Product Overview

The BenQ SP890, their flagship business class projector, is a Digital Light Processing unit designed for use in halls, auditoriums and other large area settings.

Before the SP890 came to the picture, the common belief was that the DLP chip, the Digital MicroMirror Device (DMD), had limited contrast value relative to the required optimal lighting condition, so as you gain brightness, you tend to lose the black levels. Lower black levels negates out dark scenes, more obvious in home theatre systems. However, the SP890, with an amazing 50,000:1 contrast ratio manages to overcome this hurdle. The DLP chip basically converts each of its’ ‘pixels’ into a reflective mirror. Composed of over 1.3 million of these individual mirrors, this mechanism is able to generate outstanding color precision and vibrancy in textures. Another plus point for the DLP is that owing to its’ miniature architecture, it can operate on low power cycles, proving to be an economic, high performance machine.

Having said that however, don’t even think about using the SP890 for your home theatre. According to specifications provided by BenQ, an operating projector generates noise level of approximately 33db. That kind of noise level will be too high and will affect your viewing and listening activities. That is just as well because the SP890 was designed for larger spaces.

Product Specification

The BenQ SP890 has a native aspect ratio of 16:9, with a maximum high definition resolution of 1920 x 1080. Connection using the secondary VGA port will offer resolutions of 1920 x 1200.

It delivers five times more accuracy than the conventional 480p resolution projectors. The flexibility of a horizontal and vertical lens shift is another feature which sets the SP890 projector ahead of its’ competitors. The vertical shifts of 125% and horizontal shifts of 41% allows image irregularity from uneven or difficult projection terrain to be minimized, if not completely removed.

Encased in an attractive glossy carbon plastic chassis, the 7.2kg projector is equipped with a true 1080i High Definition variable featured projection, with a resolution toggle available from as low as 480p to the 1080 max.

Powered with a 4000 lumens 300W light bulb, the SP890 is built with extensive input/output options such as HDMI, VGA, RGB, composite, S-Video and component. The incredible contrast ratio of 50,000:1 ensures that even under the worst lighting conditions, the SP890 will deliver.

Conclusion

It used to be a given that enthusiast would consider any DLP based projectors to be inferior to the LCD types. However, a gradual shift in thought in recent times has put that prejudice to rest. Although still hampered by the lack of uniformity in luminosity distribution, it is has progressed sufficiently further ahead in other notable areas to be a clearly superior model; not least through the combination of its high definition display, amazing contrast ratio, superior luminosity and peripherals. That the DLP projectors are the fastest growing category of projectors bears testament to this.

Although one can arguably make a case over the high cost of the projector, the bottom line is the SP890 delivers.