The Epson also has an advantage in terms of vertical lens shift range. The Sony will let you place up to about 8 inches above or 8 below the screen surface top or bottom, or anywhere in between. The Epson though gives you 22 inches on either end. If you have a somewhat high ceiling, perhaps 12 feet, where the Sony might be mounted at the end of a 2 foot pole from the ceiling mount, the Epson could be mounted about 14 inches higher so only down about 8 inches from the ceiling. Not a big difference for most folks although I can say in my last house, my wife was never thrilled by our old BenQ projector hanging down 5 feet, she would have preferred it "less visible", that is, if it was a couple of feet higher.
Overall, the Epson has a definite advantage in placement flexibility. Of course if they both work in your room...
Interfacing - Inputs and Connections
Not a whole lot of differences here. Both have two HDMI's both have a Component Video input (3 color coded RCA jacks) and an analog computer input. Both have an RS232 serial port for "command and control." The Epson offers up a 12 volt trigger for motorized screen or other use. The Sony has a Composite video port (RCA connector) that the Epson lacks, and it also has an RJ45 type connector for an outboard 3D RF transmitter (IR is built in). Epson's built in 3D transmitter is already RF. Since it does relate to inputs, the Epson has picture in picture, which the Sony lacks.
Still, all considered, its very unlikely that the input selection will affect your decision.
For the most part, consider this a choice of brightness vs better color, as your decision process. Most of you, I expect will treat other differences as far more important when choosing between these two projectors.
3D Performance
Both projectors suffer from minor crosstalk, and both have more than one "glasses" mode. The trade-off here, is that when the image is on longer for each eye, there's more overlap or crosstalk, so you have a trade-off of a brighter image with more crosstalk, or the other way around.
Although the Epson is LCD and the Sony, LCoS, there doesn't seem to be much overall difference here, both at their best do have a little, and have more than a DLP projector would, but how much that matters is up to you. I am not overly bothered by a little crosstalk, but for example, prefer the Epson in middle or low setting rather than high where there's the most crosstalk.
Other than that there isn't great, accurate color in any 3D modes on either. We do not calibrate 3D modes, but for those of you who would have 3D calibrated, you should be able to get some very respectable color.
Epson offers 3 calibration modes: 3D THX, 3D Cinema, and 3D Dynamic. Both the 3D THX and 3D Cinema have better color than the dynamic, but are significantly less bright. With the Sony, almost any 2D preset color mode works in 3D.
As I see it, the Sony can put up the better color when you are comparing brightest 3D modes, but the Epson can put up a noticeably brighter image when both in brightest modes. The Epson in 3D THX seems to be a little better than most of the Sony 3D modes, when comparing "best", but 3D THX isn't as bright as the Sony.
2D - 3D conversion - I really barely looked at either. I have always found too many artifacts to worry about other aspects of 2D to 3D conversion, but the kids might like it, and it can be fun to view your 2D videos in 3D.
Because brightness is a key element for 3D viewing, I'd probably pick the Epson overall, but again, we're not talking great color. Rarely in 3D - these projectors and others - have I seen, for example, a really believable blue sky. At this point I'm still treating 3D as a great thing to watch, but not judging the color accuracy critically, as in "I can live with it" That is much as we can live with brightest modes in 2D, when needed.
3D Glasses - this is interesting. The Epson comes with 2 pair of RF rechargeable glasses. The Sony comes with IR ones, but you can buy an RF emitter (there's a connector on the input panel), and pair it with RF glasses. I didn't have that rig with the HW55ES but got to use the glasses with the Sony VW600ES (the 4K projector). My take is that 3D is better on the Sony if you go with the RF glasses. But it's been reported that the emitter, made by a 3rd party, are hard to find. One reader has promised to send me some details on where to find.
