Epson Home Cinema 2030 Projector Review2

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Art Feierman

Home Cinema 2030 3D Capabilities:

(I can't get enough). 3D may not impress on a 42" or 65" LCDTV, but on a 110" inch projected image, 3D immerses you as it does in your fav movie theater, only better, without strangers talking, laughing (when they shouldn't), etc. 3D viewing on the Home Cinema 2030 by my measure: "Rocks". The Home Cinema 2030 provides you with a 3D image that few projectors - even those costing several times the price, can match in terms of brightness (usually a big challenge for 3D viewing).

Positioning of the Epson Home Cinema 2030 and Home Cinema 2000 projectors

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These projectors come in well below the price of Epson's existing low cost 2D/3D projector, that's been shipping since last fall. The Home Cinema 2030 isn't quite as well endowed as the older, more expensive Home Cinema 3020, but it certainly drastically lowers the entry price point (from $1599) to under $1000 for a bright, 2D/3D capable home entertainment projector. As the least expensive 2D/3D capable 1080p 3LCD projector, its rainbow free, unlike DLP projectors. (And the lower cost DLP projectors have slower color wheels so they affect more people with rainbows. Even if you don't see rainbows on DLP projectors, a member of your family might, and some of your friends almost certainly will. With a 3LCD projector that's one less thing to worry about!

Epson also makes a slightly more expensive ($200 more) home theater projector; the Home Cinema 8350. The HC8350 has been around a few years (it once cost far more). It offers definitely better black levels, but isn't quite as bright. The Home Cinema 8350 is 2D only. It does offer maximum placement flexibility with a 2.1:1 zoom and lots of lens shift. If your needs are more theater oriented and don't care about 3D, that one might be a better choice. Epson's flaghip projectors are their Home Cinema 5020UB and the local dealer Home Cinema 6020UB - almost identical. The HC5020UB is well known as a first class home theater projector value with best in class black levels. The 5020UB however is $2599!

Back to the Home Cinema 2030 projector:

The Home Cinema 2030 is typical for a home entertainment projector in that placement flexibility is rather limited compared to many more expensive projectors. Still, the Home Cinema 2030 can be ceiling mounted, or placed on a table top. It's easier to setup on a "table top" than virtually all of the competition.

The Home Cinema 2030 projector (and the HC2000) both have a built in speaker, and an audio out, which will be discussed in the Special Features section, and elsewhere in this review.

Let's look at some of the Home Cinema 2030's highlights, and the basic specs, then it's time to delve into the details - the special features, the physical layout, picture quality, performance, and more.