Epson 8350 – The Best-Selling Projectors in the World
Projectors are a mixed bag. On one hand they can easily provide you with a way to show movies or images in a larger format at a fraction of the cost of equivalent fixed-size LED or plasma displays. On the other hand, their image quality can tend towards low contrast ratios and oversaturated colors and the popular DLP technology associated with ut creates a rainbow effect that may frustrate viewers.
The drawbacks of projectors were duly noted by Epson, who manufacture the best-selling projectors in the world, with a wide variety of options from which consumers may choose. And now, with their Epson 8350, they have addressed these weaknesses with a budget model that is suitable for any home theater aficionado.
The first notable thing about the 8350’s projected image is that it is extremely bright. The lamp is rated at 2000 lumens which may prove too bright for a standard darkened home theater but also means that it can be used even in a situation of high ambient light. The color quality is another issue and the Epson 8350 continues to “shine” as its color reproduction is strong and accurate. The default settings unfortunately tend to oversaturate images, especially when it comes to skin tones, but fiddling with the settings should fix this problem.
Another stand-out feature for this projector is its lens shifting feature which allows it to move the image around about half a screen length or width without relocating the projector itself. Couple this with an excellent lens throw and manual zoom and you have a very easy to use projector. Set up should be a breeze.
Connectivity is at par with the standard fare with two HDMI ports, a trio component array of jacks, S-Video and composite, VGA, and a serial port with which one can control it using a computer. Remote range is not something that projector manufacturers really consider and here it is possible to bounce the signal off of the screen at a range of 26 feet, which is an incredible feat even for more expensive projectors.
Finally, owing to its LCD-based nature, the 8350 does not have any 3D support, but at this price point and with the image quality it has, this does not disappoint. In fact, its LCD technology removes the rainbow effect that has frustrated projector goers for a long time. Ultimately, the Epson 8350 is an excellent buy, not just at its own budget price but even if it were more expensive. It lacks little and gives much; another win by Epson.