Acer H5380BD Home Entertainment Projector Preview

In a world where 3D is dying and 4K is the new darling of the display industry, it would seem that releasing a new 1080p projector would not make the news. But what if someone released a 720p projector? Of course, the first question you might ask is, "What, why?"

The answer would be, "Because we can price it cheap as chips."

Acer's new H5380BD "home entertainment" projector looks to do double duty between the home and the office. It has an integrated speaker (one, powered by 2 whole watts) which is coveted by those that use their projector for presentations. It has two VGA inputs and one output along with an audio output (3.5mm).

But it's obviously also targeted at the home theater crowd. The name, at the very least, should have given that away. It not only has an HDMI input, but that input is MHL (Mobile High-definition Link) compatible. Now, you can make the case that an MHL input is as much for the business-person on the go as it makes streaming HD from your phone easier. Of course with products like the Roku Streaming stick requiring an MHL input, it is important for home theater as well.

Rounding out the inputs are S-video and composite video and two different 3.5mm audio inputs as well as RS-232 and USB control connections. Oddly, all these inputs are on the side rather than their traditional location on the back of the projector.

The Acer H5380BD has a native output of 720 by 1280 (720p) but it can accept up to 1200 by 1920 resolution. The minimum projection distance is just over 39 inches. Acer brags that the H5380BD can display a 300 inch image. The native aspect ratio of the projector is 16:10 and it has a 17,000:1 contrast ratio. Brightness is rated at 3000 lumens with an estimated LED lamp life of 5000 hours in normal mode and 6000 hours on eco-mode.

Interestingly, the H5380BD supports 144Hz 3D. We would have expected that 3D would be the first thing dropped on a budget projector, but Acer found a way to include it. The 144Hz speed is up to three times the refresh rate of 24p 3D, eliminating the 3D flicker people have complained about with other 3D displays. The Acer H5380BD also has a dust shield system with a lens shield, sealed engine, and an optional 3D dust filter.

In terms of picture quality, Acer's DynamicBlack technology helps out the contrast ratio specification as well as black levels. Meanwhile, Acer's ColorBoost II+ technology improves color performance, providing up to 95 to 130 percent of the NTSC color gamut. ColorSafe II technology combats color decay over time, even with prolonged use. Combined with dynamic RGB gain control, this ensures better color fidelity compared to traditional DLP projectors.

Thanks to an included carrying case and a reasonably lean weight of only 5.5 pounds, you can bring the Acer H5380BD to your meeting or a friend's house. The big selling point of the H5380BD is the price. At a penny under $550, you'd have a hard time finding a projector on the market for less. Lens shift and other convenience features are missing on the H5380BD, but at this price that's to be expected. Manual and digital zoom are on-board but that's about it.

Conclusion

Who would want a 720p projector? Plenty of people. How about people that want to save money, people that aren't projecting such a big image that they need 1080p much less 4K, etc. At $550, the Acer H5380BD is a great solution for those on a budget, with a setup that is likely to change in the near future, or that are looking for a projector to do dual-duty between the office and the home.

For more information, please visit www.acer.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.