom Andry]

He didn't say WHOSE budget!

[MBauer]

I would be very interested in reviews of midrange projectors; $3000 - $10,000 or so. There is a lot of competition in that area and proces are plummeting. I think a good $5 to $6 K projector in the right environment competes very well with a RPTV

[scswcs]

I have just purchased the H31 and am looking to configure the unit as done in the review. Did you log the final settings of the Brightness, Contrast, Color, Sharpness, etc. and if so will you share this information?

[cesarious]

Hi Clint,
same situation here than scswcs mentioned in his post.

Could you please post or send us via e-mail what your settings were after calibration?.

I will not have possibilities to get my hands into Milori ColorFacts in order to calibrate properly my H31.

Thank you very much in advance.

Best regards,
C.

[Bassomatic]

I did a lot of research and comparisons before I purchased my Optoma H31 about 4 months ago, and I can't sing its praises loud enough. While its 854 x 480 native resolution won't please a hardcore videophile, an entry-level home theater enthusiast will be more than blown away by the exceptional picture quality and color reproduction. My biggest concern with buying a projector was decent-looking black levels, and I'm thrilled to say that the H31 does an amazing job with "dark" movies like "Batman Begins" and "Aliens." Also, no one who has watched my projector has ever mentioned seeing any rainbow artifacts of any kind. Set-up was quite easy (I did it myself, and I am no home improvement expert, I assure you), and despite some complaints that I have read about calibration issues, I found the image from my H31's factory settings to look spectacular right out of the box, and I have not needed to make any major adjustments. Fan noise is extremely low (I sit almost right beneath it, mounted on an 8-ft. ceiling, and never notice it running, even with volume muted), and the picture looks unbelievable sitting about 15 feet away from my 106-inch Da-Lite widescreen -- no screen door effect at all from that distance and closer. I haven't run HDTV on it, but DVDs in progressive scan through standard component cables look pretty sweet and SDTV looks better than I anticipated.

There are only two things to look out for with the H31. The high throw angle is pretty pronounced, so if you do a ceiling mount your screen might need to be mounted a little lower than you might like (It worked well in my family room, but I can see where it could be problematic for some), and there is no vertical lens shift capabilities. Ambient light control is also important for the H31 (but it is for all projectors, really); in a lit room the image is very much visible, but the image really "pops" in a fully darkened environment.

Overall, the H31 is a tremendous value...especially for those of us who have a little tighter budget. Dollar-for-dollar, you will not be able to get a picture this rich and vibrant with such an impressive screen size at a price any better going any other route. A higher-end projector with greater resolution will outperform the H31, but only the most-trained eyes would notice this without seeing the comparison side-by-side. You cannot go wrong with this projector!

One last note...if you love movies, front projection is the only way to go. The projected image, even when digital, replicates the majesty of the cinematic experience far better than even the highest quality plasma or LCD...in my humble opinion, at least.