Epson 8350 v. Optoma HD33 (1 Viewer)

[eGeeked]

I am currently in debate on which projector I should use for my home theater. If you hadn't seen any of my previous posts the theater space has a dedicated 17'x26' space. I am wanting to use this space also as a game area so the Kinect etc will be hooked up and a sectional sofa will be used for primary seating near the rear of the space, I haven't decided on distance from screen yet. Screen will be either 130" or 150" ( also undecided but leaning towards 130" ).
What I am asking for is opinions from the wise members here on which projector would work best in the space provided for what I want to do. 3D is not a selling point to me. Thank you for your opinions.

 

[Jim Mcc]

I would go with the HD33, and I would not go larger than 130" diagonal. There's no way either projector is bright enough for a 150" diagonal screen. For a 130" diagonal screen, the HD33's lens would need to be between 14 ft. 2 in. and 17' from screen. The closer you mount it to the screen, the brighter the image will be.

 

[eGeeked]

What is your reasoning behind the HD33? I was leaning towards the Epson because it has higher lumens and contrast ratio. What makes the HD33 better?

 

[Jason Charlton]

Never take manufacturers specs at face value. Although the Epson has a higher lumen number on the box, no projector EVER lives up to that number.

Best to trust online reviews from places like projectorcentral.com and projectorreviews.com. They take the time to properly calibrate the projectors and measure the ACTUAL lumen output for the best viewing mode for movies (usually in "bright" mode as well as "Eco" mode, or low-power mode which most of us use to prolong bulb life).

When properly calibrated - the Optoma is brighter than the Epson.

In fact, I would strongly suggest you read the reviews of both projectors at both sites. Very informative, and they also compare projectors to comparable models.

Good luck.

 

[Jim Mcc]

What is your reasoning behind the HD33? I was leaning towards the Epson because it has higher lumens and contrast ratio. What makes the HD33 better?

The HD33 is brighter after calibration, like Jason stated, and I don't like LCD's. Both have gotten excellent revews, but the Epson just isn't bright enough for the screen size you want. If you want to buy an Epson, consider the 5010.