038 EHC 15 Epson EMP-TW10H

23/8/04

2:28 PM

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>>Reviews LCD Projector
One of the EMP-TW10Hs main benefits is its short throw distance

Epson EMP-TW10H

ESPITE BEING BEST KNOWN FOR PC printers, Epson is carving out a niche in moving-image technology. The Japanese company is a major LCD chip manufacturer and has been gradually increasing its own range of projectors. Unlike Epsons earlier, high end projectors, its Dreamio line-up begins at a very wallet-friendly level with the EMP-TW10H, which sells for just below 1,000. There are a few compromises to reach this price but the general idea of a projector aimed firmly at the home rather than the boardroom remains intact. Its small, but not so tiny that it would overheat and require a noisy fan, while the sleek styling will suit anyones lounge and wont make it look as if youve raided the offices IT department. The only lingering corporate characteristic is the built-in mini speaker, which certainly isnt for DVD playback! One of the EMP-TW10Hs main benefits is its short throw distance, so your aspirations of getting a huge picture will not be thwarted even if your room is small. For example, you can produce an 80in image from a mere 2m. With its x1.54 zoom lens and 0.73m to 11.65m range, you can create a picture from 30in to 300in wide. Focus and zoom are both controlled manually. Theres digital keystone correction but no manual lens shift options for offsetting the unit to one side, so youll need to aim at the dead centre of the screen. If the projector gets in the way, it can be ceiling mounted. Another handy feature is the extra infrared remote sensor at the back with the short throw distance, the projector is quite likely to be in front of you. Sadly the remote is a tiny credit-card sized item thats bound to disappear down the sofa. This is a three-chip model with a native 16:9 aspect ratio, so the LCD colour reproduction is extremely good and its optimised for widescreen viewing. Although it will accept high definition video signals, the resolution is only SVGA rather
Epsons latest gives you a very big picture for a small price. Ian Calcutt dims the lights and check its home cinema credentials
than the XGA quality of luxury projectors and flat screen TVs, so you wont see the full benefit even if you get HDTV in the future. There is also no pure digital connection such as DVI or HDMI, though it will accept high calibre analogue component video or RGB (using a supplied Scart adaptor). The simple on-screen menu provides control over various picture attributes, including three presets for colour temperature. Theres no fine control over individual hues except for green, which is used in flesh tone correction. There are two memory modes to recall picture preferences and the projector can auto detect an active video input. A sleep mode will switch it off if theres no signal for an extended time. The majority of picture modes are also aimed at home use. The Theatre and Theatre Black options use Epsons Cinema Filter for a more movie-like image and keep fan noise to an acceptable 29dB, although the brightness also goes down, so youll need to have adequate blackout for any windows for the best performance. Compared to the rival DLP projectors, this models contrast is not that high. If a scene has been shot with punchy lighting already, like the detailed exteriors of The Return of the King, then
What we like about this DLP projector Easy to use Short throw distance Attractive picture properties What we dont like about this DLP projector Low resolution Relatively low contrast Tiny remote control
ESSENTIAL HI-FI & HOME CINEMA

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Key Features LCD (3x 0.55in 16:9 poly-silicon TFT active matrix) SVGA resolution (854 x 458 pixels) NTSC/PAL progressive scan Throw distance 0.73-11.65m Connections Composite video in S-video in Component video in (and RGB
(image size 30-300in) 1,200 ANSI lumens max brightness 800:1 contrast ratio 29-35dB fan noise Theatre Black mode (3,000hr typical lamp life) input with Scart adaptor) D-Sub PC in Stereo line in (phonos) RS232 control in Dimensions 402(w) x 114(h) x 294(d)mm

S-video

Composite video

D-Sub PC in

Component video in

Stereo audio in

RS232C
the EMP-TW10H looks fine, but an overcast location or softly lit interior can look flat. Its other qualities are impressive, though, resulting in a very attractive picture overall. There is plenty of fine gradation in the greyscale and strong colour accuracy. Motion is well handled using progressive scan via component video and the LCD chicken wire or screen door side-effect is not too obvious. You can see pixel gridlines if you sit too close, which could happen considering the projectors short throw capabilities, but the all-round impact is pleasantly cinematic. Given that cheaper DLP projectors inevitably suffer the rainbow artefact problem due to that technologys colour wheel system, entry-level LCD versions have much to offer. However, the EMP-TW10Hs comparatively low contrast and overall softness cant be avoided. This product is good if picture size is your main consideration, but other models, including Epsons higher end ones, will scale and sharpen for big screens more effectively.

Verdict

Sales Web www.epson.co.uk
EASE OF USE LOOKS FEATURES PICTURE VALUE
VERDICT Conveniently small, quiet and stylish with a very cinematic LCD image quality for the price, but contrast and picture resolution are limited.

Overall

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Key Features 16:9 ratio LCD panels 854 x 480 native resolution 1.54x optical zoom 30-300in image from 0.73-7.58m 1,000 ANSI Lumens brightness 700:1 contrast Theatre Black, Theatre and Living Room presets Connections 15-pin VGA in four-pin S-video in composite video in component video in stereo audio in RS-232 in Dimensions 402(w) x 294(d) x 114(h)mm

Epson EMP-TW10

HE CURRENT CLAMOUR FOR PROJECTORS HAS opened a new AV door for many electronics brands that are traditionally associated with the PC world. Initially this just saw companies flogging their designedfor-business projectors to domestic users. But now many of those PC names are now actually designing projectors for movie fans from the ground up. Cue Epson, with its home cinema-targeted EMP-TW10.

Big is beautiful

This LCD-based model boasts a superbly competitive price of just 999. It also makes a pleasing if surprisingly large addition to your living room, thanks to its unusual elliptical shaping, slick, polished finish and dashing silver and cream colour scheme. Theres a downer at the connections stage no digital video inputs. This means the EMP-TW10 probably wont be able to take Skys upcoming high-def broadcasts, as these will need a digital connection compatible with the HDCP anti-piracy system. On the upside, however, analogue video and PC options are at least joined by component video jacks able to handle analogue high-def from, say, an imported JVC D-Theater deck or the EuroHD satellite service. Epson has ensured that its new projector is a no-brainer to set up. All you have to do is wind down the front legs to angle the picture onto your screen, adjust two zoom/focus levers (and keystone correction if you need to), and thats it. Whats more, the lens arrangement allows you to enjoy an 80in image with the projector just 2m from the screen. So you dont need to live in a place the size of The Last Samurais Imperial Palace to be able to enjoy a big picture. Its clear from what weve seen so far that Epson has thought long and hard about the home user when putting the TW10 together, and this continues with its features and specifications. Our eyes were particularly caught by an Automatic Cinema light filter designed to improve colour reproduction and black levels, a Flesh Tone colour
adjustment, a Theatre Black mode which drops the lamps brightness to improve black levels still further and reduce the noise from the TW10s cooling fans and a Living Room picture preset. When it comes to specs, a quoted contrast ratio of 700:1 and brightness of 1,000 ANSI Lumens both bode well. And, thankfully, they translate into superior pictures. With the numerous black-boosting features switched on, the TW10s contrast is, by LCD standards, pretty solid. The darkness of the night when Katsumoto is broken out of his Imperial Palace imprisonment in The Last Samurai looked reasonably unsullied by the grey misting we associate with poor-contrast pictures. And contrast wasnt spoiled by light spillage from the projectors bulb.

Verdict

Epson EMP-TW10H
Sales Web www.epson.co.uk

In the pink

The scene where Katsumoto and Cruise talk amid vividly pink cherry blossom trees showed the TW10s colour response to be no slouch. Whats more, every leaf in the trees was clearly defined thanks to its impressive way with fine detail, the discipline of its colours as they remain firmly contained within their proper boundaries, and the lack of significant image noise and ghosting around harsh edges. The actors faces during this chat amid the blossom also looked very naturally hued, especially after tinkering with the Flesh Tone adjustment. Even LCDs chicken-wire bugbear is reasonably well tackled by the TW10. Its certainly not completely removed; the skies above The Last Samurais final, epic battle suffer from it a little, for instance. But its certainly more subtle than with, say, the TLP-ET1 on the previous page. The only things making the TW10 short of a Best Buy are the fact that, in the company of some DLP competition at this price, its contrast is a bit lacking, and the appearance of horizontal blanking lines. Faroudjas DCDi processing would probably have eliminated these but we guess you cant have absolutely everything you want at 1,000!
EASE OF USE LOOKS FEATURES PICTURE VALUE
VERDICT This Epson is pushed hard by some of the latest DLP models, but its still one of the best sub1,000 LCD projectors weve seen

Overall

WHAT PROJECTOR