We wrote about BenQ W1700 4K HDR projector a couple of months ago, as the announced retail price of 1,699 Euros including VAT would make it the most affordable “True 4K” video projector on the market.
The projector was scheduled to launch in January, and the company is right on schedule with Benq HT2550 (US model name for W1700) now listed on Amazon for $1,499 with shipping expected on January 14, 2018.
We can refresh our memory with the specifications:
- Projection System – 0.47” single-DMD DLP technology with 8.3 million pixels resolution [Note: TI website still only shows 0.47″ 1080p DLP chipset, 4K chipset measures at least 0.66″]
- Resolution – VGA (640×480) to 4K UHD (3840 x 2160 native)
- Brightness (ANSI lumens) – 2200 ANSI Lumens
- Contrast Ratio (FOFO) – 10,000:1
- Display Color – 30 Bits (1,07 billion color)
- Light Source – 240W lamp good for 4,000 hours (Normal), 8,000 hours (SmartEco), 10,000 hours (Economic), or 15,000 hours (LampSave)
- Throw Ratio – 1.47 – 1.76 (100″ @ 3.25 m)
- Zoom Ratio – 1.2X
- Lens – F/# = 1.94 – 2.06, f = 15.57 – 18.67 mm
- Keystone Adjustment – 1D, Vertical ± 40 degrees
- Projection Offset – 110%
- Clear Image Size – 60″ ~ 200″ (max: 30″ to 300″)
- Horizontal Frequency – 15K – 102KHz
- Vertical Scan Rate – 23 – 120Hz
- Audio – 5W mono speaker, 3.5mm audio IN jack, 3.5mm audio OUT jack
- Video Input – VGA (D-sub), 1x HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2, 1x HDMI 1.4a/HDCP1.4
- USB – 1x USB 2.0 port, 1x mini USB port
- Misc – 1x RS232 (DB-9pin) serial port,1x 12V Trigger (3.5mm Jack), 2x IR Receivers (front and top), 1x security bar
- Special features – HDR, ISF Night/ Day, CinemaMaster Video + and Audio+2
- Power Supply – 100 to 240V AC 50/60Hz
- Power Consumption – Standby: 0.5W; typical: 330W
- Dimensions (W x H x D)(mm) – 353 x 135 x 272
- Weight – 4.2 kg
There’s been several low cost “pseudo 4K” projectors launched on the market before, and last time there was a discussion about the 0.47″ DMD used in Benq W1700 projector, which based on TI website only supports 1080p, but at the time Benq wrote it was a “True 4K” projector, and the Amazon page still reads “True 4K UHD Resolution: 8.3 million distinct pixels”. So as mentioned by one commenter it’s quite possible that “the new DLPs are probably in short supply and TI is giving them all to Benq. That is why they are not listed at the TI site”.
The projector ships with a remote control, a power cord, a user manual CD, a quick start guide, a warranty card, and a lens cover. Benq should also offer spare lamp kits and 3D Glasses as option, but I could not find those on Amazon yet.
Thanks to Harley for the tip.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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so wait ….. ur saying (According the commentator) that because the true 4k chip is in short supply TI did ZERO advertisements that they have the smallest ever native 4k chip ever ?
ive seen companies talk about hardware in advance by years ! i mean TI showed the pseudo 4k DMD chip using a prototype projector back at CES a few years/year ago
this doesnt make sense. why would TI not advertise such a thing
i still think that this is a pseudo 4k dmd but you might be right
according to projector reviews this isnt a real 4k projector – its using a new 4x shift tech as opposed to 2x
Let’s start with the basics! The HT2550 uses a brand new Texas Instruments 4K UHD chip, which handles 4K content thanks to its native resolution 1920 x 1080 x 4 DLP. That’s right, it’s not the 2716 x 1528 x2 native resolution DLP chip found in other 4K UHD projectors . The x4 expresses that this BenQ is a pixel shifter, but un-like the other 4K UHD DLP projectors, it’s shifting a 1920 pixel wide image 4 times, instead of the slightly higher resolution chip’s two times. For clarity, we don’t consider any of these to be true 4K, but on a line between basic 1080p pixel shifters (x2) then the x4, and the 2716x1528x2. They all ultimately address 8.3 million pixels, but the pixel size and overlap varies. By our take true 4K projectors (which start at $4,999 list price these days with the Sony VW285ES), need to have at least 3840×2160 pixels without overlapping larger pixels with pixel shifting..
I have been looking at the Xiaomi Mi Ultra Short 5000 Laser Projecor also 4k via shifting x4. Just for the Laser life at $1720
@JackRabitt
Some guys on AVS Forum say it’s only 1080p: http://www.avsforum.com/forum/68-digital-projectors-under-3-000-usd-msrp/2882361-xiaomi-ultra-short-throw-laser-projector-1-500-usd-4.html#post55112362