What Hi Fi Sound and Vision
19 AUG 2007
SIM2 HT380
For a manufacturer, there are two ways to deal with the downward spiral in pricing afflicting almost every component in consumer electronics. Either you go with the flow and cut prices, or you try to swim against the tide by improving your product’s quality.
SIM2 follows takes the latter option, with the result that the HT380 may seem familiar to anyone with any experience of SIM2 projectors, but internally, it’s a radically upgraded design.
As you’d expect at the price, the SIM2 provides Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, courtesy of Texas Instruments’ Darkchip3 chipset. It also makes full use of the same company’s BrilliantColor technology, one key element of which is a new colour wheel using the regular red, green and blue primary colours, plus cyan, magenta and yellow segments.
It’s this, together with a ‘Unishape’ lamp, that marks the biggest advance in the SIM2’s performance next to its rivals. In essence, it has superior contrast, more brightness and better colour realism than ever before.
An extraordinary picture
For a single-chip DLP projector, the HT380 has an extraordinary picture. Even after calibration, images have phenomenal punch and vitality, while strong colours have dramatic, richly saturated consistency.
The HT380 isn’t cheap, and it’s true you can get similar resolution from other kit, but this is certainly a very special design. You’ve got to see one.
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