Epson’s Affordable Full HD Home Theatre Projector Boosted With High-End Features

Epson updated its Full HD projector range with the EH-TW5300. The projector is the first entry-level full–HD projector in Epson’s range to introduce several advanced features that used to be found only in Epson’s high-end home theatre models. These include frame interpolation, image enhancement and 2D to 3D conversion.

The EH-TW5300 also has 3D projection features. Its 3LCD technology and an active, 480Hz 3D drive system – together, these render 3D images with high colour brightness. It also employs an active 3D glasses system that uses Bluetooth instead of infrared signals to synchronise the 3D frames being projected with the blackout phases of the active 3D glasses. With Bluetooth, there is no line of sight needed for synchronization of the signals, and they will not be subject to any infrared interference from the remote control.

It comes with Frame Interpolation technology that inserts new frames between original movie frames. As a result, blurring effects are suppressed and motion pictures look smooth and sharp. The EH-TW5300 sports a new image processing chip that gives the projector an “Image Enhancement” capability. What this does is that it detects the change in colour from the edge of an object to the background colour and works together with the noise reduction processing to sharpen the image.

With the EH-TW5300, 2D movies can be converted to 3D format for different viewing experience. As with Frame Interpolation and Image Enhancement, this feature used to be exclusive to Epson’s higher-end home theatre projector models. It supports Intel WiDi/Wi-Fi certified Miracast technology that allows for easy wireless transmission of Full HD videos from PCs, smartphones and other devices. So what you see on your device is duplicated (mirrored) on the projection.

Unlike projectors of the past that display a blank screen on startup if no devices are connected, the EH-TW5300 displays a user-friendly “home screen” instead. This home screen shows what devices are connected immediately, and allows users to choose inputs and configure settings easily.

3D image projection works by flashing each eye a different frame with a slightly different perspective to create the 3D effect. The frames are coordinated with a pair of active 3D glasses which use LCDs to rapidly “blackout” each lens when the frame for the other eye is shown. The blackout time for Epson’s Bright 3D drive is twice as fast (480 Hz or 480 times a second) as that of competing 3D projectors (typically 240Hz). This reduced blackout time produces significantly brighter and clearer 3D images.

Instead of conventional infrared technology, the Epson EH-TW5300’s 3D glasses use Bluetooth to synchronise the signals between them and the projector. So there is no need for a line of sight from the transceiver, and no risk of interference from other infrared devices like remote controls that will disrupt the signal.

The Wi-Fi equipped Epson EH-TW5300 is able to receive and project images from smart devices through wireless network using the Epson iProjection app. iProjection also allows a QR code to be displayed for smart devices to read and connect easily, after which they can be used as remote controls for the projector.