The projector market is having a bit of a renaissance, and Epson clearly wants in on the action. Hot on the heels of the LS9000 for serious home theater junkies, they’ve dropped four new models aimed at the rest of us who don’t have a blacked-out media room or the budget for one. The lineup splits into two camps: the Home Cinema 1100 and 980 for entry-level living room duty, and the Pro EX9270 and EX3290 for general-purpose projection—boardrooms, classrooms, or the occasional backyard movie night.
It’s a telling move: manufacturers are pushing back into a category many thought had been permanently sidelined by cheap 4K TVs and wireless everything. Epson’s bet? There’s still plenty of demand for big-screen flexibility without spending like you’re outfitting a multiplex.
All of the projectors use 3LCD technology, which delivers equal brightness for both color and white light—unlike DLP, where color output typically trails white light and viewers may experience the rainbow effect.
All four models stick with Epson’s UHE (Ultra High Efficiency) lamp light sources—a deliberate move that cuts against the growing industry shift toward LED and laser. They share a uniform chassis design with a top-mounted control panel, rear connectivity, and a single low-power speaker that feels more like a checkbox feature than a selling point. Lens adjustment is standard across the lineup, with the lone exception of the entry-level EX3290.
But the real headline here is connectivity: the Home Cinema 1100 and Pro EX9270 bring Apple AirPlay to the table, alongside Miracast and built-in WiFi. That makes them some of the first Epson projectors outside the flagship tier to bake in Apple’s ecosystem support—a smart play in a market where seamless wireless streaming matters just as much as picture quality.
From Kenny Tang, product manager, Epson America, Inc. “Epson’s projectors are designed with versatility at their core; built to adapt to today’s dynamic work and play lifestyles with exceptional picture performance for both professional settings and immersive home entertainment,…Designed with quality viewing and convenience in mind, the new projectors feature Epson’s proprietary 3-Chip 3LCD technology along with high brightness and a range of connectivity options. And by adding support with Apple AirPlay, it’s now even easier to connect and share content directly from personal devices.”
Epson Home Cinema Projectors: Entry-Level 3LCD Models with AirPlay Support
The Home Cinema lineup includes two models: the 1100 and 980. Both are built for everyday home theater setups, offering stable image quality, versatile connectivity, high brightness, and support for massive screen sizes—all without breaking the bank.
These projectors can throw an image up to 300 inches on a wall or screen, delivering an immersive viewing experience even in rooms with plenty of ambient light. The Home Cinema 1100 is rated at 3,400 lumens, while the 980 pushes brightness further to 4,000 lumens.
With Full HD 1080p resolution and 3-chip 3LCD technology, motion handling is smooth—ideal for sports, gaming, or fast-action content. Both models feature a built-in speaker, easy setup, and flexible connectivity, including two HDMI ports for laptops and popular streaming devices such as Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast. A built-in picture skew sensor further simplifies alignment, making setup straightforward for almost any environment.
Epson Pro EX Series Projectors: High-Brightness 3LCD Models for Work and Entertainment
The Pro EX lineup adds two models: the EX9270 and EX3290. Unlike the Home Cinema series, these projectors are built for multipurpose use—covering home entertainment, business presentations, classroom instruction, and even some light gaming.
The Pro EX9270 is the more fully featured of the two, offering Full HD 1080p resolution, 4,100 lumens of brightness, and built-in wireless options including Apple AirPlay, Miracast, and WiFi.
The EX3290 scales things back, dropping wireless support entirely and stepping down to WXGA (1280 × 800) resolution. It still delivers 4,000 lumens of brightness, but 1080p content is downscaled for display.
Both models feature two HDMI® inputs for easy connection to Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, and streaming devices—mirroring the versatility of Epson’s Home Cinema projectors.
Comparison
| Home Cinema 1100 | Home Cinema 980 | Pro EX9270 | Pro EX3290 | |
| Price | $829 | $749 | $949 | $649 |
| Projection System | 3LCD, 3-chip technology | 3LCD, 3-chip technology | 3LCD, 3-chip technology | 3LCD, 3-chip technology |
| Projection Method | Front/rear/ceiling mount | Front/rear/ceiling mount | Front/rear/ceiling mount | Front/rear/ceiling mount |
| Drive Method | Epson Poly-silicon TFT Active Matrix | Epson Poly-Silicon TFT Active Matrix | Epson Poly-Silicon TFT Active Matrix | Epson Poly-Silicon TFT Active Matrix |
| Native Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | 1280 x 800 |
| Pixel Number | 2,073,600 | 2,073,600 | 2,073,600 | 1,024,000 |
| Color Brightness (IDMS Rated) | 3,400 lumens | 4,000 lumens | 4,100 lumens | 4,000 lumens |
| White Brightness (ISO Rated) | 3,400 lumens | 4,000 lumens | 4,100 lumens | 4,000 lumens |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 | 16:9 | 16:9 | 16:10 |
| Resize Support | 16:10, 4:3 | 16:10, 4:3 | 16:10, 4:3 | 16:9, 16:10 |
| Lamp Type | 210 W UHE | 230 W UHE | 230 W UHE | 210 W UHE |
| Lamp Life (Normal Mode) |
6,000 hours | 6,000 hours | 5,500 hours | 6,000 hours |
| Lamp Life (Eco Mode) |
12,000 hours | 12,000 hours | 12,000 hours | 12,000 hours |
| Throw Ratio Range | 1.00 – 1.21 | 1.21 – 1.45 | 1.30 – 2.09 | 1.44 – 1.95 |
| Size (Projected) | 31″ – 305″ | 34″ – 337″ | 31″ – 304″ | 33″ – 375″ |
| Keystone Correction Auto | Vertical: ± 30 degrees | Vertical: ± 30 degrees | Vertical: ± 30 degrees | Vertical: ± 30 degrees |
| Keystone Correction Manual | Horizontal: ± 30 degrees | Horizontal: ± 30 degrees | Horizontal: ± 30 degrees | Horizontal: ± 30 degrees |
| USB Plug ’n Play | Projects audio and video, PC and Mac compatible | Projects audio and video, PC and Mac compatible | Projects audio and video, PC and Mac compatible | Projects audio and video, PC and Mac compatible |
| Contrast Ratio | Up to 16,000:1 | Up to 16,000:1 | Up to 16,000:1 | Up to 16,000:1 |
| Color Reproduction | Up to 1.07 billion colors | Up to 1.07 billion colors | Up to 1.07 billion colors | Up to 16.77 million |
| Lens Type | Optical Zoom/ Manual focus |
Optical Zoom/ Manual focus |
Optical Zoom/ Manual focus |
Manual Focus |
| F-Number | 1.58 – 1.70 | 1.49 – 1.72 | 1.51 – 1.77 | 1.44 |
| Focal Length | 14.06 mm – 16.82 mm | 16.9 mm – 20.28 mm | 18.2 mm – 29.2 mm | 16.7 mm |
| Zoom Ratio | Manual zoom 1.0 – 1.2 | Manual zoom 1.0 – 1.2 | Manual zoom 1 – 1.62 | Digital zoom 1.0 – 2.0 |
| Speaker | 2 W (monaural) | 2 W (monaural) | 16 W (monaural) | 2 W (monaural) |
| Fan Noise | Normal Mode: 37 dB
Quiet Mode: 28 dB |
Normal Mode: 37 dB
Quiet Mode: 28 dB |
Normal Mode: 37 dB
Quiet Mode: 28 dB |
Normal Mode: 37 dB
Quiet Mode: 28 dB |
| HDMI Inputs | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Audio Out | 3.5mm | 3.5mm | – | – |
| Wireless Connectivity | Built-in Wi-Fi® 5
Miracast screen mirroring Apple AirPlay |
– | Built-in Wi-Fi® 5
Miracast screen Apple AirPlay |
– |
| Dimensions w/feet (WDH) | 11.9″ x 9.9″ x 3.6″ | 12.2″ x 11.1″ x 4.2″ | 12.2″ x 11.5″ x 4.1″ | 11.9″ x 9.3″ x 3.2″ |
| Weight | 6.17 lbs | 6.83 lbs | 6.8 lbs | 5.2 lbs |
The Bottom Line
Epson continues to dominate the projector market with affordable, high-brightness models that fit a wide range of environments—from living rooms to classrooms to outdoor movie nights. The Home Cinema 1100 and Pro EX9270 stand out as the first consumer projectors to offer built-in Apple AirPlay, alongside Miracast, WiFi, and dual HDMI inputs for flexible content access.
However, buyers should note that these projectors top out at 1080p resolution, lack HDR and advanced video processing, and still rely on traditional lamp light sources rather than modern Laser or LED technology—meaning lamp replacements will eventually be part of the ownership experience.