Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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49 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best 1080p projector for the money!, July 3, 2007
Pros
- Under $3000!
- VERY easy to set up.
- Well-designed, backlit remote.
- ZERO screen-door effect from real viewing distances.
- Relatively bright (even in theater mode).
- Excellent performance.
Cons
- Blacks could be a little deeper.
- No vertical stretch (only an issue if you're looking to do CIH).
- Menu navigation a little sluggish when using a universal remote.
Being the first 1080p projector under $3000, the Epson Home Cinema 1080 arrived with a lot of hype and anticipation. I bought into that hype, and as a result I was among the first to pick up one of these bad boys the day it came out. Prior to the Epson, I had owned two different 720p HD projectors- a Sanyo Z4 and a Panasonic AX-100U. The Sanyo produced a super-sharp, noise-free picture, but I found the visible pixelation too distracting at close viewing distances. The Panasonic doesn't have that problem as it utilizes Smoothscreen technology to reduce screen-door effect, but it also results in a noticeably softer image. The Epson, on the other hand, is capable of projecting a sharp AND pixel-free image (both undoubtedly thanks to the 2 million pixels afforded by 1080p). The Epson also performs surprisingly well out the box, and after a simple calibration I found that it can deliver even more vivid and accurate color. Black level is the one area where I feel this projector is lacking. For deep, DLP-like blacks you would have to shell out another grand or two for a higher-end model like the JVC RS-1. What I did though was paint my own screen, using a special DIY mix designed to boost contrast and improve black level performance, and voila! I'm looking at a beautiful picture with much darker and convincing blacks. Summing up, the Epson is a killer deal, and for under $3000 I honestly couldn't be happier. If you haven't experienced HD front-projection before, I would advise you to go with a 720p model first as prices are tumbling and you can pick up a pretty decent model for around $1000. If you're looking to jump from 720p to the next level, and you watch a lot of HD DVD, Blu-ray, or other high-res HD material, then this is the projector for you. Highly recommended!
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
great for playing xbox 360!, November 12, 2007
i have a completely dark basement and am using a 100' diagonal screen. HD movies look really good. The only disappointment is the image looks way to dark during many dark scenes. Ive noticed this with an old Optoma projector I used to own too. Maybe its just the technology. The Epson does have a useful DYNAMIC color setting which will seriously brighten things up but it causes many movies to look to pixilated for my taste.
Using the DYNAMIC mode with my XBOX 360 Elite (HDMI port) however is AWESOME and is highly recommended. Nothing like HALO 3 on a 100' screen. It Brings a tear to my eye. This projector is made for HD video games. Take advantage of the HDMI port!
I do wish dark scenes in certain movies were brighter. But, I'm not willing to throw down more than 2500 bucks on a projector, so maybe you get what you pay for.
One final word: Get the BBC series PLANET EARTH on HD. It rocks on this projector!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing projector, better than expected !!!!!, December 15, 2007
I developed a good opinion about this projector from reading the various reviews on the internet, but after I hooked it up and saw a Blu Ray movie on the big screen for the first time, I was blown away by the quality. The image size was larger than expected and playing Xbox 360 games was as lifelike as possible. I had an InFocus 4805 480p projector prior to getting this one, which was a very solid projector, but the Epson produces larger images from the same distance and does HD as well. The only possible disadvantage with this projector is that it lacks keystone correction, which makes the image as straight as possible if the unit is not level. I don't think this is a major negative because the feet on the bottom of the unit are adjustable. This, along with the horizontal and vertical correction buttons make the image straight. They actually do a better job than the keystone correction on my 4805. I would strongly recommend this unit for anyone interested in a budget HD projector. For $[...], you can't go wrong with the Epson 1080.
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