After much hinting and anticipation, Epson finally introduced their new laser projectors at the CEDIA home electronics expo this past September. With their two new projectors (the LS9600E and LS10000), they’re revolutionizing home theater technology for homeowners.
We know what you’re probably thinking: Lasers? How do they come into play?
Projectors up to this point have used a “lamp” to project an image onto a screen. The new Epson laser projectors use two lasers to project your image – so why is this so revolutionary?
A typical lamp has a life of about 3,000 hours though brightness drops off before that time. This requires that you purchase new lamps to keep your projector running, and that can cost you $300-400 each time it’s replaced.
The laser projector, on the other hand, has an unbelievable life of about 30,000 hours! To put this in practical terms, you could use this projector 3 hours a day, 7 days a week for over 27 years! It completely eliminates the degraded picture and cost that comes with continually having to replace your projector lamp.
In addition to this breakthrough in projector life, the laser projectors have several other benefits:
- The lasers allow quick on and off, so usage is more like a TV.
- Compared to a traditional lamp, the lasers don’t get as warm, which means a much quieter fan.
- The two blue lasers (one of which splits into green and red) allow for a large color gamut, including the full Adobe RGB spectrum and the DCI – the standard for digital cinema.
- One of the most noticeable differences is better contrast and darker blacks due to low light bleed and ambient light. In fact, an all-black picture registers at zero lumens.
- Motorized lens positioning and memory settings mean quick adjustment between different aspect ratios, and flexible mounting options, as the projector doesn’t have to be perfectly square with your screen.
The LS10000 contains an additional feature – pixel-shift technology that simulates 4K. How does it compare? It offers a resolution near to 4K but at a much more affordable price point.
Speaking of price point, let’s get to it! Epson just released their pricing information, placing the LS9600E at $5,999, and the LS10000 model at $7,999. Surprisingly affordable price points considering the many differences from traditional projectors (and what you’ll save on purchasing lamps).
How do you see one of these unique projectors in person? Well, we’ve got great news! Suess Electronics has been chosen as an exclusive retailer! We’re one of only three stores in the entire Midwest to carry this new technology.
