Home Cinema 1080UB Measurements and Adjustments – Bottom Line Posted on January 18, 2008 By Art Feierman 1. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Home Theater Projector Review - Projector Highlights2. Projector Highlights 23. Epson HC1080UB Home Theater Projector: Physical Tour4. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Projector Review – Image Quality - Home Theater Projector: Skin Tones5. Epson HC1080UB Projectors: Black Levels and Shadow Detail - Black Levels6. Epson HC1080UB Projectors: Black Levels and Shadow Detail 27. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details - Epson HC1080UB (left)8. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details 29. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details 310. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details 411. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details 512. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details 613. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details 714. Epson HC1080UB Home Theater Projector: Sharpness15. Epson HC1080UB Home Theater Projector: Sharpness16. Projector Overall Picture Quality - Viewing - HDTV - Picture Quality - Bottom Line:17. Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance - HC1080UB Menus - HC1080UB User Memory Settings - HC1080UB Projector - Remote Control - HC1080UB Lens Throw and Lens Shift - HC1080UB SDE and Rainbow Effect, Pixel Visibility - HC1080UB Projector Brightness18. HC1080UB Projector – Light Leakage - HC1080UB Audible Noise Levels - HC1080UBProjector Screen Recommendations19. HC1080UB Projector Measurements and Calibration - HC1080UB Living Room mode20. HC1080UB Projector Measurements and Calibration 2 - Dynamic Mode - The end result for Dynamic21. Home Cinema 1080UB Measurements and Adjustments – Bottom Line - HC1080UB Image Noise 22. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Projector Warranty23. Home Theater Projector Review: Epson Home Cinema 1080UB LCD Projector: Summary, Pros, Cons24. HC1080UB projector vs. Panasonic PT-AE2000U - HC1080UB vs. Sanyo PLV-Z2000 - HC1080UB vs. Optoma HD80, HD8000, HD81, HD81-LV25. Home Cinema 1080UB vs. Mitsubishi HC4900 and HC6000. - HC1080UB vs. Sony VW50 and VW60 - Epson Home Cinema 1080UB vs. JVC RS1 and RS226. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB projector, Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Projector: Pros - Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Projector: Cons - Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Projector: Typical Capabilities - Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Summary: The Bottom Line27. Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 1080UB Projector Specifications Out of the box performance leaves much to be desired, but I’ll consider it to be good overall, because, (with the exception of Living Room mode), just changing the from the default color temp settings, is all it takes to get really good results in most modes! HC1080UB Image Noise The Epson is overall, rather good in terms of different types of image noise. When it comes to basic image noise it is very good, better than my more than acceptable JVC RS1. Jaggies were a non-issue, as were typical motion artifacts. This Epson uses Silicon Optix image processing, so it was no surprise, that it tested out excellently, using my standard and Blu-ray HQV test discs, from Silicon Optix! If I had to pick on one thing, though, it is a bit noisy on lower res standard defiinition sources. (I generally avoid SD-TV, where it is at its worst). Still, not bad, just others do better. I don’t play with the various noise filters, which can help, but have no further advice here. I don’t see it as an issue. Standard TV looks so bad, compared to anything else, on any projector, that I refuse to quibble about noise differences when watching SD TV. And that brings me to the subject of motion blur. LCD and LCoS projectors are often accused of being “slow”, and truly, their panels cannot react anywhere near as fast as a DLP chip. Up until now, I have pretty much ignored motion blur – simply because I never notice it. I have presumed, that, like with the DLP rainbow effect, it affects some people more than others. In my case, I am only slightly sensitive to RBE, which has allowed me to own and enjoy a number of DLP projectors. Finally, though, I have seen motion blur – or at least I think so. Two nights ago, in flipping through the channels, I stumbled on to a tennis match on HDTV. Sure enough, I’m seeing something that could well be described as a motion blur. Of course, it’s possible that the blurring I was seeing on the fast moving tennis ball, is part of the broadcast – no real way to tell, right now – not until I have another DLP in here, and can view tennis in HDTV again. I did switch, however, to my JVC, and noticed the same effect. Since, however both technologies are similar in speed, it didn’t answer the question of projector, or source material. Bottom line: Great in terms of image noises. Verdict not in on motion blur. Let me say this: If what I did see on the fastest moving tennis balls (when the camera isn’t following the motion), is all projector, then I imagine, a few people will be put off by it. My personal opinion, though is that if this is what motion blur is all about, it’s another minor factor, and certainly not a deal breaker except for those, who find motion blur to be their personal pet peeve, much as some who will only buy the absolute quietest projectors. For most of us, a total non-issue. OK, be wise, and spend the 60 seconds or so, it takes to read the Warranty page. It is an important consideration. You’re spending a lot of money on a projector, so read the page. It might make a difference. After that – it’s off to the summary! 1. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Home Theater Projector Review - Projector Highlights2. Projector Highlights 23. Epson HC1080UB Home Theater Projector: Physical Tour4. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Projector Review – Image Quality - Home Theater Projector: Skin Tones5. Epson HC1080UB Projectors: Black Levels and Shadow Detail - Black Levels6. Epson HC1080UB Projectors: Black Levels and Shadow Detail 27. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details - Epson HC1080UB (left)8. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details 29. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details 310. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details 411. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details 512. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details 613. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB – Shadow Details 714. Epson HC1080UB Home Theater Projector: Sharpness15. Epson HC1080UB Home Theater Projector: Sharpness16. Projector Overall Picture Quality - Viewing - HDTV - Picture Quality - Bottom Line:17. Home Theater Projector Review – General Performance - HC1080UB Menus - HC1080UB User Memory Settings - HC1080UB Projector - Remote Control - HC1080UB Lens Throw and Lens Shift - HC1080UB SDE and Rainbow Effect, Pixel Visibility - HC1080UB Projector Brightness18. HC1080UB Projector – Light Leakage - HC1080UB Audible Noise Levels - HC1080UBProjector Screen Recommendations19. HC1080UB Projector Measurements and Calibration - HC1080UB Living Room mode20. HC1080UB Projector Measurements and Calibration 2 - Dynamic Mode - The end result for Dynamic21. Home Cinema 1080UB Measurements and Adjustments – Bottom Line - HC1080UB Image Noise 22. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Projector Warranty23. Home Theater Projector Review: Epson Home Cinema 1080UB LCD Projector: Summary, Pros, Cons24. HC1080UB projector vs. Panasonic PT-AE2000U - HC1080UB vs. Sanyo PLV-Z2000 - HC1080UB vs. Optoma HD80, HD8000, HD81, HD81-LV25. Home Cinema 1080UB vs. Mitsubishi HC4900 and HC6000. - HC1080UB vs. Sony VW50 and VW60 - Epson Home Cinema 1080UB vs. JVC RS1 and RS226. Epson Home Cinema 1080UB projector, Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Projector: Pros - Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Projector: Cons - Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Projector: Typical Capabilities - Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Summary: The Bottom Line27. Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 1080UB Projector Specifications HC1080UB Projector Measurements and Calibration 2 Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Projector Warranty