Introduction to Projector Reviews

A 65-inch HDTV is fine but when you want a jumbo-screen experience, a projector is the only way to go. Some of them will throw an image up to 300-inches diagonal creating entertainment that can be shared with friends and family. Projectors come in three major types – LCD, LCoS and DLP. Some models now offer HDR and Ultra HD resolution and most have 3D capability. Enthusiasts looking for long service life will want to check out LED and laser-equipped versions. We don’t discriminate based on size or price. Many portable projectors are small enough to toss in a bag and travel with. And don’t think you have to spend a fortune. We’ve seen some that deliver the goods for less than the price of a flat panel TV.

Our tests rank image quality based on standards used in the broadcast industry and directly related to what you’ll see on the screen. If a display can be used right out of the box without calibration, we’ll tell you that too. Either way, our coverage will show you how to select the best projector for your theater and how to install it for optimal performance.

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Projectors

BenQ HC1200 DLP 3D Projector Review

Chris Eberle

BenQ adds to its line of high-performance value-priced portable projectors with the new HC1200. A super-bright DLP model, it’s perfect for corporate warriors and home theater enthusiasts alike. Today I’ll run it through my benchmark suite and check out some 2D and 3D content.

Projectors

Optoma HD161X DLP 3D Projector Review

Chris Eberle

The battle of DLP vs. LCD in the value-priced projector market continues with the new HD161X from Optoma. It combines a bright sharp picture with 3D and full calibration features. It also offers a group of image enhancements that help set it apart from the competition.

Projectors

BenQ HT1085ST DLP 3D Projector Review

Chris Eberle

Most of the sub-$2000 projectors I review require a full calibration to look their best. BenQ's HT1085ST can ace my benchmark tests by simply switching to its Cinema picture mode. Coupled with a sharp bright picture, this is one impressive display.

Projectors

Epson Home Cinema 3500 LCD Projector Review

Chris Eberle

It wasn't long ago that a projector with lens shift would cost you at least $2,500. Epson's new Home Cinema 3500 3LCD Projector breaks that barrier with an MSRP of $1,600. In addition you get a full set of calibration controls, 3D and plenty of light output.

Projectors

BenQ GP20 Ultra-Lite LED-lit-DLP Projector Review

Chris Eberle

The BenQ GP20 LED projector houses a single DLP chip in a small lightweight chassis barely larger than a hardcover book. Its light engine is rated for 20,000 hours and will never change in brightness or color. It comes with a WiFi dongle to stream content wirelessly and a convenient carry bag so you can quickly set it up for an impromptu movie night. A complete set of inputs are provided including HDMI with MHL for easy connection to smart phones or tablets. It's compatible with a wide variety of still image and video formats so content can come from a laptop as easily as it does from a Blu-ray player. Today I installed it in my reference theater and put it through my benchmark suite as I have done for our prior BenQ projector reviews.

Projectors

Epson Home Cinema 2030 LCD 3D Projector Review

Chris Eberle

Here's what you get with the Cinema 2030: 2,000 lumens of brightness, 3D, HDMI with MHL, USB with networking capability, and a built-in speaker. Here's what you'll have to move up in price for: lens shift, higher quality optics, lower black levels, THX certification, and wireless HDMI. If you're looking for a portable projector that works in a variety of environments, and can connect to any conceivable video source, I don't believe you'll have to look any further! Let's check it out.

Projectors

JVC DLA-X700R Three-Chip D-ILA Projector Review

Chris Heinonen

For years JVC has produced the best contrast ratios of any home projector thanks to their D-ILA technology. They have been able to manage these stellar black levels despite being the only major company to not utilize any sort of dynamic iris system in their projectors. This year they have added a dynamic iris system to their projectors that promises to provide even deeper blacks than ever before. The JVC X700 also features their updated e-Shift3 that now accepts a 4K signal and offers more control than before. As everyone seems to be clamoring for UltraHD, can the JVC X700 deliver the goods while still using a regular 1080p panel?

Projectors

BenQ W7500 Single-Chip DLP Projector

Chris Eberle

Looking over Secrets' last few years of projector reviews, it quickly becomes evident that the pricing sweet spot has settled around the $3000 mark. This makes sense since it's only a little more or less than you'd pay for a top-quality 65-inch flat panel. A few years ago, any TV over 50 inches carried a big price premium. When I bought my Pioneer Kuro in 2009 for example, I paid $2,900 for a 50-inch screen. I really wanted the 60-inch model but it was almost double the price at $5,600!

The REALLY BIG screen experience is still only available from front projection. Last year, I got to check out Mitsubishi's DLP, the HC8000D. This time, BenQ sent me their new W7500. For $2,799, it offers some great features and very high performance coupled with tremendous light output. Let's take a look.

Projectors

SIM2 SUPER LUMIS Three-Chip DLP Projector

Chris Heinonen

Projectors are often described as having a "film-like" image. We are all trying to replicate that movie theater experience at home and so it seems that achieving that look is what we would strive for. The SIM2 SUPER LUMIS has shown me that in a modern projector; film-like is no longer what we want. All our sources now are pixel-perfect digital sources. Ideal projectors are razor-sharp and incredibly bright. We can focus down to a single pixel on the screen. Very little we see in the theater today is film sourced or projected from film, and nothing we watch at home is stored on film. So "film-like" is not what I'm after in a projector. What I'm after is something that shows me every last detail and imperfection in what I'm watching. A projector as true to the source as possible. With that in mind, the SIM2 SUPER LUMIS projector is a machine that is capable of doing just that. Powerful, precise, and utter revealing of everything it projects onto the screen.

Projectors

Sony VPL-HW55ES Three-Chip SXRD (LCoS) Projector

Chris Heinonen

In 2012, Sony produced my favorite projector of the year, the VPL-HW50ES. While many other projectors did certain things a little better, none has the combination of attributes that the HW50ES has. From movies to sports, bright rooms to dark, it managed to excel at everything I asked it to do. In 2013, we some improvements with the VPL-HW55ES, including longer lamp life, contrast ratio, and brightness.

Projectors

JVC X55 Three-Chip D-ILA Projector

Chris Heinonen

With their updated e-shift technology, a full-featured CMS, and black levels that are untouched by other projector manufacturers, the new JVC X55 projector is capable of some truly stunning images. The kind of images that will likely have you painting that room, covering the carpet up with a dark rug, and putting electrical tape over the LEDs on your system components to prevent any little thing from entering the room to distract from its performance.

Projectors

Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 5020UBE 3D LCD Projector

Chris Eberle

Recently I reviewed Epson's new Home Cinema 3020e projector and found it to be a tremendous value in the under $2000 class. It offers killer 3D, wireless HDMI, and superb image for less than the price of a 60-inch TV. It was only natural that I should also check out its big brother, the Home Cinema 5020UBE.

Projectors