Conclusion:
The W500 is an excellent value. The picture quality is better than the Optoma HD70 with better black levels and contrast, very good color accuracy, and excellent detail. The DLP projectors have a foot up in terms of sharpness, but the HQV scaler in the W500 is a HUGE asset for anyone who watches a lot of SD material on DVD or cable/satellite TV. The lens shift is a bit of a disappointment, and the lack of any real offset rules it out for low coffee table use. The best mounting method might be upright in a box over your head, but it wouldn't look nearly as clean as upside down with a ceiling mount. The limited zoom (1.20:1) and fairly short throw would also make rear shelf mounting difficult in a long room. Overall, its a very good value projector. Its no replacement for the PE8720, but its ldeffinitly at the top of the entry level projectors.