Epson LS800
Reddit take
AI summary of the Reddit excerpts below — not a quote
The Epson LS800 is a popular 3LCD ultra-short-throw (UST) projector praised for having one of the shortest throw ratios on the market, allowing it to sit very close to the wall while producing a large image. It is frequently highlighted for its high brightness, making it suitable for living rooms with ambient light, and its 3LCD technology which eliminates the 'rainbow effect' seen in DLP projectors. However, users often note that it lacks the deep contrast and black levels of dedicated dark-room projectors and can be quite loud when the fan is at 100% brightness.
Pros
- Industry-leading ultra-short throw distance allows for large images even on shallow furniture.
- High brightness levels perform well in rooms with ambient light or windows.
- 3LCD technology avoids the 'rainbow effect' common in DLP-based competitors.
- Impressive picture quality and vividness, particularly when paired with an ALR screen.
Cons
- Noticeable fan noise when running at 100% laser power; many users prefer 70% to reduce noise.
- Black levels and contrast are considered mediocre for dedicated dark-room movie watching.
- Lacks support for 3D and Dolby Vision.
- Extremely sensitive to wall imperfections; any 'wavy' surface will cause significant image distortion.
Caveats
- Requires a perfectly flat wall or a high-quality fixed-frame screen due to the extreme throw angle.
- Ceiling mounting is described as difficult or a 'non-starter' due to its specific throw requirements.
- Some users report integration issues with smart home systems like Control4 and a lack of screen triggers.
Best for
- Living room setups with some natural light.
- Users sensitive to DLP rainbow effects.
- Small spaces where the projector must sit directly against the wall.
Avoid if
- You are building a dedicated, light-controlled home theater where black levels are the priority.
- You require 3D or Dolby Vision support.
- You have uneven or textured walls and do not plan to use a tensioned screen.
This summary uses balanced time weighting with about a 6-month half-life. The evidence is older, with a median age of approximately 419 days, which may affect relevance as newer UST models have since entered the market.
Sentiment
32 positive (53%) · 21 mixed (35%) · 7 negative (12%)
Trust + time weighted score: +50% · raw score 42%
What redditors said (10 of 60)
Parent context: This my epson ls800 with their 120 inch alr screen. We enjoyed it a lot. So much so we are going to 150 Reply: I have the same setup. The image is often absolutely stunning, even though black levels are a bit of a weakness, but that has to be put in perspective. With a 0.5 gain lamellar screen, the blacks are arguably black enough. So even a projector that's worse in many ways than the class leaders still produces jaw-dropping visuals.
The LS800 can easily handle 150 inches though. It's bright enough and the ultra ultra short throw helps (you don't have to slam it on the floor to project 150).
Epson LS800 owner here. I love mine. I'd still not buy it today compared to the current crop *unless* you know for a fact you're very rainbow effect sensitive, *or* if you know you really want the extra short ultra short throw it has.
If you're going to be using a wavy wall it's going to look considerably worse than a longer throw unit, and the Epson LS800 will be the worst of all, because it has the shortest throw on the market. This means it's super sensitive to wavy walls and it also has to be extremely close to the wall, so installing it in the ceiling is a non-starter.
Even though I have the Epson myself and love it, there are better choices on the market now.
I'm helped by using the Epson LS800 which has the shortest throw distance on the market so it fits with a 120 inch static screen even in my low ceiling European house.
I'm pretty happy with my LS800, the key is to find an ALR screen that has low gain.
your projector choices boil down to an Epson LS800, 3LCD. It's a great projector but a notch below the latest generation.
But let's just say I'm not at all upset that my Epson LS800 "only" has doubled up 1080p. The limitations of the human eye means it still looks glorious - fron the seated position.
Honestly, what I really want is for JVC or Sony to make an LCoS variant of an UST, with a throw about as short as the LS800
Compare
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