BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Summary Posted on November 17, 2016 By Art Feierman 1. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review - BenQ HT6050 Projector Overview - BenQ HT6050 Highlights2. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Special Features - Interchangeable Lenses - High Speed Color Wheel for minimal Rainbow Effect - Lens Shift3. BenQ HT6050 Home Projector Review – Special Features 2 - Creative Frame Interpolation - CFI - aka "smooth motion" - HT6050 THX and ISF certifications - Brilliant Color - 3D - Optional Wireless Kit – Wireless HDMI - Is the HT6050 A Projector for Gamers4. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Hardware Tour - Hardware Overview - HT6050 Control Panel and Lens Shift Controls - HT6050 Inputs and Connectors5. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Hardware Tour 2 - Backlit Remote control - HT6050 Menus - Lens Throw6. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Picture Quality - Out of the Box Color and Picture - HT6050 - Handling Skin Tones - HT6050 Black Levels and Dark Shadow Detail - Dark Shadow Detail7. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Picture Quality 2 - HT6050 Handling HDTV and Sports Content - HT6050 Overall Picture Quality8. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Performance - HT6050 Brightness in Lumens - By Color Mode - Affect of Lamp Power on Brightness - Image Noise - HT6050 Audible Noise9. BenQ HT6050 Projector – Calibration & Settings - BenQ HT6050 Calibration Presets notes - Pre-Calibration Color Temp (standard) over IRE Range - BenQ HT6050 Pre- and Post-Calibration Settings, By Mode - Color Temp - THX (User 1) Mode Pre-Calibration - THX Alternate Mode Mode Pre-Calibration - Vivid Mode (User 2) Pre-Calibration - Post-Calibration Color Temperature10. Benq HT6050 Projector – Advanced Calibration Information - CMS for THX Mode (User 1) Post-Calibration - CMS for THX Alternate Mode Post-Calibration - THX Mode (User 1) Post-Calibration Charts - THX Alternate Mode Post-Calibration Charts - Vivid Mode (User 2) Post-Calibration Charts11. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Summary - Summary - HT6050 Pros - HT6050 Cons12. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Specifications BenQ HT6050 Projector Review – Summary: Summary, Pros, Cons SummaryIt doesn’t happen very often, but I usually enjoy getting in a “non-entry level” DLP projector for review. The HT6050 is certainly no exception. Waiting for the HT6050 to arrive, I was really looking forward to it. Understanding that a number of people need a projector with lens flexibility, combined with the HT6050’s native sharpness, and its rich color handling. BenQ’s HT6050 – a bright home theater projector with interchangeable lenses, CFI, lots of inputs, 3D and more! This BenQ is likely their best option in the under $3000 street priced projectors. Forgetting the lens options, the HT6050 still has a really good feature set, lots of inputs, really good 3D. That makes this a great choice for a lot more folks, those who really appreciate DLP projectors’ color handling. My biggest disappointment with the HT6050 is the black level performance. I had expected it to be as good as the W7500 it replaces (a rather different projector) in the line-up. I do not understand why they designed the firmware so the iris only works in the brightest, and in this case, the least desirable mode, one used only when there’s a lot of ambient light present (which is exactly what negates the advantage of having a dynamic iris to begin with. Strange. If BenQ comes out with a firmware update, that provides a good working dynamic iris in THX and User modes, then the BenQ is headed for one of our Hot Product awards. Until then… BTW I have no reason to believe – at this time, that such an upgrade will be offered. I’m simply wishing – and I shared that wish with the folks at BenQ, of course. I found the BenQ to be truly excellent for sports viewing, the picture just pops with rich color and is very sharp. Generally, HDTV for the most part is as good as sports, but if you are watching movies on HDTV, the darkest scenes will lack the really dark blacks that makes those scenes stand out, as is the case with movies from Blu-ray, etc. If they should revise the firmware, I will take another look, and advise you all, via an update to this review, and a blog. If you have a situation where you need other than the standard lens, BenQ’s lenses are relatively affordable, making this projector one of the, or perhaps the least expensive projector around with those lens options, enhancing its value. Otherwise, consider our points, and decide if it’s the right projector for you. HT6050 Pros Bright home theater projector Capable of handing large screens in dedicated home theater Enough brightness to handle modest ambient light Excellent colors – rich, vibrant Very good dark shadow detail CFI “Motion Enhancer” works well for sports, etc. Has MHL for streaming mobile devices… Interchangeable lens options Good lens shift (very good for a DLP) Very low cost for a PJ with lens options Well laid out menus Great – 3 year warranty Very good remote control, good backlight HT6050 Cons Dynamic iris does not work in Best modes, therefore Black Levels could be noticeably better On the pricy side if you don’t need lens options Lamp life is shorter than average (less than BenQ’s less expensive models too) But, it’s bright for a “theater” projector, as compared to a entertainment PJ Standard lens has relatively limited zoom range, but does operate in the sweet spot in distance for most ceiling mount installs Built in 3D uses DLP link (but optional emitter for RF 3D available) 1. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review - BenQ HT6050 Projector Overview - BenQ HT6050 Highlights2. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Special Features - Interchangeable Lenses - High Speed Color Wheel for minimal Rainbow Effect - Lens Shift3. BenQ HT6050 Home Projector Review – Special Features 2 - Creative Frame Interpolation - CFI - aka "smooth motion" - HT6050 THX and ISF certifications - Brilliant Color - 3D - Optional Wireless Kit – Wireless HDMI - Is the HT6050 A Projector for Gamers4. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Hardware Tour - Hardware Overview - HT6050 Control Panel and Lens Shift Controls - HT6050 Inputs and Connectors5. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Hardware Tour 2 - Backlit Remote control - HT6050 Menus - Lens Throw6. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Picture Quality - Out of the Box Color and Picture - HT6050 - Handling Skin Tones - HT6050 Black Levels and Dark Shadow Detail - Dark Shadow Detail7. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Picture Quality 2 - HT6050 Handling HDTV and Sports Content - HT6050 Overall Picture Quality8. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Performance - HT6050 Brightness in Lumens - By Color Mode - Affect of Lamp Power on Brightness - Image Noise - HT6050 Audible Noise9. BenQ HT6050 Projector – Calibration & Settings - BenQ HT6050 Calibration Presets notes - Pre-Calibration Color Temp (standard) over IRE Range - BenQ HT6050 Pre- and Post-Calibration Settings, By Mode - Color Temp - THX (User 1) Mode Pre-Calibration - THX Alternate Mode Mode Pre-Calibration - Vivid Mode (User 2) Pre-Calibration - Post-Calibration Color Temperature10. Benq HT6050 Projector – Advanced Calibration Information - CMS for THX Mode (User 1) Post-Calibration - CMS for THX Alternate Mode Post-Calibration - THX Mode (User 1) Post-Calibration Charts - THX Alternate Mode Post-Calibration Charts - Vivid Mode (User 2) Post-Calibration Charts11. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Summary - Summary - HT6050 Pros - HT6050 Cons12. BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Specifications Benq HT6050 Projector – Advanced Calibration Information BenQ HT6050 Home Theater Projector Review – Specifications