sorry i am not following your post.

so when i watch 2.4 bluray content. would i see the entire picture on my 2.4 screen? would i see any bars top/bottom of the screen?

You should read this thread all the way through...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=554901

And, I'm sorry if it came off too blunt. I'm just trying to help. ;)

thanks, after reading through that thread, i think i'll just stick with the 16:9 screen and deal with the bars.

thanks, after reading through that thread, i think i'll just stick with the 16:9 screen and deal with the bars.

That's what I do...;)

I have 66 hrs on my pj and finally bought a panoview greywolf 2 grey screen with 1.8 gain.The screen is 92 inches and 16:9. The picture quality is way better now than the black out cloth i was using before.Colours are more vibrant and the blacks are decent.I am back to watching movies in my d ht room.

I finally got an Oppo BDP-83 and wanted to report that this is the first HD player I've had that is able to display BTB on the HC720. I've owned HD-A2, HD-A35, PS3, & Panny BD-35....none of those will display BTB.

BTW, to get the BDP-83 to display BTB, I had to change to RGB Video Level in the player and change DVI to expanded in the HC720.

Is there any rule of thumb about how long you should leave the projector on and idle vs turning off and back on later?

If I'm planning on pausing a movie for 1 hour, is it better to turn the projector off to save hours on the lamp or leave it on to avoid a cooling / heating cycle on the lamp?

Where might the tipping point be between leaving it on but idle and turning it off?

My rule of thumb is to turn it off if I'm going to be away for more than two hours...from what I've read the power up/down strike is potentially more of a problem than the hours on the unit. Mine has been on for over four hours practically every day for the last 18 months. Some days, it is on for over 12 hours. Last weekend, my son had a friend over and they stayed up all night watching flicks - after we watched a playoff game. I'm guessing it was around 14 hours that time.

Long time lurker, first time poster on the forum.

Researched for a "loooong" time, and then found the Epson 720 review on projectorcentral.com. Based on their review, and the feedback on this forum, I bought the 720 last night.

WOW. I am using it uncalibrated, on a plain "oyster" colour wall, with ALOT of ambient light. I have it hooked up to a Apple TV via component. It is beautiful - the picture, even like this, is better than my 42 inch Sammie plasma! How is this possible? All for CAD $1100. The Living Room mode is fantastic, throwing a great picture in my far than ideal theatre.

Turned off all the lights (yet still with street lights coming in through the shutter) to test the Theatre Black mode. Astounding! On a builders grade oyster colour wall?! I am so happy with this projector.

I can't wait to paint a "neutral grey" onto the wall using the DIY colour's from the screen makers forum. I really can't fathom that the projector image is going to get better. It's already great.

Wow. Officially a happy home theatre owner now.

Highly reccomend this projector to first time buyers. Can't go wrong. So cheap and so pretty.

I am about to pull the trigger on an Epson HC720 and have narrowed my screen choices to the two below:

Optoma DF-GWII9092F GrayWolf II Panoview Professional Gray Fixed-Frame Screen with 1.8 Gain Enhancement

Or the

InFocus SC-WALLGRY-92H Gain: 0.8 matte white

The projector will be ceiling mounted in the basement and i have very good ambient lighting control.

Any suggestions?

It depends on how big of a picture you are trying to project. If you are planning to run in cinema mode 1 on a 119" screen, then 0.8 gain probably isn't enough. The contrast is high enough on the HC720 that i don't think you need a gray screen though.

Just pulled the trigger on the 720 and upgraded from a Hitachi Home-1, which I loved. I have a room with good light control and am using a 96" blackout cloth screen.

Now take my comments for what they're worth - I'm coming from a 700 lumen, 700 contrast projecter new in 2004 - but the 720 does fantastic with shadow detail and blacks, especially in a dark room. I agree with jmeads, it depends upon size, but I don't think a gray screen is necessarily needed.

I watch both movies and sports in a wide variety of lighting conditions: Movies in almost total dark with only a few dimmed lights shaded from the screen, tv and movies with the lights on in the room, but none shining on the screen, and all lights on and a window un-shielded next to the screen.

In the first two circumstances, dark and some lights, I use Theater black 1 (all setting adjusted according to an article I read) with excellent results for movies and Natural for sports (Phillies and steelers in HD). With all lights on I use dynamic and am amazed at how good the picture can be with so much light!!

If you are reading this thread because you have purchased an Epson 720, than the ancient knight from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade would say...

You have chosen... wisely. :)

Hi,

Just got the Epson HC720 and trying to setup my Harmony remote with it.
I want to press one button and have the projector switch to dynamic or theater mode without going up or down in the menu. This would be possible but pressing color mode or memory brings up the menu with the current active mode selected, would be better if it always started the menu in the same position so that I could tell the remote what to do for a certain mode.

Thanks

I'm not sure if the Epson has discrete commands like that (one button push sets a different mode). I may look into that because I would love to do the same thing with my Harmony for a number of scenarios.

:) I just purchased this projector yesterday from Costco

I wanted to get everything at costco so I can easily return it if need be so I got this screen

http://www.costco.ca/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10291650&whse=BCCA&Ne=4000000&eCat=BCCA|79|22377|22380&N=4009875&Mo=13&pos=2&No=11&Nr=P_CatalogName:BCCA&cat=22380&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-CA&Sp=C&ec=BCCA-EC13327-Cat22377&topnav=

is this going to be a decent enough screen to use?

I too just picked one up replacing an HD65 which replaced an old Infocus IN76. I am using a 96" Stewart Firehawk screen with 1.2 gain. I am also using Quebecanada's settings as a baseline and changed the brightness contrast based on Avia DVD. I am using a PS3 for watching DVDs and Bluray plus have an HD PVR.

Any suggestions for improving brightness/pop in dark scenes? The HD65 bests the Epson brightness in dark scenes, but the Epson wins on almost all other accounts (fan noise, image noise, flexibility, construction, shadow detail, bonus lamp etc). My grey screen might be the dimness problem, but I am not sure. I'd rather not replace my screen so I am hoping that I can tweak some setting to improve this. I dropped my gamma to 2.0. That gave me some better shadow detail.

Thanks.

I too just picked one up replacing an HD65 which replaced an old Infocus IN76. I am using a 96" Stewart Firehawk screen with 1.2 gain. I am also using Quebecanada's settings as a baseline and changed the brightness contrast based on Avia DVD. I am using a PS3 for watching DVDs and Bluray plus have an HD PVR.

Any suggestions for improving brightness/pop in dark scenes? The HD65 bests the Epson brightness in dark scenes, but the Epson wins on almost all other accounts (fan noise, image noise, flexibility, construction, shadow detail, bonus lamp etc). My grey screen might be the dimness problem, but I am not sure. I'd rather not replace my screen so I am hoping that I can tweak some setting to improve this. I dropped my gamma to 2.0. That gave me some better shadow detail.

Thanks.

Brightness in dark scenes? I generally shoot to have it to where I can see all detail, but not much brighter than that or you can end up with a washed out image. The 720 does okay with black levels, but not spectacular. Your problem may be the grey screen. I had Elite Cinegray material for a short while and couldn't stand it.

What is your throw distance? I throw from 16' to a 106" 16:9 screen in a room with light walls and carpet. I tried out 5 different screens and ended up settling on a Da-Lite High Power and I love that screen. Check out the link in my signature for more info.

What I had:

Panasonic PT-AE900U 720p
Samsung BDP-1500 Blu-Ray

The samsung was connected directly to the projector via a 25ft HDMI cable. It was purchased from monoprice. And that cable worked fantastic never a problem.

What I changed to:

Epson Power Lite Home Cinema 720
Same Samsung BDP-1500

Here was the problem. As soon as you turn on the Samsung for some reason the player likes to flicker or readjust the resolution, once it did this the projector would show no signal on the HDMI input. Even if I had it at 1080i or 720p. It would just show the Samsung Logo and then disappear. Not even the Xbox 360 would show a signal.

After taking it to my friends house that has almost the same setup, his went throught the reciever, we found that it was the original HDMI cable I had.

Long story short Epson does not state in the manual that it requires a HDMI 1.3 cable. It does state that the input is HDMI 1.3 but it never warns you that you will have to buy the right cable and that if you are having signal trouble that that is what could be the problem.

SO thank god for Monoprice and my New HDMI 1.3 cable not only did it fix my issue but they are the best! Great cable Great price Great Shipping.

Thats my story of my best purchase yet I love my Epson now :) Excuse the crap pics they were from a cell phone. I also didnt want to spend the money for 1080p just yet. Not enough content in 1080p for me since i watch a lot of tv and xbox. Blu-Ray is too expensive needs to come down in price, i only buy movies worth having ie. The Dark Knight which is my tester and benchmark for everything. I only have a matte white wall im projecting onto and I love it.

Brightness in dark scenes? I generally shoot to have it to where I can see all detail, but not much brighter than that or you can end up with a washed out image. The 720 does okay with black levels, but not spectacular. Your problem may be the grey screen. I had Elite Cinegray material for a short while and couldn't stand it.

What is your throw distance? I throw from 16' to a 106" 16:9 screen in a room with light walls and carpet. I tried out 5 different screens and ended up settling on a Da-Lite High Power and I love that screen. Check out the link in my signature for more info.

My throw distance is 10.5' for 96". I have tweaked the hell out of it and it definitely looking better, but it has been lots of work. It still seems muted in many darker scenes. From what I have been reading and trying to understand about projectors, I think the black levels are OK... but it is the contrast that is the problem. In dark scenes, I just don't seem to be getting the brightness and pop from the light areas. The projector is producing pretty good blacks with good shadow detail. It is just in these scenes, the "pop" between the brighter areas and the darker areas is missing. In full on bright scenes, there is plenty of pop and brightness.

What I had:

Panasonic PT-AE900U 720p
Samsung BDP-1500 Blu-Ray

The samsung was connected directly to the projector via a 25ft HDMI cable. It was purchased from monoprice. And that cable worked fantastic never a problem.

What I changed to:

Epson Power Lite Home Cinema 720
Same Samsung BDP-1500

Here was the problem. As soon as you turn on the Samsung for some reason the player likes to flicker or readjust the resolution, once it did this the projector would show no signal on the HDMI input. Even if I had it at 1080i or 720p. It would just show the Samsung Logo and then disappear. Not even the Xbox 360 would show a signal.

After taking it to my friends house that has almost the same setup, his went throught the reciever, we found that it was the original HDMI cable I had.

Long story short Epson does not state in the manual that it requires a HDMI 1.3 cable. It does state that the input is HDMI 1.3 but it never warns you that you will have to buy the right cable and that if you are having signal trouble that that is what could be the problem.

SO thank god for Monoprice and my New HDMI 1.3 cable not only did it fix my issue but they are the best! Great cable Great price Great Shipping.

Thats my story of my best purchase yet I love my Epson now :) Excuse the crap pics they were from a cell phone. I also didnt want to spend the money for 1080p just yet. Not enough content in 1080p for me since i watch a lot of tv and xbox. Blu-Ray is too expensive needs to come down in price, i only buy movies worth having ie. The Dark Knight which is my tester and benchmark for everything. I only have a matte white wall im projecting onto and I love it.

This is the second post I've seen this week on issues caused by a bad HDMI cable, usually an older cable that worked find with older equipment, but caused problems with newer gear. Like flicker on an LCD display. And, of course, people have a hard time finding it because they assume the cable is good because it was working fine.

I just ordered the 720 and I also have a three year old hdmi cable that I currently use without a problem. It will be interesting to see if the Epson has a problem with it.

Thanks for the heads up!

Hi, I have 5 hrs on my new pj(emp-tw680) and counter shows 0hrs. Is that normal? Thanks

My throw distance is 10.5' for 96". I have tweaked the hell out of it and it definitely looking better, but it has been lots of work. It still seems muted in many darker scenes. From what I have been reading and trying to understand about projectors, I think the black levels are OK... but it is the contrast that is the problem. In dark scenes, I just don't seem to be getting the brightness and pop from the light areas. The projector is producing pretty good blacks with good shadow detail. It is just in these scenes, the "pop" between the brighter areas and the darker areas is missing. In full on bright scenes, there is plenty of pop and brightness.

What are your settings? Myself I gave up on Theatre Black and used Livingroom mode. The contrast is really there once you tweak it.

From memory, I have black level 17 and white level -3. temp 7000, skin tone 3. Then used art's settings for RGB, but shifted the Green offset towards cyan [+10] and green bias [-10]. I used color saturation from -12 to 0(depending on the movie) and tint at -2. It's a little too blue in the blacks(you'll notice the difference in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Dracula) and I'm working on this. Overall though, the image has tons of pop, more so than any DLP I had.

I adjusted the gamma curve too, can't recall the numbers, but I lowered the darks and increased the lighter tones to create a curve that goes from the middle downwards then curves at midpoint upwards, than back down to the middle.

Try it for a while, it's bright and not the most accurate colors, but the image just jumps off the screen. And no, I didn't use calibration software, this is purely to my taste and may not be to anyone elses.

If anyone has input on getting the shadow area more black and less blue, I'd really appreciate it.

Hi, I have 5 hrs on my new pj(emp-tw680) and counter shows 0hrs. Is that normal? Thanks

It doesn't show anything until it hits 10 hours, then it goes from 0 to 10. I believe that is covered in the manual.

I am considering buying one of these, but it is really not quite time yet.....
As I only recently started to consider projection as an option, I am wondering how often the free bulb deals come along, I see the Epson free bulb special is scheduled to end 8/31.....Is this something that would benifit me to act now, or is this a offer that comes along with some regularity?

I also know the darker the better is the normal preference
But how dark do you have to go for a reasonably nice picture (Not knock your socks off the best) I just wonder what how much ambient light can be had with projection without killing the deal........again I love great pictures But I am a realist and am willing to give up some picture quality if I can make projection work in our house! I do know wife will not go for Pitch Black!

Epson denied my rebate claim for the bulb and $100. Apparently they didn't like the bill of sale from C***CO online. I had a new invoice printed and resent everything to them but I told them that I would return the pj before my 90 days was up if they didn't confirm to me that they would honor the rebate. They never did so I returned my Epson 720, not because there was anything wrong with it but because I was all of a sudden not getting my rebate.

It is now two months later and I just received my cheque and my bulb in the mail. The problem is, I don't own the pj anymore. I told them that I wouldn't own it anymore so why did they send it to me? Should I send it back to them or cash the cheque and sell the bulb? How much is a bulb like this worth anyways?

i had my pj for about a year now still amazed with the picture. 5 stars:D
anyone looked at the new 1080p epsons are they worth it to sell mine and buy a new 1080?

I am considering buying one of these, but it is really not quite time yet.....
As I only recently started to consider projection as an option, I am wondering how often the free bulb deals come along, I see the Epson free bulb special is scheduled to end 8/31.....Is this something that would benifit me to act now, or is this a offer that comes along with some regularity?

I also know the darker the better is the normal preference
But how dark do you have to go for a reasonably nice picture (Not knock your socks off the best) I just wonder what how much ambient light can be had with projection without killing the deal........again I love great pictures But I am a realist and am willing to give up some picture quality if I can make projection work in our house! I do know wife will not go for Pitch Black!

it doesnt have to be that dark to get a great picture as long as there is no lights on and a little sun light coming in its ok .

I am considering buying one of these, but it is really not quite time yet.....
As I only recently started to consider projection as an option, I am wondering how often the free bulb deals come along, I see the Epson free bulb special is scheduled to end 8/31.....Is this something that would benifit me to act now, or is this a offer that comes along with some regularity?

I also know the darker the better is the normal preference
But how dark do you have to go for a reasonably nice picture (Not knock your socks off the best) I just wonder what how much ambient light can be had with projection without killing the deal........again I love great pictures But I am a realist and am willing to give up some picture quality if I can make projection work in our house! I do know wife will not go for Pitch Black!

I can't stress now for you to go for the projector! I'm not sure how often these bulb deals come along, but it sure is nice knowing I have a spare in the wings. If you have the loot, then do it. You absolutely will not regret this decision. The Epson is my first pj. It's in a family room filled with windows. It can withstand quite a bit of light during the day watching sports, etc. My wife absolutely loves it! She was quite apprehensive about putting it on the ceiling, mounting a screen, etc. Now she can't live without it. I'm telling you to do it. Do it yesterday.

hello all, I just purchased and recieved my 720. Very excited about setting it up but need a ceiling mount. Any suggestions for a mount under or around $100 that works well? Thanks

I'm in the process of mounting this projector to the ceiling. Per the manual it states that the lens should be between the top and bottom of the screen or you will have to tilt the projector down thus "distorting" the image. My screen is 100" diagonal and the top is 12" from my 7' 9" ceiling and the bottom is 32" from the floor. This means that I will have to hang the projector so that the lens is ~ 6'9" from the floor This seems pretty low. Should I move my screen up? Should I just mount it closer to the ceiling and tilt it down and live with the "distorted" image?

you don't have to tilt.Use lens shift.

I'm in the process of mounting this projector to the ceiling. Per the manual it states that the lens should be between the top and bottom of the screen or you will have to tilt the projector down thus "distorting" the image. My screen is 100" diagonal and the top is 12" from my 7' 9" ceiling and the bottom is 32" from the floor. This means that I will have to hang the projector so that the lens is ~ 6'9" from the floor This seems pretty low. Should I move my screen up? Should I just mount it closer to the ceiling and tilt it down and live with the "distorted" image?

Any reason you can't move the pj down? Mine is less than 5', of course it's wall mounted. If you're worried about noise it doesn't bother me right above my head. Your screen is already pretty high, but if that's your only option then do that. Don't tilt the projector, you'll have to use keystone.

i can say that in Dynamic or Living room mode, which are necessary for high ambient light... the fan is a little loud for what i like. since most of the sound goes forward it bounces off the wall above the screen and it sounds like the fan is behind the screen.

I am sure some GOM up them would lessen the noise... but it isnt quite...


in theater black 1 or 2 i dont hear anything. Mine is mounted above our heads on 11' ceilings... so it is 10' up in the air.

Any reason you can't move the pj down? Mine is less than 5', of course it's wall mounted. If you're worried about noise it doesn't bother me right above my head. Your screen is already pretty high, but if that's your only option then do that. Don't tilt the projector, you'll have to use keystone.
There's no real reason other then it looking a little odd at just 6'9". I just assumed it would be closer to the ceiling. It will be located behind the first row of seats and in front of a future second row of seats. If I had a back wall to mount it to then it wouldn't be an issue but there's a stairway ~3' behind the projector. I don't want to have to tilt it but the manual does mention the keystone function; does this effect the picture quality adversely.

you don't have to tilt.Use lens shift.
Lens shift only applies if the lens is between the top and bottom of the screen, if I'm interpreting the manual correctly, right?

There's no real reason other then it looking a little odd at just 6'9". I just assumed it would be closer to the ceiling. It will be located behind the first row of seats and in front of a future second row of seats. If I had a back wall to mount it to then it wouldn't be an issue but there's a stairway ~3' behind the projector. I don't want to have to tilt it but the manual does mention the keystone function; does this effect the picture quality adversely.


Lens shift only applies if the lens is between the top and bottom of the screen, if I'm interpreting the manual correctly, right?

Yes to both

Is there any way to set the Epson to accept 720p only? I have a Pioneer 320 Blu ray player but it defaults to sending the Epson 1080i, I can't force 720p. I have a Samsung 2550 that will do 720p but it won't output RGB, only YCbCr, which causes black crush with the Epson

Arggghh :mad:

Lens shift only applies if the lens is between the top and bottom of the screen, if I'm interpreting the manual correctly, right?

I could be wrong, but I thought the PJ could shift up or down a whole screen. Meaning, you could have it up to one screen height above or below your screen.

I have my PJ mounted above my screen, or possibly at the very top edge of my screen, and I have used only shift (no physical tilt/aim) to bring the picture down and there seems to be more room to move the image down by shift if I wanted to.

I could be wrong, but I thought the PJ could shift up or down a whole screen. Meaning, you could have it up to one screen height above or below your screen.

I hope that's the case. I guess I'll just test it before I finalize my projector screen position and before I mount the projector to the ceiling.

Couple quick questions (I hope).

I've narrowed my projector decision to the HC720 or the z60.

Being HC720 owners, how has the reliability been on the projector? Bulbs I know are a bit of a gamble so I won't even ask that. And if you have had an issue, how was Epson to deal with? (I'm in Canada)

Does anyone know if I can use a component to VGA cable on the VGA input on the HC720?

Like this: SKU 2409 @ monoprice as an example.(can't post a link, I'm new).

Most reviews of the Epson are all very positive, where the Sanyo seems to be really hit and miss, some love it, some hate it. I'm really only considering the Sanyo because of it's 3 year warranty. I'm coming from a Dell 1800MP (business projector) that failed after 2 years. It worked, I saw rainbows, blacks were purple. I get it now. Upgrading to a HT projector. :)

I'm still in the dark ages and have an old xbox and a dvd player that both only output component. My receiver is also old and it doesn't even have inputs/outputs for component. Someday I'll upgrade. :) This is also why I'm not bothering with cheap 1080p (HD200x/HD20).

If the VGA port doesn't work, I'll probably pick up a HDMI dvd player to solve my issue, but I thought I'd ask.

Thanks for any input!

Couple quick questions (I hope).

I've narrowed my projector decision to the HC720 or the z60.

Being HC720 owners, how has the reliability been on the projector? Bulbs I know are a bit of a gamble so I won't even ask that. And if you have had an issue, how was Epson to deal with? (I'm in Canada)

Does anyone know if I can use a component to VGA cable on the VGA input on the HC720?

Like this: SKU 2409 @ monoprice as an example.(can't post a link, I'm new).

Most reviews of the Epson are all very positive, where the Sanyo seems to be really hit and miss, some love it, some hate it. I'm really only considering the Sanyo because of it's 3 year warranty. I'm coming from a Dell 1800MP (business projector) that failed after 2 years. It worked, I saw rainbows, blacks were purple. I get it now. Upgrading to a HT projector. :)

I'm still in the dark ages and have an old xbox and a dvd player that both only output component. My receiver is also old and it doesn't even have inputs/outputs for component. Someday I'll upgrade. :) This is also why I'm not bothering with cheap 1080p (HD200x/HD20).

If the VGA port doesn't work, I'll probably pick up a HDMI dvd player to solve my issue, but I thought I'd ask.

Thanks for any input!

I've never used component to VGA, but have used VGA to VGA with my laptop. Works just fine, the only thing is that some of the menu items are grayed out like aspect etc...I believe this to be the nature of the VGA input since it expects a computer source. I don't know for sure though, and I don't have a component to VGA cable to test it.

I am now at 300 hours since acquiring the projector July 4th weekend. I have had no problems once I adjusted it based on suggested settings. Nothing but fantastic as noted in my post above. Had two home theater friends over last night to watch I Robot. Both were totally impressed. One even commented "We don't need 1080P!"

Nothing much elsed to say, so I'll go watch another movie... |:O)

I just hit 1600 hours on the second bulb (> 3200 total hours now)...

I hate to say it, but I have upgraditis. Luckily, I have to divert all funds to the basement build budget.

I just hit 1600 hours on the second bulb (> 3200 total hours now)...

I hate to say it, but I have upgraditis. Luckily, I have to divert all funds to the basement build budget.

Just curious, what lead you to replace your original bulb? Did it go out completely? Get really dim?

I still have my original bulb, but I'm at 1,525 hours. It has dimmed some, but I have a High Power screen so it's not that big of a deal. I was still using Theater Black 1 mode up until a couple weeks ago. I switched to Natural and will probably stay in that mode until I retire the original bulb.

Just curious, what lead you to replace your original bulb? Did it go out completely? Get really dim?

I still have my original bulb, but I'm at 1,525 hours. It has dimmed some, but I have a High Power screen so it's not that big of a deal. I was still using Theater Black 1 mode up until a couple weeks ago. I switched to Natural and will probably stay in that mode until I retire the original bulb.

At 1600 hours a message in yellow text shows up in the lower left corner that says "replace bulb" or something like that. So, I packaged it up and popped in the extra bulb. The original one was definitely dimmer, but I'm guessing they'll go at least 3000 hours each. I've seen some folks with other PJs say their bulbs go 8000 hours.

I run in Dynamic all the time. With your HP screen I can't imagine you needing new bulbs before 4000 hours.

Oh, and you can clear the message by going into the menu and "resetting" the bulb hours.

Hello all,

Just purchased the HC 720 and have a hook up question. I know that I have seen it in this forum but now I can't find it. I am hooking up a PS3 and my AVR is a Denon 1709. Do I hook up the 1.3 HDMI cable from the PJ to the PS3 or the PJ to the AVR? I know that this is a basic question but I appreciate the help. Thanks.

Hello all,

Just purchased the HC 720 and have a hook up question. I know that I have seen it in this forum but now I can't find it. I am hooking up a PS3 and my AVR is a Denon 1709. Do I hook up the 1.3 HDMI cable from the PJ to the PS3 or the PJ to the AVR? I know that this is a basic question but I appreciate the help. Thanks.

Normally you connect all your sources (PS3, Cable Box, etc.) to your AVR (Denon), then run a connection from the AVR to the projector. I would find the Denon 1709 thread in the receiver forum. They'll be able to help you fine tune the setup options.

Couple quick questions (I hope).

Does anyone know if I can use a component to VGA cable on the VGA input on the HC720?

Like this: SKU 2409 @ monoprice as an example.(can't post a link, I'm new).



I tried to use a component to VGA cable to connect an x-box to the VGA input on my HC 720, and it didn't work.

There have been rebates on the 720 since it was released.

Not True.

That being said. I am at 4700 hours (second lamp). I have had no real problems with the projector. I am not 100% thrilled with the Iris noise, but its that bad and it can be turned off, so its all good.

Also I have gotten the horizontal line accross the screen where the projector cannot be controlled by remote or front panel. It has to be hard shutdown. Although this is annoying, it doesn't seem to have any ill effect(other than the obvious). It locked in Sept after not having locking for 7-8 months, and it hasn't happened since. So in the nearly 2 years since I have had the projector it has locked maybe 6 times. It has locked after being on for 1 hour to 16 hours.

I am very happy. I had upgraded from a Sony HS10 that went about 12,000 hours before devolping a green tint.

I would recomemnd this projector in a heart beat. And with the Lamp rebate(I bought too early to qualify), its a steal.

I will be needng a new lamp in 1300 hours, if anyone has an extra.

Anyone using this projector with a Harmony 880 or 890 remote and HDMI from an AV Receiver?

My projector is working great. But I just got the Harmony 890 (my second Harmony remote, love them!) and I'm having an issue I'm sure is related to HDMI sync.

I used to always turn on my projector first, a couple second delay, then my Pioneer Elite VSX01-TXH receiver. I'm using HDMI from the AVR HDMI out to feed the projector. I have BD, DVD, and HTPC HDMI inputs to the AVR.

The remote seems to turn the AVR and Projector on almost simultaneously. I get audio from the AVR, but no picture from the projector until I power cycle the remote. I think I need to put a couple second delay in for the start of the AVR, but I haven't been able to figure out how to do it yet.

Harmony has a "Power on delay" but I think that relates to how long between sending power on until sending the next command to a device. It also has an "inter-device" delay, but that relates to how long between sending IR commands to different devices, it is not a sequential delay geared toward startup.

Any ideas?

I'll be curious to hear if anyone has other solutions but I found an easy solution (reordering startup of devices) with the help of another AVS'er -
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=17288574#post17288574

I have the Harmony 720, and due to the HDMI handshake issue I'm pretty sure I have the Epson power on first. I think I read somewhere that the display should always be first, then AVR, then source...that way the device that contains the HDCP can communicate all the way through the chain without having to wait for other devices to "boot".

i am at 2860 hours on my first bulb and LOVING IT!!! I am putting a lot of hours because of the NFL sunday ticket. no dimming really (steeler man cave) and the picture still has that 3d POP
....when the next bulb goes out (if ever) it will be EPSON again...boy this projector is RAZOR sharp!

Seems Epson has the least bulb issues,
that and the razor HD is what pleases me the most!

what are the most hours that 720 owners have put on one bulb?

:) :) just bough an Epson HC 720 online yesterday with a screen and ceiling mount . Epson has the free bulb offer going on till the end of october. I guess they have it running all year long.

Can't wait to be able to set it up this week and watch a movie +play some ps3 on it (rock band )

My screen is coming from a 20 inches cheap visionquest lcd TV to a 92 inch in the family room. I guess the difference will be quite big. I have a Sony 40'' RPTV in the living room where I was watching the movies, I guess we will go downstairs to watch them (and be able to crank the volume up a bit more when the kids are in bed). I will move my Audio receivers in the family room as well.

Anyone looking to sell their Epson HC720? I'm on a limited budget for a secondary theater, so a used PJ would work. I'd prefer dealing with someone here rather than finding one on an auction site. I'd like some life left in the lamp, obviously.

Feel free to PM me. :)

Anyone looking to sell their Epson HC720? I'm on a limited budget for a secondary theater, so a used PJ would work. I'd prefer dealing with someone here rather than finding one on an auction site. I'd like some life left in the lamp, obviously.

Feel free to PM me. :)
HTtom, you have a PM.

Anyone looking to sell their Epson HC720? I'm on a limited budget for a secondary theater, so a used PJ would work. I'd prefer dealing with someone here rather than finding one on an auction site. I'd like some life left in the lamp, obviously.

Feel free to PM me. :)

You have a PM from me -- selling the Epson PRO Cinema 810.

I have an hc720 and I am getting vertical lines in light colored sceans. This is not my first projector my old Panny pte300u never had this issue. I am running an OPPO dv-980h in 720p via HDMI provide by Visual appex direct to the projector both are running RGB and the projector is callibrated and passing btb and wtw projected on to an Elite 94" 16:9 white screen with a 1.1gain in a dark room.. The picture is AWSOME except for the vertical banding, lines whatever it is. Could this just be a bad unit. I have read this entire thread and no one had mentioned this yet here or anywhere I can find on the web. Any help would be great. It shows up in every mode and every aspect. Nothing gets rid of it not even decreasing the sharpness all the way.

I have an hc720 and I am getting vertical lines in light colored sceans. This is not my first projector my old Panny pte300u never had this issue. I am running an OPPO dv-980h in 720p via HDMI provide by Visual appex direct to the projector both are running RGB and the projector is callibrated and passing btb and wtw projected on to an Elite 94" 16:9 white screen with a 1.1gain in a dark room.. The picture is AWSOME except for the vertical banding, lines whatever it is. Could this just be a bad unit. I have read this entire thread and no one had mentioned this yet here or anywhere I can find on the web. Any help would be great. It shows up in every mode and every aspect. Nothing gets rid of it not even decreasing the sharpness all the way.

try unplugging it overnight and see if it goes away. I have a Pro8100 and vertical lines are a common problem, it seems to be an electrical charge buildup on the panel that is solved by unplugging the pj. Doubtful it's the same thing, but it's worth a try.

try unplugging it overnight and see if it goes away. I have a Pro8100 and vertical lines are a common problem, it seems to be an electrical charge buildup on the panel that is solved by unplugging the pj. Doubtful it's the same thing, but it's worth a try.

i used to have that years ago on both my plasma and 720 in my theater...i just took the wires of my video and audio components subwoofer etc. and seperated them.
Lots of static charge builds up and it causes inerference sometimes...i used to have rolling bars and the banding on both monitors...i used twist ties to clean things up and was careful of the cords that ran AC and kept them away from all video and audio cords.

I am about to purchase an HC720 but first need to make a special request.

I will be using a special optical filter for a project I am working on. This filter needs to attach to the outside of the lens barrel of the projector with a specialized mount.

I need to know the diameter of the barrel at it's frontmost and widest point which I believe will be the focus ring. Unfortunately I can't find any documentation online with this detail. If one of you would be so kind to measure it in millimeters (as exact as possible) I would really appreciate it.

Thank you.

Hello All, This past weekend I completed my home theater and hooked up my new Epson Homecinema 720. First off I could not be happier with the Picture very Bright and smooth, Just love it. It has taken over as the place where my family likes to gather and watch not only movies but Television as well. My question to all of you is should I restrict the projector usage? Can I over use the projector in the first few weeks? I sent epson my documentation for free bulb and hope to get it in the next few weeks. First time with a projector and we all love the experience. Just dont want to over work or use the projector. Any break in advice I should consider? Thanks for any advice.

Don't worry about overuse. I've had my PJ on in the living room, on Dynamic Mode (ie: "torch mode"), every day for the past 21 months. I'm over 4,000 total hours and towards the end of my second bulb. We use it for TV every night, then when everyone else goes to bed I watch a movie. On weekends the family watches a movie or two.

Enjoy! "It just works" ;)

Hello All, This past weekend I completed my home theater and hooked up my new Epson Homecinema 720. First off I could not be happier with the Picture very Bright and smooth, Just love it. It has taken over as the place where my family likes to gather and watch not only movies but Television as well. My question to all of you is should I restrict the projector usage? Can I over use the projector in the first few weeks? I sent epson my documentation for free bulb and hope to get it in the next few weeks. First time with a projector and we all love the experience. Just dont want to over work or use the projector. Any break in advice I should consider? Thanks for any advice.

The only thing I would recommend is that you don't turn it on and off too much. If your gonna watch something then walk away for a few minutes just leave it on. Turning it on and off frequently can really shorten lamp life. Besides that just enjoy it!

thank you all so much. this puts my mind at ease. my family loves the room and the great projector. ill try to post pictures in the coming days. thanks everyone.

I'm sorry to ask again but I don't have physical access to a HC720 and this forum is the best option I could find. I'm about to spend a lot of money on a mount that won't fit on this projector unless the focus ring is 110 cm across or less. If one of you would be good enough to put a ruler across it and measure you could save me a major headache. Thanks in advance.

I am about to purchase an HC720 but first need to make a special request.

I will be using a special optical filter for a project I am working on. This filter needs to attach to the outside of the lens barrel of the projector with a specialized mount.

I need to know the diameter of the barrel at it's frontmost and widest point which I believe will be the focus ring. Unfortunately I can't find any documentation online with this detail. If one of you would be so kind to measure it in millimeters (as exact as possible) I would really appreciate it.

Thank you.

I'm at work now, but I should be able to get you a measurement when I get home. I have a couple metric rulers lying around.....

I'm sorry to ask again but I don't have physical access to a HC720 and this forum is the best option I could find. I'm about to spend a lot of money on a mount that won't fit on this projector unless the focus ring is 110 cm across or less. If one of you would be good enough to put a ruler across it and measure you could save me a major headache. Thanks in advance.

It looks like the outer diameter is 89.5 mm. I used a ruler as I don't have a set of calipers, but it is definitely between 89-90mm. Hope this helps.

I assume you meant less than 110 MM not CM......

Thank you beemer533. Yes I screwed up. I meant to say mm. That number is a bit low of what I derived from the diagram in the user manual. I'll PM a diagram to you just so I know we are on the same page. Thank you so much for helping me with this.

No problem. If I could ask; what is the project about?

Stereoscopic 3D projection. I've sent you a PM with details. Thanks!

I just purchased this projector and I love it...except one thing. There is a very very high pitched sound coming from the projector that is driving me insane. I have sensitive ears, and I don't even know if most people will hear it, BUT it is really bothering me. Is this normal for all projectors, or this model in particular? I would say it is between 12-14k, I don't know if I should take it back and get another model, or try another one. Can somebody tell me if they hear a high pitch noise? Maybe somebody can put there ear to it and see, since mine are over-sensitive and can hear it across the room. Thanks in advance.

I have heard no such noises with mine over the past year and a half.

No noise here and yet i do get annoyed by high pitched buzzes from monitors. Have you tryed running it in low fan speed mode of theatre 1 or 2?

No noise here either. Is the noise consistently there or once in a while?

Thanks for the quick reponses guys. Yeah it is there all the time, and I run it in theatre black 1, but have also tried other modes and can still here it. Depending on some peoples ears or setup I doubt many will be able to hear what I hear, or maybe it is just mine that has this. The problem is this isn't one of things you can just "live with", I may have to take it back, as it literally is starting to hurt my ear. It also doesn't help that I am an audio engineer, and am trained to hate these frequencies, which makes me notice them more then the average Joe.

thanks to the great people here on this thread i am on 2978 hours on my first bulb and am getting the "replace bulb" window popup.

...just wondering if i should replace the bulb now or reset the hours and just let the bulb burn out on it's own and replace it later?
the picture still looks GREAT!

any tips on changing the bulb?
what's the most hours put on the first bulb on this projector?

thanks to the great people here on this thread i am on 2978 hours on my first bulb and am getting the "replace bulb" window popup.

...just wondering if i should replace the bulb now or reset the hours and just let the bulb burn out on it's own and replace it later?
the picture still looks GREAT!

any tips on changing the bulb?
what's the most hours put on the first bulb on this projector?

Reset it and let it burn out on its own if you are still happy with the brightness.

Changing the bulb is easy. I do recommend that you clean the outside of the case very well before removing the bulb. You don't want to get dust inside when you remove the bulb.

Reset it and let it burn out on its own if you are still happy with the brightness.

Changing the bulb is easy. I do recommend that you clean the outside of the case very well before removing the bulb. You don't want to get dust inside when you remove the bulb.

gotcha! thanks!

epson makes a great trouble free projector with a beautiful picture. when my second bulb goes it will be epson for me again!

My second bulb popped about a week ago (~2000 hours on it), so I put the original "spare" back in. It had ~1800 hours on it. I just put the brand new bulb in and fell in love with this PJ all over again!

Since you use it on Dynamic mode, how much does the bulb dim in 2,000 hours? Is it a night and difference or more subtle?

I'm using my 720 on a 92" screen in the bedroom so I plan on sticking with one of the Theater modes for at least 1,000 hours before trying Living Room.

Also: for those who got the spare bulb rebate, how long did it take to get the bulb after you sent your paperwork in? It's been close to 6 weeks for me and the bulb still hasn't arrived.

Is this projector still worth getting when matched up to the 8100 model? Would a dvd source be any different between the two? How close would the viewing experience be between the two?

Is this projector still worth getting when matched up to the 8100 model? Would a dvd source be any different between the two? How close would the viewing experience be between the two?

I have the 8100 in my theater and the 720 in my bedroom. For a standard DVD there isn't a whole lot of advantage with the 8100. The 8100 is a little smoother looking with its higher resolution and the blacks are better, which would apply to all sources, not just DVD. The biggest advantage by far is with HD sources, whether it's sports or BD movies. But with DVDs the difference isn't great. I see more edge enhancement on DVDs with the 8100. Apparently it is better at revealing flaws in the source material. But both projectors are enjoyable for standard DVDs. Blacks and film-like smoothness are the advantages for the 8100 with DVDs, and those are subtle. I think the 720 is still worth getting if you're mainly going to watch DVDs.

I just snagged one of these refurb section of the Epson store with a $50 off coupon for $775. I just couldn't quite justify going 1080p yet ( I see rainbows so I have to go LCD). I like the Epsons warranty but I think I'm missing out on the free bulb. Oh well. I'm excited to get back into the projector game.

Thank you for the replies. Is a 100in image too much to ask from the 720 with dvd's? Is there any wow difference between the two?
Thank you again,

I have a 150" screen with the HC720 at 16'6" throw. Granted, my DVDs run through my Panasonic BD35 Blu-Ray player, pass through my Denon via HDMI, and then the Epson does it's thing. But I've never had any issues at all - in fact, I've been amazed at how well the image holds up when compared to Blu-Ray sources.

Can anyone tell me where to find the coupon for $ 50 off the refurb. through the epson store?

Hi All.
I'm trying to make a decision on my first projector. To start I'm going to use the Epson duet screen until I can talk my wife to allowing to change the room around. I don't imagine I'll ever go larger than a 96" screen. I've narrowed my choices to the Epson 720 refurbed from Epson or a new 705. I've decided on LCD for placement flexibility. Is the 705 significantly better? Or, how about a used 400? Any other suggestions would sure be appreciatted.
Thanks,
Zaxdad

Can anyone tell me where to find the coupon for $ 50 off the refurb. through the epson store?

enter savnow in the coupon box at checkout. :D

Hi All.
I'm trying to make a decision on my first projector. To start I'm going to use the Epson duet screen until I can talk my wife to allowing to change the room around. I don't imagine I'll ever go larger than a 96" screen. I've narrowed my choices to the Epson 720 refurbed from Epson or a new 705. I've decided on LCD for placement flexibility. Is the 705 significantly better? Or, how about a used 400? Any other suggestions would sure be appreciatted.
Thanks,
Zaxdad

Based on some reviews, the 705 is super bright but does not have as good blacks as the 720. Also, it looks like the 705 does not have lens shift.

Projectorcentral.com has a good write up on it.

Thanks Jond76, in for 1

Hi All.
I'm trying to make a decision on my first projector. To start I'm going to use the Epson duet screen until I can talk my wife to allowing to change the room around. I don't imagine I'll ever go larger than a 96" screen. I've narrowed my choices to the Epson 720 refurbed from Epson or a new 705. I've decided on LCD for placement flexibility. Is the 705 significantly better? Or, how about a used 400? Any other suggestions would sure be appreciatted.
Thanks,
Zaxdad

What about a gently used Epson Pro Cinema 810, with extra bulb? PM me if interested. Probably better than the 720 and/or the 705.

I figured I would pop my question out here on this thread and see the answers I get. I have been sold/interested in the panasonic pt-ax200u (and planned to purchase soon) for quite some time but as I get ready to order I am now undecided and the epson 720 now has me intrigued. Can anyone give me some "fair" insight into the pros and cons of the epson in comparison to the panny? How good is the lens shift? I know the panny has a super lens shift. Also how good is the epson for gaming?sports etc? Anything here will be super helpful, and thanks.

According to the product sheets Panny has 63% H and 25% V and the Epson has 100% H and 50% V

I figured I would pop my question out here on this thread and see the answers I get. I have been sold/interested in the panasonic pt-ax200u (and planned to purchase soon) for quite some time but as I get ready to order I am now undecided and the epson 720 now has me intrigued. Can anyone give me some "fair" insight into the pros and cons of the epson in comparison to the panny? How good is the lens shift? I know the panny has a super lens shift. Also how good is the epson for gaming?sports etc? Anything here will be super helpful, and thanks.

I was having the same struggle. I spent some time in the ax200 thread and read about all the flickering problems and that made my decision for me. The epsons warranty eases my mind a bit more. That and once I found the refurbs and the coupon, $775 vs $999 made it a no brainer.

I was having the same struggle. I spent some time in the ax200 thread and read about all the flickering problems and that made my decision for me. The epsons warranty eases my mind a bit more. That and once I found the refurbs and the coupon, $775 vs $999 made it a no brainer.

I sent you a pm

I wanted to come back in here and update with some screenshots, but I should have remembered my luck isn't that good. After being delays a day in shipping, I got the pj on Friday as I was leaving for work( I go in at 2pm). Later that night I was able to hook it up and start it just see the flashing red light at 1 sec intervals ( "please call Epson").

I'm very irritated that I have to wait all weekend to call them and try to get some satifactory conclusion during Christmas week.

Anyway just wanted to vent. I still plan posting some screens whenever I get a working pj.

I would love to see some screen shots. I am on the fence to get this model or not. Everyone else seems to have moved on, so its lost that new excitement. But from the responses that have come here, it seems that this model would do me well for a first projector.

I will post some asap. No problem.

I would love to see some screen shots. I am on the fence to get this model or not. Everyone else seems to have moved on, so its lost that new excitement. But from the responses that have come here, it seems that this model would do me well for a first projector.

PM me if you are interested in a gently used Epson Pro Cinema 810 (which is actually considered slightly better than the Epson home cinema 720 model). It puts out a great picture and oodles of light. I also have an extra bulb.

I'm thinking of moving up to 1080p -- which is the only reason I'm considering selling it.

Looking for some advice from whomever whats to chime in...
Ive had my Epson 720 since June last year. I couldn't be happier.
We just returned from a family vacation and when I fired her up for movie night I noticed a blue dot about 1ft to the left of center and 5-6inches down (108in screen size) It appears to be a burned out/stuck pixel. Its only noticeable during dark scenes.
Is this something that will fix itself? Is this just the beginning to bigger problems?
Im debating about calling Epson to get a warranty replacement before the 2 years are up but Im afraid my replacement will have other more sever issues ie...dust blobs.
My wife tells me Im being to picky and its not that big of a deal. My concern is I plan on keeping this for at least another 3 years (still have the extra bulb).
Anyone have any thoughts/suggestions?
TIA

Call and get a replacement, if the replacement has problems, get another replacement.....the replacement comes very fast......I've gotten a replacement from epson before, seems like a brand new unit even though they are suppose to be refurbs......

Will this projector handle a 120" screen in a light controlled room with light colored walls? The room may get painted dark in the future...

Thanks

Call and get a replacement, if the replacement has problems, get another replacement.....the replacement comes very fast......I've gotten a replacement from epson before, seems like a brand new unit even though they are suppose to be refurbs......

ditto! Epson has the BEST warranty and customer service PERIOD!

Btw..just hit 4000 hours on my first bulb and i don't feel the need to uprade..

...and oh yea, the 720 is a light canon im sure light colored walls with control would do well.

Will this projector handle a 120" screen in a light controlled room with light colored walls? The room may get painted dark in the future...

Thanks

I have a 150" screen in my living room (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1062799) that is open to a kitchen area in the back (that link has photos detailing the light issues I have). With a new bulb I can watch with all the lights on in the kitchen and living room. Granted it is a bit washed out, but animation and sports look just like an LCD TV. In a completely light controlled environment you will be just fine assuming you have some flexibility with throw distance.

The main issues you will deal with are more related to how much of a videophile you want to be compared to running slightly less accurate modes. I always run in a modified Dynamic mode which isn't accurate from a color perspective. But since I sit 17' away from the screen I "had to go big". ;)

lewke and matrixj.....
Thanks for the advice. Called Epson yesterday will receive my replacement today.
All I can say is great customer service. I have no question that my next projector will be another Epson (when the upgrade bug hits me again :)
Thanks again

Got my replacement. Epson has great customer service for sure. I plugged it all up and it looks great. But NOW, my blu ray player crapped out. It's like Gods telling me to slow down on the movie room. I should be able to switch out the player at BB.

It'll all come together eventually.

hey guys I want to use the 12v trigger on the PJ and i dont know how to wire it?

it is a mono or stereo headphone jack? and does the polarity matter? I want it to trigger my screen.

I was going to run some CAT5 or some multistrand wire from the hardware store

can someone point me to the free lamp rebate page from Epson? i cannot find it on their website and wish to read it before buying this model vs the 8100. the only rebate i can find says it expired in nov 2009.
thanks,

can someone point me to the free lamp rebate page from Epson? i cannot find it on their website and wish to read it before buying this model vs the 8100. the only rebate i can find says it expired in nov 2009.
thanks,

If you can afford it then skip the 720 and get the 8100. I just made the switch and there is a good bit of difference between the two. The extra bulb is a moot point since the 720 is rated at 2000 hours and the 8100 is rated at 4000 hours.

I posted this question in the HD65 thread but I'm interested what the owners of the HC720 think.
I'm deciding this week between the HD65 and the TW700 (HC720). I would be set on the optoma if it was more flexible in it's positioning. I have 2 screenshots and user reviews that confirm something I can't get past: image pop and image colours. I don't think any other projector in this price can match those attributes from the HD65.

http://www.projectorreviews.com/images-projectors-q2-08/HD65_5thElement_Leeloo_large.jpg

Optoma (projector reviews)
http://www.projectorreviews.com/images-projectors-q2-08/HD65_cars_red1_large.jpg

HC720 (screenshot thread)
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/biglyle2/color2_IMG.jpg

I know the image from the 5th element is dark but look at the colour of the hair and the pop in the image of "cars". I saw screenshots of the TW700 and all are below the level of the HD65 (trying not too base myself only on screens but it's all I got right now). The Epson may have in some ways more natural tones but I keep coming back to the Optoma. Does anybody have any advice in any directions? I'll be using blu-ray as source and projecting a bit less than 100" in size. Can the Epson be calibrated to have it's pictures more punchy and colourful like the the HD65?
Thanks for the input!

If you haven't already figured it out, screenshots online are practically worthless when comparing projectors. There are too many factors

- Correctly calibrated projectors?
- Screen material? BOC/HP/AT/etc
- Room differences?
- MOST importantly: cameras used? exposure? etc, etc, etc
- Photoshop or other software "adjustments"?

The point is that I would never base a projector purchase on screenshot comparisons. It really can be a crap shoot. So, I suggest you research well respected external reviews that at least attempt to approximate a "head to head" environment. But then, even those don't normally calibrate each PJ to the screen in use.

At some point you just have to get off the pot and ....well, pull the trigger. ;)

hey guys I want to use the 12v trigger on the PJ and i dont know how to wire it?

it is a mono or stereo headphone jack? and does the polarity matter? I want it to trigger my screen.

I was going to run some CAT5 or some multistrand wire from the hardware store


It's a mono 3.5mm phone jack. Sleeve is ground, and tip is 12v out.

Jonathan

"If you can afford it then skip the 720 and get the 8100. I just made the switch and there is a good bit of difference between the two. The extra bulb is a moot point since the 720 is rated at 2000 hours and the 8100 is rated at 4000 hours."
__________________

I was thinking that it would be nice to have a new fresh bulb at the 2000 hour mark instead of an old bulb. And plus it would be some insurance against a bulb blowing early. But I cannot find the free bulb rebate on Epson's site. I have emailed them and I am waiting for a reply.

Can you tell the difference between the 720 vs the 8100 with DVD's? Or are you using bluray as the source.

If you haven't already figured it out, screenshots online are practically worthless when comparing projectors. There are too many factors

- Correctly calibrated projectors?
- Screen material? BOC/HP/AT/etc
- Room differences?
- MOST importantly: cameras used? exposure? etc, etc, etc
- Photoshop or other software "adjustments"?

The point is that I would never base a projector purchase on screenshot comparisons. It really can be a crap shoot. So, I suggest you research well respected external reviews that at least attempt to approximate a "head to head" environment. But then, even those don't normally calibrate each PJ to the screen in use.

At some point you just have to get off the pot and ....well, pull the trigger. ;)

Just a little question. I'm assuming you are or were a HC720 owner or at least have seen it. How would you compare it personally to the Optoma?

I'm pulling the trigger soon, just want to do it with the best information I can get. I did do the research on both and read many user reviews but I think you know as well as I do that opinions conflict on everything, "it's loud", "I don't hear it" ... it's a real jungle. So I'm a bit stuck with what I imagine how the pictures would compare from screenshots I see. I was just impressed with the overall colours of the screens I've seen from the HD65 in reviews and forums.

"If you can afford it then skip the 720 and get the 8100. I just made the switch and there is a good bit of difference between the two. The extra bulb is a moot point since the 720 is rated at 2000 hours and the 8100 is rated at 4000 hours."
__________________

I was thinking that it would be nice to have a new fresh bulb at the 2000 hour mark instead of an old bulb. And plus it would be some insurance against a bulb blowing early. But I cannot find the free bulb rebate on Epson's site. I have emailed them and I am waiting for a reply.

Can you tell the difference between the 720 vs the 8100 with DVD's? Or are you using bluray as the source.

I switched bulbs in my 720 from one that had almost 1700 hours on it to my spare that had 398 hours on it when I compared the 720 to the 8100. I found no noticeable difference between the 2 bulbs running in any of the econo modes. Don't know about the brighter modes since I don't use them.

Everything looks noticeably better on the 8100. Even my wife and son who normally can't see a difference when I'm comparing things could easily see that the 8100 was better. After using the 8100 for a weekend we watched a movie with the 720 and none of us liked it.

Just a little question. I'm assuming you are or were a HC720 owner or at least have seen it. How would you compare it personally to the Optoma?

I own the 720 and have never seen the Optoma in person.

I'm pulling the trigger soon, just want to do it with the best information I can get. I did do the research on both and read many user reviews but I think you know as well as I do that opinions conflict on everything, "it's loud", "I don't hear it" ... it's a real jungle. So I'm a bit stuck with what I imagine how the pictures would compare from screenshots I see. I was just impressed with the overall colours of the screens I've seen from the HD65 in reviews and forums.

That was my point - if you rely solely on user reviews (like those from people who own one or the other) everything will seem like a jungle. When I was shopping for the 720 I was comparing it against the Panny 200. I ran into the same issues you are trying to address.

My suggestion is that you spend some time at sites like Projector Central. There are somewhat unbiased appraisals of a projector's capabilities, as well as comparisons to competitors. Here is the link to the HD65 review (http://www.projectorcentral.com/optoma_hd65_review.htm).

But really, your first and most important question to answer is LCD versus DLP. If you don't go see the Optoma in person and with the types of content you intend to view you could end up very disappointed due to Rainbows. I don't see them, but some do and can't ever buy a DLP. Some people complain about the screendoor effect with LCDs. Neither question can be answered unless you find a way to see them in person.

I switched bulbs in my 720 from one that had almost 1700 hours on it to my spare that had 398 hours on it when I compared the 720 to the 8100. I found no noticeable difference between the 2 bulbs running in any of the econo modes. Don't know about the brighter modes since I don't use them.

Both times I switched bulbs at ~1600 hours there was a HUGE difference. I run in dynamic mode at 150" so that plays a big role.


Everything looks noticeably better on the 8100. Even my wife and son who normally can't see a difference when I'm comparing things could easily see that the 8100 was better. After using the 8100 for a weekend we watched a movie with the 720 and none of us liked it.

I've thought about this upgrade mostly due to the extra lumens, and to the bump in resolution. Can you be more specific about what things were noticeably better?

Both times I switched bulbs at ~1600 hours there was a HUGE difference. I run in dynamic mode at 150" so that plays a big role.


I'm using a 133" screen but like I said I don't use the brighter modes so the difference between what you and I have seen in switching bulbs makes sense. Big difference for you and none for me.


I've thought about this upgrade mostly due to the extra lumens, and to the bump in resolution. Can you be more specific about what things were noticeably better?

Resolution is noticeable as is brightness but the biggest difference in the picture is the increase in contrast. The 8100 makes the 720 look washed out when compared side by side.

That said, the 720 was wonderful for the time that we used it and was by far the best deal when I bought it. Now the extra $$ for the 8100 is worth it if you can afford it. If money is tight then the 720 is still a very nice projector.

I own the 720 and have never seen the Optoma in person.



That was my point - if you rely solely on user reviews (like those from people who own one or the other) everything will seem like a jungle. When I was shopping for the 720 I was comparing it against the Panny 200. I ran into the same issues you are trying to address.

My suggestion is that you spend some time at sites like Projector Central. There are somewhat unbiased appraisals of a projector's capabilities, as well as comparisons to competitors. Here is the link to the HD65 review (http://www.projectorcentral.com/optoma_hd65_review.htm).

But really, your first and most important question to answer is LCD versus DLP. If you don't go see the Optoma in person and with the types of content you intend to view you could end up very disappointed due to Rainbows. I don't see them, but some do and can't ever buy a DLP. Some people complain about the screendoor effect with LCDs. Neither question can be answered unless you find a way to see them in person.

I'm ok with rainbows. I read some reviews on both projector. I think price will be the deciding factor now. I'm looking at 2nd hand on ebay.

PM me if you are interested in a gently used Epson Pro Cinema 810 (which is actually considered slightly better than the Epson home cinema 720 model). It puts out a great picture and oodles of light. I also have an extra bulb.

I'm thinking of moving up to 1080p -- which is the only reason I'm considering selling it.
I realise you're trying to sell your projector but that's just dirty. 810 is an older generation model, albeit the differences aren't huge they certainly don't favour the 810.

I'm using a 133" screen but like I said I don't use the brighter modes so the difference between what you and I have seen in switching bulbs makes sense. Big difference for you and none for me.



Resolution is noticeable as is brightness but the biggest difference in the picture is the increase in contrast. The 8100 makes the 720 look washed out when compared side by side.

That said, the 720 was wonderful for the time that we used it and was by far the best deal when I bought it. Now the extra $$ for the 8100 is worth it if you can afford it. If money is tight then the 720 is still a very nice projector.
Have you properly calibrated both? I'm thinking of upgrading my projector if I can get decent money from my 720 and since the 720 has kept its price pretty good and I've got half of my warranty still left there could be a change :rolleyes: .

The thing is though, I'm not entirely convinced as to how much the picture quality has advanced, seems like most of the upgrade is due to auto-iris' which I just don't like. Since it seems that the organic D7 panels which are essentially the same as HC720's D6 but with more pixels I've an ugly feeling that I'm not going to get much for my money. I'm currently leaning towards 6500UB.

BTW, how's audible noise compared to the 720?

I gave my opinion on the 2 projectors comparing them side by side. I figure it's going to cost me about $650 to upgrade. Since I'm willing to pay that then that proves that for me the picture quality improvement was worth the upgrade price as far as I'm concerned. I would not upgrade if it was more then that because I couldn't afford it right now after having to replace my receiver.

I use econo mode so noise is never an issue since I watch movies with the sound system on :) If you want numbers on the noise then look at the specs over on projectorcentral.com.

For others looking to buy the 720 I will say that it's an excellent projector that I've been very happy with. I just got an upgrade bug. If I hadn't had to come back to this site to research replacing my receiver that died then I'd still be happily using my 720.

Reading sites like this cost big money even though the site is free. Every time I start visiting this site I spend money. Note to self, delete this site from my favorite list :)

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend or anything. I just think that proper calibration can make as big difference as night and day on a display, which ultimately makes it essential to calibrate devices especially when comparing two units capabilites. I'm aware that most aren't as anal about it and that's fine, you compared their right out of box performance and the difference is apparently huge. You're lucky to get to view them side by side :)

I realise the noise hasn't caused you any problems and projectors today seem to be a lot quieter than back in the day. My first projector, Sony something was a hoover and the Epson after it felt dead quiet at first but when I moved I had to put the projector right on top of the viewing place and I can now hear the noise, it's especially bothering when a movie gets dull, haven't rewinded any yet though :) It's not really a big deal, I was just interested in it and if you had made any observations regarding the matter. Noise is more subjective than what you can read from hard numbers.

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend or anything. I just think that proper calibration can make as big difference as night and day on a display, which ultimately makes it essential to calibrate devices especially when comparing two units capabilites. I'm aware that most aren't as anal about it and that's fine, you compared their right out of box performance and the difference is apparently huge. You're lucky to get to view them side by side :)


Epson projectors are very close straight out of the box so comparing them like that is a good comparison. The 720 with some adjustment can be made to look better but so can't the 8100. While colors can be adjusted the contrast can't be compensated for. 10,000 compared to 36,000 can't be made up for and it shows. It was a big enough difference that it can be seen even when they aren't side by side.

I ran both at the same time with the same feed (my receiver has 2 HDMI outputs that can feed the same signal at the same time. I placed one projector right below the other so they were both the same distance from the screen. Both warmed up and displaying at the same time on the same screen under the same conditions. I used a piece of cardboard to block the light from one projector at a time.

The biggest difference between them was the contrast. I was always happy with the 720 but next to the 8100 it looked washed out. I wasn't paying attention to color as much since that can be adjusted.

After my test I put the 8100 in the box and we watched the 720. The 720 wasn't good enough after watching the 8100 for us to return the 8100 and save the money.

Is this scientific? No, but I'm not reviewing these for profit. The 8100 looked $600 better then the 720. Again, if I couldn't come up with the extra $600 then the 720 would be fine since it's a whole lot better then a 50" plasma.

I realise the noise hasn't caused you any problems and projectors today seem to be a lot quieter than back in the day. My first projector, Sony something was a hoover and the Epson after it felt dead quiet at first but when I moved I had to put the projector right on top of the viewing place and I can now hear the noise, it's especially bothering when a movie gets dull, haven't rewinded any yet though :) It's not really a big deal, I was just interested in it and if you had made any observations regarding the matter. Noise is more subjective than what you can read from hard numbers.

Take a look at my HT and you'll see that the projector is quite close to our sitting area. When it's quite we can hear it on the couch but it's not loud by any means. There is a difference in sound between full mode and econo mode.

Now take a look at where my equipment is on the wall. From the back center chair I can't hear the projector but I can hear the PS3 fan quite easily with the sound off.

Call and get a replacement, if the replacement has problems, get another replacement.....the replacement comes very fast......I've gotten a replacement from epson before, seems like a brand new unit even though they are suppose to be refurbs......

How many hours were on the bulb in the replacement? I ask because I have barely put 1000 hours on mine and unfortunately need to send it in for replacement due to a failing HDMI port and would hate to get a refurb with lots more hours on the bulb.

^^ Firstly, your theater is very clean, very nice. Having a dedicated room like that must be a dream come true for you. Slightly jealous ;) The projector in there is located pretty close to where I had it in the old flat and like said, no noise problems. It's when I moved I installed the projector much lower and that is when I started to hear it. It's actually on my eye level just above the sofa. I think the idea was to minimize lens shifting, or that it interfered with something or just looked rubbish higher. Anyways it was only ment to be a temporary fix but heh, it's still there. To make it even worse it's resting on one of those arms that extend from the wall and there's a direct view from the sofa to the fan so heh, what can I say, it was dead quiet before! Like said, it's still not a huge problem, just something I've noticed. If I'm getting a new projector maybe it's time to get a new support for it anyways.


I don't doubt the difference you experienced when comparing 720 and 8100, I'm sure it was near mind blowing and well worth the money. Like you said, why would you had upgraded if it wasn't :)

But I think we're getting pretty close to what I'm after with the contrast readings, 36 000:1 as well as the 10 000:1 are both contrasts achieved using the iris. How do they hold their own without it? Reviewers seem to completely ignore the picture without the iris. Sure, on a midlit scene the iris shouldn't "interfere" with the picture much but it's hard to imagine that something could make that look washed out, especially on such a scene... guess I'm not much of an optimist.

As far as I know Epson's current line up consist of a model with a limited iris - the 6100 which has a contrast reading of 18 000:1, a model with an advanced iris - the 8100 comes with 36 000:1 contrast, and then one with different panels - the 8500UB with contrast of 200 000:1, of course most of that contrast is due to a iris but essentially even without it the UB models are suppose to give you better contrast, blacks, colours, the whole lot thanks to the inorganic panels. And due to this I'm leaning towards one of the -due to budget restrictions- older UB models. Would kill to have your change of comparing them side by side and convincing myself.

IMO they pull most of those contrast readings right up from their a**es. Rivalry is tough.


As for calibration, I've read that they're suppose to be alright right out of box but to me that's a pretty vague alright. The calibration forum seem to agree with that observation, although most people there are just banal nitpickers :p Well, I've seen it many times, not until the picture is calibrated it's hard to know how off the picture really is. On my HC720 the picture was way green, I mean WAY; but again, I was so amazed by the picture that calibration just didn't spring to mind and in the end it was mind boggling to change the profiles between the original and calibrated picture when I finally got to calibrate it. Maybe calibration could be the next expense this forum causes you :)

Is anybody using a Radeon 4XXX series card with this projector? I'm pulling my hair out trying to get the proper display setup. Sending a 1280 x 720 over hdmi results in letterboxed and pillarboxed image if the PJ's aspect is set to through. Setting it to normal results in an overscanned image and the latest Catalyst drivers seem to have broken overscan adjustment. So I'm stuck in a Catch 22. :(

NM, I forgot all about the scaling option under Image > Advanced in the Epson.

...are both contrasts achieved using the iris. How do they hold their own without it?

That is the key for me, because I turned mine off due to the additional noise factor.

I have a couple of questions I'm hoping someone could answer. I use the Living room setting on my 720. Is that considered low or high mode? Also, to anyone who uses that mode, how many hours did you get on your lamp before replacing it? I'm currently at 811.
Thanks.

I have a couple of questions I'm hoping someone could answer. I use the Living room setting on my 720. Is that considered low or high mode? Also, to anyone who uses that mode, how many hours did you get on your lamp before replacing it? I'm currently at 811.
Thanks.

I think most consider Living Room one of the high modes. I always run in Dynamic and get close to 2,000 hours per bulb (twice now).

^^Thanks, thats great to know.....appreciate the info

Hello,
Is this normal for the projector? I attached three pictures of some text and would like to know if this is a standard amount of detail and redness?
Thanks for any comments,

convergence is off....

if still under warranty, send it in for a replacement..

It is brand new out of box with less than 1 hour. How close should it be? Is it possible for it to be dead on without showing any other color?

It is brand new out of box with less than 1 hour. How close should it be? Is it possible for it to be dead on without showing any other color?

does not matter how old it is. the panels are mis aligned. just return/exchange or call epson for a next day replacement.

one pixel off is somewhat normal. but by looking at your pics. thats more than 1..i bought a new epson 6100, right out of the box i had 3 pixels off, called epson got a new the next day.

Could you post a picture of how much your image is off?

mine is now off just one to the left (one pixel) pretty normal. but yours is off it looks like 1 to the left , and another to the right....very easy to see. especially on black text on white background....almost looks like 3d without the glasses...:)

this is why we buy epson pj's. best warranty in the biz (imo)call them, tell them your panels are miss aligned. convergence is off. they next day one o you, and return yours (free shipping) i assume the 720 has the exact same warranty..

Sensibull,

I was told by epson that refurbs have new bulb in them. So when mine recently broke I actually wasn't that mad, because hey I get a new bulb and I pulled out old one before sending it in.

Also can anyone tell me how fast the red light beeps when you have to change the bulb. Mine was blinking at 85/100 of a second and the tech told me that since it wasn't going twice a second then it was like something internal. But I keep thinking what if it really was the bulb. I did notice though that the projector would go from very bright to dark right before it died, so I'm thinking maybe the auto iris became defective.

When you have a blown bulb can you look at it and tell it is blown or does it look the same as a new one through the glass.

Thanks.

When you have a blown bulb can you look at it and tell it is blown or does it look the same as a new one through the glass.

You can tell it is blown...

I realise you're trying to sell your projector but that's just dirty. 810 is an older generation model, albeit the differences aren't huge they certainly don't favour the 810.




How so? There is no generational difference of substance in the 720 that makes it better than the 810 (they came out just one year apart). The 810 was made as a PRO model -- at least slightly better than the 720 all around. The 720 was not given higher ratings than the 810 and is a HOME model.

At best the 720 was positioned as the way to sell something similar to the 810, but for LESS money. The thinking with the 810 was it contained better panels as it was for the PRO level, comes in black and sold through dealers only.

The 720 review on Projector reviews:

Epson has a solid entry, that is both bright, and extremely sharp, with a very crisp looking, and highly dynamic picture quality. It's not the most film-like of the projectors in its class.

From the 810 summary:

What we have here, is a bright projector an alternative to the Panasonic, with similar brightness, but a slightly sharper image, better warranty etc. Compared to other LCD projectors, it simply is much brighter. An excellent compromise choice for those needing the Panasonic's brightness, and the Sanyo's sharpness, and you get a more"film-like" picture as part of the deal.

How can you tell it is blown. Does it look black on the inside like normal bulbs. This one looks like it is in good shape. The bulb looks clear and clean on the inside, with all the metal wiring leading to the filament looking intact. I'm starting to think maybe it was the auto iris.

So can anyone confirm that you recieve a new bulb with refurbs?

Also some people talk about refurbs as though they are horrible units to have. If they are refurb to new specs why would they be bad?

Also some people say they could have dust blobs, why would the company who makes them, send out subpar units they will have to replace again if they are bad?

How many hours until a bulb begins to dim, significantly enough that you would notice it.

PLEASE SOMEONE ANSWER MY QUESTIONS. THANKS.

I'm a new owner of the HC720. Love most of the color modes out of the box, but Living Room is unusable with it's blue/green tint. I've gone to the tweak thread and tried settings there, but it didn't help much... a little better shade of awful maybe.

Anybody willing to share their settings that I could try? Using Natural now, which is good... but I'd like something just like it at the next level up in brightness.

Anyone having a "blur" issue? When I pull up the guide on my Time Warner Cable DVR, I notice a slight offset / shadowing effect. What's going on? http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj90/kvdude/EpsonHomeCinema720.jpg

I would like to show you how easily I solved my ceiling-mounting problem for my Epson TW 680 (aka Home Cinema 720). I've used these metal parts that are used in the ceiling to mount curtains (sorry for my English I don't know the name of that thing even in my language). I used two pieces after cutting the good lenghts.

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/1786/img2832l.jpg

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/7651/img2831s.jpg

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/9571/img2830.jpg

Next, obvious step was to add 4 screws to the projector itself. I added really short ones, so when I use it in the summer (outdoors on the table/floor), I don't have to unscrew them.

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/1079/img2822.jpg

It's also very easy to put it down from the ceiling, you simply hold it and slide it out of the "rails" from the side. And like this, directly at the top with no tilting, thanks to amazing shifting lens - it's still perfect to project the picture low in the room (so your neck won't hurt while watching for looking to high). But still - TRY BEFORE!!!

I just wanted to give you guys idea, that you can do your own mount, without buying one, practically almost free and it will still look good (if not better).

Anyone having a "blur" issue? When I pull up the guide on my Time Warner Cable DVR, I notice a slight offset / shadowing effect. What's going on?

Is it only the guide problem of you have it also during normal broadcast? Try to watch news, where you have similar texts on solid colors, and pause the picture to check it.

I have nothing but good things to say about Epson. I thought I was having problems with the iris so I gave Epson customer service a call. I thought it had to be the iris because the bulb only had 1000 hours on it and I only watch in theater black mode. The guy that I was talking to thought it was probably the bulb so they sent me a new one and sure enough that was it.

I was on hold about a minute with them before a customer service rep helped me and I received the bulb in just a few days. When this projector is ready to be replaced It will be replaced with another Epson.

Looks nice but what about cooling? (The custom mount pics)

Looks nice but what about cooling? (The custom mount pics)

I don't know, to be honest. It's basically almost the same thing as if it was on the table. And the room is at room temperature (about 22 Celsius) all the time of the year - even during the hot summer days.

I got question for owners from Europe, EU especially. How is it here with the free lamp thing? I checked the store where I bought it and they still have on their website written "3 year lamp warranty" in product details. So how it works? Can I make 3000 hours first year and burn the lamp and then send it back and they give me new lamp? And then again...? :D

Forgot to clarify - the "blur" occurs even without the guide, on "normal" broadcasts. :o/

I'm sure it's not alcohol induced - I checked again before having a beer tonight. LOL.

For others reading - I bought my projector in October, 2009. It's my primary TV. Just over 1,000 hours on the bulb. I had the free bulb rebate but haven't received it. Called Epson - they said, "we're very sorry, but the bulb is on back order. We'll be sure to get you one as soon as possible." NICE.

I LOVE Panasonic projectors, but bought this one because of the free bulb (and longer warranty AND $50 less expensive than the Panny AX-200)

I really like Panny's SmoothScreen tech, but Customer Service is pricesless. GO Epson!

Forgot to clarify - the "blur" occurs even without the guide, on "normal" broadcasts. :o/

I'm sure it's not alcohol induced - I checked again before having a beer tonight. LOL.

Haha LOL! :D

But seriously now - what do you use to connect to source? HDMI? I guess not, am I right? Another thing I would try is to connect your computer, best with HDMI. Try as many devices with as many cables - all possible options you can. When windows starts, it would be very easy to say if the blurring is there. Just look at desktop on icons. It it will be there, I would say it's broken.

And one more thing came into my mind. Try to reset to factory settings if still nothing worked properly. Any chance you could mess up something in options (sharpening picture, or some kind of offset)??

Haha LOL! :D

But seriously now - what do you use to connect to source? HDMI? I guess not, am I right? Another thing I would try is to connect your computer, best with HDMI. Try as many devices with as many cables - all possible options you can. When windows starts, it would be very easy to say if the blurring is there. Just look at desktop on icons. It it will be there, I would say it's broken.

And one more thing came into my mind. Try to reset to factory settings if still nothing worked properly. Any chance you could mess up something in options (sharpening picture, or some kind of offset)??
I've got everything hooked up to this via a Harmon Karden receiver. PS3 and PC via HDMI, DVR and XBox 360 via component. I'm going to double check everything tonight then call Epson. Already called them earlier today and got a reference number.

Let's see how that goes.

Haha LOL! :D

But seriously now - what do you use to connect to source? HDMI? I guess not, am I right? Another thing I would try is to connect your computer, best with HDMI. Try as many devices with as many cables - all possible options you can. When windows starts, it would be very easy to say if the blurring is there. Just look at desktop on icons. It it will be there, I would say it's broken.

And one more thing came into my mind. Try to reset to factory settings if still nothing worked properly. Any chance you could mess up something in options (sharpening picture, or some kind of offset)??
Forgot to mention - reset was the first thing I did. It only turned off the Auto-Iris, as I don't typically fool around with the settings. Pretty happy with the out of the box settings.

Wow, I can't believe I read all that.
We just moved, and I picked up an Epson refurb. to replace my Optoma HD70 that I had to leave at the old house. Guessing I got one that one of your returned.
I use Behr silverscreen paint for my HD70 screen, and was totally impressed. but I'm not sure which way to go with a screen for my 720.
My room is totally light controlled with grey walls, and a charcoal ceiling, and seating will be about 11' to 17'. I'm hoping to do a 106" screen with the projector ceiling mounted at about 13'.
I want to go DIY so I can save some money, but not sure if I should do a lighter(more natural) grey paint, maybe closer to an N9, or a Black Widow mix, or BOC.
Any ideas?

Wow, I can't believe I read all that.
We just moved, and I picked up an Epson refurb. to replace my Optoma HD70 that I had to leave at the old house. Guessing I got one that one of your returned.
I use Behr silverscreen paint for my HD70 screen, and was totally impressed. but I'm not sure which way to go with a screen for my 720.
My room is totally light controlled with grey walls, and a charcoal ceiling, and seating will be about 11' to 17'. I'm hoping to do a 106" screen with the projector ceiling mounted at about 13'.
I want to go DIY so I can save some money, but not sure if I should do a lighter(more natural) grey paint, maybe closer to an N9, or a Black Widow mix, or BOC.
Any ideas?

I'm using Behr Silverscreen my projector is shelf mounted at about 13 feet seating also at 13 feet. I'm really happy with the results. I had the screen at 130" but that was a little to much for me so I changed it to 120 and like it much better. I'm sure your going to be very happy with your new Epson.

I got question for owners from Europe, EU especially. How is it here with the free lamp thing? I checked the store where I bought it and they still have on their website written "3 year lamp warranty" in product details. So how it works? Can I make 3000 hours first year and burn the lamp and then send it back and they give me new lamp? And then again...? :D
Usually the warranty for the lamp is 3 years or 1700 hours. The projector itself has 3 years of warranty.

Is the free bulb rebate valid on refurbs?

Is the free bulb rebate valid on refurbs?
If it's a factory re-furb, maybe but I doubt it
However, call Epson - their customer service rocks.

I just got my replacement bulb in the mail yesterday. NICE. :D

Hey guys, just picked up a used HC720 still under warranty for about $600, and I just saw the HC705 HD new for $750 and I am starting to wonder if I made a mistake. Does anyone know how the 720 compares to the 705HD? Any input would be appreciated!

They're both good. Brand new, bang for the buck, I'd go for the 705. How many hours on the bulb of your 720? I've got a TON of ambient light, and my 720 does well. And it pops when the light can be controlled. I bought my 720 new and got the free bulb replacement (haven't had to use it yet). So far so good on the original bulb at 1460 hours. ENJOY!

About 1700 hours on the 720 bulb. My room has 4 windows and will have ambient light from lights, etc. It's more of a family room.

Do you think it would be worth trying to sell my 720 and getting a 705 new? Or is the difference not that great?

How did the free bulb replacement work? I bought mine used but still under warranty any chance I could get that?

Question. I have gotten my unit replaced due to fan being on high sometimes. Of course they have sent me refurbished unit. When I was talking to Customer service they said it was going to be refurb but with new lamp. Would anyone know if this is the case. Do they really put new lamp? How this can be checked? They could simply reset the counter. My lamp has 500 hours, so if it is not new, may be it would make sense to take my lamp and put into the ref unit. I am not sure about ref unit though..... is it OK? The fan has been quite for a couple of days.

Question. I have gotten my unit replaced due to fan being on high sometimes. Of course they have sent me refurbished unit. When I was talking to Customer service they said it was going to be refurb but with new lamp. Would anyone know if this is the case. Do they really put new lamp? How this can be checked? They could simply reset the counter. My lamp has 500 hours, so if it is not new, may be it would make sense to take my lamp and put into the ref unit. I am not sure about ref unit though..... is it OK? The fan has been quite for a couple of days.
With Epson - if they say they put a new lamp in it, I'd believe them.

This is my second replacement unit. I replaced one before for the same fan problem. In a couple of months this one started doing the same thing. I wonder if refurbished units make sense.

This is my second replacement unit. I replaced one before for the same fan problem. In a couple of months this one started doing the same thing. I wonder if refurbished units make sense.
If it was a factory refurb, you should be good to go. Kind of like getting a second chance to be sure it's right. I'm surprised you had the same problem twice. What a bummer. But they fixed it for free, right?

I just sold my 720 to upgrade to an Epson Home Cinema 8100 (1080p). Can't wait to get it. :)

Yes, it was for free. But now, if something wrong with the replacement unit - I am stuck, the warranty is over. The one I have now - I kind of manage to keep the fan down, otherwise it works great and I love it. I reporter the problem in December, when the warranty was still on and it took them four months to send the replacement. I forgot about it until the unit came to my door.

I think if I were to go for another projector I would pick Epson again, their customer service is great, not question about it. I took a look at 8100 - nice. Got me thinking...;))

After I switched my 720 from Theater Black 2 to Theater, I see that my Lamp Hours counter is stuck at 1693 hours. What gives? Is this just a coincidence or what? Thanks...

Just a heads up that a refurbished Home Cinema 720 can be bought from Epson's website for $439 right now (after the 12% off coupon), a pretty good deal if you ask me (new bulb with same warranty as a new one).

I pulled the trigger and am excited to get a projector again (after always having a projector for the past 6 or 7 years, I have really missed not having one for the past year in our new house).

Anyways, now to read through this thread and try and pull out the relevant information. I wish there was a condensed version, or some way to get the good info without reading 1660+ posts, but oh well. :)

I would love to hear about anyone who is still using their HC720 and how they feel it compares with some of the newer budget projectors.

If anyone has a spare bulb that they got when the "free bulb" deal was going on that they might be interested in selling, shoot me a PM.

Nice catch! I got the 720 off ebay about 6 months ago and have been thrilled with it. I was able to get the rebate for the free bulb as well. So far I have no complaints, it looks crystal clear and does a great job with everything I throw at it.

@jkh43,

Thanks so much for the heads up on this! You just saved me mucho dinero! The 12% off coupon was icing on the cake.

Hmmm....that's not much more than the cost of a bulb.

I have had two years of trouble-free usage with my 720, and have decided to make the investment in a more expensive unit. :)

I am looking to sell my Home Cinema 720, with original bulb that has 1000 hrs on it. I also still have the brand new factory replacement bulb that I got with the rebate.

If someone is interested in buying the package, I think I can make you a pretty good deal. Send me a message and make me an offer.

I've had my HC720 since January 2008. It has 2,030 hours on it and I'm still using the original bulb. It's a great unit, but I have to admit that I'm getting the itch to upgrade and am currently reading up on the 8350. I want to upgrade because at my viewing distance, the jump to 1080p resolution would definitely be noticeable. Also, I'd like to improve upon black levels.

Only downside to my HC720 is that it has a couple dust blobs, but they are only noticeable with totally black images, which is very seldom in most movies.

I'd be curious to know what replacement genuine Epson bulbs are selling for. I checked Ebay, but it seems most of those are knock-offs and not real deal Epson bulbs.

I've had my HC720 since January 2008. It has 2,030 hours on it and I'm still using the original bulb. It's a great unit, but I have to admit that I'm getting the itch to upgrade and am currently reading up on the 8350. I want to upgrade because at my viewing distance, the jump to 1080p resolution would definitely be noticeable. Also, I'd like to improve upon black levels.

Only downside to my HC720 is that it has a couple dust blobs, but they are only noticeable with totally black images, which is very seldom in most movies.

I'd be curious to know what replacement genuine Epson bulbs are selling for. I checked Ebay, but it seems most of those are knock-offs and not real deal Epson bulbs.

I'm thinking of upgrading too, but the best path for an Epson upgrade seems to be the new xx000 series (21000, 31000 and 61000). I realize they are more expensive (probably just over 3 grand for the 21000), but these projectors have the 3 LCD technology and have electronic focus and zoom (no more having to manually adjust this stuff) and the ability to do CIH with the press of a button. To get any other Epson series now seems like a drop down in technology.

The other Epson projectors out there are incremental improvements -- while the xx000 series seems like a whole new ball of wax. Read more about them here:

http://www.projectorreviews.com/blog/2010/09/17/epson-home-cinema-21000-and-pro-cinema-31000-61000-projectors/

Hm, but 1200 lumens?

Hm, but 1200 lumens?

Should be plenty in any dedicated theater.

Should be plenty in any dedicated theater.

But not for my living room and 150" 16:9 screen. ;)

so has anyone who wanted to sell their hc720 done so? how much did you get for it?
also what did you upgrade to. I have had mine for under 2 yrs now this is my third projector ever and im thinking about upgrading so wondering if there is any notable difference in upgrading to *anybrand* 1080p projector or is it more worth it to wait for the XX000 epsons, I mean i don't really want to spend 3000+ for a new projector when a year later it will be half price or less considering our hc720's are worth about nothing compared to what i paid but I think I want a better picture, so any advice would be awesome.

If anyone is interested, I took apart my 720 to clean the polarizers, LCDs and light path. I had some pink blotches that I was able to get rid of. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=19732825#post19732825

Is anyone here using a PS3 with the HC720? What settings on the pj and ps3 do you use for WTW and full range? Set to expanded or limited? Also, ive read art's guide to calibration, but its not very detailed. Perhaps someone here who is calibrated could post up their settings they use? I only use Theater 1 or 2, i forgot which. I have a completely light controlled room.

I'm using expanded with a pc. Look for crushed whites and blacks without that setting.

I feel strangely obligated to give Epson props. My colors went bonko on me after changing the bulb. I called Epson not really expecting anything and was thrilled to find out I was still under the 2 year warranty. After a short round of troubleshooting, the CSR said they'd send me a replacement. Kick ass. Well, I never got it. A week later, I called them to ask what's up, and they said it was delivered. "Not to me," was my response. To make a long story short, they sent me another one. Looks fantastic. Guess I hadn't realized how dim the picture had gotten. Anyway, thrilled with the projector and the Epson service.

I just got an XBOX 360 (mostly to play Kinect), and I'm having trouble connecting it to my Epson 720. I have an ABC component switchbox that I'm using (works fine for the Wii and Dish STB), but with the XBOX, the projector reports No Signal.

The Wii is 480p and the STB is 720P/1080i. Since the XBOX is 1080P, do you think this might be the reason why it isn't working? I have my computer hooked up to the Epson as well, but that's via VGA.

I haven't tried HDMI yet, but I'd rather try to get this to work with component if I can, since I already have all those cables.

- Sung

Probably- you should set the Xbox resolution at 720p- 1280 x 720 to match the resolution of the projector. I don't think you can do 1080p over component with the Xbox.

Probably- you should set the Xbox resolution at 720p- 1280 x 720 to match the resolution of the projector. I don't think you can do 1080p over component with the Xbox.

Bingo! That was it -- thanks.

My original bulb just hit 28XX hours and the "replace lamp" box came on the screen. Did others replace your bulbs when the box came up or reset and run the bulb until it dies? Or maybe not even reset, so one can see the total hours?

For those of you who own or owned an Epson 720 would you recommend it to someone as a first projector today? I have a friend who is looking to purchase a FP and he found a used 720 with about 750 hours on it for $550. He's asking me whether he should pull the trigger. I know this model is 4 years old, but assuming it's in good shape it sounds like a decent deal. What do you think?

For those of you who own or owned an Epson 720 would you recommend it to someone as a first projector today? I have a friend who is looking to purchase a FP and he found a used 720 with about 750 hours on it for $550. He's asking me whether he should pull the trigger. I know this model is 4 years old, but assuming it's in good shape it sounds like a decent deal. What do you think?

not for that price. you can get the Epson 705HD for $595 brand new with warranty intact from Amazon right now.

not for that price. you can get the Epson 705HD for $595 brand new with warranty intact from Amazon right now.

But unless I am mistaken the 705 has a significantly lower contrast ratio (and a good number of complaints about the blacks), not to mention it lacks lens shift.

But unless I am mistaken the 705 has a significantly lower contrast ratio (and a good number of complaints about the blacks), not to mention it lacks lens shift.

ahh, yes, I forgot that the 720 had lens shift. that would be something to consider

For those of you who own or owned an Epson 720 would you recommend it to someone as a first projector today? I have a friend who is looking to purchase a FP and he found a used 720 with about 750 hours on it for $550. He's asking me whether he should pull the trigger. I know this model is 4 years old, but assuming it's in good shape it sounds like a decent deal. What do you think?

If it's in good shape, I'd say that's a fair price and a decent deal. The 720 is a lot better FP than most.

It's not a great deal considering it went for $1200 four years ago, you have a $350 bulb that has half its output left and no warranty. It might be a cheap-ish way to get into a projector, but a new 8350 for ~$1000 would be a better value and give you 1080. It also has organic panels which don't age as well. If you look at a completely white image and notice a very slight change in hue (pink/blue/yellow) across the screen, the LCD panels may be a little burnt. They are probably fine with only 750 hours though.

Don't get me wrong -- I have been very happy with my 720, but I would not buy a used 720 today. Used PJs are not usually good values since technology gets better every year while prices go down.

It's not a great deal considering it went for $1200 four years ago, you have a $350 bulb that has half its output left and no warranty. It might be a cheap-ish way to get into a projector, but a new 8350 for ~$1000 would be a better value and give you 1080. It also has organic panels which don't age as well. If you look at a completely white image and notice a very slight change in hue (pink/blue/yellow) across the screen, the LCD panels may be a little burnt. They are probably fine with only 750 hours though.

Don't get me wrong -- I have been very happy with my 720, but I would not buy a used 720 today. Used PJs are not usually good values since technology gets better every year while prices go down.

Thanks for your thoughts. Personally I would agree with you. There is no doubt in my mind that getting a brand new projector for about $1,000 would be worth the extra cash. But my friend is on a pretty tight budget after buying his first home. On top of that he needs to purchase a receiver and surround sound system as well, so I just don't think he can stretch his budget that far. Perhaps I could get him to spend an extra hundred or two...but spending twice as much is probably not in the cards at the moment. While I'm not in love with the idea of him buying used, on the bright side he will love the picture as is just about always the case with a first projector. I just hope the panels or polarizers aren't burnt because the original owner put 750 hours on it in one viewing. lol

You're right, it is my polarizers that are slightly burnt...but I have probably 6000 hours on mine. You can also get the same effect from dust. A good cleaning (not for the faint of heart) improved my image a lot.

It is a cheap way to get into PJs...I can't argue with that. Another choice would be: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009223

New, cheap, 720 and 3D, but no lens shift and possible RBE.