Epson Dreamio EMP-TW1000

By Philip Wong, CNET Asia
Jul 6, 2007

Until recently, 1080p home theater projectors have always commanded a premium. This development took a surprising twist last year with the introduction of the affordable Mitsubishi HC5000. Since then, many new entries have hit the shelves but none have even comes close to the Mit, hovering around the average S$8,000 (US$5,797.52) range. These include the Panasonic PT-AE1000 LCD, BenQ W10000 DLP and Sony VPL-VW50 SXRD beamers. Beating the crowd but late into the full-HD scene is the latest flagship Epson Dreamio, the EMP-TW1000, which sets an unprecedented record-low pricing of S$5,699 (US$4,130.01). Now that we have caught your attention, read on and find out why we feel this Dreamio could be the rising 1080p star for bargain hunters.

Design
If the boxy look of the Panasonic and ballooning bulk of the DLPs and SXRDs are major turnoffs, perhaps this Epson's petite form factor is an attractive alternative. Measuring just 124 x 406 x 310mm, this Dreamio is no larger than other 3LCD 1080ps and is identical in size as its 720p counterpart, the EMP-TW700. Those looking for a chic or contemporary look will probably appreciate its new shimmering black hue. That’s besides the series' signature curves and clean lines which add to its overall aesthetic appeal.

Unlike its bold facade, Epson had elected a rather no-frills approach for the beamer's optical and onboard controls. There are no motorized lens adjustments or illuminated buttons to take home. Instead, these are performed using manual levers and dials augmented by a set of rather plasticky keys. Installation-wise, two front adjustable feet are available for leveling the beamer, while hot exhaust is channeled away from the users and lens via an angled front exhaust grille which facilitates custom cabinet setup, too.

To work around the above-mentioned lighting bottleneck--especially in dim environments--the Japanese company is bundling a backlit remote together with the projector. Not only is this cute bean-shaped piece ergonomic and well-decked with frequently accessed controls, dedicated video input keys are also included as standard. It would have been close to perfect if not for the light sensor omission. This should do away with the manual activation which is thankfully covered by a button with the nostalgic glow-in-the-dark treatment.

	Cute yet fully functional with backlighting and lots of shortcuts. (Click for larger image)

For all the cost-cutting measures exercised, its software menu has apparently been spared the axe. You will still have more than sufficient video configurations in hand to tweak to your fill. Experienced users and enthusiasts will be particularly interested in a slew of advanced variants. Take, the SpyderTV Pro-friendly RGB cuts and gains, skin tones and two-way sharpness adjustments. An inbuilt test pattern can also be readily called up via remote, handy for fine-tuning the focus without hooking up to a video source.

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