Overview
The 4Drivers BenQ Projectors driver controls BenQ projectors that offer RS-232 control, over the serial port or over the network (LAN), selected with a single property. It was developed with the TK710STi as reference, but works with the BenQ line in general (home, business and education), which share the same protocol.
- Power on/off with real power state feedback
- Input selection (HDMI 1/2/3, Computer, Component, Video, S-Video, DisplayPort, HDBaseT, USB, Network)
- Projector speaker volume and mute, with feedback to the interface
- Projector menu navigation from the Control4 remote arrows (up, down, left, right, OK and back)
- Picture mode, light source mode, aspect ratio, blank and freeze from programming
- Reads light source hours, picture mode, model and other status
- Automatically waits for the projector warm-up before switching inputs, and retries commands the projector rejects while busy
Each BenQ model supports a different set of inputs and functions. Commands your model does not have are simply ignored by the projector without affecting the driver.
Requirements
Serial connection
- Serial cable from the Control4 controller to the projector RS-232 (DB9) port. BenQ specifies a crossover (null modem) cable: enable Null Modem on the controller serial port in Composer, or use a null modem adapter
- Projector baud rate set to 9600 (projector menu). This is the fixed value used by the driver
IP connection
- Projector with a wired LAN port and RS-232 over LAN control (port 8000)
- Static IP or DHCP reservation for the projector, on the same network as the controller
- No other control system connected to the projector at the same time (the projector accepts a single control connection)
In both cases
- To power on by command, standby must keep communication active. On some models this requires adjusting the Standby / Network Standby options in the projector menu
Properties
BenQ Settings
| Property | Default | Description |
|---|
| Connection | Serial | Communication path: Serial or IP. The IP and TCP Port fields only show in IP mode |
| IP | — | Projector IP address (IP mode) |
| TCP Port | 8000 | LAN control port. Only change it if your model uses a different port |
| Polling Interval-Seconds | 10 | Status refresh interval (5 to 60 s) |
| Power On Delay-Seconds | 10 | Time after power on during which input changes and other commands wait for the projector warm-up. Increase it if the input does not switch at power on |
| Command Delay-Milliseconds | 300 | Minimum interval between commands sent in sequence |
| Max Volume Level | 20 | Maximum projector speaker volume. The Control4 volume bar (0 to 100%) is scaled to this range |
Status (read only)
| Property | Description |
|---|
| Comm Status | Connected while the projector is responding. Disconnected when it does not respond, even if the network connection is up. Also shows setup errors (IP not set, serial port not bound in Composer) |
| Power Status | On, Off or No communication |
| Input Status | Currently selected input |
| Picture Mode | Current picture mode |
| Light Mode | Lamp / light source mode (Normal, Eco, SmartEco...) |
| Light Source Hours | Lamp / light source usage hours |
| Mute Status / Volume Level | Projector speaker mute and volume |
| Blank Status | Shows whether the picture is blanked |
| Model Name | Model reported by the projector |
Input, mute and volume are only queried while the projector is on. Light source hours and mode are refreshed less often. Use the Refresh Status action to refresh everything at once.
License and Debug
| Property | Description |
|---|
| License Key | License key provided by 4Drivers. Use Trial for evaluation |
| Validation | License status (read only) |
| Debug Mode | Print shows operation messages in the Composer Lua Output. Returns to Off by itself after 60 minutes |
| Driver Version | Installed driver version |
Variables
| Variable | Description |
|---|
| LAMP_HOURS | Lamp / light source hours (number), usable in programming |
| POWER_STATE | ON or OFF, usable in programming |
Actions
| Action | Description |
|---|
| Power ON / Power OFF | Turns the projector on or off |
| Refresh Status | Refreshes all status immediately |
| Menu | Opens the projector menu (navigation test) |
| Blank ON / Blank OFF | Blanks / restores the picture without turning the projector off |
| Send Command | Sends a BenQ protocol command typed manually, as listed in the model RS-232 control guide. E.g. pow=on, sour=hdmi2, lampm=eco |
Programming Commands
| Command | Options |
|---|
| Power | ON / OFF |
| Select Input | HDMI 1, HDMI 2, HDMI 3, Computer 1, Computer 2, Component, Video, S-Video, DisplayPort, HDBaseT, USB Reader, Network |
| Picture Mode | Bright, Living Room, Game, Cinema, Sport, Standard, Vivid, Dynamic, Presentation, sRGB, D. Cinema, HDR10, HLG, 3D, User 1/2/3 |
| Light Mode | Normal, Eco, SmartEco, SmartEco 2, SmartEco 3, Dimming, Custom |
| Aspect Ratio | Auto, 4:3, 16:9, 16:10, 2.35:1, Real, Letterbox, Wide, Anamorphic |
| Blank / Freeze / Mute | ON / OFF |
| Set Volume | Direct volume on the projector scale (0 up to Max Volume Level) |
| Refresh Status | — |
| Send Command | BenQ protocol command, same as the action |
The lists above cover the whole BenQ line. Check your model manual for the modes and inputs it actually has.
Step-by-Step Setup
1 — On the projector
- Serial: in the projector menu (usually under System Setup: Advanced), set Baud Rate = 9600
- IP: check the IP address in the projector network menu and set a static IP or DHCP reservation
- Adjust the standby options to allow power on by command, if your model has them
2 — In Composer
- Add the 4Drivers BenQ Projectors driver to the projector room
- In Connection, choose Serial or IP
- Serial: in the Connections tab, bind the driver Serial RS-232 connection to a controller serial port and enable Null Modem on that port if using a straight cable
- IP: fill in the IP (port 8000 is preset)
- Bind the video sources to the driver inputs that match the projector physical inputs
3 — Test
- Check that Comm Status shows Connected and that Model Name is filled
- Use the Power ON / Power OFF actions and watch Power Status
- Select a source from the interface and confirm the input change
- Set Debug Mode back to Off when finished
When a source is selected with the projector off, the driver turns it on and switches the input as soon as it finishes warming up.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Solution |
|---|
| Comm Status "Disconnected" (Serial) | Check that the projector Baud Rate is 9600 and that the cable is crossover (or Null Modem is enabled on the controller port). Confirm the Serial RS-232 binding in the Connections tab |
| Serial: "port not bound in Composer" | Bind the driver Serial RS-232 connection to a controller serial port |
| Comm Status "Disconnected" (IP) | Check the IP, that the projector is on the same network and that no other control system is connected to it on port 8000 |
| Does not power on from standby | Adjust the standby / network standby options in the projector menu to keep communication active in standby |
| Powers on but does not switch input | Increase Power On Delay-Seconds (e.g. 20 or 30) and check that the input exists on your model |
| Volume does not match the bar | Set Max Volume Level to your model maximum volume |
| A command does nothing | The model most likely does not have that function. Check the model RS-232 control guide on the BenQ website |
Change Log
| Version | Date | Changes |
|---|
| 1050 | 10/01/2026 | Initial release |
