Mitsubishi HC1100

Though only £67 more than Acer’s H5350, the HC1100’s curved chassis and centrally-placed lens look far more impressive.

Above the big lens, recessed into the top of the chassis, are the zoom and focus controls. These have a firm resistance to them, helping you make precise adjustments with ease.

The HC1100 has a respectable zoom ratio, so you can choose how far you want to place the projector from your screen.

Dancing in the dark

There are basic controls on the top of the projector and a small remote is provided - though it doesn’t light up in the dark leaving you fumbling for the right controls.

In its eco mode it’s fairly quiet though you’ll need to have a completely darkened room to get a decent picture. In standard mode it’s louder than the Panasonic, and its 1,000 lumens will struggle to overcome even low lighting.

In the dark, however, the HC1100 produces excellent results which are far more impressive than its price tag would lead you to believe.

There was loads of detail from HD material, with close ups showing pores on skin, and individual hairs. Skin tones looked natural and, unlike most projectors, it comes with useful colour presets for different video sources.

Though it can’t quite equal the Panasonic’s sharp detail, this is still an impressive projector.

Over the rainbow

Some users have problems with DLP projectors, whereby they see a coruscating rainbow effect on the screen – particularly when they move their head or blink.

Though only a small percentage of people suffer from this problem, if you’re one of them then you’re better off getting an LCD model. Make sure you demo a DLP projector if you haven’t seen one before.

All the inputs you’d expect are present on the rear, including HDMI, though like many modern HD projectors SCART has been abandoned – a real pity given the popularity of SCART-only Freeview set top boxes in the UK.

If you’re only planning to use your new projector for the full-on lights-down cinema experience then the HC1100 makes a great buy. It produces a very celluloid-like picture that will appeal to movie buffs, and the price should appeal to everyone.