I have to admit, I didn’t have high hopes for these two machines. The first “budget” products in any category always seem to fall short, but in this case I was pleasantly surprised. Both the Vivitek H1080FD and the Optoma HD20, which use DLP technology, offered exceptional performance for the price, but one definitely stood out.

The Results…

The Vivitek takes gold in almost every category.

Stack those results up by weighting each gold medal with three points and each silver with two, and you can see how it all adds up.

Winner: Vivitek H1080FD

While the Optoma HD20 and the Vivitek H1080FD are alike in many respects, the bottom line is that Vivitek pushed the envelope a bit more with picture quality, and provided more of those features that you might find in a pricier projector.

It’s a shade bigger than the Optoma, and a little heavier at 3.5kg, but it is still an extremely portable device (they even go so far as to throw in a carrying case). Both the Vivitek and the Optoma lack lens shift capability, so I had to set them up on this ghetto cardboard box on top of a card table configuration in order to deliver a straight, unobstructed picture to the wall. However, once things were set up and calibrated properly, the Vivitek offered up slightly richer colours and better overall contrast (5000:1) than the Optoma — although black levels and overall quality of the 1080p picture appear similar between the two devices. I also give the Vivitek an edge in the brightness department — especially when comparing the brightest modes. Still, after running through several 1080p video clips on both machines, I was really wowed by the overall image quality on these entry-level projectors.

As I mentioned earlier, the Vivitek brought a few features to the table that you usually find in pricier models. For one thing, it’s extremely quiet — especially when compared to the Optoma. It also features more inputs/outputs than the Optoma, including S-Video, RS-232c connector and audio jacks (although it would be a crime to use S-Video). It even features a small 5W onboard speaker which aids in portability and ease of use for those who are looking for a simple, all-in-one solution. The speaker is basic, but I found it helpful in my temporary setup when I just wanted to plug and play.

There isn’t much to complain about with regard to the Vivitek H1080FD, but I did notice that menus in the UI don’t collapse, so you have to exit in order to get a full picture of your changes. However, the most troubling negative has to do with the $US400 cost of a replacement lamp. The overall lamp life of the Vivitek and the Optoma are the same, but there is a $US150 difference in the price of the replacement. Given the fact that there isn’t a vast difference in performance between the two models, this expense could be a real dealbreaker for people who are looking to use their projector on a more regular basis.

Runner-Up: Optoma HD20

Sure, the runner-up in a contest of two is the “loser”, but there’s a lot to like about the Optoma. Right off the bat, you have to marvel at how small this thing is. At 12.76 x 3.82 x 9.21 inches and 2.9kg, users don’t need to use the HD20 in a permanent setup. It can be easily stored and transported — but again, the lack of lens shift means you might struggle to get an optimum viewing angle.

Granted, the HD20 isn’t going to blow away enthusiasts who will settle for nothing less than the blackest blacks and whitest whites, but most of us will be more than satisfied with the clarity, colour and contrast (4000:1). Overall lumen output wasn’t quite up to snuff when compared to the Vivitek, but it was still considerably better than you would expect in a budget model in both bright and theatre modes — easily allowing for a screen just under 100 inches in my living room to be comfortably viewable with ambient light.

Of course, the HD20 is not without it’s flaws. First of all, excessive fan noise makes it sound more like what you might expect from buying a cheaply priced DLP. It’s noticeable in Standard mode, but I was definitely distracted by it in Bright (users might also find the light emanating from the front vent to be distracting). I also found the UI to be well organised but fairly annoying to navigate, mostly because the remote isn’t very responsive. I felt like I had to mash the button down to get a response.

Feature Comparison/h3>

But What If You Spend More?

OK, so what if you’re willing to spend a bit more than $US1000?

Epson’s HC 8100 represents a price point in the entry-level market for consumers willing to pay extra for better 1080p performance. At $US1600, the LCD-based 8100 is a big step up from the Vivitek and the Optoma. In my opinion, it is worth the added expense.

Simply put, it easily outstrips both of its cheaper competitors in just about every performance category. It also has some advantages that the others lack, many of which derive from the advantages 3LCD has over DLP. Brightness and colour accuracy are better, no colour wheel means no rainbow effect and it has a high degree of vertical and horizontal lens shift, meaning you can put this thing just about anywhere and throw a clean image. However, it is literally twice as big and heavy as the Vivitek, which could make it unsuitable for some setups.

If you are concerned with the long term cost of ownership, the Epson is competitive in that area with a $US300 lamp replacement cost (4000 hour lamp life in Normal and Eco modes) and a two year limited warranty. So, in that sense, it could be cheaper to own in the long term than both the Vivitek and the Optoma depending on your usage.

Verdict

If you have your heart set on 1080p, the good news is that you will probably be satisfied no matter which one of these projectors you choose — definitely an encouraging sign at these price points. That having been said, I think it is worth spending an an extra $US600 for the improved performance of the Epson HC 8100.

However, if the HC 8100 isn’t in your budget, there is no shame in going with the Vivitek — it will deliver a lot of bang for your buck. On the other hand, if you plan on using your projector frequently and the long term cost of ownership is a concern, the Optoma HD20 will be less expensive in the long run — and the choice might be further justified since there isn’t a vast difference in performance. [Epson and Vivitek and Optoma]

The Gadget

What the hell is it? It’s a $US400 Wi-Fi printer all-in-one (yes, this includes fax). It has a touchscreen that includes a string of different branded widgets. The widgets do many things you can do on your mobile phone or a computer, but they all centre around printing. So you don’t just order movie tickets, you print them out, along with weather reports, blank to-do lists, Google calendars, colouring book pages from Nickelodeon and Disney, news synopses from USA Today and coupons for everything from Hasbro toys to Yoplait yogurt.

The Price

$US400. Count ‘em. That’s more than twice what most similarly classed all-in-ones cost.

The Widgets — and What’s Missing

In case you’re not picking up on this, regular Giz readers may not be the target audience. It’s as much an arts-and-crafts hub as it is a don’t-want-to-mess-with-a-computer resource, full of easy-access widgets that scream out “overworked mother of five”, with barely anything for “twentysomething nerd”. (Honestly, I can picture Kristin Wiig using this and making one of those weird smiles of surprised satisfaction.) Still, I was impressed by the diversity and wealth of resources this thing has — at launch.

Here’s what it still needs though, and has the SDK to provide, so listen up, developers:

• Driving directions – Google Maps is included, but for now you can just print the actual maps. A note says that driving directions are coming soon, and that just isn’t soon enough. Hurry!

• Boarding passes – Airlines widgets would be glorious: With all the emphasis on printing out boarding passes at home, how about a way to log into Delta or United and pull up your latest boarding passes?

• Email – I swear HP had some device that printed emails out for old people who didn’t like computers but liked hearing from their grandkids. Why isn’t that app on here?

• Epicurious – There’s already a recipe widget, and you can already sift through nearly 600 dishes, but that’s not satisfactory. Let’s have proven content from the culinary maestros.

• Sesame Street – As a dad, I am impressed with all the colouring and crafts that you can do with this thing, but if there’s no Elmo, someone’s gonna cry.

The Performance

I realise I’ve used up most of your attention talking about the services, and that’s because the printer itself works fine. I have criticised HP’s colour palette in the past, but ever since my Epson blowout, I have given up on trying to find “the best printer” in all aspects. Epson may still have the absolute best colour representation, but here I found a printer that jumped onto my Wi-Fi network faster than anything I’ve seen from Epson or Canon, and soon started spitting out out perfectly usable snapshots — not just from my computer but from my iPhone, using HP’s simple but effective iPrint Photo app. It’s a quick printer, if you don’t count the painfully long “one-time” ink initialisation period or inkjet head calibration.

The Verdict

Do I think you should spend $US400 on this printer? Not for your bachelor pad, dorm room or group home, that’s for sure. But do I think you and the rest of the fam chip in to get this thing for mum for Christmas? To quote one of the more famous mums of our time, “You betcha”.

Possibly the easiest Wi-Fi setup experience I’ve had to date

Fast, decent print quality using HP premium print paper

Amazing diversity of widgets for printing coupons, coloring books, movie tickets and more

Designed for a full house, with kids in need of boredom relief, and parents in need of quick data and services—it’s not for everyone

The $US400 price is twice what other all-in-one printers in this class cost, so basically the widgets cost you $US200

Launch was great, but there’s a lot of fluff in the content lineup, and it’s missing key applications that would make it a must-have appliance

If you can stand the drop from 1080p, the PowerLite 705HD still brings something to the table when compared to their 8100 model. Most notably, it’s less than half the price. The 705HD is 3LCD-based, it delivers 2500 lumens brightness, 3000:1 contrast and Component Video, S-Video, HDMI and USB connectivity.

Epson also released the MovieMate 60—an all-in-one unit with a built-in DVD and speaker system. Of course, it seems pretty absurd to spending $US700 on a 540p combo device with DVD given that much more future-proof technology exists at that price point. That having been said, keep in mind that 1080p projectors are starting to drop below the $US1000 mark. If you are willing to spend a little extra money or put off the purchase for another year, you stand to get a lot more bang for your buck. Both of the projectors featured here will be available in October.

Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 705HD Offers Big Screen High-Definition Performance for Under $US750

Versatile Home Entertainment Projector Delivers High-Quality Movies, Gaming and More

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Sept. 17, 2009 – Bringing affordable, big-screen home entertainment to households across the country, Epson today announced the new Epson PowerLite® Home Cinema 705HD. Available for $US749.99, the Home Cinema 705HD joins Epson’s award-winning line of 3LCD™ home theatre projectors, providing families and first-time home theatre enthusiasts with a versatile, high-quality 720p high-definition solution for a range of options – from movies and gaming, to broadcast TV and sports, to videos and music with an Apple® iPod.

The Home Cinema 705HD is designed to make home entertainment simple and enjoyable, and comes with a variety of consumer-friendly features and performance benefits for enjoying the big screen at home. The projector boasts 2,500 lumens of colour and white light outputi to accommodate movie viewing or game playing in different environments – even daytime. It also features four pre-set colour modes optimised for video, as well as HDMI connectivity and a USB 2.0 connection for sharing photos and slideshows. Featuring Epson’s three-chip 3LCD technology and exclusive energy efficient E-TORL® lamp, the Home Cinema 705HD delivers bright, movie theater-like images and video with amazing detail and no possibility of colour break-up or “rainbow effect.”

“Whether you’re watching your favourite movie with that special someone, or gathering family and friends to cheer on the home town team for the big game, there’s nothing like the visual impact of viewing high-definition output on a 120-inch screen at home,” said Marge Ang, senior product manager, Epson America. “The Home Cinema 705HD offers that experience to even more consumers with an affordable, easy-to-use, high-quality solution.”

More About the Home Cinema 705HD

The Home Cinema 705HD features a sleek white, compact design that offers a range of options and performance, expanding its versatility for home entertainment needs:

* 3LCD Quality and Reliability – 3LCD technology for incredible colour, amazing detail and road-tested reliability with no possibility of colour break-up or “rainbow effect”
* Increased Brightness – Movie theater-like images with 2,500 lumens of white and colour light output for brightness levels that are among the highest in this home theatre category

* Big Screen Performance – Widescreen capability with 720p performance
* Easy Set-up and Installation – Epson Universal Mount and 1.2x optical zoom and Instant On, Instant Off® technology allows for no waiting time to start or shut-down projector

* Versatile Connectivity – Component Video, S-Video, HDMI, and USB Type A digital connections to share photos and slideshows
* E-TORL® (Epson Twin Optics Reflection Lamp): Provides optimum light uniformity and increased light output for screen sizes larger than ten feet with exclusive 200 watt high efficiency design; uses less energy for up to 5,000 hours of lamp lifeii

Availability and Support

The Epson Home Cinema 705HD will be available in October through online A/V specialty retailers, select retailers nationwide, and the Epson online store for an estimated street price of $US749.99. The projector comes with the service and support only Epson can offer, including a two-year limited warranty with toll-free access to PrivateLine®, Epson’s priority technical support, and free two-business day exchange with ExtraCareSM Home Service.

Go Big And Stay Home With New Epson MovieMate 60 All-in-One Home Entertainment Solution

Integrated Projector, DVD/CD and Stereo Speaker Unit Delivers Big Screen Performance

Just About Anywhere for Under $US700

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Sept. 17, 2009 – Epson America today announced the Epson MovieMate™ 60, the lightest, brightest and most versatile offering in Epson’s innovative line of “all-in-one” home theatre projectors. By combining a high-quality, high-brightness projector, a CD/DVD player, microphone input, and stereo speakers in one portable unit, MovieMate 60 offers families and home theatre enthusiasts an affordable, easy-to-use and versatile solution for home entertainment in any room of the house, in the backyard, or on vacation.

With MovieMate 60, consumers can enjoy their favourite DVDs, sporting events, TV shows, gaming consoles, and even karaoke up to 8 times larger than a 40-inch widescreen TV. MovieMate 60 features a bright, energy efficient lamp that delivers 2,000 lumens of colour and white light output1, Dolby® Digital audio and big-screen image quality in a portable and convenient home theatre solution. MovieMate 60 also offers easy plug ‘n play connectivity, including HDMI, allowing consumers to enjoy and share digital content from computers, camcorders, digital cameras, or MP3 players. With the performance and reliability of Epson’s three-chip 3LCD technology and energy efficient E-TORL® lamp, the MovieMate 60 delivers home theatre enthusiasts brighter, natural colours for years to come.2

“These days, families are looking for more affordable ways to entertain themselves and share good times,” said Marge Ang, senior product manager, Epson America. “Whether watching a movie, hosting a gaming night or singing karaoke, Epson’s unique MovieMate all-in-one projectors help bring families and friends together with a big screen entertainment experience anywhere – in any room of the house or in the backyard.”

Epson MovieMate 60
The Epson MovieMate 60 features a sleek, compact design with a built-in handle and cushioned carrying case for portable convenience. Additional features and benefits include:

* Projecting a 16:9 widescreen 60-inch image from only six feet away or a 120-inch image from just 12 feet away
* Built-in progressive scan standard definition 540p resolution DVD/CD player
* Great sound quality using two built-in ten watt 5.1 Dolby Digital DTS® speakers
* Integrated microphone jack to allow for voice amplification – great for narrating a slide show, karaoke and more
* Compatible with Apple® iPod, Nintendo® Wii™, Sony® PlayStation® 3 and Microsoft® Xbox 360®
* New, brighter, energy-efficient E-TORL lamp with 2,000 lumens white and colour light output to maximize brightness and uniformity so viewers can enjoy the projector even in well-lit rooms
* No additional cables needed for easy set-up and portable flexibility

Availability and Support

The Epson MovieMate 60 will be available in October through national resellers for an estimated street price of $US699. The projector comes with the service and support only Epson can offer, including a two-year limited warranty with toll-free access to PrivateLine®, Epson’s priority technical support, and free two-business-day exchange with ExtraCareSM Home Service.

[Epson]

The 3LCD-based 8100 features a contrast ratio of 36,000:1 and a brightness bump to 1800 lumens. It also includes a Dynamic Iris system that allows for frame by frame light control (up to 60 frames per second)—helping to smooth out movies with fast scene changes. Of course, the $US1599 price tag doesn’t quite compare to the new crop of sub-$1000 1080p projectors that are starting to hit the market, but Epson’s 8100 does represent a second tier of affordability with specs that would probably have cost you at least twice as much a year ago. Of course the game is about more than just impressive contrast ratios, but even without a review, these shrinking price points are encouraging. Expect the 8100 to arrive sometime in late October along with a $US100 rebate offer that would bring the price down to $US1499.

Epson Adds Two High-Performance 1080P Projectors to
Award-Winning Home theatre Lineup

Feature-Packed PowerLite Home Cinema 8100 and 8500 UB Offer Home theatre Enthusiasts Unsurpassed Image Quality and Affordability

ATLANTA (CEDIA Expo 2009, Booth 3353) – Sept. 8, 2009 – Epson America today announced two 1080p front projectors, the PowerLite® Home Cinema 8100 and 8500 UB, expanding its award-winning line of 3LCD™ home theatre projectors. Featuring D7 technology for brilliant colour and detail, and higher contrast, the Home Cinema 8100 reaches a 36,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and the Home Cinema 8500 UB achieves an unprecedented 200,000:11. The Home Cinema 8100 and 8500 UB also offer the latest in real colour reproduction capabilities for more natural and precise colours, delivering an outstanding viewing experience for home entertainment and AV enthusiasts.

With pricing of $US1,599 (plus an additional $US100 rebate at launch) and sub-$3,000, respectively, the Home Cinema 8100 and 8500 UB offer consumers affordable high-definition 3LCD home entertainment, delivering bright and natural colour, crisp image detail, and unsurpassed light efficiency and reliability. These 3LCD projectors use an advanced, three-chip optical engine for brilliant colour and image quality without the possibility of colour break-up, unlike DLP projectors that generate images using a spinning colour wheel with a white segment.

“Epson is committed to leading the market when it comes to home theatre performance and value,” said Marge Ang, senior product manager, Epson America. “These new models take advantage of Epson’s latest technology to offer consumers the highest-performing1080p solutions available at their respective price points.”

Epson Home Cinema 8100
The value-packed Home Cinema 8100 features an improved contrast ratio of up to 36,000:1 (double that of previous models) and higher brightness – 1,800 lumens colour and white light output – for outstanding image quality in dark or lighted rooms. The projector’s exclusive Dynamic Iris system contributes to the dramatic contrast improvement, allowing light to be controlled on a frame-by-frame basis at up to 60 times per second, making it ideal for fast-action movies with frequent scene changes. Designed for home entertainment and AV enthusiasts on a budget, this projector offers high-quality home entertainment for enjoying movies, video games, sports, and more.

Epson Home Cinema 8500 UB
Along with the latest D7 chip set, this high-quality projector adds Epson’s C2Fine® and UltraBlack™ technology for superb black levels and vivid images. Further boosting black levels, the Home Cinema 8500 UB includes brightness of 1,600 lumens colour and light output and new dual-layered auto iris technology, allowing for an impressive contrast ratio of up to 200,000:1. As a result, the projector controls light intensity more effectively, causing dark images to appear even darker and blacks to appear even richer and deeper.

The projector also features Epson’s new Super-resolution™ technology to create a sharper, more detailed picture resolution ideal for broadcast signal noise reduction or enhancing the quality of poor DVD transfers. Super-resolution technology improves the resolution of a blurred image, allowing consumers to fully enjoy high-definition quality at all times. Epson has also added new real colour reproduction capabilities, which delivers more natural and precise colours, allowing viewers to experience the true-to-life colours filmmakers intended.

To ensure sharp, clear images, the projector features Epson’s 12-bit 3LCD driver technology and a built-in Silicon Optix HQV Reon-VX scaling and de-interlacing video processor. This processor reduces mosquito and block noise and augments multi-level contrast enhancement to further improve picture quality. The Home Cinema 8500 UB also features enhanced FineFrame™ technology resulting in smoother frame interpolation, sharper video quality and the elimination of judder.
Shared Features of the Home Cinema Line – The Home Cinema 8100 and 8500 UB share features designed to improve image quality and total cost of 3LCD projector ownership, including:

*
Cinema Filter: Delivers larger colour space for improved colour fidelity.
*
Fujinon OptiCinema™ Multi-Lens Optics System: Projects clean, precise edges with consistent image quality across the entire screen, expanding installation flexibility.
*
Pre-set colour Modes: Features seven colour modes (Dynamic, Living Room, Natural, Theatre, Theatre Black 1, Theatre Black 2, x.v.Color) for optimal viewing in any environment.
*
E-TORL® (Epson Twin Optics Reflection Lamp): Provides optimum light uniformity and increased light output for screen sizes larger than ten feet with exclusive 200 watt high efficiency design; uses less energy for up to 4,000 hours of lamp lifeiii.
*
Advanced Dust Filtration System: Ensures efficient power use, reduced cool-down periods, lower fan speeds, quieter operation (only 22 db), and 98 percent efficiency for longer filter life.
*
Input Options: Features two HDMI 1.3a inputs with Deep colour support, high definition component video input, S-video input, composite video input, and VGA-type RGB input (D-sub 15).

Availability and Support
The Epson Home Cinema 8100 will be available in late-October and the Home Cinema 8500 UB will be available in November through authorised Epson projector dealers and select retail outlets, and come with Epson’s industry leading service and support. Pricing for the Home Cinema 8500 UB will be released at that time. This includes a two-year limited warranty with access to Epson PrivateLine® priority toll-free support, 90-day limited lamp warranty, and free two-business day exchange with Extra CareSM Home Service.

Epson’s Latest 1080P Pro Cinema Projectors Bring Custom Installers High
Performing
PowerLite Pro Cinema 9100 and 9500 UB Offer New Levels of Image Quality, Detail and Performance

ATLANTA (CEDIA Expo 2009, Booth 3353) – Sept. 8, 2009 – Epson America today announced two native 1080p 3LCD™ home theatre projectors designed for custom installers and home theatre buffs, the PowerLite® Pro Cinema 9100 and 9500 UB. These projectors feature the latest 3LCD chips with D7 technology for amazing colour and detail, and significantly higher contrast ratios – the Pro Cinema 9100 achieves a 36,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and the Pro Cinema 9500 UB attains an unprecedented 200,000:1 in its class . With professional-level colour tools including ISF calibration and colour isolation, the Pro Cinema 9100 and 9500 UB offer professional installers full-featured solutions.

Available for $US2,599 and sub-$4,000 respectively, the Pro Cinema 9100 and 9500 UB offer state-of-the-art image quality and performance in each of their respective categories with enhanced colour reproduction capabilities and 3LCD technology to deliver bright and natural colour, crisp image detail and reliability. As Epson’s flagship home theatre model, the Pro Cinema 9500 UB brings several technology enhancements to the market, including a new dual-layered auto-iris to control light reduction rates, Super-resolution™ technology for enhanced picture quality and improved FineFrame™ technology.

“Epson understands the needs of the custom installation channel and is committed to providing high-quality products that meet the needs of dealers in today’s competitive market,” said Marge Ang, senior product manager, Epson America. “These latest Pro Cinema projectors have been packed with a range of value-add features and technology refinements that allow custom installers to build a customised high-performance, home entertainment system for their discerning customers.”

Epson Pro Cinema 9100
The Pro Cinema 9100 offers a high-value, customizable home entertainment experience. The projector includes ISF Day and Night modes for switching between picture modes and lamp output, as well as Epson’s colour Isolation system for fine-tuning of colour saturation and hue without the need for blue and red optical filters, making set-up and calibration quick and simple. With a contrast ratio of up to 36,000:1 and brightness of 1,800 lumens colour and white light output , this projector offers amazing big-screen image quality. Housed in a stylish black and silver design, the Pro Cinema 9100 features an exclusive Dynamic Iris system which contributes to the improvement in contrast. It controls light on a frame-by-frame basis at up to 60 times per second, making it ideal for fast-action movies with frequent scene changes.

Epson Pro Cinema 9500 UB
The flagship Pro Cinema 9500 UB offers custom installers the ultimate in image quality, combining Epson’s C2Fine® and UltraBlack™ technology with 3LCD and D7 technology to produce superb black levels and vivid images. The projector also features a dual-layered auto iris to control light reduction rates more effectively, contributing to its astounding contrast ratio – up to 200,000:1. With brightness of 1,600 lumens colour and white light output, the projector delivers deeper blacks and crystal clear detail.

Adding to its high-quality performance, the Pro Cinema 9500 UB features Epson’s improved FineFrame technology for smoother frame interpolation, sharper video quality and the elimination of judder for viewing sports and fast-action movie scenes, and playing video games. Epson has also added new Super-resolution technology to sharpen blurry images or low-resolution pictures. This new technology is ideal for high-definition content, addressing broadcast signal noise reduction or improving the quality of poor DVD transfers.

The Pro Cinema 9500 UB also features new real colour reproduction capabilities for more natural and precise colours, while Epson’s 12-bit 3LCD driver technology and a built-in Silicon Optix HQV Reon-VX video processor and PW390 scaler ensure a smoother picture. It also includes pre-set colour space selection to set colour gamut according to geography and source material, a feature typically found only on high-end high-definition broadcast monitors. And, with an optional external anamorphic lens (available from Epson) and “vertical stretch” picture mode, the Pro Cinema 9500 UB enables anamorphic viewing without an external processor for a full theatrical image – projecting true 2.35:1 and 2.40:1 ultra widescreen images without the black bars above and below the picture.

Shared Features of the Pro Cinema Line – Epson’s Pro Cinema projectors share a range of value-add features designed to further enhance performance, image quality and total cost of ownership, including:

*
3LCD Technology: Delivers bright and natural colour, amazing detail and road-tested reliability; uses an advanced, 3-chip optical engine for full-time colour without the possibility of colour break-up.
*
Cinema Filter: Delivers larger colour space for improved colour fidelity.
*
Fujinon OptiCinema™ Multi-Lens Optics System: Projects clean, precise edges with consistent image quality across the entire screen.
*
E-TORL® (Epson Twin Optics Reflection Lamp): Provides optimum light uniformity and increased light output for screen sizes larger than ten feet with exclusive 200 watt high efficiency design; uses less energy for up to 4,000 hours of lamp life ; both models include a spare lamp.
*
ISF Certification: Allows installers and calibrators to fine-tune picture quality and match output with front projection screens.
*
Input Selections: Features two HDMI 1.3a inputs with Deep colour support, high definition component video input, S-video input, composite video input, and VGA-type RGB input (D-sub 15).
*
Installation Options: Includes ceiling mount, reversible front panel Epson logo for various mounting positions, rear panel cable cover to hide wires and cable hook to ensure connections remain secure.

Availability and Support
Available in October and November respectively, the Pro Cinema 9100 and 9500 UB can be purchased through authorised Epson projector dealers and select retail outlets. Both models come with Epson’s industry leading service and support, including a three-year limited warranty with toll-free access to Epson’s PrivateLineSM priority technical support, 90-day limited lamp warranty, and free two-business day exchange with Extra CareSM Home Service.

[Epson]

Epson’s ensemble projector kit is being paired with their Powerlite 6100 and 6500 UB models, both 1080p projectors, with the UB model getting a much higher dynamic contrast ratio of 75,000:1.

The projector itself is LCD based, accounting for the price of the total kit, as LCD based projectors have been traditionally more more price competitive than their DLP counterparts.

The setup includes a few other niceties for $US6500/$US8000, specifically a motorised 100-inch screen with left, right and centre channels, a ceiling mounted projector cradle with rear speakers, a universal remote (which looks scary) and an AV controller with two HDMI inputs, a DVD player with ipod inputs and upscaling capabilities. No Blu-ray player, however. [Epson]

EPSON ANNOUNCES NEXT-GENERATION ENSEMBLE HD HOME CINEMA SYSTEM FEATURING LATEST 1080P PROJECTOR MODELS

Award-Winning Fully-Integrated Home Entertainment Solution
Now Available Online and Through Authorised Dealers

LONG BEACH, Calif. – April 28, 2009 – Epson today announced that its multi-award winning Ensemble HDTM Home Cinema System is now available with the company’s latest 3LCD 1080p front projectors. The PowerLite® Home Cinema 6100 and Home Cinema 6500 UB offer home entertainment and AV enthusiasts two outstanding options for an incredible viewing experience with Ensemble HD.

The Ensemble HD Home Cinema System is a fully-integrated, high-end home entertainment solution for viewing movies, TV and playing video games. With a motorised 100-inch screen, integrated surround sound, AV controller with built-in DVD player, universal remote and all virtually components needed for installation, the unique system can transform any home’s living or family room into a dual-purpose living and entertainment area without compromising space or the room’s decorative integrity.

“Available now with two of Epson’s best performing home theatre projectors, the Ensemble HD Home Cinema Systems provides arguably the greatest true home theatre value in the industry,” said Rajeev Mishra, director, Projector Marketing and Development, Epson America. “As a global leader in projector technology, Epson’s commitment to lowering home theatre cost of ownership is at the core of everything we do. Our decision to offer this impressive entertainment system online for home cinema enthusiasts who want to install it themselves was a logical step in meeting the needs of this growing market.”

The Ensemble HD Home Cinema System is available in three models to meet varying consumer needs, ranging from entry-level families looking for an affordable home theatre solution to AV enthusiasts looking for the best performance and feature-set. Pricing for the models includes $4,999 for the Ensemble HD Home Cinema 720p, $6,499 for the Ensemble HD Home Cinema 6100 and $7,999 for the Ensemble HD Home Cinema 6500 UB. Available directly online at select retailers such as Visualapex.com and Projectorpeople.com, consumers interested in do-it-yourself projects and undertakings will now be able to install Ensemble HD themselves. For consumers who prefer professional installation, the system can also be purchased through Epson’s authorised dealers and installers.

Since its launch, the Ensemble HD Home Cinema System has received numerous awards and accolades, including an Honoree designation in the 2008 CES Innovations Awards, 2008 Excite Award, 2008 AVS Forum Product Appreciation Award, Projector Review’s Outstanding Product Award, and more. For additional information, please visit the Ensemble HD Home Cinema System fact sheet.

Priced at $US3000 (the Leica M8 runs about $US1000 more), the D1xG is an update to Epson’s D1. It keeps the same 6MP resolution (the camera may or may not have a new imaging chip) but gains Adobe RGB colorspace support along with simultaneous RAW and JPG shooting on SDHC.

I dig the style, I just feel like if you’re already spending $US3000 on an impostor, why not just drop another thousand for the real thing? [Epson via Wired]

I have a crucial fax I need to send early tomorrow morning. Crucial. I need to print 15 pages of black-and-white legal contract, sign every single page, and then fax the shit. All of this is within the capabilities of the Artisan 800. But tonight, the thing printed 9 pages, then told me it had run out of Magenta. Yes, as in, a colour I don’t need at all to print 15 black-and-white pages.

OK, so I have a spare Magenta cartridge—whoo hoo! I pop it in there, and all is well, until page 11, when it says it needs me to replace… Light Cyan.

I have Light Cyan, too, so I put it in, and it says I need to replace Cyan. Well, there’s already a new Cyan in there, so I pop it out because maybe it’s just in there wrong. Turns out, someone in my household put it in without removing the safety sticker, and the printer waited like three weeks to tell me this. So I pull off the safety sticker, place it back in the printer, but no go. Artisan says it can’t recognise Cyan. Nor can it recognise Light Cyan. Or Yellow.

Yellow? I hadn’t even touched Yellow. Suddenly, it can’t recognise half my ink cartridges, all of which happen to be completely full. I pop them out, put them back in again. Nothing.

I restart the printer twice, yanking plug and all. Same error.

I pull out all the ink cartridges, put them back in, restart the thing, and get the same beeping error for the same three miscreants.

Have you ever seen your wit’s end? Cuz mine is hanging out all over the place at this point. I go to Epson.com to troubleshoot, and I get the following frightening message:

What they’re not telling you is that pretty much any expensive-arse ink cartridge you remove for any reason may be rejected by the thing at any time forever more, so don’t even think about popping the shit out once you’ve put it in there, most especially if the machine is categorically refusing to recognise it in the first place.

So I can’t print another page, even though every indicator shows I’m full up to the damn gills on black ink. At the end of the troubleshooter, after I click “No, this did not solve my problem” three or four times, I read this obnoxious statement:

I’m not sure if you can see my middle finger from where you’re sitting, Epson, but rest assured, it is extended and pointing in your direction.

Tomorrow, when I go to print and fax my documents at Kinko’s, I’ll be thinking of you, and I will be seething. But when I go to get a new printer, I’ll be thinking of HP or Canon. Probably Canon.

The Epson Infineon is a 12th generation GPS transmitter/receiver built upon a 65nm manufacturing process. Just 2.8 × 2.9mm (or 25% smaller than any A-GPS on the market), it’s still powerful enough to communicate with satellites indoors, tracking you to the Motel 6 before your loved one discovers you—living a second life in which you rent Motel 6 rooms just to hang out and watch bad cable alone. [News via Engadget]

The 6500 uses Epson’s “Crystal Clear Fine” D7 chip set to up the black levels and a Cinema Filter feature for improved colour accuracy, and comes with HDMI 1.3a connectivity, 2.1x optical zoom and 4,000 hours of lamp life.

Also featured is a sweet HQV Reon-VS Video Processor and horizontal, vertical lens shifting—which lets you adjust the picture without having to move the actual projector. With 22dB of fan noise, you won’t hear it whirring through your movies.

The 6500’s price is set at $US3000, pretty low for the feature set. By comparison, an Epson projector (the PowerLite 1080) from last year was the same price point for just a 12,000:1 contrast ratio and 588 lumens. Crazy what a year will change, eh?

The PowerLite® Home Cinema 6500 UB offers native 1080p resolution for an outstanding home entertainment experience. Delivering a superior contrast ratio of up to 75,000:1 with brightness up to 1,600 lumens, this high-performing projector features a new 3LCD™ D7 chip set from Epson with Ultra Black technology and a built-in HQV® processor and PW390 scaler for sharp, clear high-definition image quality at home.
Estimated Street Price
$2,999
Target Market
• Home entertainment and AV enthusiasts looking for the best performance, features and specs available in a home projector
Key Features
• Native 1080p (1920×1080) resolution
• Epson 3LCD technology with New “Crystal Clear Fine” D7 chip set and Ultra Black technology for superb black levels and extraordinary details
• Unprecedented contrast ratio of 75,000:1
• Built-in HQV Reon-VX Video Processor and PW390 video scaler
• FineFrameTM Technology provides frame interpolation for smoother and sharper video quality
• Superior video image quality with Opticinema™ lens (2.1 zoom ratio)
• Cinema Filter feature delivers larger colour space for improved colour accuracy
• Brightness of up to 1,600 white and colour lumens
• New dust filtration system for increased efficiency
• Low fan noise of only 22dB
Additional Noteworthy Features
• Manual lens shift of 100 percent maximum up/down (vertical) and 50 percent maximum left and right (horizontal)
• 6 Colour Modes – Dynamic, Living Room, Natural, Theatre, Theatre Black 1, Theatre Black 2, x.v.Color
• HDMI 1.3a connectivity with Deep Colour support
• Zoom ratio – 2.1x optical zoom, manual focus
• Brighter 200W E-TORL lamp delivers high brightness using less energy for up to 4,000 hours of lamp life
• Dimensions – 17.7″ x 15.4″ x 5.7″ (W x D x H)
• Weight – 16 lbs.
Warranty and Support
• 2-year parts and labour limited warranty, 90-day lamp warranty, Epson HomeService Program and Epson PrivateLine dedicated toll-free support