Introduction
Home projectors have quickly become a key part of many peoples experience when devouring the endless content produced by Netflix and their contemporaries. A few key companies have stepped up to provide high quality home projectors.
Epson is one such company, and it is responsible for producing the [link url=”https://amzn.to/2JrvCMs”]Epson Home Cinema 1060[/link] and [link url=”https://amzn.to/2olJOiO”]Epson Home Cinema 2150[/link]. These high-performance 3LCD projectors were intended to give users that much desired cinematic experience without breaking the bank.
The projectors deliver accurate colors in their different modes straight out of the box, and users simply have to plug in their projectors to begin enjoying the experience and value they give. Apart from being affordable, the two projectors share some similarities but also have distinct differences that set them apart from each other.
Specifications Epson HC1060 and HC2150
The price is the immediate notable difference between these two projectors would be in their pricing. The Epson HC2150 is a few hundred dollars costlier than the HC1060. Both of these projectors’ brags some relatively decent specifications and have frequently been classified by users as some of the best under 1000 projectors that one can consider. By digging deeper into the specifications of each of the projectors should reveal which of the two is the better option.
Projection System & Image Quality
Brightness
As far as the image and projection systems of the HC1060 and HC2150 go, they both have the same native resolution of 1920 x 1080 with similar aspect ratios of 16:9. An in-depth look into the functionalities of these sections reveals that the brightness of the projectors vary with the HC1060 having a 3100 ANSI lumens brightness in comparison to the HC2150’s 2500 ANSI lumens.
Given the respective brightness levels the lamp lives caught us by surprises as the 1060 which is much brighter than the 2150 had an approximate lamp life of 6000 hours and 10,000 hours while in Eco mode while the 2150’s lamp life was approximately 4500 hours in active use and 7500 in eco mode.
Nevertheless, the brightness of both projectors is sufficient for a lot of ambient light settings as it cuts through effortlessly and does not compromise on the vibrancy of the images.
Throw Distance/Screen Size
The projectors have varying throw distances of between 1.4 – 3.4 and 1.4 – 8.8 for the 1060 and 2150 respectively. If you are purchasing the projectors hoping to view your imagery on a large screen size, you should obviously opt for the 2150 as it covers more distance and the screen would be big enough for everyone watching. Both projectors are equipped with horizontal and vertical keystone; however, while they both lack the horizontal lens shift, only the HC2150 has a vertical lens shift.
3D Experience
Finally, with the HC2150 projector you can get the 3D experience provided you have the proper additional accessories. With the projector’s resolution and display technology having a lot in common, comparing the two projectors in this light means that users have to consider the color accuracy and contrast ratio of the projectors in order to make a final decision on which of the two projectors they should opt for.
Connectivity
As far as connectivity goes, both the projectors have the same connectivity options with the exception of the composite video input which the Epson HC 2150 is lacking. Both projectors are equipped with two HDMI inputs, a USB media port, and a PC input. Both the projectors do not have wireless HDMI input, component video input, or an R-232 port.
Additional features of the Epson HC1060 and HC2150
Having looked at the main specifications of the projectors above, there were additional features that we felt needed highlighting for individuals who may be comparing the two projectors with the sole intent of purchasing one or the other.
The fans in the projectors are relatively silent, producing an inaudible noise of 37 decibels which will not interfere with a user’s experience. Particularly if you have an additional sound system as part of your home entertainment system you will certainly not hear the fan. Another notable feature would be the power usage which varies by 3 watts for the two projectors.
During the different tests we conducted we noticed that the Epson HC1060 projector used roughly 315 watts while the HC2150 utilized 312 watts.
When it comes to color, the HC2150 performs much better in all the projector modes except for the dynamic mode, but this does not mean that the HC1060 does a shoddy job as it is fitted with a dynamic iris. Likewise, the HC2150 has a wireless network control that can be used in a remote wireless network and it also provides users with Miracast and WiDi for wireless streaming.
The dimension and weight of the projectors were also something we felt users should pay attention to.
The Epson 1060 weighs 2.6kg and has a dimension of 12” x 3-3/4” x 10-7/8” while the Epson 2150 weighs 3.5 kgs and with dimensions of 12-1/4” x 4-7/8” x 12-1/4”. Finally, even though we had previously mentioned that the HC2150 could display images a little wider, it is crucial that you note the zoom varies at 1:6:2 in comparison to the HC1060’s 1:2:1 zoom.
Which one should you opt for?
We had a difficult time making the decision of which of the two projectors was the better one, but after much deliberation, we felt that the Epson HC2150 took home the crown. There were some features such as the 3D capability, the greater zoom and throw distance as well as the color output which we felt gave it an edge over the Epson 1060. However, this does not mean that the HC1060 is not capable. As a crossover projector it does a pretty decent job in comparison to other projectors such as its predecessor the HC1040 amongst others. The decision on which is the better projector is one that solely relies on the projector’s user simply because they understand their needs best.