Epson - Home Cinema 3800

Epson 3800. Got mine for $650 used

I got a new 3800 for 1350€ recently, very happy with it.

RBE hater here represented - I actually tried out a TK700Sti after reading all the good stuff about it. Turns out, I see RBE literally almost every second, and hated it. Returned it, and now have an Epson TW7100 (or 3800 for US) and love it. Tiny bit softer picture, but other than that it's perfect for my needs.

Personally, Epson 3800. I just bought mine used off of eBay, no bulb, no remote, 500$. Bought a bulb and remote for 125$ all together and it's been absolutely incredible for what is just about the same size and throw distance your looking at currently. I have about a 16-14 foot throw distance 120" screen with it not yet mounted and it's decent even with the multiple windows worth of light coming in, and at night it is stunning. Note that this is not only during the day, but the morning, and there are 2 more windows behind this image that add additional room light.

No projector works outside during the day, and dusk is even questionable. But, the Epson 3800 is the model without any RBE that I would get. It will work great indoors as well which is a big plus. Pair it with a Amazon Fire TV Stick and a Bluetooth speaker and it'll be a nice outdoor setup.

I think the Epson is a better model overall with better contrast and much more placement flexibility. The BenQ has faster pixel response time for gaming, and a solid state light engine which is a big plus at this time. If you have access to replacement lamps in the future, then the Epson is an easy favorite in my opinion.

If this is a permanent installation, look at home theater projectors, or lifestyle models designed to be easily ceiling mounted. A proper 5.1 audio installation with an AV receiver is a must, especially in a dedicated space with a home you actually own. Run wiring in the walls before you paint, and you will have a life long proper surround system. Avoid equipment at the front of the room if possible. Run HDMI to the projector and make it so you can swap out that HDMI cable. Wireless/screen mirroring is generally quite a lousy way to do anything. Use a wired device like an Apple TV or a Chromecast. If you're just streaming, consider a Roku or similar. The lifestyle models, as seen in the video, and as recommended with the X1 are decent solutions for sure, but are trickier to ceiling mount if they don't have a 3-point or 4-point mounting structure as is common with traditional projectors. Plus, they rarely have zoom and lens shift is almost unheard of. These are more common features on traditional projectors. But, the Hisense C2 Pro is a model with good zoom but terrible mounting. The Nexigo Trivision Ultra is well reviewed and has 4-point mounting which is nice for a ceiling setup. No zoom, no lens shift, so positioning must be very accurate for best results, as is common. Super easy to setup are models like the Epson 3800, but they are lamp-based and pretty much past their prime. A shame we haven't seen a laser version of those models yet. The BenQ X500i or X3100i are considerations as is the TK710 (or TK710STi) which are decent traditional models. High end starts around $5000 with Epson, Sony, and JVC models, all worthy in a good theater. Not sure what you're really hoping to spend here. A fixed frame screen from Silver Ticket is a excellent way to go.

Epson and BenQ are proven to be reliable and have good service centers and honor their warranties. Valerion is too new to know how well they will respond and how reliable they are. But, that isn't a bad thing. Just a question mark at this point. Other companies are out there like Acer and Viewsonic as well. Some have traditional lamps, like on the Epson 3800/TW-7100 which are easy to replace, but must be replaced every few thousand hours of use. Laser and LED lamp sources are not user replaceable, but last for 20,000+ hours (rated) which is typically many, many years. Daytime viewing is a physics problem. A 500 lumen projector will not fare as well as a 3,000 lumen projector, but true daylight coming into a room will wash them both out and leave you a mess of an image. That's the physics of it all. After dark, it's a non issue and a 500-1000 lumen projector can look quite good on a 110" diagonal screen. But, screen size, throw distance, lens offset, mounting position will all matter. Oh, and you will need to handle audio separately.

The biggest issue with the TW7100/3800 model is that it is still lamp based. Otherwise, this is a really well reviewed home theater projector with a lot of zoom range and good lens shift. In low power mode it is nearly silent and will have tons of light output for such a small screen size. The screen size is tiny and you really should be getting a TV. I would be remiss if I didn't just say that this is, by far, the better option at that size. Still, the projector is a really solid choice. Not sure if the 2350 is available to you, but that model would also work from that distance, but it is a downgrade to the 3800 in most regards.

I have an epson 3800 on a 110" screen. Not a huge gamer but I have put in a few hundred hours on red dead 2 and it's awesome. Very immersive and no lag

Epson 2040 and 3800 and no noticeable lag. 110" screen with 7.1 speaker set up. RDR2 in particular was absolutely mind blowing. Hearing things all around and really feeling like you're in the game... incredible

They're both great projectors in their respective classes. The 3800 is 4k, has much better contrast and input lag, lens shift, 3D, and is quieter in Eco (both of these are so bright, you probably won't ever have to leave Eco). It's also a chonker compared to the 1060 at around 15 pounds and physically around twice the size. Re: curtains, I would just bite the bullet and get blackouts. Deconova makes some very affordable ones.

yep - **Epson** **EH-TW8400 4K PRO-UHD Home Theatre** **Projector** \- be keen to know if anyone else has this projector what HDR settings they are using for it

imo definitely epson 3800

I just bought a 3800 am I supposed to return that for one of these? What makes these so much better in a fixed position?

If mostly movies, get the Epson.

Not true "all DLP projectors have it" Seen any IMAX or Dolby movies lately? No RBE there. They use DLP. Rainbow effect is caused by single chip DLP (one chip for all colors) and the use of a Color wheel to split the light into RGB, or in Valarion's case an RGB laser that modulates between the 3 primary colors. The color wheel is the worst, and RGB laser light tends to be better, but still shows up in very dark scenes with super bright highlights, during fast motion. Now not all Epson projectors have no RBE, but what are you looking for if you don't want that is 3 Chip products. The home cinema Epson uses 3LCD panels. JVC projectors use D-Ila panels (again 3, 1 dedicated to each color) All theater projectors and high end home models will use DLP chips but have 3, 1 for each color and do not have any issues with RBE. DLP isn't the problem. That being said, I own an Epson 3800, BenQ tk850, Optima HD27, JVC-Nz700, and the Valiaron Pro2 and MAX (not yet released) I currently have been using the Pro2 for everything and absolutely love it. Yes it's worth it and best in its class.

Found an epson 3800 open box for $220 off which seemed like a pretty good deal. So, unless there's another contender that comes in well below the 3800's price tag (about $1300 after discount), I'll probably pick that one up. Unless there's any other models to consider that have very minor RBE and enough of a discount from there!

I just upgraded to an Epson 3800 and have been very happy with it. Though I was running a 1080p BenQ business projector previously. Make sure you check the throw calculator on any projector that you're considering to make sure it will work in your room: [https://www.projectorcentral.com/projection-calculator-pro.cfm](https://www.projectorcentral.com/projection-calculator-pro.cfm)

If I were doing this as you plan to I would personally get a Epson 3800 or Benq tk710 (tho I haven’t spent a lot of time w the valerian or nicer nebulas yet) with an Apple TV which you could airport audio to a pair of Apple speakers

I think those two are the best middle of the road projectors out right now. The Benq 3100 is also really good but at a cost. I’ve heard solid things about the Hisense and the valerian but no personal experience. Bluetooth may work or may have a lag. Can’t know without testing the combination. AirPlay will not have a lag. But yes there’s lots of ways to get that part to work. I always run wires so haven’t tried many of the wireless solutions but I do hear of lots of issues with Bluetooth sync

I bought an Epson-refurbished 3800 from their website for $1100, and have been blown away by how good it is. It's a lot bigger than I expected and mounting it was interesting, but the image quality and options are amazing. I wish it had eARC support and motorized zoom/focus/keystone, but otherwise I can't see beating it for the price. This is in a dedicated home theater in a light-controlled room. https://preview.redd.it/fl7sdlfclime1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=c24f298bc88b49ea7a5041f6ae530180ebc0a17c

LOL this room is almost identical to the room I set up my theater in, even has the air duct on the left. I bought a factory-refurbished Epson 3800 from [Epson.com](http://Epson.com) and ceiling-mounted it, it has been FANTASTIC. I have a 120" 1.1 screen and am using a Samsung 990D soundbar/surround while I piece together a 7.1.2 system. My setup: [https://www.reddit.com/r/projectors/comments/1iyeeeg/comment/mew2c0f/?context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/projectors/comments/1iyeeeg/comment/mew2c0f/?context=3) Some quick observations based on setting up basically the identical room. (Mine is 14 feet by 22 feet) \- Is the room 100% light controlled? \- I think you could easily do a 120" or maybe even a 125" screen. \-You will 100% want sound deadening on those walls. \- If you have the option, a carpeted raised back row would be awesome. My handyman built the entire raised section in one day for $700 including materials. Good luck with whatever you pick!

Hello! Apologies if I'm telling you things you already know, but here's a few thoughts if you're serious about making this space into a home theater: * You will need to treat this room for audio or the sound will be amazingly echo-y and sound terrible. Get some carpets for the floor and sound paneling or blankets etc for the walls. This can be done pretty cheaply. Happy to provide links if needed. * Spend some money on a decent sound system too, at least a 5.1 with a receiver. Can be done for $1000-1500 if you shop around. * You will also want to paint the walls and ceiling a dark color, as dark as you can find. * Your walls look large enough to accommodate maybe a 120-inch screen (maybe a little larger?) * A certified used Epson 3800 would be a great choice, but there are a few projectors in your price range. * Do you have a few more photos of the room you can provide to help give an idea of possible layouts?

Based on the size of the room (15’ long, ~11’ wide), I have decided a ~85” TV is going to be a better option than a projector that can fill the “screen” (wall painted white currently, 126” diagonal. I will be using for, in order of priority, sports, movies/tv, video games. I am ok with subobtimal video games and/or playing elsewhere if it gets me what else I want. I don’t think I’m a picture quality snob but willing to pay up a bit for something that will wow. I don’t think I need brightness particularly because the room has no windows and will be painted black everywhere. What TVs would you be looking for? My little research has pointed to Sony for sports but that they aren’t great for gaming. Happy to answer any questions I didn’t cover.

I don’t have room for 4ft behind my screen in the room. Could potentially install audio in the wall however. What screen do you have? How is it “attached” (excuse my ignorance)? I actually literally bought an Epson 3800 tonight. I have no idea what I’m doing on the audio side so that will be fun…

I am not a picture quality snob and that is exactly what I did! Got a Epson 3800 at a good price

If you're cool with pixel-shifting, seems like a reasonable option. [This guy](https://www.reddit.com/r/projectors/comments/za63m0/epson_home_cinema_2350_vs_3800/iyumrb5/) compares it to the 3800 I have, which I too would recommend.

Be careful with the Epson 3800. Lots of people have to return for bad focus uniformity and dust blobs. But I'm sure you'll love it if it's a good unit. For $2500 though I would have bought a refurbished 5050UB or Valerion Pro 2. I went with an 85 inch TV only because of our ambient light situation but for you a PJ is the best move. See how it is but honestly I would return it for the 5050UB or the Valerion.

Get a fixed frame screen from Elite and pair it with an Epson 3800. That will leave you a goodly amount for sound. Other folks can recommend what to do audio-wise.

For no RBE, you are looking at Epson/Sony/JVC as the only companies that use 3 chip light engines and don’t use color wheels on their projectors. Out of those, Epson makes the most readily available models that will be bright enough and in your desired price range. I would say the Epson 3800 is probably exactly what you should be looking at.

Epson 3800 will be a good fit. They are showing up for 1200 US and will work with your throw distance.

For your application, I would recommend an ALR screen so that you have a better picture contrast under different lighting conditions. Get a motorised retractable screen so that the screen is not down when not in use. That will protect it from accidental damage. Look at the Elite CineGrey, a motorized 106” is just under $1300 US on Amazon. Don’t use a short throw projector set up. Short-throw setups usually assume the projector is sitting on a console under and in front of the screen. Get a standard throw Epson like the UB5050 or a 3800 if you’d like something even more budget friendly. Ceiling mount the projector overhead so that the projector is also protected from damage.

I think the BenQ TK710 (not the older 700 series) is probably your best choice. The Epson 3800 might be an OK alternative but you give up a lot: namely a solid state lamp/laser, true 4K resolution, support for higher frame rates and DLP’s absolutely fantastic motion handling (which is mind blowing at 120/240Hz). The BenQ X3100i comes highly recommended. I reviewed the prior X3000i a few years back. It’s a great projector and the only one of these three that will give you some extra color gamut support for HDR. I really like the 4LED light engine for its vibrant colors. However it IS a bit pricier and I’m afraid the contrast isn’t nearly as good as the two above. Fine for big screen gaming but maybe a bit less satisfying while watching movies. Another dark horse contender would be the BenQ X500i. This is actually my favorite projector BenQ offers right now besides the HT4550i. It has excellent color and superb contrast— but it’s short throw only and the light output is borderline for a 120” display in a non-dedicated room.

"step up my projector game a bit" What do you have at present and what do you dislike about it? People can recommend their pet favorites all day long, but (FOR EXAMPLE) if they are valuing automatic keystone adjustment and what you need is more lumens because of your screen size, their recommendations are not worth much for you. I'm still a fan of the Epson 3800. Yes, it's a lamp based projector and yes it is technically 1080p. But it is very bright, can accept UHD input IIRC, has no rainbow artifacts like so many DLP projectors, new lamps cost about $100 each, and it can be found for under $1k on the second hand market in the US. But if you require 1-1 pixels and automated keystone correction and a shorter throw, then all those advantages of the 3800 don't mean anything to you ;) \--- TLDR of the two you mention, I would choose the Epson. It is significantly brighter, and has no laser speckle or rainbow artifact issues. Maybe it supports high frame rate gaming too? Hard to tell from the spec sheet whether it actually shows the high frame rate or just accepts it as an input. The Epson has optical lens shift and zoom which is much preferable to digital correction like on the Xgimi. Reasons not to: the Xgimi has a solid state light source, which means you save money on lamps over time. And the Xgimi can wobble its 1080 panel to display 4k pixels, which the Epson does not. (Personally, this wouldn't matter to me, but if your primary use is gaming and computer graphics, you might care.) Unkonwn factor: I would find relatively PROFESSIONAL reviews (not from owners and not from vendors selling the projector) comparing their relative ability to handle HDR content. The Xgimi has Dolby Vision certification but it may not actually look better in real world use.

Mine had 2700 hours and no problems. I think is all about luck

This. I got a factory refurbished Epson 3800 for $1200

I have a factory refurbished Epson 3800- got it on the Epson website for $1200, and it has been absolutely fantastic.

Not everyone is sensitive to it. I would see it often watching darker movies like horror, not something like Rick and Morty. A dark scene with a flash of white anywhere on the screen and I could see a rainbow inside the white briefly due to the spinning color wheel inside the projector. I had no idea what was happening when I first noticed it. After I looked it up and realized what I was seeing, I would be distracted with anything I watched looking out for it. I had to exchange it for an Epson 3800.

I have a 3800 but if the budget is $2k you can get a 5050ub for just a little more at $2300

lol I just saw including screen and mount, so maybe not. But I’m close to pulling the trigger on upgrading to the 5050ub after dealing with 3800 black levels and focus uniformity issues.

The issue is the lenght of your throw to project quite a small screen . For horizontal lensshift needed 4k 3d long throw if you can't increase much the screen size other than the benq at a reasonable price but still need to project quite big there is the jvc nz800 at 15k$ or sony 6100es at 18k$ approximately. The horizontal lensshift is really a big issue. One additional possibility would be epson 3800 with manual vertical and horizontal lens shift (you can do about 105 " at 16' however its 60% vertical and 24 horizontal i don't know of its enough for u) and cheap enough its also pretty good for gaming i think. I think the epson 5050ub shpuld be your goto if you need your current shifts they are the same and its a great projector (the last epson prosumer with 3d)

Hi! Given your priorities, I’d stick with 3LCD for the safest blacks and no rainbow risk; something like the Epson EH-TW9400/5050UB on the used (or new) market is a clean upgrade for you. It has great lens shift to hit your existing mount, noticeably better contrast than your TW7300, and still plenty of brightness. If that’s too pricey, you could downscale to the EH-TW7100/3800; its blacks aren't as good as the 5050UB but still a solid all-rounder. The BenQ DLPs you listed can fit and are fine, but they won’t match Epson’s dark-room capabilities and you might notice some RBE. The BenQ X3100i is a top pick for gaming, but the RBE is noticeable on it for people who are sensitive to it.

I just picked up a 3800 for $1600cdn on sale. I'm about 13 ft away, 120" screen. Looks awesome to me. Light controlled basement. I got it for movies and PS5 etc. Just remember they are all pixel shift 4k at this price point. I think you gotta go upwards of $5k or $6k for true 4k if I remember correctly. However, I came from a 10 year old DELL 1080p 60hz.... And this (Epson 3800) looks amazing to me.

I own the Epson 3800, the lens is my biggest complaint. a little soft in the corners. I use it for movies and gaming and happy with it otherwise. For exclusive movie watching 5050 would be a better choice imo.

Epson Home Cinema 3800. I've had mine for just over 5 years now (on my second bulb). I bought it with my covid "stimmy check." Runs like a champ and never ceases to amaze me.

I would pay the extra money for the 3800. The 1060 is an entry level projector that weighs about 6 pounds and uses a 210 watt bulb. The 3800 is mid level and weighs about 15 pounds and uses a 245 watt bulb. You will have better contrast and more color saturation with the 3800. Assuming you keep the projector for several years, there isn't much difference in costs per year.

Great deal. I have a 3800 in my home theater but have a 1060 for outdoor usage, primarily for the side of a building at the bar I manage. I actually have two 1060s in case one dies on me. The throw on the 1060 is a bit shorter. Perfect for what I'm using it for. https://preview.redd.it/r2zd4hwrnw8f1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a047de06b62109a5aec83e96075d0d13ff6f811

3800 is objectively better, especially since it has 4k. What is your space like, though? The epson 1060 has shorter throw than the 3800

I have a similar setup in my backyard and use a Epson - Home Cinema 3800 4K 3LCD Projector. Around 23ft for 150” screen but I’m pretty sure it could do up to 200. The adjustability on the projector really makes it easy to use and it’s very bright as well.

Keep in mind that these Epson Models are not True 4K! The 5050UB is missing "only" 2 Million Pixel of the 8,3 Million Pixel of 4K. 5040UB and 4050 as well as the HC 3800 are missing 4,15 Million Pixel!

TW 7100 (HC3800 in the US) ceiling mounted is your only Option then. This would be the next step up (5050UB) in the US: [https://www.classaaudio.com.au/projector/1812-epson-eh-tw9400-4k-pro-uhd-home-cinema-projector-8715946666303.html](https://www.classaaudio.com.au/projector/1812-epson-eh-tw9400-4k-pro-uhd-home-cinema-projector-8715946666303.html) I strongly recommend to buy the Projector where you can get an extended Warranty (5 Years). And buy a proper Screen. These are the best Bang for the Buck Screens in Australia: [https://www.classaaudio.com.au/169-screen-/2663-visualax-130-fixed-frame-home-cinema-entertainment-projector-screen-169.html](https://www.classaaudio.com.au/169-screen-/2663-visualax-130-fixed-frame-home-cinema-entertainment-projector-screen-169.html)

The Epson definitely does not. HC3800 is super old tech, it's a bulb projector with 1/2 4K resolution (1080p x2 instead of 1080p x4). It's got low color space coverage and underwhelming contrast. TK710 is pretty good but the long throw version doesn't have quite as good of contrast as the short throw (710STi). Others mentioned in this thread (Valerion Pro 2, Nebula X1, Horizon 20 Max) will blow both of those projectors out of the water though.

These, no. Just as a third option give your local Facebook marketplace a look. People upgrade their setups and sell their old projectors. For example in my area there is a 1080p Epson that is normally $2400 being sold for $500. And don't be afraid of 1080p for your first projector. Sure these Amazon listings advertise 4K but they are going to be nowhere near as bright/vibrant which will affect overall picture quality. I have a Epson Home Cinema 3800 4k projector in our living room BUT I still have my Optoma HD26 1080p projector from 2015 pictured below because it still looks great in another space and this isn't even on a screen, it's a blank wall. https://preview.redd.it/pfidmjfsrrbf1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25ce8cb6d8eba60ce427d5a502e84da8beac187b As for your question about sales definitely take advantage of them. I have a silver ticket 100in screen that I got on sale last year and I saw my 4k projector I bought last year $300 cheaper over this past holiday weekend. That money you save can go towards speakers, movies/games, of whatever else so no sense rushing into it. Take your time, do your research, and enjoy the process.

Another thing I would look into is the difference between laser and bulb projectors. Laser projectors are vibrant even in ambient light spaces, more expensive but will last exponentially longer with life spans of 20,000-30,000 hours which can equate to about 10-12 years depending on amount of usage but if they crap out for any reason before then you have an expensive paper weight because the warranty likely already expired and the lasers are not replaceable (yet) leaving you to have to buy a new one for a couple grand. Bulb projectors are cheaper can still hold up in dim lit spaces but shine best in the dark rooms and life is shorter depending on power setting you set them. However they are serviceable meaning you can repair/maintain them just like I have done for my optoma for 10 years. My optoma bulb has a life span of 5000-6500 hours and from my heavy usage I only had to replace it once. A new bulb will cost you around $100. My Epson on the other hand is much brighter and draws more power so its bulb has a lifespan of 3500-5000 hours so you likely have to replace the bulb every 2-4 years based on usage. Still $400 over 12 years for new bulbs is cheaper than a new projector. Here is a picture of my Epson Home Cinema 3800 in a lit room (a bit washed out but clear). I will respond to this comment again with another picture to show it with the lights off for comparison. https://preview.redd.it/jsh4tsju1sbf1.jpeg?width=3345&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9f0d1ad45e84b2dabe90814c9ae7d43b8b8a8446

I’m not looking for perfection. I actually just tested my Epson 3800 in my backyard onto some trees and I think that’s gonna be good enough. Any thoughts on that?

Do you have a recommendation? Again I’m not looking for the best. Just a decent used like business projector that’s bright. Otherwise I do own an Epson 3800.

That’s what I’m thinking. And it def seems bright enough.

I am extremely happy with the Epson 3800. Should be around 1700-1800 after taxes. Easy set-up, beautiful picture, and for me at least, not too noisy

\+1 for the Epson HC3800 (= EH-TW7100 here in Europe). Brightness is fine, noise is acceptable and for me the two most important factors are: large lens-shift range (I can shelf-mount the projector close to the top of the screen's height) and the 3LCD technology is completely free of the rainbow effect (as it turned out, I'm super sensitive to RBE: I got a headache after watching a show on the Hisense C1...) I bought and returned 3 other projectors this Christmas until I settled with this (BenQ W1800i: too noisy, Hisense C1: unbearable RBE, Epson HC3700: contrast was not enough for me - the 3800 is just slightly better but it's now in the acceptable range). https://preview.redd.it/d7e7z1jll1re1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b3e5b5b141b0481ce25d12c38a9b34b708259b5b

Yep on a high end Epson 4K HDR LCD projector at 120 inches Looks so damn good.