Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Panasonic PT-AE900

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Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 05-16-2006, 10:55 AM:

I have been looking at several specs on LCD & DLP Projectors and came across the Panasonic 900.

Has anyone have seen these in action at a Home Cinema setup and wondered what they are like.

What is the general views on a Home Cinema setup, LCD or DLP, more ANSI Lumens or higher Contrast Ratio etc?

Posted by Warren Smyth (Member # 1838) on 05-24-2006, 08:47 AM:

I have had an AE700 for nearly two years which is the earlier model to the AE900. The only difference being higher contrast ratio and 100 more ansi-lumins for the later model. I have been extremely pleased with the 700. On full lamp setting it has enough light for an 11 foot picture on scope, using a matt screen.

There is an absence of scan lines unless you are ridiculously close to the screen and the resolution is great. I can't wait for HDDVD as it is the DVD source which limits the resolution at present.

I am using a Panasonic S97 player with an HDMI link to the projector. This provides slightly better results on very good recordings only. No doubt the improvement will be far greater with blue ray and HDDVD material.

A feature of the 700 and 900 is the wide range of the zoom lens. This is ideal if you want to get the projector back into a projection room as I did, requiring a longer throw. For example, the height of the picture can be reduced down to 5 feet at a throw of 25 feet for 3x4 and 16x9 aspect ratios. With scope, I zoom up to maintain a consistant height.

Im wife and I rarely go out to the movies now but tend to stay at home and see them in the theatrette. Two friends have bought the AE900 recently for their theatrettes and they are very impressed. Scary isn't it??

Given the special discounts that are available over here at the moment, plus a spare lamp thrown in, for the AE900, I would say that Panasonic must be about to release another model very soon.

Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 05-24-2006, 09:02 AM:

quote: Warren Smyth
Im wife and I rarely go out to the movies now but tend to stay at home and see them in the theatrette. Two friends have bought the AE900 recently for their theatrettes and they are very impressed. Scary isn't it??

Yes but predictable...
What is the resolution capability of these units?

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 05-24-2006, 09:18 AM:

These are 720p projectors. I have a friend who has an ae900, and the picture looks damn good for the price.

Posted by Frank Dubrois (Member # 3042) on 05-24-2006, 08:13 PM:

It really cant be beat for the price. i've seen some go for around $1500 maybe less with rebates. I had a Sony HS51 which was nice, but for the extra cash, it just didnt compare to the AE900. Last time I checked, the AE700 was only a couple hundred dollars less than the 900, in that case, definately for the 900. Ironed out some issues that they were having with the 700 (vertical banding). the other great thing about these panasonics is the bulb life... on the economy mode, you really can get close to 5000 hours off one bulb. Colors, resolution, features, price...cant be beat.

Posted by Dick Prather (Member # 1136) on 07-14-2006, 02:28 PM:

I just purchased a PT-AE900U projector and it really looks good. Good light at low lamp settings and sharp focus at 10 foot width for 2.35. Does not replace the quality of film but A good alternate to watch product you can't find on film. For the price highly recommended.

Dick

Posted by Mark Nicol (Member # 839) on 07-17-2006, 05:59 AM:

I have had the Panasonic AE900 for 7 months now and nearly on 1000 hours bulb life and picture is bright as a button [Eek!]

Even with ambient lighting with bulb on low setting you still can view a pretty good image as long as not too many dark scenes. I have had many quality Panasonic products including my NF70 HiFi Video which is still working perfectly after 20 years [beer]

I have viewed many entry level Home Theatre DLP products but as I notice the rainbow affects I would not purchase one.

- Mark

Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 08-09-2006, 12:14 PM:

I started thinking about one of these when this thread came out. With these video projectors, is there an adjustment so you can have constant height between 1:33, 1:85 and 2:35 material? Would you have to zoom the picture up to get the same height as 1:33?
My thinking is that you could get a small micro perf screen and then just have adjustable side masking.
Is this possible?

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-09-2006, 12:58 PM:

Greg,

These projectors (most all of the 16:9 ones) can present 4:3 material as 4:3 and not turn on the pixels beyond that range. For 16:9 all pixels are active. If you have video that was indeed transfered at 1.85, there will be very thin black bars top and bottom (the difference between 1.85 and 1.78). For "scope" films, if you want constant height, you need to think about an anamorphic lens from Schneider or ISCO (both make them for video projectors). Mind you, that lens will exceed the cost of the projector itself.

However a 1.33X anamorphic will bring a 16:9 projector out to a 2.35 ratio (or rotated 90-degress down to a 4:3 ratio).

So, if you wanted a 2.35:1 ratio screen, a 16:9 projector like th AE900 with an anamorphic lens could allow you to have constant height screen with a potential letterbox bars only on 1.85 material.

Steve

Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 08-09-2006, 01:26 PM:

Well I was thinking that there must be a way to adjust the picture size to fit whatever screen you have. Don't they have a zoom adjustment?
Like on my 16x9 plasma screen, the 1:33 material and the 1:85 material are both the same height, but when you run a scope dvd, there are black bars acoss the top and bottom. So I was guessing that it would be the same with a video projector. So if you adjusted the zoom (so the picture is bigger)then a scope dvd would be the same (picture) height because the black bars would be above and below the screen. If my assunptions are correct, then you might even make a sort of aperature plate in front of (between the screen and lens) the video projector's lens, to cut off the black bars at the top and bottom of the scope picture.
I guess all this supposing is based on whether or not you can zoom up the projected image to fill your screen or not.

Posted by Frank Dubrois (Member # 3042) on 08-09-2006, 04:52 PM:

I saw an Optoma at a local shop that had a plastic cover over the lens with a small slot cut, like an aperture plate, to rid itself of the black bars on the top and bottom. I think it was a 4:3, but I'm not sure. I also dont remember how well it worked, but it did mask the image off.

Posted by Dick Prather (Member # 1136) on 08-09-2006, 05:28 PM:

Greg,
I have mine set to 16 x 9 for height. I get about an eight foot wide picture. In the menu you can set it to auto shrink to 4 x 3 when needed.

When I get a scope, 7omm, etc ratio I have letterbox black lines. I then use the manual zoom lens to set the picture to screen edge or normal height whichever comes first. The black bar overscan does not show up. Looks great.

I am filling a 10 foot beaded screen with plenty of light for 2:35. I am very happy with it. I heard the rebate is back on.
Dick

Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 08-09-2006, 05:56 PM:

Great!
To bad they don't have a zoom button on the remote so you don't have to reach up and grab the lens. Maybe the next model....