Epson 8500UB PowerLite Home Cinema Projector

Comment:
It was a toss up between the 8500UB and the BenQ W6000. I bought the Epson because their warranty and service is amazing and, well BenQ's isn't. After owning it for an entire year I am extremely happy with it.I'm shooting onto a 137" home-made screen which I figure is about 1.0 gain. The color is incredible and the black levels are amazing. The highlights tend to block up a bit but this is only really visible when calibrating-I've not noticed it in actual use.We've watched tons of movies, sports, TV and played a lot of video games. Movies and games are by far the best use of the projector. I find that HD TV shows aren't broadcast  at a high enough quality and end up looking a little soft. The projector is fast enough to keep up with sports, especially hockey, but it's not quite bright enough to really satisfy me when it comes to golf or football. We've hosted many parties where we've had 15+ people watching a game (Go Team Canada) or movie and everyone who's seen it is impressed. For my first projector, I couldn't happier with it.

Comment:
I am currently writing this review using the 8500UB, in my living room at 3pm. It is fairly sunny and I am thinking "This projector really is amazing!" In a dark environment, using the theater settings, its a entirely different game, this projector outperforms really expensive models and delivers better than cinema quality. The 8500UB contrasts really stands up to the name ULTRA BLACK!

Comment:
This is my 2nd projector. A huge upgrade from my 1st one. As far as I'm concerned, it rivals the much pricier ones out there ($5,000 +). I have compared it at a store to Sony's 5k one (I forget the model) and could not see a difference. I currently project to a 115" 1920x1080 screen, which is 20 feet away from the projector, and the image is crystal clear. When we watch TV in a slightly illuminated room, it's passable, but you really need complete darkness to enjoy.