I have always enjoyed home theater, but I have found myself falling into a peculiar pattern over the last decade or so. I would buy a TV, and LOVE it.... for about six months before I started researching the next best thing. I needed more size, then I needed more resolution. Buy, research, buy, research. It wasn't long before I realized that I needed the flexibility, and sheer image size of a projector. This for the most part ended the vicious cycle. Until 4K showed up. Is the Epson Home Cinema 4000 the projector to finally end the cycle of always feeling like I need something more? I believe it is. Read on to find out more on why.
I would like to add a few quick notes about my experience with projectors to this point as they are my basis for comparison with the Epson Home Cinema 4000. I started with the BenQ W770ST at 720p. It had good build quality, and put out a nice image, but at only 80" I was immediately apparent that the resolution wasn't high enough. I also found out that I was highly susceptible to the "Rainbow Effect" (RBE) associated with DLP projection technology. In the end this projector was not for me.
That led me to the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 2000 at 1080p. It has an excellent build quality with a picture to match, and its 3LCD projection technology doesn't produce RBE. I knew when I was ready to make the jump to 4K that it would be with an Epson 3LCD projector.
When the day finally came and I opened the box for my new projector it was immediately apparent that I was stepping things up in every way. For starters the projector is HUGE! So much so in fact that I was unable to use it in the same room as my last projector. It's physical size dominated the ceiling of the small room, and it couldn't quite match the short throw of the Epson Home Cinema 2000. This beast needs room to breathe. It was because of this that I decided to set it up in our converted garage where there was more space to work with. The unit is ceiling mounted, and is projecting from approximately 12 feet on to a 100" screen.
My suggestions for setup would be to consider your available space carefully. Make sure you have a sturdy mount that locks down position well, and preferably uses 4 points for attachment instead of just 3. There is some very helpful information in the online user's manual that will help you determine projection distance, and placement. Also mounting the projector is a two person job. Plan accordingly!
All you have to do is get the projector mounted reasonably close, and you can make your final adjustments to the image using the excellent lens adjustment features all on the included backlit remote. This includes picture size, location, focus, and keystone. There is a lot of flexibility here, and it left me very impressed.
Now it was time for the fun part. Testing! With a press of the power button the lens cover automatically opens (this is so cool), and you are ready to go. The first thing I noticed is that this very large projector is.....quiet. Very quiet. Much more so than my Epson Home Cinema 2000. The larger size means a larger fan which in turn means less noise. I was pleasantly surprised by this.
My test were conducted using a Samsung soundbar setup via HDMI, a Comcast HD cable box outputting at 1080p via HDMI, and an Xbox One S via HDMI for its ability to play 4K Ultra Blu Rays, and stream 4K Netflix.
To put it simply this projector is STUNNING. Of course the results are heavily dependent on your source material. Taking this into account things like cable tv have never looked better with the upscale to 4K, and it only gets better from there. Netflix in 4K is amazing. I was immediately noticing details from my favorite shows that I had never seen before. And then the main feature. Planet Earth II on 4K Ultra Blu Ray with HDR. This was simply BREATHTAKING. It's honestly more than I could have hoped for. HDR is the true star of the show here.
While it is true that this is a 1080p native projector with 4K enhancement I am here to say that it is worth every penny. There is no reason to spend thousands of dollars more for native 4K. Again, the picture is simply incredible here.
The projector has plenty of picture modes, and enhancements to play around with, and the bulb can operate in three power consumption modes that will affect its overall life span. These are ECO, Medium, and High. So far I have kept it on medium, and been very satisfied. The projector also deals very well with ambient light, and I have had no problems getting a bright and crisp image day or night.
The only thing that I can really criticize here is the price of a replacement bulb which currently sits at about $299.99 although that is not out of the ordinary for a projector of this caliber. It's just a little jarring coming from the Epson Home Cinema 2000 with its $99 bulbs.
To conclude this review I want to say that this projector is simply amazing. If you are on a budget check out something like the Epson Home Cinema 2040. If you want the best bang for your buck in a 4K projector to date then you've found it in the Epson Home Cinema 4000. Don't waste thousands of your hard earned dollars on the alternatives before you see for yourself what this thing can do! It has finally broken my vicious cycle of always feeling like i'm missing out on something, and wanting more. I am confident that it will exceed the expectations of a vast majority of the people who buy it.
I would like to finish with a HUGE thanks to Epson for this wonderful piece of technology.