Epson Pro Cinema 1080 Features and Comparison

1080p is coming to market with a vengeance. Epson is leading the way with its new 1080p LCD panels and the only question is: how well does this projector compare to other products available on the market? With pricing under $5000 and Epson's proclivity for producing very high quality projectors with excellent features, detail and color, it's bound to be a serious contender in the market.

I think labeling 1080p as "true" high definition is a bit unfair, but I do understand the desire of the industry as a whole (not to mention consumers) to get away from the dual 720p/1080i scenario and jump straight to the maximum consumer resolution currently available. You can see this is happening as new DVD players and displays come to market left ad right with support for 1080p (whether as an input format or upconversion output resolution). 1080p is not only coming - it's apparently here to stay, at least as a standard resolution.

Features and Favorites

We just (and I do mean JUST) reviewed the Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 810 HQV projector. Many of the physical features of the Pro Cineam 1080p are identical to the 810 HQV, however there are some stand out differences as well. Here are the features of the Epson Pro Cinema 1080 that we wanted to highlight for our readers:

• C2 Fine VAN 3LCD System
  Epson's new C2 Fine (Crystal Clear Fine) system produces a higher contrast and pixels that are so close together you'll have to literally be standing less than 3 feet away from the screen in order to see pixels. Any hint of screen door effect has been eliminated from the Pro Cinema 1080.
• Horizontal and Vertical Lens Shift
  Along with Epson's "super-zoom" , the 1080 maintains Epson's signature ~100% horizontal and ~50% vertical lens shift, allowing users to position this projector just about anywhere inside, or even outside the screen area. Keystoning is a thing of the past. Like all Epson theater projectors, the lens shift still does not have a locking function and use at both extremes is impossible.
• 1080p Native Resolution
  This Epson projector has support for native 1080p content without scaling or loss of resolution. That means your overpriced 1080p-mastered BD and HD DVD discs will look absolutely fantastic on this projector.
• HDMI 1.3
  The Pro Cinema 1080 sports HDMI 1.3 and Deep Color for the best possible image color depth.

How to Spend ~$5000: 1080p or 720p with HQV Processing?

For those with the budget - it's an interesting decision to make when comparing the Pro Cinema 1080 and its 720p counterpart the 810 with HQV option. For all intents and purposes, they are priced almost the same and depending on your needs you may swing one way or the other. Here are the quick specs for comparison: