Comments on: Epson Home Cinema 8500UB and Pro Cinema 9500UB Projectors – Details

By: Art Feierman

Art Feierman — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:34:38 +0000

Hi Brent,

There’s no “best” place. full wide angle is brightest, but will have the most optical distortion (slight curvature, etc.), minor stuff, Full tele, the dimmest, and the least curvature. Wide angle positioning will give you more roll off in the corners and sides with high contrast and high gain screens, further back, less. And, where you sit will determine where the projector will be quietest. You’ve got enough lumens for a good job rear shelf mounted for movies, so it’s up to you. If going wide or tele, probably avoid going the maximum, if you can, back off 5 or 10% if possible just figuring that the lenses are not going to be at their very best at the extremes. -art

By: Brent M

Brent M — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:50:49 +0000

Hi Art,

I was wanting to know the best distance to mount the 8500ub for a 100″dia. screen? I know the range but would you recommend going all the way back to the 21′ of the range or would say around 15′ be good enough. Any help or comments would be great! Thanks in advance for any advice:-)

Brent

By: Art Feierman

Art Feierman — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:44:09 +0000

Hi Pete,
As you’ve probably guessed, Epson is referring to the provided signal entering the projector. All this other stuff, CFI, 4:4, etc. are shall we say – the Epson modifying the either 24, 30 or 60 hz input signal. One could argue that when you have 4:4 selected that it should say: 24–>96, but hey… they don’t, or when CFI is on and you have a 60i signal it could say 60–>120.

Ultimately though, that’s the story, Info shows you what the projector sees, before it starts playing with it, and changing the data.

BTW, all 60, goes to 120, if it goes anywhere.
24 fps goes to 96 for basic FI (no creative), or 96 (I think, short of checking) with CFI it also goes to 96 (the original 6500UB before the CFI fix took 24 to 120, and it was just too much… work. -art

By: pete ramberg

pete ramberg — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:53:46 +0000

Art – when you have a chance to respond:

I have an epson 8500ub recently installed (incredible with a 130″ wall painted with ’screen goo’), but don’t understand its refresh rate.

1.When accepting a 24p signal, the ‘info’ menu says the refreash rate is 24hz – but it is using 4:4 pulldown, so is the refresh rate actually 96hz?? Also,

2. engaging CFI (which is disabled when using 4:4 pulldown) on a 60p signal shows 60hz as the refresh rate in the ‘info’ menu. How can it be interpolating new frames on a 60 hz source at 60 hz refresh rate? Does it increase the refresh rate to 96 or 120hz?? Thanks when you have time. I asked Epson, but heard nothing back…

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 06:21:06 +0000

I have had the 6500UB for about a year now. I was really let down about the CFI when I first got my projector. With the firmware updates it is a lot better but still too many artifacts. I am seriously considering trading in my 6500UB in exchange for the 8500UB if Epson will allow me. I’m the type of consumer who loves the CFI. I love how the images pop with the 6500UB and am very interested in seeing the 8500UB. I know you did a review on the 6500 CFI and you just posted on the 8500UB and I understand how the 8500UB works, but is there really a BIG difference. Would I just be wasting my time speaking with Epson? I would be willing to spend a couple hundred $$$ to get the upgrade. Thanks again for all the reviews you have done in the past. You were very instrumental in my decision making.

By: Art Feierman

Art Feierman — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:48:07 +0000

No question, the 8500UB has better blacks. That said, it’s incremental. Personally I doubt I’d take the financial hit of upgrading, solely for the bit better blacks. If CFI appeals to you, etc. then maybe. Otherwise I’d say maybe wait one more year. I have a 1080 UB in my Ensemble HD – my second theater. True, it’s mostly used by wife and daughter, not me, but still, I as also an RS20 owner, realize that the improvement from 1080UB to 8500UB in blacks is relatively small, compared to say the 8500UB to the RS20. -art

By: Robert Sévigny

Robert Sévigny — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:06:34 +0000

Thank you for the quick answer. In your reviews, the 6500UB was better than the 1080UB and then one year later, the 8500UB is better than the 6500UB (mainly for black levels). So I would really like to see a comparaison shot between the 1080UB and the 8500UB.
There are probably many other users of the 1080UB that like me are looking to improve their cinema every other year.
Also I can still have a good price selling my 1080UB so may be it’s a good time to update.
Thanks again

By: Art Feierman

Art Feierman — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:33:17 +0000

Hi Robert,
No, I don’t think you’ll see a big difference. The 1080UB can still hold its own with just about all the other LCD projectors. They are still in the same class, but the 6500UB is definitely better. Let me put it this way, I’d say, that I wouldn’t make the trade up, just for the black levels. While you can rationalize that, I would say, consider it, if you want some of the other goodies, like CFI. Mind you, that’s off the top of my head. I really should look as I still have the 9500UB review unit here, and I have the 1080UB in my Epson Ensemble. -art

By: Robert Sévigny

Robert Sévigny — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:48:34 +0000

I have enjoyed the Epson 1080UB for almost two years. Will I see a big improvement going to the 8500UB especially black levels. It would be very interesting to see a comparison between the two.

Thanks!

Robert

By: Neal Neuman

Neal Neuman — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:41:22 +0000

DO you have any opinions between the Epson 8500 and the PT-AE4000 as to the contrast ratio? I have a nice dark basement, currently happy with the PT-AE1000 that I have, but want to up grade. Will the Epson be much superior to the panasonic, or only in a lab scenario??

Thanks!