Father's Day Gift Guide - Epson’s PowerLite Home Cinema 500 3LCD Projector

 ***Complimentary product received in exchange for an honest review***

Give your dad the title of “Greatest Dad” this Father’s Day with Epson’s new PowerLite Home Cinema 500 3LCD projector. Whether Dad wants to host a backyard movie night with the latest releases like “Escape from Planet Earth” or “A Good Day To Die Hard” or gear up for a “HALO 4” gaming tournament, the affordable Home Cinema 500 will make him the most popular Dad on the block without hurting the family budget.

The Home Cinema 500 pumps out 2,600 lumens of color brightness and 2,600 lumens of white brightness for a punchy picture on screens up to 300-inches. With a wide range of inputs including HDMI, built-in set-up tools and a compact design, Dad can easily set up a theater anywhere. In addition, it is equipped with a 2W speaker and the ability to connect additional external speakers for even better sound. 

 Key Features

• Up to 3x Brighter Colors and reliable performance — 3LCD, 3-chip technology*
• One measurement of brightness is not enough — look for both high color brightness and high white brightness.
  The PowerLite Home Cinema 500 has:
  Color Brightness: 2600 lumens¹
  White Brightness: 2600 lumens¹
• Brilliant image quality — supports widescreen content
• USB Plug 'n Play instant setup — instantly project from a PC or Mac via a USB connection
• Built-in image correction — for fast, easy set up
• Watch HD content with just one cable — digital HDMI audio / video connection
• Great sound anywhere with built-in speaker — no external speakers needed
• PC-free slideshows — via a USB thumb drive
• Quick, convenient control — Instant Off / On, Sleep Mode, Direct Power Off / On
• The ultimate in portability — compact, lightweight design and remote control included
• Game mode — one of four special color modes to choose from; ideal for displaying video games or TV programs in well-lit rooms
• Outstanding support — one-year parts-and-labor limited warranty

 

 

 My Thoughts

My husband has wanted a projector the longest time, but they were never in our budget. Most of them run $500 or more, but finally Epson is providing families everywhere with a more affordable option. The Epson’s PowerLite Home Cinema 500 3LCD Projector is one of the most reasonably priced projectors on the market at only $379, but don't think the low price tag means you're sacrificing quality.

 I've reviewed a lot of products over the last few years, but I never saw my husband get so excited as he did when this projector arrived. Being technologically challenged, I allowed him to hook it up and just observed the first time around. Its actually a lot easier to use than I expected. The system can be hooked up to your television so that DVDs, Blu-rays, cable television, or video games can all appear on your big screen with just the touch of a button. It's also possible to hook it into your computer or even plug in a USB and look at your family movies and photos on the life-size screen. The whole set up took only a few minutes and when we aren't using the system, it comes with a convenient carry case that makes for easy storage and also allows it to be portable. 

Once you have the protector ready to go,  you can transform almost any location into a 2D theater. The screen can be up to 300 inches which is 25 times larger than a 60 inch television screen. Adjusting the image height and shape to get just the right dimensions to fit on the screen took a few tries, but was not complicated.  The bright color works both in dark rooms or well lit areas,. You can set up up in the living room or have an afternoon matinee in your backyard. The built is speakers also provide excellent sound quality. You can add additional speakers if you want the surround sound effect. It even works with both full screen and wide screen formats. 

If you don't have a movie screen, no worries. The protector will work on any blank wall or even a large white sheet, though the quality is not as good as a professional screen. Epson offers some great options for screens if you need one. My family is having so much fun with our projector. We have used it both inside and outside with great results. Cartoons and video games are amazing on the giant screen. Its a blast for sleepovers, just be sure to set a password so kids don't accidentally mess up your settings.  This projector is definitely top notch and you just can't beat this price

***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. I did receive a sample of the product to try in order to write a fair and honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way. ***