Although best known in recent years for their LaserVue series of HDTVs, Mitsubishi has long produced a popular series of DLP-based home theater projectors, including last year's entry-level 1080p machine, the HC3800. Looking to up the ante, Mitsubishi's Presentation Products division used last week's CEDIA Expo event in Atlanta to unveil the HC3800's successor, the HC4000.
Built around Texas Instruments' DarkChip3 with BrilliantColor
TM chipset, the HC4000 is a 1080p DLP device capable of outputting 1300 ANSI lumens with an ANSI contrast ratio of 750:1. Consumers should note that this potentially unimpressive-sounding statistic should not be compared to the 100,000:1 or 1,000,000:1 "dynamic contrast ratios" being thrown around by many projector makers. Whereas dynamic contrast ratios tend to be more hypothetical, a display's ANSI contrast ratio - whereby white and black luminosity levels are measured simultaneously using a checkerboard test pattern - is often a more realistic and telling indicator of actual contrast capabilities. Kudos to Mitsubishi for using this measurement in its advertised product specifications.
Somewhat unique amongst entry-level home theater projectors is the HC4000's support for anamorphic lenses. The projector features "Anamorphic Mode 1" and "Anamorphic Mode 2" for switching between 1.78:1 and 2.35:1 content. Use of this option assumes that the consumer has installed an anamorphic lens system in front of the HC4000, an option not included with the projector nor offered by Mitsubishi. That said, support for such a setup will certainly be appreciated by CinemaScope fans operating on a tight budget.
Speaking of budgets, Mitsubishi is promising a low cost of ownership with the HC4000 thanks to the projector's estimated 5,000-hour lamp life. And while the unit's lack of lens shift will require a more considered installation plan, the HC4000 does feature a 1.5x zoom lens to provide some throw distance flexibility. As for proximity to the seating area, fan venting shouldn't present much of an issue thanks to the unit's 25dBA noise level during operation.
The HC4000 comes with a 2-year warranty and will be available from "popular online resellers and authorized Mitsubishi dealers" when it eventually goes on sale for $1,495. A specific street date has not yet been announced.
Read the complete press release at mitsubishi-hometheater.com.
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