BenQ W1070 : DLP Full HD, 3D Ready with lens-shift for 1000$ - Page 85

I think I revved up the thread with my comment about Epson's cost.
I said Chinese vs. japanese "design" - not "built". The way it works is, designs are done and controlled by headoffice. They will pick the parts that go into the unit. Then mass production is outsourced to China/Taiwan. No disagreement on it. If they choose to optimize cost, they can outsource even design too. And opt to pick lower quality less tolerance components. Agreed, higher cost doesn't always mean better quality but converse is always true. Higher quality always costs more than standard.

First version of a product will always have problems, even for Epsons. 8350 had focus issue, auto IRIS shutoff issue, premature bulb failures. 3010 didn't have any such issues, but 3D was ghosty - understandable as it's Epson's first gen 3D model. Now, 3020 seems like a stable one after many generations of 1080p and one generation of 3D. I feel more comfortable throwing $1.4k at it. What I have seen with Epsons is, they dont have basic problems like other brands - power on issues or HDMI port issues etc. Their problems, if any, are at a higher level. I can't understand how a unit can have basic problems. W1070 and HD25 are both first generation. They are the first design based on TI's new chip. It'll take atleast one more revision to make it stable. That too, if they stick with same design and just improvise on it.

I have an Epson 8100, predecessor to the 8350 and the Epson does have its advantages, mainly lenshift, iris, quietness, among others.

But it also has its cons, the biggest one of all is early lamp failures. But I must agree that Epson CS is top rated and a pleasure to work with.

However, the W1070 beats the heck out of the Epson 8100 in color accuracy, sharpness, smooth motion. Not to mention 3D and great game lag.

Wow....first i read very good reviews about the w1070 and now its like crap!...i think i will cancel the order i placed on it since my detailer didnt get it yet...(they were out of stock) gonna wait for another brand to get something out that would fit my room as the w1070 was suppose too.

What crap?

This is a budget, sub $1k, DLP projector. You're going to experience light leakage and fan noise in this price range regardless if it's an Acer, or Optoma, or whatever.

If you want a better DLP unit, pays 3x more for a W7000 or an HC8000.

People need to have their expectations in line for this projector and they'll be happy.
Edited by smokarz - 2/18/13 at 4:38pm

Bad call my friend. This projector is great, you've got a handful of people with a problem or two....no reason to jump ship or assume this affects 99% of users...most people with problems voice them, people without tend to stop posting and enjoy their toys!

Well reading the last posts since a few days apparently it is now crap! no?...(fan noise...lamp leakage...chinese..ect...ect...) some are already returning their units so i dont want to be in the same situation...anyway i dont think i will get a PJ that almost every owner are complaining about something in this unit.

Well i posted here a few days ago asking for comments about this unit from owners and none did..i was happy that i ordered it at first cause as i said i read very good reviews but since all i read and saw were complaints.

Lol...name me a $1k projector not built in China.

It's your money, buy what you wish, but don't make it sounds like this is a piece of crap. Show us a better project in this price, and I might consider your posts somewhat reasonable and not trolling.

I didnt say it was crap my self ist how it sounds now from other users not my self lol...i am not trolling since i was ready to get it and was very anxious about it....

Ok now you're just exaggerating. 85 pages of this thread and there are only a handful of minor issues mentioned. That beats any other device I've ever seen, except my 2008 panasonic plasma (which I sold because despite having better black levels...who cares? A projector like this is a million bajillion times more fun!!!). With the money I got back from selling my plasma, I paid about 450$ for this. And at 519 hours of daily use since last november, I can tell you it is VERY reliable. It's three feet above my head now and I can barely hear it. I doubt the excessive fan noise issue is a common one, if it were a manufacturer defect we'd have many people posting about it, not one or two.

compare that with the other threads like Epson. I paid 1/2 the price of the retail 3020 and got zero problems. sure, black level isn't as good probably, but in every other way it's a better buy.

I stoked the crap flame by bringing up the fan noise and light leakage issue. I'm being as objective as possible but the pros of the little guy by far outweigh the two cons I've had. Smokarz is right. There are $2-3k projectors out there that might not have issues like these. But for the price (and even at any price) the image performance of this PJ ROCKS. I can live with the light leak and I will get the fan noise taken care of. It's not crap. I'm still pleased with the W1070 and would recommend it, I think its good to let others know what's up. You are going to get QC problems like these with any projector and BenQ has pretty good customer service.

I got the w1070 about a week and a half ago. I picked it up while still on sale at Amazon for $900 and got a $50 card with it. We've used it about every evening, shifting it between the basement and bedroom. We've watched blu-rays and streamed from AppleTV and Netflix. We have also hooked it up to the xBox. I think I've used every connection method possible on the thing, both in and out.

I haven't had any issues that I can attribute to the projector. My only complaint is that the HDMI connection is a bit loose.

Stating that 'almost every owner' is complaining is hyperbole given that only a very, very small number of people that own the projector bother to post. Having read this thread since its beginning, I would doubt there are more than 20 people posting real complaints.

I have been through my share of early adoption and I don't feel like the product is half baked. I would recommend this projector to a friend and am tempted to buy another for our bedroom given the price point. It has a great picture and after researching off and on for more than a year, can't imagine getting a better new projector for that cost. $850 and I have a 1080p HD and 3d.

Lotter01, You will always have some bad Projectors coming out of the factory now and then, now look at all the posting on this thread and willing to bet that only 5% are balking, what about buying a new car and having problems right out of the gate, this happens to anything built.

Good luck on your choice, by the way I don't have the BenQ yet deciding, since getting a heck of a deal on a Epson 3020 so I am still on the fence and trying to work it out.

Some people will never buy a projector if they read the threads. As someone said the ones that have no problems often stop posting but the people with issues make us aware of them.
I have owned many projectors over the years and all makes I owned had issues. Sanyo had HDMI problems, Panasonic had dust issues, Epson had convergence problems, and JVC had ghosting on 3D. The question should be that if you get a bad unit will the manufacture fix or replace in fast.

Thank you for the reply at last a good and positive one..lol...i know this PJ is a great deal for what it offers...PQ ...sharpness...ect....but what i meant is that lately all i read were complaints...maybe i sounded pissed cause i already ordered it ...in no way i said it was crap.

I've owned 3 previous PJ'S and now i just wanna make sure i will make the right choice thats all...i havent read all the 85 pages but since i registered it wasnt very positive if you wanna be honest!.. lol...anyway i wont cancel my order cause that is the PJ i wanted!...thx for your replies.

some people are more picky than others...

FYI country of mfg does not = quality. Doubt anyone would call unibody Apple Macbooks crap or lacking quality


-I'd already have one but I watch little TV lately so I'm in no rush to buy something that I'll use 3-4x in the next few months

The bottom line is it is easier to bitch about something and go on and on and on about a problem then it is to rave about a positivet, thats the honest truth, if you have no issues your to busy enjoying it so you dont really talk about it as much, if your having problem well with social media you have been raised to bitch about it over and over.

First of all, I am by no means saying this PJ is "crap" ...let me be very clear on that point. Now, onward...

Naturally, re people reporting problems being the ones barking the loudest. But at the same time, it's unrealistic to think that one model has a higher percentage of people doing this strictly out of happenstance or randomness.

I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from buying a 1070, but rather, to simply explore the other owner threads on this site and come to their own conclusion. Yep, we'll NEVER know the precise data re reliability/problems with ANY projector. That doesn't however preclude the owner forums on AVS from providing information that has richness beyond the strict data points that might be revealed in a scientific survey/study.

It's all about close reading/study/recollection.

James

Pulled the trigger on this. Moving from an Acer H9500BD, which was great, but the added brightness of the Benq should help in my situation. Will post impressions/comparisons once I have the time to make some evaluations. Have previously (recently) owned Mitsubishi HC3800 + HC4000, Epson HC8350, Sony VPL-PRO1, and the Acer.

Heck, had the Penny, mits, Sanyo 3 altogether and no problems, so far lucky.... now comes the fourth what will it be is the question. BenQ or Epson???????????

What a panic guys this projector is great for the money.....I have had other pj and this one rocks......light leaking from the pj is hapening with a lot of pj its normal and with this pj it does not effect the picture quality.....because it does not show on the screen.....and the fan noise is not an issue it is as quiet as most of my older pj's when watching a movie you don't hear it......sure if you put your ear to the pj you will hear it.....

I forgot to tell that 99% of the DLP pj's will never have dust problems because the lens housing is sealed and that is why DLP pj's don't need a filter that you have to clean.....the LCD pj's are not sealed and need a filter....so the LCD will have dust problems that you cannot fix yourself....and I know that this problem is a big one I use to sell tv's and pj's.....

Got mine mounted this weekend this is my 3rd projector in 10 years and this is by far the best ...no issues at all and the picture and sharpness are amazing. No fan issues to me it is quieter than my z5 and half the size. The 3d is amazing but this is my first 3d display. Got the sainsonics and the only issue was the red tinted blacks. For 850 through amazon this is a steal...10' away 106" screen in dedicated room self built from info from this forum!

HEY NIMOY.. would be really appreciate if you can review your point of view of 1070 vs acer 9500....
have been asking ppl who owns these 2 models to review out but none of them reply so far....

Chaves you hit the nail on the head,

We go through this same thing in every thread, someone claims to have tallied up the problem reports and proclaims this projector to be the least reliable. This has happened in almost every PJ thread, it's funny.

This projector has sold like hot cakes, that's why you see so many problems. Most projectors have their problems, you won't find a thread without problems. With the JVC, it's lamps. With Epson, it's convergence and lines appearing or similar. With the Sony's, you'll see various complaints about power issues, but Sony is probably one of the most reliable for LCOS or LCD. With Benq, you see occassional focus uniformity problems, lens assembly issues, lamp leakage, IRIS problems (on ones that have IRIS), noisy fans, etc...

Trying to buy a projector based on reliability is for the most part a useless measure, as it is impossible to say unless almost everyone has the same problem, then you know. Otherwise, it's very simple, buy it and if you get a bad sample, exchange it with the vendor. If the second sample is bad, return it if you wish.

DLP is more reliable than LCD if the color wheel holds up though, it's very simple:

1) No convergence, fewer parts to go out of alignment over time as well
2) There are no panels that are affected by heat like LCD or LCOS because this DLP is a single-chip design
3) There is less lens shift which means the lens assembly mechanisms are generally assembled in a simpler fashion
4) There are fewer parts, though the color wheel is a moving part that LCD does not have, but both projector designs rely on FANs that if fail will cause the PJ to overheat. Overall LCD is a bulkier design, that is why most LCD's are so much bigger than DLP's.
5) It is VERY unlikely to get a dust blob with a DLP

That said, I wouldn't buy a projector based on reliability unless more than 25% to 50% of people are having the same problem. It's easy enough to do an exchange if you get a bad unit. I buy based on picture quality, and if my budget were around this price range, I'd buy this projector because it more than likely has the best PQ in this price range. I know LCD does not look as good in this price range, at least not to me.

I usually am the first to buy new technology esp pj's. So I dont always have the proper information to gauge which pj is best. I am always grateful when some give their reviews whether they be pro or negative. There is a lot of data in negative reviews if one knows where to access and where to disregard. here are my thoughts on Benq and Optoma JVC and samsung. That said i have owned a LCD then went to a viewsonic dlp clone known as the Davis , next Davis, optomahd 80, benq w5000, now samsung spa 900b and viewsonic 8200 pro. thats a total of 8. The Davis and the Samsung were the top of their class when on market. Samsung still is top single chip dlp and has no issues at all.

1.viewsonic cons usually has firmware problems in all models that I've owned. They also have bulb issues as they eat them at close to 4000 hours(rated 4000 hrs). The 8200 had issues that were addressed yet their new firmware lost detail in the dark scenes that was present in their original firmware.They screwed up their gamma their first firmware had a resetting of settings so that required a new firmware. The 1068 model had firmware issues due to the colorwheel speed. These models had a 1X speed that was doubled to 2x via firmware resulting in a green tint that was not present in the original davis pj. Viewsonic always has one of the best warranty's in the pj crowd. 8200 has cms problems also. neon colors otb.

2 Benq has pushed the limits on price/product specs. They also have what amounts to issues due to reliability and cost concerns. Their w5000 had firmware issues related to hdmi and their cms.The biggest issue was the dreaded vertical stripes. turns out the mainboard had a simple solder problem. They also suffered from added noise in the picture. benq was the price leader along with optoma for 1st generation 1080dlp.w7000 has bulb and lens. issues losing focus. 1070 has fan issues, and vertical lines.sam e manufacturing issuea in 2 lines

3 Jvc earlier modela eat bulbs. they have inaccurate colors. Failing optical blocks all over multiple lines
misconvergance issues newer models lacking in data to compare, give them 2 more years.

4 Davis great company that went bust i firmware change that went from 1x to 2x with nary a problem that viewsonic suffered. Before HD came.

5 Samsung noise from fans, no keystoning (so you better learn how to hang a pj and screen in 3 axis) bulb issues. cost 125000$


So now comes the 3 questions that come next.
1 how much am I going to spend( include warranty costs amd bulb costs). 2 how long will i keep machine( am I saving money now to purchase new model in 2 years time or put it on the card 3 (what am I going to use pj for.
I would avoid benq based on the fact that AVS stopped carrying both models rather quickly due to the issue I mentioned above.(5000 and 7000)and the same manufacturing defects showing up in many lines. I would only buy the newest version of JVC because sometimes a mfgr can get a line right.or I woulld spend some money on b stock marantz sim or samsung dlp.just remember you are getting the best most accurate .95 dlps but you are giving up 3d I would go viewsonic if you are up to the task of its flawed cms and its 3 year warranty/1year bulb.

There may be other reasons why AVS stopped selling Benq including the small profit that make on the brand. Epsons have had many issues but they keep selling them. I would think that there can not be much profit in a low priced projector and that is the main reason why AVS stopped selling them I don't blame them at all. They don't push Panasonic for similar reasons. I agree with Codeguy that we are going through the same thing as reported in nearly every other thread. I would suggest that those on the ropes should wait a few weeks until the next batch comes in. I would bet that many of the reported issues will be fixed. That is what Benq did with their 7000
Edited by rwestley - 2/19/13 at 1:10am

I hope this allusion isn't aimed at me, as I clearly stated that I hadn't tallied anything. I read. Closely. And I recollect. And I suppose, yes, I keep an "internal" tally. Of course there has been a lot of 1070's sold. Epson 3020's too. 8350's too. FIll in the blank for the next 3 projectors. Saying a projector has "a lot of problems because it's sold like hotcakes" is a complete non-starter. I would venture to guess there's at least 20 times the number of 8350's in the wild...with a comparable % (relative to the 1070) landing on AVS to reports problems with it.

I suppose anyone can play the "well, we don't really know with absolute certainty so everything must be equal" game, but it's almost certainly inaccurate. Some PJs (even comparably priced models) are better built and more reliable than others...even if they ALL have their own varied and specific issues. Just like virtually every other manufactured device on earth.

Do this though: take a look at the 8350 thread and the first month of its release and contrast it with this one. BOTH projectors sold VERY well right out of the gate.

It's fine to make a 5 point list of the attributes of DLP technology (and omit one on the side of LCD), but that has little to do with the build quality and reliability of this projector, of course. And it's a bit daft to give passing interest to a DLP's color wheel as it is one, if not THE number one major failure (never mind it being the source of RBE) of a DLP projector. I doubt you have a mean-spirited bias towards DLP, but it's not very useful/fair, nonetheless.

Again, I'd invite people to view ALL of the threads of the most recent PJ models in the $1000-$1500 range and make their own decision. Again, you do not necessarily need to have infallible scientific data to become richly informed. I'm pretty confident with what I've gathered.


Good luck!

James
Edited by mastermaybe - 2/19/13 at 6:48am