Customer Reviews

Optoma HD700X 720P Home Theater Projector, Black

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Wow, no reviews on this! Ok, so I have not bought it from here, but I do own one of these. First of all, features, tech and the like 3 stars and the price, one extra star. So, this product is great, with drawbacks obviously.

1. I think it is really light compared to many other projectors of the same features and so makes it easier to carry around.

2. I live in a dorm, so the brightness is less of a problem, but obviously during the day time, you will be out of luck. Also, if you are considering it for 'home entertainment' then I'd recommend use of another projector since this one is not really that bright. But for a single normal room, it is ok.

3. The support for widescreen is awesome. Perfectly fits 1080p resolutions too, with 720p quality ofcourse.

4. Fits perfectly on the ceiling with a cool hybrid flip.

5: you might find that sometimes the noise can be a problem. It will be quite but will get loud after some time of using it.

6. The PRICE kills it :)

Hope this clears out a few questions.

Pros: Size, weight, DLP, cheap replacement bulbs (compared to other projectors,) backlit remote (you wouldn't believe how many budget projectors lack this basic and absolutely necessary feature)

Cons: Limited contols, limited installation adjustments (you have to measure precisely), hard to find reviews and information on the web.

Before the review, the product I ordered and recieved is the Optoma HD700X. This is a 720p HD DLP Projector. The packaging and shipping were the usual fine Amazon Service. I'm a Prime member, and this product was shipped on time, and in good order. The package contained projector with bulb installed, tethered lens cap, warranty and instructions, backlit remote with batteries, power cord, and composite (single yellow RCA) cable.

If you search the web for info, there is very little. Maybe because the projector is a UK product, not intended for sale in the USA. I could be wrong, but there is NO information on the Optoma USA site as of this review, but there was the standard brochure and user manual on the UK site.

This is my second projector, my first being a 720p LCD Hitachi PJTX100, a very popular model at the time. I now have some limited experience with both technologies (LCD, and now DLP.)

- Size, asthetics

The size of the projector is compact, the appearance a pleasant glossy black. Imagine a good size thesaurus or expensive bible. Definitely much small than I expected. Half the size of my current projector. Very lightweight.

- Performance

It has performed remarkably well, with no obviously discernable rainbow effect. I watched two hours of Hulu over d-sub (computer monitor cable) just now with no eye irritation or headache like some people complain about. I'm photo sensitive to bright lights, but even with the contrast and brightness up, it's pleasant to watch. I ordered a new HDMI cable but it hasn't arrived yet. My old projector used DVI, and the HD700X has no DVI port.

- Specifics

The product description on here shows a contrast of 4000:1. The product documentation shows 3000:1... that's a big difference. Not to say that it's got low contrast. As far as I can tell, the blacks are plenty black.

- Installation

I installed on the existing shelf of my old projector. This is inadequate. While you can use this on a shelf from in front or behind the screen, rightside up, or upside down, it's going to be best suited hanging upside down from a proper ceiling mount. I'm ordering one after I write this review.

I'm viewing a 100" (diagonal) screen from 10.5 feet. Download and use the guide from the UK website... there is very little room for error or adjustment. The zoom is attrocious... very few degrees of zoom. At 10.5 feet, I can gain maybe 6 inches +/- of screen space. Measure well, AFTER you have purchased and installed your screen.

There is no manual horizontal or vertical shifting like with decent LCD projectors. There is however a slight electronic vertical and horizontal shift control good for about 4 inches all directions, so it's plenty for fine-aiming the picture, IF you have measured properly and are within your range.

The picture quality controls are very basic, almost kid friendly. Simplistic compared to my old projector with multiple profiles and color calibrating options. The controls are straitforward and easy to access.

If this is your first projector, it will be a godsend. It makes it very easy to adjust the color variation of your screen to your liking. I like cooler colors, so I adjust the blue gain up a bit, and pumped the blue bias setting 2/3rds of the way up. This gave me an almost "TV" like picture from low-res (280p) Hulu... that's saying a lot!

The backlit remote is brilliantly lit bright blue. Almost blindingly so... too bright actually. But, it's better than no backlight at all, and as silly as this may sound, it is a feature missing on 4 other projectors I was considering buying before I ordered this. Hey projector companies... it's almost 2011... put a backlight on your remotes.

I will update this review when I get the HDMI cable and test it out.

If you're on the fence on whether this is a good deal or not, just buy it. It's a steal for what I paid, and the thing dropped 15 bucks two days after I ordered it. I've owned both kinds of major technology, and this is preferable to the LCD in my opinion.

If you have any questions, I'll check back here every few days until I update about the HDMI cable.

I have Previously owned 720P Acer Ph530. It died after 2 years of pretty heavy use and I waited for a good price on something comparable.

The HD700X is essentially the HD65 with slightly lower lumens and a little less contrast. That being said, If you are watching at night or a light controlled environment, this PJ has plenty of brightness for whatever size screen you want to throw at it. I recommend building one from Durotherm plastic wall board from Menards. ( $30 ) Pick up a $20 universal mount from Monoprice.com) If you have high ceilings, you will have to modify/extend it a bit.

The black levels are relatively poor, but still better than a $2000 unit from a few years ago. You will only really notice this if you are used to watching on a much better projector that cost 3 times as much. Perhaps a movie with lots of dark detail may be a little underwhelming, but for the average user, it is FAR from a deal breaker. If this is your first PJ, you will be blown away, as will any friends who are not videophiles. The sharpness seems to be a little better than my Acer.

As others have noted, it is not silent. For a small entry level PJ, that is par for the course, although the HD700x may be on the louder end, it is acceptable and pretty much forgotten about/covered up when watching a movie.

Its image throw adjustably is very limited. With a little planing it is no problem, but make sure you have the lens almost exactly centered to your screen (left to right) as the digital keystone will not move the image much.

Its biggest flaw is detecting the DVI (computer cable) input. For whatever reason, mine only finds the signal after 2 or 3 tries. HDMI is fine... haven't tried the other inputs.

If you can find this one for >$100 less than the HD65, go for it.

I paid $390 for this projector on Oct 25th, 2010. I see that it is out of stock now. The projector arrived on the 28th and it works perfect. I love it. I use the projector only for watching movies and playing video games at night. I read some reviews that complained about the noise. I only noticed the noise at first (fan), and then it drowned out as I watched the movie. It's nothing. Really. Don't let that hold you back from buying this projector. The price just can't be beat. I've watched two movies on it so far, and I've played about 4 hours of video games. There is nothing like a projector. Flat-screen TVs will never compare to the feeling that a projector gives. Again, you should know that I only use this thing at night to watch movies and play video games. I love it. I would buy it again. I recommend it to anyone. Good luck in your decision making process. I know this isn't a top-of-the-line model. So, I made sure that I got a good deal on the price. And, the 720P is good enough for me. The clarity is amazing. The 1600 lumens is good enough for me at night too. I could not be more happy with this purchase. I researched projectors for over a year before buying this Optoma HD700X 720P. All the best to you.

This is my first home projector- I like a projector which I use at work daily, an old Epson projector that in my view works great. I wanted to find something similar for a reasonable price. The Optoma HD700x was a great choice for the price, given the quality of image you get. Here is what I like and dislike about the HD700x:

I LIKE the HDMI input: I bought a projector screen based paint for my wall and it really enhances the image quality I get from the Optoma, good clarity pictures. I tested the HDMI with my macbook, pc, and xbox... the image quality is excellent and the colors are brilliant. I tested the DVD quality and was satisfied with the image.

I LIKE the compact size and light weight of the Optoma HD700x; I like the backlit remote, user friendly menus, the shortcuts to settings on the remote.

I LIKE the fan... I have not heard any loud noises from the projector... it works quiet and smooth.

What I DISLIKE about the Optoma HD700x is not having any sound output when using the HDMI input. For example, I get a better picture quality when I use HDMI with my xbox but I cant get the sound out... so I have to stick to VGA so that I can output the sound to my mixer. The projector has an input for sound but I cannot get any sound out of it... I do not know yet if it's a settings fix...

The verdict: the Optoma HD700x has all the features I personally was looking for and I am happy with it... but, I still wonder 'how could this formidable machine not have sound?'.

First of all...you should not rate a product YOU DO NOT OWN! You're not providing a service, but a disservice. Let consumers educate themselves to the potential problems and any hidden costs.

I actually purchased 2 of these since the price was right. I'm thinking of using them for a polarized 3d set-up.

As for the product itself...

smaller than I expected

lighter than I expected

brighter than I expected (much brighter)

sharper...etc. (and a bit louder too, but not unbearable)

When I got the picture focused...I laughed. I could not believe how great it looked on a bare wall for such a low price. It's throwing from about 12' for a 6'x4' or 90" screen in a small bedroom.

Bottom line...ignore the ignorant reviews. If the price is still awesome, you can't go wrong with this projector.

As with "Nice Jeff", I upgraded to the Optoma HD700X 720P Home Theater Projector, Black from the InFocus 4805, which needed an expensive bulb replacement. Hooked up to my Oppo 980, the picture is a very noticeable step up from 480p (it oughtta be!). Again, the only caveat is a bit more fan noise than I would prefer, but certainly not enough to ruin our movie-viewing experience (and certainly not as much as the 4805 had).

Coming from my Infocus 4805, I must say, I absolutely am Loving it!! Black are darker than I expected. High definition blu-ray movies truly look amazing. It certainly has surpassed all of my expectations. Way to go Optoma!!

Cons: Fan noise is there but not loud enough to be bothersome..

The projector worms up fast and detects the HDMI without a problem it's small and light. The caveat; It has no speakers so you would need external speakers and even though they say the native resolution is 720P it defaults automatically to 800x600 so high definition movies are a theory only. Edan Aharony

I do not own one of these projectors. But I think if one purchases this you would need to know the life of the projector bulb.HD700X Bulb - Optoma Projector Lamp

HD700X Optoma Bulb Replacement without cage assembly

HD700X Optoma Bulb Replacement

Projector Bulb Replacement

180 watt Projection Bulb

List Price: $337.61

If the life of the bulb is short this is a very expensive purchase!!!!!!