Benq PB8220 ready for really bright presentation

Zatni Arbi, Columnist, Jakarta, zatni@cbn.net.id

When I read the specs of the PB8220 projector made by Benq, I was quite impressed. This projector touts a brightness level of 2200 ANSI Lumens and a contrast ratio of 2000:1. These figures were among the highest in the projectors I remember having played around with. Most of the others have around 800 to 1400 Lumens.

So I asked the company whether I could borrow a demo unit for one week to compare it with my own digital projector, which had 1000 ANSI Lumens.

Benq let me use a brand new unit, with everything still in their original packaging. Because it was a new unit, I dared not open the plastic-wrapped cables and decided to just use my own cables for my testing.

For comparison purposes, I used a portable VCD-player and a cable splitter to let the two projectors share the same video source. It worked. I placed the two projectors side by side and project both their images on the wall. The difference was between 1000 and 2200 ANSI Lumens became immediately clear. The Benq projector produced a markedly brighter image-making my projector look pale.

Benq is a spin-off from Acer, the electronics giant from Taiwan. Since its establishment a couple of years ago, Benq has produced a number of great electronics products, most notable of which are the LCD (liquid crystal display) and CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors, small digital cameras, optical drives and digital projectors based on DLP (digital light processor) technology from Texas Instrument.

* Projectors for all needs

Benq makes four different types of projectors. Movie buffs, for example, should look at PE8700, a 1000 ANSI Lumens projector with 2000:1 contrast ratio that is part of the company's Home Theater offering. It is a good-looking unit with the lens located in the center of the front panel. What makes the PE8700 a good choice is that it has a wide angle lens, which enables you to project a large image on the screen without requiring a large room for your home cinema. Of course, with only 1000 ANSI Lumens, all the shades should all be drawn.

The other three types of projectors from this company are the Professional Series, the Portable Series, and the Micro Series. The Professional Series are intended for the boardroom and meeting room environment. The Portable Series are more flexible. On weekdays it may accompany you as you make your presentations, and during the weekend you can take it home and use it to watch DVD. The Micro Projectors are suitable for very small group meeting and perhaps occasional movie watching.

The PB8220 is a portable one. Its 6.8 pounds weight does not really make it an ultra-portable projector like the micro types. However, its versatile capabilities do make it a professional class.

* Features

To start with, the projector can be connected to our laptop via the USB port so that the remote control can function as cordless mouse. This will help us a lot in our presentation. We can navigate through our slides without having to go back to our notebook. The remote control also has a laser pointer function, which is another proof that this projector is meant for professional uses.

However, at home, it is also a capable home theater component as well. It is ready for use with HDTV (high definition television) format. This requires a special set of ports known as YPbPr, which is used to connect the projector with a HD (high definition) component. Although its native resolutions are 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768, it can handle resolutions of up to 1200 x 1024. It also features P-Scan, or Progressive Scan, which results in better image clarity. A ceiling mounting kit is optional.

The life expectancy of the 210 Watt bulb is not the longest in its class. We should expect to have to replace it after 2,000 hours. This is understandable, as a high Lumen bulb will degrade quickly. You should be very careful not to unplug the unit before the fan has finished cooling the bulb. In fact, a built-in feature also prevents us from restarting the projector for one minute after we have turned it off.

Rich features do not come cheap, unfortunately. While a decent projector can now be had in the U.S. for below US$1,000, Benq PB8220 has a price tag of close to $3,000. However, this is a very capable projector that will give us good image even in a lighted room. So, if you want to make sure your presentation can be seen by people regardless of the ambient light of the room, this-or the more powerful PB8230 (with 2500 ANSI Lumens)-should be the projector to choose.