Of all the new gear that has moved in and out of my home recently, the Stewart CineCurve ultra-wide projection screen has elicited the most enthusiastic raves from friends and out-of-town guests. When I play a widescreen high-definition movie on Blu-ray or HD DVD, I take a moment to pause the movie right at the opening scene, and point out the black bars at the top and bottom of the picture that are almost always there. Then, with a push of a button on my touchscreen remote, the projector’s vertical stretch feature pushes the black bars out of sight, an anamorphic lens moves into position in front of the projector lens, and motorized panels at the sides of the screen slide into recesses, exposing the screen’s full 2.35:1 aspect ratio—the ratio used for about 30 percent of widescreen DVD releases, according to Home Entertainment software maven Dennis Burger.

My guests’ eyes widen into saucers as they see the movie now presented to them in the original theatrical widescreen aspect ratio, and in razor-sharp 1080p resolution to boot.

Such 2.35:1 video projection systems emerged about two years ago, at stratospheric prices. But the cost of the electronics required to perform this feat has fallen precipitously—the vertical-stretch 2.35:1 image processing is built right into Optoma’s new $2,699 HD80 1080p projector. In the system I am using now, the projector costs less than the screen or the motorized anamorphic lens. Indeed, at the time of this review it is the least expensive 1080p front projector available.

The HD80’s low price means that some features found on higher-end models (such as motorized zoom and focus) are missing. The only one of these I really miss is lens shift. Having lens shift allows a projector to be placed at positions other than ceiling-mounting or table-top, say on a shelf midway up the wall at the back of the room. The HD80 clearly favors ceiling mounting, as the optics include a generous amount of offset, which allows the projector to be placed at a vertical height somewhat above the top edge of the projection screen and closer to the ceiling—a good thing.

However, the offset, which is not adjustable, works against tabletop mounting, because the further away from the screen the projector is positioned, the lower it must be. With the adjustable projector stand that I often use for reviews, I must lower the stand’s legs to their minimum height, which positions the projector so that the lens just barely peeks over the top edge of my loveseat.

The projector also has a bit longer throw ratio than most other projectors, which further impedes tabletop mounting but works in favor of ceiling mounting, allowing placement behind, instead of above, the primary seating position.

Compared with those of higher-end projectors, the HD80’s optics aren’t quite as sharp in delineating individual pixels, but the pixel structure is visible nonetheless at extremely close inspection. Single-pixel test patterns and super-sharp PlayStation 3 1080p graphics are sufficiently crisp without noticeable smear or line doubling. When I watch widescreen HD movies with the projector in vertical stretch mode and with the Panamorph lens in position, the pixel structure retains its uniformity, presenting a clear, crisp, and even picture. The image is brighter than I expected; Optoma equips the HD80 with a 300-watt bulb, twice the power of most budget projectors.

As with other Optoma projectors I’ve reviewed, the HD80 impresses me with its highly competent signal processing abilities. Using high-def and standard-def test DVDs, I run the HD80 through its paces and find that it acquits itself admirably, matching in some cases the results I’m used to seeing with much more expensive displays.

The upscaling from 1080-line interlaced HDTV to the HD80’s native 1080-line progressive is particularly impressive, with nary an artifact and lighting-quick detection and correction of film-based 2:3 cadences. While the HD80 does feature some picture enhancement modes, notably DLP originator Texas Instruments’ TrueVivid processing, I found that everything looks just fine with them turned off. Still, for some programs that may look a tad washed out, the TrueVivid function adds a nice amount of visible punch to the picture, and it never veered toward the cartoonish look that is often the case.

There’s no doubt that in the front-projection market, 2.35:1 widescreens mated with anamorphic lens and projector setups are all the rage. With the Optoma HD80 and the optional anamorphic lens and transport—mated with a 2.35:1 widescreen with motorized side masking (such as Stewart’s Screenwall Electrimask)—one can indeed assemble an impressive home cinema front projection system for around $15,000, which is about what a good 720p front projector alone sold for just a few years ago.

DESCRIPTION
Single-chip DLP front projector, optimized for ceiling mounting. Requires separate screen. Anamorphic 2.35:1 lens and motorized transport optional

DISPLAY CAPABILITIES
Widescreen 1080p DLP chip operates in 4:3 and 16:9 modes. Accepts 720-line and 1080-line progressive HDTV, 1080-line interlaced HDTV, 480-line progressive and 480-line interlaced signals, plus RGB WXGA (1280x768) and SXGA (1400x1200) computer video

RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080 pixels

CONNECTIONS
Two HDMI digital video inputs, component video input, S-video input, composite video input, combined digital/analog DVI input (can also be used for VGA input with optional adapter or additional HDMI input with optional adapter); 3.5mm jack for trigger port; RS-232 serial port

DIMENSIONS
4.6 x 16 x 12.2 inches (hwd)

PRICE/CONTACT
PRICE: $2,699
CONTACT: 408.383.3700, OptomaUSA.com