Epson Unveils Latest Home Cinema Projectors

I'll say up front, before What Culture sent me to Berlin's annual consumer technology show - IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) - last week, I wasn't aware that Epson even made home cinema projectors. To my embarrassment it turns out they have been market leader in the field for the past decade, with 42 new projector products this year across home, professional and education markets. In 2011 the emphasis of the company's newly unveiled home range is understandably on 3D, as well as improved 2D. Yet there were also a few surprises and some nifty innovations too, with the world's first iPod/iPad compatible projector in particular attracting a lot of attention. That device (the snappily named MG-850HD) isn't the smallest - certainly when compared to increasingly tiny Pico projectors - yet it is capable of displaying much higher resolution images than the usual portable unit and has 2 decent built-in 10W speakers. It's also incredibly light and features a cleverly concealed carry handle, with Epson reps keen to emphasise its suitability for parties and general entertaining. As you'd imagine, you can use the iPod dock to project whatever films you've downloaded to the device, which admittedly look pretty dodgy projected on a large screen (the footage of the film Invictus we were shown wasn't exactly high quality) but, hey, it's another option. It's more ideally suited to presentations and (I think) maybe even impromptu art installations, as well as more standard home use where it outputs 720p HD. Central to this portable concept, it isn't a faff to set up, thanks to the new "Keystone correction" controls - which allow you to quickly find the best horizontal plane for the beam with a simple dial mounted above the lens. The company's European business manager for projectors, Valerie Riffaud-Cangelosi, said the new system is so intuitive "you don't need to read the manual€, before adding with a laugh, €œin fact we know most people don't!" With this easy set up you could feasibly carry a high-quality projector around a mate's house, plug it up to an X-Box and play four-player Halo in HD on a huge screen within minutes of arriving. Hardly something you'd have even contemplated doing in the past. In fact Epson were quite keen to put a lot of the age old worries about home projectors to bed in Berlin. For instance, lamp life on the new models (in "eco-mode" at least) is supposed to stand at around 5,000 hours. The aforementioned Keystone correction is included on all the new models, allowing you to place the projector almost anywhere you want - reducing the need for a specialised bracket or complicated installation. Whilst the manufacturer also showed off two new wireless models which offer full, lossless 3D HD (it really works, with Tron: Legacy looking spectacular in so-called WiHD on the show floor) - so ugly wires need not even be a barrier to having one in the home. Less impressive were the 2D models, but only because they are so sharp €“ in my opinion, too sharp (a problem I also have with high-end LCD TVs, so this might just be me, fans of cold impartial judgements). Watching The Dark Knight and Sherlock Holmes in 2D on the EH-TW9000, there was something creepy, even slightly uncanny, about the images. I suppose I'm just not used to the increased quality to the point where it becomes distracting. That was certainly the explanation offered when I put the question to Riffaud-Cangelosi, who said that the ability to see even the smallest blemishes takes some getting used to: "it's more real" she says, recalling watching a version of Mr & Mrs Smith where she could make out every previously imperceptible imperfection on Angelina Jolie's skin: "it's not wrong, it's just so real that you can now see things you couldn't see... that you wouldn't like to see!" With each model boasting of lots of colour settings, I€™m willing to bet that if (like me) you don€™t want to get used to that type of image there will be ways of altering it for your liking. I suspect the sharpness was maximised during the demonstrations to show off the tech at its full power. Incidentally, we were also told these projectors are bright enough that they still work perfectly in varied light conditions €“ though we were shown them running in controlled, optimal conditions, so I can€™t tell you how true that is. The same is true with regards to the TW9000s vaunted 2D to 3D conversion, which has some impressive new tech behind it, but which was not demoed for the crowds at IFA. Read into that what you will. Despite the increased quality, improved ease of use and more affordable price point (still expensive, starting at just under £600, but cheap compared to a few years ago), the projector supremo accepts that these products will remain a specialist niche in the market, even if it's an increasingly big one. Of the TW9000W she concedes that even with increasingly intuitive menus and controls it won€™t appeal to every user - and that's not the goal as she sees it: "how can we make it simpler for everyday use? I can find some way to make it easier, but it's still an installation model." With this in mind, the company aren't yet looking to replace your existing TV: "the main trend is complimentary. You can watch the 8pm news on your flatscreen, but if you're really a cinema lover this is something else." But doesn't full 3D HD cinema in the home pose a threat to cinemas? Multiplexes have long seen the technology as a way to offer a unique experience previously unavailable in the home. Though Riffaud-Cangelosi, again, says the two are complimentary, not competitive: "the true cinema lover wants to replicate the experience afterwards. We're just extending the experience." Fans of cold, hard facts need only look below to see the full technical breakdown of the new projector range, including the UK prices:

EH-TW480 - 720p HD 2D Projector for Games and Sport

RRP: £549 Released: November 2011"Gaming, home cinema and sports taken to the next level"Contrast Ratio: 3,000:1 Colour/White Light Output: 2,800 lumens Resolution: 720p Screen Size: 33in to 318in Weight/Dimensions: 2.3KG/228x295x77 Optical Zoom: 1.2x Throw Ratio: 1.30-1.56:1 Video input: 1x HDMI, 1x RCA (Y), 1x audio (L/R), 1x PC, 1x S-video, 1x USB type-A, 1x USB type-B Features: Game Mode Slide show Keystone correction 4 colour modes 1 integrated 2W speaker Direct power-on Compatible with ELP-MB22 ceiling mount (sold separately)

MG-850HD - 720p HD Portable Projector with iPod Dock

RRP: £649 Released: November 2011"Revolutionary projector with iPod docking station"Contrast Ratio: 3,000:1 Colour/White Light Output: 2,800 lumens Resolution: 720p Screen Size: 33in to 318in Weight/Dimensions: 3.9KG/291x340x115 Optical Zoom: 1.2x Throw Ratio: 1.30-1.56:1 Video input: 1x iPod dock (see below), 1x HDMI, 1x component, 1x composite, 1x audio (L/R), 1x PC, 1x USB type-A, 1x USB type-B Features: Apple product compatible dock - made for iPod Nano (3rd to 5th gen), iPod Touch (1st to 4th gen), iPhone (3G, 3GS & 4), iPad (1 & 2), but should support upcoming models Carry handle 2 integrated 10W speakers Keystone correction

EH-TW5900 - Entry Level 1080p HD 3D Projector

RRP: £999 Released: October 2011"Cost-effective Full HD 3D projector"Contrast Ratio: 20,000:1 Colour/White Light Output: 2,000 lumens Resolution: 1080p Screen Size: 30in to 300in Weight/Dimensions: 7.0KG/365x420x139 Optical Zoom: 1.6x Throw Ratio: 1.32-2.15:1 Video input: 2x HDMI, 1x component, 1x RCA (Y), 1x audio (L/R), 1x USB type-A, 1x USB type-B Features: Auto-colour optimiser Split-screen, Slide show Keystone correction 2 integrated 10W speakers Compatible with ELP-MB22 ceiling mount (sold separately)

EH-TW6000/TW6000W - 1080p HD 3D Projector with Wireless Option

RRP: £1349/£1649 (wireless) Released: October 2011"Full HD 3D projectors for cinema, gaming and sport"Contrast Ratio: 40,000:1 Colour/White Light Output: 2,200 lumens Resolution: 1080p Screen Size: 30in to 300in Weight/Dimensions: 7.0KG/365x420x139 Optical Zoom: 1.6x Throw Ratio: 1.32-2.15:1 Video input: 2x HDMI, 1x component, 1x RCA (Y), 1x audio (L/R), 1x USB type-A, 1x USB type-B Features: 1 pair of active shutter glasses for 3D viewing Auto-colour optimiser Split-screen Slide show Keystone correction 2 integrated 10W speakers Compatible with ELP-MB22 ceiling mount (sold separately) Wireless model includes WiHD emitter

EH-TW9000/TW9000W - Top-End HD 3D Experience, with 2D to 3D Conversion and Wireless Option

RRP: £2650/£2962 (wireless) Released: November 2011"The ultimate HD cinematic experience with 3D viewing"Contrast Ratio: 200,000:1 Colour/White Light Output: 2,400 lumens Resolution: 1080p Screen Size: 30in to 300in Weight/Dimensions: 8.15KG/395x466x140 Optical Zoom: 2.1x Throw Ratio: 1.34-2.87:1 Video input: 2x HDMI, 1x component, 1x RCA (Y), 1x PC Features: 2 pairs of active shutter glasses for 3D viewing 2D to 3D conversion Super-resolution feature Frame interpolation Epson cinema filter ISF calibration menu 4 colour modes in 2D, 2 in 3D Wide lens shift range (V +/- 96% H +/- 47%) Compatible with ELP-MB22 ceiling mount (sold separately) Wireless model includes WiHD emitter You can buy all of Epson's latest products at PC World. For more information on Epson's home projector range visit the official website.