Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution and 1080p native support are the latest 'big things' in the upmarket projector world, and this hasn't gone unnoticed by the Italian display specialist SIM2. Responsible for the new D80's Full HD support is TI's latest 0.95in 1920 x 1080 DMD (digital micromirror device), which works with a new seven-segment colour wheel - you won't be getting three DMDs for this price, matey!

It has a neutral-density filter to reduce dithering effects, which appear as tiny green spots on dark scenes with DLP projectors. The ND filter masks low-level mirror switching on the green channel by rotating into position when needed.

Also proprietary is SIM2's Alpha Path' optical engine, first developed for the C3X Series, and a 160W lamp that claims a useful life of up to 4,000 hours. The lens has a throw ratio of 1.5-2.0:1, and gives a 50in (diagonal) 16:9 image at a projection distance of 1.7m. From 10m away, image sizes of up to 300in are possible. But there's more to image quality than optics.

The internal digital video signal path, for example, is 10bit throughout. Its deinterlacing relies on modified Pixelworks algorithms, while electronics and optics work to give a contrast ratio of 4000:1 full-on/full-off. The elegant D80 is matt rather than glossy and it almost seems a crime to mount this unit on a ceiling where it can't be noticed.

Black and white casing colours are available, hence presumably, the term 'Domino'. The rear panel is socket-deep with composite, S-video and VGA (RGB-HV) inputs joined by a high-def ready component analogue input. Thanks to a fourth (composite sync) terminal here, Scart RGB sources can also drive this input with a suitable cable.

Almost inevitably, an HDMI input has been specified for digital sources. What a pity it's not v1.3 compliant - that way the 10bit processing would come into its own with the forthcoming TruColor sources (Toshiba's HD-XE1 HD DVD deck makes provision for this). But incoming 8bit sources will be upconverted to 10bit during processing, and that's no bad thing.