Optoma was one of the first to crack the $1,000 barrier for 1080p projectors back in 2009, so we’re not surprised the company’s now taken aim at high 3D prices: Its new HD33 model is the industry’s first $1,500 1080p 3D projector. In a word, it’s a bargain, capable of surprisingly good performance with both 2D and 3D material. Yes, it’s got the usual inexpensive, single-chip DLP drawbacks, most notably the potential for rainbow effects, though the 3X six-segment color wheel and 120Hz frame interpolation technology may help mitigate the issue. And the projector lacks lens shift (the adjustment tool that lets you move the center of the projected image in relation to the projector itself so you don't have to place the box dead-center in front of the screen), so it may not work in some rooms. Still, if this projector can play nicely with your home theater, you’ll get surprising good performance, along with some useful features, including the ability to manually output 3D even from sources that lack HDMI 1.4a connections, such as cable and satellite boxes.
Another nice twist: As far as we know, it’s the first 3D projector to use sync via RF (radio frequency) with 3D glasses (not included), so no line-of-sight is required, as is the case with IR (infrared)-synced models. Find a comfortable position wherever you like.
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