From afar, the PE8720 (8720) bears striking resemblance to its attractive silver-and-white PE7700 counterpart. It is only upon closer inspection that the differences become apparent. Measuring 49mm2 by 393mm by 195mm and weighing 9kg, the projector falls easily into the heavyweight category. There are no questions over the bulk considering its excellent build, a large and bright zoom lens and a dust-proof-sealed optical engine -- we reckon the construction is on par with high-end projectors costing two to three times more.
 You can't go wrong with this excellent remote controller. (Click to enlarge) |
The familiar and handy remote control bundled with the 7700 is also deployed for the 8720. This well-designed backlit remote offers just about every control necessary for on-the-fly configuration and easy input switching. There are dedicated buttons for tweaking important video parameters (such as brightness and contrast) and adjustment for the motorised zoom, focus and lens shift. Not forgetting the six direct input keys conveniently located on top of the panel. This ergonomic remote would have been a godsend if BenQ had thrown in a sensor for automatic illumination.
Also making a comeback is the intuitive BenQ user interface synonymous throughout its entire series of projectors and LCD TVs. The configurations are logically grouped into five submenus with over 90 settings available at the user's disposal. Each customised settings can be applied to any of the three recallable user memory functions and are applicable only for the selected video input. If the prospects of diving deep into the menu sound daunting, fret not! We found the five video presets suitably configured for different lighting environments -- there are the Cinema and Home Theater modes for dark rooms, while we have the Family Room mode for the living room.
Design
The 8720 is high definition-ready out of the box with a native 1,280 x 720-pixel DLP-based optical engine. Thanks to an updated Texas Instrument DarkChip3 chip, the projector is capable of putting out an amazing 10,000:1 contrast ratio paired with a capable 1,000 ANSI lumen brightness. The replaceable 250W lamp is rated up to 3,000 hours on economic mode. Users can also count on the fast five-times, eight-segment colour wheel for rainbow-free images till the price for the DLP three-chipper drops within consumer reach.
 (Click to enlarge) |
Setting up and operating the BenQ is never easier with the motorised zoom, focus and vertical lens shift. The latter is capable of supporting a wide two-way 120-degree vertical shift of projected pictures at the touch of a button on the remote and main unit. We were also delighted to come across grid and colour bar test patterns nestled within the Setup submenu. These should come in handy for those users seeking an impromptu installation assessment for keeping the 8720 in tip-top condition -- a recommended practice for a projector's quarterly maintenance.
At the rear of the chassis are two sets of HD-ready component-video sockets (one of which is PC-compatible via an optional VGA-to-BNC adapter), an all-digital HDMI terminal and the customary S-video and composite-video inputs. There are also a 12V trigger for automated projection screen operation and a wired remote control port reserved for custom installation.
Performance
Our evaluation was performed in a light-controlled Lab, hooked up with the Pioneer DV-S969Avi universal disc player via a 720p HDMI output and calibrated via Avia. Initial impressions of the picture quality were average with saturated colours and grain-free images, though contrast was below expectations. This, however, was quickly resolved by setting the iris below half mark matched with complete elimination of external lightings due to the reduction in the lamp's output.
With the projector adequately set up and configured, we were able to obtain some impressive results from the test patterns. The projected images exhibited consistent geometry and convergence with excellent grayscale tracking performance. The deep shades of black were clearly distinguishable on the 100-inch projection and this was the case even at 5m away from the screen. We did pick up strong green-push during the colour decoder test but this was easily rectified via the menu's Color Enhancement setting.
 A large, high-quality zoom lens for optimal picture quality. (Click to enlarge) |
If you thought you had seen it all with the 8720, wait till you check out what's installed for the 720p WMV-HD clips. Images were truly stunning with punchy colours and details by the bucket load. The one-to-one pixel mapping of the HD clip also improved overall sharpness which was a step better than the scaled 480p DVDs.
Overall, we were very pleased with the excellent performance put up by the BenQ. It would be easy to fault the AU$9,999 price tag against entry 720p DLP projectors such as the value-for-money PE7700. However, we felt the 8720 should best be compared against other HD3-class projectors (InFocus ScreenPlay 7210 and Optoma H79) which are not only priced considerably higher but also come with lower contrast ratio performance.
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