Epson 5040ub: 4K (pixel shift) + HDR + HDMI 2.0

[srinivas1015]

For 3000$, HDR and 4K (even if it's via pixel shift) is quite impressive.

Epson 5040ub 4K Projector - Hands On - YouTube

[gates70]

I'm definitely in if they get good reviews until I buy a real 4k pj in a few years.

[Dirk504]

I've been discussing this projector on the AVS forums. It's really between this and the new Sony 45ES. The main question... is this PJ worth the extra $1k. Currently building a home, so the extra $1k could easily go towards something else.

[Blue Bull]

I'm also seriously considering this projector myself especially since Panasonic is bullshitting on an update to their AE8000. Anyone know of any reviews out on this yet?

[Eric_The_Victor]

This PJ is exactly what I've been keeping my eyes on for phase 5 of my HT remodeling. Unless there is a breakthrough in 10 months time.

[BluRoo98]

I keep waiting for someone to come out with something like this. I am stocked - please, please, BenQ - follow suit now...

[Dirk504]

So far so good. Can't wait to see some reviews around August when it's supposed to release.

http://www.avsforum.com/epson-6040ub...-ce-week-2016/

[dolphinc]

By the time August rolls around the price should be around $2699. If memory serves that was the price of the last 2 models on release day. Power features like zoom and focus would make this a killer deal if the reviews are solid.

[Badas]

I have a few concerns about this projector.

The AVS test did not test both the Panny and Sony projectors light level matched (both projectors at the same brightness). This would have been good to see contrast. If the contrast is not great then it will not display HDR at it's best.
AVS test was all about brightness. Blackness is just as important.

It is LCD. LCD is not great for a few things. 1. Longevity 2. White and Black level uniformity 3. Traditionally not great with pixel structure either (least amount of pixel fill). However the pixel shift may fix this. I have seen the Epson EH-LS10000 with pixel shift and things did look good.

I'm more excited about seeing some DLP projectors in 4K or HDR. Optoma have a 4K HDR projector with a laser light source coming. That will be fantastic and very close to what we see in IMAX digital cinema.

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by Badas

I have a few concerns about this projector.

The AVS test did not test both the Panny and Sony projectors light level matched (both projectors at the same brightness). This would have been good to see contrast. If the contrast is not great then it will not display HDR at it's best.
AVS test was all about brightness. Blackness is just as important.

It is LCD. LCD is not great for a few things. 1. Longevity 2. White and Black level uniformity 3. Traditionally not great with pixel structure either (least amount of pixel fill). However the pixel shift may fix this. I have seen the Epson EH-LS10000 with pixel shift and things did look good.

I'm more excited about seeing some DLP projectors in 4K or HDR. Optoma have a 4K HDR projector with a laser light source coming. That will be fantastic and very close to what we see in IMAX digital cinema.

+1 I have owned LCOS, LCD and DLP and I always prefer DLP over the others.

[Badas]

Originally Posted by dolphinc

+1 I have owned LCOS, LCD and DLP and I always prefer DLP over the others.

I've owned a number of DLP's previously. Their pixel fill is the best. Which gives them a vibrant picture.
My last two model projectors have been LCOS. A 1080P version and now a 4K version. The contrast on LCOS is very hard to beat.
LCD really doesn't have any advantages over DLP or LCOS which puts them in third place for me. However lets see how the new model goes.

[silentbob]

Man this will be a tempting item when it gets released. I already have my solid Sony 40ES which i bought a year and half ago. The picture on it is great and is plenty bright for my bedroom setup, but NEW TOY. I see something shiny and i want it. I just wonder if the new design has solved the dreaded dust blob problem that has plagued so many Epson models in the past. I know it was becoming a problem on my Epson 8350 and was another factor in me choosing the Sony over the Epson 5030 (even with the free bulb)

[Flatnate]

I too am pretty intrigued by the coming single chip DLP models that utilize LED or Laser light engines. That said, I'm incredibly sensitive to the rainbow effect inherent to lamp based DLP. For the life of me I can not unsee them. Hopefully, these new light engines finally put the nail in the coffin of the rainbow effect.

Other factor at play in my next projector purchase is actually Dolby Vision. So far LG and Vizio flat panels are the only ones supporting it, and I haven't seen announcement of any projector manufacturer planning for it. That stinks because from my understanding it could be a major help for projectors in terms of rendering quality HDR when light output is limited to say 100 nits or the overall contrast is inherently limited by the projectors technology. Who knows, maybe it will flop due to the licensing fees but I for one don't want to pull the trigger till I can see the writing on the wall with what is going to happen with it.

[Badas]

Originally Posted by Flatnate

I too am pretty intrigued by the coming single chip DLP models that utilize LED or Laser light engines. That said, I'm incredibly sensitive to the rainbow effect inherent to lamp based DLP. For the life of me I can not unsee them. Hopefully, these new light engines finally put the nail in the coffin of the rainbow effect.

Other factor at play in my next projector purchase is actually Dolby Vision. So far LG and Vizio flat panels are the only ones supporting it, and I haven't seen announcement of any projector manufacturer planning for it. That stinks because from my understanding it could be a major help for projectors in terms of rendering quality HDR when light output is limited to say 100 nits or the overall contrast is inherently limited by the projectors technology. Who knows, maybe it will flop due to the licensing fees but I for one don't want to pull the trigger till I can see the writing on the wall with what is going to happen with it.

The single chip DLP's with LED or Laser don't show rainbow effects. I've seen a few and done every test possible to see the effect. I didn't see anything. I'm also sensitive to the effect.

[BLindsay]

Ill hold out for a real 4k projector, they are making it sound like this is some huge break through, its not real 4k and JVC has had their eshift tech for a while now

[Flatnate]

Originally Posted by Badas

The single chip DLP's with LED or Laser don't show rainbow effects. I've seen a few and done every test possible to see the effect. I didn't see anything. I'm also sensitive to the effect.

I just realized I wrote a whole response to this and it never posted.

Anyway, read a few reviews of the newer lower cost LED projectors and some of them are reporting very very mild rainbow artifacting. Like the Optoma HD91 and the super short throw LG one for instance. I have seen the pricey Runco LED beast that is a few years old now and yeah it was perfect. So I don't know technically what needs to be done to "massage the light engine" to near perfection but apparently shortcuts on lower priced LED designs can produce extremely mild rainbow artifacting that they say is no where near as bad as any color wheel. My hope is that anything 4K will be high end enough where this would not be an issue at all.

[Badas]

Originally Posted by Flatnate

I just realized I wrote a whole response to this and it never posted.

Anyway, read a few reviews of the newer lower cost LED projectors and some of them are reporting very very mild rainbow artifacting. Like the Optoma HD91 and the super short throw LG one for instance. I have seen the pricey Runco LED beast that is a few years old now and yeah it was perfect. So I don't know technically what needs to be done to "massage the light engine" to near perfection but apparently shortcuts on lower priced LED designs can produce extremely mild rainbow artifacting that they say is no where near as bad as any color wheel. My hope is that anything 4K will be high end enough where this would not be an issue at all.

I can't see the rainbow effect on the Optoma HD91. Even doing the wave hand in front of the screen test*. There is one at my local store and I take a look from time to time. Not enough contrast on these products tho. JVC owners will not like the contrast.

* Wave hand test. On DLP single chipsets. If you pause a image on something bright you can stretch out your hand and wave it side to side. If it is bad you will see rainbow effects where you wave your hand. If it is good you won't see rainbow effects.

[Flatnate]

Originally Posted by Badas

I can't see the rainbow effect on the Optoma HD91. Even doing the wave hand in front of the screen test*. There is one at my local store and I take a look from time to time. Not enough contrast on these products tho. JVC owners will not like the contrast.

* Wave hand test. On DLP single chipsets. If you pause a image on something bright you can stretch out your hand and wave it side to side. If it is bad you will see rainbow effects where you wave your hand. If it is good you won't see rainbow effects.

Man, its annoying me that I don't know where I read that mention of it. I'm inclined to believe that if you can live with it, then I would be fine. I'll have to try the hand wave test. My dad has an old data projector that exhibits it bad. I know Art over at projector reviews thinks that a firmware update for the Optoma could improve its "dynamic iris" like dimming abilities substantially.

I really hope the new wave of 4K DLP machines can get the black levels acceptably low, I think its a big deal when you start to get in to HDR capabilities.

[Badas]

Originally Posted by Flatnate

I really hope the new wave of 4K DLP machines can get the black levels acceptably low, I think its a big deal when you start to get in to HDR capabilities.

I haven't seen anything other than JVC get those levels down. Looked at the new Sony 4K projector a few weeks ago. I don't know how owners live with it? The black bars were grey. Dynamic Iris wasn't improving it as well (it was working). I also saw bad dynamic Iris pumping in mid brightness scenes. I bloody hate dynamic Iris's. Stupid hair brain idea.

[Flatnate]

Originally Posted by Badas

I haven't seen anything other than JVC get those levels down. Looked at the new Sony 4K projector a few weeks ago. I don't know how owners live with it? The black bars were grey. Dynamic Iris wasn't improving it as well (it was working). I also saw bad dynamic Iris pumping in mid brightness scenes. I bloody hate dynamic Iris's. Stupid hair brain idea.

I guess I just need to keep praying that JVC eventually abandons e-shift for a better imager. I'm not holding my breath though. If I had to pull the trigger on another projector tomorrow it would still be a JVC honestly.