BenQ W1200 HD DLP projector

End of the rainbow?

Shining example

Despite being a single chip DLP I wasn’t aware of any significant rainbows. I tend to notice even the slightest colour fringing, but I detected nothing of note here from the six-segment colour wheel.

Dim view: buttons on the remote are backlit

Motion resolution is average, dropping down from 1080 lines to no more than 650 lines when things get jiggy. This doesn’t spoil the high-impact nature of the W1200’s images, or the impression of clarity. But it is a point of difference between this and more expensive rivals.

The projector boasts a Frame Interpolation mode (variable between Low, Middle and High), but this does not reclaim moving picture resolution. The interpolator is employed merely to remove horizontal judder – which it certainly does. Without it, images exhibit a slight horizontal panning stutter.

Unfortunately, the interpolator adds motion artefacts of its own. These manifest as smudgy halos around certain moving objects, created as it tries to compensate for movement. The effects are mild on the lowest setting, getting gradually more noticeable. Frankly, I’d rather stick with the panning judder.