Why the Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector could be the best backyard projector on the market.

To turn your backyard into a makeshift movie theater, you’re going to want to buy a projector, and the Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector could be the best one for you for many reasons. The quality of build, the native 1080p, the built-in speaker, and the cooling fan are all just a few of the features that could make it worth purchasing. You get a bright display with this, too, which means you can start your movies or games on this backyard projector at dusk instead of waiting for complete darkness, as is the case with other projectors on the market.

Let’s take a closer look at the features and performance of the Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector, which will help you decide if this is the best buy for you.

Contents

DESIGN & BUILD | Created for Media Lovers

If you’re looking for a solid build and smartly designed backyard projector, the Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector could fit the bill. The housing is high quality and it feels like it isn’t cheaply made at all. In spite of its quality components, this projector isn’t heavy, in fact, it’s quite lightweight at only about 5.5 pounds. The backlit remote that’s included in the box is good quality and it has all the features you’d need to control the projector. You can adjust the brightness, contrast, volume, and more with this remote control. Plus, the backlighting makes it easy to see what you’re doing in the dark, which is important when you’re setting this up outdoors for a backyard movie night.

“You can use this projector outdoors or indoors…”

If for whatever reason you don’t want to use the remote control, you can opt to use the menu buttons on the top of the projector. It’s worth pointing this out because not all projectors include that as an option. While it is possible to mount this projector, if you’re using it in one spot only, you will have to turn it over and invert the image because the bottom of the device is uneven. You can use this projector outdoors or indoors, and frankly, this is less a projector and designed more to be an in-home movie theater. Keeping in mind what it was designed for will help explain some of the features and a bit of the negative bits about this projector.

Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector angled

Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector angled

SAFETY & DURABILITY | Fan Keeps Things Cool, but Loud

Home projectors like the Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector get hot while in use. It’s unavoidable. The lens, the lamps, the power that’s required to make it all run creates a lot of heat, and if it doesn’t get cooled, it could be a hazardous device. However, this backyard projector from Optoma includes a powerful little fan that keeps everything from getting overheated. With that said, the projector itself does get a bit hot to the touch, so you’ll have to be careful.

“Using this outdoors on a bigger screen will likely mask the sound…”

The fan can be loud, depending on how you set up your projector. If you’re using it indoors and you sit near the projector, you’re likely to hear the low hum of the fan. Using this outdoors on a bigger screen will likely mask the sound of the fan a bit more.

Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector front

Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector front

PERFORMANCE | Sharp Picture, but Beware Rainbows

Ease of Use

Perhaps the most important piece of information you’re looking for here is how well this Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector performs. This projector provides sharp, details displays with full HD quality. The projection is 1920x1080p native, so you can expect a high-quality image every time. You get 3,000 lumens with the lamp included on this Optoma projector, which allows you to use this projector in low light situations. While you’ll get a better picture in complete darkness, it’ll do all right with a little bit of ambient light and won’t look totally washed out. Additionally, this projector includes the ability to handle 3D content, whether you’re using a 3D Blu-ray player, 3D stream, or video game console.

Best Features

The Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector has a built-in speaker that’s suitable for small rooms or small audiences, but you may still want to hook this up to a speaker system. The 10-watt speaker isn’t very loud and it’s a mono speaker, so it’s not quite the highest quality audio that you’ll get from it. Not everything about this projector is amazing. The biggest issue with this Optoma projectors is an issue that many DLP projectors have: the rainbow effect. Not everyone is bothered by this visual artifact that’s common with these types of single-chip DLP projectors, so if you don’t notice it, this could still be a great pick for you. However, if you are sensitive to noticing the slowly shifting colors on a projected screen, this may not be the projector for you. Additionally, there is no optical zoom, though you may not be expecting that, anyway. The only issue with that is if you mount this projector on a ceiling or wall, you’re stuck with the size of the screen you have it set for. To zoom out for a larger screen, or in for a smaller screen, you have to physically move the unit.

Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector back

Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector back

LONGEVITY & PRICE | Expensive, but Excellent

There’s some good news and bad news here, depending on how you look at it. The Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector costs quite a bit more than many of the projectors you can find on the market right now. With that said, it’s also more affordable than the top-of-the-line projectors out there. Plus, you’re paying for a quality and long-lasting projector.

Be sure to check the current Optoma HD142X – Amazon price here.

Speaking of long-lasting, the lamp that’s included in this projector has a rating of 6,500 hours, or 8,000 hours if you use the eco mode. While that doesn’t come close to touching the longevity of an LED type of projector (typically rated for 30,000 to 50,000 hours), it’s an excellent rating for a DLP type. Plus, you get that super sharp picture. It isn’t something to worry about, as most lamps like this can theoretically outlast the projector they’re built into. And with all that said, this projector has an MSRP of $999.00 and comes with a one-year warranty, so if you happen to get a defective unit, you can return it for repairs or a replacement. The good news here is that if there are any defects, they should present themselves within the first year.

Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector full view

Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector full view

PROS

  • High-quality image
  • Easy to use, set up
  • 1080p native

CONS

THE BOTTOM LINE | The Pricey Projector for Quality Seekers

When it comes to backyard projectors, the Optoma HD142X 1080p 3000 Lumens 3D DLP Home Theater Projector could be one of the best available thanks to its native 1080p display, bright screen, and sharp picture. While it is a pricey purchase, it could be worth the cost for those features. On the downside, it could produce a rainbow effect, which is common with single-chip DLP projectors. Plus, there’s no optical zoom, so if you want a larger or smaller screen, you’ll have to move the actual device, which makes it difficult if you’re setting this up in a dedicated space. But if this one breaks our budget, check out our Best Outdoor Projectors here for more affordable options!