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Epson Home Cinema 720 LCD Projector Review

by Clint DeBoer — last modified June 16, 2008 13:55

Epson Home Cinema 720

Summary

Product Name: Home Cinema 720
Manufacturer: Epson America
Performance Rating:
Value Rating:
Review Date: June 11, 2008
MSRP: $1,299

Specifications

Brightness: 1600 ANSI lumens (Dynamic mode)
Contrast: Up to 10,000:1 (full on/off)
Resolution: 1280 x 720 native HD resolution
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen native 16:9 aspect ratio (4:3 resized)
LCD Panel: 3 x 0.7" poly-silicon TFT active matrix
Optical System: Dichroic mirror separation and prism combine method
Video Inputs: HDMI 1.3, component, composite, S-video, and PC/RGB (HD15)
Video Processing: Pixelworks
Control: RS-232C, IR remote, 12 VDC trigger output
Projection Lens: F/2.0 – 3.17, manual focus & zoom (1 - 2.1)
Lens Shift: Vertical and horizontal (100% vertical, 50% horizontal)
Lamp: 170 W UHE (Ultra-High Efficiency); 3000 hours
Power Supply: 100-120 volts, 2.7A

Power Consumption: 245W (high); 200W (low); 4W (standby)
Operating Temperature: 32 – 104 degrees F (0 – 40 degrees C); 20-80% humidity (no condensation)
Fan: 33dB operation (in low mode)
Remote Control: Backlit w/batteries included
Standard Accessories: Power cord, Wireless remote control unit, batteries for remote control

Warranty: 2 year parts and labor limited warranty, 90-day lamp warranty, including overnight replacement services and exclusive Epson PrivateLine toll-free technical support (U.S. and Canada only)

Dimensions: 4.9" x 16" x 12.2" in (124 x 406 x 309 mm)
Weight: 11.9 lbs (5.4 kg)

Pros

720p for under $1300!
Excellent contrast & color saturation
Excellent performance "out of the box"
Backlit remote
Interpolated 1080p/24/60 support
HDMI 1.3 with 480i support

Cons

Only 1 HDMI input & 1 Component input
Doesn't pass below black signals
Tedious menu system

Introduction

I got an email the other day from a friend I hadn't heard from in a long time. We caught up with each other about a few things, and then he asked me: What's the best projector out there for under $1500? Wow, that's a good question, isn't it? A couple of years ago the level of quality you'd be able to expect from that price was much different. Today, it's almost amazing what consumers are getting for their money. I told him I was reviewing the Epson Home Cinema 720 LCD projector and that if it even remotely resembled its "bigger brother" the 1080 or 1080UB it would be high on my list. As I launched into the review process I found that some consumers might just do very well to eschew 1080p - especially if they are using smaller screens or sitting back more than 2x the screen width.