EPSON EMP-TW680 service manual

ON TEST / LCD PROJECTOR

Verdict

★★★★★

Approx price £800

Epson EMP-TW680

No nonsense LCD with good pictures for a great price

Easy to set up, HD pictures are

B

heavy on detail, natural colour palette

Can’t display full HD, average

E

contrast ratio

The rivals

/

Epson EMP-TW700

★★★★★

This keenly priced and versatile short-throw
LCD projector suffers only from mediocre
contrast levels. Reviewed: Issue 319

/

ViewSonic PJ258D

★★★★★

With a built-in iPod dock it’s possible to
watch movies on this little LCD projector,
albeit in the most basic quality.
Reviewed: Issue 321

AN OFTEN MESSY and expensive
business, home cinema projection
has been an enthusiasts-only zone
in the UK until now. That could be
about to change with the arrival of
products such as Epson’s TW680.

Sporting an HD Ready badge and
costing around £800, this 3LCD
projector is the company’s foremost
budget offering, although its TW700
sibling is now only £1,000. The price
difference arises from the TW680’s
use of a slightly inferior lens, but for
those after a cheap and simple HD
set-up, there are few rivals.

Features ★★★★★

The TW680 might offer the most
basic feature set of any projector
that classes itself as ‘home cinema’,
but it is surprisingly versatile.

The key limitation is its
resolution. With 1,280 x 720 pixels,
this projector is only fi t for
displaying the most basic high­defi nition format: 720p.

The Epson may just be HD
Ready, but its other vital statistics –
a brightness of 1,600 ANSI lumens
and contrast ratio of 10,000:1 –
aren’t half bad. The latter fi gure is
of great importance because this
company’s projectors, and LCD
technology in general, have long
suffered from a lack of shadow
detail in dark images. Epson is
hoping its Dynamic Iris technology
will solve this problem, as well as
adding solidity to colours. Not that
hues have been forgotten because
the unit incorporates 10-bit
processing as well as an array of
preset colour modes.

These include a simple brightness
booster that allows you to use the
lightbox in daylight conditions,
although you’ll still need to wait
until dusk for best results.

There are blackness adjusters –
Theatre Blacks 1 and 2 – although
we can’t see why you’d want to view
a movie with anything other than

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Ease of use ★★★★★

The TW680’s simple set-up is at the
core of this projector. With its 1.5x
optical zoom, the lens is able to
create a stunning 60in image from
under two metres away, so images
can be confi gured almost anywhere.
The lens, while not the most
advanced in terms of image quality,
is certainly versatile.

Thanks to its extended horizontal
lens shift, the image can be shifted
96 per cent up and down, and
vertically 47 per cent left and right.
In practical terms, this means you
can position the machine on a table
well to the side of the viewing area,
and avoid the hum and heat of the
projector. And while the unit does
run hot, fan noise is minimal and
never disrupts watching the movie.

Picture ★★★★★

Danny Boyle’s Sunshine on Blu-ray
gets the best out of the TW680.
Some shots of the sun’s path across
the Icarus’ shields are simply
sublime, with reds, yellows and
oranges lending images an
extraordinarily vivid colouring. Peak
whites are similarly impressively
pure, although the dreaded ‘chicken

the deepest black levels possible.
With that in mind, Epson has
included its Cinema Filter to give
further depth and additional
contrast to the picture.

Another useful feature of the
TW680 is its automatic selection of
the aspect ratio depending on the
source. An impressive variety of
these can be accommodated via
inputs supplied on the rear of the
unit. The provision of two hi-def-

///

While the unit does run

wire’ effect of the LCD panel’s grid
structure can suddenly become
visible, albeit momentarily.

The level of detail apparent in
close-up shots of crew members is
almost enough to convince us that a
720p projector shouldn’t be seen as
a budget option just yet. While it
doesn’t bear comparison with a
1080p model, since a slight softness
is discernible, the TW680 puts in a
great HD performance.

hot, fan noise is minimal

and never disrupts

watching the movie

capable inputs, one HDMI and one
set of component video, is
impressive on a budget projector,
although the former is only present
in its 1.2 version.

While a second HDMI would
have been nice, especially for those
with SkyHD and a blue laser player,
the TW680 does cater for lovers of
standard-defi nition. Rare on any
projector, a Scart source can be
hooked up via a simple included D4
adaptor, while there are also inputs
for composite, S-video and a PC.

noise. It can leave shots that
combine bright colours and blocks
of darkness seeming a little
unnatural and lacking in depth.
However, attach a Xbox 360 and
run Burnout, and colours leap out to
such an extent that our complaints
seem trivial.

Value ★★★★★

Minor problems aside, the TW680 is
a highly fl exible and great value
projector that will suit anyone after
a simple HD Ready setup

The main problem lies
with black levels.
Contrast-heavy images
from Sunshine, such as a
vista over the huge Icarus
payload, is left looking
greyed-out while shots of

///

deep space suffer from
some noticeable picture

Z

Check out the LCD competition

See the Buyers Guide on p119

Fact fi le

/

3LCD projector

/

1,280 x 720 pixels

/

10-bit colour processing

/

10,000:1 contrast ratio

/

HDMI input

/

Time in Lab: 6 days

/

Serial No: KD5F780748L

406

mm

309

mm

Playback

Test Rating

Colour
Black level ●●●●●
Contrast ●●●●●
Detail ●●●●●

●●●●●

Lab notes:
Generally impressive, the only
minor fl aw appears to be with
the black levels

Spec check

Type: LCD
Panel shape: 16:9
Resolution: 1,280 x 720
HD Ready: Yes
Quoted contrast ratio: 10,000:1
Quoted brightness:

1,600 ANSI lumens
Throw ratio:

60in image from 1.8m
Video formats:

525i/p; 625i/p; 750p; 1125i
Dimensions:

406(w) x 124(h) x 309(d)mm

Weight: 5.2kg

/

Other features:

Keystone correction (to 15°);
horizontal/vertical lens shift with

A great value projector that’s as easy
to set up as it is to enjoy, although it
can’t show full HD

1.5x optical zoom; ceiling mount
optional; 26dB noise;
1,700/3,000 hours lamplife
(normal/eco mode); 10-bit colour
processing; colour modes
(Dynamic, Living room, RGB,
Natural, Theatre, Theatre Black
1/2); super white; 6 axis colour
adjustment; sharpness adjuster

/

Sockets:

Inputs: HDMI (version 1.2);
component video; composite
video; S-video; Scart (via supplied
D4 adaptor); PC D-sub; RS232
port; 12V trigger

/

Contact:

0800 220546
www.epson.co.uk

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