Computers & Electronics

Epson Home Cinema 2040/2045 Projector Owners Thread

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Epson Home Cinema 2040/2045 Projector Owners Thread

The biggest shopping season is just around the corner, got this about the same time last year and its about time to shed some light on the 2040/2045 projectors for those that would be interested in the inevitable deals to come.
hc2045_fla-our_690x460.jpg
hc2045_bcs-our_690x460.jpg



Manufacturer product page: http://www.epson.ca/cgi-bin/ceStore/jsp ... 1H707020-F
Product manual: https://files.support.epson.com/docid/c ... index.html
AVSForums thread: http://www.avsforum.com/forum/68-digita ... hread.html
projectorcentral review: http://www.projectorcentral.com/epson-h ... review.htm
projectorreviews review: http://www.projectorreviews.com/epson/h ... e-quality/
RHT review (with calibration notes) http://referencehometheater.com/review/ ... or-review/
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Accessories
- 3D glasses: cheap RF/BT from ebay will work just fine but if you want a local option check Visions
- Replacement lamp: $100/$90 original, $70 generic
- Dust filters: $19 @ amazon.
- ND filters: Hoya PROND 52mm ND-2, got it from this ebay seller (seems genuine) and fits right inside the housing, mounted it using white tac. Reduces brightness, enhances blacks and doesn't shift colors.
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Calibration
- Get "basic settings\black clipping.mp4", "basic settings\white clipping.mp4" and "Misc Patterns\A - Additional\color clipping.mp4" from MP4-2c.7z
- Calibrate Brightness with "black clipping.mp4" file.
- Calibrate Contrast with "white clipping.mp4" file.
- Calibrate RGB gain with "color clipping.mp4" file.

Remember to disable auto iris, and leave everything defaulted before calibration (recommended to set FI to low, image enhancement to preset 3, and image processing to "fine").

Source: http://www.avsforum.com/forum/68-digita ... st47101641
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How to unlock BT menu on 2040:

2040 is BT equipped (thats how the 3D glasses sync), menu for BT audio is just hidden, you can unlock it by going through the service menu and set a specific bit on a specific DIP switch.
1. Switch on the PJ

2. Press and hold the Menu-Button for 8 sec.

3. Press the ESC-Button twice

Now a new Window with Informations about the Beamer appears. With the
"Arrow-right" and "Arrow-left"-Button you can see several other Information-Windows.

4. Press again the Menu-Button for 8 sec.
5. Press again the ESC-Button twice.

Now a new Windows appears.
On the left side you see 8 lines named "DIP-SW1" to "DIP-SW 8".
To enable BT menu set DIP-SW 7 BIT 2 from 0 to 1.
Source: http://www.avsforum.com/forum/68-digita ... st41173185
and: http://www.avsforum.com/forum/68-digita ... st41218185
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simondussault wrote: Thank you! Great thread! What screen are you using?
This: http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/accuscreen- ... hes/126207
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Awesome. That is the exact projector I have, and I've been looking for calibration guides for ages.
Bored...
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Jul 11, 2005
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great thread! thank you!

Btw, have you used the ND filter. What are your thoughts on it? Does it significantly improve black levels. I used the projector in ECO mode all the time due to noise so i am wondering if the filter will reduce brightness too much. thanks
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shampoo wrote: great thread! thank you!

Btw, have you used the ND filter. What are your thoughts on it? Does it significantly improve black levels. I used the projector in ECO mode all the time due to noise so i am wondering if the filter will reduce brightness too much. thanks
I am currently using the ND2 filter I linked above. Its subjective but for my setup I think it "does" improve black levels, as it does reduce brightness by 50% (thats the reason I got it to start with), this isn't too much for watching "cinema mode" (least bright mode) in a dark room with eco lamp setting. For 3D viewing I just bump lamp to normal from eco and 3D is plenty bright.
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I think the 2045 just adds miracast / widi
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luthair wrote: I think the 2045 just adds miracast / widi
Yup the only difference is a hardware wireless module and the software features it brings.
Wouldn't really bother with paying a premium for that, just get a chromecast or similar device, plug it into the MHL port on the 2040 and forget about it.
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Jul 7, 2004
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Thanks. Debating that 2040 refurb right now!
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aasoror wrote: at $520 + 2 years warranty its a very solid deal.
I had a BenQ w1000 about six yeaers ago and loved it. I dont' know if you are familiar with it, but do you know how they would compare?
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How are the black levels for this unit? As well anyone have issues mounting this on the ceiling?

I'm upgrading an Optoma HD200x which uses a dlp chip. No complaints about the blacks but on this Epson LCD has me concerned.
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begbie wrote: How are the black levels for this unit? As well anyone have issues mounting this on the ceiling?

I'm upgrading an Optoma HD200x which uses a dlp chip. No complaints about the blacks but on this Epson LCD has me concerned.
Its a bright projector, so needless to say, you wont get as deep black on a light-controlled room in 2D compared to a DLP projector, though the "significance" of the difference between all these entry level projectors is "debatable" .
That said, in the same environment 3D is almost too dim to be watched on DLP though runs beautifully on LCD because of the increased brightness.
Combined with an ND2 filter I think the Epson is hard to beat even with entry level DLPs, I get deeper blacks during controlled light sessions, can pump up brightness for 3D or even remove the filter altogether to restore the full power of the lamp.

As for mounting, this projector has no lens shift and have "-ve throw" this will require a dead center mounting with an extension arm (unless you don't mind using keystone correction, in that case you can get away with suboptimal mounting setups).
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Thanks. This will go into my basement mancave. Been building a 3d library of movies and itching for an upgrade.

Ive seen some videos of the Epsons black levels and I wasn't too impressed. What is this ND2 filter about?

My current mount and projector is about 6" from the ceiling (under 8' ceiling). Anybody here mount it from the ceiling and have it dead center? Would be a no-go if I have to get an extension to mount it very low.
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begbie wrote: Thanks. This will go into my basement mancave. Been building a 3d library of movies and itching for an upgrade.

Ive seen some videos of the Epsons black levels and I wasn't too impressed. What is this ND2 filter about?

My current mount and projector is about 6" from the ceiling (under 8' ceiling). Anybody here mount it from the ceiling and have it dead center? Would be a no-go if I have to get an extension to mount it very low.
I upgraded from an entry level 720p Benq DLP and have no regrets, I found day and night difference in 3D.

ND2 is an optical filter, it will kill your brightness by 50%, gives you deeper blacks on the expense of "minor" loss in shadow detail.

IIRC the proper descent for me was 2 ft, but I didn't want to use an extension tube for now so ended up with keystone correction at 1 ft descent (since I had to tilt the projector down). There is a calculator on epson site that will give you proper measurement for the 2040.

By dead center I don't mean center of the screen, but rather horizontal mid.
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baz5 wrote: I had a BenQ w1000 about six yeaers ago and loved it. I dont' know if you are familiar with it, but do you know how they would compare?
You would get deeper blacks with the BenQ.
Performance under "suboptimal" light-control would be much better with the 2040.
And you will get beautiful 3D on the 2040.

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