BenQ - HT4550i

I turned a basement room into a massive wall sized theater and the whole family is enjoying the results. But there are two things that I want to improve upon based on initial experiences. 1: Using the entire wall creates a 180" diagonal that really demands a bit more brightness, this will only become more pronounced once I add a slightly gray projector wall paint. 2: 4k gaming at 60 Hertz is really now a bummer after having played on ultrawides at 120hz and 240hz. Here's a sampler of the room: [https://imgur.com/a/XZ5rH3K](https://imgur.com/a/XZ5rH3K) My current projector is a BenQ HT4550i. It's "solid" in that it has 3D and 3200 lumens, but the 60hz gaming at 4k hurts my eyes now. I bought it open box or refurb so reselling it will not lose me much money which emboldens me to find something better. Is there a projector that performs solid at a very large screen size (high lumens needed to perform against a gray projector wall paint) and offers 4k120hz as well as 3d? Side note: I've been a projector enthusiast for almost two decades now, So, if I could ask for your help on JUST THIS QUESTION it would be very helpful. I recognize that treating the room acoustically and with paint that reduces ambient reflections is absolutely something that should be done. I also recognize that maximum performance from something like a dedicated stretched canvas screen would be better, but the size of the screen is existential to my family's enjoyment of this as a special experience... so size really does matter here. Reddit is a tremendous community of very smart individuals, but sometimes the community's intelligence and desire to "correct" the OP's question gets in the way of providing real information.

TLDR: You need to spend that money in a way that makes *YOU* and primarily *YOU* feel blessed to have enough success in your life to have that theater; but how you do that will be very unclear at first and frequently change during ownership. And some of it may not be on a projector or audio. If this is going to be an on-going project for you, then over time you'll likely spend the most on the projector, even if the audio is more important to you. Your projector will become obsolete, eventually break, and probably only built to last 50,000 hours of use; meanwhile (unless you're entirely reckless) a quality set of speakers will produce quality audio for decades. Your question also ignores very important aspects of the theater experience like cables, wiring, automation devices, decor, sound treatment, and seats. Mine started as a $800 projector that I bought because I was moving out of a friends house, soon, and I didn't have my own TV yet. I paired it with my gaming PC, a 80s stereo I already had, and used my largest wall for a screen. So Back then: 100% PJ But these days... I don't recommend any projectors under $3000, and even the PJs in this range aren't very good at HDR yet. $2000 projectors are merely *okay*, and most things costing less than $1000 are just chinese ewaste that probably won't last a year. Now compared to that $3000 what should you spend on speakers? Did you hear me earlier? I said I got an incredible system for about $50 a piece, shopping used! Wouldn't that make you a fool for buying a new system? No. I just bought my first brand new LCR/Sub for a little more than $2000, and I regret *not one* cent. In fact, I still kind of want a second sub, and a dedicated amp for my LCR, which will require a new AVR that'll support that, and will probably require me to hire an electrician to get more power into the room. And while I'm at it, I may as well go from 5.x.4 to 7.x.4... You see how over time that budget ratio will swing like a pendulum? The difference will be, there will always be a PJ you could upgrade to, and the one you have will last a matter of years before I dies or stops producing a quality image, frankly forcing you to spend the money. Every cent spent on the audio will be in the pursuit of more excellent sound, to the point that *YOU* decide more would just be excessive. Current setup since you asked: BenQ HD4550i Elitescreens Frame 2 150" Klipsch RP8000fii, Rp-500c, RP1200sw, SF-2 (surrounds), CDT-3650-C II(x4) Onkyo Tx-NR797 Nintendo Switch Sony UBP-X700M Logitech Harmony Elite Lots of Mood Lighting from both Phillips Hue and Govee. Gaming PC (Intel 14700k, RTX 4090) Sound Treated Fiber Optic Star Ceiling hand made by yours truely. All components neatly stacked into a 42u. I'm not sure if you even asked all this, so I won't go into the networking. But my point is the PJ is probably less than 20% of the real cost of everything, as is right now. But the list above is the result of an on-gong decade long project, and over that time I've killed 3 projectors, replace bulbs, and needed those fixed a few times which I had to pay the post for. But budget wise, nobody ever considers wires, cables, a *REAL* surge protector; not that $20 piece of shit most people think is going to save their little entertainment center from a lightning strike.

Well blackout curtains is generally the deal breaker for anyone who isn't single. If you're fine with not only having them but them being closed often during the prime hours of the day, then yea go for it. Taken to a more committed extreme: darker paint tones, and covering shiny surfaces and objects prevents light from reflecting off of the large image surface and back onto it again as well as eliminate "distractions." If I'm honest, nobody's approval was required for my home theater, though I pray the IRS doesn't read this sub. I went with the BenQ HT4550i, I've seen it go for low $2000s but it's usually about $2800. I've been very satisfied with it. Most members of this sub are going to preach Epson, though. I went with the Elite Screens CineWhite UHD-B. Was easy to put together, received in good condition. Seems like a pretty good value, but the tensioning isn't perfect and I'd love for you to hear some other recommendations. 5.1.4 Sound system, all Klipsch Reference premier. I'd love to get two more speakers in but the left side of my theater is open to my dinning room, and there's no sensible place to put a speaker there. Controversial brand here. Lot of well deserved criticism about their marketing practices, and yet if you browse the photos it'd seem more people are buying them on sale than not. Blackout curtains, though I usually keep them open with just the blinds closed with sheers. My windows are in a shadowey ally, so my curtains are only really necessary a couple hours of the day (usually a good time for a nap early afternoon, if i'm not working anyway. Plus, I spend a lot of time here and some natural light keeps the sad away. Some custom lighting I did with basic wooden frames, LED lights and acoustic foam. Twinkle ceiling. All electronics nearly organized into a server rack. Edited to add: Avoid Optoma. Optoma is the major brand that has really struggled to make reliable 4k projectors. And products of all costs and companies sometimes break, but if it's made by a company you've never heard of before; you have to expect the RMA process is gunna be hell or a waste of time.

At medium throws (10-15') I like Benqs lineup. I have a very positive experience with my HT4550i. I manage a screen your planed size at about 14' Edit: not native 4k though. But for your budget, you may want to compromise on that.

You're correct; the dongle (or however else the smart features are integrated) are cheap, free, or probably completely subsidized. And that lack of cost is probably why the experience with them is so subpar when compared to stream boxes. But here is how I think about it: My BenQ HT4550i, like many projectors, has two different HDMI connections (three if you want to count connection the dongle uses, i'll come back to that). One is labeled to be used for Audio return from the dongle, the other is meant to be used for higher refresh rates while gaming. One of these things is important to someone who owns a powerful PC capable of pushing high frame rates at 4k and the other is a laughable feature by comparison. My experience with a few different PC/Projector/AVR combos has been that it's ideal to just plug the PC directly into the projector and a second HDMI into the AVR for sound. That means I've got my PC in the "better" HDMI port and my Bluray player, shield, etc running through my AVR into the "good enough" HDMI port. Meanwhile I've got a HDMI 2.0b that may not be used for anything else but the dongle. Would it work? I'm not sure, but the manual says it won't. "This HDMI port is for connecting QS02 HDMI Media Streaming only." So you see how despite the dongle probably not costing BenQ anything, the whole damned HDMI interface could be better designed to enable the units more high end features, and that is the "cost" I was referring to.

None of those projectors have native 4k resolution The cheapest projector which is a very good option that is native 4k is the Sony VPL-HW 5000ES. I would not recommend it right now due to panel degradation and manual controls at that expensive price point. For a $3,000 price point, don't buy projectors like the Hisense or short throws that have no lens shift. Keystone is BAD IF and only IF your ceilings are at a good height where this projector won't hang too low, then go for the XGIMI Horizon 20 MAX. Also if you plan to place it on a table/not mount it this is a good option. If you don't want that, the number 1 projector I am recommending due to the deal right now is the Epson LS11000. I can't justify why the LS12000 (Slightly upgraded model), is so expensive. Nevertheless, the LS11000 is a great projector with lots of flexibility and at a decently decreased price point NEVER utter the words Optoma lol The newer version of the HT4550i is the W4100i. I like Benq for Home theater, but the fan noise is quite high. I would NOT spend $3000 on the W4100i, instead a GREAT option would be to buy the $1,300 refurb HT4550i from Ebay. This is the best bang-for-your-buck option and is amazing Again, projector lens shift is SO useful, so the only Valerion I would consider would be the MAX 99.99999999% of home theater projectors can project 120 inches +, that is not a good question. The other percent is a cardboard toy. Even the cheapest projectors can probably do 150 if all lights are off I don't like ultra short throw, my opinion is that you will regret if you buy it. Many things need to be perfect for it to work out well. $1,300 refurb HT4550i from Ebay would be the best option as it has 3d support and is very affordable so you can put budget elsewhere If your space permits, then you could go for the XGIMI, but I wouldn't because for half the price I can get a projector that's as good or better refurbished. Consider the Benq W2720i also but I wouldn't go with it

Last year, I set up a projector in my basement using a 110 inch screen. I first tried the BenQ 3560 and it was OK for its price, but I wanted better. So I went ahead and picked up the BenQ 4550i. While it was brighter then the 3560 and colors were a little better, the contrast was better then the 3560 but still meh. So, I then picked up the epson 5050ub because of all the fantastic reviews. Well, the Epson 5050ub crushed the other 2 projectors in CONTRAST. While, even the BenQ 4550i looked like mud in space scenes and any dark scene. The epson is brighter in HDR, and the black floor as well as blacks are just so much better. Maybe the DL] with 4k pixel shift was a little sharper and the 4550i had slightly better color in HDR BUT it doesnt matter because the epaon 5050ub 3lcd was much better in where it really counts. I would get a 5050ub if you can snag one for cheap. I sent all the other projectors back and I kept the epson.

Yep, I had a 3560, 4550i, and an Epson 5050ub in my house and I ended up keeping the 5050ub because of RBE and also because the epson crushed the other 2 in contrast.

If this helps you. About 2 years ago, In my house I had a BenQ 3560, BenQ 4550i, and an Epson 5050ub. I compared these 3 for about a week, and I ended up keeping the epson 5050ub because the contrast ratio of the epson was light years better then the other 2 projectors. Yes, the 4550i had better color and was a little sharper but overall the epson had a much more engaging picture because of the contrast. The 3560 was meh. Also, my wife was bothered by the rainbow effect of the dip.

Thanks man. While the ub5050 is dated and is not 4k, It gets me 90% there. I paid $1800 new, so I am happy! I noticed the biggest factor is what you feed it. Highly compressed files, and it looks terrible. 4k disc's, and it looks very sharp. I had a 4k pixel shift. BenQ 4550i and while it was a little sharper, I sent it back, and I kept the 5050ub because the contrast was much much better. Contrast is king.

DLP projectors often overstate their lumen specs and Optoma tends to be especially egregious about this. I’d honestly be surprised if that 4500 lumen Optoma was putting out more than 2000 real ANSI lumens in any mode you’d actually want to watch. I’m also dubious the lamp is the issue. You say it’s acting wonky? What’s wonky? I’ve had several lamp based projectors and, yes, the lamps do go bad but they are fairly easily replaced. All that said: I really DO like DLP especially for outdoor applications. You don’t have to worry about filters or dirt getting into the light path. They are comparably compact and efficient. Lastly, there is such a wide variety of DLP make/models out there that almost everyone can find something to fit their needs. I also really like the idea of solid state. While lamp has a cost advantage we’re at the point where LED and laser projectors are getting reasonably priced and offer a substantial upgrade in terms of longevity and picture quality. The Epson you picked out seems to be a nice model for high brightness applications. But like AV said: these high brightness, business use models tend to have a reputation for pretty mediocre contrast/blacks. That extends to both 3LCD and DLP but a comparable price/performance DLP like the $1300, 1080p BenQ LH730 would probably do a bit better here and be sharper to boot. I run a projector outside on a 120” Elite screens yardmaster. But I prefer to stick with 4K these days. If I’m traveling I take a BenQ TK700STI which is a 3000 lumen (but not really) short throw, lamp based, gaming projector. I love that thing for how compact and convenient it is and how you can throw a big image without needing a lot of space. Built in wifi streaming and Bluetooth audio out in a package that weighs less than 7 lbs. At home my upstairs sometimes outdoor projector is a BenQ X3000i (replaced with the X3100i now in BenQ’s lineup). That projector is even brighter and a lot more colorful and has the benefit of LED so no lamp to fuss with. But at 15lbs and requiring more throw I wouldn’t exactly call it portable. For reference my home theater projector was a BenQ HT4550i, then an Epson 5050UB (temporarily) and I’m now using a BenQ W2720i in that space.

> Their led projectors tend to be a little too dim My HT4550i/W4000i is ridiculously bright. (Do not buy--the model is fatally flawed! Its basically-identical successor, the W4100i, has already been released in Europe) > the 700 sti > I've noticed the company puts out projectors in the 80%-90% range Isn't the 700STi technically a golf simulator "gaming" projector? Of course its color gamut and accuracy are garbage, LOL.  The W4000i and W4100i are 100% DCI-P3. It does look like the lower-priced W2720i is only 90% DCI-P3, but I bet it looks subjectively better for movies than that one. A lot of people aren't interested in "lifestyle" projectors, with their funky-to-non-existent ceiling mounting capability, little-to-no lens shift, and not always playing nice with universal remotes--even if they do have a nice _picture_.

BenQ HT4550. I’ve had the 3550 for about 5 years now in my home theater with a 110 inch screen and it’s still better than ever. Also, I have a pretty high standard for my moviegoing experiences.

Pretty sweet setup. I personally like DLP for it's excellent response time for gaming and it's superior 3D. Downside is black levels. I'd wait and see if the [Benq 4100i](https://www.benq.com/en-us/projector/cinema/w4100i.html) is decent. I've got the HT4550I which is fantastic but had too many bugs at first. If the 4100i fixes that issue, it's the best price/performance for gaming and 3D, normal throw if you don't need the deepest blacks. It's honestly got far better black levels than any theater I've been to, and its colors from the LEDs are perfect and beautiful. My real concentration would be the sound though. Massive subwoofers would be first and then getting a nice LCR setup. You have a basement setup, which means LFE won't effect much outside. 4 subs that dig to 10Hz in each corner with Dirac Bass Control on a new Denon + BassEQ..... sorry, you asked. Heh.

I have a room that's a bit smaller than yours and I made a 110" projector work with a benq HT2050 at first and then a benq HT4550i. My room really revolves around the projector/screen/multimedia. Your room looks like a nice living/sitting room, so I don't know if you'd want to do the same as me. Objectively, I see no issue with mounting a screen above the fireplace area to drop down and a projector on the ceiling. You could do a benq ht2060, which is 1080P but great quality and short (not ultra short) throw. A bit higher priced would be the benq 700/710. I mostly mention benq because they have shorter throws and i'm familiar with them. I'm also familiar with epson but they throw pretty long https://imgur.com/oUZo8V5 my room was around 132" x 120"

Your 4550i should still be under warranty, so you can ask for a repair and they can update the firmware to support 4k120hz/hdmi 2.1 they're talking about it on the av forum owners thread - https://www.avsforum.com/threads/benq-ht4550i-w4000i-4k-hdr-led-3200lm-100-dci-p3-home-theater-projector-review-owners-thread.3277561/

I think it's in the last 5 pages? It was the topic of discussion when I visited the thread a month or two ago and I only went back a few pages Yeah I have the 4550i, but I haven't bothered upgrading the firmware. They require it to be sent in for firmware upgrade, no idea why.

FWIW, I upgraded from the HT2050a to a HT4550, and while picture quality is fantastic, the upgrade wasn’t really worth the price of admission. By necessity, viewers will sit far enough from the screen for a 1080p picture to be almost as good as the 4k one, and most modern media (movies as well as game consoles) have bitrates that don’t take full advantage of 4k.