Mitsubishi HD1000U High Definition 720p DLP Home Theater Projector
By: Mitsubishi Average Rating: 5.0 Total Reviews: 51
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 On: 2008-05-28
Mitsubishi HD1000U High Definition 720p DLP Home Theater Projector
Yes, you can pay $3,000 and more for a DVD HD projector for your home movie theater. But, why? This moderately priced projector has great bright throw (see it in sun-filled room) and satisfying definition with settings for different screen aspect ratios. Easy to set up and connect to program source, DVD or TV or tape. Handsome package, too. Compact and neat. Enjoy.
On: 2008-05-10
This was my third projector and what a difference! If youve only seen 4:3 (not widescreen) business projectors and think it cant compare to an expensive flat-panel HDTV, think again! I have the image of an 8-foot plasma in my living room! It does not do miracles - if you feed it a crappy (standard definition) signal, you can crappy results (although better than it looks on my super-high res. computer screen) but when you feed this baby HD (which I do from my computer and HD-DVD player - yeah I chose wrong in the format war) its the most immersive, cinematic experience Ive ever had in the home. Sounds crazy, but maybe more cinematic than in the movie theater, because my blacks are better and its crisper!
Speaking of black levels (not wanting black to really be medium gray as happens often with business projectors) I rate this as mid-range in home theater projectors. There are lots of better projectors for black levels, if thats really your obsession, but few at this price and as far as I know, none that also offer this much brightness! In the day I dont have total light control and the image is still VERY watchable, because its a bright unit. Contrast is the main thing to suffer - colors are a bit washed out, but its not like its hard to see whats going on. Shadow detail is where the DarkChip 2 really shines. I never have to wonder what Im missing in the shadows any more.
As for the resolution, theres a lot of marketing these days about Full HD as though to imply that 720p is Half HD or something. There are 2 High Definition specs, 1080i and 720p for broadcast television. Blu-Ray is 1080p (but at a slower frame rate) and a third spec. I feel the jump from standard def up to 720p is greater than the jump from 720p to 1080p. 720p is the sweet spot for value. I will eventually have a 1080p projector so I can go even bigger (12-feet?) and not see pixels and have the best possible resolution, but 720p is definitely HD and looks like it and does a great job with 1080i also. I have spend many many hours with a 1080p 52" television and I have a 30" computer monitor thats double the resolution of 1080p. There is a difference, but its totally diminishing returns for those looking for the value sweet spot. That spot is 720p at this point in time, and the Mits is the best lower-end 720p on the market at the present time.
If you can get away with the installation (which means you have ceilings between 76" and 10" high) and you dont want to spend a ton of money, this is the projector for you. Just be sure to feed it a HD source as much as possible and youll be pleased.
 On: 2008-04-27
I am the lead installer for a company that installs RealHomeTheaters, so hopefully my experience can be of some help.
This is last years model. The newest version is the HC1500. The new model has a few up-grades vs. this one.
1. Brighter ( 100 more lumens)
2. More Contrast ( 2500:1 vs. 2000:1)
3. Price Drop (until everyone decides to blow these out)
Hope this helps get your RealHomeTheaters off the ground!
On: 2008-03-11
Ive been using this projector for over 6 months now and have had no problems with it. I have it mounted to the ceiling using a VANTAGE POINT CGUPM12-S Universal Front Projector Mount mount and it works very well.
We have over 250 hours in low lamp mode. High definition sources through HDMI look especially great ( XBox or High Definition DVD player ) when compared to regular definition DVD.
The one con is that it is 720p max but I wasnt ready to pay several times more for 1080.
The one bit of advice - get a real screen. Your wall just wont do no matter how badly you want it to.
Were I to create my home theater room again, I would definitely buy this projector!
On: 2008-02-25
I have studied this projector for a little over a year and it is my understanding that this is a great projector. I only wish that Electronica Direct wouldve sent me the one I ordered. When I ordered this, they sent me an older version. A projector thats still nice but isnt as good and when I looked it up it was cheaper than this one. So, HEY ELECTRONICA DIRECT!! YOU OWE ME SOME MONEY BACK!!!
;) Enjoy your day.
On: 2008-02-10
It was an incredible product, movies show up superbly, and after using my Xbox 360 and placing that on HD, the games showed up amazing, and playing Guitar Hero 3 and rock band, neither needed to be calibrated and the picture quality again, incredible, I would recommend this projector to anyone. You can not beat the price.
 On: 2008-01-03
I am not a tech buff but know great visual details when i see one. From a purely laymans point of view - this projector is really amazing for its price. I saw a regular copy of Pirate of the Caribbean (It was not even HD) and the quality was freaking amazing... i love it. I def recommend this projtor. (Just so you know that i am a very fastidious person so if the picture was not good i would not have recommended it.) Now sure how much better a high end projector can show. This one is amazing for $899.
I have heard that the quality depreciate if you use a 50 ft DHMI to DVI because i have a 20 ft throw distance and with ups and downs..50ft is fine. According to all reviews the quality was suppose to be bad. Mine is great.
However, I discover that buying a projector is not like buying a TV. It is def not just a plug and play. You have to take the size of the Screen into consideration, get cables that can meet from your computer/DVD to the projector and set it all up. To the technologically brain dead as me, it was kinda hard.
On: 2007-12-21
After deciding to take the HD plunge my friend recommended getting a HD pj instead of an HDTV. You get a much bigger picture, thats portable/adjustable, and at a much smaller price.
This was one of the first projectors that came up when I did a projector search on Amazon. After reading the reviews I was really interested so I looked for more information/reviews about it outside of Amazon. I couldnt find anything negative about it.
Amazon also had the best price. I got a refurbished one from their warehouse and its perfect, like new! It was here in like 2 or 3 days with the free super saver shipping.
Anyway, I have hooked everything up to it (my xbox, vcr, dvd player) but after hooking up my PS3, thats about all I use now. Blue-ray movies and games in HD is just amazing! Even on low-lamp mode with some ambient light, it is plenty bright, almost completely silent, and doesnt make the room any warmer (I have mine ceiling mounted). The remote and menus are super easy to navigate through/use. I thought it would be complicated, but its as easy to use as my tv. The next thing to buy will be a screen, but it looks really good on my white wall for now!
The only drawback on projectors is that you have to control the lighting in the room to get the best picture (in the daytime with sunlight pouring into the room the picture will get washed out). So I have to close the curtains, but at night you can have a light on somewhere in the room and its still good (as long as its not pointing at the screen).
You wont be disappointed with this.
On: 2007-10-17
My 1st projector { OPTOMA ) broke down after 3 years, so I upgraded to this 720p unit. I also bought an inexpensive up scaling dvd player ( DENON ). With the HDMI connection I can watch my old DVDs in simulated High Definition. This Mitsubishi is a fine product for the price - Recommended
On: 2007-08-23
Great 720 projector, lots of kinds of inputs, good picture even in a moderately-lit room (on drywall or a bedsheet, havent tried with a screen). I only have two complaints. One problem is that it doesnt have a very wide zoom range, so you have to move the projector to change the size of the screen more than a few feet. The other problem is that, if youre not ceiling mounting it, you have to set it upside-down on top of something tall, because it automatically projects upwards. The power button is located right where it rests when upside-down, so it turns itself on and off when you dont want it to, unless you set it up so that it doesnt rest on the power button. It can also be hard to adjust the tilt when its set up like this. If you get it ceiling mounted, you can probably avoid all these problems, or if youre okay with it being on the floor, since it has adjustable legs, but then you have to worry more about walking in front of the projection. Overall, its a really good projector, and Im glad I bought it. Just a few minor fixable annoyances.
On: 2007-08-08
Bought it last yr and the moment i connected to the DVD player the pictures is amazing without any tweaking to the factory setting. To max out the hidden potential of this pj you may require Avia disc to calibrate the picture quality in terms of contrast, sharpness & colour.
Have no regret getting this awesome projector and watching at home with my 80" screen is truly unbelievable.
Wait no further and jump into the bandwagon to get it and see it for yourself
On: 2007-08-04
Forget about going to the movies, STAY HOME with this projector. I was debating on purchasing a bigger 47" flat screen tv but not anymore. This projector with a home theater surround system is all you need. Anyone with small children, know that going to the movies is nearly impossible but this brings the experience home. 5 stars for the quality of the picture and price.
On: 2007-08-01
Ive had this projector for about 6 months now, a good break in period, and I have to say Im about as happy as possible with this product. Almost everyone I have over says "I didnt know projectors could do that!", which I think is the real reason they havent taken off more...people just dont know what theyre capable of. Let me say first off, that the picture quality is as sharp if not sharper than most 1080p tvs Ive see, its amazing watching hdtv or the hd/blu ray movies they have out that actually take advantage of the technology. The projector hookups are pretty much exactly like a tv as far as what you can plug in. This projector has component and hdmi hookups on it, another thing some people dont seem to understand is that is pretty much like a television. Ive had a few people mention that they didnt know you could watch t.v. shows on a projector, ("you need a t.v. to watch t.v.!") :p On to pros and cons
Pros:
1. Awesome price
2. Relatively Quiet
3. Amazing Quality
4. Compact
5. Huge screen size
Cons:
1. Dont ask me the details, but due to the type of projector this is, it cant produce a "true" black color, so when you have this projector on youll notice a black trapezoid around the picture itself that varies depending on how you have the picture adjusted.
2. Not a con for this projector, but all projectors. Have to have a way to mount the projector and display image. Yes, you can put it on a table if that happens to work, and display the picture on a white wall, but a screen and stand or mount help a ton, and the addition of the two can run you anywhere from $80 total, to a couple grand. That being said I spent about 200 for a entry level screen and good quality stand, and it works just fine. Someone mentioned it may not be possible to set up this projector everywhere. Not really true, you can find adjustable height/pitch stands that will make set up in almost any room possible.
3. Bulbs burn out eventually, so youll have to buy replacements, and theyre not exactly cheap.
Overall, you cant go wrong with this for the price as long as you can get through the setup. Treat this with care, and be prepared to be amazed for years to come.
On: 2007-07-31
This arrived in less than 1 week! It is incredibly quiet. I cant believe some reviews say it interfers with the movie. We are beginners in home theater and not tech savy, but this makes us looks like a professional theater!. Even with DVDs that are not HD it looks great. We run it on low lamp and it is plenty bright. We are so glad we got this one.
On: 2007-07-26
I have had this projector for about a month now and I love it. It has a great picture even on my painted wall. It is very quiet and is very easy to setup. I have Planet Earth on blue ray that I have been watching and it is amaizing through this projector.
On: 2007-07-21
I bought this because of all the good reviews it received and because I like Mitsubishi. This thing looks amazing, even though I havent bought a screen and am only shooting it onto my wall. I have a screen a little over 100 inches and HD movies look amazing. DVDs look great too and I have it hooked up to my computer with a DVI to HDMI converter cable. Computer games really come to life on this thing.
On: 2007-07-20
After doing quite a bit of comparison shopping on the Internet for a quality projector at a budget price, I settled on the Mitsu HD1000U 720p projector. Though I considered the all-in-one units with built-in DVD and speakers, I could not find anything with HD quality, so went for this stand-alone unit and use it with my DVD player and home theater sound setup (or at times, well hook it up a portable DVD and wireless speakers and project on a sheet for some really cool outside home movie nights with our and the neighborhood kids).
We have been nothing but pleased by the results on this projector. Picture quality is superb - so much crisper than 480p at screen sizes > 50" - and worth every bit of the extra coin youll shell out to upgrade from a 480p projector. I love the flexibility of being able to show movies or live HD content on it, and everyone who has seen it raves. I can get quite a nice picture in a darkened room on a 100" 16:9 screen, and even have gotten good results projecting on a white sheet for outside family movie nights. The projector even does a respectable job with Xbox 360 HD gaming, though as always you will get better results in a darker room than if you have full lighting.
Image throw is decent for this projector - to fit a 100" screen I set the projector roughly 11 feet back, and usually have to raise the back of the projector quite a bit (though the adjustable feet make this a snap). Runs quiet enough not to distract even in quiet movie scenes, and the only small criticism I can think of would be the good amount of heat this projector generates (though the front exhaust manages to keep the heat away from anyone sitting near to the side or behind the projector, and the heat does not affect the image). Running it on a table or hard surface (avoid sitting it on a couch or pillow) is safest.
The sub-$1,000 market for HD DLP projectors is getting very competitive, and you can certainly find comparable units for around the same price or slightly more (e.g., the Optoma), but the Mitsu more than holds its own against pricier competition, and has been rated slightly higher by some of the projector review websites. It will be interesting to see if Mitsu or someone else eventually comes out with an all-in-one HD unit at this price point - but for now this is a fantastic unit. You wont be disappointed.
On: 2007-07-13
Let me just say that the HD1000 looks amazing. Im a computer nerd, gaming addict, and a movie / technology junkie... and Im blown away. Eveyone that has come over has been shocked at the clarity and price ( $ 864 )
Ive had my HD1000 for a week and I still cant wait to find more HD programming. The Discovery Channel HD looks the best in my opinion. The series "Planet Earth" looks stunning.
Someone commented on how the HD1000 has limited optical adjustments and such. That IS TRUE. I had planned to mount my HD1000 about 7 feet up on the wall, sitting on a shelf. After fiddling with the settings for a while I realized that I needed to either.
A.) Get a Ceiling Mount (haha yeah right... im not paying for that)
B.) Move my shelf higher so that the projectors feet were almost touching the ceiling (yes its upside-down).
C.) Find a place in my apartment that would allow me to view a 100+ size image in peace. ( No way )
Sooo.... Its a little wierd that my projector is upside-down on a shelf.... but hey... it works perfectly and I made the shelf with 20$
My throw range is 14 Feet. My projected image is 115 Inches Diagonal. Its like having my own personal movie theater.
Buy one... you will be pleased that you did
On: 2007-07-04
Others have said this product has a high "wow" factor when you first see the quality of the images it throws. I certainly agree. Ive had it about three weeks now. I also bought a oppo upconverter dvd player for 140 bucks - which plays standard DVDs but boosts resolution to near HD. Connecting to my HD1000 using HDMI cable, I was up and running in no time and watching movies in breathtakingly high quality. Ive got a older five channel receiver and run the audio thru it from my oppo DVD player with just the red and white rca connectors....audio is great too that way. I use a polywall screen (piece of white vinyl matted wallcovering I bought at home depot for 17 bucks) Ive placed the projector upside down on my own handmade mount(long bookshelf holders so room for ventiliation behind essentially with projector placed between em)just below ceiling and throw image 12 feet across the room - I get about a 43 x 96 inch image ....perfect quality with no keystoning needed. I also bought HD tuner card (cats eye) and now receive local Hd channels thru my PC over the air with no cable...and "wowee" does this true HD image look great(range of colors/clarity/detail wow and wow) thru my HD 1000 to my wall screen...... I did all this for about 1200 - a system youd pay 5000 for normally or more. as good or better than plasma or large lcd tvs and image bigger for sure.... The only problem Id caution you about is that its a bit tricky turning the darn thing on and off and making adjustments when linked to other devices... PC must be off and turned on after projector... DVD must be turned on first and then projector. If you change aspect ratio....and your DVD player has different settings too...even more confusing...etc etc etc...keep manual on hand for help here...but again small problems given how great it works otherwise.
On: 2007-07-03
After reviewing this and its competitors, ie. epson, infocus, optoma, panasonic, sanyo and benq I decided to go with this mits. It had the longest throw (which I needed) and brightness. Plus the good reviews gave it a warm fuzzy that it does indeed live up to its specs. Like many of the reviews here, it fired up perfectly out of the box and gave an excellent picture. Ive not had to tweak it much at all, if any. If youre still on the fence, this is one of the best value for money for a 720p. Period.
On: 2007-06-29
It was all the reviews I read that made me lean toward buying this projector and now I have it, Im glad I listened.Its everything you want in a projector and the price is excellent for what you get.Turned my lounge room into a movie theater overnight.Get yourself a surround sound setup and then buy this baby and no movie will ever be the same
On: 2007-06-27
Not much to say about this projector except that it is outstanding.
Straight out of the box the colours are crisp and true. Nothing
better for the money and I have actually tested its main compeditors,
the panasonic and sanyo.Trust me and buy this projector.
On: 2007-06-25
Like many other reviewers I did a lot of reading and research before I made a purchase. For the price, I paid $864, you cant beat it. Since all of the 1080i projectors are extremely expensive at this time the 720s are the way to go, and most of the experts are saying that the difference between the 1080 and 720 are minimal. The picture with this projector is very bright even in the "low lamp" mode. I have the projector mounted on the ceiling. Just make sure you follow the directions and mount the projector the recommended distance from your screen for whatever size screen you have. There are websites that have projector calculators that will assist you with this if necessary. If you can get an AV receiver with HDMI output then all you have to do is run the HDMI cable and the power cord to the projector. Couldnt be easier than that. Im using this projector with the Onkyo 674, also purchased through Amazon, and couldnt be happier.
On: 2007-06-16
Wow! Out of the box, plugged in, hooked up the video to my DVD player, hung a sheet from the ceiling and watched a movie! Fantastic! Cant wait to get to work on the final destination for this awesome projector. I sat next to the projector - it was on high - didnt even notice it. Planning to use it for a presentation next weekend before mounting it in my soon-to-be home theater. Its actually quite light, very bright, and easy to adjust. Dont hesitate to put off your screen choice until you have a chance to play around with distance and size. A sheet does a really nice job in a pinch!
On: 2007-06-12
No more problem watching video under day light even in low light mode. Replaced X1 easily.
On: 2007-06-11
After reading lots of reviews, this projector seemed the perfect combination of price and quality. I was not disappointed. The picture on a 100 inch screen looks fabulous. Setup was a breeze. The unit has remarkable color out of the box. After a month, I still have not bothered to calibrate the unit, it just looks great.
Even with some ambient light sneaking into the room during daylight, the picture looks great. I usually keep the unit on LOW lamp mode and I am very happy with the brightness.
Its an all around great unit.
On: 2007-05-27
Great deal. Great and simple look. "Sharp" option is not active on HD1000 HD video projector and that is only complain.
On: 2007-05-23
As a first-time buyer of a projector, I wanted the maximum value for my money and did not want to compromise on any aspect of picture quality-- brightness, color, resolution, features, and clarity. I got all of these in astonishing measure with this projector, all for under a thousand dollars. I simply placed the projector on top of my 4ft tall bookshelf, 12ft from the wall. I get a 100" picture so clear and bright that I can watch with windows open even on low-lamp mode. I bought 50ft component video cables on amazon for $25. This projector is every bit as good as the reviews claim, and all my research shows this is the best projector in its price range. I was a little worried when the contrast ratio was not listed under specs but found that the picture leaves nothing to be desired. Friends who have seen it are amazed. Recommended to go with this would be a DVD player of high resolution, 720p or higher with HDMI cables, and also I could suggest a projection screen from Optoma of 1.8 gain for high contrast reflectivity for best picture. I project onto my white wall and get theater qualtiy as is. I could not be happier with this purchase.
On: 2007-05-15
After looking for a month for a projector , I got this after reading the online reviews. Im not rich by any strech of imagination so I do a lot of searching before I buy anything above $500. Glad I chose this one.
It can connect to your computer , HDMI enabled compliances , video output from your 5 year or more old VCR and component output from the more expensive devices. Im watching movies which are projected on a wall (Im still searching for the screen!) and even then , with the lights on in my living room, I feel like Ive been transported to a theatre.
Its not the portable type so do not buy it if you want to use it for your presentations when you are travelling. Having said that its also not too bulky either to be an eyesore in your living room or basement.
It comes with the cable which can connect it to the computer but the cable to connect to anything else is something that youll have to buy for yourself (HDMI and Component video).
Overall a great buy. Im sure there are better projectors out there but within what I can spend , this is the best. Give yourself a gift and get this. Its worth every hard earned dollar that youll spend on it.
On: 2007-05-14
Enjoying the projector..good image and no sound from projector. Best purchase in this range .
On: 2007-05-13
I am **very** happy with this product and can recommend it unhesitatingly. The picture is bright (bright enoguh to watch with all the lights on) and the colors are **amazingly** deep, rich and vibrant. This is my first DLP so I dont know if all DLPs are so deep & rich but this is phenomenal compared to the LCD it replaced.
Installation (ceiling) was not a problem -- some have said theres not a lot of "play" in positioning it to fill the screen, but I didnt have a problem. The specs are in the manual (available online) and are worth reviewing before you buy it.
Mine cost about $900. Amazing value. I cant see how any other projector costing $$thousands could give me anything better than this.
On: 2007-05-09
I paid over $3000 for my first projector and this one is better. If you are looking for a home theater projector for under $1k - THIS IS THE ONE TO BUY. You will not be disappointed!
On: 2007-05-05
I looked at many projectors, and did a lot of research before settling on this unit. When the price dropped below $900, I bought it. I couldnt be more pleased with my purchase.
The image is sharp, the colors vibrant and the shadow detail is very good. Everything looked great right out of the box. After I tweaked things a bit for the difference between broadcast TV and DVD the picture even got a little better - and the projector remembers your settings so you dont have to tweak them every time you switch between inputs - nice.
My home theatre room allows for a ceiling mount, and the instructions explained how to configure the projector for this - no problem.
For the best picture, invest in a good screen (I have a 92" Grey Wolf)
Youll also so a big quality jump is you use an upscaling DVD player (you can get a good one for less than $100) and an HDMI cable.
Like most folks, Im waiting to see who wins the Blu-Ray/HD DVD Battle.
I was able to get the projector, the upscaling DVD player and the long HDMI cable for a little more than $1,000 right here on Amazon. I got the ceiling mount from an eBay vendor for about $25.
If my eyes arent deceiving me, and Im figuring right, it would cost at least another $1,500 to see a significant increase in image quality.
On: 2007-04-20
I did not buy from Amazon because they did not have it before X-mas 06 - but all I can say is WOW - for the price you cannot go wrong, my small home theater is almost complete 12x14 and this thing is a light cannon - I can watch sports with low lights no problem - movies in the dark are fantastic - Kids love to watch discovery HD and even my wife who was sceptical records and watches all her HD shows in there now. I am projecting on a 96" DIY screen made out of white vinyl from Home Depot - just add a 5.1 surround speaker system and you will be impressed - I have not even bothered to calibrate anything yet, everything is right out of the box -
On: 2007-03-25
Well I did a bunch of research before purchasing this projector. I was a little leary as there is no location local to me that carries the thing so I was never able to witness it in person before ordering but no one seemed dissapointed. And I can still say I know of no one that is. This is an amazing projector for the price. Even with only a progressive scan dvd player the picture if phenomenal. The crispness is exceptionaly clear on complex scenes (Lord of the rings) or color differences (Sin City). A superb product and a great price.
Have not tried the HDMI interface yet however. No real plans to either until the timing issues have been worked out in the standard. So cant say how good the image is off that yet.
On: 2007-03-23
I looked at more than 20 projectors in stores, most costing lots more than $999. Im *very* pleased I bought this one. I have no disappointments. Its as bright as any of the others listed at 1500 lumens and provides an outstanding viewing experience on my (also cheap, but maybe not as good of a "value") 100" Elite VMAX motorized screen. I think you could get something that was 20% better - but it would probably cost you 100% more.
On: 2007-03-23
Simply great, great picture , easy install, beautifull design, and all for this price ....
On: 2007-03-21
The image of Playstation and Video are excepcional. Im my room (that isnt big - 3.5m) I have a screen of 89.
Excellent choice
On: 2007-03-20
When my wife gave me the green light to build a home theater, I started my intense research. It was my first venture into the HD world. 720p, 1080i, 1080p....what does it all mean? After extensive research, price comparisons and pros/cons we evaluated, we settled on a package deal for the HD100U, 25 component, 25 HDMI, mount and 92" screen.
We have our projector mounted 12.75 feet from our 92" screen.
The brightness of this projector is amazing. We run it on the low lamp mode and it is still great. When on the low mode, the fan noise is very low and unheard once your sound system is on. In dark and light scenes, the picture is always good. I put Into The Blue on and the colors of the ocean and reef scenes is stunning. In sports and high action scenes with quick, bright flashes (War of the Worlds) it has instantaneous response.
Due to the lower contrast, you should have very little ambient light in the room. I have 2 encasement windows in my basement and must cover the one closest to the screen or it bleeds in. This may be true of all projectors from what I have read. If getting 15000:1 contrast means thousands more, it is definitely not worth it.
We did upgrade our screen to a screen by Elite Screens and as a gray tone. Even with this upgrade, our package was under $1400 and well worth it.
CONCLUSION: 1080 i or p is not worth it at this point given the cost of the projector. For under $1000, you can own this projector. When enough sources are broadcasting 1080p, the cost of those projectors will be more realistic and a switch can be made at that time, whenever that happens. Since installing this, I have had 4 other people see it and make plans to order it. I think that speaks for itself.
On: 2007-03-14
Im really amazed about the quality of this projector,
vivid color & nice contrast ,
you will not regret
On: 2007-03-11
I have had this projector for about 6 weeks now. I have it projected onto an Elite matte white screen in a darkened basement. Image is bright and clear, even if a lamp is on. Infact I dont really see much difference between low lamp mode and standard lamp mode so I keep it on low.
I use my PC to do everything on. Initially I connected via DVI to HDMI with success, although some games didnt show up as having the suitable resolution 1280 x 720mm. I used TheaterTek and FFDShow to upscale reg DVDs and the picture is sharp. You can use Zoomplayer too.
I also purchased the Xbox 360 HD DVD player and hooked it up to the PC via USB and to the projector via VGA and the picture was even better - the 1080i source was downscaled to 720p very well and even my wife was impressed. Beauty about using a PC is I can use my 7.1 channel sound card.
The menu controls are easy to use and offer good adjustments of color/contracts/gamma etc, although default settings are fine. You can also adjust vertical and horizontal position of screen.
I have my projector on a coffee table and sit about 15ft back. Throw is about 18" from the floor.
I imagine projecting onto a 150" screen would be fine as it seems to throw out enough lumens.
I noticed that when I switched to using the VGA connection all my games showed a greater range of resolutions, strange - but that is great news. My games look good now, not as detailed as my LCD monitor but it is good to play on the large screen.
My Pc makes more noise than the projector- very quiet.
I would recommend this projector whole heartedly
On: 2007-03-09
Pretty sweet. Did a lot of research for the best home projector under 1000 bucks. The Mitsubishi won. Its not without flaws - its a little tricky figuring out why certain aspect ratios arent available from different inputs - the manual is useless for this. Also, the focal range is a little limited, in terms of placement. But most importantly, the image is crisp, the colors are bright and correct, the contrast is pretty damned good, and I must say, its pretty good-looking. If you want a movie theater in your house, which is so awesome it hurts, this is a great way to start.
On: 2007-03-04
Pros:
Great color. Brightness great. Noise unobtrusive. Takes whatever input I have to feed it.
Cons:
Could have included better cable selection. Have to buy component cable set for DVD and a much longer S-video cable for TV and digital camera. But cables are an individual decision as to what is needed in what length. Including cables would have required Mitsubishi to read my mind and know my layout; an impossible task. So they made the right decision. Leave out cables and charge less for the unit. Cables are cheap at Amazon, anyway. Also, projector could be smaller-lighter, but it is about the size of my slide projector, and is lighter.
Buy this and dont look back. I can even use it in ambient roomlight, although it is better in the dark. You will not regret the purchase. Some reviews complain about lack of lens shift. No problem with me. I love this projector.
On: 2007-03-02
I actually dont have this product but Im really interested in it. I had just one more question that the product details dont comment on...
How well would it work on a 150" or higher screen?
If any of you know that for sure, I would really appreciate it.
Other than that, I have found all the reviews here very helpful.
Thank you.
On: 2007-02-10
The Mitsubishi HD1000U produces an outstanding image that compares well against projectors costing quite a bit more. As a DLP projector, its black levels are superior to LCD projectors while the color accuracy is a bit off (though more than acceptable). My previous projector was an Infocus X1, a first-generation DLP model. The HD1000U produces a cleaner, higher-resolution image, that is noticeably brighter than the X1. In fact, the HD1000U is substantially brighter than many other home theater projectors on the market and will work well in a room with moderate ambient light. Mine is installed in a room with moderate ambient light from several large windows, and produces an adequate image in midday sun. With the window shades pulled, or at night, I have to run it in low lamp mode to avoid eye discomfort.
Audible noise levels are extremely low when in low lamp mode - in fact, the noise from my heating/AC ductwork is substantially louder. High lamp mode is somewhat louder but still quieter than the air filter one room over. Connectivity options are about what youd expect from this price range and are fine assuming you have an AV receiver capable of switching component video or HDMI. Build quality is outstanding; the projector feels nice and solid and finished in matte gray that blends into most decors without a problem. My only gripe here is that replacing the lens cover tends to shift the focus control.
Id be remiss if I didnt discuss the one limitation of the HD1000U - its installation. In the vast majority of rooms you will need to ceiling mount it. Because of the vertical offset of the lens, the image will appear substantially above the lens centerline when placed on a table, or substantially below the lens centerline when ceiling mounted. For most reasonably sized rooms with a 10 foot plus throw distance, this will restrict you to either ceiling mounting or having the projector only a foot or two off the floor. In my living room, with an 11.5 foot throw distance, the projector is mounted upside down on a shelf approximately 7 feet off the floor. I have high ceilings, so this is not an issue, but be aware that if you have standard 8 foot ceilings in large room, installation may be quite difficult. The built in zoom is not much help, and there is no lens shift option like Sanyo and Panasonic offer. My parents have a Panasonic 700 installed in their basement home theater (with a low ceiling) and I doubt that the HD1000 could be installed in the same space. Various websites offer calculators that will compute image location given projector placement; you would be well advised to check installation requirements ahead of time.
In summary, though, if you can fit an HD1000U into your space, there is not a better projector to be found within $500 of its price. As a final and not insignificant bonus, the light engine in the HD1000U is completely sealed. There is quite literally no maintenance to peform on this unit after it is installed, until your first bulb replacement at 2-3000 hours. Not only does this avoid the hassle of the 100 hour cleanings that youll find on most other projectors, you can also rest easy that the optics will never accumulate dust blobs and require a factory service.
An outstanding buy, just remember to check the installation requirements ahead of time.
On: 2007-02-07
I just got the projector last night and had it setup in a flash! The color out of the box was excellent and I found the controls easy to use. I did find it for $899 with free shipping on another site when amazon still had it out of stock.
I watched a little bit of Emerils, the latest episode of Studio 60 and about half of the second Pirates of the Caribbean.
The standard def picture from dish network dvr had minor artifacts in dark scenes but otherwise looked great. The standard dvd of Pirates was superb on component cables, bright and crisp. From other projectors I have used I was most impressed.
I do not find the remote back lighting dim like some other reviews on different sites have stated...
So far I am very happy, I will try to update the review in a few weeks!
*****
2/20/07 So I finally upgraded to HD cable and I am absolutely blown away at the image quality... The colors are amazing and the picture so clear you could be looking outside. I was happy before but now I am ecstatic...
On: 2007-01-18
This is a very nice projector. Excellent for connecting to computer or PS3 or XBox360 or Dish/Cable. Six feet away -- you get a nice 16:9 image of 50inches. 12feet away leads to a very nice and bright 108inch image.
On: 2007-01-18
I am very pleased with the picture quality especially while watching High Definition. I have had it ceiling mounted at a 15 ft distance projecting it to a 100 inch diagonal screen and it works with very minor adjustments.
On: 2007-01-15
I just install my HD1000U in my already existing setup. I previously own a Panasonic PTAE700u for a year and a Sharp Z2000 1080p for the last 3 month (It has blown and i got a refund).
Been not that impress by the sharp 1080p picture, i decided to buy a cheap 720p, giving time for 1080p products to get better and cheaper. I settle my choice on the HD1000U after reading various reviews. What a good surprise!
The picture quality is way better than the Panasonic which i paid 3 time more in july 2005. Here is a sumary of my short viewing test (got it for 2 days now).
- HDMI - hook to a PS3 in 720p
Amazing details, Taladegas Night Blu-Ray Disc impress with rich, perfects colors and a pretty good Black level. I did not do a side by side comparaison but, to me on my 120 stewart screen, this look just as good as the Sharp 1080p. (i did not test the PS3 on the Panasonic, so i cant compare)
-COMPONENT- hook to HD-A1 hd-dvd
This is the best source hook to the projector. Details are even better than the PS3 and again, its as good as the Sharp 1080p, for 1\\4 the price.
-VGA- hook to Dell XPS m1710 media center
Now, this is the weak point of the projector. Picture is a little bit pixelized and focus is not even on the edges.(i have minimal keystone correction) Panasonic LCD was better here and the sharp 1920x1080 was not in the same league, as expected. Artifacts can be seen in web browsing and applications but was not annoying on media center and DVD.
-SVIDEO- hook to expressvu 5800 PVR
Surprise! This is a very good projector with standard definition material. No jagged edges like the Sharp and Panasonic and very good contrast. Picture look better than the upconverted Media Center tuner. With my previous projectors, i had to go trough MCE to watch TV because the internal scalers were bad. Now its not the case anymore.
I might keep this wonder for longer than i tougth, sure its not 1080p, but who care if you cant tell the difference and put 3000$ in your pocket! This is the first time that i buy a product that is not at the top of the line and it end up been my favorite buy of the last 5 years!
Go ahead, buy it!
UPDATE AFTER 100 HOURS OF VIEWING ;
I still love this projector! I even found some way to make it better.
First, for my computer problems, i solved them by changing the refresh rate in windows, it was at 60hz and i put it to 85hz. Picture is now sharp on the entire image.
Second, with my previous projector, i always used the econo mode to save lamp. But after some testing back and forth, i must said that this one must be kept in normal mode if you want good contrast and colors.
On the minus, i have to admit that its a little bit noisy after 3-4hours of use. The fan spin at max until i turn off the unit for an hour or two, but you should note that the mitsu is mount at 6 inch from the ceilling and back wall with not much air circulation. Also, if your room is like mine and you are seating almost under the projector, there is some light that escape from the front slots wich distract when there is dark scene.
But i still think that its way better than Panasonic LCD and that you cant go wrong at that price, man its cheaper than a no-name walmart plasma! What can you ask more!!
On: 2007-01-13
I recently built a home theater. The Mitsubishi HD1000u was the final component installed and the heart of the system. WOW! I cant believe the brightness color and clarity of this projector. High definition pictures jump right off the screen. They almost look 3-dimentional. Im using a Carada 118 inch brilliant white screen, viewed at 16 feet and its unbelievable. This projector is an unblievable value at 999.00 it preforms like projectors costing 3 or 4 times as much. It was easy to setup too. I highly reccommend this projector to anyone. -Milton Moss-
On: 2007-01-10
Also Published in The Reader Weekly -- Duluth MN Jacob Pederson (.....)
It took Microsofts Xbox 360 to finally get me hooked on High Definition. Having given up broadcast television long ago, the prospect of sifting through commercials again to get at HD content was unthinkable. The ability to upscale my DVDs to the higher resolution was nice, but not enough to get me to make me take the plunge. However, when Mitsubishis HD1000U squeaked below one grand last month, I could no longer resist the lure of experiencing Microsofts 720p resolution games ten feet wide.
So what does the Mitsubishis 720p resolution really mean? In computer terms, thats 1280 horizontal pixels by 720 vertical pixels, equivalent to 60 one-megapixel digital camera photos per second. At 720p, youre still only partway up the rungs of high definition, but its still a stunning improvement over traditional television. With a 720p video source, details like blades of grass, leaves on trees or even eyelashes will be clearly visible. Like all high definition resolutions, the Mitsubishi runs at 16x9 aspect ratio. Since nearly all media is now shot or rendered in widescreen, this shouldnt be an issue for most content; however, if you watch a lot of older movies or television shows keep the letterboxing in mind. Rectangular 4:3 ratio content can either be stretched out into widescreen or shown with black bars on either side by the Mitsubishi projector.
As with any digital home projector, setup can be very difficult for the novice. For example, the size of your viewable area is controlled directly by the "throw" distance between the screen and the projector. To make matters worse, the HD1000Us offers very little adjustment range for throw distance, so exact measurements will be required. This means that unless your home theatre is the exact length of the Mitsubishis throw distance, a ceiling mount will be required. This is a considerable disadvantage, but well balanced by the projectors amazing color and contrast.
After considerable measuring and wrestling my projector into the ceiling mount, I was ready to put the Mitsubishi through its paces from every video source I had available. First, I tried out the Lord of the Rings DVD played on a PC and connected through the Mitsubishis VGA port. I immediately had a bit of trouble; the projector didnt display its own native resolution correctly. No amount of tweaking or manual reading corrected the problem. A small portion of the screen was cut off. Strangely, a slightly higher resolution scaled downwards automatically and worked fine. On the other hand, the picture quality results were absolutely stunning. This is just about the best that a DVD projected onto a ten-foot screen can possibly look. Especially notable were the color response and excellent detail in dark scenes. I got similar results playing DVDs on the Xbox 360 connected through the component port (with none of the scaling resolution problems I had on the VGA port).
Next, I tried a few games on the Xbox 360. This was the first 720p content Id ever seen on a ten foot screen, and I was completely floored by the quality. Personally, I found the biggest difference to be the depth of a rendered scene. I found myself easily identifying objects or characters that would have been only one pixel high on an ordinary television. The older console game systems also faired very well. Unfortunately, every game system except the 360 required the purchase of an additional component cable to access the resolution doubling progressive scan mode. Even the Playstation 2 gets a considerable visual boost by switching to the newer cables. Color is better represented, while screen distortions and blurry edges common in the older composite cabling are gone. Another problem was controller cabling. Because the Mitsubishi sits at the back of a room, youre going to need extension cords or wireless controllers to reach your seating area.
Finally, I needed some full resolution 720p movies to watch. Unfortunately, both the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray HD players are way out of my price range. Until the price drops down to reasonable levels and it becomes clear which format will replace DVD, Ill take option three. Microsoft recently introduced a pay-per-view movie rental system that downloads over an ordinary Internet connection right to my Xbox 360. The price is a bit steep at six dollars a pop for a three day rental of a 720p movie; however, it was worth it to test out the Mitsubishis performance at its full resolution.
The movie was Unforgiven, and the popcorn was hot. The difference wasnt quite as jaw-dropping as the 720p games were, but the detail change was still very noticeable. It took me a few days to figure out exactly what the problem was. Modern filmmakers are heavily influenced by television; they love close-ups. The wide shot and the medium shot are rare beasts in modern film. DVDs already have plenty of resolution for the close-up, but HD doesnt begin to shine until the camera pulls out.
Overall, despite the limited throw distance adjustment and spotty VGA support, the Mitsubishi HD1000U is an amazing buy. It is peerless in picture quality, brightness, and resolution for its price range. Grade: A-
On: 2007-01-09
Also Published in The Reader Weekly -- Duluth MN Jacob Pederson (.....)
It took Microsofts Xbox 360 to finally get me hooked on High Definition. Having given up broadcast television long ago, the prospect of sifting through commercials again to get at HD content was unthinkable. The ability to upscale my DVDs to the higher resolution was nice, but not enough to get me to make me take the plunge. However, when Mitsubishis HD1000U squeaked below one grand last month, I could no longer resist the lure of experiencing Microsofts 720p resolution games ten feet wide.
So what does the Mitsubishis 720p resolution really mean? In computer terms, thats 1280 horizontal pixels by 720 vertical pixels, equivalent to 60 one-megapixel digital camera photos per second. At 720p, youre still only partway up the rungs of high definition, but its still a stunning improvement over traditional television. With a 720p video source, details like blades of grass, leaves on trees or even eyelashes will be clearly visible. Like all high definition resolutions, the Mitsubishi runs at 16x9 aspect ratio. Since nearly all media is now shot or rendered in widescreen, this shouldnt be an issue for most content; however, if you watch a lot of older movies or television shows keep the letterboxing in mind. Rectangular 4:3 ratio content can either be stretched out into widescreen or shown with black bars on either side by the Mitsubishi projector.
As with any digital home projector, setup can be very difficult for the novice. For example, the size of your viewable area is controlled directly by the "throw" distance between the screen and the projector. To make matters worse, the HD1000Us offers very little adjustment range for throw distance, so exact measurements will be required. This means that unless your home theatre is the exact length of the Mitsubishis throw distance, a ceiling mount will be required. This is a considerable disadvantage, but well balanced by the projectors amazing color and contrast.
After considerable measuring and wrestling my projector into the ceiling mount, I was ready to put the Mitsubishi through its paces from every video source I had available. First, I tried out the Lord of the Rings DVD played on a PC and connected through the Mitsubishis VGA port. I immediately had a bit of trouble; the projector didnt display its own native resolution correctly. No amount of tweaking or manual reading corrected the problem. A small portion of the screen was cut off. Strangely, a slightly higher resolution scaled downwards automatically and worked fine. On the other hand, the picture quality results were absolutely stunning. This is just about the best that a DVD projected onto a ten-foot screen can possibly look. Especially notable were the color response and excellent detail in dark scenes. I got similar results playing DVDs on the Xbox 360 connected through the component port (with none of the scaling resolution problems I had on the VGA port).
Next, I tried a few games on the Xbox 360. This was the first 720p content Id ever seen on a ten foot screen, and I was completely floored by the quality. Personally, I found the biggest difference to be the depth of a rendered scene. I found myself easily identifying objects or characters that would have been only one pixel high on an ordinary television. The older console game systems also faired very well. Unfortunately, every game system except the 360 required the purchase of an additional component cable to access the resolution doubling progressive scan mode. Even the Playstation 2 gets a considerable visual boost by switching to the newer cables. Color is better represented, while screen distortions and blurry edges common in the older composite cabling are gone. Another problem was controller cabling. Because the Mitsubishi sits at the back of a room, youre going to need extension cords or wireless controllers to reach your seating area.
Finally, I needed some full resolution 720p movies to watch. Unfortunately, both the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray HD players are way out of my price range. Until the price drops down to reasonable levels and it becomes clear which format will replace DVD, Ill take option three. Microsoft recently introduced a pay-per-view movie rental system that downloads over an ordinary Internet connection right to my Xbox 360. The price is a bit steep at six dollars a pop for a three day rental of a 720p movie; however, it was worth it to test out the Mitsubishis performance at its full resolution.
The movie was Unforgiven, and the popcorn was hot. The difference wasnt quite as jaw-dropping as the 720p games were, but the detail change was still very noticeable. It took me a few days to figure out exactly what the problem was. Modern filmmakers are heavily influenced by television; they love close-ups. The wide shot and the medium shot are rare beasts in modern film. DVDs already have plenty of resolution for the close-up, but HD doesnt begin to shine until the camera pulls out.
Overall, despite the limited throw distance adjustment and spotty VGA support, the Mitsubishi HD1000U is an amazing buy. It is peerless in picture quality, brightness, and resolution for its price range. Grade: A-
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