epson debuts 4k projector for $3k

[brainhulk]

http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2016/6/21/11989124/epson-projector-4k-support

 

[brainhulk]

nm, it may not be native 4k.

 

[Soccerman06]

It is more akin to JVC's 4k e-shift technology than true 4k.

 

[giantpandaman2]

The wait continues... =(

 

[WhiteNoise]

You got my hopes up!

 

[Kaido]

It is more akin to JVC's 4k e-shift technology than true 4k.

Correct:

1080p native resolution with 4K Enhancement Technology

More specifically:

4K Enhancement Technology shifts each pixel diagonally by 0.5 pixels to double the resolution to 3840 x 2160 and surpass Full HD image quality. Resolution is 1920 x 1080 in 3D Mode.

However: (quote via Projector Central, note that the 6040B is the as same as the 5040UB, just in a black shell with ISF certification, a 3-year warranty, and some extras like a ceiling mount)

Having seen the 6040UB set up side by side with a native 4K projector, I will say that the 6040UB's picture simply looks like native 4K when they are both fed a native 4K source. It is difficult to detect any difference at all in detail resolution between the two from a normal viewing distance. In fact if casual observers were shown this side by side demo and asked to guess which was the true native 4K projector, I have no doubt that half of them would guess wrong.

One additional note, these support HDR. Personally, I would actually be more interested in a middle-ground 1080p/4K projector than a true 4K projector, tbh. Pseudo-4K + HDR for $3k actually sounds like a pretty good deal, especially given that the cheapest 4K projector (Sony) is around $8,000 right now. I've been working with 4K screens a lot lately & honestly I'm kinda meh about them for movie-watching...based on Projector Central's quick review above, I'd bet that 1080p native resolution with some fancy 4K up-rezzing will actually be a lot better overall for all of your sources & inputs than just a straight-up 4K projector. Plus HDR!

 

[Kaido]

Also a rundown of the models: (the 5040 models will be available in August)

http://www.projectorcentral.com/pro...Unveils-New-4K-Home-Theater-Line&entry_id=712

1. Pro Cinema 4040: $2700 (2300 lumens + 160,000:1 contrast + white case + 2-year warranty)

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Product.do?sku=V11H715020MB

2. Home Cinema 5040UB: $3000 (adds 2500 lumens + up to 1,000,000 contrast)

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Product.do?sku=V11H713020

3. Home Cinema 5040UBe: $3300 (adds wireless HD 4K support via a transmitter)

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Product.do?UseCookie=yes&sku=V11H714020

4. Pro Cinema 6040UB: $4000 (adds ISF certification, 3-year warranty, ceiling mount, cable cover, spare lamp)

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Product.do?UseCookie=yes&sku=V11H710020MB

All feature:

* Native 1080p resolution
* 4K enhancement
* HDR
* Lens shift (motorized focus, zoom, and lens shift)
* Full 1080p 3D (via BYO active glasses)
* 3LCD, 3-chip optical engine

The wireless model (5040UBe) is really interesting because for an extra $300, they include a Wireless HD Transmitter that has 4 HDMI inputs (4K HDCP 2.2 standard). That's a pretty dang good deal considering most wireless HDMI transmitters are kinda crappy, typically only sport a single HDMI port, support 1080p instead of 4K, and are in the $200-$300 pricerange. Epson must have figured out the wireless tech to be confident enough to include it in a consumer model. That's really good news if it actually works because then all you have to do is run a power cable for the projector. I had an electrician stick an outlet in the ceiling for my Benq HT2050 projector, but then I had to run the HDMI cable through the ceiling & wall, which was a big pain in the neck.

I think the a 5040UB & an ELAC Atmos setup will be my next upgrade (plus a BFM THT sub & Clark Synthesis tranducers). And hey, as long as I'm window shopping, we'll throw in a 200" Screen Innovations Zero-Edge acoustically-transparent screen

http://www.screeninnovations.com/residential-zero-edge/5-series-zero-edge-residential/

Hmm, now all I need is a house...

 

[giantpandaman2]

Hmm, now all I need is a house...

You buy all that and you can't afford the house.

Personally, I don't think Atmos is worth it. I'm with audioholics with the dislike of the bouncy house setup. Sure, it'll be great if, instead, you have 4 or more in-ceiling speakers, but that's just money overkill.

Epson makes great projectors. I love my 8350. I just don't think it's worth it to upgrade until there's 4k for less than 3k... Besides, there's very little broadcast 4k material coming out yet. Though I really want to see my 4k BD of the Revenant sometime in the next two years...

 

[Eug]

By most accounts HDR is far more important than 4K. I'd be perfectly happy with e-Shift fake 4K + HDR myself. However, that is only if the HDR is done well. We don't know if the HDR will be good on the 5040UB or not.

In my case I'm just ordered the Sony VPL-HW45ES, since the Epson 5040UB will be 50% more costly. Also I'm assuming the 5040UB will have the same fan noise as the 5030UB, and I really dislike the fan noise as the projector is right above my head in my setup, but we shall see once the reviews come in the fall.

And Atmos is very nice. My setup has Atmos as merely good though, since I'm not using in-ceiling speakers. I just have bookshelf speakers mounted near the ceiling, pointed downwards at the seating area, and it's just a 5.1.2 setup. I'd say 5.1.2 is much nicer than 7.1. Of course, 7.1.4 would be nice.

 

[giantpandaman2]

By most accounts HDR is far more important than 4K. I'd be perfectly happy with e-Shift fake 4K + HDR myself. However, that is only if the HDR is done well. We don't know if the HDR will be good on the 5040UB or not.

Whether HDR or 4k is more important is highly subjective. At 100"+ I'd say 4K is far more important just to reduce the blurriness of it all. Also, unlike 4k, to get the most out of HDR you also need a very nice screen. Doh, more money...longer delay...

 

[purbeast0]

i paid nearly $3k for my 1080p projector 3 years ago. don't think i'll be upgrading any time soon even if they did hit the 4k range. it would be a pain in the ass to pull another hdmi cable through my ceiling. i have a spare in the ceiling but i don't think it is 4k capable.

 

[giantpandaman2]

i paid nearly $3k for my 1080p projector 3 years ago. don't think i'll be upgrading any time soon even if they did hit the 4k range. it would be a pain in the ass to pull another hdmi cable through my ceiling. i have a spare in the ceiling but i don't think it is 4k capable.

You didn't put in conduit? Then you can just pull a new one through...

 

[Kaido]

Whether HDR or 4k is more important is highly subjective. At 100"+ I'd say 4K is far more important just to reduce the blurriness of it all. Also, unlike 4k, to get the most out of HDR you also need a very nice screen. Doh, more money...longer delay...

I'm curious to see HDR in-person. 4K is an interesting beast. Sure it looks good, but most of the UHD movies I've seen are just meh. It just looks like better 1080p...some shots here & there look amazing, but nothing mind-blowing really. What does look incredible is slow-moving nature & architecture demos, but who wants to watch that stuff all day? So we'll see how HDR looks. My guess is it's not going to be hugely impactful, and I'd bet that something like the DVP-5000 will be upgraded to have a faux-HDR color boost feature that will be 90% as good & can be retrofit on your old set.

 

[purbeast0]

You didn't put in conduit? Then you can just pull a new one through...

i ran wires through an already finished basement. i have a pull string in there, but the problem is the hdmi cable ends could get caught up on stuff while pulling.

 

[Kaido]

i ran wires through an already finished basement. i have a pull string in there, but the problem is the hdmi cable ends could get caught up on stuff while pulling.

For an extra $300, the 5040UBe model has a wireless HDMI transmitter bundled with it. If it actually works, that will be the cat's meow for easy retrofits!

 

[Eug]

Whether HDR or 4k is more important is highly subjective. At 100"+ I'd say 4K is far more important just to reduce the blurriness of it all. Also, unlike 4k, to get the most out of HDR you also need a very nice screen. Doh, more money...longer delay...

I'm curious to see HDR in-person. 4K is an interesting beast. Sure it looks good, but most of the UHD movies I've seen are just meh. It just looks like better 1080p...some shots here & there look amazing, but nothing mind-blowing really. What does look incredible is slow-moving nature & architecture demos, but who wants to watch that stuff all day? So we'll see how HDR looks. My guess is it's not going to be hugely impactful, and I'd bet that something like the DVP-5000 will be upgraded to have a faux-HDR color boost feature that will be 90% as good & can be retrofit on your old set.

Nearly everyone who has HDR on a good display says it's much, much, much more important than 4K.

But yeah, you need high contrast levels and high brightness in order to properly make use of HDR, which is why I said that we don't know if the 5040UB will succeed here.

Personally I don't really care all that much about 4K per se. I care far more about HDR... but I'm not going to pay 50-60% to get a mid-end model with potentially annoying fan noise. (Epsons have a history of being noticeably louder than Sonys.)

i ran wires through an already finished basement. i have a pull string in there, but the problem is the hdmi cable ends could get caught up on stuff while pulling.

Depends on the length. People say once you get above 25 feet, it's extremely hard to find passive HDMI cables that work consistent with 4K material.

 

[13Gigatons]

I wonder how many years it will be before a real 4K projector hits the market that is actually affordable?

 

[Kaido]

Starts shipping on Monday!

https://www.amazon.com/Epson-Home-Cinema-5040UB-Enhancement/dp/B01IO0QWJA/

 

[gus6464]

Why has it been an odyssey to have a native 4k projector available? The TVs are getting dirt cheap but still no projectors.

 

[Kaido]

Why has it been an odyssey to have a native 4k projector available? The TVs are getting dirt cheap but still no projectors.

Chip availability, smaller market, fewer vendors. TI announced their budget-friendly 4K projector chip late last year, so hopefully we'll be seeing that put to good use in a variety of upcoming models. I, for one, would really like to see a 4K LED projector for a reasonable price.

 

[DBDALy59]

DOES ANYONE HAVE A EPSON 5020UB? Mineis 3 years old and took a dump. They tell me 900.00 to maybe fix it. They also tell me 3-5 yeas is normal life for a projector!!! 3000 grand for 3 years? Thoughts?

 

[RearAdmiral]

DOES ANYONE HAVE A EPSON 5020UB? Mineis 3 years old and took a dump. They tell me 900.00 to maybe fix it. They also tell me 3-5 yeas is normal life for a projector!!! 3000 grand for 3 years? Thoughts?

ha 3-5 years for a lamp in your projector with nominal usage maybe. That sucks your projector died