Toshiba MT8 is a clone of of superb 7200 (720P res), and I've found its significant cheaper vs 7200 @ 5k (projectors.co.uk), only 3.46k (chaseavdirect.co.uk) <500 more than 5700. However, there are some quality issues regarding Infocus 7200, which I don't know applies to MT8, but many US owners has had bulb problems, and one dealer sold 27 7200 last year, and 9 had problems and 7 were bulb related. Thread here, it actually is a 7205 thread -
7205,
UPDATE 1 - 7200/MT8 is being replaced by 7205/MT800 with Faroudja chip enhancements and the new HD2+ chip, in April sometime, but with a much higher MRRP of $9k price, compared with 7200 of $6k -
72051, hence the low price of the Tosh clone, or is it just that Tosh can't break through UK market.
Benq PE 8700 has many US owners already and vast majority are very happy indeed, despite a few issues but which has been solved by firmware upgrades, superb CS, or calibration.
UPDATE 2 - Benq is releasing revised 8700 with the new Mustang HD2+ chip in April, and one US dealer is selling the new one for the same price as the old one. Could this happen at ivojo and nexnix? If yes, I think that this would definitely be the one to get!
As I said, NEC HT1100 is quite new, did a search on avsforum, but didn't find much yet, although found this one -
HT1100 - and it seems that they are raving about it, and I'm sure buns and clinc will want to comment to ;p
JohnWH, according to this small thread -
Sharp - Z200 is not as good as HT1100, and its only marginally cheaper than 8700.
Here is 1 shootout which includes 7200, 8700 and 5700 -
shootout1 - most people favoured 7200 slightly, with its brigntness, colors and enough blacks, 8700 had better blacks and more CRT and 3-D like in controlled darker environment, but in an other shootout they preferred the Benq. 5700 had some Screen Door Effect, otherwise a very good pj.
I"m not sure whether I've made it more difficult for you to choose.
But do bear in mind, that there is no price difference now between 8700 and 5700, and even MT8 is not far away, while I actually don't know which segment HT1100 is suppose to compete against.
But if the revised Benq 8700 holds its price here in UK, I would definitely go for that one.
But if don't include it, and just compare with the existing ones, despite all the info I and others provide, at this kind of money, a demo between MT8/8700/HT1100, is really the best way to choose one, like what Marc said.
Wasabi