Infocus IN78, High quality at 720p

• 720p is, and will remain, high definition, and 720p projectors still have a lot to say, like this IN78.

• Price: €3,899

• Specialists' rating: 5

• Text: Alberto Gilabert

In the midst of the 1080p craze, what some have decided to christen Full HD (as if 720p high definition were a sham), and in a magazine like this one, it may seem contradictory to keep talking about projectors whose native resolution is "only" 720 lines. Our most loyal readers will already have read last month's article, in which we made it clear that 1,080 lines, although spectacular, should not definitively sideline 720 lines. The leap to high definition begins with these 720 lines, which, moreover, means being able to enjoy very high-quality images at very attractive prices. In fact, one of the advantages of the arrival of 1080p projectors on the market is that 720p models have dropped enormously in price. With exceptions. One of them is the IN78, the top model in Infocus's latest batch of home theater projectors. We tested the IN74 and the IN76, and now it is this one's turn. The most notable difference between the IN74 and IN76 models is that the former has SD resolution, while the latter reaches 720 lines, that is, it is a high-definition projector. If the IN78 also offers a native resolution of 720p, what are its main differences?

The most obvious one, and the one that actually allows Infocus to keep the IN76 and IN78 in the same catalog, is that our guest has Texas Instruments' latest and relatively new DMD chip, the DarkChip 3, while the IN76 has the DarkChip 2. Basically, the IN78 offers a notable improvement in definition but, above all, better black reproduction. We can see this from its specifications, since its contrast ratio is 500 points higher than the IN76's: the latter offers a ratio of 3,000:1, while our guest reaches 3,500:1. Another notable difference is the addition of two HDMI inputs and two component video inputs, whereas the IN76 had only one set of each. The rest of the features are identical, such as its six-segment, 4x-speed color wheel (calibrated to D65, of course) and the optics, which offer a 116% offset. As for styling, as you can see, it is identical across all the models. There is, however, one very notable difference that is obvious: its price. Our guest is around €1,000 more expensive than the IN76, and the €3,800 it costs is its main disadvantage, since at this price it is easy to turn one's gaze toward 1080p models. I will try to convince you to give it a chance; it's worth it.

Infocus describes the IN78 as the ultimate projector for "videophiles", that is, for the most demanding users in the field of video. Thus we can understand some of its features, such as ISF calibration and its large number of adjustments, which allow a truly spectacular picture to be achieved. If with the IN76 I praised the contrast it offered, with the IN78 an even greater depth is noticeable, giving us a more realistic cinema experience. In addition, whites have a punch that helps achieve a much fuller dynamic range, offering truly spectacular near-black grays. But where the IN78 earns top marks is in image definition. It performs almost perfect scaling of video signals from any conventional player and, thanks to its glass lenses, the three-dimensionality and depth of the images are superb. I noticed no problems with image deinterlacing, which makes this projector a good video processor in its own right.

Installing the IN78 should pose no problems at all. In addition to its black chassis (which avoids any reflections from the screen or from what little light we have on during projection), the unit automatically detects whether it is placed on a table or hung from the ceiling (although normally you only need to change one setting in the setup menu). Its offset is more than adequate, but no lens shift is provided. As always, we do not recommend using keystone correction, since it distorts the image. The IN78, like the IN76, comes factory-calibrated to D65, so much so that adjustments in this respect are minimal. Even with its factory settings, color reproduction is quite coherent. Perhaps it lacks some color saturation, but this is in line with what we have seen with other similar projectors (there are still some). This can be noticeably improved by reducing the brightness a little, which suggests that the brand's engineers wanted to boost brightness somewhat at the expense of color saturation.

The projector is somewhat noisy, though only slightly, but this aspect could be improved a little. Light leakage is minimal.

The IN78's only problem is probably its retail price. It may seem expensive, especially as it comes close to the price of the new 1080p models arriving in dribs and drabs. It is natural that, if we are going to spend, we look at those 1080p models first. But the results of this IN78 are really good, which would allow us to improve our projection even at the cost of "reducing" high resolution to 720 lines. The superb detail this IN78 offers will make us forget it is not a 1080p model.

Infocus IN78, High quality at 720p

Specifications

Chip: DMD DarkChip 3 720p, 12º, 16:9. Brightness: 1,000 ANSI lumens (800 lumens in economy mode). Contrast ratio: 3,500:1. Video compatibility: NTSC, PAL, SECAM, 480i/p, 576i/p, 720p, 1035i, 1080i/p/24, 30, 50, 60. Color wheel: 6 segments, 4x, D65. Lamp: 200 W in bright mode, 160 W in economy mode (3,000-hour service life). Screen size: 0.88-4.57 m. Lens: 1.53-1.94:1. Zoom 1.3:1. Keystone correction: +/- 20º. Connectivity: 2x HDMI, 2x component video, S-Video, composite video, M1-DA. HDCP compatible. RS-232. Trigger. Weight: 4.22 kg. Dimensions: 119 x 360 x 360 mm.

Distributor: Chemison (933395054).

Price: €3,899