BenQ Joybee GP1 Pico Projector (page 2)

USB File Compatibility

The USB port can be very handy once you can get the file type right. It took quite a while to get a video to play from a USB flash drive. First an attempt was made to encode a typical .avi, which the GP1 was unable to play. After a longer look at the Quick Start guide that was provided in the box and some internet research, Arcsoft's Media Converter, that was supposedly on the user manual CD or can be downloaded for $50, was recommended by BenQ to convert the files. Since it wasn't included I installed an old version of Arcsoft Media Converter, which seemed to have limited functionality as it was provided by a pico projector install CD, which wasn't exactly able to match the required codecs and never provided a good file for the GP1. There was clipping in the audio when recorded as avi with uLaw audio codec and the IMA ADPCM codec was not the expected PCM 8-bit/16bit.

There is a solution. In the press release it was suggested that Format Factory from www.formatoz.com, which is a free download, would convert the files properly. Following the directions, the resulting video files were of good quality and the sound worked perfectly. It seems like this software should be suggested somewhere in the documentation, or maybe the Arcsoft software is on the retail units' user manual CD and is easy to use. For now we have instructions on how to use Format Factory for the GP1.

Brilliance with Considerations

Compared to most regular size projectors, this mini one is smaller in most aspects but that doesn't make it worse. It is smaller in size, power consumption and brightness. The power efficiency is obviously a good thing, but it comes at a price of reduced brightness. Still it has Texas Instruments DLP technology, which uses mirrors to create images, and has time and again proven itself to be very powerful with bright and crisp images. The reduced brightness doesn't take away from the projector, it is just catering to the assumed applications, where the image probably isn't going to be projected across a conference room with the lights on, but on a wall in a living room.

A couple of shortcomings haunt the otherwise well-made mini projector. The buttons on the unit have posed a hurdle at times trying to change a setting or just start playing. It has a very hard time detecting the finger, since it's a touch sensor, not a tactile button. It did seem to respond better with a slightly moist fingertip as opposed to very dry/slippery hands. The remote is much easier to use. Also the extendable prop at the front to lift the image higher on the wall is a little off-center leading to a crooked image. This is easily fixed with a small shim of paper or anything lying around.

The price tag, $499, is pretty reasonable, considering you have the potential of a very big screen that you can take with you and have set up in a matter of minutes. When connecting to a laptop especially, it is very obvious that the A/V cord is a little too short and can be kind of tricky to set up without a large, flat surface for both devices to sit on. The projector doesn't seem to mind if you use it for a few hours at a time, as one would expect it to play movies with ease and it does a splendid job of that, but the unit can get pretty hot when running for an extended period of time. The casing is nice-looking plastic so it probably won't burn you, but just be careful.

Tech Specs

Projection System: DLP® Technology by Texas Instruments®
Panel: SVGA DMD™ x 1
Native Resolution: SVGA (858 x 600)
Brightness: 100 ANSI Lumens
Contrast Ratio: 2000:1 (Full On/Full Off)
Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Native, 16:9 Selectable
Color: Full 16.7 Million Color Palette
Lens: F=2, f=17.7 mm
Zoom Ratio: Fixed
Image Size (Diagonal): 15" to 80"
Throw Ratio: 1.92
Light Source: 3 LED (RGB) Technology
Computer Compatibility: VGA (640 x 480) to SXGA (1280 x 1024)
HDTV Compatibility: 480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i
Video Compatibility: NTSC, PAL, SECAM
Horizontal Frequency: 31-79 kHz
Vertical Scan Rate:50-85 Hz

Input Terminals

PC
Computer: D-sub 15 pin x 1 (Through CEA 30 pin)
A/V
Component Video: D-sub 15 pin (Through CEA 30 pin) (Shared with Analog RGB Connector)
Audio
Audio L/R: RCA x 2 (Through CEA 30 pin)

Output Terminal

Audio
Stereo Mini Jack x 1 (For USB Reader) 2 Watt Speaker x 1