3D Aside, It's between the Epson 8350 and Mitsubishi HC 4000, Under, $1200, Right?

Screen size? Ceiling height?

I am no expert,but I don't think the 1070 will work in your room.does not have lens shirt

I was wrong.it does have very limited lens shift

Color wise I prefer the 4000. For your application, Epson is the way to go since you want outdoor.

Yes, I can see RBE as well. My 1st DLP was a lowly BenQ 6200. The Epson has a longer warranty so if convergence is an issue, you could always return for a USED one.

I would not know about the build quality between the two since I never kept a projector for longer than 6 months since 2005. My take is that it's a non-issue but PQ is my #1 priority.

My primary pj is a JVC while the back up is a DLP Mitsubishi (RBE is passable).

@Master
The w1070 has a 6x color wheel, RBE is unlikely. The Mits hc4000 is rough on RBE, it has it pretty bad (even more so than most other 4x color wheels). You will need an ND filter for the w1070 for that screen size, otherwise RBE will be bad if watching 2D with it that overly bright. ND filters don't cost much $50 or less depending which one you get.

The w1070 sounds like the best match for you, just make sure it will fit in your room. The Epson 8350 is fine, but convergence luck is a pain. Build quality is hard to say, Benq hasn't been known for the best (but also not the worst). They seem to be kind of in the middle. DLP is tougher than LCD on average since color wheels are more reliable then they used to be, and LCD's have more parts and have an open light path.

[quote name="mastermaybe" url="/t/1454839/3d-aside-its-between-the-epson-8350-and-mitsubishi-hc-4000-under-1200-right#post_22894714

Thanks for the reassurance of the 1070 for RBE as well as the note on the increased reliability of color wheels...that was always a concern as well...but dust blobs are much less likely with DLP, correct. with their "sealed" architecture?

Man, I can't remember being so on the fence with any two techs!

James[/quote]

You'd be hard pressed to do better than the W1070. Coderguy is I think giving you very good advise. I just got rid of my new Epson 3020 (after having three crappy ones with poor convergence and white text "smearing"). I have an Epson 5010 (last year's model), plus the new W1070. The W1070 in every way is a better picture than my much more costly 5010. Yes, the 5010 has better blacks . . . but sharpness, color and gorgeous edge-to-edge focus have got the Epson beat hands down!

Don't let the low price of the W1070 fool you. It's a great looking projector . . .

Ian

I was RBE sensitive when I first got my W7000 but I either got used to them or they calmed down? The 1070 having a 6x wheel should make rainbows a very non-issue, IMO. I love the DLP look, I like it so much more than my 8350 and my 8500UB.

RBE lessens with less brightness, that is why people see less as the lamp ages, and that is also why I tell RBE sensitive people to buy an ND filter before throwing their hands in the air and giving up if they see too much RBE on a new lamp (the ND filter will cut brightness down and RBE). RBE should really only be a concern if you see it at 16-22 fL, otherwise you need to get the PJ dimmer to see if that helps.

The Benq w1070 is the best deal we've ever seen in projectors yet, they could have easily priced it at $1,300 to $1,500. The price is absurd for the feature set.
Edited by coderguy - 1/29/13 at 11:03pm

Thanks for this thread! I'm in the exact situation, wanting to try the W1070 but terrified of the potential RBE. Given the brightness potential, would a longer throw be of any benefit? I'm installing a 125-inch screen in a room with 8-ft ceilings, and the BenQ documentation suggests an 11-12ft throw (assuming I read it correctly). Given the inherent brightness of the unit, that seems rather short - would a longer throw of 16-18 feet be viable?

Let us know how it goes and details of your setup. I am in a similar situation. A local home theater guy suggested the Mitsubishi HC4000, but I've felt that the BenQ w1070 seemed like a better projector. Have 8'2" ceilings in the basement and am going for a 110" screen. Room is 23' x 14' so I should be able to accommodate whatever distance BenQ recommends for a ceiling mount. Can't wait to hear how you like your projector!

The Benq is a lot brighter than the Mits hc4000, but I still think the hc4000 has the better blacks. The Benq is probably sharper, but never compared it (I can tell you the Benq w7000 is sharper than the Mits hc4000 though). The problem is the hc4000 doesn't quite hit the sweet spot of blacks anyhow, so I would take the w1070, you get 3D, a brighter image, and some lens shift. Black levels need to be about as dark as a Panny 7000/8000 before I really consider it a purchasing factor, otherwise getting a tiny bit better blacks has some benefit, but the other items are more important IMO at these levels.

Did you end up getting the benq 1070? I am reading a lot about that projector and curious how it performs outdoors. I am also looking at the Epson 8350.