BenQ W7000 owners thread - 3D DLP projector

Thanks very much guys.

Does the Sony HW30 hit decent light output for an ambient room or is it a no-go?

The benQ is definitley the front runner, just wish lamp life or warantee was a bit better! Also wish for a few pics of it in action or videos. Thanks soupdragon, really informative post on the noise issue/non-issue! I wish there was a video showing the sound/iris in action!


The pana seems like a gimick if others can do it but it just requires a few more button presses (?!?!?!?!)
 
Soupdragon could you tell me why you went from the JVC to the Benq DLP i have only owned DLP projectors but was looking at trying an LCD model like a panny or JVC..Not sure if i should just stick with DLP for my next projector :confused:
 
Soupdragon could you tell me why you went from the JVC to the Benq DLP i have only owned DLP projectors but was looking at trying an LCD model like a panny or JVC..Not sure if i should just stick with DLP for my next projector :confused:

My last LCD was a Sanyo Z2000 which was a decent PJ put due to my large screen, the low pixel fill/density of LCD didn't help the image. Not sure how LCD's have moved on since then but I can't see me getting one again. As I understand, DLP's have the best pixel fill which helps for those who's seating distance:screen size ratio is close such as mine.

The reason I got the JVC was to have a 3D projector which worked with my dual aspect cinemascope screen set up, using the zoom to fill my 2.35:1 screen for that content. The only other available at the time was the Optoma HD83 but it was over budget for the funds I had available at the time.
The JVC is outstanding for movies but for everything else, the BenQ is better IMO. I've also managed to get my BenQ to deliver a decent black floor which is more than satisfactory and for all other content, I'm getting exactly what I want for everything else.
Bear in mind, I've had a few different projector and I know what the different technologies can do and most importantly, I know exactly what I want.

Movies is only around 30% of my viewing, and I haven't watched a single film since the start of Euro 2012. Its been all football and golf (the US open, the Irish Open this weekend for example).
I actually imported my BenQ specifically to watch the Masters in 3D as I knew the JVC would dissapoint for crosstalk. If I had of waited to the UK release, I would have missed the Masters.
But anyway, for me, sport is a big part of my viewing and being able to watch football/golf with some lights on and still getting a great image means I'm not cleaning doritos and dips off my carpet the next day:thumbsup: To be fair, you can still do this with the JVC but the image will wash out more whereas the BenQ does it better.

The 3D is exceptional on this machine and having 132" of perfect 3D is a sight to behold. Gaming is great fun and immersive and films are excellent too. Its every bit a perfect as a 2D image but in 3D so you can't ask for better than that.

Changing from my 16:9 106" screen to the 2.35:1 132" needs me to manually zoom, focus and lens shift each time whereas the JVC does it via the remote control (and the X30 can do it from a single press on the remote once set-up) Obviously the X30 is better in this regard but its part of the compromise I make to get the other improvements.

I'm happy with my set up now as its suits my needs and delivers what I want. Movies were a little dissapointing at 1st compared to the JVC but I've tuned it into a set up which gives me a respectable black floor which for me helps make the film more cinematic in appearance. Dropping the light output also means you lose some 'pop' though but at least I'm in a position now that I can manipulate the projector to give me nearly everything I would want from a movie/game/sports event/3D content.
 
Just got my W7000 back with 1.03 update and yes its much much much much sharper now in hdmi!!!

Woohooo.

Also found a cheap place to get draper react II screens have ordered a 117" tab tension.

But from the distance im placing the pj the max I can get is 108".

Might sell and go for a Epson 9000 as its got a bigger zoom....but.....lol im confused...this is a very smooth pj and the 3d is one of the best.

Hi

did you get your react II?

I'm considering one as well so I'm especially interested in your thoughts considering we share the same projector:thumbsup:
 
martian1 said:
Soupdragon could you tell me why you went from the JVC to the Benq DLP i have only owned DLP projectors but was looking at trying an LCD model like a panny or JVC..Not sure if i should just stick with DLP for my next projector :confused:

It's worth noting that the JVC is not an LCD model. It uses LCOS technology, which has some advantages over LCD (much better native contrast and higher pixel fill factor for example)

soupdragon said:
As I understand, DLP's have the best pixel fill which helps for those who's seating distance:screen size ratio is close such as mine.

LCOS has an even higher pixel fill than DLP, and the Panny models use a 'Smooth Screen' filter to eliminate screen door, so other technologies can compete in this regard.
 
Gilbers said:
It's worth noting that the JVC is not an LCD model. It uses LCOS technology, which has some advantages over LCD (much better native contrast and higher pixel fill factor for example)

LCOS has an even higher pixel fill than DLP, and the Panny models use a 'Smooth Screen' filter to eliminate screen door, so other technologies can compete in this regard.

Thanks. I didn't mean to imply Jvc was LCD although it might read that way but your right to confirm that.
Didn't know about lcos pixel fill being higher, I understood dlp was higher, think I read that on Avs but I'll stand corrected.
 
Thanks very much for your explanation soupdragon :thumbsup: i am 100% after the best image possible for movies..its my priority i am not that bothered about 3D it would be nice but secondary to a brilliant picture in 2D! At the moment i have an Infocus x10 and love the picture i am not sure how long i have got before it goes kaput so i am trying to keep up with the newer pj's on the market. I have to say the price seems to have exploded a little for LCD [i understand the JVC isn't sorry :blush:] i had a budget of around £1000 when i bought the Infocus and do not really want to spend more than £1500 max on my next projector. I have been Infocus faithful up to now so i am a little concerned about switching to another DLP as i am simply not convinced optima, Benq, themescene etc are as good a brand. I will not be getting another Infocus as i dont believe they are as good as they used to be either.
The current trend seems in favor the likes of Epsom, Panasonic and JVC which to be honest seem way too expensive but i think if i was going to bite the bullit i would go with the budget JVC. I can get away with DLP and always believed after the demos i have had in the past that it seemed to give a more cinematic image then LCD...does anyone still agree this holds true?
One last question.. when i bought the Infocus i had to be very careful about the throw as my garage room is small with low ceilings my screen is only 84" diagonal with the infocus on a maxed out zoom it just fills the borders around 3cm so i was lucky. Are the current models around the £1500 mark any better with flexibility of placement [got to be ceiling mounted] this is another reason to go LCD for me. I think if i could get a DLP model that improves on my x10 and has the throw i require is within £1500 i would be very happy with it, as i said 3D would be a bonus but not the be all and end all. Open to suggestions from anyone, has DLP had its day they never seem to get any top awards these days :(
 
My last LCD was a Sanyo Z2000 which was a decent PJ put due to my large screen, the low pixel fill/density of LCD didn't help the image. Not sure how LCD's have moved on since then but I can't see me getting one again. As I understand, DLP's have the best pixel fill which helps for those who's seating distance:screen size ratio is close such as mine.

The reason I got the JVC was to have a 3D projector which worked with my dual aspect cinemascope screen set up, using the zoom to fill my 2.35:1 screen for that content. The only other available at the time was the Optoma HD83 but it was over budget for the funds I had available at the time.
The JVC is outstanding for movies but for everything else, the BenQ is better IMO. I've also managed to get my BenQ to deliver a decent black floor which is more than satisfactory and for all other content, I'm getting exactly what I want for everything else.
Bear in mind, I've had a few different projector and I know what the different technologies can do and most importantly, I know exactly what I want.

Movies is only around 30% of my viewing, and I haven't watched a single film since the start of Euro 2012. Its been all football and golf (the US open, the Irish Open this weekend for example).
I actually imported my BenQ specifically to watch the Masters in 3D as I knew the JVC would dissapoint for crosstalk. If I had of waited to the UK release, I would have missed the Masters.
But anyway, for me, sport is a big part of my viewing and being able to watch football/golf with some lights on and still getting a great image means I'm not cleaning doritos and dips off my carpet the next day:thumbsup: To be fair, you can still do this with the JVC but the image will wash out more whereas the BenQ does it better.

The 3D is exceptional on this machine and having 132" of perfect 3D is a sight to behold. Gaming is great fun and immersive and films are excellent too. Its every bit a perfect as a 2D image but in 3D so you can't ask for better than that.

Changing from my 16:9 106" screen to the 2.35:1 132" needs me to manually zoom, focus and lens shift each time whereas the JVC does it via the remote control (and the X30 can do it from a single press on the remote once set-up) Obviously the X30 is better in this regard but its part of the compromise I make to get the other improvements.

I'm happy with my set up now as its suits my needs and delivers what I want. Movies were a little dissapointing at 1st compared to the JVC but I've tuned it into a set up which gives me a respectable black floor which for me helps make the film more cinematic in appearance. Dropping the light output also means you lose some 'pop' though but at least I'm in a position now that I can manipulate the projector to give me nearly everything I would want from a movie/game/sports event/3D content.

Could you elaborate more on what you'd have to do to get the cinema feel to movies for the benq? Don't you just toggle presets or is there more to it? Also to get the aspect ratio you talk of, again does it take longer than a couple of seconds or is it a 10 minute job?


Can you take any pictures with some ambient light on show or lights on?

Also have you ran into any rainbows?
 
Few q's thrown at me there, I'll come back later and I was planning on doing some screenshots tonight too :)
 
Apologies for paraphrasing your quote:

best image possible for movies...
not that bothered about 3D...
a more cinematic image...
flexibility of placement...

... but this particular combination of requirements pretty much defines the current range of JVC projectors. If at all possible I would definitely go for a demo of the X30. The almost identical X3 is currently available from a reputable supplier on ebay for close to your budget (£1595, ex-demo, without 3D emitter/glasses). You could pick up the emitter and glasses later once you have a little more cash.

(apologies if anyone was misled by my unedited post - I had the details of the ebay deal wrong I'm afraid)
 
Last edited:
martian1 said:
Thanks very much for your explanation soupdragon :thumbsup: i am 100% after the best image possible for movies..its my priority i am not that bothered about 3D it would be nice but secondary to a brilliant picture in 2D! At the moment i have an Infocus x10 and love the picture i am not sure how long i have got before it goes kaput so i am trying to keep up with the newer pj's on the market. I have to say the price seems to have exploded a little for LCD i had a budget of around £1000 when i bought the Infocus and do not really want to spend more than £1500 max on my next projector. I have been Infocus faithful up to now so i am a little concerned about switching to another DLP as i am simply not convinced optima, Benq, themescene etc are as good a brand. I will not be getting another Infocus as i dont believe they are as good as they used to be either.
The current trend seems in favor the likes of Epsom, Panasonic and JVC which to be honest seem way too expensive but i think if i was going to bite the bullit i would go with the budget JVC. I can get away with DLP and always believed after the demos i have had in the past that it seemed to give a more cinematic image then LCD...does anyone still agree this holds true?
One last question.. when i bought the Infocus i had to be very careful about the throw as my garage room is small with low ceilings my screen is only 84" diagonal with the infocus on a maxed out zoom it just fills the borders around 3cm so i was lucky. Are the current models around the £1500 mark any better with flexibility of placement [got to be ceiling mounted] this is another reason to go LCD for me. I think if i could get a DLP model that improves on my x10 and has the throw i require is within £1500 i would be very happy with it, as i said 3D would be a bonus but not the be all and end all. Open to suggestions from anyone, has DLP had its day they never seem to get any top awards these days :(

I think Gilbers hit the nail on the head with his suggestion. Also consider the Jvc hd350 if you can find one as it will be cheaper. The newer x3's and x30's are more versatile with their higher lumens though so well worth maxing your budget to get one.
The BenQ isnt long throw but it's at the longer end of typical throw distances whereas the Jvc will give bigger screen sizes from short distances.
 
aoaaron said:
Could you elaborate more on what you'd have to do to get the cinema feel to movies for the benq? Don't you just toggle presets or is there more to it? Also to get the aspect ratio you talk of, again does it take longer than a couple of seconds or is it a 10 minute job?

Can you take any pictures with some ambient light on show or lights on?

Also have you ran into any rainbows?

Didn't get to take any pictures last night, decided to play some guitar instead. Will get some up soon though. For changing screen sizes, less than 10 seconds so hardly a chore. It's actually quicker than my previous x3 but I didn't need to leave my seat using the x3 ;)

Rainbows are typical of any most dlp's and I find them minimal. If you sit close and use high lamp mode, they will become a bit more noticeable but with my preference for low lamp I hardly see them.

For the cinematic image, I just put my ND filter over the lens which takes a couple of seconds and I'm good to go, just using my existing pre sets.
You can modify the iris in the service menu to have the same effect, ie, by closing it down it just removes brightness from the image making it look darker without having to move away from your calibrated settings.
The ND filter is handier for me so I don't bother doing that as its much easier to put it on / take it off than go into the menu each time.
 
Thanks guys...looks like a JVC then pity i never came on here earlier as a guy local to me was selling a hd350 for under 1k with only 65hrs on it :eek:
 
Didn't get to take any pictures last night, decided to play some guitar instead. Will get some up soon though. For changing screen sizes, less than 10 seconds so hardly a chore. It's actually quicker than my previous x3 but I didn't need to leave my seat using the x3 ;)

Rainbows are typical of any most dlp's and I find them minimal. If you sit close and use high lamp mode, they will become a bit more noticeable but with my preference for low lamp I hardly see them.

For the cinematic image, I just put my ND filter over the lens which takes a couple of seconds and I'm good to go, just using my existing pre sets.
You can modify the iris in the service menu to have the same effect, ie, by closing it down it just removes brightness from the image making it look darker without having to move away from your calibrated settings.
The ND filter is handier for me so I don't bother doing that as its much easier to put it on / take it off than go into the menu each time.

Really appreciate the thorough response! Thank you!

I am in a predicament ATM. Basically, I'm a user who likes my stuff to just work. However, I have a sticky situation because I need to:

a) game
b) move about a lot
c) not guarantee optimum light conditions, e.g. white walls, a light or two on, a bit of ambient light

Therefore input lag wise the Epson TW9000 is out. Then its between the benQ and the panasonic... (sony HW30 lacks light output for me)... from here on I'm pretty torn. Any advice? There is no definitive review on the panasonic in ambient light conditions which sucks or the BenQ for that matter.

Mind posting a few photos etc of it in action with a bit of light?

Once again, thank you so much for your informative replies!
 
I'll get a few pics up soon, but won't be tonight as we've got the euro 2012 final.
 
aoaaron said:
Really appreciate the thorough response! Thank you!

I am in a predicament ATM. Basically, I'm a user who likes my stuff to just work. However, I have a sticky situation because I need to:

a) game
b) move about a lot
c) not guarantee optimum light conditions, e.g. white walls, a light or two on, a bit of ambient light

Therefore input lag wise the Epson TW9000 is out. Then its between the benQ and the panasonic... (sony HW30 lacks light output for me)... from here on I'm pretty torn. Any advice? There is no definitive review on the panasonic in ambient light conditions which sucks or the BenQ for that matter.

Mind posting a few photos etc of it in action with a bit of light?

Once again, thank you so much for your informative replies!

In accurate modes, I don`t think you will find Panasonic matching your light output requirements.
 
Thanks... I'm not a videophile though so I don't mind sacrificing a bit of colour accuracy for a more vibrant image.
 
aoaaron said:
Thanks... I'm not a videophile though so I don't mind sacrificing a bit of colour accuracy for a more vibrant image.

But would you want to use dynamic? It won`t take you long to realise the colours are off, even if you are not a videophile. The useable lumen output on the Panny is closer to the HW30 from memory;)
 
Agree with Ricky, dynamic mode is best avoided. On the BenQ it's horrendous- lime green grass, skin tones are burnt etc....nearly unwatchable.

It can kick out 1500 lumens calibrated though which is pretty damn good so you've no real need to use it, unless you've got spotlights pointed at the screen!
 
The reason for using Dynamic is that Dynamic mode uses 6x color wheel speed, thus less noticeable RBE. There are people who successfully calibrated Dynamic mode to REC. 709 D65, so there you have it.
 
Elix said:
The reason for using Dynamic is that Dynamic mode uses 6x color wheel speed, thus less noticeable RBE. There are people who successfully calibrated Dynamic mode to REC. 709 D65, so there you have it.

I was referring to the Panasonic which can not be calibrated to rec709 in dynamic.
 
Elix said:
The reason for using Dynamic is that Dynamic mode uses 6x color wheel speed, thus less noticeable RBE. There are people who successfully calibrated Dynamic mode to REC. 709 D65, so there you have it.

Thanks, that's useful to know.
 
Still no pictures taken yet, will get some up soon - far too busy watching at the moment.

Now that Euro 2012 is over I went and bought/rented myself a few blu's to get myself back into movie watching again.

1st up was Ghost Rider 2 in 3D. You should know what your getting with a movie like this before you stick the disc in the tray. Good acting - no, great script - no, unpredictable plot - no. I mean, Jerry Springer shows his face in this movie so that says it all (incredibly funny though the way he makes his appearance:rotfl:)
Just an easy to watch action flick with plenty of good effects, perfect for a Friday night with a few beers. The BenQ did a great job with this movie and at times you forget your watching in 3D - its just like 2D only with more depth which tells you all about the 3D accuracy of this machine.

Next up was A Turtles Tale in 3D - watched this with my son and it was quite entertaining. At times the characters seem to come out of the scene, up to your face to talk to you, and then go back into the movie again which my son loved - trying to give them hi-fives! Not so funny when the jellyfish came out and he was practically climbing on top of me in fear saying he hates jellyfish and he thought they were going to get him:eek:
Some of the 3D in this is spectacular, especially when swimming in around the corals with fish of all shapes and sizes seemingly swimming through your room. Some scenes could be classified as 'reference material' for 3D quality.

Next after that was woman in black (in 2D)
I decided to watch with the ND filter on as well as dynamic iris engaged. It was late night and with the kids in bed, it was also low volume. With the PJ behind me about 2-3 ft away, I could here the iris changing. I was listening out for it to be fair but after about 20 mins in, I forgot all about it and didn't hear it again. Maybe because I was too absorbed in the movie as it does kind of suck you in - but its good that I can use it and not get too distracted as previously I had been switching it off as I thought I couldn't bear to use it.

The combination of the ND filter and the dynamic iris worked really well - getting a nice black floor which is great for a dark movie like this. It'll never be as good as the JVC I had for black levels as while I can achieve an almost similar black floor level, you can't get as good shadow detail. So what I end up with is an image thats nice and cinematic, but just not as polished as the likes of a JVC.
But all things in the mix, its throwing me a great image for everything I watch now - 2D, 3D, sport and gaming so its a well balanced system I've got now which suits my usage very well indeed.
 
Here is the latest BenQ W700 review:

BenQ W7000 Projector - Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity

And this is his summary:

Conclusion about the BenQ W7000 Projector

One question asked all the time is "What's the best projector?" which is really a question without an answer. Where you watch, what you watch, and what factors you care about are going to influence what projector you are after and there is no simple one-size-fits-all answer. That said, if someone asks me what the best 3D projector out there is for under $30,000, I would answer that the BenQ W7000 is the best that I've seen.

In addition to its class-leading 3D performance, the BenQ W7000 offers a brighter image than almost any other projector in its class, a full CMS to dial in your grayscale and color points, ISFccc mode for a calibration that your family won't be able to undo, and a sharp, clear picture that has plenty of pop and brings out all the details in your content. If you are a black level fanatic or have issues with rainbows then the W7000 won't be your ideal fit, but for most people it can do a fantastic job. It handles all content well, it can light up any size screen you will likely have, and it is much more flexible in mounting than most DLP units.

For the price, I was very impressed with the W7000 and would highly recommend that you give it a look if you are after a projector in this price range. It strikes a good balance with price and performance, and has 3D performance that will actually let you understand why some people are so excited about it.
 

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