Epson EH-TW2900

Epson is very modest in its marketing of the EH-TW2900, describing the product as a model that's good for gamers looking for life-like graphics and compatibility with all the latest consoles. I, however, think this projector can do much more than that.

Handling & design: a great, classic Epson design

This model is very similar to Epson's EH-TW3800 and EH-TW5500 projectors, so have a look at these two tests for more information.


As with other Epson projectors, the main problem is its size. The bulky design makes it pretty much impossible to pick up and carry under your arm if you're planning a video session at a friend's house, for example. This can be easily done with some of the more compact DLP models out there.

Picture quality: after calibration, all that's missing is a deep black

When testing the EH-TW2900, we compared it side-by-side with the Mitsubishi HC3800. With the images projected next to one another, two main differences in picture quality came to light. First of all, the black appears deeper and blacker on the Mitsubishi DLP projector, and second, the Epson has a slight pink tint whereas the Mitsubishi has a slight green tint. However, you must bear in mind that these differences are only noticeable when the images are viewed next to each other. As soon as you switch off one projector, your eyes quickly get used to the other picture and it becomes completely normal to view. You therefore won't notice any of these colour tinges unless you're an imaging professional.


The depth of black isn't great, measured at 0.64cd/m². This is the same value we measured on the EH-TW5500. However, with the same depth of black, the latter model can display a brighter white at 344 lumens, compared with 260 lumens for the EH-TW2900. In spite of this difference in brightness, the fact that both projectors give the same depth of black doesn't mean the quality of the blacks reproduced is identical. In fact, the blacks reproduced by the EH-TW2900 have a slight purple tinge, which demanding users may find unacceptable. However, as I mentioned above, this slightly purple tinge is mainly visible when compared against another projector's image and you'll only notice it if you're incredibly sensitive or incredibly picky.

Video noise levels are managed over four different levels, from 0 (off) to 3. By default, it's set to 1, and that's where we recommend you leave it. You can set it higher if you want to try and limit the noise even more, but there's no real impact on the picture.

Bright areas are very well rendered. The brightest parts of the picture are detailed and not overexposed.

Upscaling and 1080p. The SD upscaling function is decent, but as with all the projectors we've tested so far, it just can't compete with the top-quality upscaling functions of DVD/Blu-ray players or latest-generation HD consoles. In 1080p, the level of detail is comparable with that of the HC3800. The picture accuracy is impeccable. When the picture is studied close-up and compared with that of the EH-TW5500, a more marked overspill of the primary colours from the LCD panels (red, green, blue) can be seen on the surface of the pixels.



On the whole then, the picture is a little less accurate on this model. But remember, this is a magnified image we're comparing here, and from two metres away on your sofa you almost certainly won't notice a thing.

Picture smoothing and 3D. This projector has no 3D capabilities and no picture smoothing function for seamless action in video playback. I suppose it's normal that it doesn't offer 3D compatibility, since no manufacturer of either LCD or DLP projectors is yet offering it with 1080p. It looks like the lack of picture smoothing technology is the price to be paid for making an entry-level 1080p projector, as it's frequently found on high-end models.


Colour gamut: too wide

A too-wide colour gamut can be problematic for video playback. If you compare the colour gamut diagrams of the EH-TW2900 and the EH-TW5500 in our product face-off, you could be tempted to conclude that the TW2900 is better because it covers a larger area of the spectrum. That, however, is not the case, first of all because we changed the internal settings to reduce the number of colours displayed by the EH-TW5500, an option not available on the EH-TW2900. Next, you also have to remember that DVD and Blu-ray discs are currently encoded with colours in the sRGB colour space, represented by the black triangle in the colour gamut diagrams.

Basically, a good projector simply displays what you tell it to. If you ask it to display a particular shade of green, it should reproduce that exact shade to remain consistent with the source. If the projector changes the shade, scaling it up or down to make use of its larger range of colours, it is no longer doing what you're asking it to do and it no longer reproduces the original image as it was encoded. In other words, it doesn't display the correct colours and doesn't reproduce the original image as intended by its creator. The effect of this rescaling can be seen as colours that are too saturated, too bright, or verging on fluorescent.