If Optoma had a doppelganger, it would be Vivitek, which has also been slugging it out in the sub-$1,000 1080p projector market for the past couple of seasons. Come December it looks like that battle will leap into the 3D arena when Vivitek launches the H1086-3D, its first 1080p 3D model. Like the Optoma HD33, it’s a single-chip 1080p DLP projector with all that format’s pros and cons. And while the company pegged a $1,999 price tag to the model when it was announced last month, we’ll be surprised if its street price isn’t close to $1,500 when it hits.
There are some differences between this and the HD33. For one, it includes 2D-to-3D conversion circuitry that can create a 3D effect from regular 2D sources. Also, the specs tout a 2.35:1 option, which apparently works by shutting off some of the vertical pixels. And unlike the Optoma, this projector syncs via the IR-based DLP Link 3D technology, not RF, so choose your seat carefully. Oh — it also includes a built-in 5-watt speaker, though we hope you never have to use it.
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