The Epson Home Cinema 880 is one of the most affordable full HD projectors on the market. The Epson 880’s bright lamp, fast processor, and 3LCD chip technology deliver a sharp, vibrant picture. Add in the compact design and easy set-up and you’ll see this projector is a great choice for convenience and versatility, as well as value.
There’s a lot to love about the Epson 880, but like any projector it won’t be the perfect choice for everyone. Let’s break down its features and performance in this Epson Home Cinema 880 review so you can decide if it meets your home theater needs. (>>> Check current price on Amazon)
Epson Home Cinema 880 Review of Main Specs:
| Epson Home Cinema 880 | |
|---|---|
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| Resolution | 1920x1080 |
| Brightness (Lumens) | 3,300 |
| Contrast Ratio | 16,000:1 |
| Zoom | fixed-zoom |
| Throw Distance | 2.2' - 34.0' |
| Screen size | 25" - 386" |
| Speakers | 2.0 Watts Mono |
| Price | BHPhotoVideo.com |
Design
The Epson Home Cinema 880 has a slim 3.6” profile and weighs just 6 pounds. That makes it a very portable option, first of all, and is also helpful when you’re mounting or installing it. It’s a low-maintenance option, too, with a rugged housing and a high build quality so you can move it around and not worry it’ll break.
The connection panel of the Epson 880 has a single HDMI input. There are also USB ports for devices and a 3.5mm audio out, but in terms of content inputs the options are limited. It does support wireless screen mirroring through Miracast, so you’ll get wireless and wired input options.
There is a single 2-watt speaker on the Epson Home Cinema 880. It’s fine for basic TV watching, especially since the fan is relatively quiet. The bass performance of the speakers is weak, though, as is the overall output, so the majority of users will want to hook up external sound sources.
Installation
The Epson Home Cinema 880 can produce an image up to 386” diagonally. It’s a standard-throw projector, so you’ll need a decent amount of space to get a screen that large. For a 100” screen, plan for 8-9 feet of distance between the lens and screen.
One unexpected feature you’ll get on the Epson 880 is automatic skew adjustment. It has a built-in sensor that analyzes the image and tweaks the geometry to keep it square. This is especially helpful for first-time projector owners who aren’t sure how to make these adjustments manually. There is still a manual horizontal and vertical keystone correction if you need to tweak it further.
Pros
- Wide color gamut with no rainbowing
- Smooth and blur-free for sports and action movies
- Bright lamp can be used in any light level
- Automatic keystone adjustment
- Supports screen mirroring through Miracast
- Compact and portable build
Cons
- Weak built-in sound
- Limited connection options
Picture Quality
The Epson Home Cinema 880 uses a 210-watt UHE bulb lamp with 3LCD chip technology for the color processing. It delivers full HD resolution with dynamic contrast at all screen sizes, and the lamp is powerful enough to keep the picture clear and saturated during lights-on viewing.
The color accuracy and brightness of the Epson 880 is particularly impressive. Since it uses a 3-chip design, it’s not prone to image issues like rainbowing that can affect projectors using color wheels. You can also optimize the color to your content using the 4 pre-set color modes, with more in-depth adjustment options for those who like to fiddle with settings.
The processing speed is also relatively high on the Epson 880. While it’s not quite responsive enough for us to recommend it for gaming, it performs well on a range of visual content, including fast-paced sports and intense action sequences. That visual versatility makes it an ideal all-around option for multi-use spaces like living rooms.
The Verdict: Epson Home Cinema 880 Review
Anyone looking for a budget-friendly home theater projector should consider the Epson Home Cinema 880. The picture quality you get for the price makes it an exceptional value, and it’s user-friendly design means you don’t need to be an electronics expert to enjoy using it. We hope the info in this article has helped you decide if it’s the best option for you! (>>> Check on Bhphotovideo)