Greetings all, Well, I've finally come up for air. Most of the
1080p Home Theater Projector Comparison Report is up, and proofed, at this point.
JVC Home Theater Projector
Still will add a few things, and will try to get about 5-7 more direct comparisons added, mostly so far, it's just two new ones, and a bunch of carry-fowards from previous years.
The
Best In Class awards are up, so for those who haven't been there yet, the short version:
Down in the under $2K range, carved out a special Best In Class award, 2D only, which went to the Panasonic PT-AR100 projector - PT-AR100U, here in the US.
For 2D and 3D capability, a tie. The Epson has the muscle with their Home Cinema 3010, and bright 3D, and great warranty and support. The Acer H9500BD, though,
while not quite as bright, truly had impressive black level performance, and that DLP look and feel. Also, the Acer offers variable lens shift.
Two great projectors for the bucks. If you are shopping under $2K, and want the 3D option, one of these two is almost certainly right for you.
Epson Pro Cinema 6010 Projector THX Certified
I had to go with the Epson Home Cinema 5010 and Pro Cinema 6010 for Best In Class in the $2000 - $3500 range. Normally, with a Home Cinema and a similar Pro Cinema projector from Epson we only give out the single award, but this year, there's enough difference to consider them two separate products, if very similar. Great brightness, great blacks, great support, and th rest is pretty good too!
We did come up with a pair of runner-ups, and they might surprise you. Hey, they surprised me. Not that either of them picked up the Runner-up award, but that one projector didn't.
The Best In Class Runner-up projector award in the $2000-$3500 price Class, go to the Panasonic PT-AE7000, and the BenQ W7000. These two are pretty different products, but both are excellent choices.
And that brings us to the one that didn't make it. That would be the JVC DLA-RS45 - also sold as the DLA-X30. It too is one fine projector with great blacks for the price, and an overall, classy projector. It just came up well short of all the award winners when it comes to 3D. I considered a 2D only award, but then, the JVC is a 2D and 3D capable projector. Didn't seem fair. So, my point is, it's a really impressive 2D projector, also worthy of consideration, despite the lack of one of the report awards.
Moving to the top tier, I kept it very simple, all LCoS. Didn't review much in DLP projectors in the past year, and none of them in this range, that were reviewed, offer 3D at all (ok, the $20K SIM2 has 3D).
Bottom line, then, The Sony VPL-VW95ES and the JVC DLA-X70R (also sold as the RS55), tied for the Best In Class award. I believe I demoted last year's BIC winner, the Mitsubishi HC9000D, to Runner-up status this year.
OK, big report, a little better organized and written, I think, than in previous years. Great year for new projectors, best in years! Perhaps, the best year since the year Epson introduced the 1080UB, and JVC, the RS1. Let's say that changed equation. This year may not be that dazzling a jump if you are strictly a 2D person, but if 3D's on your radar, one fine year it has been! Enjoy... -art
