[hdmkv]

Given Epson's recent announcement, thought I'd start a thread to compile options under US$3K...


Epson 5040UB:
($2,999 retail price)

• Available in August
  
• 3LCD technology
  
• 4K and full 3D
  
• HDR
  
• HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2
  
• Powered lens memory (poor man's way to enjoy scope screen for example)
  
• X/Y lens shift
  
• Wide Gamut, with full DCI color space
  
• Around 700 calibrated lumens expected (even though 2,500 lumens is claimed)
  
• Up to 1,000,000 contrast claimed
  
• Uses e-Shift* technology to achieve 4K
  

*e-Shift is regarded as 'faux' or 'fake' 4K by some, but as 'real 4K' for less than $3K likely won't happen until next year or so, e-Shift does appear easily better than 1080p. Some reasons why...

From ProjectorReviews.com:

Looking at the 4K content, it looked great, for, as I already learned from Epson’s LS10000, that while true 4K is true 4K, and this isn’t true 4K, pixel shifting combined with 4K content, and some great image processing can still deliver a picture this is immediately perceived as easily sharper and more detailed than anything pure 1080p. I’ve come to appreciate HDR from watching the Sony 4K VW665ES ($14,999), and the $3999 JVC, and it looked even better in Epson’s facility, because their “theater” is just superior to mine... Or more simply stated, The Home Cinema 5040UB or the Pro Cinema 6040UB, watching a movie like The Martian, from a Blu-ray UHD disc, with HDR, is going to be a dramatically superior experience to the older UBs doing a standard 1080p Blu-ray disc.... The bottom line, the Home Cinema 5040UB (being the less expensive of the two), is simply the lowest priced projector on the market that can handle commercial 4K source material, and more specifically including DCI color and HDR processing.

From ProjectorCentral.com:

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... The purist will argue that there must be some difference in resolution, as the 4K images achieved through pixel shift cannot possibly match the exact reproduction from native 4K chips. While this is technically true, if 4K enhancement has improved to where you can't see any difference from a normal viewing distance, what is more important -- how the projector does it or how much it costs?

looun's first-hand experience with HiMedia Q10 Pro connected to an Epson EH-LS10000 and Sony VPL-VW520.


Epson Pro Cinema 4040:
($2,699 retail price)

• Available in August
  
• 3LCD technology
  
• 4K and full 3D
  
• HDR
  
• HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2
  
• Powered lens memory (poor man's way to enjoy scope screen for example)
  
• X/Y lens shift
  
• Wide Gamut, with full DCI color space
  
• 2300 lumens (just 200 less than 5040UB) ← Will this make a difference? I think not
  
• Up to 160,000:1 contrast ratio claimed (vs. 1,000,000 claimed for 5040UB) ← Will this make a difference? I don't know
  
• Uses e-Shift* technology to achieve 4K
  

JVC DLA-RS400U / DLA-X550R:
(Can be had for $3,530 off eBay; Epson announcement may push it below $3K)

• Available now
  
• LCoS technology
  
• 4K and full 3D
  
• HDR
  
• 4K@60p (up to 4:4:4) signal
  
• Full speed 18Gbps HDCP 2.2 HDMI inputs
  
• Powered lens memory
  
• X/Y lens shift
  
• 1700 lumens claimed
  
• 40000:1 contrast ratio claimed
  
• Uses e-Shift* technology to achieve 4K
  

[movie78]

Looking into the Epson Pro Cinema 4040

[hdmkv]

I'm torn between Pro Cinema 4040 and 5040UB...

I currently have a 5025UB, with claimed 600,000:1 contrast ratio and 2200 lumens. It has the same CR as 5030UB, but 200 less lumens. Per Projector Central, for 5030UB, they got for THX mode, 645 lumens with the lamp set to full power and 479 lumens at low power. With my 5025UB, I stick to THX mode and low power, and find it plenty bright. But, I also have a 2.4 gain High Power screen and total dark room, both of which help a great deal.

So, with Pro Cinema 4040 vs. 5040UB, I'm not concerned about the lumens difference. 4040 should be plenty bright, but with the big contrast ratio difference claimed (160K vs. 1 million), will it make a difference in terms of black level, richer colors and that dynamic pop I see with 5025UB? Basically, is the 5040UB really worth the $300 price premium?

[movie78]

[hdmkv]

Would be good to hear some independent impressions of people who attended that shootout. Even projectorcentral.com and projectorreviews.com tend to be a bit biased toward Epson and Panasonic, and generally to LCD over DLP and LCoS.

Still, I expect the Epson PJ's to deliver for the most part given existing and previous models I've owned of theirs.

[movie78]

I will for the shootout result also wait to see what would be the price range for Optoma and BenQ True 4K PJ

[hdmkv]

Another video... but, not really "hands on" as title claims:

[RockerC]

FYI, also checkout this info about this new Texas Instruments 4K DLP chip which is made to be "affordable for the masses" so it should really bring down prices significantly by sheer competion, at least once a few home theater projectors that uses chips arrive on the market at the end of this year and the beginning of next year

http://www.cnx-software.com/2016/01/14/t...nd-school/

http://www.displaydaily.com/display-dail...the-masses

http://hometheaterreview.com/texas-instr...d-chipset/

You can sign-up on Ti's website to recieve more news about this "DMD" (Digital Micromirror Device) chip and products like the upcoming Acer V9800

http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/dlp-technology...K-UHD.page

[movie78]

Acer 4K DLP Projector

[hdmkv]

No HDR on Acer, as no Rec-2020 Wide Color Gamut. But, is native 4K vs. eShift on JVC/Epson.

No price yet for Acer. Guessing it will be over $3K.

[movie78]

4K or FauxK HDR

I guess HDR wins..

[RockerC]

No HDR on Acer, as no Rec-2020 Wide Color Gamut.

Texas Instruments 4K DLP chip does support HDR so I would think that all products that uses it will support HDR, including Acer V9800 4K projector, so why not?

No price yet for Acer. Guessing it will be over $3K.

Nah, my quess (and hope) is a bit under $2K since it uses the Texas Instruments 4K DLP chip I mentioned which is designed for more affordable products.

Listen to the YouTube video again where a Acer representive says that products at least "might be under $2,000"



Remember that Acer generally specialize in affordable products, and the estimated retail price for Acer's most expensive home projector today, which is the H7550STz model, is only $1199.99(US)

http://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/pro...projectors

Acer's most expensive projector in any area is the P6500 which estimated retail price is only $1299.99(US) which is marketed towards for "large venue".

Also note that this Acer V9800 will not become available until January 2017, and by that time there will probably be a lot more compettion out there.

[hdmkv]

Here's a Epson-held event with shootout report of UB6040 vs. native 4K Sony.

[movie78]

[hdmkv]

Pre-production sample review of Epson 6040UB by projectorcentral.com. I'm getting pretty excited about getting either 5040UB or 5040UBe. Even considering going to a scope screen.