Epson - QS100 4K PRO-UHD HDR 4,500 Lumen 3LCD Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector - Black

Epson QS100 4K PRO-UHD HDR 4,500 Lumen 3LCD Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector Summary: A powerfully beautiful UST projector. Use: We have an open space that floods with natural light during the day. We can control much of the light via our shades, but light still seeps through. Our previous projector was challenging because of this. While the display was clear at max lumination, so was the cooling fan. It worked fine in our previous home. It just wasn't the right for this new space. Enter the Epson QS100. This UST projector is so much friendlier to the new space because of its form factor. Our new living room is a little wider than it is long, unlike our old one. This means having a projector that requires a greater setback from the wall, despite being UST, is a little more challenging (physically and aesthetically). This unit is wider than many projectors and that is okay because it does some clever things with that width. For example, you can have it closer to the wall. This comes at the cost of screen size, of course. We have a 100" ALR floating screen on our wall and this works well. However, because of the width, we are now considering a larger screen - we won't have to move it much more forward to get 10 or more inches of diagonal screen width. It also has a port chamber in its back right corner that lets you connect cables, manipulate settings, and adjust focus. The cover goes right over to hide all of that when not in use. I have the power, the ethernet, and the hdmi inputs going into the chamber - together and ready for cable management. We can now use the project more easily during the day. We've owned a large 75" LCD (glossy and matte finish) and we also had the previous projector with this 100" ALR screen. A brightly lit room was a problem for all of them. But this unit's brightness easily matches an LCDs in our room and with the ALR screen is definitely visible and can be enjoyed as desired even from far and wide viewing angles (see pictures). If we lowered our shades, viewing is definitely not a problem even at 50% brightness. Another feature we really enjoy is the dynamic tone mapping. One of the things that can be an issue with HDR content is the way it deals with brightness and contrast. Rather than using a fixed mapping for the entire length of content, the projector adjusts contrast and brightness for each frame. This is particularly helpful for content featuring particularly dark scenes. Whereas our old projector and even LCDs TVs would just look like floating bright content against a black backdrop, we can actually see more of the image without whitewashing the entire film via fixed settings. I've attached some low lighting pictures for reference. Sadly, the pictures don't do it justice - but it does really make for a more immersive experience when you can see the full scene. Another "feature" of this project is, well, its lack of speakers and smart capabilities. I think this itself is smart. I prefer simpler setups that don't require a lot of setup or expense - so I don't have a dozen speakers hanging, infixed, or standing around my home. But I do have a nice home theatre setup that produces nice and very rich sound that I quite enjoy. The point? I have never used built-in speakers on TVs and certainly not on projectors. I don't believe anyone that might consider a projector at this price point (or possible any) would either. So removing the speakers allows them to allocate space and budget to other features. The same goes for smart OS. Again, I use a streaming box and external media devices for all of my content. It's just easier that way. I've learned the hard way that manufactors can eventually stop supporting software built for other services as hardware ages (i.e. a Netflix app for a specific vendor's OS). Like with speakers, I think purpose built solutions do it better. And so it follows that the OS for this projector is cleaner and doesn't take as long to "boot up." Adjusting the picture on this unit is fairly straight forward. You have two adjustable legs on the front of the unit to control height and then a master foot on the back to adjust the rear height. Both have wobble pads to help mitigate against vibrations. You can then adjust the image itself using the controls in the rear chamber, or via the remote. The focus has a slider in the chamber that can easily adjusted. I think the biggest disappointment, more annoyance, is that this projector just like my other Epson(s), is that the Epson App just doesn't ever work for "auto picture adjustment." Never. I follow the instructure, but it never works. It isn't a big deal, but if you're going to advertise something - it should work. The remote is comically huge. It is also comically slow. But it works and you can have your image calibrated/adjusted in a matter of minutes. One thing I didn't udnerstand was the exclusive use of an ethernet cable. I suppose for theatre integration (I don't use) it makes sense, but WiFi should have been an option. I guess it doesn't matter - because the only use for it if you didn't have theatre integrations is the Epson App for calibrating the image. And since that doesn't work anyway, it doesn't matter if it is WiFi capable or not. We primarily watch series during the week and movies on the weekend. We watch an array of genres. From cartoons, to comedy, to horror and action. The units brightness is 50% lumens greater than my previous unit. It is definitely usable at the brightest times of day - even at 70% and 50% of its capability. Even at 100% the cooling on this unit must be remarkably efficient as I didn't hear a thing event at menu screens with no playing audio. That is a far cry from the previous unit which would go full roar for brightness greater than 70%. Pros: * Appearance. It blends nicely with my setup and can be placed much closer to the wall. * Port Access and Connectivity. All of the expected connectivity (less WiFi) concealed into a single chamber with free cable movement/adjustment. * Form Factor. This unit has a sleek low and wide profile. * Brightness. 4500 lumens. It works very well in rooms with lots of natural light. * Dynamic Tone Mapping. Awesome. Helps immerse you in a show by allowing you to see details you might not see with other displays (including some LCDs!) * Color Performance. The color performanc is fantastic. We played a variety of content and the richness rivals that of our other HDR displays. Cons: * Remote Control. The control is obnoxiously large and comical. Why? It is also as slow as molasses. Seriously. * App. The app doesn't work. It doesn't work with any of the three projectors I have (including this one). * Speakers. No speakers could conceivably be a problem for some. * Smarts. No smarts could conceivably be a problem for some.

The QS100 represents an upgrade from Epson's LS800 UST projector - and apparently looks almost exactly the same. I only mention this for context, but on its own merits, this projector is a beast. One of the first things you'll notice is its lack of a speaker. It's a funny thing, because even on my cheaper projectors, I always bypass the built-in speaker, so it completely makes sense here. But on this topic, if I were to have one complaint, it would be that I wish the sound output on this projector had more options. As it stands, there's just eARC via HDMI. I have a high-quality soundbar that accommodates this, so I was fine; but I would have still liked to have optical as well. Other than that, the picture is so ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL - even on my crappy ALR UST test screen. I played a 4K movie and the experience was incredibly clear and immersive. Setup and configuration was relatively simple, but know this projector has tons of options and settings in its menu. I tried both the manual frame correction and via their Epson app....and while the app worked OK, I was able to get better results with my manual configuration. Oh, and you can even configure and control this thing via the Web. Fantastic. Yes, this is a high-end device and it should be used with a high-end sound system and screen; but the results I'm seeing already are simply spectacular.

During the first month is working properly. nice product and easy to handle.

I received the Epson QS100 from Best Buy to review, and it’s honestly been a massive upgrade from my old ceiling-mounted projector setup. The ultra short throw design is perfect for my room. Instead of the cables and ceiling mess, I simply put it a few inches from the wall, plugged it in, and I was good to go. The setup took maybe 10 minutes, and I was blown away by how simple it was compared to my old system. The image quality is seriously impressive. The colors are rich and vibrant, even in a room with some ambient light. The 4,500 lumens make a noticeable difference. Everything I watched from the Avengers to MLS Soccer all looked amazing with little to no light bleed. I also hooked up my PS5 Pro for a little gaming and it looked amazing! There’s minimal input lag, and the 4K HDR looked great on a large screen. If you’re looking to ditch a ceiling mount and upgrade your home entertainment without the hassle, this projector is a fantastic option without taking over your room. I would reccomend a soundbar or speaker setup to go with it for the best possible home theater feeling.