Projector Reviews

Comparisons and Conclusions
If you want to save $1000, check out Epson's PowerLite Home Cinema 1080 UB, which is essentially identical to the Pro version I reviewed. What do you miss in the Home version? A replacement lamp, ceiling-mount hardware, ISF certification, and a black case. (The Home Cinema 1080 UB's case is white.) The lamp and mounting hardware cost about $600 to buy separately, so if ISF certification and the color of the case aren't worth $400 to you, the Home Cinema 1080 UB is an excellent alternative.

As noted earlier, the Epson equaled or exceeded the black levels I've measured from all but one or two other projectors, most notably the JVC DLA-HD100. But some of those projectors produced brighter whites to go along with their deep blacks—in particular, the JVC DLA-RS1 (LCoS). The Planar PD8150 DLP model, with its DynamicBlack feature engaged, couldn't match the blacks from the Epson, but it was still good, with dramatically brighter whites—a combination that will benefit users who demand a larger screen. But both the JVC and the Planar are considerably more expensive than the Epson.

Taken as a whole, the Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 1080 UB can hold its own with any of its competition. It was a pleasure to watch, with no serious flaws and a lot of genuine strengths. If it's in your price range, don't miss the opportunity to check it out.

Highs
Excellent color and detail
Deep blacks and good shadow detail
Superb video processing in both HD and SD
Wide range of adjustments, including color-point calibration

Lows
Some color misalignment
Not as quiet as some of its competition