Projectors: Reviews

This Optoma 720p DLP projector is the best option if price matters as much to you as performance. Black levels are not as rich as those of more expensive projectors but are still fine for most viewers. Color accuracy is… expandvery good, and brightness is excellent. The lack of lens shift and a small zoom can make installation tricky. Though the Optoma HD66 is marketed as a 3D projector, it is only capable of showing 3D images from games -- not Blu-ray Discs or cable/broadcast programming -- and only with the aid of a somewhat powerful computer with a suitable graphics card. Spending more gets you installation flexibility and deeper blacks for images that are much more cinematic. collapse

While more expensive projectors are better performers, the Optoma HD20 is the top choice in its price class. Blacks aren't the deepest you'll find but are deep enough to please all but the pickiest of viewers. Picture… expandquality is excellent overall, with great colors even without a calibration. Brightness is high, which means the HD20 is a good choice for use in a family room or living room. On the downside, the HD20 is a DLP projector, which could spell trouble for those very few people who can see the rainbow effect. No lens shift and a short zoom range can make for a tricky installation in some rooms. A feature meant to deepen blacks is more of a distraction than a help, reviews say. Everyone says, however, that the value is undeniable for those who want a true big-screen experience at home. collapse

Critics love the value and performance offered by the Epson Home Cinema 8350. Though it is a little more expensive than the Optoma HD20 above, experts say that the pluses are worthwhile for those who can budget the extra… expandcost. Blacks still can't quite beat the very best, but those projectors are all more expensive. Colors are pretty good, and a little bit of adjustment can get them close to perfect. Brightness is good in most modes, and a high-brightness Dynamic mode boosts things even more -- without overly hurting picture quality -- for viewing in well-lit spaces. Large amounts of lens shift and a generous zoom make this projector easy to place in just about any room. The use of LCD technology means DLP rainbows are not a worry at all. collapse

Experts say the Epson Home Cinema 8700UB produces picture quality that equals and sometimes exceeds projectors costing much more. Blacks are deep and satisfying, and colors in the THX mode are so perfect out of the box… expandthat little adjustment is needed. Though light levels are low in the THX mode, higher brightness modes -- bright enough to stand up to a well-lit room -- are available, and they perform better color-wise than similar modes in most other projectors. The 8700UB is also a great choice if you have a large library of DVDs, as it is one of the best HD projectors around when it comes to standard-definition performance. Plenty of zoom range and lens shift make finding a suitable spot for the projector a breeze in just about any room. collapse