I'm looking to purchase my second projector and I am torn betwwen two projectors. The Epson Home 1080 and the BenQW5000.

I am looking for some advice. I currently have an Optoma H31 and really like the DLP technology. From the reviews I've read the Epson's LCD technology seems to have come along way. Are there any others I should truly consider?

I have a budget of about $2500 and my current HT is about 80% light controlled.

I watch mainly HDTV sports and movies.

Your opinons and help are appeciated!

Are you talking about the Epson Home Cinema 1080 or Epson Home Cinema 1080UB? I have the regular version and its amazing, but I know the BenQ W5000 has better blacks, while the Epson is brighter. On the other hand, the 1080UB probably has the best blacks of any LCD and rivals the JVC RS1 in blacks, so I would definately go wtih that.

Thanks Commex, I was actually refering to the Home Cinema 1080 as opposed to the UB version. Do you believe the the UB version is worth the extra money over the 1080?

How much better are the blacks? I believe the contrast is also upgraded on that unit?

Yes the blacks are superb in the UB version, I do not know the comparison, it depends on the price difference, I have absolutely no experience in the BenQ W5000, though I have the Home Cinema 1080 and I can tell you it handles ambient light fantastically, especially on my High Power Screen, and the contrast is good but it sacrifices some black detail.

Thanks Commex,

I just ordered the Epson 1080 UB today and I'm pretty stoked to get it in and running.

My old Optoma H31 which has 3300 hours on the original bulb has done me well but it's time for the 1080 experience.

Thanks for your help and advise it is appreciated!

Thanks Commex,

I just ordered the Epson 1080 UB today and I'm pretty stoked to get it in and running.

My old Optoma H31 which has 3300 hours on the original bulb has done me well but it's time for the 1080 experience.

Thanks for your help and advise it is appreciated!

Wow, that's a lot of hrs on that bulb....musta been pretty dim by now :eek:

I have an H31 as well, so please post your views after you get the 1080UB! Even though it might not be that fair since you are probably used to a dim pic from that old bulb.

I'm sure the 1080UB will blow the H31 away in on/off contrast/black level, yet I'm more interested in the bright and dark scenes shadow details and overall dimensionality/look. Let us know!

Thanks!

No problem Fleaman,

Believe it or not the bulb although defintely dimmer, is not that bad. Has probably lost 40-50% of it's brightness must still looks really good on movies for a 480p. I tried to squeeze all I could out of it while waiting to upgrade to 1080p.

I'll be sure to give you a comparison update as I am also very interested specifically in the brightness difference. I'm also quite intrigued about the new generation LCD versus DLP which I struggled with switching from. DLP has always been my preference but a couple of first hand recommendations from previous DLP users highly recommended the Home Cinema 1080 UB.

This unit ships today and I should have it up and running by the weekend and able to give first impressions.

I have just purchased a second hand w5000 here in the Netherlands.

Its 3 months old with only 90 hours on the bulb.

It looks in great condition with all boxes manuals and warranty.


I have to say i am Really impressed by the quality of this projector. When picking it up the seller gave me a preview on his 2.6 meter screen the picture quality and brightness was great even with some of the curtains open.

I have it at home now and can only manage a 1.5 meter screen due to my small room. but the picture is surprisingly good even tho im just using the wall.

Setting it up with the PC was seamless and watching my first movie(cloverfield) in 1080p was a dream.

I also hear from many people that the BenQ customer support is meant to be really great.

I would recommend this projector to anyone. If you can get it for the price i did then snap it up!

I have just purchased a second hand w5000 here in the Netherlands.

Its 3 months old with only 90 hours on the bulb.

It looks in great condition with all boxes manuals and warranty.


I have to say i am Really impressed by the quality of this projector. When picking it up the seller gave me a preview on his 2.6 meter screen the picture quality and brightness was great even with some of the curtains open.

I have it at home now and can only manage a 1.5 meter screen due to my small room. but the picture is surprisingly good even tho im just using the wall.

Setting it up with the PC was seamless and watching my first movie(cloverfield) in 1080p was a dream.

I also hear from many people that the BenQ customer support is meant to be really great.

I would recommend this projector to anyone. If you can get it for the price i did then snap it up!

Hey kevinmce,

How did you set it up with the PC? Are you using the BNC connectors? If yes, are you using all 5? Do you get the signal on RGB-HD input and did you have to change any settings in the projector to get it?

I'm asking because I am unable to get PC signal on my W5000. I am running SVGA cable (it has signal, I tested) and then SVGA-to-BNC adapter - but the projector says "No signal". I'm trying to figure out if the problem is in the adapter or the projector itself or if I am doing something wrong.
Thanks.

I would highly recommend DVI->HDMI from your PC, st_o_p.

I would highly recommend DVI->HDMI from your PC, st_o_p.

Well, it's too late for that - I run 50ft VGA cable inside the wall, the HDMI is used for the movies. I was under the impression that for sharp 1:1 computer display it's better to use VGA than HDMI. But I may have no choice. I'm just upset that I own the only projector without VGA input, and the substitute BNC just doesn't work

st_o_p -- Are you sure that you have the BNC connectors plugged into the right places? If the Y connection isn't correct, then you won't get a signal. Also, you have to make sure that the "sync" signal is on the right connector, and the right polarity, too (it should be selectable in your video card software). Double-check the W5000 manual, and the instructions for your video card.

st_o_p -- Are you sure that you have the BNC connectors plugged into the right places? If the Y connection isn't correct, then you won't get a signal. Also, you have to make sure that the "sync" signal is on the right connector, and the right polarity, too (it should be selectable in your video card software). Double-check the W5000 manual, and the instructions for your video card.

CT_Wiebe, thanks for trying to help.
I was in fact quite confused as to how to plug the 5 BNC connectors. I mean the 3 RGB should go same as component (green wire to Y, and red and blue to CR and CB), but then there is HSync and VSync. The BenQ user manuals says exactly nothing on that point, that was where I checked first. So basically I went over the Internet and from what I found the black wire should be HSync and the gray (or white) VSync. So that's what I used - except it doesn't work.

As for tweaking a video card - not an option, I'm passing standard SVGA monitor signal. The SVGA cable then goes to SVGA-to-BNC adapter (from Monoprice) which goes into the projector. I connected a monitor to the end of the SVGA cable, and the video signal is fine. So either the SVGA-to-BNC adapter is faulty (unlikely but possible), or I didn't connect the BNC right (but to the best of my knowledge that is not the case), or the problem is in the projector. I have no way to find out. :(

If you like DLP you are better of sticking with DLP projector like BenQ W5000.

CT_Wiebe, thanks for trying to help.
I was in fact quite confused as to how to plug the 5 BNC connectors. I mean the 3 RGB should go same as component (green wire to Y, and red and blue to CR and CB), but then there is HSync and VSync. The BenQ user manuals says exactly nothing on that point, that was where I checked first. So basically I went over the Internet and from what I found the black wire should be HSync and the gray (or white) VSync. So that's what I used - except it doesn't work.

As for tweaking a video card - not an option, I'm passing standard SVGA monitor signal. The SVGA cable then goes to SVGA-to-BNC adapter (from Monoprice) which goes into the projector. I connected a monitor to the end of the SVGA cable, and the video signal is fine. So either the SVGA-to-BNC adapter is faulty (unlikely but possible), or I didn't connect the BNC right (but to the best of my knowledge that is not the case), or the problem is in the projector. I have no way to find out. :(

Just to update, I know this is not the topic of this thread but:
I think I know what the problem with the SVGA-to-BNC is - the W5000 does NOT accept VGA signal through the BNC. It seems I need a signal converter (not just different connector) - and those run like $200 and it's not worth the bother altogether. Since somebody said that the HDMI inputs don't accept computer resolutions (except standard video resolutions 480, 720 & 1080), it seems this projector is just not capable of displaying VGA signal. More than a little disappointing :mad:

I own the Benqw5000 which is very good but the rainbows are bugging me. I ordered the Epson 1080ub today and will do a head to head with both. I should receive the Epson later this week, and I'll keep you posted.

I own the Benqw5000 which is very good but the rainbows are bugging me. I ordered the Epson 1080ub today and will do a head to head with both. I should receive the Epson later this week, and I'll keep you posted.

Cool!

Just remember, sitting too close and/or brightness (small screen, etc.) will increase RBE.

Just to update, I know this is not the topic of this thread but:
I think I know what the problem with the SVGA-to-BNC is - the W5000 does NOT accept VGA signal through the BNC. It seems I need a signal converter (not just different connector) - and those run like $200 and it's not worth the bother altogether. Since somebody said that the HDMI inputs don't accept computer resolutions (except standard video resolutions 480, 720 & 1080), it seems this projector is just not capable of displaying VGA signal. More than a little disappointing :mad:

Have you tried hooking up with a different, perhaps shorter VGA cable as a test, or perhaps tried different computer resolutions? I found that on an ae2000 I could not get 1080p working over vga without messing up the display, but 720p worked fine. I'm wondering if cable quality or length may be an issue. I ended up going with HDMI from my computer rather than with VGA.

My .02 cents worth. Good luck.

Have you tried hooking up with a different, perhaps shorter VGA cable as a test, or perhaps tried different computer resolutions? I found that on an ae2000 I could not get 1080p working over vga without messing up the display, but 720p worked fine. I'm wondering if cable quality or length may be an issue. I ended up going with HDMI from my computer rather than with VGA.

My .02 cents worth. Good luck.

Well, that's the point. I want to get my computer screen projected which is not necessarily in video resolution - 720 is too low for me anyway. I wouldn't use the VGA for movies (that I get from regular player over HDMI), but rather computer games and maybe videos. And the W5000 is simply not able to do that.

And yes, I tested the signal - I put a regular LCD monitor in place of the projector and the signal is just fine, the SVGA cable works Ok. I believe BenQ just cannot accept VGA signal. Actually that's not a dealbreaker for me - it was just the only thing about the projector that I was not able to make work. Otherwise I am very satisfied with the W5000.

Well I have had my Epson 1080 UB for almost a week and have 30 hours on the bulb and here are my initial thoughts.

I must start by saying the only other projector I've owned was the Optoma H31. Not really a fair comparison but I'll try to keep it in perspective.

My initial reaction was the brightness of this unit is spectacular. My old projector had many hours on the lamp (3300) but looking back when I first purchased it it is easliy 75% brighter - it is speced that way so no real surprise. The normal mode was actually too bright for my liking and I found myself gravitating to the Theatre modes for all viewing initially. This thing really pumps out the light.

I have it hooked up to an HD DVD player and the picture quality is sharp and clean. I must admit that the differrence between my 480p Optoma and the Epson 1080p was not as dramatic as I had first thought it would be. Don't get me wrong it is much much better but it left me wanteing a higher WOW factor like when I first turned on the Optoma.

My hesitation with purchasing the Epson lied with DLP versus LCD. I really enjoyed my DLP Optoma and was worried I would not like the picture quality as much. Lay that issue to rest. The LCD quality is quite unbleievable, light years ahead of where they were three years ago. The UB has incredible blacks and the shadow detail compared with the Optoma is not really fair. It is excellent, very dark scenes especially noticeable in Dragon Heart are crisply detailed and sharp. I viewed this movie on both units and it's like a new movie on the UB. There are details that I just could not make out on the optoma and not because of resolution but because of the contrast detail. I'll have to view all of them over again to see what I missed.

I still must say that DLP really has a more film like quality than LCD but not by much any more. The UB does a very credible job here, better than any other LCD I have seen. I still prefer the DLP picture for movies (not a huge difference) but where this puppy really shines is in HD TV. Baseball games in HD are unbelieveable. Rivals my 40" Panasonic LCD Flat Planel upstairs.

Any way, these were a few initial thoughts and I will add more detail and specs to these after I have a chance to really calibrate it in about 100 hours.

Well, that's the point. I want to get my computer screen projected which is not necessarily in video resolution - 720 is too low for me anyway. I wouldn't use the VGA for movies (that I get from regular player over HDMI), but rather computer games and maybe videos. And the W5000 is simply not able to do that.

It is able to do what you want, just not over VGA (which isn't ideal anyway). For your application, you definitely want to run a HDMI cable from your PC (DVI out) to the W5000. 1920x1080 is the only resolution you'd want to run your PC at, since it's native and would be pixelmapped 1:1, and the BenQ is very capable of accepting 1080p. If your video card can't run games at 1080p, then A) you aren't taking advantage of the display and should upgrade your video card B) you should drop to 720p which will look ok, and your video card should be able to handle it fine.

You can't concoct plans such us VGA->BNC at odd resolutions and be disappointed in a home theater projector. It offers you a much better way of doing things, and begs you to take advantage of it. (HDMI)

:cool:

It is able to do what you want, just not over VGA (which isn't ideal anyway). For your application, you definitely want to run a HDMI cable from your PC (DVI out) to the W5000. 1920x1080 is the only resolution you'd want to run your PC at, since it's native and would be pixelmapped 1:1, and the BenQ is very capable of accepting 1080p. If your video card can't run games at 1080p, then A) you aren't taking advantage of the display and should upgrade your video card B) you should drop to 720p which will look ok, and your video card should be able to handle it fine.

You can't concoct plans such us VGA->BNC at odd resolutions and be disappointed in a home theater projector. It offers you a much better way of doing things, and begs you to take advantage of it. (HDMI)

:cool:

Gator,

I hear what you're saying however my regular monitor is 4:3 and I run it at 1600x1200 resolution; moreover I have 5 computers going to that monitor over KVM switch. I really don't want to mess up with switching resolutions all the time - to me forcing me to set my display to 1920x1080 in order to use the BenQ is not good enough. But like I said - I'll live without projecting computer video.

I have just purchased a second hand w5000 here in the Netherlands.

Its 3 months old with only 90 hours on the bulb.

It looks in great condition with all boxes manuals and warranty.


I have to say i am Really impressed by the quality of this projector. When picking it up the seller gave me a preview on his 2.6 meter screen the picture quality and brightness was great even with some of the curtains open.

I have it at home now and can only manage a 1.5 meter screen due to my small room. but the picture is surprisingly good even tho im just using the wall.

Setting it up with the PC was seamless and watching my first movie(cloverfield) in 1080p was a dream.

I also hear from many people that the BenQ customer support is meant to be really great.

I would recommend this projector to anyone. If you can get it for the price i did then snap it up!

Hi Kevin, I don't know what price you got it for, but I'm looking into this pj myself at the moment, intending (if all seems right) to order it from/in the Netherlands as well.

One big "if": the noise level. Do you experience any on blu-ray or sd dvd's? And which firmware do you have? Initially it was really bad, but in the 1.12 firmware, it's supposed to reduced... And how does it handle 24fps? Any judder in panshots?

Any information would be appreciated...