Epson EH-QB1000

The Epson EH-QB1000 is the brand’s latest higher-end projector, replacing the (extremely capable, feature-packed and very affordable) EH-LS12000 at the top of its home cinema line-up.

While the QB1000 retains the features that made the earlier beamer so good, including a laser light-source and HDMI 2.1 inputs with support for 4K/120p and HDR10+, it improves on other features. The brightness has been boosted, now hitting a whopping 3300 lumens, and there’s a newly added dynamic tone-mapping feature for an improved HDR experience.

If the QB1000 can deliver performance that’s superior to its predecessor, while still offering the features and competitive pricing that made the LS12000 such great value, then we may well be looking at the best 4K HDR projector you can buy for under five grand. Let’s find out…

Picture Quality

The Epson EH-QB1000 proves that even if a projector doesn’t have native 4K, it can still produce images with plenty of fine detail. This is partly due to Epson using a good lens, but also because, despite the QB1000 only having a resolution of 1920 x 1080, it can accept and project 4K content.

This is achieved using a technique called pixel-shifting, where each pixel is literally shifted diagonally to create an image with a higher resolution. It’s so successful I doubt anyone could distinguish between this Epson and a native 4K beamer without using specialist test patterns.

The EH-QB1000 is an LCD projector, which is a technology with little to prove. It’s not without its limitations, though - and a couple are worth noting here and now. I’m talking about black levels and dust blobs.

Black levels really aren’t a strength of this particular display technology and, if I’m being honest here, they’re more of a dark grey. To be fair they’re comparable to DLP projectors, but not as good as Sony’s SXRD beamers - and nowhere near the inky blacks produced by JVC’s D-ILA models.

As for dust blobs, these manifest themselves due to the light path on LCD projectors not being sealed. Dust can get behind the lens and appear as small, light-coloured blobs on the image. If you’re careful and avoid excessive dust you should be fine, but it’s worth keeping in mind.

Otherwise, the QB1000 impresses with excellent uniformity and image accuracy, especially in its ‘Cinema’ picture mode. An output of 3300 lumens means this is among the brightest projectors you can buy, with the added laser power really giving HDR material a greater level of impact.

I don’t have the LS12000 on hand to do a direct comparison - but from memory I’d say Epson has tweaked the motion-handling. The QB1000 seems more adept with film-based motion, delivering movement that’s detailed and free of unwanted artefacts such as dropped frames or judder.

There’s also a frame interpolation feature for those who prefer smoother motion. Although it can be useful with sport, I’d avoid using it with films and TV dramas unless you want them to look like cheap video. I’d also recommend not engaging it with games, because it seriously increases lag.

Just like the LS12000, the QB1000 doesn’t use a filter to deliver the DCI-P3 wide colour gamut, and while this results in a brighter HDR experience it also means the colours aren’t as saturated. In testing I measure the DCI-P3 coverage at 88%, which is comparable to Sony’s projectors.

However, the QB1000 immediately impresses with Full HD material, producing bright, vibrant and accurate images. The picture appears free of optical aberrations and processing artefacts as the Epson skilfully upscales the 1080p signal to match the projected 4K image, bringing out all the detail.

Move on to 4K and the QB1000 continues to impress, producing visuals that are even crisper and more detailed. The HDR really wows thanks to excellent basic tone-mapping that correctly tracks the target curve, thus avoiding any black crush in the shadows or clipping in the highlights.

The addition of dynamic tone-mapping is a major step up from the previous generation of beamers that often required constant tweaking to get the best out of HDR. Now the QB1000 analyses the incoming signal and adjusts accordingly, delivering HDR that is optimised for maximum impact.

While certainly very bright, the QB1000 is less impressive with dark HDR scenes. With this kind of content blacks appear dark grey, and it’s hard to make out details in the shadows. Epson claims a native contrast of 5000:1, which seems fair enough - I actually measure 4400:1.

The QB1000 supports HDR10+, and this dynamic metadata format is becoming more popular now that it’s being used by Amazon and Apple. The added information it provides results in a superior HDR experience, because the tone-mapping is optimised for the content and projector.

Living with

The EH-QB1000 looks identical to the LS12000, with the same matte chassis and central lens flanked by large, forward-firing cooling grilles. The casework is well built, the styling remains simple, and the motorised lens cover is retained. There’s a choice of black or white finishes.

There are basic controls at the rear of the projector, plus a full-sized and well-designed remote that includes a handy backlight. Epson offers a choice of stand- or ceiling-mounting, with the latter requiring an optional bracket. There’s also a removable cover to keep things tidy at the back.

Set-up is simple, thanks to a generous throw ratio and motorised lens controls. There are also lens memories for those using a 2.35:1 screen. The QB1000’s brightness makes it ideal for rooms with lighter-coloured walls (and, as an added bonus, the weak contrast ratios won’t be as obvious).

The menu system includes sub-menus for frame interpolation, image enhancement, sharpness and noise reduction. There are also controls for setting the brightness of the laser between 50% and 100%, and to apply dynamic contrast to adjust the laser brightness depending on the content.

While the QB1000 is very accurate in the ‘Cinema’ mode, Epson also includes a full complement of calibration controls. The laser light-source not only delivers 3300 lumens, but also has a 20,000-hour lifespan. It doesn’t run too hot either, and as a result the fan noise measures an acceptable 30dB.

The two HDMI 2.1 inputs support 4K/120p, eARC, HDCP 2.3 and HDR10+, alongside regular HDR10 and HLG. There are also three USB ports, a 12V trigger output, Ethernet port and RS-232C serial connector - all of which should please custom installers who use integrated control systems.

The QB1000 is a great option for gamers, thanks to its big, bright 4K HDR images and support for super-smooth 120p higher frame rate gaming. There’s even support for ALLM, a feature which automatically puts the projector into the low latency mode when it detects a games console.

In this mode the input lag is a very low 19ms, thus ensuring some extremely slick and responsive gameplay. In addition, the laser’s long lifespan will undoubtedly encourage marathon gaming sessions, because there’s no need to worry about a lamp dimming or requiring replacement.

Conclusion

The Epson EH-QB1000 is an impressive home cinema projector that delivers bright, detailed and accurate images at a very competitive price. The HDR performance is excellent thanks to a new dynamic tone-mapping feature, although black levels and shadow detail sometimes disappoint. Otherwise, this capable beamer is hard to fault, having a host of features that include a long-life laser light source and HDMI 2.1 inputs. The latter allows the QB1000 to support 4K/120p and HDR10+, all of which makes this projector ideal for anyone wanting high-end performance at an affordable price.

Viewing Notes

1917 (4K Blu-ray)

This WW1 thriller about a mission across no-man’s land boasts spectacular photography and HDR10+ encoding. As a result, the QB1000 is able to render all the detail in the native 4K image, as well deliver bright and clean daytime vistas. The nighttime scenes are more of a challenge - but while the blacks could be better, the bright flares really cut through the darkness.

‍Furiosa (4K Blu-ray)

This prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road enjoys the same epic desert vistas and insanely detailed production design as the earlier film, along with a deliberately stylised colour scheme. The QB1000 handles all these visuals perfectly, while the excellent motion-handling ensures all the frenetic vehicular action is delivered smoothly and without any annoying artefacts.

‍North By Northwest (4K Blu-ray)

This Alfred Hitchcock classic was shot on the larger VistaVision film format and the resulting 4K disc is stunning. The QB1000 expertly delivers the sumptuous images, picking out the fine detail and rich colours with skill. The crop-duster attack is a particular treat, with the Epson’s increased brightness helping to bring the Indiana cornfields vividly to life.

The Epson EH-QB1000 delivers super-bright and ultra-vibrant laser-powered HDR images at an affordable price. A host of high-end features that include dynamic tone mapping, 4K/120p and HDR10+ make this capable beamer a great choice for home cinema enthusiasts on a budget.