Epson Now Shipping Its EpiqVision Ultra LS500 4K Laser Projection TV
By Jennifer Mash
For most people, projectors are a great idea for movie nights in a dedicated, dark, home theater room. Epson, the number one projector manufacturer in the world, is determined to change customer’s minds with the EpiqVision Ultra LS500 4K PRO-UHD Laser Projection TV. According to Epson, the EpiqVision Ultra line combines modern design with advanced laser technology, Android TV™, onboard sound, and includes a high-resolution ambient light rejecting screen designed specifically for the LS500 to deliver immersive 4K HDR content up to 120 inches.
“More than ever, people want great experiences at home. And having a 120-inch 4K PRO-UHD screen on your wall – is the ultimate TV viewing experience,” said Rodrigo Catalan, senior product manager, projectors, Epson America, Inc. “Epson’s new EpiqVision Ultra LS500 Laser Projection TV redefines television and offers a truly immersive viewing experience for watching sports, TV shows, gaming, and so much more. It’s simply epic.”
The new Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV uses a new type of Ultra Short Throw Laser-Array Projection technology and a proprietary multi-element Precision Glass Structure projects a 16:9 image up to 120 inches from a throw distance of just 9 inches. A traditional projector requires a big theater room since it must be placed a far distance from the screen. Ultra short throw projectors bring the dream of a big screen experience to smaller homes and apartments.
Thanks to the new laser technology, the Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV wows with a suggested 4,000 lumens of peak brightness, brighter than some conventional flat panel TVs currently in the market. A laser has a lot of other advantages over a traditional projector – they turn on faster, last longer, run quieter and generate less heat.
Unlike some competitor projectors which use DLP technology, all Epson projectors are based on 3-chip LCD technology. According to Epson, the advanced 3-chip 3LCD technology displays 100 percent of the RGB color signal for every frame so the Rec. 709 color space is displayed. The 3LCD technology also reduces the “rainbow” effect found in some DLP projectors as a result of their rotating RGB filter. The Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV also offers 10-bit HDR color processing, Dynamic Contrast Ratio up to 2,000,000:1 and the latest 18 Gbps HDMI 2.0 with ARC Support so its fully compatible with virtually all color formats, depths and spaces while simultaneously supporting most 4K HDR content at a full 60Hz.
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Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV supports 4K playback but it’s not native 4K. The unit uses Epson Pro-UHD pixel shifting technology to control the three individual, high-definition LCD chips to process millions of pixels in parallel. 4K Enhancement Technology shifts each pixel diagonally to double Full HD resolution.
Although most projectors can project directly on a wall, it’s not the best experience and a good screen is always recommended to compensate for wall color and texture. The Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV simplifies projector setup by bundling a bespoke, high resolution, ambient-light rejecting screen. Epson says the screen has a unique light accelerating Optical Layering Technology and is intended to produce vivid colors and deep blacks, for a bright and colorful picture, in virtually any viewing environment. Epson claims the screen provides a super-wide 178-degree viewing angle and offers a modern, thin-bezel design.
In addition to including a screen, the Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV also includes audio. According to Epson, they partnered with Yamaha’s acoustic engineers to develop a one-of-a-kind 10W stereo speaker system that produces a wide sound stage and similar sound quality to a soundbar.
For customers used to the convenience of a modern smart TVs, the Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV includes an Android TV operating system and has voice search with built-in Google Assistant. The Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV does not include a TV tuner, but Epson says that customers can still stream live TV through popular apps, like Netflix, HBO, Showtime, YouTube, Hulu, ESPN and more.
In addition to three HDMI inputs, there’s also a USB port so customers will be able to easily plug in a Roku or other streaming stick. There’s even an optional ELPAP10 wireless LAN unit that can be connected to the rear USB port to wirelessly share content from smart devices. Epson claims the Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV will satisfy even hard-core gamers with input lag times about 16.7 milliseconds.
What makes the Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV an exceptionally viable smart TV replacement? The price. At around $5,000 (
including the 100-inch screen), the Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV is a real alternative for customers who crave the big screen experience in their living room.
An ultra-short throw projector like the Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV makes it easy for the average consumer to own a projector. It comes with the familiar, Smart TV functionality of Android, it is easy to install, the laser is rated for whopping 20,000 hours (eco mode) and the unit comes with a 2-year warranty. Why settle for a measly 75 or 85-inch flat panel when you can get a much bigger image from a compact unit half the size, for about the same price?
Currently available in stores, you can find the Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS500 4K PRO-UHD Laser Projection TV at select retailers, the Epson online store and Magnolia and CEDIA dealers. The Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV is available in both black and white with an included 100-inch screen (MSRP $4,999) or an included 120-inch screen (MSRP $5,999).
