Official BenQ W7000 Owners Thread - Page 46

Yes, he did.

I received my W7000 about 2 weeks ago and as with everyone else I have the focus (pixel mapping) issue. I was replacing a W5000 which was razor sharp corner to corner and was obviously disappointed with the image. Everything else is fine, much better CR than the W5000 and much brighter. I have to use the economy setting on the lamp (which isn't that much different to the standard setting, certainly when compared to the difference on the W5000's settings. I'm using a 120" wide audio transparent screen with a 1:1 gain in a light controlled room and the images just pop.

Over the last 30 hours of usage I've noticed an improvement in the sharpness, especially at the top portion of the screen which is now almost perfectly sharp, however, the bottom is still blurry - not as much as when the unit was new, but definitely sharper.

I remember the W5000 did not have the perfect image at the beginning but after about 50-60 hours it settled in and gave me about 8,000 hours of great viewing. Could this be the solution, just let the thing settle in, like running in a car. No, I don't think so either, just wishful thinking.

I received my W7000 that I sent in to be updated last week back today. I opened the shipping box and they sent me a brand new W7000 with the 1.03 firmware update. Benq really knows how to treat there customers right. I tested at my place of business on the back of an old movie poster and in daylight the picture seems very sharp. I will test more in the next couple of day in my home movie theater. I did find one thing different compared to the old firmware. The clarity control only goes from 1 to 4. Here are some pictures from the menu.

I received mine, a week ago and the box is writting:

Rev: 00-100
Mfg date: December 2011
firmware: 1.00-4

Where they found this piece. ? From a warewouse in Alaska ?

I checked the projector last night and I found out that it is a refurbished one that was built in Dec. 2011. It looked brand new when I opened it yesterday. I watched tron legacy last night and found the picture even sharper than my last w7000. The blacks look the same. I'm very happy with the new firmware and hopefully this will be my last w7000 that I keep.

svosteve, how are you able to know it's a refurb? is there a specific marking to look for?

It has a small refurbish sticker on the bottom of the unit where the built date and serial number is.

Has anyone tried the new benq 3d Glasses 2. They are smaller, lighter and they fold. Apparently they are comfortable and see for about $90

http://www.benq.ca/product/projector/3dglasses2

I'm wondering if I should get these or the Acer's when I order my w7000.

except from design, weight, differ on something else;. ? (better color/picture. ?)

Bad news for me.
Now with 1.03 firmware i saw RBE in white subtitles and in the movies when the picture has moving object in white color on a black background.

The picture also appears more contrast i think and a litlle more red in cinema mode.

RBE will vary in different movies, as well as you will may see a little more RBE in 24p vs. 60hz (assuming like other DLP's the Benq is playing 24p at 48hz instead of 5:5 pulldown in 24p mode, hence playing at 48hz instead of 120hz or even 60hz).

It could also just be they modified the color table, if they did then you may be getting a slightly brighter image. A brighter image will cause more RBE for certain. There would be no difference otherwise in RBE from firmware versions, not unless the default color wheel speed was changed (very unlikely).

I looked at service menu and the CW multipler (color weel speed) is 2X.
I switched το 3Χ (there is no other option, only 2x-3x) and it is ok now.

I also switched the lamp waveform from 2, to 4 because at 2X color speed the lamp waveform was 4. if you leave it in 2, the white was a little green.

When the wheel speed is in 2x (firmware 1.03) the lamp waveform is at 4, but when i change the speed to 3x, the lamp waveform automatically changes to 2.
I switched manually the lamp waveform to 4 and now i have the same color appearance.

With new firm 1.03 the images in not brighter, i think is more darker. Maybe they closed the iris a litlle. In cinema mode i think is : min=9 max=58

Wait, so you guys finally got into the service menu?
You should post the directions for others.

Why would they slow the default color wheel speed in the service menu between firmware updates?

I dont know.
Maybe for lower temperature, noise, mechanical wear, etc.

The first time you went into the service menu, was it set to 3x or did you change it yourself BEFORE updating the firmware, then after you updated the firmware it reverted?

BTW, all indications of the service menu settings are that this projector has the same speed color wheel as the Benq w6000, which was presumably 4x according to most. The reason I say this is because this is exactly the same setting that was in the Benq w6000 menu. So the 3x vs. 2x setting does not mean 6x/4x AFIK. If this were true, then it would mean the w6000 was actually capable of 6x speeds as well (hmmm, too bad reviewers are so incompetent at this stuff).

A projector's color wheel slows down when it goes from 60hz to 48hz (24p mode), that 2x/3x mode is presumably just changing the pulldown so that the wheel can stay at 60hz speeds even in 24p mode??

I think 2x means 48hz, and 3x means 72hz, that is my guess anyways. You could sort of refer to this color wheel in 24p mode then as an ALWAYS near-4x color wheel, since technically it doesn't have to be slowed down in 48hz mode (because 24p is showed at 72hz instead). This is a very minor difference though and isn't as good as a 6x wheel. Now this is AFIK, I cannot be 100% sure of all this.

Put another way, I believe the Benq w6000/w7000 would have a 20% advantage in CW speed ONLY while in 24p mode versus a competing DLP with a 4x wheel that does not have this setting. A Mits hc4000 could for instance be referred to as a 4x wheel in 60hz mode, or a 3.2x speed in 24p mode. Now this theoretically would be as opposed to a 50% advantage that the 6x color wheel would give, but the setting I'm guessing is only applicable while the projector is in 24p mode. The reason I say 20%, is because the difference in color wheel speed between 24p would presumably be the difference between 48hz and 60hz (so 12/60 = 20% slower).

Now I could be wrong and the setting could really mean 2x/3x speed in 120hz and 4x/6x speed at 60hz, meaning the Benq w7000 truly would have a 6x color wheel, but I kind of doubt it since that would most likely mean the w6000 also can do it.

My first firmware was 1.00-4
Yesterday the benq service support they put in my benq the 1.03

Today I tried a few minutes to find the service menu because I saw rbe.

This is my first projector, and also for the first time i see how look like the secret service menu.

I hope people who are knowledgeable of benq menu, help us for better settings.


also should mention that at 60hz, and 24hz, from my htpc the wheel speed was 2x. Only in the dynamic mode the wheel speed was 3X.

The color wheel on the Acer 5360 is only 3X, and the w6000/w7000 is presumably 4x. The Acer 5360 in 2D and 24p mode would be about a 2.4x color wheel speed vs. 3x speeds in 3D and in 60hz content, but the w6000/w7000 in 24p mode using the 3x setting would be 4x regardless if 24p or 60hz/120hz (3d).

There are two reasons people see less RBE in 3D, one is because it is dimmer, the other is presumably because the CW is at full speed and not slowing down like in 24p mode which is how most people watch their 2D movies. So I'm not arguing that the w6000/w7000 color wheel is the same as the h5360 (no matter what, the w7000 CW is faster), but it is presumably a 4x wheel. BTW, there is a good visible difference between a 3x and a 4x color wheel, as that is the majority of where a good number of RBE sensitive folk find comfort in the 4x wheel. However, as a super-sensitive person, I prefer a 5x or 6x wheel.

Again, all this AFIK, if someone with a more solid understanding of these settings and how CW speeds are affected by HZ and pulldowns in these newer DLP's can chime in, then please do.

RBE testing is VERY tricky, you need both projectors in the same room with the same source at the same calibrated fL, otherwise it's a pop shot.


Only in dynamic mode, hmmm. Does dynamic mode have FI on by default, I don't get it.

Here is another test using a Bluray player, change the setting to 2x from the Benq, now switch from 60hz to 24p in your bluray player and listen closely to the CW change speeds as you jump from 60hz to 24p. Now go in and change the setting from 2x to 3x on the Benq, then do the same and listen again while switching your Bluray player from 60hz to 24p. Did it sound exactly the same, or was there a different sound. Is the CW the same noise in 60hz to 24p after you enable the 3x setting?

It is hard to find one to see, that is good if you can, but even then... I have never seen a Benq w7000 setup anywhere yet, and I've seen plenty of w6000's. Seeing it in person is also a bad way to measure RBE, it so hugely depends on calibrated fL. As little as a 20% difference in brightness can increase the visible RBE by as much as double. At double the brightness, someone coiuld see 5x more RBE than at normal 12-16 fL.

Knowing the speed is the main factor and all that really matters, only a person that REALLY knew what they were doing could even determine if the RBE was affecting them at a proper calibrated fL (now that said, if you find a showroom where it is calibrated, that might be a valid test, but it could be too dark and fool you). Every 4x color wheel projector I have seen has had almost the same RBE (the only difference is the Native On/Off) or if the number of segments changes (like the Pro8200 has 7 segs instead of 6).

Knowing the CW speed is all I need to know, so that if someone asks me "Does the w7000 have less RBE than the Mits hc4000", then I can say definitely yes or no.

I dont have bluray player, but i can try with htpc.
First at 24hz and then at 60hz.

But all ready notice with 3x speed, the rbe is not exist any more.
Unfortunately, I could not get earlier in the service menu to see if the speed was 2x, with the previous firmware.

Here is an easier test to keep it less confusing.

The w6000 had a semi-loud color wheel (assuming the w7000 was the same), so if while in 60hz mode the difference between setting the CW in the SM to 2x and 3x while ONLY in 60hz mode is hugely different, then this indicates the color wheel speed is vastly changing speeds even in 60hz mode. Now we'd still have to assume that the 2x setting is the MFR default and this meant 2x-120hz/4x-60hz (possibly). Another test is to get a camera with a super freaking fast shutter speed, although I forgot how to do that test, would have to look in the forums.

If I had one on me, I would know within 15 minutes of testing if it were 6x or 4x. Smackrabbit thinks it was 4x and he is a pretty rigorous tester, that is one reason I have my doubts. If anyone has an older 4x DLP to side-by-side, that would be good, but you need a light meter to get them at relatively the same On/Off and EXACTLY the same fL, otherwise the test will be invalid.

What are you disagreeing with (and why), I already made that distinction above (see quote below).

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Actually with modern HT projectors they NOW mostly all have the same number of segs given a specific CW speed (4x - 6 seg for instance) unless they are a crossover projector. The Pro8200 is the only modern home theater projector with a 4x wheel with 7 segments that I know of, although even then it is partially a crossover projector (it has business features like extra inputs and built-in speakers).

Knowing the color wheel speed is NOT subjective, the other tests that have been suggested for this are subjective.

It took me 200 hours to figure out if I was too sensitive to stand the Mits hc4000 at 4x (I owned it for 500 hours), it is not a simple thing someone can do in 4 hours, unless they know their sensitivity to 4x already over time or have a lot of experience with DLP's. The problem is also brightness, they need to get the PJ at 16 fL or below to test for RBE, otherwise so many are going to be returning the PJ unnecessarily.

I have many PM's telling me from the Mits hc4000 users that saw rainbows (or other DLP recommendations), "hey code, I'm almost up to my return policy and I just don't know what to do as I see them occassionally". At least half didn't have to return the PJ once I told them they were watching the image too bright. I could take a 4x color wheel if I absolutely had to, but I'd never buy a projector without knowing the CW speed. I just would have to turn down the brightness to maybe sub-14 fL.