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Epson Home Cinema 3020 e Projector – Black Levels update


August 31st, 2012 Art Feierman

Greetings, this is going to be really short.  In the blog about this new Epson Home Cinema 3020 and 3020e, I mentioned I was not sure if the dynamic iris is operational in 3D!

In all of last year’s Epson’s the dynamic features were not available in 3D.

Great news:  I’ve been able to confirm that the Home Cinema 3020 and 3020e, both will be able to run their dynamic irises in 3D operation.

That’s a major improvement for 3D viewing.  Most pleased to here of this change, I and others complained a good bit about the iris not being available on the older 3010 and 5010 projectors.

That’s it, gotta get back to work.  Remember, all this is secret until Sept 5.  shhh!  -art

PS, if I didn’t mention it in the original 3020 blog, I also heard that the new HC3020 projectors will have shorter lag times, which may make the projector nice and fast, suitable for hard core gamers playing First Person Shooters, etc.  We shall see.

Epson’s Home Cinema 3020 and 3020e – Their new low cost 3D projectors


August 31st, 2012 Art Feierman

Greetings,

Epson's Home Cinema 3020 - Great family room projector

OK, pricing is still not set, best we can tell, but the Home Cinema 3020 and 3020e, probably won’t be more than last year’s 3010 and 3010e.  So far, though Epson has not indicated the new prices.  Let me clarify.  Last year’s two versions (3010 and 3010e) were $1599 and $1799.  the “e” version is the one with the wireless HDMI (5 inputs and Digital Audio this year, up from 2/0).  Last year, the base version came with two pair of 3D glasses, while the “e” version came with wireless, but no glasses.   This year all of Epson’s 3D projectors will come standard with 2 pair of 3D active glasses (newer and lighter, and rechargeable).

So, pricing may shift a bit, due to the addition of the glasses with the “e” version.

So, “what else is new?” Read the rest of this entry »

Epson Launching New Pro Cinema 6020 Projector


August 31st, 2012 Art Feierman

Greetings,

Epson Pro Cinema 6020 Projector - 3D, Bright, great warranty

This little blog on the new Epson Pro Cinema 6020, is a very similar blog to the one on the 5010 projector.  After all, these two projectors are about 95% the same.

Expect the Epson Pro Cinema 6020 to only be sold by local installing dealers.  Also expect the 6020 to share the same improvements in contrast and black levels as the 5020 offers.

Brightness should be the same 2400 lumens as last year’s version.  This year however, we expect the Pro Cinema 6020 to fix my old complaint of no dynamic iris, or other dynamic features when Read the rest of this entry »

Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – What’s Even Better?


August 31st, 2012 Art Feierman

Greetings everyone!

Epson HC5020UB

Epson's new Home Cinema 5020UB Projector

OK, around here we know all about the Epson models that the Home Cinema 5020UB and Home Cinema 5020UBe will replace.  The older 5010 has been a major favorite of ours.

So, what’s going to make the Home Cinema 5020UB worth the wait?

Here are a few tidbits, best I can confirm:  First, the new 5020 projectors look exactly like the older projectors they replace.  No cosmetics upgrade!  Still mostly off white, with a center mounted 2.1:1 zoom lens, but with much of the front trim dark gray.

Look for the 5020 to be the same 2400 lumens brightness, which should see the new Home Cinema 5020UB and 5020UBE continue to hold the title for brightest home theater projectors under $5000. Note, the “e” version comes with wireless HDMI.

But, also look for an improvement in contrast and Read the rest of this entry »

New Epson Home Projectors – IFA and CEDIA Shows


August 31st, 2012 Art Feierman

Greetings Projector Fans!

It’s touch and go time here.  the big IFA tradeshow has begun in Germany, and as is the case most years, it’s shortly before the US CEDIA tradeshow.

Epson HC5020UB

Epson's new Home Cinema 5020UB looks like the older 5010

These two shows are where most new home theater and home entertainment projectors are announced.

My understanding is that here in the US, Epson like many other home theater projector manufacturers, is distributing information on their new projectors in advance of CEDIA to we members of the press, but with the restriction, that “it’s a secret” until Sept 5th, which is Press day at CEDIA.

What that means to you, is that even if Epson told me everything about any new home projectors, I couldn’t legitimately share that info with you until they lift the “embargo”.

Fortunately, that doesn’t really apply to information Read the rest of this entry »

Sharp XV-Z30000 Projector – Quick Comments


August 14th, 2012 Art Feierman

Greetings,  I’m freshly back from Outside Lands music festival, and dropping Lisa back off at college.  Mike’s returning the Sharp XV-Z30000 projector in a couple of hours, so I can get back into some serious reviewing.

The Sharp XV-Z30000 - Best In Cave or Home Theater

For those of you who read my “First Look” blog about the XV-Z30000 home theater projector, I conjectured that it was fairly bright.  I didn’t get a chance to set it up side by side with any other projectors for reference (which would have made “guessing” rather accurate).  In the last blog I did guess that the Z30000 projector might produce 1500 lumens in its brightest mode – Stage.

Wrong.  I was just looking at Mike’s calibration and measurement summary.   I was overly optimistic.  Stage mode which actually looks pretty good (as mentioned) though definitely on the cool temperature side, at maximum measured just over 1100 lumens.  (Now we know Mike’s meter is more conservative than our others here, but we go by Mike’s for all home theater projector reviews.)  The point there is don’t be surprised if other reviewers find an extra 100 lumens or so.

Still, by our reckoning, that makes the Sharp Read the rest of this entry »

Home Theater: Sharp XV-Z30000 Projector – First Look


August 8th, 2012 Art Feierman

Greetings all,

Sharp XV-Z30000 home theater projector

Sharp's 3D capable, XV-Z30000 home theater projector

Today our second Sharp XV-Z30000 projector arrived.  The first, some of you may remember, arrived about 3 weeks ago, but it was freight damaged.  (Someone did an impressive job on the box.)  It powered up, but operationally it was a disaster, with a major problem with the “light engine”.

XV-Z30000 number two, exhibits no immediately obvious problems.  I’ve had it running for about 3 hours, mostly watching the Olympics.  As I write this I’ve got the woman’s Beach Volley Ball finals on, in fact, May/Walsh is one point from winning the goal.  Pause… They won another gold!  Cool.  color’s really good, I’m currently using Movie 1, the brighter of two movie modes (mostly the difference seems to be which brightness mode, which iris settings between Movie 1 and 2).  Skin tones look really good. Note: I’m watching beach volleyball, there’s plenty of tanned skin to observe.  Movie mode is probably a tad over saturated, but it could be the feed.

Normally, I’d have this XV-Z30000 in Sports mode, or one of the other bright modes. Sports looks Read the rest of this entry »