Until recently, 1080p home theatre projectors have always commanded a premium. This development took a surprising twist last year with the introduction of the affordable AU$7,999 Mitsubishi HC5000. Since then, many new entries have hit the shelves but none has come close to the Mit. These have included the Panasonic PT-AE1000 LCD, BenQ W10000 DLP and Sony VPL-VW50 SXRD beamers, all priced similarly. Beating the crowd, but late into the full-HD scene, is the latest flagship Epson, the EMP-TW1000, which sets an unprecedented record low pricing of AU$4,999. Now that we have caught your attention, read on and find out why we feel this Epson could be the raising 1080p bar for bargain hunters.
Design
If the boxy look of the Panasonic and ballooning bulk of the DLPs and SXRDs are major turnoffs, perhaps this Epson's petite form factor is an attractive alternative. Measuring just 124 x 406 x 310mm, this projector is no larger than other 3LCD 1080ps and is identical in size as its 720p counterpart, the EMP-TW700. Those looking for a chic or contemporary look will probably appreciate its new shimmering black hue. That's besides the series' signature curves and clean lines which add to its overall aesthetic appeal.
Unlike its bold facade, Epson had elected a rather no-frills approach for the beamer's optical and onboard controls. There are no motorised lens adjustments or illuminated buttons to take home. Instead, these are performed using manual levers and dials augmented by a set of rather plasticky keys. Installation-wise, two front adjustable feet are available for leveling the beamer, while hot exhaust is channeled away from users and the lens via an angled front exhaust grille which facilitates custom cabinet setup, too.
Cute yet fully functional with backlighting and lots of shortcuts (Click for larger image)
To work around the above-mentioned lighting bottleneck -- especially in dim environments -- the Japanese company is bundling a backlit remote with the projector. Not only is this cute bean-shaped piece ergonomic and well-decked with frequently accessed controls, dedicated video input keys are also included as standard. It would have been close to perfect if not for the light sensor omission. This should do away with the manual activation, which is thankfully covered by a button with the nostalgic glow-in-the-dark treatment.
For all the cost-cutting measures exercised, its software menu has apparently been spared the axe. You will still have more than sufficient video configurations in hand to tweak to your heart's desire. Experienced users and enthusiasts will be particularly interested in a slew of advanced variants, like the SpyderTV Pro-friendly RGB cuts and gains, skin tones and two-way sharpness adjustments. An inbuilt test pattern can also be readily called up via remote, handy for fine-tuning the focus without hooking up to a video source.
Features
Despite being competitively priced, the TW1000 is definitely no slouch when it comes to specifications. The new 3LCD engine offers a future-proofed 1,920 x 1,080-pixel native resolution. This and its companion optics are rated to put out a bright 1,200 ANSI lumen brightness and ultra-high 12,000:1 dynamic contrast. Enabling this feat is a computerised iris system which analyses each rendered frame and optimises black levels for optimum contrast. An onboard 10-bit colour processor also enables the TW1000 to deliver 1.07 billion hues.
Though not widely publicised, the TW1000 is equipped with a DNX PixelWorks one-chip image processor. This is similar to those outfitted in most InFocus PlayBig series and handles the important video deinterlacing and scaling functions, among others. To realise the full potential of this chip, Epson is pairing it with a full-featured HDMI 1.3 jack. The latter supports both the latest Deep Color standard and all known picture frame rates of 1080p signal, from the film-oriented 24Hz to the common 50 and 60Hz variations.
An HDMI 1.3 jack that supports Deep Color and 24Hz 1080p (Click for larger image)
This light cannon also features a suite of installation-friendly features. For starters, there are a 2.1x ultra-wide zoom which allows users to project a sizeable 100-inch image within a manageable 298cm throw distance. Completing the ease-of-setup equation is an extended vertical and horizontal lens shift. This is capable of repositioning the image up to two screen widths laterally and three screen height vertically without compromising picture quality. Working in unison, this combination provides a high degree of flexibility for hardware setup.
You will have a wide selection of input jacks for A/V component interface. This ranges from the legacy composite and S-video to 1080p-ready component-video and HDMI. Third-party adapters are also available to convert the Japanese-centric D4 terminal to European SCART and component. Rounding up the connectivity options, we have a 12V trigger for automated motorised screen operation, service port and PC input compatible with up to 1,280 x 1,024-pixel resolution.
Performance
A full suite of video calibration was performed on the TW1000, hooked up to a Toshiba HD-E1 HD-DVD player, Sony PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. To maintain an optimal 1080p signal relay, our choice of interconnects here was a set of HDMI and component-video Monster Cables. Generally, this Epson was whisper-quiet in low lamp power mode coupled with a hardly noticeable automatic iris. High power mode, on the other hand, registered a mid-tone fan hum audible even from a distance, but easily drowned out by the movie soundtracks.
True to its high lumens rating, this bright beamer had little problem filling up a 100-inch screen, projecting nice viewable pictures amid mild ambient lighting. Brightness uniformity and geometry were also pretty good on the average without objectionable fluctuations and distortions. That said, light intensity did drop a notch at full 2.1x zoom, though this is not uncommon under such extreme range. You will probably miss the screen door effect unless seated way upfront within a 1.5m distance, likewise for the near-negligible light spill.
2.1x ultra-zoom in action with shots taken under ambient lighting. (Click for larger image)
Running through our standard Avia test patterns revealed both strengths and weaknesses. This SpyderTV Pro-calibrated unit scored perfect colour decoding but struggled in resolving the deepest shade of black. This, however, was no-show stopper for film-based material. It was most evident in Blade 2 where intricate shadow details were still rendered convincing during the night ninja intrusion scene. Moving on, we didn't pick up obvious scaling artifacts during our critique, but it was not difficult to detect a slightly weaker edge-enhancement performance.
It was native HD video content that won our nod of approval for this full-HD projector. Onscreen pictures were pleasingly sharp and clean, matched by vivid colours and natural skin tones. Playing back a Blu-ray rendition of the Casino Royale via 24Hz 1080p, not only did it deliver judder-free motion, but also 3D-like pictures which further elevated the overall viewing experience. It delivered the same for Ridge Racer 7, which it reproduced in rock-solid fidelity. We also gave its Xbox equivalent a shot via 1080p component-video, which worked without a hitch.
We were pleasantly surprised by an undocumented 1080p PC input compatibility, which is supposedly the optimum resolution for one-to-one pixel mapping. This turned out otherwise, as onscreen text lacked clarity. Switching to lower non-native resolution yielded little improvement, which was not surprising considering the redundant video scaling.
All up, the EMP-TW1000 delivers outstanding value previously unheard of in the 1080p category. It may lack luxury functions, extended connectivity and the inky blacks of pricier models, but this is well offset by beautiful HD pictures, extended lens shift and ultra-short throw capabilities. These are the basic -- yet important -- ingredients for a truly theatrical home entertainment highly recommended in space-conscious home theatre set-ups.
