Epson EX30 3LCD Multimedia Projector, SVGA, 2200 Lumens Review

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(More customer reviews)I searched and compared projectors for a long time before settling on this one. I need a highly portable, easily set-up, projector for slideshows, movies, presentations, and the occasional killer gaming session. I'm not using it for home theatre or anything high-tech. So far I'm very satisfied. It's easy to set up with basic electronic A/V knowledge. It's less confusing than other projectors I've worked with, and the A/V mute and instant on/off are particularly handy. The remote does just about everything too. My big problem is that it has USB connectivity to a computer, Plug-n-play!!, but only for PCs! As a Mac user I was frustrated that it did not say ANYTHING about this in the specs until I opened the box. Especially frustrating is that earlier models seemed to have good connectivity with Macs, so I don't know what happened. However, no biggie because it still connects with the component cable, and even to my iPod with the help of the iPod A/V cable. All-in-all a good purchase, especially for the price.

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A smart choice with proven performance, the Epson EX30 delivers bright, colorful images in any room thanks to Epson's innovative 3LCD, 3-chip optical engine. With a host of convenient features, including all-new USB 2.0 connectivity, this SVGA projector offers the power and versatility you've come to expect from the world leader in multimedia projectors. And, it's easy to use with innovative control features and connectivity options. Quickly connect to your laptop with Plug 'n Play USB setup--no need to use computer function keys or bulky VGA cables with tedious screw-in knobs. The lightweight EX30 is ready wherever your presentations take you. And, if you choose to install your projector, the EX30 shuts down quickly at the flip of a switch. Ideal for the office or at home, the EX30 also includes a VGA-to-component video adapter for easy, high-quality connection to entertainment devices such as DVD players, gaming consoles and more.

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Panasonic PT-AX100U Home Cinema Projector Review

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(More customer reviews)Everyone that sees the picture this projector gives wants one. You'd expect to pay much more for this quality. The picture still looks great with the lights on and blinds open. Given the adjustability of the projector and the abilty to handle ambient light, this will work in a lot of homes other projectors might not be right for. And it looks great even on an inexpensive screen (Da-Lite HD Model B).
The only negative thing is I know about right now is that with all projectors including the new dlp rear projector tvs is that the bulb has to be replaced every 2000 or so hours and they cost over $300 to replace. I just got my projector, so I don't know if the bulb will last its advertised lenght.
I'd be surprised if you weren't wowed by this projector.
UPDATE:
I have had problems with this projector. Already on my second one and am getting ready to send it away for more work.
Seems to be a reliability problem. The projector shuts off automatically after I turn it on..forcing me to wait 5 minutes to turn it back on. Also, and much worse, the projected image is starting to go blank every 5 minutes and the imput options appear..very annoying and you may miss key parts of whatewver you are watching.
Now, still under warranty, Panasonic is making me pay to ship the unit to Kansas(I'm in California) where they will work on it and say they will have it back to me in 7-10 days.
If you still want to buy this after reading this, make sure you get a good warranty.
My rating now would be much lower than 5 stars if Amazon would let me change it(they won't)
Second Update: Well my Iris has broken again! And now it is out of warranty! This is the third time I have had to return this product for repair! I think there should be a class action suit against these guys for not recalling a product that almost everyone is reporting problems with...will never buy a Panasonic product again.

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High definition cinema comes home with Panasonic's newest LCD projector, the PT-AX100U. It puts you front and center for the latest concert, big game or Hollywood blockbuster film with an HD image up to 174 inches wide. In addition to providing 2,000-lumen brightness - the brightest in its class - the PT-AX100U also incorporates Panasonic's new Light Harmonizer technology, which produces bright, beautiful, easy-to-watch images even in a well-lit room. So you can spend the afternoon watching your favorite football team without having to close the drapes and still enjoy clear, brilliant images in crisp detail. Developed especially for home theater use, the PT-AX100U incorporates all of Panasonic's highly acclaimed home cinema projector technologies. No compromises were made in its development or production. Our Hollywood Color Tuning includes a new Pure Color Filter developed in conjunction with David Bernstein and other top Hollywood colorist and directors of photography. The result is technology that captures the artistic sensibilities of moviemakers with deeper, richer blacks, more vibrant color and a more dynamic overall viewing experience particularly for motion pictures. The PT-AX100U integrates easily into your home theater system and offers outstanding setup flexibility. It can be placed on a coffee table, suspended from a ceiling or set on a bookshelf across the room from a screen. The awesome power of the large screen and the stunning detail of high definition is now ready for its big debut right in the comfort of your own home with our most impressive HD cinema projector yet - the PT-AX100U.

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Mitsubishi HD1000U High Definition 720p DLP Home Theater Projector Review

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(More customer reviews)The Mitsubishi HD1000U produces an outstanding image that compares well against projectors costing quite a bit more. As a DLP projector, its black levels are superior to LCD projectors while the color accuracy is a bit off (though more than acceptable). My previous projector was an Infocus X1, a first-generation DLP model. The HD1000U produces a cleaner, higher-resolution image, that is noticeably brighter than the X1. In fact, the HD1000U is substantially brighter than many other home theater projectors on the market and will work well in a room with moderate ambient light. Mine is installed in a room with moderate ambient light from several large windows, and produces an adequate image in midday sun. With the window shades pulled, or at night, I have to run it in low lamp mode to avoid eye discomfort.
Audible noise levels are extremely low when in low lamp mode - in fact, the noise from my heating/AC ductwork is substantially louder. High lamp mode is somewhat louder but still quieter than the air filter one room over. Connectivity options are about what you'd expect from this price range and are fine assuming you have an AV receiver capable of switching component video or HDMI. Build quality is outstanding; the projector feels nice and solid and finished in matte gray that blends into most decors without a problem. My only gripe here is that replacing the lens cover tends to shift the focus control.
I'd be remiss if I didn't discuss the one limitation of the HD1000U - its installation. In the vast majority of rooms you will need to ceiling mount it. Because of the vertical offset of the lens, the image will appear substantially above the lens centerline when placed on a table, or substantially below the lens centerline when ceiling mounted. For most reasonably sized rooms with a 10 foot plus throw distance, this will restrict you to either ceiling mounting or having the projector only a foot or two off the floor. In my living room, with an 11.5 foot throw distance, the projector is mounted upside down on a shelf approximately 7 feet off the floor. I have high ceilings, so this is not an issue, but be aware that if you have standard 8 foot ceilings in large room, installation may be quite difficult. The built in zoom is not much help, and there is no lens shift option like Sanyo and Panasonic offer. My parents have a Panasonic 700 installed in their basement home theater (with a low ceiling) and I doubt that the HD1000 could be installed in the same space. Various websites offer calculators that will compute image location given projector placement; you would be well advised to check installation requirements ahead of time.
In summary, though, if you can fit an HD1000U into your space, there is not a better projector to be found within $500 of its price. As a final and not insignificant bonus, the light engine in the HD1000U is completely sealed. There is quite literally no maintenance to peform on this unit after it is installed, until your first bulb replacement at 2-3000 hours. Not only does this avoid the hassle of the 100 hour cleanings that you'll find on most other projectors, you can also rest easy that the optics will never accumulate dust blobs and require a factory service.
An outstanding buy, just remember to check the installation requirements ahead of time.

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Versatility comes with the latest DLP BrilliantColor technology. BrilliantColor uses a new color-processing algorithm to move beyond standard 3-color processing to a 6-color process that more accurately captures the true color common in video and nature scenes.

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PT-AE3000U LCD 1080P Proj 60K:1 1600 Lumens HDmi/component/svid Review

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(More customer reviews)UPDATE NOV 14, 2009.
I have been using this projector for over 1/2 a year. I would not hesitate to buy it again.
DO strain relieve your cables to protect the connector board assrmbly.
===============
First, the negatives:
It does not have a 12v screen trigger (important if you have a motor driven screen). Odd ommission.
It is 1600 lumen - the room DOES have to be darkened for good viewing.
Positives over the competition:
30 degree digital keystone correction
Individual horizontal and manual lens offset - can be 100% above or below the scree and also even with the left or right side and still center picture in the frame (that means you do not have to line the projector and screen on centerlines.) Keysone adjustment will allow tweaking. You do need to be level, though, or get a mount that allows horizontal tilt.
Menus are intuative and vast. There is a lot you can do in setting up. Or nothing if you wish.
Remote is simple and works well when you point it at the screen (>30 ft range)
Very consistent screen brightness.
Histogram setup capability (not for the meek...)
QUIET! Cannot overstate this. MY chair is seven feet directly below the projector and you have to strain to hear the fan.
No noticeable ozone production - cheaper, higher wattage can produce noticebale O3 with these strong UV lamps. This unit has a well shielded lamp assembly. Only 160 watts. Uses less enegery than a plasma TV.
Recommendations:
1) USE ONLY CAT 2 CERTIFIED HDMI cable. Do not be fooled by Class 2 - that is an electrical code certification that designates the toxicity of fumes in a fire (a good thing), but has nothin to do with performance. CAT 2 is certifed for 340 mhz and can carry a signal 50ft. Otherwise use a repeater.
2) Don't buy a spare a bulb. Wait until you really need to (ie when it stsrts ahowing degradation at 1800 - 2000 hours.) An OEM bulb from a dealer is warranted for 30-90 days after purchase, not service. These things do have an infant mortality of a couple of percent. You may be buying a $350 lamp that fails in 20 hours and you cannot get warranty, because it's been sitting on a shelf for two years.
3) mount to joists or a stringer board affixed to adjacent joist. This thing is heavy.
4) get the Peerless mount sold here on Amazon - amazingly good mount! If you need extension get a 1 1/2 to 1 1/4 pipe adapter a 1 1/4 floor flange and som e 1 1/14 pipe, paint it and hange it - a lot cheaper and heavier duty that the Peerless accessory. Black Precision Gear Projector Mount (PRG-UNV)
Thanks for reading my review.

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Panasonic PT AE3000U 1920 x 1080 LCD projector - HD 1080p - 1600 ANSI lumens

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Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 8100 Home Theatre Projector (V11H336120) Review

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(More customer reviews)This technically is my third projector so I am experienced in projectors. My InFocus Screenplay 4805 had reached 3000 hours and the lamp burned out. I was ready to upgrade. At first I bought the Sanyo PLV-1080HD as an open box buy. When I got it home, to my dismay there was over 700 hours on it! BUMMER!! Since I had 30 days to return it, the salesman told me new projectors were on the way and to hold tight. (I would never buy a demo projector again!)
Well two weeks later I saw the Epson in the store. Since I had the Sanyo for 2 weeks, I had something to compare it to. The blacks are twice as good. It is super bright. The colors POP like an LCD TV. Basically it turned my white screen at home into the world largest flat panel. They had a gray screen at the store and the whites were still plenty bright. The screen at the store had glass particles that showed up and were distracting during the movie, so I won't be purchasing a glass particled screen.
Both projectors were much better at my home. The demo room has too much light near the screen. At home, I was a little alarmed by the Epson 8100's oversaturated color right out of the box. The Sanyo was pretty good right out of the box, but the Epson demands adjustment. On HDTV (Cox) most of the people were overly reddish. One of the preset modes for HDTV removed too much color.
I found a review of the projector that included calibration configurations and that made a WORLD of difference. That's when it started to shine even on ECO mode! (I think it could beat Sanyo PLV-1080HD's brightest mode on ECO mode!) I am so excited to have purchased this brand new. I find it a definite upgrade to be able to go 4000 hours on a bulb and only pay $300 for a replacement versus Sanyo's approximate 2000 hours and $400 for a replacement.
Blu-rays were awesome on the Epson 8100. Razor sharp. Even up close to the screen, you can hardly see the porch screen. The contrasts and shadow details were notable.
There are plenty of parameters to adjust this projector. With the warranty, lamp life, and awesome picture. I will definitely be pleased for a long time.
Some reviews went back and forth about organic versus inorganic panels and guess about what kind of panels this projector is made of. The two year warranty give me peace of mind that if the panels go bad, I will get it fixed.
I have used a projector since 2005 and I have used it for TV, movies and some computer use. I do cut it off if I'm not watching but I have fallen asleep a few times. It's on most of Saturday and Sunday. Still in 4 years, I only used the In Focus for 3000 hours.
I had considered having a LCD TV in addition so I could save the bulb, but I can buy a lot of bulbs for that cost and even a 52" TV seems tiny after being accustomed to a 92" screen.I was watching Larry King and the wall behind him was true black. The color was awesome. CNN shines! Sports look GREAT. (Sports were dim on the Sanyo PLV-1080HD.)
My projector is at least 20 feet away and giving off plenty of light even with my lights on. According to one of the reviews, the light is considerably cut when you have it too far away. I have it at the longest distance where you can have it 100" and using ECO lamp with the light off and it's plenty bright.
I have it on a shelf in the back of the room so I can still enjoy my ceiling fan in the summer. The exhaust vent on the front is a life saver on this unit. The Sanyo was blowing hot air and some bright light out the side of their projector. The Sanyo did have a door to hide the lens but Epson has a lens cover. Since I can easily reach the lens, I'll just put the cover on, when I'm finished. I may even purchase a full projector cover for when it's not in use to cut down on dust.
There were overwhelming positive reviews for the Sanyo, but this Epson will blow it away. Even the exterior design in a little more sexy in pearl white and a little bit more stream lined and less boxy.
Finally, don't pay full price as it's a buyer's market. I got an awesome price at a major retailer and for 0% financing, so get yours today! Get this projector!

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Epson Powerlite Home Cinema 8100 1080p 3LCD Home Theater Projector

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Infocus Play Big IN72 480p DLP Home Theater Projector Review

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(More customer reviews)Holy cow this was a great purchase. I use a digital projector in my living room as my "tv". When I went to replace my existing Infocus projector, I considered stepping up to the IN76. After all, the IN72 is just the current version of the model I already had, right? Well, ok, technically, that is true. But, wow is there a difference.
This model has really wonderful brightness and color. The difference between it and earlier models is truly striking. Since light pollution from the surrounding environment (windows, etc.) has been my only real complaint with digital projectors, the added brightness of this model has really made me fall in love with them all over again.
Additionally, the fans are so quiet that I did not even build a hush box for it. I couldn't find any fans that were more quiet.

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The IN72 uses Pixelworks DNX video-processing technology to dramatically improve the quality of video by combining multiple enhancement techniques to deliver clear, natural-looking standard and high-definition images. DNX technology utilizes sophisticated digital video processing to deliver a lifelike picture every time. Enjoy setup in a snap with a simple keypad and a new, full-featured home entertainment remote control with patent-pending flashlight feature, direct source access, programmable presets and more. An icon-based menu allows you to quickly scroll and select your settings in your choice of 12 languages without interrupting the show. Five user-selectable video inputs enable impressive connectivity with a full range of devices, including VCRs, DVDs, component and RGB HDTVs and your game console of choice. The unique swivel base lets you set your IN72 conveniently on your coffee table or easily mount it on your ceiling.

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