Epson Home Cinema 2040 1080p 3D 3LCD Home Theater Projector

I bought this because of the advertised color brightness and... WOW! They werent kidding. Leaves DLP in the dust. Dust that is very muted in tone with no color richness to speak of. DLP is fine for your Powerpoint presentation, but if you want to watch a movie in your home theater, you want something more like this. Because there are three different image elements in this projector creating three different images, you only get perfect convergence at one distance from the lens. I had this projecting onto a wall in my garage (dont know exactly how big the image was, but it was over 10 feet wide) and the color separation was about 1/4 at worst. I didnt notice this issue unless I was being picky and looking for it.

This projector has a lot going for it, and some drawbacks as well. Lets jump right in: Brightness: Very bright. The color brightness is just as bright as the whites since its a 3 chip projector. DLPs cant make that same claim, though some come close (RGBRGB models). Contrast: Sub-par, even for the under $1,000 category. DLP projectors will beat this one every time with black levels and contrast. Positioning: This projector gives you both vertical and horizontal keystone for ease of setup, though using this will make the image less sharp since its not using all of the pixels when the keystone is used. Most people wont notice, however. Pixel fill: The lines between the pixels are the thickest and most noticeable on 3LCD projectors. In other words, on DLP and LCoS projectors, you sit slightly closer to the screen without seeing pixel structure. Colors: Colors are fantastic, and have a lot of pop to them. 3LCD projectors excel with bright colors. Animated films look great! Noise: In eco-mode, its not very noticeable. In normal mode, youll notice it on quiet movie scenes for sure. Extra features: This projector has some features not typically found on entry level models. These include frame interpolation (smooth motion for sports, etc) and detail enhancement, which makes images appear sharper using special video processing. While it may seem a lot of my review was negative, this is a really good choice for an entry level projector. For those who havent seen better blacks on a projected image, they probably wont even notice the not-so-great blacks, but will be amazed at the huge, colorful, full HD image on their wall or screen. Another plus is that, unlike other lower end (and lower resolution) Epson models, this has an audio out port for those who take advantage of the portability of this projector and take it outside or to a friends house for movie night. I believe if Epson produced a projector like this one, but had blacks as good as the 8350 (not the best, but very respectable), they would overcome the only serious weakness of this model and sales would higher than Im sure they are now. Regardless, this a solid choice for those looking to get in on the big screen action at home.

This is my first home theater projector, so take my opinions with a grain of salt, but I am very happy with it. At the time, I was debating between this Epson 2040 and either the BenQ W1070 or slightly new HT1075. The vertical positioning of the Epson wasnt an issue for me, so the ultimate tipping of the scales was that this Epson went on sale for $699 (list of $799) at the time I was looking to buy. Brightness There are 4 varying levels of brightness than you can select depending on how much ambient light is in the room. During the daytime, I usually run it on the max setting to get the best picture. My set up is not ideal and actually have a fairly large bay window right next to the projector screen, but I can still manage a good picture in spite of the high level of background light. The downside is that the fan is working hard to keep the projector cool and is pretty loud on the brightest setting. At night however (which is 90% of the time I normally use it), we run it on the lower settings and the fan is practically silent. Color Shift? Im not sure what the correct term for this is, but as other reviewers have noticed, there is a detectable color separation of green and purples on the edges of still black and whites next to each other on a menu or setup screen. Im not sure what this means, but its definitely there when you get up close to the screen. But once I sit back down at normal viewing distance, I dont notice the difference. And I definitely cant see a difference when watching a movie or anything else. In the end, I may have been happy no matter which projector I opted for, but this one has certainly exceeded my expectations.

With this purchase, one thing I have learnt is to always purchase products from trusted brands. My new Epson Home Cinema LCD projector is an amazing device, perfect for my basement home theater. The picture quality is impeccable, 35000:1 contrast ratio provides a very good rendition of black levels. 2200 lumens is just enough for my needs. Could not have found a better projector at this price. I am extremely happy with this purchase. The Good: Image quality, color rendition, brightness levels are perfect. 35000:1 contrast ratio Decent inbuilt speakers. Quieter than many other projectors I have seen 2 HDMI ports Light and Small Simple IR Remote The Bad: (which is not so bad) No optical audio port slight vibration (which is probably a normal characteristic of projectors, but I have seen Epsons that just do not vibrate - of course they are in a higher price band) All in all I would recommend this product to anyone who is looking to buy an inexpensive projector for their home theater. Good buy! Tip: Wait for a Thanksgiving deal to buy this item, I bought mine for $499

Overall: I cannot express how truly happy I am with this projector! I received this projector in December and have been using it non-stop since! I previously had an Epson 705HD and that was a good projector but this one makes that seem like it was childs play. The image is definitely 1080p and colors are vibrant and bright. There are several color modes to choose from (Dynamic, Cinema, Bright Cinema) and I prefer to use Cinema. I have not used the 3D capability as of yet because I do not have a 3D player as of yet, but I expect that the 3D is just as amazing as the rest of the projector. I want to talk about the frame interpolation a little bit. This is something that many high-end projectors have and it is very apparent when it is on. I personally love it because it makes the images seem clearer and smoother. At times, however it makes the images look fake because of the effect of the heightened frame rate. There is also a slight problem with the processing of movement with words. When the interpolation is on and there is a sweeping landscape, or when there are words on the side of a vehicle driving through the frame, the words lose their definition. Here it is obvious that the interpolation programming is attempting to pick the relevant information and becomes obvious. Even with these negatives, the overall opinion I have is that the interpolation is worth it; the picture is smoother and, to me, appears crisper. There are many inputs and outputs from the unit which make it quite versatile. I have only one HDMI plugged in currently, but it is a comfort to know that I could use more inputs if need be. The noise from the fan, as some people have noticed, is present, but only when the bulb is set to normal. Keeping the setting on Eco fixes this and makes the fan almost silent. I find that Eco is plenty bright for all the purposes I need. Also, having a good 5.1 system will really help with the noise (i know, duh) because this will diminish what can be heard coming from the fan. Only during silent scenes will there be any noise heard, and this is less than the sound that most fridges make when they are running. There is very little light leakage. Some projectors have lines of light rays that escape from the housing and cause bright spots in the dark room; I have not noticed any of these. I am using the projector with a 100 inch screen and it is very crisp and bright. I have used bigger screens with the projector and, of course, with a bigger screen comes the downside of seeing more pixels. You will definitely want to start using Blu-Ray players if you havent already. With my previous projector and some TVs the difference between the two is negligible, but not so with this projector. DVDs are much less clear and it is very obvious once you begin using blu-rays. The remote reaches from very far and very many angles; there are 2 sensors on the projector for the IR signal and this means that you dont have to be in the right place like some other projectors on the market. Thank you Epson! I was comparing this to some DLP projectors and ultimately went with this one. I have not used a DLP and therefore cannot speak to their image quality, but I can assure you that you will not be disappointed by making this your next home theater investment. I am a very happy customer and have recommended it many times!

I have put ~ 50 hours on this projector in the last 3 weeks. I use it with my Elite Screens grey 135 inch homemade screen. I really like it but there are a few things that could be better. My Pros: Bright - I have total light control in my theater so most of the time I run it in economy mode. Quite - Not too loud in eco mode, see cons for normal mode. 3d - Works great. Price - I picked this up when it was on sale for about $600 shipped from Amazon. Bulb costs- Ive found them for as low $65. I never feel guilty watching it. Cons: Loud - I use normal mode when watching sports and it is very loud. Creative frame interpolation - I wanted to like this feature. Not enough horsepower as it lags/stutters a lot. No lens shift means that my projector hangs down 6 inches from the ceiling. Automatic Iris - I shut it off. It was too noticeable while on. One note about the contrast. I recommend a grey screen for this projector as it needs all the help it can get for contrasts. Once I settled for eco mode and set the processing from fine to fast, I do enjoy using it. I will never go back to a flat panel TV.

So this is my first projector and I am sold. I probably read hundreds of reviews on different Epson projectors and I eventually chose this one for price and capabilities. I had a 60inch Vizio E series tv before this and I was very to go bigger without buying a bigger tv. I havent noticed any difference in quality when comparing the projector to my tv which is great. I will admit though that my tv in my bedroom which is a M series has more clarity than the projector. That being said, I know there are projectors that have better quality but I had a budget which was under 1k and I haven not been disappointed at all with this projector! If you want your 1080HD experience then this projector is the way to go. It also does really well for lights being on. I have windows and a lot of natural light that gets into my den and this projector holds up well in lighting, even in Eco mode. If you want super crisp and clean then clearly a more expensive projector like the 3000 series is the way to go. I do intend to one day upgrade to the top notch kind of projector, but for now this one is perfectly fine when considering I now have virtually a 150 tv for only a hundred dollars more than my 60. I took two pictures. One is the Apple tv screen which shows the great clarity and the other is of a movie I was watching. The quality was based on my actual internet which isnt the best, but when it is streaming well the quality is great!

I generally dont write reviews but I wanted to do this one. This is my first projector, I always dreamed to have one and as soon as I had the possibility, I bought one. I am not an expert on projectors, so this is only a personal point of view. I spent a considerable amount of time reading websites, forums, reviews, opinions and whatever else there is available on the argument to decide what projector was my ideal one. Finally, I went ahead and I bought an Optoma HD28DSE. This is a great projector, with a great image quality. However I had some issues with the fan noise (even in eco mode) and with the rainbow artifacts. I watch movies with subtitles (English is clearly not my first language), and between the words constantly changing on the screen and me moving my eyes across it to read them, made the rainbow effects something I could not stand (at least with me). So I decided to try out a LCD projector and the Epson 2040 was my choice. I have to say I am impressed by the image quality. Its very good. The smaller throw ratio (compared to the Optoma) gave me an even bigger screen (currently just above 110 inches) and absolutely no rainbow effect. I keep the projector on a shelf just above my head and in Cinema/ECO mode you cant really hear it unless you really want to. The room is dark but not perfect, and during the day a decent amount of light comes in from the outside, but its not a big deal as the projector is very bright and the image quality doesnt really change much. As everybody else mentioned in every other reviews or forums, the black are not super good and the image tend to look a bit washed. This is true but again, its not a big deal as you may think. It is not perfect as some people would like to, but it not too far. It is simply very very good, and at this price, this is probably the best solution for those (like me) who cant stand rainbows effect. I rather have it a bit washed than fight the rainbows. And anyway, as others proposed, you could install a ND (2 or 4) filter in front of the projector to improve the quality of the image. All together I think this is a great projector. Extremely good image quality. Basically no noise (Cinema/ECO mode). No rainbow effects. Two years warranty from Epson. And super cheap lamp (compared to other models in the same price range)

Background: I am nearly finished with a large and expensive remodel involving adding a playroom and bathroom to my house. I love home theatres so I installed a 7.2 sound system and painted a 110” screen on the far wall bordered by 3” felt tape. My intention all along was to spend $2700 on the Epson 5040ub upscaling UHD projector that I know from personal experience produces a fantastic image. The reality: after a year of remodel and hemorrhaging cash I couldn’t justify spending $2700. I read a ton of reviews and nearly pulled the plug on a Optoma HD DLP projector that got rave reviews here on Amazon. The significant drawback was the presence of rainbow artifact related to DLP projectors. Within the reviews for the Optoma this projector was mentioned as the replacement the person made after sending the Optoma back. All I can say is I am thrilled I read that users review. My review: this Projector cost about $100 more than the Optoma which I felt was a tiny sacrifice for rainbow free images. It installed easily albeit much closer than I had planned since it does not have an electronic zoom like the 5040ub. Keystone, focus and zoom were easy enough to adjust. The good: 1. Terrific clarity and detail of picture. My couch sits 14’ feet back from screen and I would have a hard time distinguishing this image from the 5040ub based upon resolution. 2. Color is excellent. I can say it does not match the 5040ub but I can’t expect it to. Selecting “Dynamic” picture really enhances the color and I do prefer this setting. 3. Color saturation very good. Richness and brightness of color rivals my Samsung 65”LED TV. 4. Contrast at 35,000:1 is sharp and deep. Again not nearly as much depth as the 5040ub but hey that one is 1,000,000:1. No contest. 5. Brightness at 2,200 lumens is plenty bright for cinema use in dark environment. Daytime use is totally achievable if you darken the room with drapes/curtains. 6: Price-nuff said. 7: Size and weight super easy to handle. When I do upgrade to the 5040ub this one will be my incredibly portable projector. 8. Pattern selection helps you size and center your image. The Bad: 1: Contrast. I’d prefer deeper darks but this is really a minor complaint. 2. Would have like electronic focus, zoom, etc. makes for a much easier adjustment since my projector is ceiling mounted. 3. Color saturation just a slight bit weak but again I have extremely high expectations. 4. Fan noise level just a tad more than I’d prefer. Overall this inexpensive projector is an incredible buy. If you are on the fence do not hesitate giving this a try. Coming from a movie buff and seasoned home theater user I really don’t see anything wrong with this little giant and can not recommend it any higher. Thanks for reading. It’s been about 6 months since I purchased the Epson 2040 projector. I still absolutely love the projector. For the price i think it is unbeatable. Fast frames never smear. Color is really nice and sharpness top quality. I still want the UHD upscaling Epson but find that this does so well I can’t justify spending $2400. Really wish contrast ratio was better. In a dark room it is noticeable. In the day with curtains pulled this little projector shines. The semi dark environment allows the contrast to looks its best. Still no hesitation whatsoever in recommending this projector. Our home has become the “mini movie theater” for the kids friends. Super immersive e perience especially with a top notch sound system.

This thing rocks! TV, Movies, Gaming, for the price you cant beat it. Ive had it for almost 9 months and started on the existing 100 inch screen, then expanded to 125 with a screen I built with blackout cloth. I would go bigger, but the wall I am projecting on is inset. The 1080P HD picture is bright and beautiful and will easily handle indirect light, even on eco mode. Brighter rooms and/or direct light will wash out the picture some, especially with darker shows. 3D works well enough for me, even for video games. Online gaming is great now with no noticeable lag. The projector it replaced definitely had lag and would routinely find ourselves on the losing end of a melee. Not any more. Again, this thing rocks! I did a lot of research. Went back and forth between this one, the BenQs, the Optomas, high end, low end, etc. I would love to try out to the BenQ to be able to compare, but I am more than thrilled with this Epson. If you are new to buying a projector, like I was, make sure you know exactly where you are going to mount it and the projectors throw angle, throw distance and zoom capability (throw range). These where variables that I did not originally consider, but ended up being one of the bigger variables I had to reconcile with my mounting limitations before ordering. Performance, price, features, replacement lamp cost . . . . you cannot do better! You will not be disappointed.