Best Home-Theater Projectors

Top image quality at a small premium

While a resolution of 720p is acceptable, especially when price is as important as performance, most say that a resolution of 1080p is preferred. That's because 1080p projectors are capable of displaying every line of the two prevailing HDTV image resolutions -- the highest of which is 1,920 pixels by 1,080 pixels. Other TVs, including the 720p projectors covered in our discussion of budget home-theater projectors, have to scale down 1,920 pixels by 1,080 content -- including many HDTV broadcasts -- to fit the display's native resolution. While viewers won't notice a huge difference between 720p and 1080p in a small HDTV (42 inches and under), the difference in resolution becomes more apparent when the image measures 50 inches, and even more so in projectors capable of producing images of 100 inches or more. While 1080p projectors remain more expensive than most 720p options, the gap has closed considerably, and 1080p projectors have become more affordable for those looking for the best possible home-theater experience without breaking the bank.

According to Bill Livolsi at ProjectorCentral.com, not too long ago the thought of a $1,000 1080p home-theater projector was absurd. Now it's a reality, and reviewers say the Optoma HD20 (*Est. $1,000) is the top choice in its price category. It earns a Highly Rated tag from ProjectorCentral.com, a Hot Product award from ProjectorReviews.com, and a Recommended award from AVGuide.com. TrustedReviews.com looks at the essentially identical version sold outside the U.S. and recommends it. Largely positive reviews can also be found at PCMag.com, Audioholics.com, BigPictureBigSound.com and elsewhere. User feedback at Amazon.com is abundant and mostly complimentary.

No one says that the Optoma HD20 will outperform more expensive projectors, but to get that better performance, you'll need to be willing to spend much more. That said, achieving this price point in a 1080p projector doesn't come without some compromises. One thing most reviewers note is that black levels, while good, are easily eclipsed by better -- and more expensive -- projectors. In place of the automatic iris used to deepen blacks in response to image content, the HD20 uses a system that changes the lamp's level. The problem, experts say, is that the system responds too slowly, creating a distraction. Experts who comment on the feature, such as ProjectorReviews.com's Art Feierman, say to just skip using it. The limited zoom range and lack of any lens shift limits placement options. Since this is a DLP projector, those few people prone to seeing that technology's rainbow effect might be happier with a projector that uses different technology.

Brightness is good though not top of class. Still, the Optoma HD20 is a reasonable choice for a living room, family room or any other room where light control might not be perfect. Lighter than perfect blacks aside, picture quality is excellent, with most reviewers pleased with color performance even right out of the box. Connectivity is also above average and includes two HDMI inputs. But, in the end, the most powerful positive is cost, and most say that the HD20 is a tremendous value.

Other sub-$1,000 projectors don't do as well in reviews. For example, ProjectorCentral.com includes four $1,000-and-under projectors in its 1080p projector showdown, and the Optoma HD20 edges out its similarly priced competition in most regards. Though it is one of the older options available, Bill Livolsi is surprised by how well it has withstood the test of time. He adds that it approaches the overall performance of the $1,300 Mitsubishi HC4000 (profiled below), falling short only in the areas of contrast and black levels -- though not by all that much. However, when compared to its direct competitors, Livolsi adds "it outperforms the other 1080p models under $1000, and for its price it is an outstanding value."

One other option might be the Vivitek H1081 (*Est. $950) . It's similar to the HD20 and even sells for a few dollars less. It's the only other sub-$1,000 projector in the ProjectorCentral.com showdown to earn one of the site's Highly Rated awards. Livolsi says that while the H1081 didn't come out on top in any category, its performance is more than the sum of its test results. Attributes such as "a bright, punchy picture" and "good contrast" are called out. Liviosi adds "While it is a solid choice for home theater, it is especially great for video games and animation where a more dynamic image is desirable." Negatives include a color wheel that uses a design that's more susceptible to rainbow affect, poor out of the box color (fixable, of course, with some calibration), and a lamp with a lower than average life expectancy.

If you have a bit more to spend, critics who've seen it say that the Epson Home Cinema 8350 (*Est. $1,300) is very much worth looking into. ProjectorReviews.com gives the Home Cinema 8350 a Hot Product award based on its value and performance. ProjectorCentral.com's Bill Livolsi is even more impressed and grants the Epson Home Cinema 8350 the site's Editor's Choice award. Livolsi compares the 8350 to the still-current Panasonic PT-AE4000U, "a $2,000 rockstar of a projector from the class of 2009." Given the price gap between these projectors, it's not a surprise that there are some notable differences. What is surprising, however, is that when it comes to picture quality, the two projectors are very similar.

Picture quality for the Epson Home Cinema 8350 is excellent overall. Though decent out of the box, a few user adjustments produce terrific blacks and great colors, though brightness will need to be dialed back a bit to get all of that goodness. Some defects are noted in the highest brightness mode (called Dynamic) -- which is exceptionally bright -- but that's not unusual and the 8350 actually outperforms lots of projectors in that regard. All of the preset modes also have an Eco mode that drops light levels to conserve lamp life.

The Epson Home Cinema 8350 is an LCD projector. Because of that, you don't have the placement issues that DLP technology introduces, and placement is made easier still by the large amount of horizontal and vertical lens shift available. Using LCD technology also means that those few who do see DLP's rainbow effect won't have to worry about it with the Home Cinema 8350. The zoom range is long at 2.1x, but ProjectorCentral.com notes that brightness is cut by around 39 percent at the long end of the zoom range. A longer-than-average warranty (two years) is a nice plus, reviewers say.

The Mitsubishi HC4000 (*Est. $1,300) is another option at around the same price. It gets an Editors' Choice award at ProjectorCentral.com and a Hot Product award from ProjectorReviews.com. Picture quality is the reason, with both reviewers saying it is outstanding for the price. For example, Livolsi at ProjectorCentral.com writes, "The HC4000 is an impressive projector, and in terms of sheer picture quality it punches above its price class."

While the HC4000 and the Epson Home Cinema 8350 are priced similarly, they are very different projectors. For one thing, the HC4000 uses DLP technology, which coupled with the typical short zoom lens and lack of lens shift found in DLP projectors in this price range, greatly limits placement options.

Brightness in the HC4000, while good, isn't as high as the Epson 8350, with Livolsi saying that the HC4000 "looks its best in a fully darkened room." Black levels also aren't as good as some competitors. That said, Livolsi is impressed with the HC4000's picture quality. He compares it to the higher-end Epson 8700UB (profiled below) and says that despite the HC4000's brightness and black-level shortfalls, which are most apparent in dark scenes, the Mitsubishi projector seemed to have a better apparent dynamic range in scenes with average light levels. In the site's most recent 1080p projector shoot out, Livolsi recommends both projectors, but gives the edge to the Epson Home Cinema 8350. "[Its] huge advantage over the HC4000 is its long zoom and extensive lens shift that make it uniquely easy to install compared to every other model in this shoot-out," he writes.

Art Feierman at ProjectorReviews.com also finds lots to like in the HC4000, but also gives a very small edge to its direct competitor (price-wise), the Epson Home Cinema 8350. Picture quality in both projectors is first rate, however he says the 8350 is a better value on the basis of its better warranty and better placement flexibility. Though he grants that the Mitsubishi HC4000 is a strong competitor, he says, "You won't find an overall superior projector to the Epson Home Cinema 8350 around its price."

Moving up in price once again, the aforementioned Panasonic PT-AE4000U (*Est. $2,100) also draws raves from critics. ProjectorCentral.com is almost over-the-top in its praise, saying it's never seen this much performance at this price. ProjectorReviews.com is nearly as impressed, naming it the best projector in its class for 2010. The AE-4000U also earns a Recommended award from Britain's TrustedReviews.com.

Picture quality is (or should be) among the most important considerations when selecting a home-theater projector, and ProjectorCentral.com's Evan Powell says picture quality in the Panasonic PT-AE4000U "not only surpasses the competitors in its price range, but rivals and in some cases exceeds that of 'high-end' models selling for five times the price or more." Color accuracy is nearly unbeatable and is excellent right out of the box, reviewers say. Black levels and contrast are excellent.

Like the Epson Home Cinema 8350, this is an LCD projector, which is easier to place in a room than projectors using DLP technology. Additionally, while LCD technology has improved to the point where bothersome artifacts like visible pixel structure (also called the screen-door effect because images look like they are being viewed through a mesh screen) are no longer a real concern, Panasonic takes that one step further with its smooth-screen filter that removes all traces of visible pixel structure without softening the picture.

The Panasonic PT-AE4000U is also feature-packed. The Frame Creation function is used to reduce an artifact called judder, which is the result of the mismatched frame rates between film and video. It creates a smoother image -- movies in particular look they were shot in HD video rather than on film -- but not everyone appreciates the effect. Intelligent Lens Memory simplifies lens adjustment when viewing video with different aspect ratios. Split-screen calibration lets you tinker with settings and compare the changes side-by-side with the original picture so you can see their effect. There's also more -- lot's more. In fact, ProjectorCentral.com says that the PT-AE4000U "has more features than any other home-theater projector ever built." ProjectorReviews.com is only slightly more restrained, saying that the AE-4000U "might be the most feature-laden projector anywhere near its price."

There are some negatives. Brightness is lower than with some competing projectors and lower still if used at the long end of its zoom range. That means the Panasonic PT-AE4000U looks best in a room where light can be well controlled. ProjectorCentral.com's Powell also notes that focusing is a little more difficult than on some other projectors. Finally, the warranty includes a provision that limits coverage to 2,000 hours. That might not be a concern for most, but it is something that heavy users will need to keep in mind.

Though the Panasonic PT-AE4000U has been around for a while, it remains current. However, after not releasing a new projector in quite some time, Panasonic has just announced the PT-AE7000, a 3D LCD projector that will list at $3,500, though street prices should be lower. It will start shipping in the fall.

The Epson Home Cinema 8700UB (*Est. $2,100) is also well regarded. This is the fourth in the series of Epson UB (Ultra Black) projectors. The challenge for Epson, as Art Feierman at ProjectorReviews.com points out, is figuring out how to improve what's already "a stable, top-performing projector" to keep up with and gain ground on the competition. Feierman says that in the end, the Epson 8700UB delivers more or less the same performance as last year's Epson Home Cinema 8500UB, yet it is overall a better projector. That's because it has received numerous tweaks such as a THX mode that allows user adjustments (whereas last year's projector did not). It is also less expensive. That leads Feierman to give the Epson Home Cinema 8700UB his site's Hot Product Award. Though ProjectorReviews.com has yet to name its Best in Class award for this year's projectors, the preceding Epson Home Cinema 8500UB won it in its price class last time around, and Feierman notes, "This year, the Home Cinema 8700UB is improved, and less expensive."

Other reviewers also are impressed. PCMag.com awards the Epson Home Cinema 8700UB its Editors' Choice award. ProjectorCentral.com gives the 8700UB its Highly Rated award, though it reserves the best praise for the Epson Home Cinema 8350 and the Mitsubishi HC4000, two lower-priced projectors that take home the site's Editors' Choice title.

Image quality is outstanding for the Epson Home Cinema 8700UB. In the THX mode, colors out of the box are about as good as anyone could hope to see, says ProjectorCentral.com's Bill Livolsi. So good, he adds, that calibration is not needed. One downside of the THX mode is that the brightness level makes it most suitable for darkened rooms. Other presets with lots more light output are available as well. Colors aren't as accurate in those modes but are well balanced, Livolsi says, meaning you avoid problems like a color cast (typically green) found in lesser projectors in their highest brightness modes.

Black levels are among this projector's chief selling points, and they don't disappoint. Epson's auto iris, which controls brightness between dark and light scenes, is a big reason why. M. David Stone at PCMag.com says that blacks in dark scenes are especially inky and that the auto iris works fast enough so that there's no notable lag between dark and bright scenes -- which is an issue with most other auto-iris systems. Feierman adds that the Epson 8500UB had the best blacks of any projector under $3,500, and that those of the 8700UB are every bit as good.

Setup of this LCD projector is a breeze thanks to its long 2.1x zoom lens and wide available lens shift that, PCMag.com notes, lets you move the image a half screen left or right, and a full screen up and down. Like flat-panel LCD TVs, the 8700UB has signal-processing technology to smooth out motion. Early versions of Epson's technology got a round of raspberries from reviewers, but now experts such as Livolsi say that it is much improved and "as good as it's ever been, with very few artifacts in Low or Medium and less obnoxious digital video effect in High." Livolsi also adds that the Epson Home Cinema 8700UB is one of the best projectors around in terms of handling SD content, such as that from DVDs.

Reviewers need to stretch to come up with any negatives. ProjectorCentral.com complains that the zoom/focus mechanism is manual. Livolsi says that's a nuisance if you are switching between movies with a 2.4:1 cinemascope aspect ratio and the more standard 16:9 widescreen, but he adds that it's "not a big deal" otherwise. PCMag.com's Stone complains about the lack of 3D support. Feierman isn't impressed with Epson's smoothing technology and says that it can take the projector a little time to lock on when you switch sources. He also notes that the auto iris produces a bit of noise; though he calls that noise minimal, Feierman admits that some might be more sensitive to it than he is.