Optoma HD8000 and HD80 DLP Home Theater Projector Review - General Performance-3

Posted on October 15, 2007 by Art Feierman

Optoma HD8000 Remote Control

One notable difference between the HD80/HD8000 and their more expensive brethren, the HD81 and HD81-LV, is the remote control. I really like the blue LED lit remote for the more expensive Optomas. I'm less enthused with the remote provided with the HD8000.

On the plus side, this Optoma remote has a fairly bright backlight. On the downside, the range of the Optoma remote control is rather limited. I can never manage to get a good bounce off my screen with this Optoma remote series. So, when watching in my theater room, with the projector about 16 feet from the screen, and about 4 feet behind me, I have to point the remote over my shoulder. With most projector remotes I don't have trouble with this type of distance.

Of course a slightly smaller screen and room, cut down your firing distance, but I stlll count it as a minor pain.

OK, let's quickly run through the features.

Top left, all alone is the Off/On switch (press once for on, and two for off). Next come six buttons that provide direct control for Brightness, Contrast, Image-AI off on, iris control Gamma, and Brite mode.

Right below them, are the image shift up and down buttons.

Then comes the classic arrow key configuration with a center Enter button. Just below on the right, is the Menu Button, and the Preset mode button is opposite on the right.

Overscan and Edge masking are just below.

After some space, you get four buttons for different aspect ratios. And lastly, six buttons for the six HD8000 inputs!

Click Image to Enlarge

The layout overall is good, but I find the menu button, even though easy to find by feel, to be very small and wedged between the arrow keys and the Overscan button. My guess is that Optoma doesn't expect consumers to spend much time in the menus, with so many direct access buttons above. For a reviewer though... too much time is spent in the menus.