ThemeScene HD70 review

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Verdict:

Review Date: 2 Feb 2007

Price when reviewed: £680

Supplier: http://www.cvsmedia.co.uk

Reviewed By: Roger Kirkwood

Our Rating 3 stars out of 5

Review
Specs

In the introduction we said the word that best describes the projector experience is 'big'.

ThemeScene's HD70 is the exception that proves the rule. Small on size and satisfyingly small on price, it should tempt anyone who thinks they haven't the room or cash for HD home cinema. ThemeScene is Optoma's brand for home devices, and the HD70 is so small you could tuck it in a drawer when it's not in use. It's ideal for a city apartment, but the image produced is big enough for much larger rooms as well.

It's a massive £269 cheaper than its nearest rival, which leaves a lot of change for buying films on DVD. It also shines a glaring light on the price asked for both the InFocus and Toshiba projectors.

So what do you get for your money? It might not be the best here, but it's certainly not the worst, either. Cinema mode gave a good picture for lights-off viewing, but it was the Bright mode that really impressed. It can quickly boost a night-time scene without destroying the picture, so it's also great for viewing with room lights on. We noticed a more pronounced rainbow effect than with other DLP systems, and subtle tone changes tended to become stepped, but overall the ThemeScene is superb value.

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