Customer Ratings & Reviews

Easy install quality at is best and must have for your home cinema.

I wanted this projector for my spouse and I’s home gym. We do yoga and I wanted to stream along with the instructor as if they were in the room with us. My spouse also wanted to do dance work outs with a video led instructor… Plus throwing a movie or a show up on the wall while I work out is really cool and helps pass the workout time. The LS650 was just the ticket! With the Yamaha sound system built in and the short throw capabilities of the video on the wall…It seemed like it would be a small foot print without sacrificing sound and video quality in a home gym. The short of it is it does do all those things amazingly….BUT it’s still a projector. What I mean by that is it starts with the classic “projector” fan noise. It is not overwhelming and it is really quiet as far a projectors go but it is constant and in the quiet or silent moments of any media from movies, to a yoga workout… you notice. It is just a staple of projectors. But I knew that going in so its not a deal breaker for me. Another “projector” issue is the light fade in the midst of brighter light. In our home gym the unit is in a bright room with two big windows. There is a noticeable difference when the overhead light is off and the window shades are drawn BUT….the LS650 is by far one of the best daytime/highlight projectors I have ever seen. It really is amazing how much the 3600 lumens along with the 3 chip 3 LCD technology really lets this projector shine (pun intended). Epson really is leading the charge in project tech. The final ‘Projector” issue is the real need to buy a good screen to maximize the 4K. I wanted just a simple wall throw and did not want to clutter up a wall with a screen. The Epson LS650 is so good I honestly might just keep the wall throw and not bother with a screen for the purposes I plan to use the projector. BUT if I do buy a screen I will probably get a retractable one and roll it up or down out of sight….not sure yet. Again it looks amazing on a wall too. So I feel like I have been bashing on projectors… BUT what really moves the Epson LS650 to the win column for me are a few key things (if you understand the inherent issues with projectors and your cool with that). - The 120” screen size… so there I am in my smallish but cool home gym and seated on a small console (that I use to store towels ect) I have a box (the LS650)…that just sits there… out of the way…not bothering anyone and with a click of a button…BOOM 120” TV right on the wall….SOOOOO COOOL. - I also am really impressed with the 4K color quality of the picture…It is amazing it can do that and awesome for a PS5 to hook up to as well if you wall to really get into the game with a 120” screen. Pretty sweet. eArc and HDR fyi. - Now I have this 120” TV and with most projectors….I’d have to have a sound system and power…maybe another remote ect… With the LS650 I have a 2.1 virtual surround sound system in it! It sounds fantastic! Rich full sound across the board. The Yoga instructor sounds like she is literally in the room with us…warm tones and clear mids and highs. I also have kicked it up a few notches with YouTube music and the music sounds amazing on the Yamaha speakers. NOTE: now it does not sound like my high end surround sound system in my living room with couch shaking bass and bullets that sound like they are hitting the ceiling… Again just another consideration when deciding the use for this projector. The give and take for a small foot print of the unit itself. Now you can for sure do that with the Epson LS650…you’ll just need to build a sound system around it if you plan to use this as a home theater use case. - I also really love the built in android TV and access to the google play store. I could easily find my yoga app and downloaded it with ease. All my streaming was there with one big exception (which will probably change someday right???) NO NETFLIX. For my use case….I could care less…But if you are a NETFLIX addict….that’s a big problem. Having Google assistant on there is also a welcome perk! We are a Google house. - Set up and the Epson set up assistant app makes everything so easy….I mean I was up and running in no time. I loved how my phone connected right up and I take a pic of the calibration screen and the LS650 takes care of the rest!! Really cool. - The Epson can be placed from 1” to 16” from the wall….THATS amazing… I have mine about an 1” out …Now I had to do some correcting of the image and that caused my screen size to go down a bit….but that’s all up to you. I needed the space and am more than happy to adjust the screen with how easy Epson makes the adjusting! Overall Epson has a real winner here if you your use case and expectations are in line. If you know about projectors and the pros and cons and your cool with that, I really love this projector. It has added a new dimension to my home gym that I could not have any other way. On a side note…I love how (relatively) small and light weight this unit is….I can grab it and literally carry it to anywhere in the house I want….Back porch….front porch for Halloween…project onto windows to scare the kiddos….ANY WALL I WANT!!! Lol or to a friend’s house for a football game to add a second screen….so portable. I love that. Plus the amazing sound it has on board…makes it a one and done multimedia stop. But for the living room and for that home theater feel….Gonna stick to my Big flat screen and big surround sound set up for that. Note: Be sure to get a dust cover for it…you don’t want the optics to get all dusty!

Great projector, its a bit noise when the brightness is high , I adjusted to medium and its quiet, I boutght sony blu-ray player becouse epson doesn't have netflex . Overall is the best choise for home theater, also ls 800 is more expensive but I really like ls 650.

Very good picture quality even in the bright room . Look at the pictures below

Very nice projector no complaints wonderful price.

Thoughts out of the box: larger than expected, super light, and looks super nice on my entertainment center. Ease of set up: it can’t get much easier than putting the batteries in the remote, plugging it in and connecting to your WiFi. All my past owned projectors were mounted in some way or form and I’ve been wanting a short throw projector for some time now. So this is my first time owning one and just love this new Epson LS650. I wanted to use this in a couple applications to get more use out of it. The first and more permanent location is in my great room in my home and the second in my backyard for movie night. After using the set up in my great room, I found the need to purchase a nice framed fixed screen. Although it won’t be arriving till next week, I was still able to test the picture quality and sound on my wall. The picture was clear and was rich and vibrant in color without the slightly faded picture look I have experienced in the past. Super pleased with the flexibility of the size of the picture without reducing the picture quality. I guess we can thank the 3-chip LCD technology and the 4K Pro-UHD for this. Sound: I think the sound quality that I experienced coming through the Epson LS650 was my biggest surprise. I can’t believe how clear, full, and spacious the sound is. It even has decent bass coming through. First time ever hearing that kind of quality coming out of a projector. Thank you Epson and Yamaha for getting this one right. I am super impressed. Options: Although not necessary, if you really want the heavier punch and full theater experience, you can utilized the eArc/Arc HDMI port. I love the amount of options you have as far as ports go. 2 HDMI, 2 USB-A, Optical Out, and DC out. Used it the following night in our backyard bundling up for a little Avengers night with the Fam. It performed flawlessly and took me only minutes to set up. It had all the necessary apps to play some of my favorite movies on. Just required me to sign in. I am looking forward to how amazing this will look on my new 100” fixed screen next week. This Unit is well worth it, with its high end sleek look, amazing picture from just a short distance, and incredible sound quality.

I’ve tried several long-throw projectors, and this is the first time I am using a laser short-throw. On first impression, I was surprised by both the size and how light the projector is. The smooth-edged design language is pleasing to the eye and the matte black finish goes well with most setups. Setting up can be extremely easy or difficult depending on the setup you may have. The device features HDMI ports including eARC support. I wish they would have added at least one more HDMI port. The projector must be placed further than I thought off the wall or screen, but since I am using a small table, it was easy for me. However, this is something to consider if you have a bigger and heavier stand. First, I tried displaying it onto a wall in a medium-lit environment to get a sense of the size and probable quality of the picture. Immediately I was utterly impressed. Adjusting the picture was easy using the included remote and manual focus lever on the side. The picture ended up being 127”, which truly translated to a visual cinematic experience. The picture was clear, and the colors were vibrant and dynamic. There are presets that allow for the best picture for the viewer. Although it is not an actual native 4K resolution, the enhancement technology does a very convincing job –even at its biggest size. Next, I tried it with my 100” ALR (Ambient Light Rejecting) screen. That’s when things became a bit more complicated. I tried the Epson Setting Assistant app first and it seemed easy enough; just take a couple of pictures and that’s it. The picture automatically and accurately conforms to the screen. Unfortunately, the app asks that the projection be overshot off the entire screen, causing serious light bleeding, especially on the upper edges. I also had to spend a significant amount of time adjusting for the best picture. I reset and did the setup manually by moving the projector until the light was within the bezels and doing the same amount of picture adjusting as before. I was now content as light bleeding was nowhere to be seen. With the ALR screen, the pictures became even more vibrant and the HDR was simply amazing -even in a full ambient light setting (sadly, no Dolby Vision support). The Yamaha speakers on the LS650 are better than expected (none of my projectors sound good at all). There’s decent bass and the mid and high frequencies are well balanced for the most part. There are sound presets, but not all sound good, especially the simulated surround. Ironically, the best sound signature (for me) was the TV option. If you don’t own a sound system, this will certainly do. The good news is that the projector has eARC, optical output, and Bluetooth options (which is quite fussy to pair). Using my entry-level sound bar via any of these options, the sound experience was much better. Speaking of noise, the projector is just as loud as similar devices, and at its brightest setting, it can be heard from over 12 feet, so crank up the sound volume! The smart TV Android-based UI is easy to navigate and provides access to most streaming channels but strangely omitting Netflix. You can always use the built-in Chromecast, hook up a streaming dongle, a player or cable box, or a gaming console. Gaming is amazing for most games at 4K-120FPS, but I would not play competitive games because I noticed slight lag. The included remote is basic but has all the needed features. I appreciate the quick setup buttons and the voice search. Lastly, I love the laser light safety feature where the device stops projecting when close to it, which prevents one looking at the source and causing serios eye injury (great for the kiddos and pets). Sure, the price may be somewhat shocking to the casual consumer but considering other short-throw offerings -and believe me I looked, it is actually a very good deal. The picture quality is stunning for being 4k upscaled (especially on ALR screens), decent on-board sound and options, intuitive UI and settings, and yes, even portability. If you’re interested in the at-home cinema experience in a short-throw form factor without taking a small loan, then the LS650 is a great option.

After using this projector for a few days I am truly impressed. I wasn’t sure how this would work out in my living room as it gets a lot of natural light. First thing I noticed is it may not be a good idea to project directly on the wall. You will quickly see the imperfections of your wall once there is an image being projected. I did attempt to fix this via the app in settings but for some reason the calibration screen would not pop up. I did my best to manually calibrate but my wall is more wonky than I anticipated. This is no fault of the projector. For this I recommend getting a good screen to compliment the image displayed. Regardless of the wonky wall I have, one thing I noticed immediately was the brightness of the image. Both with natural light coming the room, overhead lights on and with the lights off, the brightness was above expectations which I was happy to see. I do not have any issues seeing the image no matter the time of day with windows shades opened, closed, overhead lighting on. It really does an excellent job in regard to this. The fan in the unit is quiet. Yes you can hear it but once you are watching a show with the sound on you don’t even realize there is a fan running. The fan definitely does it job and pulls heat from the unit. You can put your hand near the vent and will feel the warm air. It’s not hot to the touch and will not heat up your room with extended use. It comes with all the apps you may need for viewing. Just sign in to your account on those and go. For me, the beauty of this unit is the excellent picture quality and its small for factor. I will be using this to replace my 75 inch tv. It is amazing to think that I will remove the 75 inch tv much will open up a ton of wall space yet I will have a 120 inch screen. Overall, this unit is amazing and I have found no major issues at this time. I’m hooked and love this unit. Highly recommend it to all.

Pros Bright picture even with ambient light Good colors out of the box on cinema Sharp picture HDR10 Support Built in Android TV, not a cheap dongle Processor for Android TV seems quick Chromecast support Sensor turns off light if blocked to prevent eye damage Good speakers after adjustment eARC support Fast startup Quiet for normal brightness Long laser life based on maximum brightness No rainbow effect Low latency 60Hz refresh for casual gaming Simple setup Remote doesn’t have advertising buttons Cons Not true 4K (1080P with pixel shift) Dynamic mode creates overly cold tones Cinema mode drops brightness noticeably Brightness slider doesn’t seem to change much Fan emits high pitch sound at higher speeds While setup is easy it is still manual Built in Android TV is out of date Requires more distance from wall than others in its class Adjusting focus can trigger screen to turn off Speaker EQ boomy on default setting Needs special screen to fully utilize Only basic settings The Epson EH-LS650B is a more affordable version of the EH-LS800. It loses 400 lumens, 30 inches of screen size, and a slightly slower response time for a more slightly lower price. Not all is lower end, as it gains eARC support and the ability to automatically switch to an active HMDI port versus always starting to Android TV. Included in the box is the projector, remote, and power cord. The remote is simplified with buttons intended to navigate Android TV and a few configuration buttons. The remote has two separate setup buttons. One for Android TV settings and one for projector settings. The primary buttons don’t light up but are made of a plastic that glows in the dark. You’ll need to supply your own HDMI cable. Setup Setup is manual but straightforward. Ideally, you place the projector at the correct distance and height for your screen. It does have a software keystone adjustment that can also be slightly assisted via the app, but adjustments are very limited and more so withing the app. It would be nice if it had a fully automatic setup as many new projectors do. Like keystone, focus and height are adjusted manually. Unlike keystone, there is an electronic option. Height is adjusted by turning the front feet and focus is via a focus lever behind a door on the right side. The placement of the focus lever on the right side is slightly awkward as you can easily trigger the eye safety sensor adjusting focus as it its on the top right near the focus lever. You have the option to place the projector either in front or back of the screen. Both options are for placing below and it is not intended to be ceiling mounted. Once hardware setup is complete, the rest is quick. Android TV boots up quickly and it only takes a few steps to setup. Whatever processor they are using for Android TV seems reasonably quick as the interface doesn’t lag like some devices. Unlike some projectors, the Android TV is integrated instead of offered through a separate low powered dongle. If you don’t want to use the integrated setup, you can plug your favorite TV box into one of the other HDMI ports and the projector will auto switch to that port on startup bypassing the integrated Android TV. With eARC you can also install multiple devices that you can switch between with your AV receiver. Speakers Ideally with a projector giving you a big screen you want to have big sound to match. However, for a basic or portable setup the projector’s integrated speakers do quite well. Out of the box the sound from the speakers is on the boomy side with the bass overpowering dialog. Thankfully you can fix this by turning off a setting called Bass Extension. There is also a dialog boost function to further improve speech. The nice part is if you need to use the integrated speakers, they are also in front instead of behind like a traditional long throw projector. Picture Quality First, if you didn’t already know, this projector is technically 1080P. It creates the effect of 4K with what is called pixel shifting. Some say this effect produces a less sharp image than true 4K but the design means it is impossible for it to create a rainbow effect. Standard laser projectors often create a rainbow effect which can make those sensitive to the effect feel sick. In testing the overall result was very sharp once the focus was properly adjusted and of course there was no rainbow effect which seems like a worthwhile tradeoff. While it has support for HDR10, it does not have support for Dolby Vision. Overall, this might not be a significant issue as HDR on the LS650 is subtle. This is in part because of contrast. Laser projectors have far better contrast than traditional projectors, but they still aren’t at the level of OLED screens. Traditional LCD projectors products slightly gray whites on an ambient light rejecting screen. This projector was able to product extremely bright whites without any issue. In fact, it could reproduce blueish whites where it would make you question of the screen was gray. Dark areas exhibited no light bleed from light areas and edges were sharp. As far as how dark the blacks would get depended more on the ambient light in the room and how well the screen could reject it. That said, even with a basic ALR screen the blacks were a good dark gray versus more of the light to medium gray with a traditional projector. By default, the projector is set to dynamic which produces whites with a blueish tone and oversaturated colors. Snow appears a blueish white. Some colors would glow and lose all texture such as red or neon. Skin tones looked cold and pale. If you like overly punchy colors this might work fine. If you like a more natural look then the Cinema mode is far better as it produces a more accurate picture. You do sacrifice somewhere near 1000 lumens of brightness to get that more color accurate picture, but it is worth it. If you want more than the basic adjustments for color, you are out of luck. The LS650 is designed to keep things simple so you get basic tone and sharpness adjustments but not much else. Thankfully the Cinema mode is reasonably good to where most people would be satisfied with that simple change. It’s worth noting that there are now QLED TV’s at 98 inches in the same class as the LS650 that have deep blacks, bright colors, true 4K, and 120Hz refresh rates. For the LS650 to compete with them you need to have a good ALR screen. While the QLED wins out on contrast, the projector wins out on no reflections. The gap is closing between the two technologies quickly. The LS650 still doesn’t approach the contrast of an OLED screen, but projectors don’t create a mirror for lights in the room. The other advantage the LS650 has over an OLED screen is it can go up to a 120” in size. OLED screens over 100” haven’t hit the regular consumer market currently. If you have a way to get it further from the wall, the LS650 can go larger. This is where the compromise comes in to make the LS650 a more affordable version of the LS800. At the same distance from the wall that the LS650 creates a 120” screen, its big brother creates a 150” screen. Performance The LS650 is rated to handle up to 60Hz at 4K. This should mean at least casual gaming is possible. The response time seems to vary from different sources, but most seem to agree it is somewhere in the middle of the 20ms range. That said, at 60Hz fast paced FPS games aren’t going to be very enjoyable. Trying a classic like Halo Reach on Firefight was a little too much. Motion felt delayed and uncomfortable to play for long periods. After some digging it was discovered that for gameplay you should change the Image Processing to Fast instead of Fine. That said, it is evident the LS650 wasn’t intended for serious gameplay but more for casual family gaming and for that purpose it works quite well. If you love to play RPG, strategy games, or casual action games this could be a great option with so much screen real estate to see everything clearly. Noise and Heat The LS650 is rated as having a maximum of 36db which should mean it is inaudible from normal listening difference. While this might be true from an absolute volume, this might be more noticeable if you still have good hearing. This is because, while the volume isn’t high there is a high-pitched tone that is very noticeable from a distance. The fan emits a high-pitched bearing sound you can easily hear. Thankfully this only happens above approximately 70% brightness and there is little noticeable change in brightness from 60% to 100%. This means you can leave it set to about 60% and things stay nice and quiet. A surprising benefit of a laser projector is less heat. At a brightness that would cause a traditional bulb projector to turn into a small space heater, the LS650 uses less power and puts out far less heat with the exhaust fan barely warm. Final Thoughts While the traditional TVs are becoming larger and more competitive with projectors, projectors still hold some advantages. If you prefer the largest screen, low glare and reflections, and prefer not to hang a slab of glass on your wall then a projector is a good choice. First, if you don’t care about eARC or booting straight to the integrated Android TV or want a bigger screen then the big brother LS800 might be your choice. If a screen of 120” or smaller is what you are looking for with eARC support that boot straight to your preferred source and want to save some money, then the Epson EpiqVision EH-LS650 is a solid option.

The EpiqVision LS650 is my first short-throw laser projector from Epson, though I’ve had one of their 1080p LED Home Cinema projectors for a while now. The LS650 projector has a fairly large footprint in comparison at 18.5”W x 16”L x 5.5”H but was lighter than expected at only 16.5 lbs. It needs to be placed 1-16 inches away from your screen in order to project image diagonals of 60-120 inches which will appear 4-12 inches above the top of the projector accordingly. With a short-throw projector you won’t have to install a ceiling mount, and its proximity to your screen means folks getting up to walk around won’t cast shadows on it. However, you also don’t have the option to place the projector at the back of the room, and you’ll need to make sure your entertainment console is wide enough or moved away from the wall to accommodate it (26-32 inch total depth). This projector outputs 4K PRO-UHD by using three 1080p LCD chips with pixel shifting, and while the machine is capable of receiving and processing a 4K signal, it only delivers half the resolution of true 4K to your screen (~4 million pixels vs. 8 million); however, the difference between these resolutions to the eye at typical viewing distances is hardly noticeable. It is a noticeable improvement over the 1080p resolution we were used to, and the images produced were bright and clear with barely visible pixels at 120”. The laser light source has a rated lifespan of 20,000 hours at full power and can achieve a max brightness of 3600 ISO lumens, bright enough to view with some ambient light, but somewhat washed out in full sun or with ceiling lights on. You’ll get better daytime viewing if projecting onto an ambient light rejecting screen. Just note that above about 75% brightness the cooling fan can be quite loud, emitting a high-pitched whir. The fan noise is much quieter and is easily drowned out at 50% brightness which is still plenty bright at night. There is a replaceable air filter that ejects on the right-hand-side for easy maintenance. Setting up the projector is simple. After placing the projector below the center of your screen, plug it in and turn it on using the remote. If the surface the projector sits on it not level, you can correct the image tilt by adjusting the height of the two front feet. A manual focus lever is hidden behind a removable cover on the right-hand side and sliding it up or down will bring the image into focus; no electronic or automatic focus is available. We project without a screen right onto the wall which is painted a flat green, however, the colors still look very natural. There are four customizable preset picture modes for different content and viewing conditions: Vivid, Cinema, Dynamic, and Natural. The first time you turn it on, you’ll need to pair the projector and remote control. If the image is skewed, its shape can be squared using the remote to adjust the corner positions. Warping due to waves or curves in your wall or screen can be corrected manually or with the Epson Setting Assistant mobile app. Simply take a photo of a calibration image with your phone’s camera and the app will automatically straighten out and flatten the image, which worked perfectly for me. Note that these adjustments can produce “over splash” where you have a skewed light border around your projected image. The LS650 has built-in Android TV OS which starts up by default. To use integrated streaming services and apps, connect it to your WiFi (2.4 or 5 GHz) and log into a Google account. I was able to add most of the streaming services from the Google Play Store including live TV apps right on the projector, like Disney+ and Hulu, but with the notable exception of Netflix. Unfortunately, that means I have to use a separate streaming device for that app plugged into one of the HDMI inputs, and it’s an extra step for me to switch inputs. I was able to cast my screen from various devices connected to the same WiFi network like my phone, tablet, and laptop, thanks to built-in Chromecast. Google’s voice assistant is available too, though you’ll have to manually trigger the AI with the remote’s mic button since the projector doesn’t respond to a wake word. You can link other Google Home devices to the projector to control it via voice as well. The projector has integrated Yamaha 2.1 channel front-facing speakers (two 5W drivers and 10W subwoofer) that can fill a medium-sized room easily. They have decent sound quality with balanced and well-rounded bass response. You can also output sound to an external speaker or sound system using the Optical output, Bluetooth, or eARC/ARC device plugged into HDMI 2. I connected my soundbar via HDMI for CEC, Dolby Atmos, and DTS surround sound support, and was able to control its volume using the projector’s included remote. When powered off both devices shutdown simultaneously. I like that the projector can pair with wireless Bluetooth headphones for private listening, or conversely, enable "Bluetooth speaker mode" and used as a wireless speaker or receiver. If you experience audio lag, you can compensate the output latency up to 200 ms in 10ms increments. Other I/O located at the rear are 2 USB-A inputs, 1 USB-A 2Amp output for power/charging, and a mini-USB service port. This projector doesn’t have an Ethernet port so can’t be wired to your network but does have a Kensington lock slot on the left-hand side. One cool safety feature of the projector is that is has a motion detector located to the right of the lens that senses movement in front of the laser and will dim, then shutdown, the light beams to prevent accidental shining in your eyes. This happens nearly instantly, though can be triggered accidentally if you wander too close to the sides of the screen. Just note that your media will continue to play while the lasers are off; when the sensor no longer detects movement, it will turn them back on automatically. While the image produced looked sharp and smooth across the entire screen, occasionally I noticed compression artifacts like blocks or fuzzy halos around fast-moving objects, especially when watching 4K native content. This effect can be mitigated somewhat by adjusting picture settings like frame interpolation, noise reduction, and super-resolution or improving your wireless connection speed and strength. Other than that, the image quality was very good with a high contrast ratio of 2.5 million to 1 and 10-bit color depth for realistic and vivid colors, which I found especially satisfying when watching nature documentaries. For gaming, the projector is pretty good with an input lag of only 20ms making it fairly responsive to controller movements, but note that the screen refresh rate is capped at 60Hz. One thing I would have liked would be a backlit or glow-in-the-dark keys on the remote, as pressing the correct buttons in the dark was tricky. The Android TV interface sometimes gets bogged down and feels a bit sluggish, however, is easy to navigate. There 13 GB of internal storage space for you to install apps and games, and you can add additional storage using USB storage. Overall, the EpiqVision LS650 projector delivers a very satisfying and enjoyable cinematic viewing experience complete with respectable audio performance as a standalone unit. When paired with a surround sound system, you can achieve an immersive movie theater-like experience at home whether you’re watching films, streaming live TV, or playing video games.

We purchased this to upgrade from a HD short throw gaming projector that was 2700 lumens. This projector at 3400 lumens is a HUGE improvement in color and contrast. I’m also able to view the image sufficiently in a moderately lit room on a wall. I do plan on getting an ALR screen in the near future. I’ve read comments that the fan is too loud. It is quite audible in silence. But those Yamaha speakers easily mask the fan noise. I primarily use a receiver. But the built in speakers are impressive - especially when compared to speakers that are built in to tvs. I can’t comment on android tv as I prefer to use my apple tv. But the interface is fine for navigating the menus and settings. This does use diagonal pixel shifting to obtain 4K. At this price, it’s great bang for the buck when compared to the cost of circular pixel shifting or native 4k.

My home theater has gone through a couple ceiling mount projectors over the years. Now, as my own years start piling up I decided to switch to an ultra-short throw (“UST”) projector that doesn’t require me getting on a ladder for maintenance. I thought the LS650’s specs were attractive combined with Epson’s leadership in UST projectors, so here I am reconfiguring my home theater to accommodate it. And “accommodation” is the first point I want to make – set up requirements for a projector is more exacting than for a TV. Preparation before buying is key for a good install experience. I’ll discuss in detail in the setup section, but you can’t just plug in a UST like a TV and be done. There’s more to it. In that vein, projectors of any kind are niche. Often they are more expensive per screen inch than a TV, especially when considering the extra cost of a screen (and installation if not DIY). So, in my mind, the two reason to buy a projector over a TV are 1) you want a bigger picture than possible with a TV, at least at an affordable price or 2) it would be difficult, or impossible, to deliver an 85”+ TV in the room you want to install it in. This was my case as I live in a 4-story townhouse with winding, narrow stairs. It was far easier to bring in a compact projector and screen than a comparable size TV. The LS650 can project a picture up to 120” and as small as 60”, though given the LS650’s price tag it’s effectively a 100”to 120” picture device. This brings me to installation and installation considerations for the LS650. The manual states for a 100” screen the projector must be 10.9” in front of the screen. For a 120” screen it’s 15.8”. Additionally, the height different between the bottom of the screen and the top of the LS650 has certain requirements too. This means that you either have to install your screen at an exact location or the table the LS650 sits on has adjustable height or is already the perfect height to the bottom of the screen. If you are OK with these requirements read on. Once you have your furniture and screen installed, plug in the LS650 and begin the setup and calibration process. (By the way, you definitely need a quality projector screen. Epson sells screens specifically design for its UST projectors, however, I’m keeping my old but still excellent 100” Stewart FireHawk G2). At first start up the picture may look a tad distorted, off center, etc. This is normal for any projector and the LS650 comes with all the tools needed to dial in a perfect picture. All calibration except focusing can be completed via the supplied remote or the app. I’m a bit device app weary so I chose to do this via the remote. I was surprised and annoyed to learn the focusing can only be done manually at the projector. My other projectors focused via their respective remote controls. The calibration tools are access in two separate remote buttons. The first one looks like a rectangle with a circle at each corner which is used for keystone correction, i.e., straight a bowing picture. The other button has a rectangle with star in the center. This is used to center the picture and adjust its size. This functionality is capable of fine tuning only. You still need to place the projector in the required distances from the screen. Additionally, if you want to use the LS650 as a rear screen or ceiling projector this is where you reverse the projected image. Of course, the LS650 also has color correction options too. BUILD QUALITY and INPUT/OUTPUT PORTS Out of the box the first thing I noticed was there is no supplied lens cover to protect the glass when not in use. The lens is partially hidden in a plastic valley at the back of the projector with lots of crevices, an ideal place for dust to collect. I don’t know why a lens cover isn’t included or designed into the case, especially at this price point. The other thing I noticed was the legs are not adjustable, which would be helpful for a projector designed to sit on a table. There are a lot of older homes whose floors may no longer be perfectly level. Of course there are the mentioned calibration tools, but having adjustable legs would be handy too and a nice effort to detail. A smaller nit-pick: the focus door isn’t hinged. It completely comes off leaving you to fiddle with its tabs to reattach. It just feels like either an afterthought or cost saving attempt. Either way it is another inconvenience. Of course, if focusing could be done via the remote the door wouldn’t be needed in the first place. The rest of the LS650 case is exactly what you would expect it to be – a plastic case. For a projector designed to be more in plain view than one attached to a ceiling it’s amazingly un-sleek compared to my 16-year-old Sony. I’m also not a fan of the large Epson branding on the front. I’m not sure why Epson didn’t brand the unit on the top with the other logos. However, I think all of this is because UST projectors should properly be hidden inside a credenza specially designed for them. That, of course, is another consideration to make before buying. Still, a credenza is a lot less expensive and disruptive than a home theater installer pulling wire for a ceiling projector. Functionally, for a projector the LS650 has adequate inputs to support devices like sound bars, streaming or cable boxes, Blu-ray players, and game consoles: two HDMI 2.3 inputs, one which has eARC/ARC and three USB 2.0. There is also an optical out. IN USE The Epson LS650’s picture is excellent and very TV-like. Small text is sharp, not pixelated, the blacks are impressively dark for a projector and the color is on point. These are my highly untechnical quick take criteria for assessing the quality of projector’s picture. I’m also super impressed at its viewability during day light and also in a bright room with lights on. In the past only ultra-expensive (think $10K and up) projectors had the chops to do this. I’ve attached pictures of my screen with all my lights on during daytime and another taken minutes later with all the lights off but ambient light still in the room. Even more remarkable, the LS650’s brightness level when these pictures were taken was at about 30%. Epson boasts about the built-in Yamaha speaker system. That’s marketing talk for the most part. It absolutely sounds better and more spatial than typical built-in TV audio, but it’s also not something you want to hear when watching, say Top Gun: Maverick, on a 100”+ screen. It’s like a WWE wrestler wearing a size 40 suit, a good fit for many just not a big wrestler. You 100% want either a good soundbar or, better, and A/V receiver or maybe a Sonos amp if you want to go wireless. Keep the soundbar/separate speakers in mind when placement planning too rather than as an after though. One huge selling point of the LS650 to me is it’s estimated 20K hours of life with a permanent laser rather than replaceable lightbulbs. It’s such a pain, personally, and to my wallet, changing bulbs every two years on conventional projectors. And in the interim projector bulbs constantly lose brightness. So I’m delighted to saying “bye” to all that. That said, be aware that when the LS650’s laser dies it can’t be replaced, it’s eWaste. But assuming normal daily viewing hours by the time that happens 8K+ TVs and projectors might be as common as 4K TVs are today, so really not a worry. That brings up resolution. The LS650 is advertised as a 4K projector, and it is, but it’s not. Natively it’s a 1080p projector with pixel shifting. To oversimplify, it overlays four 1080p images to make one 4K picture. This is also not a concern at the LS650’s price point. To get native 4K in a projector you have to spend a lot more. A lot more. It seems every TV and projector these days is co-branded with Amazon, Google, or its own built-in streaming OS. The LS650 is no different and is built on Google TV. I’m an Apple guy myself and use Apple TV streaming boxes on all my “TVs”. So I do not use the LS650’s streaming options. I didn’t even bother to log in to my Google account -- when you set up the LS650 you’ll be prompted many times. It’s completely optional though. I’m also happy to say the LS650’s has HDMI-CEC, so you can plug in a streaming or cable box of your choice and the LS650 will power it on and go to that input, bypassing the “home screen.” You’ll never see the LS650’s Google TV screen if you don’t want to. CONCLUSION On whole the LS650 is a UST definitely worth considering for those in the market for a 100-120” picture without having to darken the room. It’s important to understand though that projectors in general, UST or ceiling mount, are not plug-and-play devices in the way TVs are. Installation of them require some strategic planning because physics prescribes specific screen to lens ratios for an undistorted picture. Also, there is the cost of the screen and potential other extras like special furniture and sound systems to match the giant picture, typically double the size of the average 50-60” TV. Personally, I know, even with the LS650’s noted flaws (in my mind), I’ll get years of enjoyment with its sharp colorful, contrasty picture. I’ll also enjoy never again having to hop on a ladder to change a bulb, since it’s laser based, or to clean a filter.

The Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS650 has been my first foray into laser UST projectors. Until now, my go to for all of my home cinema needs has been OLED, quantum dot ULED, and Mini-LED displays. I've typically always avoided projectors because of the amount of space that standard throw projectors take, the added cost of companion projector screens, and the lack of brightness and contrast leading to dark images looking washed out. To say that home projectors have come a long way is an understatement. The level of excitement and enjoyment that I got out of watching my favorite movies and TV shows on this LS650 was comparable to the first time I upgraded from stereo TV speakers to an enthusiast grade 5.1 home theatre setup about 20 years ago. Watching some of my favorite childhood movies, like the Star Wars prequels, brought back a rush of nostalgia and made me feel like I was in theaters again watching them for the first time. I can't explain the giddiness that this experience is likely to cause, but it's something that has to be experienced in person. Also, going from my 75 inch TV to a 120-inch image was a much bigger difference than I anticipated. Just think of the difference from a 55" to a 65" inch TV. Or a "65 to a 75" TV. Those 10 inches make a significant difference. In my case, adding another 50 inches of screen real estate created such a cinematic experience, that it had me revisiting so many of my favorite movies. For starters, the construction of the Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS650 feels extremely well built. The unit is mostly constructed of high grade plastics. A sleek silver metal grille conceals the integrated 2.1 virtual surround speakers included by Yamaha. Although the projector unit feels very premium, it only weighs about 16 lbs. This makes it a breeze to move the unit to various locations around the house. Once it was situated on my TV stand, setup took less than 10 minutes. Epson recommends setting the front of the projector about 32 inches from the wall for a 120-inch image and about 27 inches for a 100-inch image. The image is re-sizeable. By using the resize button right on the remote control, you can re-size from a 60" to 120" image to accommodate various setups and room sizes. Since I wanted to experience this in all of it's glory, I had to go for the 120-inch image. If you plan on utilizing the full 120-inch screen, I would highly recommend measuring about 32 inches from the wall so you have an idea of how far out the very front of the projector will sit. As soon as I powered on the projector, I was prompted to pair the included remote via bluetooth which was quick and easy. I was then prompted to connect to my home Wi-Fi SSID and sign into my google account. I was finally greeted with a familiar home screen and my favorite TV UI; Android TV OS. The Android TV OS on this unit is something that I wanted to make sure I covered because it's where the major caveat comes in for me. Netflix does not provide native app support on the Android TV OS of Epson's line of streaming capable projectors. I was scratching my head at first when I couldn't figure out why the Netflix app wouldn't come up when I searched for it on the Google Play store. I also couldn't cast Netflix content via my Samsung S22 Ultra to the projector. I did reach out to Epson to confirm that native Netflix app support is not supported and that there does seem to be a different licensing agreement between Google and Netflix which limits the Netflix app support in some Android TV devices OSs. This is rather unfortunate as I'm used to having built in Netflix app support on all of my other Android TV OS devices at home with no issues. The good news though is that you can connect other sources via HDMI, such as a PS5 in my case, and run Netflix on that source. If you're a big Netflix fan like me, it's important to keep in mind that you'll need to toggle between sources whenever you want to launch Netflix. All other apps that I used natively on the Android TV OS such as Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu, and Bally Sports worked flawlessly without any issues. In terms of the visual fidelity and experience, this is one that has to be experienced in person. I played various 4k content from various apps on Android TV, PS5, and a high end 4k Blu-ray player (Panasonic DP-UB820-K). Watching classic titles like Avatar, Return of the Jedi, The Dark Knight, Alien, etc., on a 120 inch screen with the cinematic digital projection look gave me goosebumps. I couldn't help but to feel like I had an empty movie theater to myself. I must preface this by saying that I'm playing the projection image directly onto my wall. Epson does make a SilverFlex 120" super mega projection screen that can be accompanied with this projector for an additional cost. I can only imagine how amazing it would look on that screen as it already looks really good on my wall. Bear in mind that the texture of your wall may impact the way the image looks, so a projector screen is always the optimal way to go. Getting back to the picture quality at hand, the 4K HDR picture was crisp and clear with great contrast (has a rated dynamic contrast ration of over 2,500,000:1!). I must note that I did have to use the included focus lever (found on the right of the projector) to adjust the sharpness of the image as it was a bit blurry on startup. It was super easy to do and took less than 10 seconds. The whites and blacks that this projector is capable of producing were very respectable. The blacks are of course not as as inky or as deep as something like an OLED but that's the tradeoff when going with a projector. The colors look bright and vivid while not appearing oversaturated. Skin tones looked organic and accurately represented. One of my concerns when using this projector was that I was going to need a pitch black room in order to get a decent image (which of course poses concerns for day use). I'm happy to report that due to Epson's 3-chip 3LCD technology that is capable of delivering 3,600 lumens of color and white brightness, this projector can be used even in brightly lit rooms. However, during my testing, contrast looked superior in a fully dark environment. If you're planning on getting this, I do highly recommend a fully dark room for the best picture and experience possible. Playing games on my PS5 was another fantastic experience. Although I couldn't find any specs regarding the input lag, I could tell it was more than acceptable. Fighting bosses on Elden ring requires extremely tight timing and I had zero issues slicing through enemies with my uchigatana and moonveil. Sporting events are also taken to a whole other level with this projector. If you're a sports fan, you're in for a treat! There are a few things that I feel are important to mention as they could be viewed as cons for some people. The fan noise on this LS650 does tend to get a bit loud if you are listening to the volume at lower levels. Because I was usually either blasting the audio through my Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus or listening though Hi-Fi headphones, this was never an issue for me. This is something to keep in mind though for low volume listeners. Another potential con I wanted to mention is the slight shadow or halo effect that you'll sometimes see on the edges of the screen. I believe that this is just due to the nature of ultra short throw projectors and the angle and short distance that they project at which causes a bit of shadow on the edges. Wasn't a big deal for me but something to note for those who expect to have perfect and seamless edges. Lastly, if you're using a premium projector of this caliber, I think it's reasonable to assume that you probably already have your home theater audio bases covered. If you don't, the built-in 2.1 Yamaha DSP audio features two full range 5W speakers and one 10W subwoofer for a total of a 20W output. To be honest, it doesn't sound too bad for such small drivers. At moderate volumes, dialogue sounds clear and there is a bit of boominess on the bass. However, at higher volumes, the sound just doesn't match the grandiose scale of the image. I highly recommend investing in a proper home audio theater system to pair with this projector to get the most out of your home theater experience. Overall, this is one of the most exciting entertainment products that I have used in a long time. The phenomenal image quality combined with the 120" inch screen created the most immersive cinematic experience I've ever had right at home. I also like that I have the option of adding Epson's 120" inch SilverFlex rejecting super mega screen if I want to take this already glorious experience to the next level. The minor drawbacks are something to be considered though. If you're someone who likes to watch their content at lower volumes, you'll want to take the fan noise into consideration. If you're a Netflix buff, you may want to ensure that you have another HDMI source that can natively run the Netflix app. If you're someone who's serious about their movies and TV shows, and you want to bring the cinematic feel of a movie theater straight to you living room, you've gotta check out this Epson LS650 ultra short throw projector!

I really like this projector: it produces crisp UHD pictures in large scales, runs fairly quiet, has great builtin speakers and Android TV functionality. I got this projector to do have movie nights in the back yard with my kids and hopefully being able to set it up easily both on my back covered porch and in the yard. Its really easy to set up: the short through means just about anywhere has enough room to project over 100" diagonally: I found the focus and built in calibration of the corners (key stone and size) is fairly quick. I have a 99" projector screen and was able to go from in the box to watching Disney+ in less then 10 minutes. Pictures look great/amazing in dusk lighting and after dark. My daughter did try to sneak some movie in after school one day on the porch and that 330p afternoon light is pretty hard for nuance of cinema but still could still work for powerpoint. I did want to pay special attention to the speakers: the built in Yamaha speakers are really nice and provide a better sound experience then any of the high end TVs I've purchased. Its not premium home theatre sound or better than most sounds bars: but its better then a lot of sound bars and because its built in it does really make having a movie night wherever you want possible, love the sound, love it built in to the projector, and since the projector is short throw the sound is coming from the bottom of the projected picture in front of the audience, projected toward the audience. The androidTV based smart features have worked well so far: setting up on my phone was easy and most of the built in apps came with a sign in on phone feature to get you started quickly. Oddly I couldn't find a Netflix app but as an AndroidTV is does allow chromecasting with Netflix on your phone, so while confusing and a little frustrating it is not the end of the world. I've had mixed luck with androidTV devices in the past: they seem to get bogged down with content/memory management and perform slow far after extended use so I'll be curious how the smart features continue to work in the future but for now I'm really happy with an awesome home theatre in a box projector that had both great sound and great 99" viewing whereever I want to set it up

Growing up, I was fortunate to have a ceiling mounted projector in my basement that was used for gaming and family movie nights. That projector was tedious to mount, picture quality maxed out at 720p, and it wasn’t particularly bright. I remember having to close the blinds and turn the lights out to have any chance of being successful while playing zombies on our Xbox 360. The projector experience from then to now is night and day different. The Epson LS650 is incredible! Setup is so much easier than a traditional projector as it can simply be placed on an entertainment stand, a box, or even the floor just a few inches from the wall or screen. Once the projector is plugged in and you’ve put the included batteries in the remote, adjusting picture size and settings only takes a couple of minutes with the remote or the Epson Setting Assistant app. I have my projector set up with a cheap portable 120” screen in the basement. Brightness is perfectly adequate with the lights on and the 4K picture is just as crisp as our living room TV. I do hope to purchase a 120” Epson Silverflex screen in the future to maximize the viewing experience, but I cannot justify spending $3,000 on that at present. While spendy, I can only imagine how good that screen makes things look. As far as audio goes, I must admit the Yamaha speakers sound much better than I was expecting. Voice clarity, music bass, and overall volume work well even in a larger space. If you do want to add a speaker or soundbar, the LS650 does support HDMI eARC. Finally, I haven’t really had any issues with the Android TV OS. Things start up quickly after power on and supported native apps work well. All in all, the Epson LS650 is an excellent example of what a short throw home projector should be in 2024. I’m jazzed to improve the theater like experience over time and use this thing for years to come.

1. **Image Quality**: The projector delivers stunningly crisp and clear images, even in well-lit rooms. The color accuracy and brightness are impressive, making movies and presentations visually engaging. 2. **Short Throw Distance**: The short throw capability is a standout feature, allowing you to project a large image from a relatively short distance. This is perfect for small spaces. 3. **Ease of Setup**: Setting up the projector is a breeze. The intuitive interface and straightforward instructions make it user-friendly, even for those not particularly tech-savvy. 4. **Portability**: Lightweight and compact, the XYZ Short Throw Projector is easy to move around, making it ideal for both home and office use. #### Cons: 1. **Missing Netflix**: The most notable downside is the lack of Netflix support. While the projector has built-in apps for other streaming services, the absence of Netflix is a significant oversight. You will need an external device like a Chromecast, Roku, or Fire Stick to stream Netflix content.

I have had this projector for approximately one week. So far, I am very statisfied. It was easy to unbox and set up, which includes accessing the apps needed to watch movies and televisions shows. During the day, when there is much more natural light, the picture is good. However, in the evenings, with less light, the picture is awesome. It is just like being there standing right next to the characters and the action. The sound from the projector is good. Although, you have to turn up the sound to about 3/4 of the way for it to be loud enough. I am somewhat miserly in spending money. Consequently, I was nervious spending $2,000 on a projector television. If this projector lasts for years, then I would say it is worth the money. Only time will tell.

Good clarity, very expensive though. Worth it if you're a movie buff who likes to have a fancy home theatre set up. I found it comparable to cheaper alternatives in the market though.

Very easy to set up and use. Very nice picture even in daylight. Very low fan noise.

The projector is very nice and adds great value to the screening experience in my home theater. The geek squad helped me with the calibration and since then it has been working perfectly. One Tip-You need a fire stick to operate Netflix as it is not supported by Epson in its original form.