Epson Turns Summer Memories Into Priceless Keepsakes.

Epson Expression Printers Turns Summer Memories into Priceless Keepsakes

Summer Vacation Photos Become Personalized Souvenirs with

Expression Small-in-One Printers and Creative Print App

LONG BEACH, Calif. – July 12, 2016 – Each year, Americans make over 650 million long-distance trips between Memorial Day and Labor Day1. Whether a trip to the mountains, an outdoor music festival or relaxing sea-side escape, summer vacations are captured by photos then shared with family and friends on social media. But too often they get lost in crowded newsfeeds. Instead of letting those incredible summer memories fade into the cloud, print them to create meaningful keepsakes that will be treasured for years to come. Epson® Expression® Home and Premium Small-in-One® printers make it easy to create do-it-yourself (DIY) photo souvenirs to commemorate those special summer memories. Plus, with the enhanced Epson Creative Print App, users can print directly from Facebook as well as create and print collages with favorite Instagram photos.

“Summer vacations are an enjoyable time for family and friends without the distraction of home,” said Monika Dees, senior product marketing manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America, Inc. “These trips often turn into long lasting memories, and the photos we take to capture special moments need to last as well. Whether printing photos for a frame, scrapbook or gift, Expression Home and Premium printers, such as the XP-430 and XP-830, are ideal creativity tools to help create beautifully printed, tangible family memories for years to come.”

Looking for a unique way to showcase the best family photos? Spark creativity with these personalized photo décor ideas:

·        DIY Photo Coasters: Print vacation photos and create coasters that will last for years. With 4” x 4” ceramic tiles, 4” x 4” printed photos and easy-to-find craft supplies, it’s easy to turn travel photos into souvenirs for home décor or memorable family gifts.

·        Summer Memory Wreath: Whether displayed at home or created as a gift, a memory wreath is a great way to showcase your favorite vacation photos. Start with an 18” grapevine wreath, dark floral wire, Epson Premium Glossy photo paper and 24 2” x 3” picture frames. Print out your best photographs and place in frames after removing easels. Use wire to attach each frame to wreath.

About the Epson Creative Print App

Epson’s Creative Print app offers a seamless solution to create, preserve and share Instagram and Facebook pictures in the form of long-lasting, high-quality photos. The Creative Print app is currently available for free download from Google Play and on the App Store. For a list of compatible Epson printers, visit http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/epson-connect/mobile-printing/creative-print-app.do. 

About the Epson Expression Home and Premium Small-in-Ones

The compact, easy-to-use Expression Home XP-430 ($99.00 MSRP) leverages instant-dry DURABrite four-color CMYK inks for smudge, fade and water resistant prints, and makes everyday printing a breeze. The Expression Premium series including the Expression Premium XP-630 ($149.00 MSRP) and XP-830 ($199.00 MSRP), leverages a Claria® Premium five-ink system to deliver superior quality, borderless prints up to 8”x10” and documents with sharp text.

Expression Small-in-Ones offer auto two-sided printing to save paper as well as easy-to-use creative tools for printing photos and projects. Designed as complete wireless solutions, the printers feature built-in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ n1 and Wi-Fi Direct™ for network-free printing, as well as a variety of solutions to print from iPhone, iPad, Android, smartphones and tablets2 at home or on the go. Plus, enjoy PC-free printing3 with built-in memory card slots. Epson Expression Premium printers also feature USB ports for added convenience.  Plus, print on specialty paper3, a variety of sizes of photo paper and CDs/DVDs with dedicated input trays. The XP-830 also includes an auto-extend and retract output tray so prints don’t end up on the floor when printing remotely.

About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to connecting people, things and information with its original efficient, compact and precision technologies. With a lineup that ranges from inkjet printers and digital printing systems to 3LCD projectors, smart glasses, sensing systems and industrial robots, the company is focused on driving innovations and exceeding customer expectations in inkjet, visual communications, wearables and robotics.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 67,000 employees in 90 companies around the world, and is proud of its contributions to the communities in which it operates and its ongoing efforts to reduce environmental impacts.

Epson America, Inc., based in Long Beach, Calif., is Epson’s regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. 

My Thoughts:

Epson was kind enough to send me one of their fantastic printers, the Epson Expression Home XP-430 Small-in-One® Printer for this review. This quality product is easy to use, user friendly, fast, and affordable. I loved how easy it was to set up and use. The screen itself can be navigated using the back and fourth buttons. All I had to do was put in my WiFi password and it immediately was ready for use for anything that needed to printed via the internet. What I also loved was that the printer came with two cords. One for hooking the printer up to the wall and one to hook directly up to your laptop. You can also print photos directly from you Smartphone or tablet.  

Epson also included all the ink needed as well! I was very impressed with that since ink is usually what people worry about when it comes to printers. Epson has always made their ink affordable however! That's one thing I love about their products, along with the lasting power and fantastic performance. 

A few other great pluses in this product include a SD card reader right in the front of the printer. You can scan and make copies as well. The size of the printer overall is not too large, so it won't take up too much space. It is also pretty light weight! For those that love Facebook, there is an option to scan photos to there or to cloud. Quality features such as red eye removal and photo restoration are available as well. Very unique additions for a product so affordable! The only additional thing I do wish was included was a paper manual. Other than that, this was an incredible addition to my home! We're a family that loves photography. 

Overall, I was extremely impressed by the quality of performance and photos received! I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a new printer! Thank you Epson for the ability to try this out!  

Connect with Epson:

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New Epson Expression Printers

Epson Debuts New Ultra-Slim, Ultra-Powerful Epson Expression Premium and Photo Small-in-One Printers

Expression Premium XP-530, XP-630, XP-830 and Expression Photo XP-960 Deliver Versatile Performance and Superior Photo Quality

Epson America, Inc. today introduced its next generation of ultra-slim, ultra-powerful Expression^® Small-in-One^® wireless photo printers. Designed to suit the needs of busy households and creative enthusiasts, the Expression Premium series, including the Expression Premium XP-530, XP-630 and XP-830, leverages a Claria^® Premium five-ink system to deliver superior quality, borderless prints up to 8” x10”. The Expression Photo XP-960 Small-in-One printer features six-color Claria Photo HD inks to deliver photo enthusiasts with vivid, professional-quality borderless photos up to 11” x17” and documents with sharp text.

The Expression Small-in-Ones offer auto two-sided printing to save paper and easy to use creative tools for printing lab-quality photos. Designed as complete wireless solutions, the printers feature built-in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ n¹ and Wi-Fi Direct™ for network-free printing, as well as built-in memory card slots and USB ports for PC-free printing². Each feature-rich Small-in-One also allows users to easily print from smartphones and tablets³ at home or on the go with Epson Connect^™ and edit, scan and share photos directly to Facebook^®or the cloud⁴. All models are compatible with the Epson Creative Print app to easily print Facebook photos and create custom cards, coloring books, stationary and more.

“We understand that families typically lead hectic, on-the-go lifestyles, and as such require a versatile printing solution – one that is affordable, but packs a punch in terms of features and performance,” said Monika Dees, senior product marketing manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America, Inc. “The latest Expression printers make it easy for busy families and photo enthusiasts to stay connected, creative and productive.” 

The Expression Photo and Premium Small-in-Ones offer superior photo quality with a versatile set of features to meet a range of creative printing needs:

-   Expression Photo XP-960 Small-in-One – The newest addition to the Expression Photo family features the Claria Photo HD ink system and a larger 4.3-inch LCD screen to print stunning, professional quality photos up to 11”x17”, with borderless 4”x6” photo printing in as fast as 11 seconds⁵. The XP-960 comes equipped with an innovative fold-over scan lid that allows documents and photos to stay in place for high quality scans and a rear paper feed for specialty paper such as card stock, envelopes, labels and more.

-   Expression Premium XP-830 Small-in-One – The feature-rich XP-830 delivers superior photo quality and versatility with a 30-page Auto Document Feeder and auto 2-sided printing, copying, scanning, and faxing to save time. Print vivid, borderless 4”x6” photos in as fast as 12 seconds⁵ using the intuitive 4.3" touchscreen, or print on specialty paper⁶ and CDs/DVDs. The printer also features an auto-extend and retract output tray for added convenience.

-   Expression Premium XP-630 Small-in-One – The ultra-powerful XP-630 delivers superior photo quality and convenient features for fast, easy printing. The XP-630 prints vivid, borderless photos up to 8" x 10", and provides dedicated trays for printing photos and DVDs. Plus, save time with auto two-sided printing. Other features include a 2.7" LCD as well as built-in USB port and memory card slot² for PC-free printing.

-   Expression Premium XP-530 Small-in-One – Perfect for busy families, the ultra-slim XP-530 delivers superior photo quality for vivid, borderless prints up to 8" x 10”. Use the built-in memory card slot², plus lined paper and calendar templates, for simple, PC-free printing. Or, easily print Facebook^® photos, coloring books, stationery and more with Epson's Creative Print App.

Pricing and Availability

The Expression Photo and Premium Small-in-Ones are now available through photo specialty, major e-tail and retail stores nationwide:

Expression Printer Editions	Price (MSRP)
Epson Expression Photo XP-960 Small-in-One	$299
Epson Expression Premium XP-830 Small-in-One	$199
Epson Expression Premium XP-630 Small-in-One	$149
Epson Expression Premium XP-530 Small-in-One	$129

For more information, please visit www.epson.com.

About Epson

Epson is a global innovation leader dedicated to exceeding expectations with solutions for markets as diverse as the office, home, commerce, and industry. Epson's lineup ranges from inkjet printers, printing systems and 3LCD projectors to industrial robots, smart glasses and sensing systems and is based on original compact, energy-saving, and high-precision technologies.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 72,000 employees in 94 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and the communities in which it operates. Epson America, Inc. based in Long Beach, Calif. is Epson’s regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit:www.epson.com.

You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/Epson), Twitter (http://twitter.com/EpsonAmerica) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/EpsonAmerica).

There is a scanner on this printer.

This is how I leave it, with the tray out. If the tray is in, then it beeps and won't print until you pull the tray out.

This is with the tray in and the screen pushed down so the printer is flat in the front.

A sample of the color it prints. It's very bright and the colors really pop off the paper.

My Thoughts

I can not tell you the last time I bought a printer. Especially one like the Epson XP-630. Prior to this printer, I have been using a very old black and white laser printer. This printer has opened up a whole new world to me. Just being able to print in color has been awesome. I'm a crafty person and I have all kinds of tings on Pinterest pinned for crafts to do, that I needed to be able to print in color. As well, I've wanted to be able to print our own photos of the kids to put up around the house. This printer has made a big difference for us already.

As far as setting up, it wasn't too complicated. My husband plugged the printer in, put in the ink that came with the box. Please note, it came with extra cartridges as well, so when these ones run out, there is an extra set ready. He then followed the instructions on the screen and connected it to our wi-fi. I then downloaded the software on my computer, and withing about fifteen minutes, we were up and running. Some of that time was that the machine needed roughly ten minutes to warm up for the first use. 

I've used the printer quite a few times, and only one time has it taken it awhile to print and it had been about a week since I'd used it, so I think it needed to do as it did the day we first turned it on. I have been wirelessly printing from my laptop to the printer without any issues. I also connected my iPhone up to be able to print with it. That was a little harder, but once I had it set-up, I was good. 

The printer comes with it's own e-mail address. So you can email a document to that email address and it will print. I can not verify if it works if you are not at home. I have not tested that out.

The print quality is really good. So far I have printed out documents, photos, and sticker sheets. Each one was bright and vibrant. The color didn't smear and was crisp. I was very impressed with this printer and would recommend it to someone else.

Express Yourself this Valentine’s Day with Epson DIY Tech

From young love to budding romance to friendship or family relationships, Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to show the people in your life you care. And what’s a better way to say “I love you” than leveraging a robust printing solution to create hand-made, personalized gifts from the heart? Allow me to introduce the Epson Expression Premium XP-860 Small-in-One.

Leveraging Epson’s MicroPiezo printing technology and Claria Premium inks, the XP-820 delivers consumer-rated unbeatable photo quality for vivid, borderless photos up to 8” x 10,” plus direct CD/DVD printing. Create a custom-labeled music compilation for that special someone, or even personalized valentines for the little one’s classmates. Plus, the XP-860 comes equipped with the Epson Connect™ suite of free mobile printing solutions, and even enables users to edit, scan and share photos directly to Facebook™ or the cloud. 

Connect with Epson

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My Thoughts

This is one cool printer!  Our first color printer was an inkjet, purchased many years ago and inkjets have come really far in all those years!  Epson not only sent us the printer, but a lot of media to go with it - Premium Glossy Photo Paper in several sizes, and printable CD's.  My favorite part: the photo quality is just amazing!  That is, once you use the right settings, LOL!!  The first time I printed a photo using the Epson Expression Photo XP-860, I forgot to set the printer settings and used the default settings – it wasn’t bad, about as good as the original inkjet photo printers, but I was really disappointed.  Until I realized my mistake, got it corrected, and then was WOWED with the final version.  Most of the time I don't get my photos printed, because you never really know what you’re going to get.  I’ve had some that looked fantastic on the screen, but was then less than pleased at the print quality when picking them up from the photo store, or the print quality of older inkjet printers - nice, but not *great*.  I have lots of photos I want to frame, so now I can! 

My husband did all the setup work to install the Expression Photo XP-860 in our home office. It really didn’t take too long and he had mostly good things to say about the whole installation process – with the exception of that it wants you to install some toolbar as part of the installation.  But, you can opt out of that (we did).  It can be set up wireless which is awesome for our small office – it’s across the room and we aren’t tripping over cables!  As an IT professional, he said the wireless setup wasn't as straightforward as it could be, and the printer seemed to "forget" its wireless setup, as it worked that night, but needed to be re-set up the next day.  He also said the management and configuration cability was limited in comparison to installing other leading brand printers.  

Now, you can get labels to print for CD/DVD’s, but this printer actually allows you to print ON the CD/DVD!!  How cool is that??  No more messing around with getting the sticky label on just right.  You can choose your text, font, everything! My husband is having lots of fun with this option, in fact just ordered a new spindle just for that purpose! I think we may have created a monster there . . .

One option that I think is THE coolest – is the ability to print right from your smartphone, iphone, ipad, tablet, or computer.  I mean, printing wireless from my pc is one thing, but to be able to print from my phone?  AWESOME!!  Granted, I don’t have a smartphone yet, but my old phone’s pretty near death and a smartphone will be my next upgrade.  And I take LOTS of pictures with my phone! Another great feature, I can even print directly from my camera’s memory card!  I just got a new digital camera and I am so pleased with the quality of pictures it takes, so I am super excited to get outdoor photos of my son this summer – and now that I can print great quality photos myself, it just makes it that much easier to share photos with the grandparents, who are always asking for photos!  The printer also features a touchscreen, where you can preview your photos and even do a little photo editing.

This printer has other options, too, which make it an excellent choice for a home office.  Not only can I print, but I can scan, copy, and fax!  The scanned in pictures are of excellent quality, too!  For all that it does, it's a nice SMALL compact design, not a big gigantic unit.  I feel like I have the best of both worlds now – last fall we purchased a new color laser printer to replace our “still works but is too old to work with new software” black and white laser printer.  While laser printing is preferable to me for some things, photos are not one of them. And while that color laser printer is pretty cool, it doesn’t have anywhere near the amazing features the Expression Photo XP-860 does.

Highly recommended – perfect for the home office!

Holiday Gift Guide: Epson LabelWorks Iron On Kit

About:
This full-featured kit includes a LabelWorks LW-300 printer, 2 iron-on tape cartridges, and an application guide — everything you need to create personalized iron-on labels for school items, uniforms, sports jerseys, and more. Customize your label using a wide variety of fonts, symbols, and frames. Then easily print and cut your perfectly-sized label using Epson's LW-300 printer. The durable, machine-washable, iron-on labels can be applied to almost any fabric in just a few seconds. The included carrying case neatly stores the LW-300 printer, two 12mm tape cartridges, six AAA-sized batteries (not included), and an optional AC adapter (not included). Take ordinary to extraordinary with the Epson LabelWorks Iron-on kit!

Out Thoughts:
I can't tell you how many times I have wished for a convenient label maker for backpacks, coats, hoddies, and the like. Epson makes great products that allow for ease of use and are practical. The new LabelWorks Iron-On Kit is just more of the same great quality products we've come to know from Epson.

I wasn't sure how easy the label maker would be to use, as there are a lot of buttons and features, but I was surprised to learn it just takes some playing with. Straight forward and easy. It's easy to become a little addicted to making cute labels for clothes. This label maker is a teacher's paradise!

There are several fun and practical features:
Everything you need to create personalized iron-on labels — includes a LabelWorks LW-300 printer, 2 iron-on tape cartridges and an application guide
Amazing variety — 14 fonts, 10 styles, 300+ built-in symbols, over 75 frames and more
Less waste — smaller lead margin compared to other brands, for up to 60% less lead margin waste
Large built-in memory — store up to 30 self-created label designs
Prints up to two lines of text — more space for you to add specialty frames or symbols to enhance your design
Easy to apply — automatically printed with a split back for easy and fast peeling
Whisper quiet — prints labels without distracting those around you
Iron-on labels — durable, machine-washable iron-on labels can be applied to almost any fabric in just seconds
Carrying case included — stores the LW-300 printer, two cartridges, six AAA-sized batteries (not included) and optional AC Adapter (not included)

Having two children, one in fourth grade and a one year old, the Epson LabelWorks Iron-On Kit  will get lots of use for the next several years. This holiday season don't forget to pick yours up either! Follow Epson on their social media: Facebook and Twitter.

Epson Expression Premium XP-810 Small-in-One Review

Epson America, Inc. today launched the feature-rich Epson^® Expression^® Premium XP-810 and XP-610 Small-in-One^™ printers designed for today’s busy families and photo enthusiasts. Packing ultra -powerful performance into an ultra-slim design, the Expression Premium series leverages Epson's MicroPiezo^® printing technology and Claria^® Premium inks to produce consumer-rated unbeatable quality¹ prints at home or on-the-go with Epson Connect^™  for easy printing from a tablet, smartphone or computer from literally anywhere in the world².

The Expression XP-810 and XP-610 are designed as complete wireless solutions, featuring built-in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED^™ n³ and Wi-Fi Direct^™ for network-free printing.  Both models are always ready to print, offering built-in memory card slots for PC-free printing, automatic two-sided printing to save paper⁴, easy-to-use creative tools such as a dedicated photo tray and direct CD/DVD printing, as well as built-in auto photo correction tools.  

“Expression Premium Small-in-Ones are designed to provide busy households and photo enthusiasts with a powerful creativity tool, packing a robust feature set and unbeatable photo quality into an ultra slim design,” said Joe Keller, product manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America, Inc. “With comprehensive wireless capabilities and Epson Connect mobile printing solutions, it’s now easier than ever for consumers to print from the home or anywhere in the world.” 

The flagship Expression XP-810 adds a 30-page Auto Document Feeder for automatic two-sided copying, scanning and faxing, a 3.5-inch touchscreen with gesture navigation for easy setup and operation, specialty paper support through its rear paper feed⁵, and an auto-extend paper output tray. Plus, time-saving, bonus templates are also available for printing lined school paper, graph paper, calendar pages, and custom note paper with personal photos – all without a computer.

Additional Expression Premium Small-in-One Features:

·         Epson Connect – easily print and scan from anywhere with Epson Email Print, Epson iPrint^™ mobile app, and  Epson Remote Print

·         Print speeds of 14 ISO ppm for black and 11 ISO ppm for color and 13 ppm black and 10 ISO ppm color for the XP-810 and XP-610 respectively⁶

·         Print borderless 4” x 6” photos –  in as fast as 12 seconds⁷ (XP-810)

·         High-quality scanning up to 2400 dpi (XP-610) and 400 dpi (XP-810)

·         PC-free photo printing with card slots and built-in photo correction that automatically corrects digital images, including advanced face detection and color correction

·         Eco-friendly features, including ENERGY STAR^® qualified, support of recycled paper, RoHS compliant and designed to be recycled⁸

·         Built in Ethernet networking (XP-810)

·         Individual ink cartridges to replace only the color needed; standard and high-capacity (XL) black and color ink cartridges accommodate various printing needs

Pricing and Availability

The Epson Expression Premium XP-610 ($149.99*) and Epson Expression XP-810 ($229.99*) will be available in mid-September through major retailer stores nationwide. For more information, please visit www.epson.com.

My Thoughts

I am completely inept when it comes to electronics. Really, I have no idea how I manage to run this blog.  Yet, the Epson Expression Premium XP-810 was super simple to set up.  Just a few simple steps and it was up and running wirelessly from both my desktop computer, my husband's laptop, and even my kids' iPads. One of the really great features of this printer is that once connected to these devices, you can print pictures from pretty much anywhere. To be honest, I had a hard time figuring out how this part worked, but that's what a have a teenager for.  They are the ones that use wireless devices anyway. Using Epson Connect, my daughter was able to send pictures of her little sister on the pony ride right to the printer while we were still at the fall festival. All she had to do was go online and download the app.

I was also really impressed with how long the ink is lasting. As an author and a mom of four, my printer works overtime and the old cartridges never seemed to last long enough. I've been using these for over a week and printed tons of images with no need for refills. I must have printed at least twenty color pictures as well as fifty pages of my newest novel. On my last printer I was lucky if I got ten pictures out of it before at least one color ran out.  When you do start running low on ink, you can replace one color at a time so nothing is wasted.

One of the other features of the Epson that I had to share is the scanning abilities. The picture below is my great grandmother and its over one hundred years old. Time was taking its toll on this photo and without scanning it, I might have lost it forever. Now, I was able to share in on my face book page and tag all cousins from all over the country so we can all share in these fond memories. That was probably the best gift that Epson provided.  I was also able to print copies and the quality was amazing, even using this old world photo.  Of course, the scanner also comes in handy for sending back signed contracts and other work tasks. I used to either mail contracts or run to the library to have them faxxed, but now I can handle it all from the comfort of my own home. 

There are a few other things worth a mention. While I haven't had a chance to try it out since I have no one to send anything to and I normally prefer scanning, there is a built in fax machine. It's also a compact machine with no messy wires. It doesn't take up a lot of space and fits snugly right next to the monitor on my desk.  So far, I have had no issues with paper jams or smearing when printing photos or documents.  Overall, I am very impressed with everything this printer is able to do. I've used more expensive models in the past that didn't work nearly as well.  This printer is a great price, does it all, and I would definitely recommend it.

 If you would like to learn more about the Epson Expression Premium XP-810 , or any of the awesome products in the Epson family, check out their website.  To keep up with new products and promotions, be sure to follow them on twitter.  Epson has always been my top pick for printers, and now I have even more reasons to love them.


***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. ***
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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. ***