Video Projectors: Evolving Towards High Definition

BenQ PE 5120: In Use

We start our tests with test patterns (see our test procedure here ) that help us adjust the projector and also detect any weaknesses in the projected image. The whites were very bright and fairly uniform over the full area of the screen. Color saturation was good, and the distinction between each color was more than adequate using the YUV connection. A DVI or YUV connection is indispensable on this model, or you'll get results that fall far short of what the BenQ can really do.

The stability of the sharpness test patterns was satisfactory in standard resolutions. Above that, though the sharpness was good, the results were less convincing. But that's not really important, because your video source will be sending an NTSC or PAL signal anyway. The contrast test pattern was a pleasant surprise, with deep blacks and a very satisfactory palette of grays. Considering the price, performance was really very adequate.

Then we curled up on the couch to screen some movie excerpts. We won't hesitate to say that the results were astoundingly good for a product costing less than $1,200. Connected to our progressive-scan Philips DVD player, the image was both smooth and sufficiently well defined, and the pixels were hardly visible at a distance of 13' (4 m) for a 6.5' (2 m) image.

Overall, the blacks were deep and the contrast was really excellent given the price of this model. In fact, the contrast was better than that of some LCD projectors with a cost twice that of the PE 5120. The DLP technology is clearly better than LCD technology in that area. Colors were warm, and colorful sequences like the scene from Finding Nemo will be a treat for the eyes of young and old alike.

Despite the high quality, however, you will be able to see the rainbow effect if you're susceptible to it. The low-resolution chip can't work miracles where aliasing is concerned, either, and backgrounds weren't as clear as with projectors whose chips can display 720p natively. Connected to a PC or game console, the quality was the same as with video, but the results using the S-Video input were just as bad.

Overall, this little model from BenQ did very well indeed, and your dreams of a home theater might be a little closer to coming true thanks to its very low price and picture quality that's quite adequate for a first installation.

Pros: Quality/price ratio, deep blacks, very adequate contrast

Cons: No lens shift, low resolution