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For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.
by Art Feierman
ProjectorReviews.com is a prolific projector reviewer. Testing is comprehensive and the detailed discussions are well illustrated. Pros and cons are listed, and a bottom-line assessment is made. Most… reviews include head-to-head comparisons with each projector's closest competitors. The site lacks ratings, but top products are given a Hot Product award. An article naming the very best projectors for 2009 by price category is now a little dated, though all of the winners are still available.
by Editors of ProjectorCentral.com
Though not as detailed as those at ProjectorReviews.com, the reviews at ProjectorCentral.com are sufficiently comprehensive, often comparative and generally well done. In addition to its single-projector… reports, the site conducts occasional multi-projector roundups and head-to-head face-offs. Projectors are rated from one to five stars in performance, features, ease of use and value, and top-scoring projectors make their way to a list of highly rated models. The very best are further identified by an Editors' Choice designation. The site has made navigation much easier by identifying the award-winners right on the main page. Highlights include the first review of the Panasonic PT-AE4000U, which fares very well.
by Editors of AVGuide.com
AVGuide.com, which is the online home of Playback magazine and other publications, reports on at least one home-theater projector a month. Finding the reports on this sprawling site isn't easy, though it is… usually worth the effort. Reviews aren't quite as detailed as some found elsewhere, but most do a commendable job in their own right by clearly spelling out testing and explaining what the editors look for when evaluating a projector. Including a listing of recommended picture settings for each projector tested is helpful. The best projectors earn a Recommended award.
by Editors of TrustedReviews.com
Britain's TrustedReviews.com is a prolific reviewer of projectors, many of which are available in versions for the U.S. market. Reviews are reasonably detailed and testing-based. Comparisons are made only… occasionally, but scores are given and the very best projectors are identified by a Recommended award. Among recently reviewed projectors, the Optoma HD20 gets kudos for its performance at a budget price, and the Sony VPL-HW15 for keeping up in picture quality with projectors that cost much more.
by Editors of TechRadar.com
Though not all of the projectors reviewed by this U.K. technology site are available in the U.S., enough are to make a stop worthwhile. While reviews aren't as detailed as some, they are testing-based and… provide guidance in a clear and easy-to-understand manner. Star ratings help readers to compare projectors. Among recent reports, the Sony VPL-HW15 gets a perfect five-star rating. Though pricy compared to the competition, superb contrast and black levels make it the "mid-priced projector to beat."
by Al Griffin
Sound & Vision magazine doesn't test nearly as many home theater front projectors as the reviewers listed above, but its single-product reports and multi-projector shootouts are both competent and well… detailed. Testing is comprehensive and the results are well documented. Ratings are not given and the projectors are not ranked, but the very best, such as the THX certified JVC DLA-HD750, earn a Sound & Vision Certified and Recommended award.
by Editors of Home Theater magazine
Home Theater's front-projectors buyer's guide lists the projectors that the magazine's editors feel are the top picks currently available; a primer helps users before, during and after their purchase. Each… listing includes key specifications and features, along with a brief write-up on why each projector was selected for this list. In addition, links lead to detailed reviews. A few of the projectors listed are older models that have been superseded by newer options.
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
According to the editors at ConsumerReports.org, front-projection TVs are a great way to get a true theater-like experience and the largest available screen sizes. They add, however, that limitations of… projection TVs don't make them the best choice for everyday viewing. A total of 10 front projectors are evaluated in the latest update, and half are recommended. Testing is fair and well documented, but discussion is brief compared to some other reviewers. Some models are now discontinued but most remain available at retail.
by Peter Putman
HDTVExpert.com is the creation of Peter Putman, HDTV authority, editor and consultant. The site is written blog-style, which makes it a little difficult to use. In addition, projectors are covered only in… single-product reviews and are rarely compared to each other. A visit is worthwhile, however, as the reviews are both technically detailed and easy to read. The site is also packed with tutorials and other information designed to help readers better understand the world of HDTV.
by Editors of PCMag.com
Most projector reviews at PCMag.com cover models aimed at the business and educational markets, but a few home-entertainment projectors get write-ups as well. Reports are decently meaty, and the results of… testing are provided. Among recent home-entertainment projector reviews, the Optoma HD20 earns a good rating for delivering an impressive image and low price. Issues with rainbow effect for those that see the artifact at all is the most significant negative.
by Robert Silva
The articles here aren't nearly as detailed as some others, but do a good job for the most part in laying out important positives and negatives. Not all projectors are tested, but where testing is done,… About.com guide to home theater Robert Silva clearly and completely describes both the methodology and the results. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
by Editors of CNET
by Editors of BigPictureBigSound.com
BigPictureBigSound.com calls itself "the site for home theater and movie reviews," but does not review as many front projectors as other sites. That's a shame, because the quality of the reviews here is… excellent. There's a lot of technical information, but it's clearly written. Bench and viewing tests are conducted, and the results are completely reported. Ratings are provided, but given the dearth of reviews and the lack of direct comparisons with other front projectors, there's not enough context here to give those any weight or meaning.
by Contributors to AVSForum.com
AVSForum.com is a very active user-to-user discussion community that includes two forums dedicated to entertainment projectors -- one for those over $3,000 and one for less expensive projectors. Both forums… are chock-full of information, including projector specifications, features, problems, fixes, amateur ratings and more. Some of the threads are lengthy, and a few even contain thousands of posts, so be prepared to spend time when looking into a particular projector. The site also features industry news, press releases and other tidbits.
by Contributors to Amazon.com
Amazon.com is one of a number of sites that let owners rate and review products after the sale. On the plus side, Amazon.com is easy to use and lists the number of reviews right on the main navigation page,… which lets you see at a glance if that five-star rating is the result of lots of user feedback or just one owner. However, a lot of discontinued projectors are listed, which slows down browsing, and most projectors only have a handful of reviews, if that.
by Contributors to Epinions.com
Epinions.com offers the same advantages and disadvantages as the owner-written commentary found at Amazon.com. Its major drawback is that most current models have even fewer reviews. Its major advantage is… that the reviews tend to be longer and more detailed than those at Amazon.com, which makes Epinions.com an interesting place to check when you have already narrowed your choice down to a couple of projectors.
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This is our assessment of the review’s relevance, clarity of testing and thoroughness.
Read more about our Ratings Criteria by clicking the link at the top of the page.
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Optoma HD65 720p DLP Home Theater Projector
 from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
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Optoma HD20 High Definition 1080p DLP Home Theater Projector (Grey)
from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
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Sony VPLHW15 Home Theater SXRD Projector (Black)
from Amazon.com New: $2899.00 In Stock.
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