4K Players and 4K Projectors 2019 Roundup

For those out there who are in the market for a new 4K player and/or 4K projector, the number of choices seems to be getting smaller by the year for players and larger for projectors. So here is a brief roundup of what is current for 2019.

These are not complete lists of all manufacturers and all models but are mostly the more affordable and popular ranges of current models, or will be shortly.

4K UHD Players

For those who want the good all rounder, at an economical price and for who audiophile performance is not a top priority, take a peek at the following players:

1. Sony UDP-X700 List price $249.99
2. Sony UDP-X800 List price $299.99
3. Samsung UBD-M7500 List price $249.99
4. Samsung UBD-M8500 List price $299.99
5. Samsung UBD-M9500 List price $399.99
6. Panasonic DP-UB150 List price $TBA

Looking for the best 4K players and are still not too concerned with top flight audiophile performance check these players out:

1. Oppo 203 – if you can find one
2. Panasonic DP-UB820-K List price $499.99
3. Panasonic DP-UB450 List price $TBA
4. Sony UBP-X1000ES List price $699.99
5. Sony UBP-X800M2 List price $TBA
6. Samsung UBD-M9700 List price $499.99

For those looking for the very best from the 4K video and audiophile worlds all packaged into one box, pickings are slim:

1. Oppo 205 -If you can still find one.
2. Panasonic DP-UB9000 List price $999.00
3. Pioneer UDP-LX500 – List price $1,099.00
4. Pioneer UDP-LX800 – List price $TBA – if it ever arrives in the USA

4K Projectors

4K projectors are split into two camps:

1. Pseudo 4K where the projectors display panels are still typically HD resolution, 1920×1080, not native 4K I.E. 3840×2016 pixels, and there is signal processing that shifts the image typically a half pixel up and a half pixel across on alternate scans to create a pseudo 4K image.
2. Native 4K projectors where the display panels are actually 3840×2016 pixels and project a pixel mapped image from the incoming 4K signal.

There is a third group of projectors that use a Digital Light Processing (DLP) chip that has a native resolution of 2716×1528 pixels (mirrors). The chip is referred to a as Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). These panels are still not native 4K but using a pixel modulation technique can produce excellent 4K images and pixel mapping. (Arguments still rage as to whether these panels with their pixel modulation technique actually provide native 4K.) Unfortunately this particular chip design does not provide native HDR, (high contrast ratios), which may ONLY be achieved using dynamic iris and light source control. Both techniques have their downside and can sometimes be seen in operation. The required rotating color wheel can also create ‘rainbow effects’ for those sensitive to them. Their upside is that they can achieve high light outputs of over 3000 lumens for a very reasonable price and they have no panel convergence issues, being single panel devices, which can also lead to sharper images.

Type 1 (and the third group) are the most economical of all 4K projectors, I own the JVC RS640, and it can provide stunning pseudo 4K images.

Type 2 will alway provide the most detailed of images IF:

1. You are close enough to the screen.
2. The screen is large enough to warrant the higher resolution.
3. The projectors lens system can provide good enough focussing, and the projectors panel alignment is all but perfect.
4. Your room and lighting conditions warrant the use of such a high resolution projection system.

Type 1 and group 3 models – pseudo 4K creation

• JVC – DILA 3 panel
  • DLA-RS440U/540U/640U – List prices $3,999.95/$5,999.95/$7,999.95
  • DLA-X590R/790R/990R – List prices $3,999.95/$3,999.95/$7,999.95
  • DLA-X570R/770R/970R – List prices $3,999.95/$6,999.95/$9,999.95
• Sony
  • None
• Epson – LCD 3 panel
  • 4000/4010/4050/5040UB/4040UK/6040UB – List prices $1,799.99/$1,999.99/$2.399.00/$2,299.99/$2,699.00/$3,69900
  • LS10500 – List price $7,999.00
• BenQ – DLP 1 chip
  • TK-800 – List price $1,499.00
  • HT-2550 – List price $1,249.00
  • HT-3550 – List price $TBD
  • HT-8050/8060/9050/9060 – List prices $7,999.00/$7,999.00/$8,999.00/$8,999.00
• Optoma – DLP 1 chip
  • UHD-50/51A/51ALV/60/65 – List prices $2.399.00/$3,199.00/$3,399.00/$3,399.00/$4,399.00
  • UHZ-65 – List price $6,999.00
  • UHL-55 – List price $2,999.00
• Viewsonic – DLP 1 chip
  • PX727-4K – List price $1 490.99
  • PX747-4K – List price $1 261.99

Type 2 models – native 4K panels

• JVC – DILA 3 panel
  • DLA-RS 1000/2000/3000 – List prices $5,999.95/$7,999.95/$17,995.95
  • DLA-NX5/7/9 – List Prices $5,999.95/$7,999.95/$17,995.95
  • DLA-RS4500K – List price $34,995.95

• Sony – SXRD 3 panel
  • VPL-VW285ES/295ES/385E/675ES/695ES – List prices $4,999.99/$4,999.99/$7,999.99/$14,999.99/$9,999.00
  • VPL-VW885ES/995ES – List prices $24,999.00/$34,999,99
  • VPL-VZ1000ES – List price $24,999.99

Sony 4K Technical White Paper

Don’t forget that just because you have a 4K projection system doesn’t mean you are getting anything like the performance that the system can provide. Very few projectors, particularly for 4K, come from the factory calibrated anywhere near what they should be. It is ESSENTIAL that in order to obtain the correct 4K performance that the projector is correctly calibrated by a suitabley trained ISF technician. Setting up a projector to correctly display 4K HDR  with WCG is not for the faint of heart, and employing an ISF certified calibration technician is essential in order to unleash your new projectors full potential.

For those of you in the market for ISF calibration, Chad of HDTV by ChadB calibrated my JVC. See the results and my comments here.

If you have any interest in the JVC DLA-NX9 see the latest professional technical review in post #5122 here.