Mitsubishi HC1500 720p DLP Home Theater Projector Reviews

• Very nice, but missing some aspect features.

  
  By ARAOE7HDC71S9 on 2007-09-20
  The HC1500 is a very nice projector, especially for the price. I upgraded from an InFocus Screenplay DLP Front Projector - SP4805. By comparison, the HC1500 is much brighter, quieter, and more crisp. It also fit my existing ceiling mount, which was very convenient.
  
  The only problem I've not found a fix for is the aspect ratio selection. The SP4805 was native 16:9, but also had a mode for 4:3, and another which cropped a 4:3 picture to 16:9 and enlarged it to fill the whole screen. This mode was really nice for TV broadcasts and old DVDs filmed in 16:9 but broadcast in 4:3 with black bars. Without that zoomed/cropped mode, you have to watch it in 4:3 mode, so you see the black bars both on the sides of the screen and then again on the top and bottom. This means you're basically looking at an image 2/3 the size of your screen.
  
  As far as I can tell, the HC1500 does not have an aspect mode that works well with this problem. It is also native 16:9, and has the following aspect modes; auto (which as far as I can tell is identical to 16:9 regardless of input signal), 4:3, 4:3 stretched to 16:9 (with serious distortion on the left and right sides), and two zooms. The user's guide says the two zooms are optimized for cinemascope and vista images with subtitles, but they don't expand the projected area out to take advantage of the better screen/picture aspect ratio match. Instead it simply crops the image within the 4:3 display boundary and leaves the black bars on the sides. This is very annoying when watching 16:9 TV show (broadcast non-HD) because your picture is miniaturized and surrounded by unused black bar screen area. The show is being broadcast specifically to fill your whole screen, but the projector leaves bars on all 4 sides of the image.
  
  I don't understand why Mitsubishi omitted that feature, it seems requisite these days. The fine print in the user's guide does mention that zoom modes will make the image of a 480i signal smaller. Again, it looks fine when you have 480p input, which I only get from my DVD player, or a native 4:3 TV 480i input (normal TV). And the picture is fantastic with both.
  
  Overall I'm happy with this machine, especially for the price and bright HD picture. But if anyone has a work around for the aspect issue, I'd love to hear it.
  
  

• Very good Projector. UNBIAS REVIEW

  
  By A2G1YXID84J9T9 on 2007-09-03
  Its quite a lengthy review provided by aholics. I am guessing it worth reading for 5 minutes, If you gonna spend the money
  
  We absolutely jumped at the chance to get a close look at the new Mitsubishi HC1500 DLP projector since we missed the boat on checking out the HD1000U which preceded it. The attraction is a clean system that handles up to 720p for less than $1000. This projector is worth a serious look - especially at the street pricing you'll find on this model. It's absolutely mind-blowing to me that we live in a time when a projector can be had for this price possessing the level of features and amenities that come with the HC1500. If you break it down into price per square inch, you are saving a bundle by going with front projection at this price - as of this writing you can barely get a decent 40-inch LCD TV for the same money. RUN to your nearest Mitsubishi dealer and check this one out for yourself - you owe it to your wallet.
  
  Pro
  1080p/60 support
  Main menu shows input signal resolution
  RS-232C control
  Excellent color
  Good out-of-the-box performance
  
  Con
  No 480i support over HDMI
  Significant rainbow effect
  Default Sharpness setting too high
  Can crush blacks if not careful
  
  Things We Really Liked About This ProjectorContinuing the above thought, Mitsubishi has entered a projector into the marketplace with several very nice convenience features which help distance it from the pack and set it apart:
  
  BrilliantColor
  While not new, this function is nice in that it allows for a quick way to eek out more brightness to suit the time of day and ambient lighting conditions in your viewing room. It's almost like a built in day and night adjustment, however when activated it will crush your white levels so use sparingly.
  
  12V trigger
  Many times this feature gets left out of lesser-priced units. It's nice to know that the HC1500 can be used with a motorized screen if desired.
  
  Price & RS-232C
  At under $1000 you really can't beat this 720p projector for getting HD into your living room without breaking the bank. To also include RS-232C control options (with clear codes at the Mitsubishi website) is absolutely unreal in terms of value.
  
  There are sufficient connections on the back of the Mitsubishi HC1500 to satisfy anyone I know. You have HDMI and component, with another available component input via the HD15 (VGA) connection. For those of you who don't have any HD sources and feel the need to blow up 480i imagery to ridiculous sizes there is a composite and s-video input as well. The surprise on the back of this unit, for me at least, was the presence of a serial RS-232C connection. With an 8-pin DIN to D-sub adapter you can fully control the HC1500 with an advanced system such as those from AMX, Crestron or similar.
  
  
  Mitsubishi HC1500 rear connections
  
  The HC1500 is really a great little box. With this many inputs and the ability to handle both 1080p/60 input signals (and with a 720p native panel resolution) it's going to be very hard to beat for value. The physical box itself has the same look of the HD1000 and HD4000 models. There is a manual focus and zoom adjustment just behind the lens as expected and much of the front and side panels are devoted to airflow and venting. As a result, there is a significant amount of light leakage from the front and right side of the unit. Fan noise was consistent but not terribly loud, though it did have a soft whine attached to it rather than a gentle whisper. An attached lens cap keeps the dust from settling on the lens when not in use. Aside from the remote, there are 7 buttons atop the unit for power, menu control, input selection and keystone correction. These buttons are multi-function and allow you to get the system up and running even if you are unable to access the remote.
  
  Remote Control
  
  The HC1500 remote is pretty good, especially given the low cost of entry for this projector. You have direct access to input sources (all 5 input options) as well as some ways to immediately interact with many of the primary picture controls (BrilliantColor isn't one of these, however). Discrete On and Off buttons/commands are available on the remote as well - and which enabled this remote to land a healthy 4/5 score. One of my favorite features was the presence of three AV memory setting buttons. Selecting one of these buttons allows configuration and/or recall of the Image Menu settings for that selection. In this way I was able to configure a setting for nighttime Cinema viewing, one for Daytime viewing and another for black & white films (with a slightly lower/warmer color temperature). These are excellent features to have and the Mitsubishi puts them right at your fingertips which is very nice.
  
  The remote was also very easy to use and the signal bounced from the screen to the projector in almost any position. I tried pretty hard to point the signal in places where it might not reach the unit and most of the time I had to quite deliberately aim away from anything in order to allow the remote to file to reach its target. The only thing keeping this remote from attaining a 5/5 was the fact that the backlight was so dim it was at times difficult to read the buttons. All remotes should work this well.
  
  The Menu System
  
  Simliar to other Mitsubishi projectors that share nearly identical software, the menu system on the HC1500 is straightforward and easy to navigate. I still don't like exiting interior levels of the submenus by either scrolling all the way to the top or by pressing the Menu button, but its certainly something one gets used to and the menu system will not be used all that much once you have everything configured to your liking. I went over most of the Menu functions in my review of the Mitsubishi HC5000 as well as our reviews of the HD4000. Not too much has changed so feel free to look up those reviews for more details. You can now access BrilliantColor from the Image menu, which also makes that feature part of the AV Memory functionality and Vertical Location adjustments can be made for those who may have devices which require adjustment of the vertical image.
  
  
  Movies were fun to watch on this projector for their color and black levels. As with other Mitsubishi's, however, I did have a significant problem with rainbows and they don't, for me at least, go away with time. Having interviewed enough people about this phenomenon, I no longer authoritatively say that everyone will experience rainbows as significantly as I - since everyone's perceptions of them are different. For me, the timings Mitsubishi uses (in this case a 4-speed, 7-segment wheel) wreak havoc with my optical system. My best recommendation to anyone is to try out this projector in your own home to see how you react. Don't look for rainbows, lest you find them, but find out if typical viewing material (include some high-contrast images with vertical line patterns) creates a problem for you.
  
  Rainbows aside, I really enjoyed both the color and the detail this system afforded me. The better the signal you feed this projector, the better the results you will get - and you can get REALLY nice results.
  
  HD DVD - Batman Begins
  This movie came out rather dark, as though the transfer was done poorly - the problem is we know that the transfer was flawless base don other projector reviews. Thinking back to my luminance graph I quickly realized that setting this projector "by the book" will result in some crushed blacks - at least in my experience. When setting black levels (Brightness) be sure you can raise the value a notch or two higher than normal. Unfortunately, this raises your blacks overall, but I'd rather than than lose the detail present in DVD and HD-DVD images. There were moments of real detail and exceptional opportunities to see how well the HC1500 handled gradients, skin tones, deinterlacing of motion elements and detail. Batman Begins was a very enjoyable movie to watch, and the Mitsubishi HC1500 gave an impressive performance. Any perspective anomalies in the photos below are likely due to the camera angle and type used and not the projector.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Both color and detail were present and beautifully portrayed through the HC1500 projector.
  
  
  The problem with having a nice projector and a great movie like Batman Begins, is that I quickly got lost in the story and took entirely too long to grab some of these beautiful screen captures. It is a sure bet that you will enjoy the images shown by the HC1500 - they are stunning.
  
  HD DVD - We Were Soldiers
  This HD DVD is best described as a DVD that was reprocessed into HD DVD without much ado. The images are grainy, but the detail pokes through at various times throughout the film and black levels were honest and not crushed or clipped. Colors were vibrantly shown by the DLP system and overall this reminded me of how standard definition DVDs looked like on the HC1500 projector. The system doesn't enhance poor images, but it does a great job of allowing the best possible picture to shine through.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Blacks were rich and deep; and colors popped during the scenes that didn't involve the rather barren landscape of Vietnam.
  
  
  HDTV - Discovery HD Channel
  I watched several shows on Discovery HD, including Build It Bigger and Into the Lion's Den. Both had some excellent imagery (as expected) and I was floored by the detail exhibited by the Mitsubishi. This projector can really show off a nice image - the key is finding them. With this unit you will find yourself watching more and more HD content and quickly becoming an early adopter of HD-DVD formats simply to have more material to view on the big screen.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Notice the hair detail in the above picture and the lack of crushed whites in both. This is partially due to the correct setting of White levels (Contrast) and disengaging the BrilliantColor feature.
  
  
  Here are some additional screen captures form a DiscoveryHD promo I simply HAD to display:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Detail, detail, detail! And colors are absolutely vibrant - you will not be disappointed with this picture.
  
  
  ConclusionI give the HC1500 my full recommendation with a hearty warning: If you are susceptible to rainbows I highly suggest you get a look at this model before jumping into a purchase. To my eyes this was a significant issue, more so than other DLP models I have reviewed recently. This projector is worth a serious look - especially at the street pricing you'll find on this model. It's absolutely mind-blowing to me that we live in a time when a projector can be had for this price possessing the level of features and amenities that come with the HC1500. If you break it down into price per square inch, you are saving a bundle by going with front projection at this price - as of this writing you can barely get a decent 40-inch LCD TV for the same money. RUN to your nearest Mitsubishi dealer and check this one out for yourself - you owe it to your wallet.
  
  

• great color, not as sharp as others

  
  By A2A2QQEP8SSAXH on 2007-12-10
  This is my second HD compatible DLP projector, my first was the Olympus V-1, which being the size of a large paperback, served double duty as a backup projector for office type work. The Mitsubishi 1500 was picked from looking the the ProjectorReview (sic) website, which basically lushed over its predecessor the Mitshubishi 1000, and the review is worth reading to find out how to tune this beasty.
  
  First off it has a stunning, colorful picture, makes the Olympus almost seem black and white in comparison. However the tradeoff is it is not as razor sharp via the HDMI as the old projector was (no DVI input unfortunately so you have to live with the internal HDMI scaling issues.) I am driving this with an OPPO upscaling DVD player and for example lines of type in the credits that were clearly legible on the Olympus, are less so on the Mitsubishi.
  
  The Mitsubishi had no problems when fed with 480p, 540P, or 720p via the HDMI input (the resultant picture was scaled to the projectors native 720p) but had picture jitter when I drove it with 1080i. I tried to route the OPPO signal via the VGA input using a DVI/VGA adapter but it wouldn't sync with it.
  
  However, when I hooked it up to a 1080i output from a Mac laptop with the same adapter, running HDTV of an NFL game, the results were simply stunning. I display this on a nine foot screen and there was no noticeable lag even at this size. So if you have a DVI native product maybe try going via VGA and bypassing the HDMI input here.
  
  In summary for DVD viewing I would give it a 4, but for HDTV a 5.
  
  Pros: brilliant picture, even on low power
  extremely quiet, you almost have to strain to hear it when playing movies
  
  Cons: others have commented on its poor handling of native 4:3 material, I only use it for HD so its not a problem for me; the menus are very complicated and you will only want to adjust them once and hope it remembers; picture not as sharp via HDMI as it could be; output angle of this projector is high so since we keep it at table level I have to really tip it up on its hind legs to hit the correct viewing angle
  
  

• Unbiased comparison to SONY LCD projector

  
  By A13H2ZRENPV9E on 2008-05-20
  I originally purchased the Mitsubishi HC1500 DLP projector, but had some problems with it. Ordered this one from amazon and put them side by side. This isn't a review so much as a comparison between 3 Chip LCD and SINGLE CHIP DLP (which tend to be in the same price range). I actually liked the HC1500 a lot, but ended up keeping this SONY VLPAW10 for a number of reasons. It's not perfect, and in some areas underperforms the DLP. Here's the comparison.
  
  Single chip DLP projectors create images by having a "chip" filled with thousands of tiny mirrors (1 per pixel on the screen) that can tilt up and down. When they tilt, they send light to the screen, when they don't tilt, the light stays in the projector. This ends up creating wonderfully bright and brilliant images. The only problem with this setup is that there's no color (just the white light is being directed) so the color needs to be introduced by spinning a color wheel in front of the chip. (in this case it's a 7 segment red-green-blue-white-red-green-blue wheel. The problem is that the colors are therefore being created via an optical illusion, which for some people creates a "rainbow" effect where they see color rainbows in the white areas of the image. It's very pronounced when there are credit rolls at the end of movies, or any other times there are high contrast black/white (or light/dark) areas. In a certain percentage of cases, the rainbow effect causes headaches and eyestrain It did so for me. (google "DLP rainbow effect" if you don't believe me. There are such things as 3 chip DLP projectors that don't need the color wheels and don't create this effect, but they aren't even close to being in the sub $1000 price range (they start at SEVERAL thousand dollars)
  
  Three chip LCD screens actually have 3 panels (red green and blue) so they don't need the spinning color wheel, they just project the light through the panels, and the colors line up on the screen if calibrated properly. They are not as bright and brilliant as the DLP images because the light is going through the panels, and not being reflected by mirrors which create more direct light. The LCD projectors also need more space between the pixels than DLP, and this ends up giving you a more visible "screen door"effect where you can actually see the faint black lines of the pixel grid if you sit close enough to the screen (as if you were looking through a door or window with an insect screen on it, hence the term "screen door".
  
  So that's the background, here are the results of my side by side tests (accompanied by the media manager for a major lecture hall at an Ivy League university) who is a specialist in these kinds of things (I myself teach video production, so have some expertise here as well).
  
  The Mitsubishi HC-1500 (1 chip DLP)
  
  Advantages
  
  + about half the physical size of the SONY.
  + Image is brighter
  + colors are more saturated
  + no need for air filter
  + less screen door effect
  
  Disadvantages
  
  - potential for rainbow effect
  - noisy (the spinning wheel makes a high pitched whine which is louder and more annoying than the fan)
  - If you have a small room, you may not be able to fill a large projector screen with an image because this projector cannot throw a large image from as short a distance as the sony
  
  The SONY VLPAW-10 (3 chip LCD)
  
  Advantages
  
  + no rainbow effect
  + quieter
  + can throw larger image from shorter distance
  
  Disadvantages
  
  - Much larger than the mitsubishi
  - Bulb not as bright, need darker room
  - colors are less saturated
  - has an air filter than needs to be changed periodically
  - more screen door effect
  - HDMI input on the rear has a bezel around it that will make it impossible for some of the cables with thicker ends to fit in. I had to change cables to get this to work
  
  
  CONCLUSION
  
  I went with the SONY. It's not perfect, but for my needs it beats the Mitsubishi. I know there are a lot of die hard fans of the HC1500 and I'm sorry - but this is a fair assessment of my needs.
  
  Some ways to mitigate the SONY's disadvantages:
  
  Neither tv will perform great in a bright room, so both of these are really best suited for rooms where you can control the light.
  
  In terms of the saturation, if you're watching DVD movies, then I think you'll prefer the LCD since it creates more natural colors. The DLP is better for watching HDTV shows where the colors really pop (like CSI Miami). I use it mostly to watch movies, so don't mind the less saturated and brilliant colors.
  
  In terms of the "screen door" effect, I find this is minimized by defocusing the image just a hair. Yes the image is more soft, but this looks more like a projected image in a movie theater, and this is the effect I'm going for when watching movies on my projector, so it works great. It does not work as well to watch sports or news or other material that has lots of CG text up on the screen.
  
  
  One last note, if you decide to buy it, the price of the sony does fluctuate on Amazon wildly ($799 yesterday, $999 today !!!). But I see it go up and down on an almost weekly basis. So time your purchase carefully!
  
  

• 5 Star rating for the Champion

  
  By A9JYA18JY89VC on 2007-11-06
  I would like to first state this projector will do 1:1 pixel mapping through the HDMI port from a computer. This was my only concern as there is little to no evidence this works properly from other reviews. Within the first five minutes of owning this unit I successfully output 1280 x 720 @ 60Hz through a DVI to HDMI cable from an Nvidia 7800GT video card. The only real adjustment to produce this 1:1 pixel mapping was to set the projector to "real" in the aspect option, and then set the overscan to 100% (default is 97% overscan). The projector will now display a perfect 1:1 pixel mapping as you would expect from a XGA projector or a PC monitor with no artifacting, frequency noise, or shimmer in text/fine lines due to scaling. It is perfect.
  
  Now for the review, this is our fifth projector and four of those were DLP. My last projector that I can compare it to directly is the BenQ PB6240 XGA projector with 2700 lumens and 2000:1 contrast ratio. This is a wonderful projector but the HC1500 is much brighter at the same throw distance and is natively wide screen. The black levels and color reproduction are outstanding; the HC1500 really stands out for a home theatre.
  
  My intent for this unit is for big screen movies and for viewing web content clearly from the couch and going through pictures when we have family in town. I do have a PS2 connected via the S-Video port and it is better than any other projector using the S-Video port; very colorful, bright and surprisingly sharp/clear. As I stated, we purchased this unit mainly for movies and I would recommend a Septre 37 inch or larger 1080p monitor for high resolution games on the pc with a 8800GTX for the most immersive experience (through the DVI- HDMI port for 1:1 mapping of course).
  
  The HC1500 is about 14.5 feet from the wall (no screen yet) and produces 100 inch diagonal image, this size can be zoomed larger (aprox 130") at this point but I wanted the smallest screen size possible from this distance. Let me say even at this distance and sheer size the amount of color and clarity is phenomenal and the black levels are better than ANY projector I have ever seen, period. I would recommend a High resolution DVD player such as a Blu-Ray, HD-DVD or equivalent for the highest quality image. We are using the computer to play movies but DVD players have come along way too.
  
  The projector is very, very quiet, even in full lamp mode. I have tried all setting regarding brightness and `True color' modes and all are very acceptable. It really depends on your preference, low lamp and `True color' set to `3' works great for our size, but some would maybe like "more" which the projector can accommodate. It is like having a 100" plasma wall, it is that impressive.
  
  The only draw back that I have encountered is a heat haze on the left side of the projected image. I can only describe this effect as you would see waves directly above a dark colored car on a really hot day due to the intense heat distorting light as it the light passes through. I have isolated this to an external issue; it is not internal or part of the unit at all. The exhaust port is right next to the lens and the air exiting the projector is not exhausted quickly due to the low noise fan, so the heat lingers in front of the lens. I tested this by placing a fan 8 feet away to move the heat away from the front lens. This worked so I know I have poor ventilation in this portion of my house, this does not mean the projector over heats or that it is hot, it is not; just that the exhausted air exits the projector at low pressure so it tends to linger. Good circulation in the room will alleviate this minor issue. No one else noticed this effect, but I am very critical on image quality and I tend to pick apart equipment and there flaws. This is not a flaw just an observation that I feel necessary to mention.
  
  I think this projector is a great investment as the replacement bulbs are only 350 bucks.
  With such a low price and high performance results this is the projector to buy for under a grand. I hope this review is helpful for you to consider this product. I am extremely happy with this unit and ultimately that is what it was designed to do, Enjoy...
  
  
  
• Great Projrctor
  By ASAW9YGVHZBVZ on 2007-09-09
  Just installed the HC1500 and I am very impressed. Watched 300 last night on upconvert DVD player and the picture clarity and detail were unbelievable. Setup was no problem and very easy - even without lense shift. Throw distance for 100" screen is between 11.9' and 14.5' feet, so there are limitations. This unit is perfect for ceiling mounting as I did in my basement. Can't wait to watch Sunday ticket in HD.
  
  
• Breathtaking, fantastic, wonderful
  By AZB5M9RK13DZR on 2007-12-10
  For the last few years, I've been laboring along with a nice Onkyo surround sound system, but only an antiquated (read: really nice five years ago) 27" CRT TV for a display. The effect was okay, but I've long been lusting after an HD solution. And based on flexibility and price, I decided on a projector.
  
  I had narrowed my list down to the two 720p projectors available for less than $1,000 - the Optoma HD70 and the Mitsubishi HD1000U - and wound up deciding on the HD1000U because it appeared to be brighter and have better color, as well as (let's face it, this is the most important factor) looking a little cooler.
  
  Well, the HC1500 replaced the HD1000U, and I received it as a surprise gift this past weekend.
  
  So, what's the verdict? Well, let's step back for a moment.
  
  Since I was caught unprepared, this was my setup:
  - my basement was not light-controlled - there was light coming in through the windows, and always a light on in the room
  - the projector was throwing onto a ragged old 4:3 projector screen (wrong aspect ratio)
  - the projector was elevated by sitting haphazardly on its own box, the front propped up by a DVD case (which horribly keystoned the picture)
  - since I don't yet have HD programming, or an HD-DVD/Blu-Ray player, all I played was standard definition content - primarily standard DVDs from a circa-2002 DVD player and original XBOX games.
  
  You would expect that in this situation, with the projector shown in the worst possible light (literally), that it would perform in a disappointing fashion. You would be wrong.
  
  Standard DVDs looked *fantastic.* Even inches away from the screen, the picture looks good - you can see pixels, but nowhere close to the degree I expected. At only a few feet from the screen, the picture looked incredibly crisp and vibrant.
  
  Back at the recommended viewing distance, the picture was unreal. Bright, beautiful, fantastic. I hesitate to say this, because this opinion might still be driven by adrenaline, but I actually think it looks better than a movie theater, without the faded colors that you typically see at most theaters.
  
  I've looked at projectors at places like Fry's and Best Buy (to say nothing of sports bars) and always been disappointed by how faded the picture looks. But even in my non-light controlled basement, with a lamp or two on, the picture looked sharp, rich and incredibly saturated.
  
  A standard-definition game on my original XBOX looks awesome too. Even Halo 1, which came out - what? - a milennium ago, looks breathtaking. I was only projecting a 77" screen (much smaller than the 106" I want to move to) but even so it was incredibly immersive. It was enough to trigger my wife's motion sickness, but both in Halo and in racing games, I felt completely sucked into the picture. I can't imagine what it would look like with an XBOX 360 or a PS3.
  
  I stayed up until 12:30 last night playing big-screen Halo, and I'm itchy to go home and mess around with the projector again tonight. I haven't felt that way about something like this for a long, long time.
  
  Even with the projector sitting on its box about a foot away, I couldn't hear the fan over the sound of the movies or the games. I expected something much louder, but I'm sure that suspended from the ceiling it will be almost unnoticeable even during quiet scenes.
  
  Given all this, I can't wait until I can actually use the projector in a way that shows it to its advantage - a new screen, a ceiling mount, HD programming, no keystoning. One potential downside might be installation trickiness - getting the cables where they need to go across the ceiling without looking too ugly, for example.
  
  Moving from a 13" TV/VCR combo to a 27" TV with DVD and surround sound was revolutionary for me five years ago - a complete revamp of how I watched TV. Tivo did the same for me two years ago. This has the potential to be a bigger step forward than either of those.
  
  I recognize the fact that this might be as much a review of modern projector technology as it is of this specific Mitsubishi. Perhaps it's simply because I'm new to the world of projectors, and would have been blown away by any projector, but I'm really struggling to describe how great this is. I was ready to spend $800 on one of these, but even so it is leaps and bounds better than I thought it would be. It is brighter, sharper, and quieter than I thought was possible.
  
  I honestly don't know what you'd get from a more expensive projector, or from a much more expensive plasma or LCD flat-screen TV. What's the point?
  
  
• Best Home Theater Projector On The Market.
  By A2FCD8XYLLYW2H on 2008-04-27
  Updated July 18, 2008
  
  Go ahead and read this but the HC1600 is now shipping. Specs are the same as this one but 100 lumens brighter. Take a look at it to! My Review for it is coming soon! Mitsubishi HC1600 720p DLP Home Theater Projector
  
  Apr. 27, 2008
  
  I am the lead installer for a company that installs RealHomeTheaters, so hopefully my experience can be of some help. I have installed 100s of projectors and at least 50% of the time we choose the HC1500. If you name a quality of a projector, this one has it. Great contrast, shadow detail, brightness the list goes on. To be used to it's potential it should be used with Component and HDMI interconnects only, any cable such as composite (the Yellow RCA)or S-video can't transmit the lines of resolution needed for the screen sizes this projector is designed to display. I have installed this projector with as large as a 135" diagonal screen, most people can't even tell they are looking at a 720p projector and not 1080p. I'll end with some good pointers:
  
  1. Don't go to big on your screen. (a good rule of thumb is your seating distance should be 1.5 times your diagonal screen size or less, (simple math / if your seats are 15' away from the screen, your diagonal screen size should be 10' or smaller, 120" or less)
  
  2. Control your room lighting. (the dimmer the better)
  
  3. Use quality video sources. (at least a good up-converting DVD player, we like the Onkyo DV-SP405 or for best results a Blu-Ray player, we like the Panasonic DMP-BD30, PlayStation3 also works. If you haven't already, get some HD programming form your provider, DirecTV has the best selection.)
  
  4. Set all the proper settings. ( All DVD players and HD receivers, including Blu-Ray, have resolution settings. For this projector set them to 720p.)
  
  5. Top it off with some good surround sound to create and enveloping environment. ( if your on a tight budget check out the Onkyo HT-SR800, if you have a bigger budget use floor standing cabinet speakers with at least dual 6.5" woofers and 100watts per channel, 5.1 or 7.1 will be dictated by the room.)
  
  6. Start buying widescreen DVDs. (16:9 and 2.35:1 are the two most popular widescreen formats.)
  
  I could go on for days but this should get you started in the right direction.
  
  The bottom line is you can spend more money on a projector, but in most cases all your getting is a more expensive projector. We have put the HC1500 up against 1080p projectors costing 5 times more and the difference is so slight that in most cases we can't justify going with anything else.
  
  Hope this helps get your RealHomeTheaters off the ground!
  
  
  
• Mitsubishi HC1500 DLP projector
  By A28C7ZZLDBIX27 on 2007-09-13
  This product was delivered about a week after I ordered it. I brought it with me to Afghanistan and it has lived up to expectations in using it here. It does not seem to be bothered by voltage fluctuations in city electricity and runs OK on our solar system (with inverter to boost current to 220v). The size of the picture is a little smaller than I would like, given the dimensions of the room in which it is used. However, these facts were not available at the time I bought the projector.
  
  
• great for HDMI movies ,okay for everything else.
  By A18B2SY5NT5Q76 on 2007-10-05
  the HDMI looks REAL GOOD with movies with an upscale dvd player and I can only imagine it gets better with true HD.Though with standard video sources and video games especially,there is ALOT of rainbow effect and with the lower resolution motion leaving much to be desired.It's nice and bright on all sources but it lacks warmth and a natural look.Digital cable looks pretty bad on this unit so if you are using it for daily watching I would highly suggest a plasma or lcd.To my surprise this unit runs REAL cool compared to the other projectors I have owned,it has front vents ,a dual fan intake/exhaust system that runs both really quiet yet really efficient in keeping things cool..great for both longevity and performance.The body of the projector looks real sleek and sturdy,standard buttons on top easy connections out back.My only gripe is that anything other then hdmi and it looks really grainy and dark,but then again it's not the projectors fault..it's image quality is only as good as it's native source.If everything came in HD it would be perfect lol but for standard tv watching I would almost recommend a 480p projector over this one being that though this unit may have extra resolution,it doesn't really matter anyways being that standard NTSC broadcast is about 480p standards anyways,though from the looks of things it looks more like 600X400 at best..which is pretty bad.Color and brightness is great,pictures are clear and crisp.Barely any pixalization at all.I highly recommend for movies/games in HD though for standard video I would suggest the Infocus IN72.
  
  
• Excellent, only one surprise
  By A1KBWWWLSLWG4D on 2007-11-22
  Beautiful display. OTA HD is stunning. Much better color than the one it replaced. Quiet enough that you have to look to make sure it is on while it is warming up. Don't mount it before you turn it on and see where the display is relative to the projector. I ceiling mounted it and the display was more than a foot below where the manual said it would be. Could have been my mistake, but take a couple of minutes to be sure.
  
  
• Problems with DLP?
  By A32DAK3IPN0J5I on 2008-04-26
  Hi, I got the Mitsubishi HC-1500 after a fairly long, though pleasant, search on the internet. Reviews for this toy were flawless, so I went for it expecting a great image quality. When I started to project movies from my laptop, a MacBook, I immediately noticed some problems on the way colors were produced on the screen. Colors seemed in continuous motion. Especially dark areas never looked still, the saturation seemed extremely artificial and the sharpness wasn't that great. After some research, I discovered that some people see the rainbow effect with DLP projector. Is that my case? Or perhaps I should have tried to connect through a video porto instead than the computer one? However, this latter point shouldn't seem that crucial (I might be wrong on that). If what I had is the "normal" image quality of low-cost DLP projectors, I am very surprised of their success. I had an old Chisholm (LCD) which, in spite of the horrible black contrast and low resolution, produced much more natural images than the HC-1500. I returned it after tried for a bit, and I have to say that AMAZON is, by very far, the most trustworthy, functional and modern online seller. No problems with the shipment, and hopefully everything will go smoothly with the return. Anyway, it would be great if anybody can give me some opinions on my comments.
  Gianluca
  
  
• Great projector / serious rainbow effect eyestrain for some
  By A1H41YMY3HJ7C9 on 2008-05-12
  This is a great projector with a beautiful picture, don't get me wrong, especially for the price! One reason for that low price may be, I have to add, that this projector is a one-chip DLP and has serious "rainbow effect" issues, meaning simply that it will cause eyestrain for some people upon viewing for more than half an hour. Not everyone will experience this problem at all, but be warned. Great picture and great deal otherwise. I had to return mine the problem was so bad, bought a 3 chip LCD projector at twice the cost and no problems since.
  
  
• AWESOME!!!!!!!
  By A370MYDEO8DQG8 on 2007-10-02
  you just cant go wrong with this projector, i have like a week with it and i love it. the quality of the images are just jaw-dropping. I`m projecting that into an almost white wall (no projector screen yet, actually i don't think i need it).
  
  You all can check the pictures i'm uploading here. If you looking a cheap way to get HD into your home, this is your best choice.
  
  
• reviewed a lot of projectors before buying this one
  By A1DTDC88NMCGFL on 2008-01-01
  This is my first projector and I have spent many an hour looking for the "right" one.
  
  After looking for at least 4 years at different projs, I had settled on 2-- the Panasonic AX200 and the Sanyo Z5. The pro reviews were great and I elected to buy the Sanyo, but I decided against it, and the Panasonic, after reading user reviews on various AV sites. Sounded like some problems may have carried over from previous models. So, I re-drew my list and came up with the 1500. Good pro reviews and user reviews.
  
  The projector is much brighter than I expected, especially in a dark room. The room where it is used has windows that take up about 80% of one wall and so there is plenty of light in the afternoon. But the projector is up to the challenge especially since I am projecting on a bare off-white wall. I definitely would have no complaints with a real pj screen.
  
  I have tried the s-video, vga and component cables and found they are all good (s-video being the worst, of course). The vga is much better than the s-video when displaying a downloaded movie from the computer. Component is great and I haven't tried the hdmi because I don't have the cables. By the way, you CAN use composite cables, video and audio, as component cables. It DOES work if you happen to have them around and they are of good quality.
  
  There is no rainbow effect for me and the colors are good. You kinda have to play with the settings to get the optimum look for the particular movie you are watching especially for "dark" movies.
  
  My projector sits about 12 feet from the wall and gives me about a 94" screen. I can sit it further back for a larger screen because my wall is a half wall. I like the larger screen that 14 feet gives me and so that may be my only wish--a shorter throw.
  
  The projector is quiet in low mode. The fan turns on is more audible in standard mode. In a completely darkened room or a dark room with ambient light, you won't need to up the lamp mode.
  
  My friend's love it and I think "movie night" with the neighbor's is going to be a permanent feature in my house.
  
  My final thought is that with my next projector I will concentrate less on the lumens and more on contrast and throw.
  
  
• Great deal and Great Product
  By AD9MWNZ6KCOS5 on 2007-11-17
  This is my 2nd home theater system. I had an infocus prior to this ...my lamp died so instead of buying a new lamp I decided to upgrade. This product came out of the box (I bought a ceiling mount from Best Buy) and I plugged in my component video, configured to display from the ceiling (very easy) and voila ... all worked.
  
  It has a great colors and is bright. I recommend this device.
  
  
• Excellent projector for home theater.
  By A2KU3C633D5MPH on 2007-11-26
  I had this projector only for 1 week. I don't even have screen, projecting on white wall.
  The picture is very bright, high contrast and rich colors.
  100" size makes you feel like a movie theater display (from 14 feet away and sitting at 12-14 feet range).
  Currently component cable via up-converting DVD player.
  Can't wait to pair with PS3 blue ray via HDMI.
  The projector is quiet and running in low-lamp mode it's very bright.
  
  
• a bachelors dream (or family man for that matter)
  By AO64IGMMH328D on 2007-12-03
  This projector is simply amazing. I have it projected on a regular white wall and the picture is great. It is great for watching movies. It is even better for playing Wii. Want to feel like you are in the stadium playing tennis? Get this projector. I only watch TV shows that I can get off I-Tunes so I am not familiar with the projector looks playing television signals.
  
  The only problems I had were mounting the projector. But that was no fault of this product; I just have no craftsman skills and I am in a foreign country and am un-familiar with their home supply stores.
  
  This projector is everything a young bachelor would ever want!
  
  
• Its only as good as the signal. Fantastic Blu-Ray picture.
  By AFOD3S6URDHYS on 2008-03-26
  The projectors great. The picture is only as good as the signal pushed through the projector. I am using a Samsung DTB-H260f HDTV Reciever and a Playstation 3. HDMI output goes to the PS3 and component to the HDTV Reciever. I have a window with blinds right beside the wall I am throughing the picture on and I hardly notice. Also, I have no screen, just a white wall and the HC1500 looks great.
  
  HDTV --- For some reason CBS(ch. 11 in DFW area) looks brilliant. NBC is a close second and ABC is OK for HD. Some of the smaller stations don't look so good, but work fine.
  
  PS3 --- This is where the projector really shines. Blu-Ray steals the show. DVD's also looks good as well. PS3 Games look very good.
  
  Bottom line. If your on a budget you can't beat the HC1500 performance. I have rented alot more movies after I got this projector. Watching movies and tv on a 100 inch screen is not a bad way to go...
  
  
• Great deal for the money
  By A1YC1OO8ROKSP0 on 2007-10-02
  I bought this projector for my father, and it has been a great choice.
  He is now the owner of a fantastic movie theater (located in a small living room with a white wall) and couldn't be happier about it.
  
  The projector has a wonderful image, and can be used during the day without any issues (it's pretty bright). We hooked it up to a small home theater receiver/DVD with HDMI and up-conversion, and the resulting image was great. We have not had the chance to test it with HDTV signals because there are none available there (he lives in South America).
  
  
• It's unbelievable
  By A15DKKHBNXTOFE on 2007-10-10
  When I first bought this, I was a little apprehensive. I don't have a screen, just an off-white plaster wall in my living room with a seam or two, and some nail holes thrown in for good measure. With that, and a fear of rainbows and mounting limitations (my ceiling is only 7.5 feet tall) I was expecting to be a little disappointed. How wrong I was.
  
  This projector is absolutely amazing. My friends and I are all shocked at how fantastic the picture looks! No one that has seen it has seen any rainbows, and I watch a lot of old black and white films! I put it on a coffee table, which makes any minor adjustments simple.
  
  My living room is 19' x 17', and I paired this with a inexpensive surround sound from Philips, and everyone that comes over for movies is blown away.
  
  
• A nice upgrade from the InfocusX1
  By A2YRCMEFWPUXTI on 2007-10-16
  I upgraded to the Mitsubishi after using and Infocus X1 for three years. The quality of the image is really good. I paired with a OPPO981 DVD player to upconvert those 480dvd's in my library.
  I was expecting a better and brighter image after reading all the reviews, but what surprised me is that the image is so much bigger than in the X1.
  
  
• I didn't know projectors looked this good.
  By AHQU53XP2MZMJ on 2007-10-23
  I had no idea projectors could look this good. This is my first, and I had gone to circuit city and other places looking at projectors coming away unimpressed so I wasn't expecting much out of the box.
  
  But I plugged it in and wow did it look beautiful. Right now I'm using it to type this review.
  
  Something that worried me was rainbow effect everyone was talking about. I've yet to see it. Maybe I'm not affected by it or maybe someone could point it out to me but I'd rather just keep my ignorance in that case.
  
  Very impressive, this is definetely the coolest thing I've ever bought, bigtime WOW factor.
  
  
• It get's better??
  By A3E1XH06WJWJ1P on 2007-11-24
  I've been glued to the plaster wall 4 the last week,that's when I recieved my projector.After figuring out how to get sound to go along w/ my picture (Bose SoundWave Radio),I came out to write my review,after reading a few opions about screens.Are you SERIOUS! a screen will improve my plasma-like 120"picture!!!For now who needs a screen or surround sound,I'm so happy! P.S.* HD content the Best*Reg.DishNet Ok*A Dark Room A must.
  
  
• One year warranty?
  By AI6174EV6YVVR on 2007-12-07
  I just got this projector and completely blows away my old Epson Powerlite S1+ in terms of brightness and picture quality. The best term I can apply to it is "Light cannon".
  
  You must be very careful if you are ceiling mounting it. I mounted mine where my old Epson was and the limited zoom barely gave me the large sized picture I was used to. Otherwise I would have had to move my mount and the accompanying wiring back a few feet.
  
  Everywhere the warranty is listed as one year. But the documentation on the side of the projector box lists the HD1000 at one year and the HC series (which I would think the HC1500 is part of) at two years.
  
  
• did i already say wow
  By A1YT47E2GS06KB on 2008-01-01
  my first pj ,i said to myself the image will be what the image will be. for the price i paid i can't ask for more . then i plugged it in made the connection to my sat dish and my xbox 360 with hd dvd player ,WOW times 10
  
  
• Very good projector
  By A1AN3HRD9H7G4F on 2008-01-12
  Overall the projector is very bright and handles most images very well. Only issues so far have been the warm up time (impatient children) and a little screendoor effect with watching football. Great value when you think of a 130" projector at 720p. Computer also looks great with games at 1280x1024
  
  
• 100" Television? HDTV on the CHEAP
  By A3CHWXTS5Y6SCG on 2008-02-03
  With the market flooded with what seems like innumerable television brands, I found myself vexed at the prospect of shopping for (and ultimately paying for) the type of monitor that would do my viewing choices right. Weeks and months reading review after review, window-shopping at what few electronic outlets we have here in Fairbanks yielded little in the way of a clear direction.
  
  Then I bit the bullet and dropped the dough (CHEAP!) for this little honey. I am fortunate enough to have 13 feet to throw and 100" diagonal free on a wall in my living room. I had a painter friend sand the textured paint off, hot mud and paint my viewing area with a Baer Cinema Screen Gray. POW. Done. All for less than $900.
  
  With my DVI-HDMI connecting my computer, and the HD Cable and DVD hooked to a $40 switcher, I now have a 100" picture that supports 1080p (720p is the native) that is a window into other worlds. No kidding. I am pleased as punch by this toy, and take every opportunity to show it off to anyone in my house.
  
  
• Excellant for the price
  By AJ1IHLHOM53MW on 2008-02-09
  Great home theater projector. HDMI input is nice, color quality is good. No visible rainbows. My only complaint is that the throw distance is a fairly long. To get a 100" image, you need 20 feet. Considering the target market (budget home theater), that's higher then it should be.
  
  
• Using for Games
  By A2DYYB2EXP6O93 on 2008-03-16
  Brought it principally to use with my XBox 360. It works perfectly. Setup is simple, simple, simple. Colors are saturated. Details in the display are excellent. As with any widescreen capability, there's an advantage in multiplayer games because you see more at greater distances. I'm completely satisfied.
  
  

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• Atdec TH-WH-PJ-FM Telehook Universal Projector Flush Mount
• Vantage Point CGUPM12-S Universal Front Projector Mount
• 25ft HDMI to HDMI Cable Premium Gold Series HDMI Certified
• HDMI Cable 2M (6 Feet)
• Projector Screen Manual 100"