Customer Reviews

Epson Powerlite 76C LCD Projector

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this projector in exchange for Epson PowerLite S3. S3 has excellent reviews and very low price, so I wanted to try it first. Very good projector, but two things are missing - optical zoom and high resolution. 76C is just like S3, but it does have optical zoom and 1024by768 resolution. Image quality is great. Images are also very bright, enough to see during daytime in a well lit room (but may not be bright enough for direct sun light). Design is great and operation is very easy. Menu options are actually very intuitive and logical - something that is not common with many other projects. Overall - great product, definitely worth the price.

I recently purchased the Epson 76c. I use it for watching DVD's and television. I havent't used it with a computer. The DVD player is connected with an S-video cable and the television (cable box) is connected with RCA cable. I can't give the unit 5 stars because I don't really have any way to compare it with other projectors. The stores around here that sell projectors don't have them on display like the big screen TV's. The advantages of a projector are obvious; small size, large picture, cost ($1,000 vs. $2,000 or more for big screen TV). The projector bulb does need to be replaced every 2000 to 3000 hours at cost of around $300. I have the projector down the basement where it is fairly dark. I originally projected the image on a wall. I experimented with different types of paint and found that flat white is about the best. DO NOT use gloss white paint!
Later I purchased an inexpensive screen that is slightly better than a white wall. The controls on the 76c are very easy to use. Several features that I like on the unit include the two different light settings; the low setting is for dark rooms(like my basement) and the high setting is for well lit rooms. Also, the low setting will extend bulb life. There are two rings on the projector, one for focus and one for image size. If you go with a projector, make sure you get one with XGA resolution(1024 x 768) (like the 76c) which has almost twice the pixels as SVGA (800 x 600).

In my line of work, I do about twenty to thirty hours of presentations a week. I have to set up and break down my computer and projector on a daily basis. My Epson Powerlite is a godsend. It is powerful, has great resolution, is light and easy to carry, connects to both a Mac and a PC easily, and best of all is quiet. I love that it comes with a case that was intelligently designed. It is padded, protected, and well positioned so that it easily carries on your shoulder. The image is easily resized (which comes in handy because rooms are not always the same dimensions). The resolution is great when the projector is ten feet from the screen as well as ninety feet. I have a tendency to abuse my electronics, because I have to travel with them so often. The Epson projector and my Macbook Pro have held up to the extreme beating with flying colors. It's a great combination that comes complete with all of the cabling you'll need to operate. The only other purchase I've had to make is an extension cord. This is a topflight projector.

Of all the LCD projectors this one gives the most bang for the buck, and I definitely would rather have the slight screen door effect than the rainbow effect on the DLP type. The only complaint I have so far, after a week of use, is that the fan on high speed, needed here due to the altitude, is much louder than I would have expected. I can run the projector in the low light mode, but the 7,500' altitude requires high speed fan operation. No one ever cited that in reviews.

The Epson Powerlite 76C LCD Projector is awesome, and working perfectly and easily for what I need. I project my laptop on the wall for various demos of software, and everybody loves the clarity and crispness of this projector. I've even watched about 4 movies on it, some for my kids, and it's better than I ever imagined.

It is quiet, powers up and down quickly, and has two very easy and intuitive knobs around the lens which make it easy to focus and adjust the zoom or size of the projection, within limits. Overall it's exactly what I need for cheaper than I thought.

PROS: This light weight projector is no lightweight in the conference room. As an independent trainer, this projector has proven invaluable in ease of setup, use and transport.

I was drawn to it by the price but I just get more pleased with it every time I use it. Not only has this been great on the job, it has transformed my living room wall into a giant theater. For its cost, this machine has great specs.

[NOTE: I use this with the Logitech 2.4 GHz Cordless USB Presenter, from Tiger Direct, which helps me manage time, pacing and presentation.] The combination of the two has boosted my delivery ratings from my audiences by about 12% to a 98.]

CON: The only thing I'd change would be to add focus control on the remote, but it doesn't take away from performance.

I've been using it for 3 weeks now (12-13 movies), and I am very happy with my choice. Good quality, extremely clear picture and I've been projecting it straight to an off-white wall. Low brightness level has been enough for me.
It's not very light though, but it is portable.
I would highly recommend it.

I spent hours deciding which multimedia projector to buy. Finally I decided on an Epson 76c. I am not disappointed. Digital photos look great; Power Point presentations are very clear and I have also found success using it to project DVD's. I haven't tried TV as yet.

Pros:

XGA high resolution images
Lower cost than DLP projectors
Multiple uses: photo showings, home entertainment and Power Pt presentations
Lower cost for bulbs than for the DLP machines
Low wattage (250 W) compared to other machines which could mean
reduced replacement probability.
Wireless remote with wireless mouse and wireless pointer.

Cons:

LCD technology and not the new DLP technology (I don't see any disadvantages at this time).
No remote focusing of images.
Cheap speaker.

The major challenge in buying a machine that I found was that there are very few machines that are demonstrated around town. I needed to rely on reviews to decide which machine to buy. PC Magazine has a few reviews. Also few people know very much about the individual machines on the market outside of the machine that they are using.

I almost purchased a Sharp XR-10X, but read in one review that it was an excellent home entertainment projector but not a machine to be used with Power Point. The reviewer commented that the lines on the PP presentation were not clear. Contact the manufacturer to find out if the machine will be suitable for your purpose.

I researched LCD projectors for a long time. Mostly because my wife insisted that I not buy one. Then came Super Bowl XL and we were going to be moving. I need to go out with a bang and used the opportunity and my year end bonus to finally get the all clear from Spouse Central.

Greatest Game Day Ever. 6 Foot high Players. I had the thing maxed out on my wall and the screen size was crystal clear on high speed. I only had this setup at about 11 feet diagonal and IT WAS AWESOME. It can be setup to project from as far away as 39.7 feet. I was at about 15-17 feet to get the 11ft diagonal. I ran the sound through the stereo system and forget it. It was simply insane.

Now it gets better. Price. I bought on sale in Jan. 06. For two hundred more than you are paying now. I WOULD STILL PAY FULL PRICE.

Movies? GREAT. Revenge of the SITH? Need I say more. No problems with over 500 hours on the lamp. 350 at low, 150 at high.

My son invites his friends over to his own Theater. I will never buy a big screen TV. Small TV hooked into the 76c and you are good to go.

I use my Epson primarily in the "theater" mode. It replaced a Sharp Projector I had for many years. Of course the Sharp projector was dedicated to theater-type projection. This is a primary weakness in this model Epson projector, although it is adequate. I had to make major adjustments and rearrange furniture to adjust it to my 8ft home screen by moving it several feet closer. I, therefore think the zoom lens needs much more latitude. The "theater" mode could use a setting to adjust the screen considerably smaller. Also remote autofocus would be nice.

My projector seems to have some problems projecting skin tones. Depending on the type of medium projected on the screen, sometimes skin tones appear chalky.

Aside from these factors, I love the overall color quality and brightness projected. Even with the bulb in economical low mode, I get more than enough light to the screen, even under the conditions of regular household lighting. Sometimes the detail seems almost HD, and I use standard cable.

Considering the cost of the projector and bulb replacements, I think it is a good projector