Epson EH-TW9100 review
one or two minor concerns can't hold this fantastic projector back
Specifications
1,920×1,080 resolution, 2,400 ANSI lumens, 140x466x395mm, 8.4kg
Standard definition DVDs were handled reasonably well, especially with Super Resolution enabled, but naturally the EH-T9100 was at its best playing 1080p Blu-ray discs. Super Resolution even works well here, managing to squeeze extra detail without generating unwanted image or noise artefacts. The one exception is during fast motion, where we noticed some blurring. However, once we’d enabled the Motion Processing system these went away too, as long as we stuck to the Low preset.
We were already impressed with the EH-T9100, but it stood out in terms of 3D picture quality. The three-LCD projection system creates vivid colours that look fantastic, even through a pair of Epson’s active shutter glasses. There was absolutely no noticeable flicker, and the depth effects were superb. You get two pairs of glasses, and additional pairs cost £61 (ELPGS01, from www.amazon.co.uk), so you should take the cost of extra 3D glasses into account if buying the EH-T9100 to watch 3D films with your family. We stuck to the 3D Cinema preset, which produced the richest colours and brightest scenes without losing depth or creating ghosting effects. You can manually alter the depth level, although we immediately noticed crosstalk on anything plus or minus one notch beyond the baseline figure.
The EH-TW9100 is able to reproduce images of stunning quality in both 2D and 3D, has plenty of video inputs and is very easy to set up. Dig a little deeper, however, and there are some shortcomings, such as the oddly designed LCD alignment option and slight colour bleed, but for most people these issues are insignificant and don’t affect picture quality enough to impact enjoyment. If you want to avoid these issues altogether, the more expensive Sony VPL-HW50ES uses LCOS projection and produces equally gorgeous images, but there’s very little not to like here. It’s a fantastic home cinema projector that justifies its place at the top of Epson’s line-up.
Details | |
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Price | £2,600 |
Details | www.epson-europe.com |
Rating | ***** |
Specifications | |
Projector technology | 3-LCD |
Lamp brightness | 2,400 ANSI lumens |
Lamp life | 4,000 |
Lamp life in economy mode | 5,000 |
Contrast ratio | 320,000:1 |
Picture | |
Native resolution | 1,920×1,080 |
Max compressed resolution | 1,600×1,200 |
Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
Other aspect ratios | none |
Max diagonal at 7ft | 52in |
Throw ratio | 1.34:1 to 2.87:1 |
Optical zoom | 2.1x |
Projection distance | 0.9m to 9m |
Mirror image | yes |
Invert image | yes |
Lens shift horizontal | 47% |
Lens shift vertical | 96% |
HD Ready | yes |
Special view modes | Dynamic, Living room, Natural, Cinema, 3D dynamic, 3D cinema |
Inputs/Outputs | |
VGA input | yes |
DVI input | No |
Sound inputs | none |
Composite input | yes |
S-video input | no |
HDMI input | yes |
PAL support | yes |
SECAM support | yes |
NTSC support | yes |
Audio output | none |
Video output | none |
Others inputs/outputs | second HDMI input, RS 232, trigger in |
Other | |
Noise (in normal use) | 22dB(A) |
Size | 140x466x395mm |
Weight | 8.4kg |
Internal speakers | none |
Extras | remote, cables (power), 2x 3D glasses |
Remote special features | picture mode, colour temp, aspect ratio, zoom, keystone, input select, light |
Power consumption standby | 0W |
Power consumption on | 340W |
Lamp | |
Lamp cost (inc VAT) | £228 |
Lamp supplier | www.bltdirect.com |
Lamp cost per hour of use | £0.06 |
Lamp cost per hour of use (economy) | £0.05 |
Buying Information | |
Price | £2,600 |
Supplier | http://www.superfi.co.uk |
Details | www.epson-europe.com |