I currently have a Panasonic AE900u which I have absolutely loved.
I'm 2/3rds of the way through my extended warranty, and just had my first problem.

The extended warranty company says the part to fix the PJ is backorded and they offered me $900 to "settle" out of the PJ.

I'm working to try and get a replacement instead of a settlement. The replacement would be the Panasonic AX200u which I've heard good things about.

My question is, should I think about paying the difference to upgrade to a 1080p projector?

I've got a home theater which is not blacked out, but I do have a high gain screen.

On the lower end (for around $500 additional) I could get the Mitsubishi HC4900.

On the higher end (for around $1200) I could get the Panasonic AE2000u.

I currently have a Brighthouse HD-DVR, and I use my computer for movie watching (720p DVDs mostly).

Occasionally, I have my nephew come over and hook up his Xbox360 and Nintendo Wii.

Thanks in advance for any advice/responses.

Eric

Do they want the 900 from you if you settle? If not:

Settle for the $900
Sell the lamp
Sell the 900 for parts

See what prices do after CES and buy the AX200 or the AE2000.

Yes, they keep the AE900u.

I love my AE900 too, but if someone offered me $900 for it I would get a 1080p unit for sure. For sure.

I also have a Panasonic 900. It is sitting in my closet now, along with my Sony VW 10Ht projector. I bought a Mitsubishi 4900 1080p projector to replace it, and could not be more satisfied with the upgrade. I say do it! I don't think you will be sorry.

I currently have a Brighthouse HD-DVR, and I use my computer for movie watching (720p DVDs mostly).

Occasionally, I have my nephew come over and hook up his Xbox360 and Nintendo Wii.Cable/dish HDTV is usually 720p, and even when it's 1080i/"1080p", it's at such a low bit rate that you're not missing much, if anything, by running it through a nice 720p projector.

The Xbox 360 was designed for 720p, although some games are rendered at a lower native resolution, they're scaled to 720p with a built in scaler. The Wii doesn't need a 720p projector, let alone a 1080p projector.

If your computer is sending a 720p feed of the your DVDs, again, you're right at 720p.

A lot of people will tell you to get 1080p, because, well, if all other things are equal, more pixels are better...

But seriously, your situation looks like you're dealing with a lot of feeds that are made for or will work excellently at 720p. Why get 1080p? (If you are buying a Blu-ray player and plan on watching Blu-ray movies quite a bit, and you really feel you need that extra resolution now, by all means, go 1080p...but there's a lot of well speced, proven projectors in the 720p range that are quite affordable that will give you amazing picture for your current uses.)

I got a 720p Z3 very early in 2005, and it was excellent for everything I wanted it to do at the time. Today, even the entry level 720p projectors blow it out of the water at a mere fraction of the price. I expect the same to be true of 1080p projectors in a few years. (Heck, maybe you'll have a great LED 1080p projector in your price range in 2011.)

My initial reaction, based on your explanation, is to get the AX200u, or look some of the other 720p projectors, getting something that will let you put that extra $1200 (last year's AE2000) in a projector fund. When the bulb in your new 720p projector is dying, that $1200 will probably put you well over half way towards something that's superior to the AE3000, and you either have a back up projector, a gift for family/friend, or a working and relatively new 720p projector that you can sell for an extra few hundred.

There's always the urge to upgrade, but given your setup, situation and timing, it doesn't seem like good bang for the buck right now.

This is very rationale statement and rings 100% true, but humans are not always rationale we allow emotion to enter into decision.

I am working on plans for a dedicated HT, and I am struggling with the 720p vs 1080p decision. Like the OP, the majority of my sources will be 720p with the exception of a PS3. My expected viewing is 60% sports, 20% gaming, 20% movies (probably split between BR and DVD).

I resisted the urge to go 1080p when I purchased my plasma last fall and I do not regret it one bit, so why am I struggling with this decision so much?

unless you sit less than 1.2-1.5 screen widths from screen, then little to no advantage of 1080. Also, 1080 pj's may actually make SD content look worse.

...Cable/dish HDTV is usually 720p, and even when it's 1080i/"1080p", it's at such a low bit rate that you're not missing much, if anything, by running it through a nice 720p projector...


Only ABC/ESPN is 720p, everything else is 1080i.

2 million pixels is still more than 1 million pixels.

If you are ever planning to rent / buy hidef disks, ie... Bluray, 1080p is going to look sharper and more detailed. 720p PJs do look very good but 1080p is going to add another level of clarity that you will appreciate.

That said, you can get a lot of satisfaction from a 720p PJ these days!

Only ABC/ESPN is 720p, everything else is 1080i.That's odd, wouldn't 720p be more effective?

Interlaced image format (1080i/25) requires about 20% more bit-rate than the progressive image format (720p/50) to obtain the same subjective image quality. (http://www.ebu.ch/CMSimages/en/tec_text_r124-2008_tcm6-60599.pdf)

(page 4, but also quoted in Wikipedia's 1080i article.)

For the amount of macro blocking and poor IQ I see with my Bravia (1080p), I would not recommend a 1080p projector on the "quality" of HDTV broadcasts I've seen.

Only ABC/ESPN is 720p, everything else is 1080i.

2 million pixels is still more than 1 million pixels.

If you are ever planning to rent / buy hidef disks, ie... Bluray, 1080p is going to look sharper and more detailed. 720p PJs do look very good but 1080p is going to add another level of clarity that you will appreciate.

That said, you can get a lot of satisfaction from a 720p PJ these days!

First statment is not true. Other stations like FOX, and FSN HD are 720p too. They feel 720p is better for presenting fast action than 1080i.

Also, when you say "1080p is going to add another level of clarity that you will appreciate", you need to take in to account seating distance and eyesight. There are numerous cases where going from 720p to 1080p does very little to nothing.

If it were up to me, I would still go the 1080p route. Just to be able to taunt my neighbors who only have 720p...losers!:D

First statment is not true. Other stations like FOX, and FSN HD are 720p too. They feel 720p is better for presenting fast action than 1080i.

Also, when you say "1080p is going to add another level of clarity that you will appreciate", you need to take in to account seating distance and eyesight. There are numerous cases where going from 720p to 1080p does very little to nothing.

If it were up to me, I would still go the 1080p route. Just to be able to taunt my neighbors who only have 720p...losers!:D

Ah, right - Fox. Sorry. They are in the process of upgrading all their equipment to 1080i. Should be complete next year.

As far as seating distance, sure for flat panel jockeys but we big screen moguls here will be able to see a difference - maybe not earth shattering but over the long haul, easier on the eyes for us older folks.

We need a taunt smiley...

2 million pixels is still more than 1 million pixels. [\QUOTE]

True...but those pixels really only matter if your source is giving you 1 million more pixels of information to see, which even BD/HDDVD movies don't really do because movies aren't shot with fixed pixel counts in mind. A 720pHD image looks basically the same as a 1080p image where moving pictures are concerned. PC Graphics/games that manipulate data on the pixel level may see some benefit but otherise, 720p to 1080p is babysteps....assuming of course you aren't sitting on TOP of the screen.

[QUOTE]
If you are ever planning to rent / buy hidef disks, ie... Bluray, 1080p is going to look sharper and more detailed. 720p PJs do look very good but 1080p is going to add another level of clarity that you will appreciate.


I can agree/disagree with this...depends rather dramatically on the source, and how far you sit from the screen. The APPLESEED: EX mACHINA BD is probably the highest-def looking thing I have ever seen, but even then at 1080p versus 720p the differences weren't night and day from my seating distance.....


The key is this: Is 1080p worth $1000 more than 720p....the answer to me is "no way', when 1080p units hit $1200 bucks and have the image quality (not just resolution) to back them up, then I'll upgrade. OP: Good luck.

PS: the projectors of today's caliber will soundly spank even the 900 from a few years ago.

My 2 cents.

I own an AX100 which I'm very happy with, but like most 720p owners I am always tempted with the thought of going to 1080p.

Everything I've read makes me think that I will only see a slight improvement due to pixel count, the greatest improvement will be as a result of the improvements in black level & contrast that have occurred in the past few years. I suppose it depends how much difference this will make to you (I would think that black level & contrast are more important in movies than for video games & TV).

Ah, right - Fox. Sorry. They are in the process of upgrading all their equipment to 1080i. Should be complete next year.


are you aware that many times, 720p will look better than 1080i, especially for sports?

Are you also aware that 1080i and 720p have about the same amount of data, or pixels.

Just went from 720p Sanyo Z5 to a 1080p Sanyo Z2000 and let me say the picture is way superior. The image is smoother with no SDE. And don't forget 24p if you watch BR movies.

Good info. I am pretty sure I am upgrading from my PT Ax200U to the 1080UB next summer.

--JK

Just went from 720p Sanyo Z5 to a 1080p Sanyo Z2000 and let me say the picture is way superior.The Z2000 is definitely a step up from the Z5 in more ways than just the resolution. ;)

If it were up to me, I would still go the 1080p route. Just to be able to taunt my neighbors who only have 720p...losers!:DAnd...I think that sums up why a lot of people here will recommend you to go 1080p. More of being the "Jones" that people are keeping up with, rather than buying the projector that best fits the images you're feeding it.

Neither hubris nor materialism are the best or most logical reasons to puchase one projector over another, try not to let your "up-grade-itis" (which I definitely have to work to keep in check) steer you into a decision that doesn't make sense for you.;)

Just went from 720p Sanyo Z5 to a 1080p Sanyo Z2000 and let me say the picture is way superior. The image is smoother with no SDE. And don't forget 24p if you watch BR movies.


With you 100% I did an upgrade 720 to 1080p and I saw a world of a diiference, 24p kicks ass at 106" so smooth on panning. would never go back. Money well spent.