Epson MovieMate 85HD – A Review of An All-in-One Home Projector 2 Posted on February 10, 2011 By Art Feierman 1. Epson MovieMate 85HD – A Review of An All-in-One Home Projector - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector Overview2. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Image Quality3. Epson MovieMate 85HD – A Review of An All-in-One Home Projector 2 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Special Features - MovieMate 85HD Brightness - MovieMate: Standard DVD player On board - MovieMate 85HD Audio - Extended Warranty for the MovieMate4. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Physical Tour - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector - Appearance - MovieMate 85HD Control Panel - MovieMate 85HD Inputs and Outputs - Menus slideshow5. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Physical Tour 2 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Remote Control - Epson MovieMate 85HD Lens Throw - Lens Shift6. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Image Quality - Epson MovieMate 85HD Out of the Box Picture Quality - Below the different Color Temp settings - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector - Flesh Tones7. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Image Quality-1 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector - Flesh Tones8. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Image Quality 2 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Black Levels & Shadow Detail9. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Image Quality 3 - Epson MovieMate 85HD - Overall Color & Picture Quality10. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Image Quality 4 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports - MovieMate 85HD Dynamic Mode11. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Performance - Epson MovieMate 85HD Brightness - Low lamp will drop the MovieMate 85HD's brightness from 2552 lumens to 1857 lumens in - Epson MovieMate 85HD Sharpness 12. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Performance 2 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Sharpness - Epson MovieMate 85HD Sharpness comparision13. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Performance 3 - Epson MovieMate 85HD: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise14. Epson MovieMate 85HD – Projector Screens - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector Screen Recommendations15. Epson MovieMate 85HD – Competitors - Epson MovieMate 85HD vs. MovieMate 62 - Epson MovieMate 85HD vs. Home Theater Projectors - Epson MovieMate 85HD vs. Business Projectors16. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Warranty17. Epson MovieMate 85HD – Review Summary - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector - The Bottom Line - The Very Bottom Line on the MovieMate 85HD projector:18. Epson MovieMate 85HD – Review Summary-2 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector: Pros - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector: Cons19. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector Specifications Epson MovieMate 85HD Special FeaturesMovieMate 85HD Brightness Although we will cover in greater detail in the Performance section, it’s of importance to note the hefty 2500 lumens this all-in-one Epson can produce. Even in its “best” mode, it’s as bright as many home theater projectors are in their “brightest”. Also worthy of notice is that this Epson is one of the few projectors that actually measured brighter than they claimed. That’s doubly special since the lens wasn’t on full wide angle (where manufacturers measure), but in this case, full telephoto, which definitely costs some lumens! The brightness of the MovieMate 85HD is one of its real strengths. It can “boldly go” into lighting situations that are just a bit too much for all but a few regular home theater projectors. MovieMate 85HD Brightness Although we will cover in greater detail in the Performance section, it’s of importance to note the hefty 2500 lumens this all-in-one Epson can produce. Even in its “best” mode, it’s as bright as many home theater projectors are in their “brightest”. Also worthy of notice is that this Epson is one of the few projectors that actually measured brighter than they claimed. That’s doubly special since the lens wasn’t on full wide angle (where manufacturers measure), but in this case, full telephoto, which definitely costs some lumens! The brightness of the MovieMate 85HD is one of its real strengths. It can “boldly go” into lighting situations that are just a bit too much for all but a few regular home theater projectors. MovieMate: Standard DVD player On boardThe MovieMate 85HD has a single load slot in the front, for its DVD player. It would have been really nice if the MovieMate 85HD had a Blu-ray player inside, but I fully understand the logic of sticking with a basic DVD player. After all, this is more of a portable, or family machine. It’s fun, but it isn’t designed for enthusiasts. While most people will think it does a really nice job, those of us really into projectors will recognize it as an entry level, 720p resolution, solution. As such, a standard DVD player probably better meets the budgetary needs of owners, who probably also appreciate that this MovieMate 85HD, would almost certainly cost at least $100 more if it had a Blu-ray player instead. The good news are the component and HDMI inputs. Rock bottom pricing will find you a Blu-ray player for under $80, maybe under $70 these days. If you really want the step up in picture quality that Blu-ray delivers, you can have it, just as an outboard addition – one more thing to move around, when you are “portable”. You may already have a Blu-ray player at home, let’s say hooked up to your 40″ LCDTV. No problem, when you are tired of focusing your eyes on that tiny, distant, 40″ set, just plug the MovieMate into that Blu-ray player and temporarily watch a nice, decent sized image, in the 80 to 120+ inch diagonal range. MovieMate 85HD AudioAs mentioned, the MovieMate 85HD, has a pair of 10 watt speakers. They are capable of achieving some respectable sound levels. I watched the Expendables last night (Blu-ray, fed to the MovieMate from my PS3), and the audio did get pretty loud. Not bad. Of course, once cranked up you do realize that there isn’t much lower bass at all. Despair not, when you don’t mind bringintg one, there are any number of small, powered sub-woofers you can buy, that you can use with this MovieMate projector. Extended Warranty for the MovieMateTwo years is great, but for an additional $89.95 (MSRP), from Epson you can complement that 2 year warranty with a two year replacement program 1. Epson MovieMate 85HD – A Review of An All-in-One Home Projector - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector Overview2. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Image Quality3. Epson MovieMate 85HD – A Review of An All-in-One Home Projector 2 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Special Features - MovieMate 85HD Brightness - MovieMate: Standard DVD player On board - MovieMate 85HD Audio - Extended Warranty for the MovieMate4. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Physical Tour - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector - Appearance - MovieMate 85HD Control Panel - MovieMate 85HD Inputs and Outputs - Menus slideshow5. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Physical Tour 2 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Remote Control - Epson MovieMate 85HD Lens Throw - Lens Shift6. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Image Quality - Epson MovieMate 85HD Out of the Box Picture Quality - Below the different Color Temp settings - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector - Flesh Tones7. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Image Quality-1 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector - Flesh Tones8. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Image Quality 2 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Black Levels & Shadow Detail9. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Image Quality 3 - Epson MovieMate 85HD - Overall Color & Picture Quality10. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Image Quality 4 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports - MovieMate 85HD Dynamic Mode11. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Performance - Epson MovieMate 85HD Brightness - Low lamp will drop the MovieMate 85HD's brightness from 2552 lumens to 1857 lumens in - Epson MovieMate 85HD Sharpness 12. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Performance 2 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Sharpness - Epson MovieMate 85HD Sharpness comparision13. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Performance 3 - Epson MovieMate 85HD: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise14. Epson MovieMate 85HD – Projector Screens - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector Screen Recommendations15. Epson MovieMate 85HD – Competitors - Epson MovieMate 85HD vs. MovieMate 62 - Epson MovieMate 85HD vs. Home Theater Projectors - Epson MovieMate 85HD vs. Business Projectors16. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Warranty17. Epson MovieMate 85HD – Review Summary - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector - The Bottom Line - The Very Bottom Line on the MovieMate 85HD projector:18. Epson MovieMate 85HD – Review Summary-2 - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector: Pros - Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector: Cons19. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector Specifications Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Image Quality Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector – Physical Tour