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

Mitsubishi HC8000D-BL 3D DLP Projector

Chris Eberle

Whenever I attend the CEDIA Expo, I visit all the projector manufacturers, both large and small. While Mitsubishi is a large company, their projectors are not as well-known as other brands. At the 2012 Expo, I had a chance to check out their all-new DLP models. In this review, we test the Mitsubishi HC8000D-BL single-chip DLP 3D projector.

Projectors

BenQ W1070 Projector

Chris Heinonen

I'll be blunt: I don't like 3D. I've never been able to justify paying extra to see it in the theater, and at home it has always left me cold. Most implementations give me a headache almost instantly with their crosstalk-filled images and ghosting the drives me crazy... Fast forward to CES 2013 and BenQ is in the South Hall showing off a pair of projectors that are very similar to the W7000, but scaled down: the W1070 and W1080ST.

Projectors

Sony VPL-HW50ES Projector

Chris Heinonen

At a CEDIA that was big on 4K and sound bars, the introduction of the VPL-HW50ES went under the radar a bit. Slotting into their lineup above the HW30 and below the HW95, the HW50 comes with a few features from each of those, but also has its own unique features to set...

Projectors

JVC X70 Three-Chip D-ILA Projector

Chris Heinonen

Just two years ago, 3D was the all the rage at the CEDIA Expo. Now 3D is in almost every display you buy and is not the hot, new thing. It has been supplanted by 4K, promising to offer so many pixels that we will never see them again, and out-HD our current High Definition. JVC took a half step onto the 4K platform with their e-Shift projectors, which use a slight pixel shift to potentially produce an effective resolution of 4K, though with only 1920 x 1080 panels and no 4K input capability. The JVC X70 is one such projector, and is reviewed here.

Projectors

BenQ W7000 Single-Chip DLP 3D Projector

Chris Heinonen

Many people are eager to experience 3D in their home, but often disappointed when they get their projector setup. The wonderful demos we see at trade shows or in stores are commonly using custom screens that add a lot of light to 3D, but most of us don't have these. The end result is often a dark, dull picture that doesn't resemble what they were hoping to see. The BenQ W7000, reviewed here, is a single-chip DLP 3D projector that has plenty of light, even in 3D, and also scored well in our Benchmark tests.

Projectors

Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 5010e LCD Projector

Chris Eberle

For several years now, Epson has been the undisputed leader in the LCD projector market. They took a technology that seemed forever destined for boardrooms and churches and improved it gradually, until it became hard to tell apart from high-end LCoS and DLP designs. Enthusiasts who would have never considered an LCD are now taking a serious look at Epson's offerings. One of them might be the 5010e, reviewed here.

Projectors

Runco LightStyle LS-100d DLP LED Projector

Chris Heinonen

For a truly immersive home theater experience, nothing compares to a large image that fills your field of view.  Unfortunately many of us don't have a room that will work for a projector due to space and throw limitations and are forced to make do with a far smaller plasma or LCD display.  Runco has a solution for those challenging situations with their LS-100d, a short throw, LED-based projector capable of producing a 100" image while being placed right up against the wall.

Projectors

Optoma HD8300 3D DLP Projector

Chris Eberle

Now that 3D has become commonplace in HDTVs, projectors are following suit. Most of the new models introduced at CEDIA 2011 incorporate 3D into their feature set. While 3D has not lured me into upgrading my reference equipment just yet, I can't help but wonder when I might really want to watch Avatar in 3D. So, I managed to obtain the new Optoma HD8300 DLP projector which just happens to have 3D capability.

Projectors

Sony VPL-VW95ES 3D Projector

Chris Heinonen

With the shift from CRTs to flat panel and projection displays, Sony has had to find something to replace the veritable Trinitron that was a symbol of excellence for so many years. Their proprietary version of Liquid Crystal on Silicon, SXRD, has been their high-end technology, appearing in products their Qualia reference line, to the first home 4K projector this year, and in the VPL-VW95ES reviewed here.

Projectors

JVC X30 1080p Three-Chip D-ILA 3D Projector

Chris Heinonen

After moving last fall, I finally had space for a projection setup and ordered a screen for my basement. When I started to look for a projector for my new home theater, the first recommendation from people was almost always JVC. The JVC X30 is a three-chip D-ILA projector that has 4K resolution for the future, but for now, it is considered a full 1920x1080p projector. I has an incredible contrast ratio for gorgeous blacks, and is 3D capable. It's $1,000 less than it was last year, and they have added memory for lens settings (zoom) so you can have the image at the appropriate size if you are viewing 2.35:1 vs. 2:1, etc.

Projectors

BenQ W1200 1080p Single-Chip DLP Projector

Chris Eberle

With a steady flow of new models hitting the market since the CEDIA Expo, I've had plenty of projectors passing through my theater of late. When I got the opportunity to review the BenQ W1200, I realized it was my first time evaluating a product from this company. The W1200 is a full 1080p single-chip DLP projector.

Projectors

Sony VPL-HW30AES 1080p Three-Chip LCoS 3D Projector

Chris Eberle

Since so many displays, both flat panel and projector, are now adding 3D to their feature lists, it's getting harder and harder to write a witty intro for these products. Suffice it to say that 3D is here and we're going to have it in our next TV or projector whether we like it or not. The new Sony VPL-HW30AES projector uses three LCoS chips, has full 1920x1080 resolution, and is up to speed with 3D capability.

Projectors

BenQ W1200 DLP Projector

Chris Eberle

With a steady flow of new models hitting the market since the CEDIA Expo, I've had plenty of projectors passing through my theater of late. When I got the opportunity to review the BenQ W1200, I realized it was my first time evaluating a product from this company. The W1200 is a full 1080p single-chip DLP projector.

Projectors

Optoma HD33 3D DLP Projector

Chris Eberle

In the two years since 3D displays first became commonplace, I've seen many demos; and only a few of them really impressed me. When you watch for a few minutes and you get that "gotta have it" feeling, you know you've seen something special. So far I've seen exactly zero flat panels that affected me that way. They just don't immerse the viewer the way a projector does. I've found for the 3D effect to be truly convincing, the edges of the screen have to be outside my peripheral vision. Front projection is, of course, the answer; but 3D capable models are only just now trickling down to the affordable level. The Optoma HD33 is a DLP projector with 3D capabilities and has full 1920x1080p native resolution. All for less than $1,500.

Projectors