Mitsubishi HC3800 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities

Posted on October 11, 2013 by Art Feierman

Mitsubishi HC3800 Projector: Pros

Very good "out of the box" picture quality
Extremely good color accuracy post calibration in "best" mode Rich, saturated and natural looking color
Very good black levels for a projector in its price range, without a dynamic iris, and better than any lower cost projectors reviewed to date
Extremely sharp image
Bright: With almost 1000 lumens in "best" mode, this is as bright as you will find for a best mode, anywhere near its price
Projector lamp can be changed without unmounting the projector (door is on the top, though well hidden)
Very low cost of operation thanks to low cost ($299) long life lamp 3000/5000 hours, and a longer warranty than most similarly priced projectors (two years)
Full support for an anamorphic lens, including "mode 2" with no need for an expensive motorized sled for the lens
Interpolates 24 fps content to 48 fps
12 volt screen trigger
An excellent price/performance value - it's going to be hard to beat

Mitsubishi HC3800 Projector: Cons

Black levels, while respectable, are not a match for many more expensive projectors some of which are far better in this regard (the "ultra-high contrast) projectors
Noisier than the average home theater projector, though about average among DLP home projectors
The remote control is otherwise "respectable" but it's backlight is very dim
It is more expensive than several other "entry level" projectors
Although 24 fps is converted to 48 fps, other projectors offer up to 120 fps
Would like to see a better method of saving settings and modes
No lens shift, making rear shelf mounting (up high) impractical

Mitsubishi HC3800 Projector: Typical Capabilities

About average brightness in "brightest" mode
Menu layout
Styling - it's black and slightly sculpted, but "nothing to write home about"
Audible noise (fan noise for a DLP projector)

This Mitsubishi projector should make for a very good choice for the typical family room or bonus room. And, it's small enough to drag outside for those summer movie nights. Thanks, however, to the great picture, and lots of lumens, and surprisingly good black levels for it's price point, the Mitsubishi HC3800 should prove to be an excellent choice for the money, for most people. That should be true, whether multi-purpose room, or dedicated theater, and whether for a movie fanatic or someone who's just as into sports and HDTV as movies.

It's a great first projector for the money, for someone who just knows he's going to be hooked on home theater. Yet, makes just as much sense for the person who isn't an enthusiast, but wants a nice bright projector with a great picture, for a reasonable (and low) price. The last couple of years, Mitsubishi's entry level 1080p projectors have been 3LCD. While they had their strengths, this Mitsubishi would seem to be the most outstanding entry level 1080p projector (and least expensive) yet, from the folks at Mitsubishi!