BenQ SU931 Large Venue Projector Review -- Special Features

Posted on July 8, 2016 by Art Feierman

BenQ SU931 Large Venue Projector Review -- Special Features: Optics, Audio, Networking, MHL

Being a budget projector for conference rooms and small auditoriums, you wouldn’t expect the SU931 to be chock full of innovative features. But, it has its share of forward thinking items, including an extraordinarily large optical range that allows you a good deal of freedom when setting it up and framing a screen.

At a wide range of 1.6:1, for instance, it’s easy to get the SU931’s framing just right. The projector can fill a 10-foot screen with the projector set up anywhere between 9- and 14.5-feet away. It tops out at a 25-foot image. On the downside, unlike most projectors in its class, the SU931 does not have removable lenses that suit different room geometries.

For those that don't need longer or shorter throw lenses, the good news is that projectors without interchangeable lenses inherently cost far less than other projectors that do, but otherwise have similar feature sets. -ed.

BenQ SU931 Audio Capabilities

Side view of BenQ SU931 - a 10 watt speaker is on each side.

Inside the SU931 is a 20-watt amplifier and pair of speakers that are located on the sides, fire outward and can get surprisingly loud without distortion. Whether it’s spoken word programming, music or a film’s soundtrack, they make the projector sound surprisingly good. While most will choose to connect the projector to a room-wide sound system, the SU931’s speakers can hold their own in a mid-sized room with crisp audio.

Certainly no problem in a K-12 classroom. Even with the "big sound" built in, small auditoriums, and large university classrooms normally offer supplemental sound systems to carry the room.

SU931 Networking

Like so many of its peers, the BenQ SU931 has built in Ethernet, so to connect it to a facility's network all you do is plug a Cat-6 cable. At this point it is discoverable by Crestron and AMX device control and automation.

There's another way to control the SU931 from afar. Type the projector's IP address into a browser window of a computer or tablet that's on the same network and a control window pops up. You can do just about anything that the Menu or remote control can do. On the downside, the SU931 lacks WiFi as an option for wirelessly connecting the projector.

Like many projectors, being compatible with Crestron and AMX type systems means that you get a host of "advanced features" including push notifications, scheduling, remote control...

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SU931 Offers MHL Support for Mobile Devices

In a trend that is not likely to be reversed, the SU931 can display the contents of phones and tablets with Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) support. You’ll need a phone or tablet that’s MHL compatible along with a special USB-to-HDMI cable and a 5-volt power source (usually a USB port). The good news is that it works on an increasing number of devices.