The Epson Ensemble HD 1080 was nominated by judges for CES 2008 as a Design and Engineering Honoree in the Video Components Product Category. The award recognized Epson’s development of the world first complete, fully-integrated audio and video projection system. It seems such a simple concept but factors appealing to consumers will be;

• There is no requirement to shop around for separate equipment items matching performance requirements, connectors etc. – it’s an “out of the box” solution even including everything required for installation.
• The system is already integrated complete with a single remote to control all components.
• With cleverly integrated surround sound speakers cabling and installation effort and costs have been minimized.

The Ensemble HD package includes:

• Epson PowerLite Home Cinema Projector – 1080p or 720p in cradle with integrated speakers
• Motorized electric screen – 100 inches with integrated LCR speakers
• Integrated 5.1 surround sound system – custom-designed by Atlantic Technology
• Subwoofer – 10 inch
• Audio/video controller with dual HDMI inputs and 1080p up-conversion with built-in progressive-scan DVD player
• Universal remote control – pre-programmed, backlit LCD
• Installation components including all mounting brackets, cables and wire management tracks

Projector

The peal-white Epson PowerLite Projector and matching cradle with integrated speakers (which can be unmounted) blends in unobtrusively. The cradle can be ceiling mounted or shelf mounted on a rear wall. The PowerLite is available in 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels) or 720p (1280×720 pixels) resolutions. Standout features of the Epson PowerLite include:

• C²Fine 3LCD technology designed for bright accurate colors and deep blacks
• Deep Color support
• Contrast ratio of 12,000:1 delivered by Epson’s AbsoluteBlack technology
• Lens Shift covering an wide range from 97% vertically to 47% horizontally delivering impressive installation flexibility without any image distortion or possibility of image artefacts from keystone correction

AV Controller

The Ensemble HD has a user friendly, graphite black, audio/video controller which also incorporates a progressive scan DVD player and an AM/FM tuner. The controller has dual HDMI inputs and 1080p up-conversion on all inputs so, it’s ready for connecting other AV components which might include a Blu-Ray DVD player, HD game systems, cable or satellite receivers.

Cinema Screen

The motorized 100 inch, 16:9 projection screen has built-in left, center and right speakers providing the required front speakers for surround sound while being unobtrusive and simplifying installation (and associated costs). The screen can be wall or ceiling mounted. The screen material is a 1.0 gain, high-quality screen fabric.

Audio System Engineered by Atlantic Technology

Atlantic Technology, a manufacturer of quality sound systems, designed the multi-channel speaker systems which includes a state-of-the-art Dolby 5.1 digital surround processor and a hefty 350 watts RMS of system power.

An added feature of the Ensemble HD home theatre system is a custom designed subwoofer for low-frequency sound reproduction you can both feel and hear. The subwoofer is of a ported design with a 10 inch polypropylene, long-throw woofer capable of reproducing bass down to the mid-20Hz region.

The Ensemble HD includes a proprietary, 4-position Location Equalization Control allowing users to adjust the sound field to match the room layout.

Universal Remote Control

Making life easy right from the start, the Ensemble HD includes a pre-programmed, universal remote control. The elimination of the need for multiple remotes to control various AV components will be appreciated by many. The remote includes backlit hard buttons and an LCD screen operation with the lights off.

All Cables, Mounting, Wire Management and Equipment Cabinet

Getting all the installation components such as bolts, nuts, mounting brackets, cables and cable trays can be an extensive and time consuming task. Epson have wisely eliminated this task by supplying everything needed for installation. Even an equipment cabinet for all system components with room to spare is provided.

User Reviews and Price Comparisons

Amazon
Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080 UB Projector
Powerlite Home Cinema 720 720P HD 1600 Lumens

TheNerds.net
Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080 – LCD projector – 1200 ANSI lumens – 1920 x 1080 – widescreen – High Definition 1080p

Buy.com
Epson Powerlite Home Cinema 1080
Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 720 Projector

Resources

Epson Ensemble HD Brochure (PDF 979KB)

Projection Screen Selection

8 Tips to Extend Projector Lamp Life

Replacement Projector Lamps and Bulbs

Epson Ensemble HD Home Cinema Specifications

Projector

Model PowerLite Home Cinema 720
Projection System 3LCD Technology
Resolution 1080p or 720p, 16:9
Brightness Up to 1600 lumens (in Dynamic Mode)
Contrast Up to 10,000:1 (in Dynamic Mode)
Throw Distance 100″ (wide: 10.5′ – tele: 22′)
Lens Shift Range Vertical +/- 100%; Horizontal +/- 50%
Video Inputs HDMI, Component, Composite, S-Video, Mini D-Sub 15 pin (analog RGB)
Dimensions (W x H x D) 15.6″ x 12.2″ x 4.8″
Weight 12 lbs.

Audio/Video Controller with Built-in DVD

Audio/Video Capabilities DVD/CD player; FM/AM tuner
Surround Sound Processing Dolby Digital Surround, DTS 5.1, Dolby Pro Logic, and Dolby Pro Logic IIx (for cinema, music, and games)
Video Processing Pixelworks Chipset upscales all inputs to 1080p
AV Inputs (2) HDMI, Component, Composite, S-video, Digital Audio (HDMI, Optical, Coax)
AV Outputs HDMI (Video) (upscaled to 1080p) DB15 (Audio)
System Remote Control LCD backlit display, programmable
Dimensions (W x H x D) 13.5″ x 10.5″ x 4″
Weight 7 lbs.

Electric Screen with Built-in Front Speakers

Screen Size (Nominal Diagonal) 100″ (HDTV Format 16:9)
Screen Material 1.0 Gain Super White
Additional Black Drop 12” black screen drop length
Installation Supports wall or ceiling installation
Speakers (Left / Right / Center) (1) 4.5″ midrange, (1) 1″ titanium horn tweeter
Frequency Response 75Hz – 20kHz +/- 3dB
Nominal Impedance 8 Ohms
Sensitivity 89 db
Screen Dimensions w/ Grilles (W x H x D) 100″ x 9.5″ x .5″
Weight 69 lbs.

Powered Subwoofer

Type Sealed enclosure, front-firing
Bass Driver 10″ (254mm) long-throw
Frequency Response 32-250Hz +/- 3dB
Amplifier Power 150 Watts (RMS)
Peak Output 105dB in 2000 cu.ft. Vertical +/- 96%; Horizontal +/- 47%
Built-In 5.1 Amplifier w/ EQ Output Power (150 x 1 sub) (50 x 1 center) (35 x 4 LR/SrSl)
Frequency Response 32-31kHz
Boundary Controls Five pre-programmed EQs manually selected based on screen installation location on either wall or ceiling
Sub Acoustic Adjustment Manual rotary control varies frequency and gain
Anti-Boom Circuitry Smooths room induced base peak
Dimensions (W x H x D) 14.9″ x 16.1″ x 18.0″
Weight 35 lbs.

Surround Speakers in Integrated Speaker Cradle

Speaker Mounting Side/reflective surround; also removable for corner wall/ceiling installation
Type 4″ coaxial speaker
Frequency Response 50-16kHz
Amplifier Power 70 Watts Total Power (RMS)
Dimensions (W x H x D) 26.9″ x 6.4″x 12.7″ (complete projector mount)
Weight 15 lbs.