EPSON EF-100 AV projector
We’ve got hands-on with this projector which is small but nevertheless uses Epson’s 3LCD technology to deliver an effective bigscreen image.
We’ve seen nano and mini projectors before, but Epson’s new EF-100 is something rather different, and genuinely impressive both in what it offers and in the results it delivers (we have one up and running for this hands-on report). Notably it uses Epson’s 3LCD projection technology and has a long-life (20,000-hour) laser light source which should see out a decade of regular use. And it is able to deliver a quoted 2000 lumens output, bright enough to project a large image up to 150-inch diagonal even against a fair level of day-time ambient light. It shares Epson’s usual menu structure so it’s a breeze to push the brightness up to ‘Bright Cinema’ or ‘Vivid’ setting during daylight hours, returning to the more realistic results of ‘Cinema’ or ‘Natural’ for evening viewing.
And despite its dinky dimensions — 23 × 21 × 9cm — it has remarkable flexibility. From a horizontal position it can throw up to a wall or down to a floor (the image is easily flipped), but it can also stand vertically and project onto the ceiling. An automatic vertical keystone adjustment (and further manual adjustment)
quickly fixes up keystone image alignment to present a rectangular image from whatever imperfect orientation you choose.
Connections have been well-considered, with a flying HDMI socket into which you could plug any conventional HDMI source or a Google video Chromecast or Amazon FireStick (the latter was supplied with our test unit) to deliver wireless streaming. There’s a USB-A slot to provide power for these streaming sticks (though not to play media via USB) and there’s enough room in the back of the projector to install the FireStick (not quite for a Chromecast) and close the cover. A deeply-seated Micro USB-B socket seems present only for servicing the unit.
There are speakers built in which can be used for casual playback or business use, while to extend the audio you have the choice of a minijack headphone socket for headphones or a sound system, or the EF-100’s Bluetooth ability to send sound to either wireless headphones or a Bluetooth speaker. The pairing system worked well with Bluetooth ancillaries, though we found the resulting audio delay too long for our sensitivity to lip sync. With cabled headphones, however, the results were perfect.
It evens looks gorgeous, especially in its EF-100B black version, which features a copper-metallic trim round its curved corners and a faux leather casing for an ‘executive’ styling that would look perfectly in place in some panel-lined port-stocked library, while the EF-100W white version may be the go for more modern décors. You can tuck it in a cupboard or on a bookshelf when not in use.
But we reckon it’ll be in use a lot! It’s spectacularly convenient with a streaming stick installed; it has its own remote (plus a second for the Amazon stick, as it came to us).
There’s no 4K here, indeed Epson seems to downplaying the resolution in its literature, perhaps preferring the EF-100 to stand on its own merits. We’d agree with that approach, having immensely enjoyed its big-screen delivery despite it presenting only WXGA resolution in 16:10 ratio — so 1280 × 800 pixels, which leaves fewer than 600 lines for height when viewing widescreen material; the ‘fly-wire’ grid effect is visible on text and areas of white/solid colour. Not that this stopped us binge-watching episodes of Amazon Prime’s The Boys on the EF-100, listening in high quality through wired PSB M4U headphones in active mode, and loving every minute.
However, that limited resolution and an Australian RRP of $1699 will leave you to weigh up the considerable benefits of the EF100’s versatility, size, style and long-life laser-light source against the likes of Epson’s own EW-TH5600 at $1149 with 1920 × 1080 resolution and better connectivity, but in a larger projector with a conventional lamp. Either way, there’s no substitute for bigscreen projection. More info: www.epson.com.au