Mitsubishi is launching its new HC3800 HD home theater projector. Priced at surprisingly low $1500, it uses the latest DLP chip from Texas Instruments, is specified at 1200 lumens with a 500:1 ANSI contrast ratio (3300:1 full on/full off), has a claimed lamp life of 5000 hours in its low, lamp-life conservation mode, and weighs a mere 8 pounds.

For a 2.35:1 setup, the HC3800 also offers aspect ratio selections that allow an anamorphic lens to be permanently positioned in front of the main lens, with no movement of the lens required. In the usual anamorphic setup the projector throws an unprocessed image with 16:9 material and the anamorphic lens slid out of the way, and processes the image for 2.35:1 display with the lens in place. The HC3800 keeps the anamorphic lens in place at all times and processes 16:9 programming to compensate for the inherent horizontal stretch produced by the anamorphic lens, therefore producing a properly proportioned 16:9 image. This eliminates the expense of the (typically motorized) sled and rail system needed to move the anamorphic lens into and out of position. Of course, most anamorphic lenses alone cost considerably more than the HD3800!