Epson has launched a stunning 4K home theatre projector – the EH-LS12000B 4K PRO UHD – which offers a cinema quality picture to create a remarkable home entertainment experience.
The Epson EH-LS12000B 4K PRO UHD incorporates a laser array light source which provides higher brightness and impressive contrast and colour.
Tech Guide took a look at the new Epson projector for ourselves at Epson’s Sydney office.
The projector can support HDR10+ and HDMI 2.1 so you can not only enjoy movies in 4K but also immerse yourself in the latest games as well.
The Epson projector uses pixel-shifting technology to produce the 4K image in parallel with three individual high-definition LCD chips.
When producing 4K a projector has two options – either true 4K or pixel shifting high-definition so your eye is seeing the same number of pixels as true 4K.
For true 4K the image is coming through a grid of 3840 x 2160 pixels where light can be pushed out through each of these pixel spaces.
Epson’s decision to go with pixel shifting from a high-definition chip means the light is going a grid of 1920 x 1080 which means larger pixels and more room for the light to travel through the lens so you have a noticeably brighter picture.
The pixel shifting is a mechanical process at the lens where a panel moves in two directions to make up the four pixels for every single pixel coming from the LCD chips.
So what a viewer sees on the screen is 8.3 million pixels and the 3840 x 2160 resolution.
Customers who opt for true 4K do so because they want to see every pixel precisely where it is meant to be from the source.
Sharpness and clarity might be slightly better with true 4K, but brightness does take a slight hit.
In the case of the Epson EH-LS12000B 4K PRO UHD, the increased brightness was noticeable but there was still remarkable detail that looked even clearer and sharper because of that added brightness.
We were watching the 4K version of Kong v Godzilla and you could see individual strands of Kong’s fur and other detailed textures beside bright colours and other darker sections of the screen.
That’s where the HDR10+ came into play – the range of contrast and brightness was impressive as was the amount of detail and colour gradations without banding.
What also helps keep the quality high is the Epson 32-bit video processing technology which does the heavy lifting when sorting colour, contrast and the frame interpolation for a smoother image.
The 3LCD technology can display 100 per cent of the RGB colour signal while still retaining that remarkable brightness.
Gamers will also appreciate the quality – and the performance
You can enjoy 4K games at up to 120 frames per second and with input lag times below 20ms so users can take advantage of the features of the latest consoles.
Setting up the Epson EH-LS12000B 4K PRO UHD is also pretty easy thanks to the lens shifting technology which means projector doesn’t have to be in the centre of screen. You can shift the lens up or down 96 per cent and left or right 47 per cent without any loss of picture quality and without distortion.
The laser array light source has a lifespan of up 20,000 hours which is the equivalent of watching a three-hour movie every day for 18 years.
The Epson EH-LS12000B 4K PRO UHD projector is available now and is priced at $8,999.
Key features of the Epson EH-LS12000B
– 4K PRO-UHD1 Advanced pixel-shifting technology works in parallel with three individual high-definition LCD chips to produce an exceptionally sharp 4K picture achieving 8.3 million pixels and displaying a resolution of 3840 x 2160 on screen without sacrificing picture brightness
– Laser array light source – provides up to 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance free operation, with the added benefits of higher image contrast and instant ON/OFF
– Epson picture processor – Epson’s most advanced video processing technology to date, the proprietary 32-bit Epson Picture Processor handles real-time colour, contrast, HDR, frame interpolation and resolution enhancement to faithfully reproduce the source material the way it was intended to be shown
– High picture brightness – Impressive 2,700 lumens of colour and 2,700 lumens of white brightness3 for an exceptional picture in virtually any home theatre environment – even in rooms with ambient light
– Lens shift – With this innovative technology, the projector does not need to be placed directly in front of the screen. This comes in handy when there might be light fixtures or ceiling fans which cannot be moved
– True 3-chip 3LCD projector engine – Advanced 3LCD technology uses three individual LCD chips to continuously display 100 percent of the RGB colour signal for every frame; this allows for outstanding colour gamut while maintaining excellent brightness without any rainbowing or colour brightness issues seen with other projection technologies
– Impressive HDR – Full 10-bit HDR colour processing accepting 100 percent of the HDR source information to faithfully reproduce HDR, HDR10+ and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) content for an exceptional visual performance; real-time HDR curve adjustment allows for 16 steps of control to fine-tune the HDR performance regardless of the content
– Great for gaming – Gaming up to 4K at 120 frames per second, along with input lag times below 20 ms, allow for serious gamers to take full advantage of the latest generation of gaming consoles and even higher-end gaming PCs