Denver — Epson used CEDIA Expo to show its latest answer to the growing momentum behind Ultra HD TV by showing a 3LCD-based projector using new pixel-shifting technology and “reflective” laser lighting on FullHD LCD microdisplays to achieve picture quality it said rivals current native 4K UHD solutions.
Epson showed a pair of new Pro Cinema projectors with 3LCD Reflective laser technology, including the PowerLite Pro Cinema LS10000 4K Enhancement Projector with Epson’s pixel-shifting technology and the Pro Cinema LS9600e FullHD wireless 1080p projector.
Both models will be distributed through CEDIA and specialty dealers this fall for less than $8,000 each, Epson said.
Each unit is backed by a three-year limited warranty and customer care support.
Brightness on the LS10000 is rated at 1,500 lumens of color brightness and 1,500 lumens of white brightness, with enhanced contrast and an advanced suite of calibration tools.
The LS9600e offers 1,300 lumens of color brightness and 1,300 lumens of white brightness.
Epson said the projectors were developed for “demanding home entertainment consumers.”
Epson’s new 3LCD Reflective technology and a laser light source are said to produce an “Absolute Black” contrast ratio and one of the industry’s largest color gamuts.
The Pro Cinema LS10000’s 4K Enhancement technology improves sharpness, clarity and detail, shifting each pixel diagonally by 0.5 pixels to double the resolution and surpass FullHD image quality without visible stair-stepping or pixel gaps, the company said.
“I believe that these new premium products will set an image quality and performance standard that, once experienced by our customers and partners, will make it very tough to consider anything else.” said Jason Palmer, Epson America marketing manager.
Both projectors deliver Absolute Black contrast ratio that displays zero lumens during full-black scenes as well as improved pixel density and increased aperture ratio for smoother, film-like pictures.
Features in both units include FullHD 1080p in 2D and 3D with Super Resolution and Detail Enhancement for sharp, rich images; frame interpolation capabilities; and Bright 3D Drive projection for greater brightness when viewing 3D content.
Also included is a 2.1x power zoom, power focus, lens shift up to 90 percent vertical and 40 percent horizontal, and lens position memory that can store up to 10 settings for standard 16:9 or 4:3 projection areas, and 2.35:1 wide cinema ratio.
The laser light engine life is rated up to 30,000 hours with rapid warm-up or cool-down time and quiet operation.
The LS9600e includes a WirelessHD transmitter that connects up to five HDMI devices simultaneously, with one HDMI out connection and one optical port for switching between sources, and MHL connectivity to display content from MHL-enabled tablets and smartphones.
Also included is lens-position memory to store up to 10 settings in the projector memory, including zoom and focus positions for standard 16:9 or 4:3 projection areas, and 2.35:1 wide cinema ratio; expanded color space for broad color reproduction with DCI and Adobe RGB modes; and a cooling system using thermal-conductive copper piping for reduced fan noise.
