Credit: Epson
While it does lack a built-in TV tuner, Epson's new LS500 Projector looks set to give Hisense's Laser TV a run for its money.
Shown off for the first time in Australia at a recent Sydney launch event, Epson's EH-LS500 4K Pro-UHD short-throw projector is pitching itself as an alternative to the giant screens on offer from Samsung, Sony and all the rest.
In action, the EH-LS500 is a little smaller and more compact than Hisenses offering. However, it's still capable of projecting a large display of up to 130-inches with a peak brightness of up to 4000 lumens.
As with the Laser TV, the focus here is on 4K and HDR playback. The LS500 technically supports both. It'll play nice with both HDR10 and HLG. It also comes bundled with a set of 10W speakers and supports HDMI ARC for easy integration with a larger home theater setup.
Of course, there is a catch that AV addicts will want to take note of. The LS500 doesn't technically project in 4K. Instead, it outputs at Full HD and then uses a "4K Enhancement Technology" to shift pixels around and double the resolution of the original image. It's the kind of upscaling that some might not notice but sticklers for image quality probably won't want to suffer through.
Still, it is likely to be cheaper than Hisense's 100-inch 4K Ultra HD Smart Dual Colour Laser TV with HDR - which starts at AU$19,999.
In the US, pricing for the Epson EH-LS500 starts at US$4999. Australian pricing remains to be determined ahead of a 2020 launch.
