Pocket Projector from BenQ Coming to AV Rant
May 14th, 2009
No sooner do I order some blackout curtains for my HT than I get an email from BenQ about a pocket projector. Do I want a review unit? Yes I do! The Joybee GP1 is on the way. It’s only SVGA 4:3 native but should be fun for parties. Look for a review in the near future. There’s a commercial about it over at YouTube if you have 4 minutes to waste.
Categories: Tom's Blog
Hmmm…whelp, it’ll make for an interesting review, I’m sure. But if the specs are correct, I won’t be expecting much in the way of impressive results.
Only 100 ANSI lumens? That is really really dim.
Obviously, this little LED powered guy isn’t meant to compete with full size home theatre projectors. But we have to consider that there are quite a few very impressive 720p projectors for well under $1000 these days! I’m not seeing $499 for 720p, but around $780 is certainly available. And there are some really really impressive LCD 720p units like the Panasonic AX200 or Sanyo PLV-Z60 for around $900 and there’s the king of the 720p crop – the Epson Home Cinema720 for just under $1000.
Anyways, it’ll be fun to see what such a compact projector can deliver, but I’m very doubtful that it will work for a party setting. It just seems like it will be far too dim – but maybe if you place it close enough to the screen and accept the smaller screen size that results, it might be ok 🙂
For a party projector though, it’s really tough to beat the Panny AX200 – that thing is a light cannon!
Yeah, I’m not expecting the full 80″ but it’ll be fine to set up in the kids room to have them watch Bolt while the adults are playing rock band in the HT.
:O
I am in shock! Tom…you would actually allow your children to watch lower than HD resolution?! Maybe we really should be sending you to jail afterall!
On the other hand, I suppose if kids are never exposed to the trials and tribulations of olden times, they will never develop an appreciation for what they have today…
still, though; 4:3 aspect ratio…
*shudder 🙁
😀
They’re lucky I don’t hide the remotes and make them switch the channels manually like I did for my father.
I’m thinking kid system myself… 100 lumens is probably enough for a 50″ screen size on the wall in the dark. Those projectors you talk about probably put out around 600 lumens in theater mode when properly calibrated.
I got mine yesterday. What cracks me up is that the projector and the power supply are the same size. It’s too bad they couldn’t integrate or knock down the PS size.
Cheesiest commercial I’ve ever seen though… next to those 50s drive-in movie ones…
I just got it. Gooooooo Composite Video!!! lol I just hooked up a computer in the kids room (not connected to the internet not that they are old enough to get into any trouble yet). It’s got a VGA input. I might just use that as the source.