Epson EH-DM2

The Epson EH-DM2 combines the limitations of a standard-definition DVD player with the advantages of a crisp, vibrant LCD projector. For easy transportation and set up it cannot be beaten.

It is quite squat and ugly — it's significantly taller than other projectors with a similar width. Its satin white finish is unobtrusive, however, so you will not be too unsettled by its addition to your living space.

The front of the unit is home to a slot-loading DVD player, which is integrated into the lower part of the projector’s body. The other main feature on the front is the sliding cover for the lens, which is quite chunky and lends an air of solidness to the unit.

All you need is a power cable and you are ready to go. Once plugged in, the EH-DM2 brings up a simple interface that mimics that of a regular DVD player. Apart from the in-built DVD player there are also composite, component and VGA inputs for your external devices; these are navigated using an equally simple menu. We would have liked some digital inputs but their absence is understandable given that it is a standard-definition projector.

The menus also let you adjust video settings. Contrast, sharpness, brightness and various other options can be adjusted simply, with a range of settings for both video and audio equalisers.

The audio side of the EH-DM2 deserves some attention. Stereo analog inputs let you connect an external player, and sound will then be routed to the inbuilt eight Watt stereo speakers. While these will not hold a candle to discrete stereo speakers — let alone a full home theatre system — they are acceptable for an impromptu big-screen movie session. If you intend to use the EH-DM2 with a home theatre system then coaxial digital audio output is available.

The projector outputs video at a resolution of 848x480 pixels. While this is not a high resolution, it exactly matches DVD resolution. This means the picture is as crisp as possible, with no internal up- or down-scaling necessary.

The end result is a clean picture that is full of colour. The official lumen count from Epson sits at 1200 on the ANSI scale — so the EH-DM2 is not fantastic for outdoor or daylight viewing. It is still visible, however.

In a darkened room the picture is well contrasted. Dark scenes are represented well and don't lack detail. Sharpness is consistently high — slightly too high by default — and the end result is a picture that exposes plenty of detail in DVD movies.

At default settings colours were slightly blue tinged, but this was easily rectified. Once adjusted we found the colours very vibrant and involving — one of the best standard-definition efforts under $2000.

If you’re looking for an all-in-one system that does away with the need to fiddle with cables, have a look at the EH-DM2 from Epson.