Epson Home Cinema 3700 review
Epson 3700 — Versatile 1080p Projector with USB and MHL Functionality
Looking for a home theater projector that can serve multiple purposes and performs well as in the lit room as in the dark one? Check this Epson Home Cinema 3700 review. This projector has high brightness, contrast, provides various lens controls, has built-in speakers, and can connect to mobile devices through HDMI MHL and USB ports.
The Epson 3700 belongs to the mid-priced models and as such, provides wide functionality. It can work on different screen types (including the half-transparent one), display in 2D and 3D formats, and can be connected to various sources including the most demanding ones (Blu-ray players). The working noise might be audible in a quiet environment.
Setup
The setup is straightforward, as well as many other features described in this Epson 3700 review. The zoom and lens shifting, as well as keystone correction, let you mount the projector in multiple places without losing in the picture quality. The 110-inch Full HD image is produced from 10ft while the optimal viewing distance is 32ft with a 300-inch picture displayed.
As with many other (and more expensive) Epson models, this projector provides wide control over the picture contrast, amount of black, brightness, color gamma, etc. These parameters can be easily tweaked via the relevant menu. The projector switches to a new input to which it is connected and immediately starts displaying its content. With many sources connected, the remote control helps switch between them.
Features
The lamp technology of the Epson Home Cinema 3700 is 3LCD, with the lamp life reaching 5,000 hours in Economy mode and 3,500 hours in Normal mode. The maximum resolution is Full HD while the unit is compatible with lesser resolution formats (480p, 1080p, etc.). The Super-resolution setting sharpens details and displays the image in close to 1080p resolution mode.
The projector is very bright with 3,000 lumens output both for color and whites. The color palette includes 2 bln hues. Combined with the 70,000:1 contrast rate, it displays a balanced picture in different environment settings. The image has deep blacks and bright colors in 3D as well, and there’s the two-speed iris control to boost the contrast in both formats.
The USB files in the JPG format are displayed as a slide show. The HDMI input on the projector is enhanced with the MHL functionality to playback the media files from the connected smartphone or tablet.
As the Epson 3700 manual states, the maximum zoom of the lens makes 1.6, and there are vertical (60%) and horizontal (24%) lens shift options. The speakers are stereo and provide 10W output.
In the normal working mode, the projector emits the 35 dBa noise, which drops to almost 24 dBa in the Eco mode.
Design
The Epson 3700 projector has a few small but functional details different from other Epson models. The zoom and focus controls are located on the lens ring, which is situated on the right part of the front panel. On the left, there’s a big ventilation slot. The lens shift is controlled with two dials on top of the box. The connections are grouped on the back and include two HDMI (one with MHL), three USB (one service type) ports, a VGA and an audio-out jack
Conclusion
The 3700 model by Epson is a solid alternative to the more expensive projectors, with versatile 3D functionality, multiple adjustment features, and very bright performance. It will fit both a home theater and office presentation purposes.
