Projector Reviews

First sequence: 5 images - Epson Home Cinema 6500UB

Power-up Plus 5 (image shot within first 5 minutes, after power-up and focused:

Same image, plus 10 minutes:

Plus 20 minutes:

Plus 30 minutes:

Plus 35 minutes:

Summary: Epson Home Cinema 6500UB Defocusing:

It seems that the projector's focus does not start changing until somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes. It continues to defocus, through about 35 minutes. I couldn't really tell the difference between the image shot at 35 minutes, and another (not posted), taken about 30 minutes later.

When you consider the very small area we are viewing above, you can understand that this amount of defocusing is minimal. Of course, that's from this 6500UB with 190 hours on it.

Epson Home Cinema 6100 Defocusing:

Because I'm a glutton for punishment, this 6100 with 36 hours on it when I started, has even more images, - every five minutes out to 40 minutes.

However, the first two images were shot when the projector was first powered up for the day. I had carefully re-focused it the night before, after it was on for quite some time (hours). At power-up without touching it (first image), you can see the result of the change, now that the 6100 is cooled down. After taking the first shot, I then refocused, and you can see the difference.

Power-up defocused:

Power-up re-focused:

Plus 5:

Plus 10:

Plus 15:

Plus 20:

Plus 25:

Plus 30:

Plus 35:

Plus 40:

Summary: Epson Home Cinema 6100 Defocusing:

This Epson 6100 has more defocusing happening over time, than the 6500UB. Whether that's different due to variation between individual projectors, or due to the 6100 having less hours on it (or both), cannot be determined at this time. However a reshoot whent the projector is at about 150 hours, should tell us something. (Hopefully it will show less defocusing). This projector continued to defocus slightly all the way up through the plus 40 minutes. Looks like I should have taken one more image at 60 minutes, based on the first two shots.

It should take me less than two weeks to post additional images in this page, with the 6100 at higher hours. I will include one at plus 60 minutes.

With an Epson 6100 performing like this one, some may find the amount of defocusing to be enough to be an issue. Remember, we are critically looking at menus, and we are looking at a relatively small area.

Figure this. The whole image I am showing is roughly 1/6 of the whole image width. A quick guess says that if you completely fill a 17 inch diagonal monitor with one of these images, you would have to view the picture from 5-7 feet back to have the text appear roughly the same size as on a 100 inch screen at 10 feet back. (that's a really quick ball-park estimate - you can figure the math out yourself, if you want more precision (or maybe I'll do precise measurements for the next shoot).

Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Defocusing:

Two images: The first right after power-up (3-4 minutes), the second, after 45 minutes. Here too you can see slight defocusing. Rememer the type is smaller on the Sanyo menus. Also you probably will note that this PLV-Z3000 doesn't have very good pixel alignment.

Summary: Sanyo PLV-Z3000 defocusing:

Yes, the Sanyo also defocuses. Off the top of my head, I'd say this Sanyo defocuses about as much as the Epson 6500UB I have here, but less than the Epson 6100. The Sanyo has only slightly more hours on it than the 6100.

Panasonic PT-AE3000 Defocusing:

Images coming soon!