Final BenQ TK800 Review After 8 Months

My final thoughts and impressions of this great piece of kit after using it as my primary projector for 8 months.
Part 1 (Week 1 Impressions): • BenQ Tk800 First Week ...
My AVSForums Home Theater Build: www.avsforum.com/forum/19-ded...

[@ravitarakesh]

Thanks to your Time & effort in Making this videos & your review is real very much helpful in making proper decision, Keep it up Brother, Love to see more reviews & videos from you Buddy

[@SangheiliSpecOp]

I've seen your e̶s̶s̶a̶y̶s̶ reviews online and I just wanted to say that I appreciate how through you are when you write them!

[@xtremizzt]

Projector turns on after 7:15

[@redshot_8897]

Luv the setup. Awesome job and video. 🔥🔥💯👍🏾

[@Bklynblaze1]

Great video. Thanks for sharing! Out of the 3, Epson 5050, BenQ HT5550 and BenQ TK800M which one would you say performs better when it comes to watching sports broadcast in 1080p? Which is the sharpest picture with most pop?

[@SkyShazad]

i LOVE This video man, nice Job Dude

[@paulstir]

Awesome video thank you for this one I have just bought my own ( first time owner so I’m excited 😁🙏) What a cinema room 😁👌 well done to you

[@lemusicable]

Looks great, enjoy

[@ibar14]

Hi there! Thanks 4 the video. I usually play the projector into a white wall that I had in my living room.. but I am willing to buy a white screen. Is it really worth and any difference? Thanks!

[@ohadcohen8174]

Hi. Just bought this projector and I'm generally satisfied. One problem I have is that dark scenes are way too dark, can hardly been seen. I don’t have ambient light, but my room is white. Any suggestion for better settings? Thanks Ohad

[@edclips]

The caliber of your setup speaks volumes to the projector, thanks for sharing this. Are Benq projectors setup the same? The place I live in currently has an older one, and I am hoping I can’t use the same mounting point.

[@simonl2072]

Yep. Gar-rage. :-) It looks great mate. Good work

[@CanoNuevaYork]

I am coming from the Benq HT2050A to the TK800M and also always use the Benq Gamma level. I just lower contrast sometimes to bring in the detail. Great brightness! Any settings for it by chance? Cant find any online. BTW.. HAD THE 2050A with the Darby5000s and to be a killer PJ! Passibg sown to my 21 yr old. Will missnit though.

[@simarmakkar3116]

brother can you post walk through of your theatre room and its measurements

[@SHOTTYTV]

Awesome review. I also have this projector and I LOVE IT. Quick question for you... How do I watch 3d movies and what glasses do I need?

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

SHOTTYTV hey thanks! To watch 3D movies - it’s best with a 3D blu Ray player with frame packed content. You have to go into settings and manually enable 3D. These are the glasses I got and they work great. Ultra-Clear HD 144 Hz DLP LINK 3D... www.amazon.com/dp/B00KUIYUP8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

[@evqlia41]

how can I update my ffirmware I don't see option to connect my projector to wifi and on BenQ website latest firmware is from 2018/09/26. My firmware is v1.0. Cheers

[@TheChefComic]

What kind of screen are you using? I heard you couldn't get better black levels from using a gray screen but I can't seem to find any affordable or reasonably priced retractable gray screens.

[@mashedpotatojohnson7550]

How did you get rid of the light overcast?I have this projector and I have the biggest light border around my screen

[@kengi1600]

First thx for the review. What mount did you use? And if i wanted to do usb stick for movies what should i use?

[@kumell6658]

Could someone help with the color management? I fiddled with mine but had no idea what I'm doing. Need the hue, saturation and gain for each color please. The hdr image looks so dark and washed out on my projector compared to this

[@codysimmons943]

I just bought this projector and it appears that the screen is not reaching its full size . It has the bars on the side and the usual bars on the bottom. Did your projector do this or do you know how to fix it so that there are no light bars on the sides . Please let me know .

[@dedge12858]

Awesome job Scott. Just curious whether you ever watch movies at 2.35:1 and if so whether you use any kind of masking?

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

I don't use masking... I have a 160" screen... I feel the gray point could be improve a bit on the TK800 but its not bad at all so I don't mask when watching 2.35:1

[@zak8895]

Beautiful set up. I've got a 1080p BenQ and gonna upgrade to the TK800M which is about £800 in the UK. But I love BenQ

[@MrTim1731]

fantastic review i just bought the benq tk 800m the newer version and wanted to know on a good screen i just ordered the elite cine white 125 inch 2.35.1 aspect ratio edge-less screen and was wondering if the picture and ratio compared to a 16.9 ratio screens whats the difference and if for me watching in a dark room closed off theater room like yours playing video games and movie watching works my screen is coming tomorrow so any input from you would be much appreciated thanks

[@tonyburns6259]

How did your screen work out bud and thoughts on projector

[@AmrikMander]

What is the lamp life . ? And what should be screen size to watch in good quality..?

[@kevinfranzen9733]

I see I'm posting a comment after a year. I love the review here. I'm house shopping and wonder what would be a ballpark price to set up something similar? BTW im down here in St George Utah.

[@K0gashuk0]

Very nice sir. I am looking at a this particular projector maybe on a six month plan. The theater room will have to come later. Also, I had the x1 and was paying too much. My bill for gig internet went up to $215 a month. When I asked how much would just internet cost and they said $95. So I picked up youtube TV and some hulus. I never had broadcast television in more than one room before and it is nice.

[@Doing150s]

How is this at about 12 to 15 foot away? Always used epson do to the zoom in features

[@Perry_Fan]

How is the bulb life after all these years? Also have you tried 3D mode? What firmware updates do you have?

[@tim19962]

looks amazing

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Cheers!

[@dantecapunay1659]

I am about to buy this projector to use strictly for home cinema what settings do you recommend i use on it could you provide me with detailed color contrast and any other settings that would help me make the picture on this projector look the most natural for cinema? it will be in a dedicated dark theater room 4k movies

[@bjarnipurple]

How do you do firmware updates for the tk800? Benq is driving me insane

[@dirtyeric2]

My Epson 6020UB just died after 7 years. Do u still recommend this over the new Ben q’s? I have my epson ceiling mounted 18.5 feet from 120” screen centered on screen. Epson lens is center. Will these Ben q work?

[@njf434s]

I’m looking to get this model to watch movies in my backyard. I have a elite 120” screen outside. I live in SoCal. My backyard is completely shaded by 3:00pm. Currently I have a smaller portable projector that’s only 800 lumens. Do you think this projector at 3000 lumens will work during the day if the yard is in the shade? 800 lumens obviously only works once it’s pitch black. Just wondering if it’s worth upgrading.

[@RaquelC17]

I just got this projector and it’s pretty bright in my room with the curtain opens. I think it also depends on where the sun is at too. I’m planning on using my projector with my 120” screen outside during the spring i know with my Fangor projector has a lower lumen and I had to wait til like 8pm to watch a movie outside, but I know for a fact that the Benq Tk800m is way brighter then my other projector in a room with curtain opens.

[@Dasoulink]

Great vids. Movie lover here. I have some questions. I live in am apartment and I have a wall with room for a 100” screen, the opposite wall is approx 10 feet away. Can you help with will this work for a projector? What type? Best screen size? Thank you in advance

[@akopczyk]

Hi, Benq has a projector calculator, it is a great tool: projectorcalculator.benq.com/

[@el3y09]

Did you ever get the 3d to work I cant get it to work with anything xbox one, PC and nvidia sheild nothing

[@alefavara1]

Ma lo Jack per l'uscita audio posso collegarlo ad un impianto home teatre 5.1?

[@cyberlight22]

i am not ready for 4k what do you think about Optoma HD27HDR for a starter projector i had a ep721 for 6 years

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

I've heard mixed reviews on it. If you get a good one, future proofing with HDMI 2.0 and HDCP2.2 is a good things. I'd probably rather go with a GT1080Darbee or TH671ST

[@Colnr1]

Hi, I was wondering how far away your front row seating (head position preferably) is from the screen. Great review by the way and definitely on the list.

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

It is about 11 feet

[@smilinmikeusa]

Thank you for the time you put into these reviews. What is your opinion on the HT3050? It seems to be a great projector but is the difference between 1080p and 4k enough to upgrade to the TK800? I'm thinking the extra brightness will be better for family and friends over for football games.

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

HT3050 is a great projector. REALLY good contrast and color. If sports parties and ambient light viewing are going to be common, I would recommend the TK800M

[@smilinmikeusa]

I did get the TK800 and it is awesome. Thank you for your videos!

[@LOBOFERZD]

@@smilinmikeusa I also had the benq ht3050, now I already ordered the tk850, want the change? detailing blacks and dark scenes? I say it because it has 1000 lm more, and quetal colors etc, compared to your ht3050

[@Darkoholic]

Can I play 4k hdr movies from a external hard drive?

[@MKMK-gl5jm]

Thanks for the great review. Have you heard anything about an imminent new TK850 model being released by Benq?

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

MK MK nothing imminent. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@film-maniac]

@@ScottsTechandStuff Supposedly coming later in the year

[@wchezba9327]

what is the size of your screen using for this projector

[@socialtop1485]

Hi! The screen it’s 4K? O what? I have the same proyector but I don’t know which screen buy, please recommend? And how work Dolby Vision?

[@bryanp4827]

There is no such thing as a 4k screen...

[@gamingbytetv665]

I'm wondering if someone can help me. I love this projector, aside from a few issues. The throw distance in my opinion is rather insane, however I cannot for the life of me seem to be able to use the image sizing option that's greyed out in the menu. How do I activate it? I also have trouble getting a square image out of it at times but as far as quality goes, I can't complain though the HDR is nothing to particularly write home about.

[@gamingbytetv665]

My apologies, its the tk800m I have.

[@qaptin1996]

Is there a newer tk800 out yet? Or a competitor?

[@Bajaheat]

What’s your wall colors? And did you use satin or flat?

[@mailmaps]

Can i use 84 inch screen with this?

[@ericimi]

Is the tk800m better overall ?

[@Jongalacticoh5oh]

Hi which ceiling mount did you buy?

[@chrsp3587]

great video, what it is the liquidity in the movies and Motion mapping ??

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Not sure what you mean by liquidity and motion mapping? It doesn't do frame interpolation but fast motion and action looks great on this projector. No ghosting to speak of and the fast switching of the mirrors on DLP creates a crisp action-oriented image.

[@AsimInam9]

Gr8 set up. Wow..

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Thanks!

[@Stewbacca-tf6zf]

Great video.I tried your settings they look pretty good but for the life of me I can’t figure out who to label the setting?

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Stewart Maguire hey there! So it is under the “User Management” settings I believe under modes. It will prompt you to copy the settings from one of the modes and then name it.

[@pedrammah.4053]

Do you have any comments on OPTOMA UHD50 4K? Which one is better? TK800 or UHD50? Many thanks

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

I haven't tested that projector first hand but I've heard good things. I'll be posting my review of the HT3550 soon which has some advantages compared to both the TK800 and the UHD50 though

[@rashi7369]

USB port is not functioning. Is it support with pendrive ? please reply

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

RATNA KUMAR hi there! What are you trying to accomplish? The USB source on this unit is mainly for factory maintenance or powering an HDMI stock like the Roku or Fire TV streaming sticks.

[@leecaldwell1029]

scott, are you in utah?? I only ask because I am in Bountiful Utah and would love to see your projector and setup in person if you are cool with that. I am debating on this projector for my media room.

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Jester435 yes sir! You are welcome to swing by!

[@leecaldwell1029]

@@ScottsTechandStuff hope all is well. I finally upgraded my theater room. Went with 7.2.4 and sony 4k VPLXW5000ES Really appreciate your setup as inspiration

[@ponnarasanarasan3576]

EPSON TW 7100 VS BENQ TK1800......WHICH ONE IS BETTER ? Give me idea

[@simonl2072]

I have a quick one. Is your AT screen a weave or perforated holes? Cheers Simon.

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Simon Lycc weave all the way! I’ve seen perf AT screens that suffer from moire pretty bad. It’s a great screen from Dragonfly.

[@simonl2072]

@@ScottsTechandStuff cheers for letting me know. I'm going to build a fixed screen using Carl's place screen material and I have been wondering which direction to take. I reckon I'll order the weave now. Simon

[@TWEAKED03]

How big is your screen? Does a black roof help with screen pics?

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

TWEAKED03 hi there! Screen is 160” diagonal 16:9. The black ceiling does help limit the screen reflections so the viewer is more immersed. I went with an eggshell finish but in hindsight wish I would have done a flat finish to limit reflections further

[@santhoshsanthu5441]

Any comments on w1800 pl

[@dajusta87]

Any rainbow effect??

[@hemanthbs2649]

This is good review

[@anthonynanna3759]

I am just curious what HDMI cable you are running. I will need a 30' hdmi and I know once you get to that length some of the cheaper cables will not perform well.

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

I’ve used this with no complaints for over a year. sewelldirect.com/premium-4k-hdmi-cable-40-ft-

[@anthonynanna3759]

@@ScottsTechandStuff Thanks....just finishing framing and getting ready to run all my cables. Appreciated your reviews and convinced me this is the projector for us.

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Anthony Nanna happy to help!

[@anthonynanna3759]

Ordered. The Sewell hdmi cable you recommended and I noticed a lot of the cables designate one end for projector and one end for the source. This one does not. Did yours or doesn’t it matter?

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Anthony Nanna no it doesn’t matter on that cable

[@forartfe1208]

...and what about 4K content ?

[@macsan1234]

When u say 3000 lumens how much is tht in ansi lumens? Also life of lens is too less.how much is th replacment cost and will it always be available?

[@S31Ender]

It is 3000 ANSI lumens on the TK800M. It has a fairly powerful lamp intended for sports viewing in a living room with light coming in when your buddies are over for the game.

[@chrism473]

Question. So when i watch NBA on my Benq TK800 on Directv channels such as ESPN, TNT, ABC, the picture quality shutters, is NOT crisp, and sometimes leaves trails behind players when in fast motion. The most annoying part is the shutter and fuzzy look to the overall display.. (when watching apple tv 4k, ps4 pro, picture quality is 4k) so have you experienced such things watching NBA because it is very frustrating and sub-par

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

That does sound weird... DLP is known to not have any ghosting whatsoever so I'm wondering if its the source? The DirecTV box? Broadcast TV on DirecTV and other TV providers is done in MPEG-2 720p still. The high resolution and large screens we use these projectors for will expose the lower quality of these sources. Think about it... 1 pixel from the 720p source is taking up over 8 pixels that the TK800 is producing. Knowing that going in, however, I still really like watching NBA and sports on it. Do you have a video you could share?

[@chrism473]

i do have a video but its hard to tell, although if you focus, you will be able to tell what im talking about

[@MortenSkjelbred]

Great review! I have the TK800 myself and have some issues I would like to check with you. I mostly use the projector with a Apple TV 4K and find that it’s very often calibrates when switching through content. This takes around 5-10 seconds each time and find it a bit annoying. Is this normal? Also I have tried enabling HDR on Apple TV 4K and the TK800 but I find that everything I watch is way to over saturated. So I have turned it of and now only watch SDR, even if the Netflix movie have HDR or Dolby Vision support, which is a shame. Any tips on this?

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Morten Skjelbred Switching times is not a strength of the Gen 1 .47” chips. Reason being is there are 3 separate processing chips handling 4K xpr, 1080p, and 3D. This seems to be the case with any .47” shifter. This isn’t happening while content is being played on yours is it? I’ve gotten used to the ~10 seconds of “engage” time when I fire up an HDR title. Let me give you some tips on the HDR. You’ll find my HDR demo at around the 9min mark. I too find the image too saturated on some content so I do one of two things. In the settings, I change the “Color Gamut” to BT709. With normal color temperature, this still creates a great HDR image but is more natural. If I leave BT2020 in Auto or on BT2020 I will set color temperature to cool to tone down the warmth and saturation. Try that and let me know what you think

[@MortenSkjelbred]

Scott's Tech and Stuff Thanks for the answer! I read that some send in their TK800 to Benq and get a firmware update to 9.0.2? I only have the original 1.0 firmware so don’t quite understand the large jump. Have you considered sending it in for an firmware update? Anyway strangely there are no official release notes from Benq, but here's what’s updated (and collected from other users): * HDR HLG support
 * Ability to automatically detect, or manually select, SDR, HDR10 or HLG modes
 * Quieter, no more static noise coming from the built in speaker
 * Fixed 3D low resolution issue (was max 720p), now goes up to 1080p
 * Fixed image sync issues with 3D glasses
 * Faster calibration time for some formats

[@MortenSkjelbred]

Also the new TK800M model is soon out. Do you know what’s new? have you heard if the old model can be updated somehow to this TK800M?

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

@@MortenSkjelbred The new TK800 firmware is good for sure. However, two things that are different on the TK800M hardware is no more gray border around image and a sharper lens that promises better focus uniformity and better overall image.

[@Ryan-gf3jf]

i have a bedroom that is bigger than normal i was thinking about buying this projector and i was wondering if this projector will work in this bedroom the size is 164inch from the front wall to the back wall and i was thinking of getting a 92' screen. This my first time with a projector do u think this will work?

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Absolutely! With room to spare.

[@Ryan-gf3jf]

@@ScottsTechandStuff Thanks another question i have about a 9 foot ceiling how far will the projector hang down? i dont want to hit my head on it.

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Ryan hey there! It all just really depends on the mount. I have a fairly shallow mount which Picts the very bottom of the projector about 12” from the ceiling. You would be making millions playing basketball if you are hitting your head on a projector 8 feet high. :)

[@Ryan-gf3jf]

@@ScottsTechandStuff LOL! Thanks alot for ur help! Really appreciated it!

[@srinivasraovutla]

Cost?

[@MichaelVash7886]

Build just went out on my 1070. Really considering this one. Mostly used for gaming and movies. This seems like a solid choice. Any issues gaming with this one? I realize it's not for super competitive gaming due to lag.

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

MichaelVash7886 this is a solid PJ. However it doesn’t have the same throw ratio as your W1070. BenQ is launching their new HT3550 this month with the same throw as your W1070. You oughtta take a look at that one since it has the same throw, is 4K, and the colors and blacks are going to be 🔥🔥 on that one

[@MichaelVash7886]

@@ScottsTechandStuff will do. I have a fairly large room will have to check the difference there. Any word on the price on the new model?

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

MichaelVash7886 not yet but I think we should know by next week!

[@MichaelVash7886]

@@ScottsTechandStuff alright. Was trying to see if that one was going to be good for gaming

[@MichaelVash7886]

@@ScottsTechandStuff We shall see, but it doesn't really look like the HT model is for video games as well, more of a movie.

[@RahulKumar-uk2yk]

I want to buy this projector

[@MrSuperman258401]

Great video, best one I've seen on this PJ. Nice that you put the time in on it to dial it in. Must people I've seen are not happy with the color accuracy out of the box, but don't know enough to adjust settings to make it better. You on any of the Facebook HT groups? Love to share and showcase yours setups and some reviews in the group I'm in. Ppl would love it. Where are based out of?

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

MrSuperman258401 thanks man! I’m not on the Facebook groups. Feel free to share!

[@MrSuperman258401]

@@ScottsTechandStuff if your on Facebook there are lot of cool groups and lot of good interaction with members

[@MrSuperman258401]

@@ScottsTechandStuff I like the interaction better special when you can share pics or videos to help answer questions or DM or video chat someone to have one on one chat. Looking forward to my new screen and ht3550 reviews coming after launch

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

I try my best to respond to everyone. Thanks for the kind words!

[@MrSuperman258401]

@@ScottsTechandStuff yep just waiting for my new screen and ht3550

[@JohnDeLeon28]

Hi! Can you explain the 1080P and 1080i? What's the difference?

[@bikecrazy001]

any rainbow effects with this projector?

[@moe4772]

I've researched this unit alot, there is some apparently as with all DLP projectors. But its not bad on this one apparently...

[@Flightsimmovies]

First day I got it I saw the rainbow effect quite often but when times goes I barely notice it at all...

[@chriscaguama]

Please let me know the imput lag for this model and if it's any good for gaming

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Derek Ray input lag is right around 50ms. Similar to all current gen 4K projectors. If you are serious into gaming and are a twitch shooter than I would check out the BenQ HT2150ST or the Optoma GT1080Darbee which have 16ms input lag each

[@jorgefrutos4]

@@ScottsTechandStuff I have the same project tk800 with firmware 1.0.0 but I'm having issues with hdr10 on my xbox one x. What firmware are you on!?

[@scottgardner8126]

@@jorgefrutos4 Same as you. What issues are you having?

[@jorgefrutos4]

@@scottgardner8126 Can't allow 4k on the xbox one x. I get a message saying my TV doesn't support 4k. It only gives me 1440p resolution.

[@musicislife7512]

@@jorgefrutos4 Here works great with PS4 Pro 4K and HDR !!

[@oceanspray6190]

Its time for me to update I still have the benq w1070

[@eddycmcful]

what size is the screen?

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

160", sir!

[@longshot4484]

Anyone price please.

[@jesusfloresjuarez6739]

Is it 3d for watching star wars in 3d

[@srinivasraovutla]

What is the screen size

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Srinu Vutla screen size is 160” diagonal 16:9

[@sactown1200]

How big is your screen how far is your projector from the screen

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Sactown 160” and about 18’ away

[@sactown1200]

@@ScottsTechandStuff thank you for the reply I'll probably put mind around 16 ft that's where I got my support in my ceiling at

[@budgettech5526]

Is your screen white or grey?

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

It is white

[@arielmoreno6601]

Does it matter which HDMI cable you use for 4K..i.e. Hdmi 2.0 vs Hdmi 1.4? Is your 4K @30hz or @60hz? What can the TK800 handle? Just picked one up and not too sure

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Yes - you want to ensure that your HDMI cable is rated for 18.6gbps. In practice if the cable is short enough Any HDMI cable from 2013 and beyond should be ok. YMMV. The TK800 is 4k60. The TK800 is able to handle full HDMI 2.0 spec which allows for 4k HDR 10 bit at 60hz. 18.6gbps.

[@Ryan-gf3jf]

Quick question have u had the problem the screen goes black during like a movie?

[@RaquelC17]

The screen turns black when you’re changing the picture mode or other settings that involve changing the picture quality.

[@Ryan-gf3jf]

@@RaquelC17 oh i see my turns black while watching movie! But it might be fixed since i put all the settings at default

[@RaquelC17]

@@Ryan-gf3jf Oh no that’s not normal to be changing black when you’re watching a movie. Did you check if it’s in the right setting for 4k I know there’s a 60 and 120 option when you plug in a Xbox one or roku stick. Did you tried that setting? If it doesn’t work you should try contacting Benq about it, it may just be a faulty projector.

[@Ryan-gf3jf]

no i have tried that setting all i did is just put it all back to default settings! So far its been fine. I believe i have the resolution on automatic so like for amazon stick i believe its reads for 4k and like chromecast it reads 1080p

[@RaquelC17]

@@Ryan-gf3jf Glad you fixed everything. Not sure if you know this, but hdmi 1 is for 4k and hdmi 2 is for standard HD. I know the screen turns black when you mess with the picture settings for a couple seconds though, but weird yours stood black maybe it was in the wrong hdmi then and not the the picture setting was the problem.

[@philippelarouche2407]

Are you a Microsoft owner? Or something like that ?

[@James.Brooke]

Thanks

[@GHOST-cy7rc]

Wow, what a well detailed setup I find rather intimidating to try replicating. Hi Scott... I've been binging through your videos all night and am finally subscribed now, I say you're doing a really fine job, really. I've been nursing thoughts of it for a while but now, i'm convinced am ready to take a dive into the immersive world of projectors, I've never owned one before and would greatly appreciate whatever guidance from you which I could get. I don't have the luxury of owning a garage or basement which I could use... But, what I do have is a spare bedroom which I intend using for my setup. I have a burning question in my mind though, if you've invested sooo much on your private setup, then I'd really like to know why a $1,500 projector is your device of choice. So my question is : what do you suggest I get if my budget is between $1,500 - $2,500?. I've particularly set sight on 3 projectors and all from BenQ, they are;- the HT3550i, the TK850 and the HT5550... And honourable mention would be the Epson 5050ub. My intended setup encompasses a light controlled room measuring @15ft by 25ft, a 135" - 160" Elite Screen, perhaps a combination of 2 sub woofers, 4 tall boys and 2 wall mounted speakers, a few LED strips on the wall (no fancy star lights on the ceiling), theater elevation and rug, foam wall paneling, a mini fridge and cabinetry for snacks... I'm looking at a set of 3 theater seats in the front row, and the a 5 seater sofa on the back row totaling an 8 Seater setup. Below is the budget list I've been working on, or at least it's what I've compiled so far. HOME CINEMA (project immersion) : 150in Screen = $1k BenQ HT5550 Projector = $2.5k Surround Sound = $600 8 Seater Setup = $800 Floor Elevation & Carpeting = $300 Foam Wall Paneling = $250 Velvet Curtains = $150 Fridge & Cabinetry = $300 LED Lighting = $200 Air Conditioning = $400 Present Total = $6,500 Max Budget = $7,000 From everything I've gathered, the 3 most important things are the PROJECTOR, the SCREEN and the SOUND. Please, I'd really appreciate your input on where to cut down on and where to spend more, it's not a very large room but I'm sensing the sound setup might need a little more money, I'm not sure though.

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Thanks For the kind words! I have the TK 800 as my primary projector for about six months because I was doing a lot of gaming on my projector at that time. And it does a great job with a bright picture and that has fairly low latency for gaming. Are you planning on gaming in your set up? The short list of projectors you have are spot on. If you plan on doing any serious gaming I would recommend the Epson 5050 or the TK700Sti. If you are not doing serious gaming, then the BenQ 5550 would be my pick. The colors and HDR combined with sharpness is amazing. The best all-rounder for gaming and picture is the Epson though. The TK700Sti combines good picture with a more affordable and bright image and best in class latency. It sounds like you are on the right track on all the equipment. Hopefully those projector recommendations are helpful.

[@GHOST-cy7rc]

@@ScottsTechandStuff Alright Scott, thanks a lot for a swift response. So pls, should I just get the Epson 5050ub?, Or go for the BenQ HT5550?. From all you said,I guess there isn't really any infallible magic formula to use here, different setups would end up creating very similar end results. Okay, so yeah, I've never been big on gaming, however, it's something I believe I could find myself looking into once I experience the immersive nature of projecting, especially should I find great titles fun enough to pull me in, particularly, since I now work from home. What originally sparked up my interest the most is sports, I'm a huge sports fan and I really see myself having a few friends come over on major game nights as even now, they already do converge at my place on game nights anyway (watching on my 75" Samsung QLED tv). Me, moving from a high profile Tv to a projector setup, I'm perhaps gonna notice some dip in resolution, brightness, motion smoothness, black levels and overall picture quality at first, but, I already know the immersive viewing experience is gonna make up for the trade offs. So I've just looked up the Epson 5050, and I honestly don't know the exact difference between that, and the 5040 it before it, sometimes I feel the differences are really too negligible to tell apart... However, do you recommend the Epson 5050ub over the BenQ Ht5550?... I'd really like to finalize on it and make an order placement by Friday.

[@stuckonluck]

Why using cheap PJ in great dedicated theater like yours? I think 5050ub is minimum to be slaped there.... Anyways, setup is dope 💪

[@carnaud]

You should paint the ceiling with Black 2.0. The screen glare on the ceiling would drive me nuts.

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

I KNOW! Its bugging me too. I wish I would've bitten the bullet and gone with a proper flat black. I'll look into this Black 2.0 you speak of.

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

Project: Velvet is now underway.

[@cyberlight22]

my room is 14x13

[@Cinestudi0]

I see a lot of salt in the comments , great video mate

[@NitinPlayZZ69]

Wow great room but really this cheap projector ? Are you satisfied? epson 3k range of 5050 is much better than this

[@jenserikbech]

It does not look good to me. Their trick by upping the ANSI lumens from 2500 to 3000, by adding a white get through field to the color wheel, is "Fake light"!

[@blackoutgang09]

It does look good...but when u switched to the Lakers game everbody lookd like they had a tan..

[@JohnDeLeon28]

iPhone gives you natural colors while Samsung gives you over saturated and vibrant colors.

[@Humanity837]

Lol ur too much drama with ur set up and speakers 🔊

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

What can I say? :)

[@moe4772]

@@ScottsTechandStuff That makes two of us lol. Wife always asking "whats wrong with the sound now?" "Nothing, that helicopter did not fly quiet right over my head this time..." LMAO

[@HunGerMovies]

Not 3D, the only problem I guess.

[@bryanp4827]

Poor black levels, poor colour, less sharpness than the cheapest Optoma...NO CHANCE...

[@ScottsTechandStuff]

I really like the balanced package put together on the TK800. The optomas are nice too!

[@hisgreatness2]

Dude showcase the projector NOT your home theater SMDH this guy LOL