BenQ MP610 Multimedia Projector

Category: Review on BenQ MP610 DLP Projector

Posted by: 19-Nov-2006

Strengths: Great in harsh lighting, high resolution capability

Weaknesses: Designed primarily for office use, rainbow effect

The BenQ MP610 Multimedia Projector is geared toward business use, but it can also be applicable in a home environment. As a DLP projector, it is a great value in terms of cost, and because it is manufactured to perform well in business applications, this projector functions well in harsh, high level lighting.

The BenQ MP610 has an output of 2,000 lumens, which is incredible for the price range in which it fits. While it will offer full light output in a brightly lit room, the projector also has an economy mode that kicks in when used in darker areas, dimming the bulb slightly in order to conserve bulb life. This means that you can get up to 4,000 hours out of a single bulb, better than most multimedia projectors on the market.

The MP610 has a resolution of 800x600, though it can handle higher resolution on a compression rate that still provides an excellent quality image. Note that the 16:9 ratio mode will resize pictures automatically, so it may not be ideal to use for home movies. You can increase color depth with the color ratio wheel, and it operates very quietly. The projector is extremely light, making it easily portable.

On the downside, the BenQ multimedia projector is somewhat limited in the range of inputs, only allowing S-video, D-sub, and composite inputs. There is nothing for digital input. Also, this particular projector tends to have a rainbow affect that is particularly noticeable in fast-moving images, such as PC games. However, if you are watching a movie, and the actor turns his head quickly, you’ll see the spread of colors left behind.

The speaker option is okay for business presentations, but you’ll want a full stereo system if you are planning to use this projector at home. Overall, the BenQ MP610 Multimedia Projector is an excellent purchase if you are simply looking for a simple, inexpensive solution. However, for a home theatre, you may want to keep looking.