Optoma promised, with the DH1011, a very advanced unit, that could deliver high-quality images, and had some surprisingly big features on a small unit. They wouldn’t be the first company in the world to over-sell a product, but they left me intrigued. Was it really that good? Or was it one of those projectors that promised the world, but ended up falling into the ‘pretty good’ category, with a bunch of other projectors? Or, is it something perhaps buyers should avoid? My Optoma DH1011 Review will answer these questions so that potential buyers will feel better informed before they make a buying choice.
PROS
- Full HD 1080P
- 3500 Lumens
- Advanced set-up features for a simplified and easy set-up
- 3D Compatible
- Great Sound
- Very good connectivity
CONS
- Rainbows when you enlarge the screen or use zoom
Overall Impression
Size and Design
It’s slightly larger than most portable projectors, but not so much larger, that it becomes harder to carry around. The measurements are 9.2 inches in length. by 12.8 inches of width, and the depth is 3.8 inches, making the Optoma DH1011 less thin than most portables, so more durable. At these measurements, buyers should be able to fit the DH1011 into a bag, or case very easily, and the weight isn’t restricting. The shipping weight is 10.4 pounds, but this is reduced to an out-of-the-box weight of 6.4 pounds, so what you have is a device that won’t be a burden. The design is rather attractive in its jet black, curved, oblong shape with big vents, and will look good in any room.
Performance
The set-up can be done in 15 minutes. Just follow the instructions on the screen, and it’s a pretty simple thing to complete. 15 minutes is ok, but not great when compared to other projectors on the market, which have set-up timed at 10 minutes or below.
The image clarity is the best thing the Optoma DH1011 has to offer, with full HD 1080p pictures, you can view movies, play games, or give presentations in terrific, vibrant colors, with smooth textures. The image quality is further enhanced by the inclusion of BrilliantColor technology, which means it has 6 color processing, that enables it to show colors in greater detail so images leap off the screen. The high contrast ratio means blacks and whites will be shown with crisp, fine, accuracy. This is particularly useful for presentations. where charts and graphs will be much easier to read, and text will not be distorted in any way.
Gamers will be interested to know that there’s also a 16 microsecond response time for an arcade-like game playing experience. While the DH1011 doesn’t have a ‘game mode’ this might not necessarily be a problem, with such high-quality images and responses. This response time is evident, when in 3D mode, where images look astonishingly good. The Optoma DH1011 is Full 3D, as opposed to 3D ready, which means it can display real 3D images when connected up to a 3D Blu-Ray player, or other 3D devices. 3D-ready devices can be connected in the same way, but the end results are images that are not quite 3D perfection.
It’s tough to find something wrong with this projector, and I thought perhaps the lumens would let it down, but it has 3500 lumens. This means you don’t have to draw the curtains or close the blinds, even on the brightest of days. With portable devices like this, buyers want to take them out into the garden for movies, and with the Optoma DH1011, you can watch movies and play games in the mid-afternoon without any problems.
It’s very difficult to find a bad thing about this unit because even the 16 Watt speakers are excellent, but there is somewhat of a ‘rainbow’ problem. When you enlarge the screen or use the zoom, some distortions, including color spots can occur in the corners of the screen, and although this is not hugely bad, it’s worse than most other projectors on the market.
Final Verdict
The DH1011 oozes quality, with 3500 lumens, for viewing on bright days, Full 3D, Full 1080p HD, fast response time, excellent contrast ratio, superb DLP technology, high portability, and an easy set-up, you’re getting a wonderful device. This is provided you don’t mind color distortions on a large screen or when using zoom. If you do, then it’s not for you, but you’d be missing out on what is a wonderful experience.
