Mitsubishi HC4000 Projector - Performance 3

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Art Feierman

Light Leakage

This particular HC4000 leaks a fair amount of light out the lens, mostly above it. While it isn't a critical amount, there is enough of it to mention. If you have a white wall above your screen (or below if inverted (ceiling mounted), you might notice on the darkest scenes. There is also a small amount coming out of side vents, however, it's not much unless you are right in line with the one narrow spot of light which is a touch bright. I imagine it would be enough to annoy someone sitting next to it and slightly below and exactly in the line of fire, but a few inches any way, would solve the problem, even if it exists.

Image Noise

Mitsubishi has done a nice job, or the processing they have opted for, is very clean. The manufacturers, and the companies supplying them with various image processing technologies, are getting awfully good at it. No worries, unless that's what you do for a hobby - go looking for image noise. That said, like most DLP projectors, there is a little more general noise than on non DLPs, but the Mitsubishi seems a little cleaner than the other lower cost projectors.

Audible Noise

The HC4000 by virtue of being a DLP projector, is noisy. That shouldn't surprise many. First, it's a DLP, and they tend to be noisier, than the other technologies. The HC4000 is a smaller projector, as well, making it tough to baffle the fan noise.

We don't measure audible noise levels, but I'd put the HC4000 in the mid-20 decibles in low power and probably about 30, one or 2 db higher, in full power mode.

For most potential owners, the audible noise should not be a deal breaker. Further, for those quiet movies, you'll probably have more than enough lumens in low power mode, where the projector is nice and quiet, and should offend almost no one.