The Best 1080p Resolution Home Theater Projectors of 2007
04/25/2007-Art Feierman

Overview
Image Quality
General Performance
Warranty
Summary, Pros, Cons

1080p Home Theater Projectors - Summary and Comparisons:

Click on these links to read more in-depth comparisons.

Panasonic PT-AE1000U vs Epson Home Cinema 1080
Epson Home Cinema 1080 vs Mitsubishi HC5000
3LCD: PT-AE1000U vs Home Cinema 1080 vs Mitsubishi HC5000
BenQ W9000 vs Panasonic PT-AE1000U
Sony VW50 Pearl vs Mitsubishi HC5000
Optoma HD81 vs. Sony VW50 Pearl
Optoma HD81 vs BenQ W9000 and W10000
BenQ W10000 vs JVC RS1
JVC RS1 vs Sony VW50 Pearl
JVC RS1 vs Optoma HD81
JVC RS1 vs Panasonic PT-AE1000U
Summary - The Bottom Line

BenQ W10000 vs JVC RS1 1080p Home Theater Projectors

BenQ has a real problem here. Simple truth is, the BenQ can't compete against the JVC RS1. It has a couple of small advantages here and there, but for the most part, the JVC RS1 blows away the W10000. In my humble opinion, the only thing that can make this a contest is to make the BenQ W10000 a far less expensive alternative, whereas right now they sell for about the same price.

Image Quality - The BenQ is very, very good. It was on my short list as my next projector until I got the RS1 in for review. The problem is, that as good as the W10000's black levels are, (perhaps a tiny bit better overall, than the HD81's, and a small step below the Sony's), they aren't even close to the JVC RS1's black levels. Simply put, when it comes to black levels, no other fixed pixel projector I have seen, comes even close. In this regard the JVC RS1 (shown to the right) is a breakthrough product.

Those amazing JVC RS1 black levels produce a richer looking image, visibly more shadow detail, and overall, side by side, there is no contest, the JVC just looks much better. Mind you, I didn't ever have the two side by side, but I did have the JVC side by side with my lower res BenQ PE8720, which, for all practical purposes, is identical to the W10000 except for resolution. Let me put it this way. When looking at dark scenes/black levels, when compared, its sort of like looking at at the night sky out in the darker suburbs (W10000), compared to looking at the sky in dessert wilderness away from civilization. (OK, I confess, astronomy is a serious hobby of mine, - surprised?)

I've just trashed the otherwise very good image quality of the BenQ W10000 in comparing it to the JVC RS1. How do these two stack up in other areas?

Sorry to say, the JVC pretty much wins at everything.

No, that's not quite true, as the BenQ is the slightly sharper of the two projectors. For me, personally, I wish the JVC was that little bit sharper, but it is sharp enough, despite a very slight but visible difference between the two.

Ergonomically, the JVC RS1 thrashes the W10000. It's 2:1 zoom blows away the BenQ's tiny 1.15:1 range. The JVC has significantly more range in its vertical lens shift, and also has horizontal lens shift that the BenQ lacks (no big deal). Both have very, very, good remotes. Both are pretty large units, with the JVC being a little deeper - for most, not an issue.

The BenQ is ISF certified, so in addition to its three user savable modes, it has the ISF Day Night options, if you have it calibrated. By comparsion, the JVC has only it's three user savables. I wish my JVC had an extra 2-3 more, but, basically, I'm really reaching - to find pluses for the W10000.

The BenQ, does have the warranty advantage of 3 years, with first year replacement against JVC's standard 2 year warranty. That's got to be worth something!

Review continues below this advertisement.

Lastly, the BenQ can muster up a few more lumens in brightest mode, however at best, maybe 200 lumens if that, whereas the JVC RS1 is much brighter in best mode by a good 50%, and that's with the BenQ's manual iris wide open (which costs it only slightly on black levels/contrast).

Bottom line, for these two to be in serious competition, BenQ needs a serious price drop. The W10000 is one really fine projector, but it's going up against a similarly priced projector that is in a class by itself.

Put the BenQ W10000 about $1500 - $2000 below the RS1 and it is a highly competitive projector - compared to the RS1, and for that matter, compared to any of the others. Optoma already drastically dropped the price of the HD81, and I suspect BenQ isn't far behind!

In this comparison, the JVC RS1 is the hands down winner.

Click on these links to read more in-depth comparisons.

Panasonic PT-AE1000U vs Epson Home Cinema 1080
Epson Home Cinema 1080 vs Mitsubishi HC5000
3LCD: PT-AE1000U vs Home Cinema 1080 vs Mitsubishi HC5000
BenQ W9000 vs Panasonic PT-AE1000U
Sony VW50 Pearl vs Mitsubishi HC5000
Optoma HD81 vs. Sony VW50 Pearl
Optoma HD81 vs BenQ W9000 and W10000
BenQ W10000 vs JVC RS1
JVC RS1 vs Sony VW50 Pearl
JVC RS1 vs Optoma HD81
JVC RS1 vs Panasonic PT-AE1000U
Summary - The Bottom Line

Overview
Image Quality
General Performance
Warranty
Summary, Pros, Cons