Epson ES1000 Screen Overview
Epson projectors have long been favorites of the presentation road warrior due to their performance and compact size, but they’ve always been dependent on the screen options available at the presentation venue. That potential deficiency has been addressed with the Epson ES1000 portable tabletop screen. With its light weight (6.5 pounds) and compact size (under 3 feet long), the ES1000 is a perfect match with either of the mini projectors we recently reviewed, the Acer K330 or Viewsonic PLED-W500.
The Epson ES1000 has a list price of $99.99, but can be found online for as low as $80. For presentations on a conference or boardroom table, the Epson ES1000 would be a great addition to any frequent travelling .presenter’s arsenal.
Epson ES1000 Portable Tabletop Screen: Performance
Once setup, the Epson ES1000’s matte white screen material provides a nice ripple-free surface with no discernible color shift. While I did not measure gain, it was certainly less reflective than my 1.3 gain Carada, so it’s likely that the gain is around 1.0, typical for a matte white screen. We also did not detect any evidence of hotspotting, but that’s due in part to the small size of the ES1000. Uniformity is also good within about a 120 degree viewing angle which should be more than enough for most uses. Used in a normal tabletop setup, it’s unlike that a viewer would be outside of 90 degrees.
I did use my calibration colorimeter to measure a 100 IRE (white) field both from the projector and from the screen, then compared the results to the Carada. The Epson screen had small variations from both the projector and my Carada screen. Red, in particular, was very accurate, almost identical to the projector. Green was lower than both the projector and the Carada, but close to both. Typically with a low cost screen, blue is increased substantially over the readings directly from the projector. This was not the case with the ES1000. Blue was increased, but by less than 2%. This is very good, neutral performance from any screen, much less one in the ES1000’s price range.
Paired with the Acer K330 LED mini projector, the ES1000 did a great job with video reproduction. This demonstrated that in addition to its value for portable presentations, the ES1000 would also do well in the home for use in a bedroom or playroom.
Epson ES1000 Portable Tabletop Screen: Summary
Overall, the Epson ES1000 screen is a winner. It looks great, provides a sharp image with no discernable coloration and is very portable, all for a low price. If I were to complain about anything, it would be that you can’t lock the screen open at any point. Also, there is no height adjustment and by its nature, the screen is difficult to prop up at the end frames. A shoulder strap might also be a nice addition to keep your hand free when travelling with the screen. In any event, these are all minor points. The bottom line is that the Epson ES1000 delivers high-priced screen performance at a bargain-basement price. It should be seriously considered by anyone looking for a small-sized portable screen.
