Optoma GT1080Darbee: Diverse Short-Throw Full HD Projector

Need a versatile projector with the short throw, large screen, good brightness, flexible connectivity, and don’t want to spend a fortune? Then, the Optoma GT1080Darbee will definitely top the list. This 180p projector features the high contrast and bright lamp, can be used in a small condo apartment or in the backyard, has full 3D compatibility, and is easily adjustable.

The projector can be used for different purposes including gaming, TV- and movie watching, screen mirroring, etc. It’s very responsive, has good speakers, and is promised to last for long.

Design

The grilled sides and front panel, large lens placed in a half-open funnel, and side connection ports make the GT1080Darbee stand out among many of the competitors. The focus control wheel and the navigation buttons are located on the top and are well outlined for easy operation.

The projector is quite compact is 12.4 inches wide, 8.8 inches deep, and 4 inches high. Its low weight (just 5.5 lbs) lets shift it around easily to find the optimal placement. The included remote has the ergonomic shape and protruding buttons that can be backlit for navigating the projector in the dark room.

Features

The primary highlight of the Optoma GT1080Darbee review is the proprietary technology of image processing and enhancement called Darbee. The DLP technology ensures good contrast and deep blacks while the Darbee mode produces more small detail and textures. The projector supports the 28,000:1 contrast on the 1-million pixel screen of the native Full HD resolution. The 3D is supported in two modes and can be produced through both HDMI ports (version 1.4a).

The Optoma GT1080Darbee manual shows the projector has a long lamp life varying from 5,000 hours in the Vivid mode to 8,000 hours in the Dynamic Black mode. The brightness makes 3,000 lumens in the dark room. The projector can produce the image from 30 to 300 inches; with the short-throw technology enabling the 100-inch screen from just 4 feet distance.

The connections are versatile including the HDMI, audio and video RCA ports, 12V trigger, and USB for power. The HDMI connections are MHL-compatible. The wireless connection goes through the relevant devices enabling the TV and movie streaming and screen mirroring with mobile devices. The integrated speakers have 10W capacity and produce the mono sound. The input lag makes 16ms, and the projector’s noise is usually below the 30 dB.

Performance

The high contrast of the Optoma GT1080Darbee projector combined with the sRGB color scheme results in a balanced and detailed picture. The Darbee mode activated, the shades become deep and distinct, the gray uniformity is very high. Whites are solid and don’t feature cool hues. The color mapping is very accurate, with distinct highlights.

The 3D image is full and balanced, with a little of “blur artifact”. The 3D picture preserves the high resolution and detail, and vivid color. The brightness is generally even over the screen making the picture vivid and natural.

The Game mode provides highly dynamic and bright image especially with the Darbee mode on. There’s almost no flare produced and the motion is consistent and sharp.

The Optoma GT1080Darbee 1080p projector works well with multiple sources including Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, streaming devices, etc. The sound produced by the device is quite loud though doesn’t feature much bass. The working noise is very low and is audible only in the silent scenes.