I am about 80% sure that I'm going to go with the Panny AX200U
based on reviews, screenshots, opinions and price.
My only doubt is because of that 'issues to date' thread
I have not read the entire 20 something pages of it but I scanned though and it gives me nightmares!! If something happened to the PJ I'd pretty much be screwed but I am kind of comforted by the 'there was so many of these sold that they are bound to have more complaints' argument. (Someone should start a AX200 owners who are over 500-1000hrs are still going strong thread:) )

So with that in mind, What are some tips and tricks for setting it up and extending the life of the bulb...I have heard that 'eco mode' actually kills the bulb quicker?

I am going to be buying my PJ in about 3 weeks so I'm trying to cover all my bases now.

-Matt

How did you come to the conclusion that these so called issues are issues to give you nightmares?

IMO, the PJ has/had 1 issue to deal with. That is the purple flash when using blu-ray, which is fixed under warranty with a firmware upgrade, IF you have the problem.

Run the PJ in normal mode instead of eco-mode to reduce your chance of BULB flicker.

Been off the board for over a month and still on the same topic.

Panasonic projectors are incredible, and thats why there are so many issues- they sell so many of them. Like you said, not only are there so many out there that there are going to be more issues, but people are only going to get on here and post when they have problems.

I wish the Panasonics were a little more reliable. I had to send my AX100 in twice for repair. That being said, I loved it enough I turned around and replaced it with the AX200 when the warranty refused to fix it- opting to buy me a new one instead (GE Warranty).

The manufacturer warranty is great, I do highly recommend an after market warranty if you can get one. My GE warranty served me very well.

EDIT: Oh Eco-Mode should extend the life of the bulb, but I have always heard it increases chances of flicker. I had a bulb warranty so I opted to run full power and now have a spare bulb laying around so will continue to do so on my AX200.

Well, being that it's going to be used as my main TV if something were to happen to it sending it out would be a huge pain in the ass not only that but if for some reason it could not get fixed I wouldn't be able to afford to replace it for a long time. So when I see a thread that is 20 something pages long with tons of people having issues it makes me 2nd (and 3rd and 4th) guess my choice. It does however seem to be the best choice for me with in my price range other then the mits HC1600 but since I have no way of testing one before I buy it I'm not sure if I would see the RBE or not plus by the time I will be able to buy it the deal with the free bulb and rebate will be over.
Everything about the ax200u seems to make it the right PJ for me other then the possible issues.

As far as warranties what is out there for Bulb warranties that are not scams and that are worth it?

Now it's "tons of issues"? Please, point all of these out. Take into consideration of who posts their "issues" and the replies to them from others.

Every PJ may have an issue. That's what the warranty is for, use it if something happens.

I'll wait for the tonnage listing to commence.

Seriously, the PJ is just fine without any more issues than any other PJ.

As far as bulbs goes. I am at 2781 hours on the original bulb, still bright enough for a 140" screen 18' throw. I bought a new one at 1800 hours for $245 to my door and it's still in the box. I use my PJ just like you will be using yours, every day TV and movies galore.

Good Luck in your purchase, whichever one you choose, it will be a "wow" thing for sure.

haha well the only place I'm pulling this from is that thread that's about 23 pages long and as I said I didn't read all 23 pages but I scrolled though them and saw lots of 'oh yea I'm having that issue too' and 'add me to the list' 'I sent mine out for x amount of weeks and it came back unrepaired' yea that kind of stuff is the nightmare stuff I'm talking about. Being that I am going to be using it everyday and don't have the money to just replace it if I have to.

But I hear your point and others have lead me to belive as well that it's not common to have issues with the projector.
So like I said I'll more the likely be going with this one.

Where did you get your bulb? that's a pretty good price.

Any suggestions on where to order the projector? I see them for $999 everywhere so I'm going to expect to pay that I just don't know where is reputable. Preferably I can order all my cables from the same place at decent prices I'm pretty sure all I'll need will be 3 HDMI cables and 2 fiber optic cables.

-Matt

I highly recommend Visual Apex, they are even cheaper than that, or were a week ago when I bought mine. This was my second projector from them and I have been floored every time. And you know they gotta be good because I'm in WA so gotta pay the sales tax when I buy from them :(.

They also sell the GE warranties which I recommend.

I don't recommend using it as your every day TV. I used to frequently but stopped for several reasons. A, it isn't always feasible or convenient to boot everything up for a quick glance at the news or whatever. B, murphy's law is the longer you run something the more likely it is to die. Why waste crappy SD cable shows on your projector and risk cutting its life when you can get a decent TV for next to nothing these days.

That being said, its certainly possible to use it as your only TV. Keep in mind I believe statistically you are much more likely to have problems with projectors than TV's, so keep that in mind when deciding how much it would suck to go for two or three weeks without it in the event of a problem. It's not that you ARE going to have problems... just more likely than with a standard TV.

I'm not trying to scare you away, i've loved every minute of both of my panny's. But, particularly if it is your only TV... its something to think about.

EDIT: Get all your cables at MonoPrice.com

EDIT II: If you are sold on getting a projector I would recommend the AX200 fully. I don't think any projector out there is issue-free. Talking commercially this is still a fairly new technology. As early adopters we put ourselves at a certain level of risk, regardless of the manufacturer we go with.

yea, I hear you. I am fully aware of the risks getting a PJ over a normal TV which is what I was debating for the past few weeks but now I'm dead set on a PJ and I'm just going to try to get a warranty and immediately start a savings account towards a new bulb:)

I def wont be watching alot of SD I'm going to upgrade my cable package as soon as I get everything set up and as far as booting up it's not a big deal I don't really just turn on the TV to check the news or weather real quick (that's what cells phones are for, right? :) )

Anyone else have any opinions?

If you buy from Visual Apex... only you can predict how much use your projector will get... but, I highly recommend getting the GE Bulb Warranty. That will save you the trouble of having to start saving for a new bulb right away.

As with all things, different people will suggest all kinds of things, usually what suited themselves well.

For me, a bulb warranty wasn't worth it to me, even though I knew I was going to use the PJ as a replacement TV.

Oooopps.. see, there's a differing opinion. Some say "no way" and some say "oh heck yeah" in using it as your primary source.

I do agree, monoprice for your cables! Also visual apex or projector people to purchase from. Always good to go through a site sponsor. Plus, a lot of us have bought there and can vouch for their reputation as "good folk".

As far as the "oh yeahs" in the 23 pages. I'd put money on it that those are 98% with BULB flicker. Once you understand what bulb flicker is, you'll rest easy.

can this pj throw a 100" screen from 11ft?

Yes.

http://www.projectorcentral.com/Panasonic_Home-PT-AX200U-projection-calculator-pro.htm

Yes.

http://www.projectorcentral.com/Panasonic_Home-PT-AX200U-projection-calculator-pro.htm

hmm, I see about 85" diagonal 16:9 from 11ft range, plus its outside its recommended image brightness zone thing?

I'm I reading this calculator wrong?

For 100", 10'2" is the min throw.

At 11', you're pushing it a bit, but there are several folks who place their projector at min throw to maximize brightness.

My min is 12', and my projector is at 14'. Looks great to me.

http://www.audiogeneral.com/Panasonic/ptax200u_m.pdf

hmm, I see about 85" diagonal 16:9 from 11ft range, plus its outside its recommended image brightness zone thing?

I'm I reading this calculator wrong?
it's all about the zoom! at 2x you can throw about 111''

pretty impressive. at 15' with the 2x zoom I'll be able to throw 150" NIOCE!

I don't even think I have that much wall space because of the stupid outlet :(

Does anyone have any idea how I can completely cover a wall outlet?

Glad to know about monoprice...super cheap! it's insane how much HDMI cables can cost.

As far as the bulb warranty the only details I saw were that it would replace it once with in a two year period as long as it's under 2000 hours...That's all fine and good but what do they make you do to get a new bulb? Do they make you send the old lamp in? the whole projector? I work (for the time being:( ) for Circuit city as a firedog PC tech and I have dealt with assurent personally and they are very limited as to what they cover and they normally don't cover anything that they consider beyond 'normal wear and tear' which is a little suspect.

Oh and what exactly is Bulb flicker? It seems like as long as I keep it on normal (non-eco) mode then I should be alright.

gotcha, anyone run a ps3 to this thing via HDMI? if so any issues? w/blu-ray of course

As with all things, different people will suggest all kinds of things, usually what suited themselves well.

For me, a bulb warranty wasn't worth it to me, even though I knew I was going to use the PJ as a replacement TV.

Oooopps.. see, there's a differing opinion. Some say "no way" and some say "oh heck yeah" in using it as your primary source.

It's a simple mathematical question. If you are going to run through your bulb, like I said he will need to make that decision... would you rather spend $99 or $450?

i think it's more like $280.

of course, I thought it was $450 when I paid for the $99 warranty.

had i known they can be had for much less, i would have gambled.

i think it's more like $280.

of course, I thought it was $450 when I paid for the $99 warranty.

had i known they can be had for much less, i would have gambled.

Okay find a cheap one for $280... by my calculation thats still much more than $99. If you know you are going to put 2,000 some odd hours onto a bulb quickly there is no reason NOT to get the bulb warranty is all I'm saying.

Does anyone have any idea how I can completely cover a wall outlet?

Oh and what exactly is Bulb flicker? It seems like as long as I keep it on normal (non-eco) mode then I should be alright.

To cover the outlet, buy a screen! :)

Seems that normal mode helps prevent flicker. But the solution might be cleaning the filter thoroughly. Has worked for others. Search.

You can get a plain plate for the outlet as well. It will still be there but a little less noticeable. I have an outlet in my screen, and even with the regular plate you get used to it and its not a biggy. And I'm pretty OCD about that stuff.

That being said, if this wasn't a rental I would have filled it in.

i think it's more like $280.

of course, I thought it was $450 when I paid for the $99 warranty.

had i known they can be had for much less, i would have gambled.

Where can I pick up a lamp for that cheap?

Honestly I'd rather pay the extra and have a lamp then fight with the warranty company when my bulb goes.

As far as covering the outlet I would get a screen if I thought it was worth it...maybe for my next PJ when I get 1080p in a couple years then I'll invest in a screen. For now I'll stick to the wall. As far as covering the plate I'm only going to be sitting about 14' feet away so I might notice the plain plate I'm going to wait until I get the PJ to decide on screen size I just don't want anything to limit me.

Is anyone running a Wii on this? I'm a little concerned with setting it up and being able to stand up and play..it's going to be mounted on the ceiling behind the couch or maybe off to the side but I'm not quite sure how that's going to work out with out us being in the way when we play

Where can I pick up a lamp for that cheap?

Honestly I'd rather pay the extra and have a lamp then fight with the warranty company when my bulb goes.

Probably eBay.

Maybe I just got lucky but when I hit about 2,200 hours or so on my bulb I called up Visual Apex, told them I bought a GE warranty through them and needed a new bulb... and had a new one on my doorstep within a week. Maybe I'm not remembering correctly or something but it was really that simple.

Probably eBay.

Maybe I just got lucky but when I hit about 2,200 hours or so on my bulb I called up Visual Apex, told them I bought a GE warranty through them and needed a new bulb... and had a new one on my doorstep within a week. Maybe I'm not remembering correctly or something but it was really that simple.

Really? hmmm they didn't make you prove it? you didn't have to send them your lamp or anything? I don't understand..what would they have to gain from that usually if a warranty is too good to be true then it is.
I don't see the GE warranty on there I just see the assurent one...is that the same one?

Where can I pick up a lamp for that cheap?

Honestly I'd rather pay the extra and have a lamp then fight with the warranty company when my bulb goes.



You don't have to fight anyone if you have a Mack warranty. There is a user here on the forum named mackcamera that can answer all your Mack warranty questions.

Really? hmmm they didn't make you prove it? you didn't have to send them your lamp or anything? I don't understand..what would they have to gain from that usually if a warranty is too good to be true then it is.
I don't see the GE warranty on there I just see the assurent one...is that the same one?

Maybe they switched providers. I don't know, GE has been a great warranty to work with. I suspect they make money on people who think they will load up on hours but then don't and never end up getting a new bulb. I don't know :rolleyes:. I also had their warranty on my AX100 and it was excellent, that I did have to do the phone call thing but never had to really fight (except at first they tried because the warranty is technically in home repair, took some time to convince them that isn't possible with Panasonic and Heartland).

Why would you have to convince them of Heartland/Panasonic?
They really don't HAVE to use Heartland if they don't want to, but they do need parts...maybe Panny won't sell the parts?

After the SB I will be calling GE to get some work done to my AX100, so I'll be watching my 57" Hitachi CRT RPTV...man that thing is small!!

The warranty is technically for in-home repair, I just had to explain several times that the only genuine Panasonic repair isn't in-home. It was never an issue, just the closest I got to having to fight anything with them!

Anyone have any opinions over mounting it to the ceiling VS putting on top of a shelving unit they would be the same height. To me the shelves seem like a better idea I don't have to drill anything and I can put all my AV stuff on the shelves as well.

One thing you might want to keep in the back of your mind is that your viewing may not use up the bulb that quickly. You don't say what your viewing habits are. My experience has been as follows:

Projector #1. Panasonic L200u 1/4 HD chip. Bought it in 2003 for $1,000. Put 4,000 hours on it over two and a half years with some help from my stepson and Halo. Finally decided to move up to a new 720p unit. Projector was still working fine when I retired it.

Projector #2. Panasonic AE-900. Paid $999 in November of 06, so have had it for a little over two years. This projector now has about 2,000 hours on it, and would be surprised if the bulb failed before 3,000.

In the case of the L200u, it didn't occur to me to buy another bulb; for less than the price of three bulbs, I got a new bulb and a four generations newer projector. Similarly, when the bulb on the 900 is getting "old", I can't see replacing it when for an extra $600-700 I will be able to jump at least three generations and get a 1080p (Presumably. You have to figure that 720p is on its last legs. Check out how many 720p TVs they have at Costco these days. Not many).

Some may say I have been lucky with my bulb experience. Maybe. OTOH, I don't cycle the projector off and on frequently. It gets turned on for an evening of gaming or a single or double feature. My home is in a low humidity climate, no smoke, the theater is very clean, HEPA filters in my furnaces, etc.

Panasonic makes a great projector. There are lots of threads about the pros of various makes of units. They are all going to put out a great picture, no doubt. Installation can be a problem with some of them, especially some of the DLP units. The Panasonics can be mounted just about anywhere.

Anyone have any opinions over mounting it to the ceiling VS putting on top of a shelving unit they would be the same height. To me the shelves seem like a better idea I don't have to drill anything and I can put all my AV stuff on the shelves as well.

If you are able I highly recommend mounting it. Shelves always run the risk of being bumped, even if you are careful the slightest bump can move your image. Particularly if you are projecting onto a screen or tight borders (like mine is basically from ceiling to floor) it will be a pain in the butt to deal with. I'm stuck with the stand for now due to being a rental.

You don't have to fight anyone if you have a Mack warranty. There is a user here on the forum named mackcamera that can answer all your Mack warranty questions.

Thanks! we try not to fight with anyone.:) there is a whole thread dedicated to bulb warranty

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1088544.

any other questions feel free to drop me a line