Tucked away in the quiet back alleys of the Las Vegas Convention Center's South Hall, projector and display maker BenQ set up shop earlier this month at the International CES to show off, among other things, a pair of affordable new front projectors ideal for both gaming and home theater applications. Essentially twins and differing only in their lens configuration, the W1070 and W1080ST are both native 1080p 3D projectors featuring Texas Instruments' Dark Chip 3 DLP technology.
Although a 10,000:1 contrast ratio and the convenience of a built-in speaker will surely appear to some buyers, the big story here is the impressive short-throw capabilities of the W1080ST. Capable of throwing an image more than 100 inches wide at a distance of less than 6 feet, BenQ's W1080ST offers supreme flexibility for those trying to work some big entertainment into a small space.
To help mitigate issues with the inevitable coffee table installation, the W1080ST features a unique "Auto Blank" feature, which detects moving objects in front of the projector and temporarily turns off the lamp to avoid shining light in the eyes of passerby. Similarly, both units feature a power-saving "Eco Blank" feature, which reduces the light output to 30 percent if no source is detected for more than 3 minutes. There is also a button on the unit itself (labeled "Eco Blank") which cuts the lamp, but doesn't power the unit down - a handy feature when you want to take a quick snack or bathroom break, but you don't necessarily want to power the unit down and up again.
Connection options on both models include dual HDMI inputs as well as component video, 15-pin VGA, S-video, and composite inputs. Out back you'll also find a mini-USB port, 12V trigger, and an RS-232 port for use with home automation systems. Like other 3D Ready DLP front projectors, the W1070 and W1080ST can be used in conjunction with 3D Link-ready active 3D glasses for those wishing to enter the third dimension while at home.
BenQ's W1070 and W1080ST are available now at prices of $1,099 and $1,299, respectively.
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