After putting 150 hours on the bulb I think I have a good idea how much I like this projector. Keep in mind that this projector is not in the same class as a $5,000-$20,000 projector so if you are comparing it to those you are in the wrong place. This is compared to the Optoma HD lines or the Epson Powerlites. I had an Epson projector before this (I have posted comparison pictures of the two) so I really wanted to get an Epson but then I realized how gigantic the powerlite line is and did not want something that big (I think they a little more than twice the size of this with the same picture quality.) I love the Epson brand and my friend bought the 8350 for his theatre and it looks amazing, after comparing it to this I could not see any distinguishable difference in picture quality so the size of the 1070 made me prefer it over the 8350. Next I thought about the Optoma HD20, its a little older but still a great projector. I bought one for my father in laws theatre room and it looks fantastic. He has it on a 100" screen so it is a little hard to compare it to my system. I decided to go with the 1070 because of the lens shift; the HD20 took a lot of work and perfect placement to get it setup. Now to my set up.
I have a 120" electric Favi screen on my wall. I used the Peerless PRGUNV Precision Gear Universal Projector Mount - Black (best mount BTW don't get any other mount!) and it keeps it close to the ceiling, there is about 3 inches between the ceiling and the top of the projector. It is mounted at 13' back, which was the farthest I could place it for my 120" screen. With the mount I used and the lens shift it only took me about 15 minutes to get it perfectly calibrated, I even had someone comment on how perfect it looked on the edges while watching a football game last week. I have it hooked up to receiver with 5.1-surround sound. My room is fairly light controlled I have three windows with blinds on them. During the day it does let some light in but you can still watch anything on it just fine. I even turn off my lights and open one of the blinds sometimes to let a little light in while I'm watching. As far as picture quality goes I am really impressed, but also it depends on the source being used. I have three things hooked up to it:
1. Dish Network Joey - For the most part its good but broadcast only goes up to 720p (it lists as 1080i but resolution wise it is the same as 720p it just has better interlacing but that's a whole other article). 720p video stretched that big you get some artifacting sometimes. Our couches are 15' away from the screen so you notice it the closer you get to the screen. Overall very watchable and very fun to watch games on, we love sports a lot at our house.
2. Apple TV 3 - I use this to airplay content from Plex and I use the apps on the Apple TV. Airplay with Plex looks great, the apps that stream video on the ATV3 look much better than the Dish signal. I got rid of my ATV2 and am now using only Plex on my ATV3 and it works great.
3. PS3 - This is where the projector really shines. I can use Plex (I'm a huge Plex fan!) with DLNA on the PS3 and it looks stunning. Pop a blu ray in and it looks as good a picture as being at the movie theatre, people are impressed when they see the picture. I think some people have in mind that a projector is grainy and not very good quality compared to an LED or Plasma but projector technology has really advanced. Video games look great as well. I mostly play the Show 13, and COD four player split screen is really fun because its high quality and you each get your own TV basically when the 120' screen is split up in four. I also have been using the PS3 to watch 3D movies since it is the only way I can play 3D .mkv rips.
To end I will list my pros and cons. For the price this is a fantastic deal and an awesome addition to complete our theatre room in our basement.
Pros:
Inexpensive
Small/lightweight
Good picture
Lens shift (only up and down no sideways)
Easy placement
Good throw distance
Nice menu
Highly customizable calibration settings (I have a free calibration from Best Buy so they are going to come do a professional one for me)
Excellent picture
Easy to program to universal remote
Inputs switch much quicker than compared to the Epson 8350 or Optoma HD20
Lots of inputs on the back if you don't use a receiver
12v switch to connect an electric screen or other automated systems to it.
Cons:
The fan is a little loud; I put it on high altitude because I am at 4400 feet. I only notice it when a video is absolutely silent, if there is any noise in the video I can't hear the fan.
Small light leakage. If I had this enclosed it might bother me more but so far I have never noticed it while watching any video and neither has anyone else. I only see it when I am looking at the projector trying to notice it.
I turned off the high altitude mode because my basement is pretty cold, I ready that high altitude mode is to help keep it cooler. Since turning that off it is much quieter.
Lens cap is tethered to the system. I will never take this down and have no need to put the lens cap on so I would like to be able to stick it in my remote drawer with all my remotes I never use.
Long wait to turn back on. With all projectors I think one of the main downsides is that your room is very dark when watching a video. It can be hard to see the remote buttons if they don't light up. I have accidentally turned this off a couple times because I thought the power button was the volume button on my universal remote (hitting it twice turns it off). You have to wait about 5 minutes to turn it back on.
| Brand Name | BenQ |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 6.06 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 9.6 x 12.28 x 4.09 inches |
| Item model number | W1070 |
| Batteries | 2 AA batteries required. |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Output Wattage | 10 Watts |
| Color Name | White/Silver |
| Special Features | 3D-ready, Speakers |
| Speaker Type | Built-In |
| Item display height | 8 inches |
