The top of my card reads:
"Present this BLOCKBUSTER Rental Card for forty (40) FREE movie or game rentals at any participating BLOCKBUSTER store."

So I'm not sure which card you have but mine says you are incorrect.
You right, me wrong! I was thinking of something else that you couldn't rent.

My bad! :(

Quick question. I am just about to order a AE900U. Is there any issues with mounting the AE900U on a shelf on the back wall, high about even with the top of the screen.
I have only ever seen projectors mounted low and upright, or high and inverted. So this mounting would be high and upright.

I have checked the distance of throw to the screen size and the distance is acceptable.

Thanks,
James

Quick question. I am just about to order a AE900U. Is there any issues with mounting the AE900U on a shelf on the back wall, high about even with the top of the screen.
I have only ever seen projectors mounted low and upright, or high and inverted. So this mounting would be high and upright.

I have checked the distance of throw to the screen size and the distance is acceptable.

Thanks,
James

I have my ae900 even with top of screen and the pic is excellent.I am about 18ft back from screen.That is the big advantage of the ae900 is it's lens shift.You can put it anywhwere.budda

Got my rebate check and Blockbuster rental card today in the mail.

And I also started noticing some flashing issues while using LAMP MODE: LOW (which I have used since day 1)

Switched it over to LAMP MODE: HIGH and the flashing issues are gone.

Does this meen my bulb is about to go? I only have ~580 hrs on the original bulb.

I cleaned my filter yesterday for the 2nd time since I have had it (4 months) and it was really dirty. I live in the CA desert - so I guess that is why. i'll be cleaning more often now for sure...but, it did not help my flashing issue....

Guess the $400 rebate check came at a good time? (new bulb)? :(

Doesn't mean the lamp is going. Just run it in high mode for a few hours and it'll go away. It's a common issue with mercury lamps.

Elio

Thanks! My order is on the way.
James

The top of my card reads:
"Present this BLOCKBUSTER Rental Card for forty (40) FREE movie or game rentals at any participating BLOCKBUSTER store."

So I'm not sure which card you have but mine says you are incorrect.
This sounds like a scam to me. I don't know about everyone else, but when I ordered my AE900u, it said the blockbuster card was worth $300. Last time I checked, 40 movie rentals at $4 each is only $160. Am I the only one that has a problem with this?

I haven't received my card yet, but has anyone had any luck using it towards several months of their blockbuster.com online rental service? I doubt it's allowed, but it's worth asking I guess.

This sounds like a scam to me. I don't know about everyone else, but when I ordered my AE900u, it said the blockbuster card was worth $300. Last time I checked, 40 movie rentals at $4 each is only $160. Am I the only one that has a problem with this?

I don't think it ever said it was worth exactly $300, the wording has always been "up to $300" and made no attempt to hide that it was actually 40 rentals. Like someone else said, if you used it only for games, it is actually worth more than $300.

Dead horse beaten.

This sounds like a scam to me. I don't know about everyone else, but when I ordered my AE900u, it said the blockbuster card was worth $300. Last time I checked, 40 movie rentals at $4 each is only $160. Am I the only one that has a problem with this?

I haven't received my card yet, but has anyone had any luck using it towards several months of their blockbuster.com online rental service? I doubt it's allowed, but it's worth asking I guess.

You can call it a scam if you want. Me, I'm going to watch 40 free movies on my awesome projector and get over it. The $400 rebate was real enough. The BB deal said "up to $300". If you rent games like many people do you will use the full $300. The movies are closer to $5.00 actually so that puts it at $200. To call it a scam is just lame IMO. A little misleading?? Probably. BTW... you cannot use it for online rentals either. Only in stores. Are we still talking about this???

You right, me wrong! I was thinking of something else that you couldn't rent.

My bad! :(

No prob ;) Did you have any luck renting more than one movie??

You can call it a scam if you want. Me, I'm going to watch 40 free movies on my awesome projector and get over it. The $400 rebate was real enough. The BB deal said "up to $300". If you rent games like many people do you will use the full $300. The movies are closer to $5.00 actually so that puts it at $200. To call it a scam is just lame IMO. A little misleading?? Probably. BTW... you cannot use it for online rentals either. Only in stores. Are we still talking about this???
So maybe calling it a "scam" is a bit much... it is a little frustrating, but it is still a good deal. I hadn't seen this discussed before, so sorry for bringing it up! :o

Have most people been receiving their rebates within 8 weeks or so?

Are there any AE900u owners in northern Colorado or SE WY? I'd really like to see one but I don't know of any stores that carry them. And store setups are usually terrible anyway. PM please if you'd like to show off your toy...

So maybe calling it a "scam" is a bit much... it is a little frustrating, but it is still a good deal. I hadn't seen this discussed before, so sorry for bringing it up! :o

Have most people been receiving their rebates within 8 weeks or so?

Lately people have been getting them pretty quickly. At first it was really slow which is good because it prompted them to extend the BB card to next year rather than having it expire on 6/31. If you did everything right you should get it pretty quickly. A several pages back there is a phone number you can call. Just do a search for Panasonic rebate phone number and you should be able to find it. You'll wait on hold a little while but they should be able to tell you the status.

Have most people been receiving their rebates within 8 weeks or so?

I am at 8 weeks this week. Nothing yet. Plan on calling them sometime this week to inquire.

Doesn't mean the lamp is going. Just run it in high mode for a few hours and it'll go away. It's a common issue with mercury lamps.

Many thanks for this comment...I'll give it a try and see if that indeed does the trick.


About the rebate, definitely call...called about a month ago and they said I should have it in 2-3 weeks. Waited 4 weeks, called again and they said it had mailed out the previous day. Got my rebate yesterday. Like I said, definitely call, it may help speed up the process a bit anyway.

I know I could find this in the manual but I just moved and I have not gotten to the box where it was packed. So I was hoping someone could help me out.

On my Panasonic 900 when I select Menu on the remote and then look at the lamp hours it says 1983 and is flashing in red. Does this mean I need a new bulb? There is a place on top of the projector that says lamp but that light is not lit up.
The picture does seem darker this week so it probably is telling me I need a new bulb but just wanted to make sure.

So what kind of bilb life are people getting on the 900's?

I just ordered (Rented) the Avia home theater calibration DVD from BB hope it is compleat , and will be attempting to tweak my 900. As I have a Denon 3910, which also allows you to set different levels at source, should I try to tweak from the head unit or leave it alone and use the Pannys settings.
The 3910 has picture adjustments up the wazzo but they seem overkill they are that involved.

In addition, I am using Wireworld Chroma HDMI ICs for the DVD and am adding a HD cable box today.
Should I used a HDMI cable for both and put a switcher in the mix of should I use RGB for one and HDMI for the other eliminating the switcher.

Lastly where is the best place to rent HD DVDs BB is limited in there selection and only on line none in the stores I still am waiting to see my 900 in HD

Folks,

Need your opinion on whether I should pull the trigger on a refurbished AE900 with new lamp from an authorized dealer. The quoted price for hte refurbished unit is 1/2 the price of a new unit. Warranty is included. Although I would like to purchase how does one analyze a reburbished purchase of this type. I do not know how many hours are on the chasis but I was told that the unit was used as a dealer demo. Any feedback greatly appreciated.

If the refurb is from a good dealer and has a good warranty with a new lamp I say go for it.

About the rebate, it took between around 15 weeks to get my rebate. They had a system problem which caused a delay for many.

I just ordered (Rented) the Avia home theater calibration DVD from BB hope it is compleat , and will be attempting to tweak my 900. As I have a Denon 3910, which also allows you to set different levels at source, should I try to tweak from the head unit or leave it alone and use the Pannys settings.
The 3910 has picture adjustments up the wazzo but they seem overkill they are that involved.

In addition, I am using Wireworld Chroma HDMI ICs for the DVD and am adding a HD cable box today.
Should I used a HDMI cable for both and put a switcher in the mix of should I use RGB for one and HDMI for the other eliminating the switcher.

Lastly where is the best place to rent HD DVDs BB is limited in there selection and only on line none in the stores I still am waiting to see my 900 in HD

Just set the IRE black level to 0 on the Denon 3910, don't turn on Enhanced Black Level, and do the rest of the calibrations on the Panny. I'd use HDMI all around if you can. If you get an weird red rim around green objects switch the output of the Denon from 720P to 1080i. There is an issue with the decoding software on the Denon that creates what appears to be a convergence issue between red and green in 720P. Setting it to 1080i eliminates it.

Elio

I have not had that issue, is that using HDMI or RGB
Have you run the upgrade from Denon yet?

I thought I would drop an update regarding the rebate program i filed in Feb 06 with the AE900.

As of today Panasonic customer support said the check was sent out one month ago.(no check) This was back when the rebate was $200.00 and $300.00 blockbuster)

We confirmed the address again so they are going to check with accounting to send another one out in three to four weeks.

Sincerely,

A happy PJ owner, unhappy with customer service.

Quick question. I am just about to order a AE900U. Is there any issues with mounting the AE900U on a shelf on the back wall, high about even with the top of the screen.
I have only ever seen projectors mounted low and upright, or high and inverted. So this mounting would be high and upright.

I have checked the distance of throw to the screen size and the distance is acceptable.

Thanks,
James

Mine is set on an AV rack (shelf) 21 feet from screen set to 120’ viewing. Projector height is dead center of the screen. I have the ceiling mount but I like this set up better, it gives me easer access. Every time I remove/replace the lens cap, you can’t help but nudge the focus. This way I can tune it quickly for optimum focus easily each time I use it.

I agree about mounting mid-wall height. I cut a hole in my back wall, which goes to the hallway, so I can access the back and front of the PJ easily. I can even focus from the back thru the hole. I have it sitting on top of my Sony Upconverting DVD player with a board as a spacer for airflow. I will post a photo this weekend!

I have not had that issue, is that using HDMI or RGB
Have you run the upgrade from Denon yet?

I'm using RGB. I did run the upgrade and it somewhat alleviated the issue but it's still there slightly. I called Denon about it and they think its the scaler on some of the units. I bought my 3910 the week it came out.

E

I am contemplating buying the Panasonic AE900U, but have a few questions I hope you guys can help me out with first:

1. Does the AE900U have a screen trigger that will raise and lower my Electric Stewart Screen? I thought the "Serial Port" on the back might work, but I'm not sure. Is there a 12 volt to Serial Port Trigger????
2. Should I wait on the rumored 1080p - AE1000U?
3. How well will the AE900U work with my dealer recommended 92 inch Stewart FireHawk G2 (gray screen)....should I consider a different screen instead?
4. Have any of you had issues with the bulbs (i.e. burning out earlier than 3000 hours, etc.)?
5. Any final recommendations (i.e. buy the Sanyo or Sony instead, etc.)

Thanks!!!

Mike

I am contemplating buying the Panasonic AE900U, but have a few questions I hope you guys can help me out with first:

1. Does the AE900U have a screen trigger that will raise and lower my Electric Stewart Screen? I thought the "Serial Port" on the back might work, but I'm not sure. Is there a 12 volt to Serial Port Trigger????
2. Should I wait on the rumored 1080p - AE1000U?
3. How well will the AE900U work with my dealer recommended 92 inch Stewart FireHawk G2 (gray screen)....should I consider a different screen instead?
4. Have any of you had issues with the bulbs (i.e. burning out earlier than 3000 hours, etc.)?
5. Any final recommendations (i.e. buy the Sanyo or Sony instead, etc.)

Thanks!!!

Mike


If you wait for the rumor you will wait forever.

ALso get as big a screen as the room will fit. I have a 106 greywolf and am going to eventually get at least a 120 inch later. Might even get a 135 inch 2.35 screen.

If you wait for the rumor you will wait forever.

ALso get as big a screen as the room will fit. I have a 106 greywolf and am going to eventually get at least a 120 inch later. Might even get a 135 inch 2.35 screen.

Chip, what are the dimensions of your room? I am going to be at a 16' throw distance and a 12' seating distance. I have been told that 106" is the biggest I can get for that setup for best viewing experience.

Also, why did you choose a grey screen over matte white?

Chip, what are the dimensions of your room? I am going to be at a 16' throw distance and a 12' seating distance. I have been told that 106" is the biggest I can get for that setup for best viewing experience.

Also, why did you choose a grey screen over matte white?

I'm at 20' throw and 110 diagonal and it looks fine to me. The 2X zoom will give you up to 100" at 10 ft throw so I'm sure it would go bigger than 106 at 16 ft. There's a calculator for this at several sites, including projectorpeople.com.

A google search on AE1000U turns up nothing.
I gotta know!

I'm at 20' throw and 110 diagonal and it looks fine to me. The 2X zoom will give you up to 100" at 10 ft throw so I'm sure it would go bigger than 106 at 16 ft. There's a calculator for this at several sites, including projectorpeople.com.

Thanks Cpcat. I have another question. When you use the zoom is the picture quality degraded?

A google search on AE1000U turns up nothing.
I gotta know!

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=697277

Thanks Cpcat. I have another question. When you use the zoom is the picture quality degraded?

Apparently not from reports here. In fact, I believe at max zoom the total lumen output was measured a little higher than with max telephoto.

Chip, what are the dimensions of your room? I am going to be at a 16' throw distance and a 12' seating distance. I have been told that 106" is the biggest I can get for that setup for best viewing experience.

Also, why did you choose a grey screen over matte white?

My room is about 22x20

I sit 14 feet from screen. Projector is sitting on top of my rack mount 19 feet back.

I chose grey because I wanted better black levels and it only cost me $299 and it was at my local BestBuy so I didn't have to wait.

I would go with the carada brilliaint white when I decide to upgrade screens.

The size of the screen at first was a shock. Going from a 60inch rptv to a 106 inch screen is a shock at first, but then less than one day went buy and I told myself man I can go even bigger. Even my brother said it looked way cool when I had it just shining on my wall with no screen and made it about a 150 inch screen with a 2.35 aspect movie playing. Was still bright enough.

Hey all,

I am completly on the fence regarding these 2 projectors:

AE900
Sanyo Z4

The problem is that I just cannot find a good deal in Canada for the AE900 (not like the deals in the states).

Are there any canadians here that know of good prices for the AE900 that are comparible to what they are getting in the states? I am not sure if this is against forum rules...Please PM me with any kind of information on where to get the AE900. I don't think I want to go for the Z4 but I will if I cannot find a good price for the AE900.

Thanks!

-Robb.

Have most people been receiving their rebates within 8 weeks or so?
I am at 8 weeks this week. Nothing yet. Plan on calling them sometime this week to inquire.

Update: Called Panasonic and they said ours is prossed without issue, the check is ready to go but they are awaiting the Blockbuster cards. They hope to have it out in 10-14 days.

I have this projector and an Xbox 360. What resolution should I set my Xbox 360 at for optimal performance?
640 x 480
848 x 480
1024 x 768
1280 x 720
1280 x 768
1280 x 1024
1360 x 768

I run it at 1360x768, but would it benefit me to run it at 1280x720 to get full 720p?

I have this projector and an Xbox 360. What resolution should I set my Xbox 360 at for optimal performance?
640 x 480
848 x 480
1024 x 768
1280 x 720
1280 x 768
1280 x 1024
1360 x 768

I run it at 1360x768, but would it benefit me to run it at 1280x720 to get full 720p?
1280x720 should be best since it's the native resolution of the AE900U and won't have to be scaled.

how come then when I run mine at 1280x720 I get a black bar along the right side?

how come then when I run mine at 1280x720 I get a black bar along the right side?

It's probably related to picture position. Use the pj's position controls to center the image and see if that helps. The pj should save position controls per input.

Hi all,

Does anyone know if the lens on the 900u is coated with any AR coating or not. My 3yo kid touched the lens and I cant get her finger prints off the lens. Whats the best way to clean the lens without hurting it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
AJ.

Hi all,

I've setup my Xbox360 and Rapsody N35 media player as follows:

1) Xbox360 -> Component cable to Gefen Component to HDMI Adapter -> HDMI cable to Gefen 4x1 HDMI Switcher
2) N35 -> DVI to HDMI cable to Gefen 4x1 HDMI Switcher

The Gefen 4x1 HDMI switcher runs to my AE900 via HDMI cable

The problem is, my picture shifts to the right when my Xbox360 and N35 are set to 720p or 1080i, leaving a black bar of the left side of the screen. However, when using component cable and at those resolutions, the picture fits nicely.

I checked the projector menu to make sure overscan is set to 'OFF'. Btw, I've no problems watching DVD (Denon A1XVA at 720p) and HD-DVD (Toshiba HD-XA1 at 1080i), both using HDMI connections

Any idea what could be the problem?

Hi all,

Does anyone know if the lens on the 900u is coated with any AR coating or not. My 3yo kid touched the lens and I cant get her finger prints off the lens. Whats the best way to clean the lens without hurting it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
AJ.

Being my other hobby is astrophotography and clean lens all the time.Use sterile cotton balls.Use them only they contain nothing that will scratch.For a littel moisture use distilled water.Just slightly dampen the cotton balls,I clean Flourite lens that cost $5000.This is what observatory use to clean their mirrors.Just make sure to get sterile cotton balls.Walmart has all of this stuff.BUDDA

Hi all,

I've setup my Xbox360 and Rapsody N35 media player as follows:

1) Xbox360 -> Component cable to Gefen Component to HDMI Adapter -> HDMI cable to Gefen 4x1 HDMI Switcher
2) N35 -> DVI to HDMI cable to Gefen 4x1 HDMI Switcher

The Gefen 4x1 HDMI switcher runs to my AE900 via HDMI cable

The problem is, my picture shifts to the right when my Xbox360 and N35 are set to 720p or 1080i, leaving a black bar of the left side of the screen. However, when using component cable and at those resolutions, the picture fits nicely.

I checked the projector menu to make sure overscan is set to 'OFF'. Btw, I've no problems watching DVD (Denon A1XVA at 720p) and HD-DVD (Toshiba HD-XA1 at 1080i), both using HDMI connections

Any idea what could be the problem?


Sure, the picture from the xbox and the n35 are likely off center due to slight differences in timing parameters. The problem for you is that since you are running everything through the switcher, you won't be able to save a per-input position memory on the 900. Your options would be to adjust the position on the 900 whenever you switch inputs, use the overscan if that takes care of it, or bypass the switcher and use the component/vga input on the pj to allow another independent position memory. You could also "overzoom" a little with the lens.

I know that people don't read through the whole thread before posting, so here is one viewpoint on this projector:

My projector is on a shelf about 12' from the wall on which I'm projecting. I sit about 8 feet from the "screen." The "screen" is simply the wall and guess what, the paint on the wall is a lovely shade of light green. My screen size is close to 120" on the diagonal and guess what--it's amazing! I'm sure there are some videophiles that would be disappointed, but if you're new in the projector market you will be blown away, especially watching stuff in HD.

If you're considering buying this projector, just buy it and play around with it before you worry about what size of screen, and what materials to use, and what filters and so on. I promise that if you get this thing in your house and put on whatever wall you have available, you won't be doing anything else for several more hours. Yes, my set up can and will be improved. That is the joy of home theatre. You can improve it all the time. The next step for me is the Avia disk so I can calibrate it and see how much better I can make the picture. Then, maybe a screen. Probably before I get to that though, I should work on straightening out the living room because I pulled the couch out just to demo the projector on one wall and the couch has not moved back since I got the projector 3 months ago!

It's well worth the investment of how ever much it costs you. You're going to enjoy it and wonder why you took so long to pull the trigger. Go ahead and just buy the projector now--let the details work out over time--and most of all start enjoying watching tv and movies like they were meant to be enjoyed.

Hello everybody,

I'm [obviously] new here, at least as a posting member. These forums have provided me with lots of knowledge for some time now though.

I'm about to buy a AT-900E and I was wondering if any of you have any experience with placement infront of the seating. I was thinking of having the projector at a table about 2-3 feet away at about 1-2 feet under eye level. Is this a bad idea, and if so why?

Hoping for some great insight from the people on the web who seem to know more about projetors than anyone else.

Thanks,
-- hannisen

Hello Everyone. Thanks for all of the comments so far, they've been very helpful. I have a few more questions to ask:

1) Never Mind

2) I have the PJ at the rear of the room on a shelf. It is about 10% from the bottom and 25% from the right of the screen. The left side of the screen slants inward (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=62095&stc=1) as it nears the bottom, while all other sides are perfectly square. Is this due to the lens shift being at "2 O'clock (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=62094&stc=1) " ?

3) Never Mind

Thanks and Take Care,
-DP

Hello everybody,

I'm [obviously] new here, at least as a posting member. These forums have provided me with lots of knowledge for some time now though.

I'm about to buy a AT-900E and I was wondering if any of you have any experience with placement infront of the seating. I was thinking of having the projector at a table about 2-3 feet away at about 1-2 feet under eye level. Is this a bad idea, and if so why?

Hoping for some great insight from the people on the web who seem to know more about projetors than anyone else.

Thanks,
-- hannisen
Do you mean the PJ will be 2-3 feet from the screen? Unless your screen is really small, that is way too close. For a projection distance of 4', your screen could be only 3' wide. For a 92" diagonal 16:9 screen, which is a decent size, you PJ should be at least 9' from the screen. There is a formula in the manual for minimum and maximum projection distance:
Minimum Projection Distance: LW = 1.2244 x SD-0.056
Maximum Projection Distance: LT = 2.4449 x SD-0.056
SD is the screen diagonal in meters.
For a 16:9 screen: SD = SW/0.872 (SW = screen width)

Also, having the PJ too low would put the lens shift at it's limit (if you could even shift it enough), which causes distortion. You can tweak out some of it with the keystone adjustment, but also with some distortion or loss of perfect square sides of the projected image. I have a very slight horizontal shift, and there is a noticeable loss of "squareness" to the image.

So, basically that would be a very bad placement, assuming you want to have your PJ 2-3 feet from the screen below eye level. The best placement is behind you just above your heads, and as close to center of the screen as possible.

Hello Everyone. Thanks for all of the comments so far, they've been very helpful. I have a few more questions to ask:

1) I finally got a screen installed (106" Draper matte white) and went to recalibrate the PJ. I went to the Advanced Menu to see how the low lamp mode looked and noticed that the Lamp meter said 439 Hrs. I haven't looked at that menu since I first opened the box on July 5, when it read 1 hour. There is no way I've run the PJ that much in just over a month (40 days=11 hours/day?!). Does the meter count real time no matter if you run High or Low lamp mode? Any reason why would it read at least 2X actual usage?

2) I have the PJ at the rear of the room on a shelf. It is about 10% from the bottom and 25% from the right of the screen. The left side of the screen slants inward (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=62095&stc=1) as it nears the bottom, while all other sides are perfectly square. Is this due to the lens shift being at "2 O'clock (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=62094&stc=1) " ?

3) Lastly, when I went to send in my rebate form, I noticed that the serial number on the PJ did not match the serial on the box/upc and invoice. Visual Apex said they'd never had this happen before and it most like got mixed up "on the line". The box looked factory sealed. Anyhing like this happen to anyone else out there?

Thanks and Take Care,
-DP
Yup! See my comments in my previous post. Horizontal lens shift definately distorts the image. Keystone can straighten the sides, but not the height.

As to your lamp hours being so high, are you sure someone didn't fall asleep watching it? That sounds pretty weird. Are you POSITIVE you only had one hour on the lamp display when you got it? If it has the wrong s/n, then maybe it was a reconditioned unit. It sounds fishy to me!

Do you mean the PJ will be 2-3 feet from the screen? Unless your screen is really small, that is way too close. For a projection distance of 4', your screen could be only 3' wide. For a 92" diagonal 16:9 screen, which is a decent size, you PJ should be at least 9' from the screen. There is a formula in the manual for minimum and maximum projection distance:
Minimum Projection Distance: LW = 1.2244 x SD-0.056
Maximum Projection Distance: LT = 2.4449 x SD-0.056
SD is the screen diagonal in meters.
For a 16:9 screen: SD = SW/0.872 (SW = screen width)

Also, having the PJ too low would put the lens shift at it's limit (if you could even shift it enough), which causes distortion. You can tweak out some of it with the keystone adjustment, but also with some distortion or loss of perfect square sides of the projected image. I have a very slight horizontal shift, and there is a noticeable loss of "squareness" to the image.

So, basically that would be a very bad placement, assuming you want to have your PJ 2-3 feet from the screen below eye level. The best placement is behind you just above your heads, and as close to center of the screen as possible.

No, sorry if I wasn't clear. The PJ will be placed 2-3 feet infront of the seating, about 9' away. It would be around 2 feet of floor level.

I understand that the best placement is what you posted, but if at all possible I'd like to avoid that.

I just ordered my 900. It should be here by Friday. Off to monoprice for cables and Home Depot for DIY mounting parts! :)

As to your lamp hours being so high, are you sure someone didn't fall asleep watching it? That sounds pretty weird. Are you POSITIVE you only had one hour on the lamp display when you got it? If it has the wrong s/n, then maybe it was a reconditioned unit. It sounds fishy to me!
I remember testing it out for defects the first day, and it was at 4 hours when I shut it down. I have a small railroad apartment, so if it were left on I'd know it....unless it turns itself on while I'm at work ;) . I'll give tech support a call I guess.

I had a PANASONIC PTL-500U with 500+ hours, and, when I took the lamp out to clean it, noticed that there were little reflecting particles loosed inside the lamp. This particles were part of the reflecting cup. Is this your problem?
The red (purple) color on the edges, in my case were caused by dust on the LCDs. Sorry my english. Fernando

This is called "crazing lamp". you can search the forum with these words. I have a Infocus 4805, my lamp is 800 hs now, and I´m having this problem since the lamp was 200 hs of use. I do not notice any PQ error. I attach a picture of the lamp

Sorry for the question. I'm selling my panny 700 this weekend and am wondering if I should get the 900. What are the major differences I'm going to see? Will it only be a slight difference? I thought about going "light cannon" Mitsu WD2000 but I'm not sure. I have an 18' throw with a 110" screen. Should I go "pj less" and wait for the ae1100?

This is called "crazing lamp". you can search the forum with these words. I have a Infocus 4805, my lamp is 800 hs now, and I´m having this problem since the lamp was 200 hs of use. I do not notice any PQ error. I attach a picture of the lamp
Hola Jorge
Yes, I know about the "crazing lamp" problem that, apparently, doesn't affect its life span. But, at that time, I was worried because the little metal particles were loose inside the projector (because the lamp is not fully sealed in the front) and could cause a short circuit in the board.
Fernando

This is called "crazing lamp". you can search the forum with these words. I have a Infocus 4805, my lamp is 800 hs now, and I´m having this problem since the lamp was 200 hs of use. I do not notice any PQ error. I attach a picture of the lamp


I just recently looked at my bulb and had crystalized stuff all over the outside of the lamp. I actually cleaned it off and its gone now. I wonder what could have caused that.

Is anyone using this projector as a computer display?

My wife owns a photography studio and is looking for a nice projector to use when she shows her clients their photos during the proof session. The theory is, that if the images are nice, big and clear, the client will spend more money!!

Anywhoo, this would be connected to a new Mac Pro or PowerMac G5 and would primarily be used to display satic images of hi-res jpegs. The projected size will probably be around 80-100 inches. Is this a suitable projector for such an application? Would a DLP be better? Is 1280x720 enough resolution? Thanks.

I just recently looked at my bulb and had crystalized stuff all over the outside of the lamp. I actually cleaned it off and its gone now. I wonder what could have caused that.
The crystallized stuff that you see, could be loose parts of a reflecting coating that the lamp has in its cup. Because of the heat-cold cycles, the "coat", that was incorrectly applied, is tearing in little parts and then is getting loose. In my case the "coat" was applied in the inside of the lamp.
Fernando

Just ordered my panny 900u! Should be here next week monday or tuesday. My cables are already waiting to be plugged into the projector and my basement walls are framed up. Guess I need to get going with running the electrical!!

A work of caution when you run the electical keep it well away from you ICs and Speaker runs as I found out the hard way after I sealed up my wall and pop-corned and painted it RF and EMI leaks into audio cables when you have them too close.
I had crossed them at 90o but still had them too close when they ran parallel.

I even have trouble through the wall the electrical that runs from my wall out let is parallel to the IC going to my amps and there is a slight but distinct hum (Only I can hear it)

If you wanna be real anal use a metal flex tubing around the electrical to shield it,
I use these guys cause they are only a mile from my office

http://cableorganizer.com/metal-braided-sleeving/

I made some Power Cords and used this shielding with great results.
It does add to the cost but I think it is worth it.

Is anyone using this projector as a computer display?

My wife owns a photography studio and is looking for a nice projector to use when she shows her clients their photos during the proof session. The theory is, that if the images are nice, big and clear, the client will spend more money!!

Anywhoo, this would be connected to a new Mac Pro or PowerMac G5 and would primarily be used to display satic images of hi-res jpegs. The projected size will probably be around 80-100 inches. Is this a suitable projector for such an application? Would a DLP be better? Is 1280x720 enough resolution? Thanks.

I am using the VGA output b/c the HDMI is being used by the DVD. I have an ATI9800 pro and the new driver helps to fine tune for the 16:9 output and at 720p. There is only a slight cutoff on the bottom but perfect otherwise. I sometime watch movies off of the computer as well. No problem.

Hey All,

Probably a stupid question, but.....

I have this old breakout cable that I used with my BenQ 6100--vga to component. My regular component cables just capped out on me. Can I use this breakout cable to the panny's VGA with no problems?

Thanks.

Hey All,

Probably a stupid question, but.....

I have this old breakout cable that I used with my BenQ 6100--vga to component. My regular component cables just capped out on me. Can I use this breakout cable to the panny's VGA with no problems?

Thanks.


Try it and see...

Is anyone using this projector as a computer display?

My wife owns a photography studio and is looking for a nice projector to use when she shows her clients their photos during the proof session. The theory is, that if the images are nice, big and clear, the client will spend more money!! I use my 700 for viewing my still work quite often so a pj can work quite well this way and can have a strong impact.

Anywhoo, this would be connected to a new Mac Pro or PowerMac G5 and would primarily be used to display satic images of hi-res jpegs. The projected size will probably be around 80-100 inches. Is this a suitable projector for such an application? Would a DLP be better? Is 1280x720 enough resolution? Thanks.

Regardless of what you feed it, a fixed panel device will always scale to its native resolution, so you can never have enough. Larger screens will also show flaws more readily. ;)

A single chip DLP is likely to provide more apparent "sharpness" than the 900. With three chip devices there can be misconvergence between the panels which can soften the image somewhat. DLP by nature appears "sharper" than LCD anyway - a parameter called Modulation Transfer Function.

I would also question the aspect ratio - stills are closer to the 4:3 aspect ratio than the 16:9 that a 1280 x 720 provides - so unless you have intentions for using it as an HT unit, there will always be wasted pixels.

Since the 900 is an HT design it might not provide the brightness that the situation you describe warrants as light control is a major part of the PQ equation.

I've a 700 which is similar to the 900, but if I were you I would be looking at a 4:3 ratio DLP based presentation unit which could be calibrated for reasonable colour balance. It should provide the brightness, aspect ratio, deep blacks and good ANSI Contrast that your application will require. HT designs have different expectations and hence different emphasis.

ted

Try it and see...

Thanks for that! Helpful.

I was actually hoping to get some info before setup as I do not like to pull and replace cords while the PJ is on as I have had bad experiences with that in the past.

For anyone with the same question, I did end up using the breakout cables last night. They work, but do not transmit a true component HD signal like regular component cables--or like the same cable did with my old BenQ.

Hope this helps. Cheers.

Update: Called Panasonic and they said ours is prossed without issue, the check is ready to go but they are awaiting the Blockbuster cards. They hope to have it out in 10-14 days.

Thats exactly what I've just been told - mailed mine in on 6/13.

Any ideas?? Help, please!

I finally got a AE900U, after reading all about it.

I ceiling mounted it, and hooked it up to the digital cable box. I used an HDMI cable - at first, when setting to HDMI, the picture went out every few seconds, and came right back. After a few minutes, and unplugging and re-plugging the cable, it slowed down to going out about once every 45 seconds.

I plugged in a component cable - it works fine. Picture is rock steady.

Anyone familiar with something like this? Suggestions on what to do? How to troubleshoot? I don't have any other HDMI capable devices yet to try...

Thanks in advance,

Cary

It says in the ae900 manual that some devices have problems with hdmi and the ae900.The first time i tried using the Tosh hd-dvd with hdmi and my ae900 it did not work.I tried it the next day and it has work ever since.With a cable box component will work just fine.BUDDA

So should I bother with HDMI at all? I need to run cables in the ceiling - I was planning on 1 HDMI and either 1 or 2 component. What do you think.

By the way, the cable box is HD, if that matters...

Thanks!

Cary

Why don't you get a new HDMI cable from Monoprice.com. They have real nice CHEAP A$$ HDMI cables! It sounds like you have a defective cable. It's not a very robust connection. I have no problem with my Monoprice cable!

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&style=

I got the cheapest six-footer, 2412, for under $7! It works great, has gold connectors, is really heavy duty! It's unbeleivable what they sell for in stores when you can get them so cheap!

So should I bother with HDMI at all? I need to run cables in the ceiling - I was planning on 1 HDMI and either 1 or 2 component. What do you think.

By the way, the cable box is HD, if that matters...

Thanks!

Cary

Yes i would run a HDMI for future use with HD-DVD;The cable box with HD can use component cables and it wil lwork fine,BUDDA

So should I bother with HDMI at all? I need to run cables in the ceiling - I was planning on 1 HDMI and either 1 or 2 component. What do you think.

By the way, the cable box is HD, if that matters...

Thanks!

Cary

How long is your HDMI cable?

It's a 5 meter (16.5') cable from MicroCenter. I was planning on buying 35' cables from monoprice to run through the ceiling.

Cary

Has anyone tried using the blockbuster card at more than one store? The card says you can't, but it also says you can only rent one movie at a time, and I have rented three at a time twice!

Hey Guy's,
Im looking into getting the AE900U....I see it on the web for $1,283.00.
Dose anyone know of a better deal...anywhere else?

Thanks
Jim Maloney

That sounds like a good deal. I paid more, even with the $400 rebate. I haven't checked recent prices, though.

Chilli - can you post or pm the link? ;)

OK, I think that the cable box was causing the flicker - I bought a new DVD player, hooked it up via HDMI, and the picture is steady.

The picture is much smaller than the cable picture was. Any ideas why?

Thanks for answering such basic questions!

Cary

Hey Guy's this is it.

http://www.prestigecamera.com/product.asp?id=psptae900e&l=Nextag

Be careful with this seller:

http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1995.html

OK, I think that the cable box was causing the flicker - I bought a new DVD player, hooked it up via HDMI, and the picture is steady.

The picture is much smaller than the cable picture was. Any ideas why?

Thanks for answering such basic questions!

Cary
Can you be more specific about "smaller" - is it smaller in height and width, or only one direction?

PrestigeCamera calls it the ae900E, not the ae900U. What's the difference? Is it PAL? I see it advertised in the UK! Watch out!

http://www.bizrate.com/projectors/pid396862717/information.html

Wow...good info to know

sweet

Have you got a HDMI-HDMI cable of 50' or more? any problems??

50' 24 guage HDMI from Monoprice here with no problems.

PrestigeCamera calls it the ae900E, not the ae900U. What's the difference? Is it PAL? I see it advertised in the UK! Watch out!

http://www.bizrate.com/projectors/pid396862717/information.html

900E=European version
900U=USA version

Peace and blessings,

Azeke

euro version runs on 220 volts ?

Quick question.... Which Oppo should one get with this projector? The 971 or 970? Anyone done a comparison on this projector?

euro version runs on 220 volts ?
So the European version won't run on 110V? Sounds like some people buying these units are going to be really pissed!

Who has used the Chief RPAUS mount to mount their Panny? I don't see how you can mount without cutting some of the mounting arms. Any pictures and/or advice appreciated.

Cheers,
Mark

I posted this also in the panny "tweak" thread:

I am new to this forum and recently (last week) took delivery of the 900U, ceiling mount and Elite fixed screen from the projectionguys. I set it up and I am having a problem with a "blurry" image. It seems that the projector loses and then regains focus. This happens almost instantly and constantly. Watching a DVD will quickly give you a headache. I have checked my connections (I am using a radioshack gold series 12 ft component cable) I have a Sony DVP-S7700 DVD player. I have the same issue with the picture from the HD cable-box source.
There is no question that the colors are spectacular, the picture is spectacular, but the "focus" issue... ????
The top of screen is 1 ft from the ceiling. It is a 106" diagonal screen.
Seating distance (front row) is 14'-6"
Projector is ceiling mounted and 17'-6" from screen. Projector location is only 1/4" off of horizontal centerline of screen.

Any suggestions or comments?

Thanks for your help.

(Tom in Alaska)

Have you got a HDMI-HDMI cable of 50' or more? any problems??

Blue Jeans Cable -- a forum sponser, has really good, clear pages about the different cables they sell. I don't have one of these beasties yet, but I was looking into the same question and found this on their site here:

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/dvi/index.htm

The toughest in-use test an HDMI cable can pass is to deliver signals reliably over distance; our Blue Jeans Cable Series-2 HDMI cables have proven reliable out to at least 50 feet, while many others fail at shorter distances, and are suited for 1080p video in lengths as great as 30 feet.

This seems to imply that you may run into problems when you try and go blu-ray or something else 1080p in the future... but perhaps more $$$ cable can do it? :confused:

Just a thought

Update: Called Panasonic and they said ours is prossed without issue, the check is ready to go but they are awaiting the Blockbuster cards. They hope to have it out in 10-14 days.

Thats exactly what I've just been told - mailed mine in on 6/13.



Welp, doesn't look like this is going to happen in the timeline mentioned. Got some mail over the weekend from Panasonic's rebate center that basically said due to the high volume of claims and the lack of BB cards, that it could be an additional 4-6 weeks before we see anything.

Man, it has been 12 weeks for us this week so far.... was hoping to the money woudl be here...I wanted to use it for something else ;)

Who has used the Chief RPAUS mount to mount their Panny? I don't see how you can mount without cutting some of the mounting arms. Any pictures and/or advice appreciated.

Cheers,
Mark

It was quite a puzzle. I'll be happy to take a pic of my solution, if you haven't figured it out yet.

I finally got ahold of tech support (800)524-1448, option #1 and they authorized replacement of the unit. I bought it from "The Projection Guys". When I first discussed the issue with them they gave me panny phone numbers but they do not have a policy for replacing bad units. According to them they have never had a bad AE-900U. Panasonic tech support said they would authorize the replacement.
We'll see what happens.

Just a quick? Is there a replacement coming out for the 900u? If there is does anyone know when? Also the rebate ends in couple days, can we see new rebate even better or the same? Thanks for the help.

Just a quick? Is there a replacement coming out for the 900u? If there is does anyone know when? Also the rebate ends in couple days, can we see new rebate even better or the same? Thanks for the help.
wondering the same thing about the rebate. I know there is replacement for ae900u comming soon but date is unknown. Sanyo plv-z5 is already announced but i forgot the date.

This is a MAJOR NEWB question for the owners of Panny900/PJ's. I am going to post here and in the tweak section for help.

I just put up my Panny 900 and it seems to work pretty decent. I put in a couple of movies (in an older DVD player) and have started to tweak. I am new to this whole "big screeen" thing and was wondering why my movies do not fill the screen (48x85). This older DVD player does not seem to have a 16:9 setting.

Maybe I just need to read up a bit more, but it seems that when I play a dvd that is "normal" it actually fills the screen better than the "widescreen" dvds I have which play a narrow band in the middle of the screen. I kinda expected the opposite. This with the panny in 16:9 mode. Either way, the screen is only completley filled when the disc menu is showing.

Maybe this older dvd player is limiting the view by not having 16:9 on it? I will be able to hook it up to a newer player that does have this setting in a few days, but I just wanted to post this question.

Thanks for your help.

This is a MAJOR NEWB question for the owners of Panny900/PJ's. I am going to post here and in the tweak section for help.

I just put up my Panny 900 and it seems to work pretty decent. I put in a couple of movies (in an older DVD player) and have started to tweak. I am new to this whole "big screeen" thing and was wondering why my movies do not fill the screen (48x85). This older DVD player does not seem to have a 16:9 setting.

Maybe I just need to read up a bit more, but it seems that when I play a dvd that is "normal" it actually fills the screen better than the "widescreen" dvds I have which play a narrow band in the middle of the screen. I kinda expected the opposite. This with the panny in 16:9 mode. Either way, the screen is only completley filled when the disc menu is showing.

Maybe this older dvd player is limiting the view by not having 16:9 on it? I will be able to hook it up to a newer player that does have this setting in a few days, but I just wanted to post this question.

Thanks for your help.
Are you talking about widescreen DVDs having a black bar at the top and bottom? The majority of widescreen DVDs (something like 75%?) are 2.35:1 ratio (even wider than 16:9). Unless you have a 2.35:1 screen and an anamorphic lens, that's just the way it is.

Are you talking about widescreen DVDs having a black bar at the top and bottom? The majority of widescreen DVDs (something like 75%?) are 2.35:1 ratio (even wider than 16:9). Unless you have a 2.35:1 screen and an anamorphic lens, that's just the way it is.


Well then whats the point of a 16:9 screen? I guess I am a little dense on this ratio deal, but I thought the "widescreen" DVDs would fit the 16:9 perfect. SO How do I go about getting the full 16:9 screen with no bars? (reg or wide screen dvds?) again, I get the FULL 16:9 screen when its in the menu of a dvd (matrix) but it changes in the movie :(

every movie that's 1.78 will have no bars on 16:9 screen. movies in 2.35 always have big bars on top and bottom unless you have ultra wide screen.

Well then whats the point of a 16:9 screen? I guess I am a little dense on this ratio deal, but I thought the "widescreen" DVDs would fit the 16:9 perfect. SO How do I go about getting the full 16:9 screen with no bars? (reg or wide screen dvds?) again, I get the FULL 16:9 screen when its in the menu of a dvd (matrix) but it changes in the movie :(

There is no "perfect screen", but 16:9 is the best alternative. HD programing is broadcasted at 16:9 and many SD shows are also 16:9. Many DVD's display at 16:9 as well. If the DVD is at 2.35:1 you dont want to change that to 16:9 or you do not get true 1:1 pixel mapping. If you want to alleviate the bars than you need to implement a masking system. Personally I don't find the bars to be a big issue at all. If you want pure 2:35 than you need a 2:35 screen and a prismasonic lense.

Well then whats the point of a 16:9 screen? I guess I am a little dense on this ratio deal, but I thought the "widescreen" DVDs would fit the 16:9 perfect. SO How do I go about getting the full 16:9 screen with no bars? (reg or wide screen dvds?) again, I get the FULL 16:9 screen when its in the menu of a dvd (matrix) but it changes in the movie :(


Some background:
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/anamorphic/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widescreen
http://www.widescreen.org/widescreen.shtml
http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/index.htm

A good place to ask questions if curious:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=117

ted

I got mine on e- bay from mountdirect. They are only $29 and come in black or white. Sure there are better ones out there, but for the money I think it works quite well. You can find it under universal projector mounts. My PJ does move a bit from side to side if I am adjusting the focus or zoom, but once it's set you don't have to touch it anymore so it's not an issue. For a better one you have to spend around $100. I did not have a truss over the ceiling where I mounted it but I used 4 50 lb. drywall anchors so it is very secure.

From Mountdirect: The new model, which was selling start from July, 2005, will not move anyhow, and be solid as rock.
thanks for your recommendation.

From Mountdirect: The new model, which was selling start from July, 2005, will not move anyhow, and be solid as rock.
thanks for your recommendation.

Cool...will you ship me one than as a replacement for my wiggly one ;) ???

Called the rebate center yesterday about the ae900.They said they had cut my check and were waiting on the blockbuster cards.They said should have them in 10 days or so,I said just send my check.But they said they could not without the cards,So should be soon now.BUDDA

It was quite a puzzle. I'll be happy to take a pic of my solution, if you haven't figured it out yet.

Thanks - I figured it out inthe end......had to fully extend the feet which dropped the unit lower from ceiling than I wanted but no big deal.

Cheers,
mark

Cool...will you ship me one than as a replacement for my wiggly one ;) ???
Yeah, I'd be glad to do so, if you contact me with your original order info.
But I would hope that you could pay the shipping of $9.99 for the new one.

I have read the first 20 pages and the last 10 pages of this thread, and I wish I had more time to read it all, but i don't, so my question is...

If you were putting together a new home theatre right now with:

1. zero ambient light
2. 100" SandmanX 16:9 acoustic-transparent screen

Is this *the* projector to get in the ~ $1500 price range? I am more than happy with 720p capability right now. I was just a little concerned about possible early lamp dimming/failure (people were worrying about it in first 20 pages of thread), cleaning issues with the optics, etc. I will be feeding it component and HDMI.

Is there an equivalent DLP projector someone might recommend over the 900U in this price range?

Thanks!

I have read the first 20 pages and the last 10 pages of this thread, and I wish I had more time to read it all, but i don't, so my question is...

If you were putting together a new home theatre right now with:

1. zero ambient light
2. 100" SandmanX 16:9 acoustic-transparent screen

Is this *the* projector to get in the ~ $1500 price range? I am more than happy with 720p capability right now. I was just a little concerned about possible early lamp dimming/failure (people were worrying about it in first 20 pages of thread), cleaning issues with the optics, etc. I will be feeding it component and HDMI.

Is there an equivalent DLP projector someone might recommend over the 900U in this price range?

Thanks!

It is for me. I have ZERO ambient light in my room, and a 110" screen and the bad boy is AWESOME! I am only doing component at the moment (no HD stuff in the HT -- yet), but this is a great quilty pic projector. VERY HAPPY with it. And it is super quite, my seating is directly under it and I cannot hear it at all.

I have read the first 20 pages and the last 10 pages of this thread, and I wish I had more time to read it all, but i don't, so my question is...

If you were putting together a new home theatre right now with:

1. zero ambient light
2. 100" SandmanX 16:9 acoustic-transparent screen

Is this *the* projector to get in the ~ $1500 price range? I am more than happy with 720p capability right now. I was just a little concerned about possible early lamp dimming/failure (people were worrying about it in first 20 pages of thread), cleaning issues with the optics, etc. I will be feeding it component and HDMI.

Is there an equivalent DLP projector someone might recommend over the 900U in this price range?

Thanks!

I don't think there is such a thing as "the" projector for everyone. However if you want to stay at $1500, than that basically only leaves you the Panny after the rebate and the Sanyo Z4. The <$2000 DLP's are closer to $1800-$2000. I have the Panny as well and love it!! I have a 118" screen and the picture is still plenty bright after a lot of use even with some ambient light. The bulb may have dimmed a bit, but it has not been an issue that I have noticed. Look on the bright side, it will help your black level :) You can't go wrong with this PJ at this price.

WOW! what service!!!

great job keeping people happy! (mountdirect)

Is there such a thing as ideal size screen for this unit. I'm thinking 110"diag. Is this going to work?

Hey,

My ae-900 has clocked about 130 hours and yesterday I suddenly saw a red'ish or purple colouring on the upperright area of the screen.
I am using the lens shift to the max, don't know if that could pose a problem.

I only see the problem when the projector displays an entirely white image. So the miscolouring is quite faint, but definitely visible on an all-white test image.

I was wondering if this is a hardware problem, or the unit just needs som cleaning?

best regards
Mads

Hey,

My ae-900 has clocked about 130 hours and yesterday I suddenly saw a red'ish or purple colouring on the upperright area of the screen.
I am using the lens shift to the max, don't know if that could pose a problem.

I only see the problem when the projector displays an entirely white image. So the miscolouring is quite faint, but definitely visible on an all-white test image.

I was wondering if this is a hardware problem, or the unit just needs som cleaning?

best regards
Mads

Sounds like a bust blob. Do a search in this thread for "dust blob" and you should fine cleaning steps listed.

Is there such a thing as ideal size screen for this unit. I'm thinking 110"diag. Is this going to work?
there is but different for every individual. It all depends of distance in this case.
And BTW greetings for Polish guy - nie jestes sam:)

there is but different for every individual. It all depends of distance in this case.
And BTW greetings for Polish guy - nie jestes sam:)

The room is light control. It is 19x14, the first row is about 12' and second row is about 18' away. I can mount the projector on the ceiling or on the back wall. So will I be OK with this size screen?

Ps:
Death where are you from?
Dzieki. :D

Just ordered my Panny AE900U :) Upgrading from an Infocus X3 so I think I will see a nice difference.

One question, can anyone provide me with a link or take pictures of the bottom of the AE900? I want to see how the mounting holes line up, I havent been able to find anything searching on the net. Thanks!

The room is light control. It is 19x14, the first row is about 12' and second row is about 18' away. I can mount the projector on the ceiling or on the back wall. So will I be OK with this size screen?

Ps:
Death where are you from?
Dzieki. :D

with 12' to first row I wouldn't take anything bigger than 120 diagonal screen. even though ae900u is really good with short distances I don't like to sit to close to the screen. Panny is very flexible so I'm sure you will adjust it the way you want it with no problems.

PS. I'm in CA, Sacramento but I was born in Poland, Sosnowiec (blisko katowic)

Hope that helps

hoogs, here you go:
http://stashbox.org/uploads/1156975042/ae900u_bottom.jpg

with 12' to first row I wouldn't take anything bigger than 120 diagonal screen. even though ae900u is really good with short distances I don't like to sit to close to the screen. Panny is very flexible so I'm sure you will adjust it the way you want it with no problems.

PS. I'm in CA, Sacramento but I was born in Poland, Sosnowiec (blisko katowic)

Hope that helps


So 110" should be good or should I go smaller?

yeah, everything between 90-120' will be good in your setup

So 110" should be good or should I go smaller?

Just fire that puppy up on your wall and get an good idea of what you like before you buy or build your screen. I was surprised I actually wanted a slightly smaller image when I did mine according to my seating position. Ended changing my mind from 131" diag to 118". It's still huge!!!

I sent in my rebate on July 5, 2006 and Panasonic told me today they are out of Blockbuster cards .....again....Anyone else have any idea on how soon they will send out the next batch of delayed rebates?

Thanks,

Patrick

I sent in my rebate on July 5, 2006 and Panasonic told me today they are out of Blockbuster cards .....again....Anyone else have any idea on how soon they will send out the next batch of delayed rebates?

Thanks,

Patrick

I am in the same boat (only I have been waiting since the first week of JUNE!)

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8301879&&#post8301879

How long did your guys' orders take to ship from Costco.com? Its been 2 days for me and it still shows processing......

Oh and thanks Xavarri for that pic :)

I sent in my rebate on July 5, 2006 and Panasonic told me today they are out of Blockbuster cards .....again....Anyone else have any idea on how soon they will send out the next batch of delayed rebates?

Thanks,

Patrick

I called and they said about 10days for the next batch.Hopefully soon.This rebate game is quite sad IMHO.If i do not get mind soon i will never deal with panasonic again.I will never buy samsung products either do to them not giving me my rebate on a monitor last year.They came up with some crap that i did wrong which was total ********.Time will tell BUDDA

Over the past few years, I've bought several Panasonic products (digi cam, cam corder, convection oven) and they've always paid. I'll admit none of them was $400, but I'd trust them.

I called and they said about 10days for the next batch.Hopefully soon.This rebate game is quite sad IMHO.If i do not get mind soon i will never deal with panasonic again.I will never buy samsung products either do to them not giving me my rebate on a monitor last year.They came up with some crap that i did wrong which was total ********.Time will tell BUDDA

This is quite a bit disconcerting to someone who is just about to pull the trigger, and the WAF on this one is quite tenuous and dependent on a quick and tidy rebate situation. :confused:

One that will stretch a 4:3 image over a 16:9 screen?? The Panny algorithm is pretty good.

I've got a 900 on order, but forgot to research that small point. :confused:

Tweak48, yes. But why?

Sorry about this repost, but I don't seem to be getting much feedback on the other one.

I just bought a AE900 to replace my Infocus 4800. The 4800 is ceiling mounted with 2 cable run to it behind drywall - an s-video and a component to VGA. When my AE900 arrived I set it on a table and hooked it to a component to VGA cable and tried my xbox 360 and my LG LST 3510a on it. The picture was extremely crisp but it was very GREEN. I thought "OH, it's a bad cable" so I got a step ladder and connected the AE900 to the existing component to VGA cable in the ceiling that works perfectly with the 4800. Again the picture is crisp but GREEN. BTW, the s-video cable works fine.

I'm trying to figure out what to do? Is there a way to trouble shoot this? I don't have any more component to VGA cables laying around. I'm of the opinion that if I were to go buy another cable, I would get the same result. In any case, it doesn'y solve my problem with the existing cable buried in the ceiling.

Any suggestions or ideas?

I just bought a brand new Mits HC3000U that arrived Friday, the picture is great but I bought it sight unseen and unfortunately I’ve found that I am very sensitive to rainbow effect. I want to exchange it for the AE900, but there is a 20% restocking fee for the one I just bought. I am thinking about maybe trading someone for a Pany AE900 instead of taking the 20% hit. If I do this I would want to exchange for a unit that has less than 400 hours on the chassis, so my question is:

Is there any fixed time clock on the AE900 that tells you how many hours are on the projector chassis (not the lamp). I am looking for a timer that can not be reset by the user, so someone can’t reset the lamp hour, run it for 24 hours straight and say the projector is “brand new” with only 24 hours on it.

Thanks,
Daniel

Anyone have some settings to make the clolour on Cinema3 look closer to the colour of Cinema2?

Thanks in advance :rolleyes:

My 900 came from Hong Kong, how come I dont seem to have a Cinema Reality function that shows up on the menu? The Flicker function is also missing?

Thanks in advance :rolleyes:

Tweak48, yes. But why?


The vast majority of programming in this country is (unfortunately) still 4:3.

I always ran material like that on my plasmas in justified mode to avoid burn in, and it's pretty good; I've gotton used to it.

My 900 came from Hong Kong, how come I dont seem to have a Cinema Reality function that shows up on the menu? The Flicker function is also missing?

Thanks in advance :rolleyes:

Just cheaked again and see that Cinema Reality is grayed out! Is that because I use HDMI? and if so why?
Does it only appear if you use Component and if so why? :rolleyes:

Wondering if anyone else has run into this. I bought my Panny AE900U about 2.5 months ago while I was constructing my HT. Construction took longer than I thought and I just got it up today. Unfortunately, I am getting a pink blob down at the bottom toward the left. I have moved the image and it is definitely the projector, not the screen. I searched this thread and saw a post similar where it was thought to be a dust blob. However, that guy had 130 hours. Mine was just put up. Granted, the box was open during the 2.5 moss. but was disturbed very little. Any ideas?? Thanks!!!

Wondering if anyone else has run into this. I bought my Panny AE900U about 2.5 months ago while I was constructing my HT. Construction took longer than I thought and I just got it up today. Unfortunately, I am getting a pink blob down at the bottom toward the left. I have moved the image and it is definitely the projector, not the screen. I searched this thread and saw a post similar where it was thought to be a dust blob. However, that guy had 130 hours. Mine was just put up. Granted, the box was open during the 2.5 moss. but was disturbed very little. Any ideas?? Thanks!!!

Sounds like dust. I had the same thing from day one. It only shows up on a solid red or pink screen and only rarely is noticeable with regular viewing. I tried opening the cover and using canned air to blow it out of the lcd panels but it didn't work. I've chosen to ignore it for now.

Just cheaked again and see that Cinema Reality is grayed out! Is that because I use HDMI? and if so why?
Does it only appear if you use Component and if so why? :rolleyes:

Cinema Reality is only an option if you're sending the Panny an interlaced signal (1080i). If you're sending the Panny a progressive signal, 720p 480p, you don't need it.

Elio

Cinema Reality is only an option if you're sending the Panny an interlaced signal (1080i). If you're sending the Panny a progressive signal, 720p 480p, you don't need it.

Elio
So does that mean if you have your player set to progressive the 900 automatically is doing its 3.2 film pulldown?

I took the plunge and purchased a Panny! Any suggestions on mounts and where to purchase from? I need to make sure that the mount fits perfectly, so am looking for some of you experts that have this, and can suggest a cost efficient ceiling mount for it.

I have run a search, and read over 40 pages of comments, but nothing on mount!

Thanks,
RMACCAN

I took the plunge and purchased a Panny! Any suggestions on mounts and where to purchase from? I need to make sure that the mount fits perfectly, so am looking for some of you experts that have this, and can suggest a cost efficient ceiling mount for it.

I have run a search, and read over 40 pages of comments, but nothing on mount!

Thanks,
RMACCAN

I just put mine up the other day. I used mountidirect.com. It was 1/3 the cost of some of the name brands and seems very solid and high quality.

I took the plunge and purchased a Panny! Any suggestions on mounts and where to purchase from? I need to make sure that the mount fits perfectly, so am looking for some of you experts that have this, and can suggest a cost efficient ceiling mount for it.

I have run a search, and read over 40 pages of comments, but nothing on mount!

Thanks,
RMACCAN

Go on Ebay, there are plenty of AE900 mounts and also universal mounts for real cheap.
I have bought many projector and plasma mounts on Ebay and have always been very happy. (just as long as you buy from a seller with good ratings).

Davyo

I got an OMNIMOUNT PMD-1 for about $70 + shipping via eBay. The mount is pretty nice. There is a latice work mesh that basically gives you an large number of mounting options via washers. There are three simple screws that allow you to make small adjustments in the plane of the projector.

Ah, I see that TigerDirect has it now (for a bit cheaper than I paid too!). A nice set of pictures of what the kit contains.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2274882&Tab=1&NoMapp=0

Go on Ebay, there are plenty of AE900 mounts and also universal mounts for real cheap.
I have bought many projector and plasma mounts on Ebay and have always been very happy. (just as long as you buy from a seller with good ratings).

Davyo


On the subject of ebay - and let me preface this by saying this is NOT an offer for sale (wouldn't be selling now either way) and I'm not trying to skirt the price rules so if the answer to this question violates them please don't answer - SO - I am considering upgrading from my 900 to the new 1080p pjs (ae1000) particularly if they come in substantially brighter which seems to be the report. I was shocked to see that there was only ONE ae900 for sale used on all of ebay, and it is for local pickup only so the price is not useful for comparison. What is the going price for a year old ae900 with 1500 lamp hours? It's important as the only way I can get wife permission for an upgrade is if I can get a decent percentage of my cost out of the 900. I know the discounts have been substantial, but having bought from an AVS vendor my initial price wasn't bad - Any advice?

I'd guess from $900-$1100 depending upon hours on the lamp.
There are some AE900U's for sale here on the AVS Forum at AVS Club Special Forums > For Sale Marketplace > Display Devices For Sale
For example:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=715341

On the subject of ebay - and let me preface this by saying this is NOT an offer for sale (wouldn't be selling now either way) and I'm not trying to skirt the price rules so if the answer to this question violates them please don't answer - SO - I am considering upgrading from my 900 to the new 1080p pjs (ae1000) particularly if they come in substantially brighter which seems to be the report. I was shocked to see that there was only ONE ae900 for sale used on all of ebay, and it is for local pickup only so the price is not useful for comparison. What is the going price for a year old ae900 with 1500 lamp hours? It's important as the only way I can get wife permission for an upgrade is if I can get a decent percentage of my cost out of the 900. I know the discounts have been substantial, but having bought from an AVS vendor my initial price wasn't bad - Any advice?


As you probably know, one can buy a new 900 for about $1350 and get the blockbuster deal which to me is worth nothing since I do not do DVD"s. So, setting a price for a used one with 1500 hours would put it somewhere around $900 bucks or lower.

With falling prices it probably makes more sense to keep the old one for a backup. Probably not what your wife would want to hear.

Look at the AVS classified. There are usually some 900's on sale.

Its been 7 days now and Costco.com still hasnt shipped my projector :( I hate waiting and not having an answer as to why there is a delay. Of course when I call they are like "yeah it should ship today or tomorrow blah blah" but everyday goes by and no shipping :(

I have 100 hours on my machine (9 months old) and at about 96 hours we were on hour or so into a movie and boomba, power failure, I kind scrambled to wave some air at the machine to cool it but... Well since then I have had trouble, turn unit on and the green light flashes than the lamp light flashes red, sometimes leave it for a bit and pj comes on other times I turn main power off and turn unit back on it workss, other times it works normall right off the bat. I guess I will have to send it in for repair, wondered if that had happen to anyone else with their AE900

Its been 7 days now and Costco.com still hasnt shipped my projector :( I hate waiting and not having an answer as to why there is a delay. Of course when I call they are like "yeah it should ship today or tomorrow blah blah" but everyday goes by and no shipping :(

Why would you order from costco if there are better deals out there?

Could any of the experts around here tell me if I have a convergence problem with my 900U. I have attached an image of a DVE cross pattern from my PJ taken about a foot away from my Graywolf screen. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
900U image of DVE screenshot (http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/users/44ff341bzf7d3412e/arjun_m28/__sr_/57f9scd.jpg?pfyH1_EBCTiCXOMw)

Why would you order from costco if there are better deals out there?

The best reason to order from Costco online is that they have a no questions asked return policy and you can return electronics (except computers) at any time... Sick of it in 3 years? Take it back. Wicked cool if you asked me.

E

Aloha,

i have only limited space for a screen..... will the image from an AE900 set at 15 feet from the screen fit into a 73" diagonal size?

Mahalo

i have only limited space for a screen..... will the image from an AE900 set at 15 feet from the screen fit into a 73" diagonal size?


Close but not quite. If you go to :
Projector calculator (http://www.projectorcentral.com/Panasonic_Home-PT-AE900U-projection-calculator-pro.htm)

You can see for yourself.
At 15 feet the minimum is 75"... I find these calculators are close... but not exact. It might fit, or it might be a few more inches off.

One quick question. My bulb is at 125 hours now and I have done zero maintenance on this projector. Is there anything I should do at this point - and if so, what?

You're supposed to clean the air filter (per the OM instructions) every 100 hours.

ok... just a quick note to thank everyone for their input in the last few weeks. I just recieved my pany ae900u today just in time for saturday college football. I went from a EDTV samsung plasma (42") to my new projector. BEST FRICKIN' IDEA EVER!!!! I'm loving it on my first day! Can't wait for sunday night football!!!! Thanks everyone for helping me out with my projector questions.

-Jeremy

Aloha,

i have only limited space for a screen..... will the image from an AE900 set at 15 feet from the screen fit into a 73" diagonal size?

MahaloWhy so small? A 92" diagonal screen is only 80" wide, and would be much better. I am using a 106" screen and sit 11.5' from the screen, it's just great! My old screen was 80" wide and was pretty good, but the 106" is much better.

One quick question. My bulb is at 125 hours now and I have done zero maintenance on this projector. Is there anything I should do at this point - and if so, what?cpcat told you that you should be cleaning the air filter every 100 hours, per the manual. He's right, but I recommend less than that, like every 40 hours or once per week (depends on how much you use it). The important thing is to establish a regular cleaning schedule that you can remember and easily follow. The PJ will attract dust, even in relatively clean rooms. It's very important to clean the air filters regularly, otherwise you will be spending a lot of money on burned out lamps (and can overheat the electronics inside the AE900 too - which can cause early failure of the polarizers).

jniskala -- Enjoy :D!

Why so small? A 92" diagonal screen is only 80" wide, and would be much better. I am using a 106" screen and sit 11.5' from the screen, it's just great! My old screen was 80" wide and was pretty good, but the 106" is much better.

I hope my Home Theater Installer is correct, he recommended a 130" 16X9 Matte White Screen from Da Lite. My Panny is ceiling mounted at 8 feet 4 inches. The bottom of my 130" screen will be 36 inches from the floor. Seating distance from screen is 12 feet, seating eye level is 48 inches.

I just finished my first weekend with this unit. No screen yet. The image is being projected onto a run-of-the-mill off-white wall. How much improvement in PQ will a screen produce? I am considering just using the wall as the "screen" due to not knowing how much a real screen would improve video quality.

Overall, everything looks washed out, even after AVIA adjustments. Not enough color or vibrance on DVDs; just a dull-looking picture. Is this because of the lack of a screen? Or is my Sony DVP-CX995 showing its weakness on 110-inch picture?

Also, during DVD transitions (when disc loading) using HDMI with the Sony, the image will flash purple for a quick moment. Has anyone else experienced this purple flickering? It is annoying. The Sony never did that on my Mits 55807 HD, and nothing similar happens anywhere else with the Panny. Confused.

Robert_Lopez,
Gotta say it is kinda funny that you are making judgements about picture quality on an off-white wall, which we can probably assume has some texture and is at least a semi-gloss paint. A decent screen will be a night-and-day difference.

Robert_Lopez,
Gotta say it is kinda funny that you are making judgements about picture quality on an off-white wall, which we can probably assume has some texture and is at least a semi-gloss paint. A decent screen will be a night-and-day difference.

Yes a Real screen makes a huge difference.Get a Carada BW and your pic will come alive.Also if one does not get a good screen to me he has no buisness getting a FP.BUDDA

I have had my Panny Ae900U for about a month and love it. Should I be concerned with doing any preventive maintenance (PM) or cleaning to ensure it stays as just as good?

Johnny J,
The manual says to vacuum the air filter every 100 hours. I do it every 50 for good measure.

Yes a Real screen makes a huge difference.Get a Carada BW and your pic will come alive.Also if one does not get a good screen to me he has no buisness getting a FP.BUDDA

I think some DIY screen fans may take issue with that statement. I did mine from Screen Goo and the picture is great. I would classify that as a good screen though so your statement is still correct. :D

I successfully solved problem with slight flickering of my Panasonic AE900!

Open main menu of projector. Place cursor on last item ("Adv. options") and hold Enter key during 5 seconds. Now select "Flickering" item and adjust every color (blue/green/red) while flickering will not be fully removed.

And problem solved now! I think every projector flickers and it better to manually set invididual parameters for your projector.

I think some DIY screen fans may take issue with that statement. I did mine from Screen Goo and the picture is great. I would classify that as a good screen though so your statement is still correct. :D

IMHO having a FP is like having a good Amp or reciever.No matter how good the amp is it will not sound it's best unless you have good speakers to pair with it.And like speakers and amps'Certain ones sound better with each other.The screen is your visual speaker.BUDDA

Yes a Real screen makes a huge difference.Get a Carada BW and your pic will come alive.Also if one does not get a good screen to me he has no buisness getting a FP.BUDDA

Well, I've never had a DIY to compare with, but I'll second Budda-guy's recommendation for a Carada BW. An AE900 with a Carada BW is like good pizza with good beer. Can't beat that combo. :)

Well, I've never had a DIY to compare with, but I'll second Budda-guy's recommendation for a Carada BW. An AE900 with a Carada BW is like good pizza with good beer. Can't beat that combo. :)

What have your (and anyone else with the Carada BW) experiences been with black levels? I have a 900, and I received some samples from Carada. My experience with the samples were: 1) the blacks were awesome with the Gray, but the colors were way too muted. 2) colors between the ClassicCinemaWhite and BW were very close, but the blacks were much better on the Classic Cinema White.

Now, I didn't play with my brightness or Contrast levels when I did this comparison, so maybe the Blacks could be made much better on the BW with tweaking, but using my current settings, I thought the blacks were unacceptable.

I still haven't made any decisions on a screen, and I was hoping the Carada BW would work out (due to their reputation and price), but I'm just not sure. One other thing to consider is that the samples are only about 10x12" so it's a bit tough to gauge what the picture will look like on a full screen.

I've been wondering how things would look on a gray with more gain (Da-Lite HCCV), but I haven't gotten a sample from them, yet, and I think I'd be looking at a much more expensive screen.

Anyone know how to spot a refurbished or B product on the AE900U. I just bought one from an authorized dealer in Canada and the serial number starts is SA####### R I thought that Panny productus that had the R were refurbished....am I wrong? The Co. I bought from is supposed to be a reputable seller but I NEED confirmation.

Anything light anyone can shed would help me rest easy!

A Panny salesman told me that refurbed units are stamped with an R that is very obvious. He didn't clarify if it was an Ink Stamp or a Pressing in the case. I think you have a legit unit. Maybe others can help confirm this, but after talking to Panny this is my understanding.

wooowooo

Nate

The serial # of my 900 ends in R and it was brand new for sure.

I have a 17' x 13' x 8'(height) room in my basement which I intend to convert into a HT. I have narrowed down to the Panny 900U and would like some suggestions on the optimum screen size based on your experience of the Panny 900U. Primarily, I would like to know the maximum screen size which delivers optimum picture quality at a viewing distance of 13 feet. I am considering 105" diagonal but have a concern that 13 feet may be too close and will render some noise artifacts or pixels. Thanks. Jim.

Anyone know how to spot a refurbished or B product on the AE900U. I just bought one from an authorized dealer in Canada and the serial number starts is SA####### R I thought that Panny productus that had the R were refurbished....am I wrong? The Co. I bought from is supposed to be a reputable seller but I NEED confirmation.

Anything light anyone can shed would help me rest easy!

You have nothing to worry about, the R at the end of the serial number stands for "Rose Compliance" or something like that... meaning the projector was manufactured using lead free solder. All newer projectors have this.

I have a 17' x 13' x 8'(height) room in my basement which I intend to convert into a HT. I have narrowed down to the Panny 900U and would like some suggestions on the optimum screen size based on your experience of the Panny 900U. Primarily, I would like to know the maximum screen size which delivers optimum picture quality at a viewing distance of 13 feet. I am considering 105" diagonal but have a concern that 13 feet may be too close and will render some noise artifacts or pixels. Thanks. Jim.

I think you will be okay,The panny smooth screen will help with this.Maybe a 100in or 90in would be better.I use a 110in at 14ft.Works great.BUDDA :)

I have a 17' x 13' x 8'(height) room in my basement which I intend to convert into a HT. I have narrowed down to the Panny 900U and would like some suggestions on the optimum screen size based on your experience of the Panny 900U. Primarily, I would like to know the maximum screen size which delivers optimum picture quality at a viewing distance of 13 feet. I am considering 105" diagonal but have a concern that 13 feet may be too close and will render some noise artifacts or pixels. Thanks. Jim.

I think you will be okay,The panny smooth screen will help with this.Maybe a 100in or 90in would be better.I use a 110in at 14ft.Works great.BUDDA :)

I agree. My room is not too far from these dimensions and I do a 110" with nearly those distances. Looks GREAT! I do not use the room for every day use, only movies and some HDTV events.

I think you will be okay,The panny smooth screen will help with this.Maybe a 100in or 90in would be better.I use a 110in at 14ft.Works great.BUDDA :)


I use a 118" screen and sit back about 11' in my first row. I love the big immersive picture I get. The Panny looks great at that distance. Other LCD projectors would suffer at that distance without smooth screen.

I've been reading and waiting so long because of CEDIA, but I still have to ask.

My apologies to those that have seen my post in other threads.

14.5 throw, light controlled room

Mostly HDTV sports (football, baskeball, NASCAR, etc) and shows, DVD movies are mostly the drama, comedy, PIXAR type and not alot of SCIFI, SDTV. DirecTV and Oppo (probably)

When I first started a few months ago, I thought that the AE900 was a slam dunk. Then I started to read forums and got into the DLP. Due to ceiling the only one that works in my budget is the IN76.

RBE does scare me away - maybe not for me but guests and family (my kids are two small to say if they're seeing it)

Also, the AX100 is being introduced at CEDIA.

To those that fit my profile, would you but the AE900 at its street price or shell out the extra dollars for the either IN76 or AX100. There's also the advantage of getting a proven product now instead of waiting for the new AX100.

Will I miss the shadow details/blacks that DLP gives given my profile?

Will the AE900 be bright enough for "dimmed" canned lighting?

Given the great deals on AE900, I could get an extra bulb + extras for the price of the IN76/AX100.

Should I pull the trigger on the AE900 from Costco and try it for a month and then decide?

Thanks for all your patience...

NB

Hi

I needs your help very much!

I have the possibility of the order bulp for Panny AE900, in the price $60 for

the unit.

One problem is however.
I have necessarily to know what there is the voltage of the current on which the

lamp works? Is this the current AC or DC ?

Can someone help and give information what there is the voltage?

Maybe different users of Panny AE900 will be also interested this lamps.

I've been reading and waiting so long because of CEDIA, but I still have to ask.

My apologies to those that have seen my post in other threads.

14.5 throw, light controlled room

Mostly HDTV sports (football, baskeball, NASCAR, etc) and shows, DVD movies are mostly the drama, comedy, PIXAR type and not alot of SCIFI, SDTV. DirecTV and Oppo (probably)

When I first started a few months ago, I thought that the AE900 was a slam dunk. Then I started to read forums and got into the DLP. Due to ceiling the only one that works in my budget is the IN76.

RBE does scare me away - maybe not for me but guests and family (my kids are two small to say if they're seeing it)

Also, the AX100 is being introduced at CEDIA.

To those that fit my profile, would you but the AE900 at its street price or shell out the extra dollars for the either IN76 or AX100. There's also the advantage of getting a proven product now instead of waiting for the new AX100.

Will I miss the shadow details/blacks that DLP gives given my profile?

Will the AE900 be bright enough for "dimmed" canned lighting?

Given the great deals on AE900, I could get an extra bulb + extras for the price of the IN76/AX100.

Should I pull the trigger on the AE900 from Costco and try it for a month and then decide?

Thanks for all your patience...

NB

It depends on how soon you want your PJ. If it were me I would wait to see when the AX100 comes out and if it will street near the cost of the 900u. If DLP RBE scares you as you say than you shouldn't be considering the IN76. I wouldn't be overly concerned with RBE though if you personally can't see it but I do understand your concern for your guests. I had the same concerns and got the 900u. I like it very much, but still think the DLP projectors are superior in PQ. I went with the 900u due to the price and lense shift. The IN76 wasn't out yet and the only other option was the HD72 or Mits 3000u and the offset killed it for me. If you want your PJ now, the 900u is hard to beat for what you get. If you don't need lense shift and can afford the extra $400-$500, the IN76 I feel would be superior. Hey....this is my 500th post. Woohoo!!!

What have your (and anyone else with the Carada BW) experiences been with black levels? I have a 900, and I received some samples from Carada. My experience with the samples were: 1) the blacks were awesome with the Gray, but the colors were way too muted. 2) colors between the ClassicCinemaWhite and BW were very close, but the blacks were much better on the Classic Cinema White.

Now, I didn't play with my brightness or Contrast levels when I did this comparison, so maybe the Blacks could be made much better on the BW with tweaking, but using my current settings, I thought the blacks were unacceptable.

I still haven't made any decisions on a screen, and I was hoping the Carada BW would work out (due to their reputation and price), but I'm just not sure. One other thing to consider is that the samples are only about 10x12" so it's a bit tough to gauge what the picture will look like on a full screen.

I've been wondering how things would look on a gray with more gain (Da-Lite HCCV), but I haven't gotten a sample from them, yet, and I think I'd be looking at a much more expensive screen.

I have a 900 and I upgraded for an Optoma Graywolf to a Carada BW 100" screen. My room is totally light controlled, black ceiling, navy blue walls. The black level is awesome. I really don't like HC screens. I really feel that what you make up for in black level is minimal with what you give up in color accuracy and POP. My 900 has a manufacture date of March 06 and it has a much better black level than the one I exchanged it for that had a September 05 build date. The manufacture dates seem to be pretty relevent for color adjustment and black level. Anywho don't sweat the black level. Impossible to tell from the swatch. It's a really awesome screen and you really will be happy with it. Rex Biddle at Carada has a 900 as well and he'll answer all your questions about pairing it with a BW.

Elio

I just bought a 100" Carada BW for my AE900. Can't wait to get it up in the HT room!

Once the HT room is finished...

Does everybody seem to agree that the Panny rebate will be renewed again? I'm debating whether to jump on the 900 or wait until the 100 comes out. That said, if I can get the 900 for $1350 (after rebate) vs. the 100 for around $2K, I'm going to take the 900 for $1350. A buddy of mine has one and it looks phenomenal!

Any thoughts? What about rebates on the 100? Are people expecting it to end up in the same price range as the post-rebate 900?

Thanks!

Note: I don't move into my new place (which is where I'll have the space for the projector) until Oct 15th, so I'm not in a hurry to buy unless buying now saves me $400-$600........

Does everybody seem to agree that the Panny rebate will be renewed again? I'm debating whether to jump on the 900 or wait until the 100 comes out. That said, if I can get the 900 for $1350 (after rebate) vs. the 100 for around $2K, I'm going to take the 900 for $1350. A buddy of mine has one and it looks phenomenal!

Any thoughts? What about rebates on the 100? Are people expecting it to end up in the same price range as the post-rebate 900?

Thanks!

Note: I don't move into my new place (which is where I'll have the space for the projector) until Oct 15th, so I'm not in a hurry to buy unless buying now saves me $400-$600........


I'm almost sure the rebate is going to stay. I even think that this may become better deal (bigger rebate or no rebate at all,just one low price) then what it is right now. Does anyone agree with me on that?

I'm almost sure the rebate is going to stay. I even think that this may become better deal (bigger rebate or no rebate at all,just one low price) then what it is right now. Does anyone agree with me on that?

I think they have to do better than the rebate as it stands, definitely. Now that Darkchip2 DLP prices have broken the $1000 barrier, prices need to adapt themselves. The Optoma HD70 has changed the game...

g

Help!

I have an MX-850, but I can't find the code for this projector.

I don't need all of the functions - just the power on/off for a Panasonic projector, model AE-900U. I don't see the code listed under "TV".

Thanks.

Just fyi for potential AE900 purchasers. The place with the ultimate free warranty (Costco) has lowered their price on the AE900.

Just fyi for potential AE900 purchasers. The place with the ultimate free warranty (Costco) has lowered their price on the AE900.


Well the prices should start coming down :D .
And that is great deal at costco.

Help!

I have an MX-850, but I can't find the code for this projector.

I don't need all of the functions - just the power on/off for a Panasonic projector, model AE-900U. I don't see the code listed under "TV".

Thanks.

I have the same remote. There is no code for it. You will have to use the learning feature for this. I did it on mine and it is very simple.

This weekend I bought the new DirecTV HR-20 700 High Def DVR. First DVR from DirecTV that will allow you to pick up locals in HD.

Anyway it replaced a HR-10 250 DVR that was working fine via HDMI with my AE900U. But after hooking up the new HR-20 it would only work via component. No video image at all with HDMI.

Took the HR-20 upstairs just now and hooked it up to my 37" Panny plasma and the HDMI works fine with that TV.

Any advice would be appreciated. Fear the only hope might be a software download/upgrade from DirecTV.

hey
I got my panny about two weeks ago. The IQ is really great considering that I'm projecting 120' from only 12,5feet. I got around 80hours on pj already. I'm using DVI-HDMI from my HTPC and gaming is incredible. Most wanted and godfather at the moment. Really stunning.
Do you guys clean filter every 100hours? Lately I noticed the hiss from the pj but I can barely hear it when playing or watching a movie. Is there anything to eliminate the hiss?

Thanks

PS. I'm watching movies from media center and what is great is that even thought I backup lord of the rings extended edition to only one DVD with 5.1 sound and twice compression (nero recode) the quality still seems great! I dodn't know but when I ran it from powerDVD i see the artefacting due to compression but from MCE is looks clean as hell.

Just a thought and recomendation to use MCE in your HTPC

This weekend I bought the new DirecTV HR-20 700 High Def DVR. First DVR from DirecTV that will allow you to pick up locals in HD.

Anyway it replaced a HR-10 250 DVR that was working fine via HDMI with my AE900U. But after hooking up the new HR-20 it would only work via component. No video image at all with HDMI.

Took the HR-20 upstairs just now and hooked it up to my 37" Panny plasma and the HDMI works fine with that TV.

Any advice would be appreciated. Fear the only hope might be a software download/upgrade from DirecTV.

How long is the HDMI cable run? The longer the run, the more important a higher quality cable becomes. I'm using the monoprice 22 guage 50 footer without a problem. Possibly the HDMI output on the HR20 is not quite as robust for whatever reason as that of the HR10.

How long is the HDMI cable run? The longer the run, the more important a higher quality cable becomes. I'm using the monoprice 22 guage 50 footer without a problem. Possibly the HDMI output on the HR20 is not quite as robust for whatever reason as that of the HR10.

It is a 25-foot Monoprice cable. The Panny plasma it works with is a much shorter cable, maybe 6-foot long.

Is there any way you can temporarily move the HR20 closer to the pj and use the shorter cable? This might confirm if it's an issue with the length of the cable run.

You could also try the 25 ft. cable with the plasma just for added info.

Is there any link between having the Dynamic Iris turned on or off effecting Bulb Life? The manual does not make this clear. I'm using the low power bulb setting, but was wondering if having Dynamic Iris set to "on" would make a difference in the bulbs life expectancy.

Is there any way you can temporarily move the HR20 closer to the pj and use the shorter cable? This might confirm if it's an issue with the length of the cable run.

You could also try the 25 ft. cable with the plasma just for added info.

Thanks cpcat for the suggestion. I tested it with a 15-foot and a 3-foot HDMI cable. It did not work with the 15-foot but did with the 3-foot cable. Because of complications with the wall mount with my Panny plasma, I can't really pull out its 6-foot HDMI cable and test it with the pj. But as I typed earlier that plasma and cable does work with the HR20.

I guess the question I have now is there anybody is successfully using the new DTV HR20 with an HDMI cable of 15-feet or longer?

Has anybody programmed a macro with the Panasonic remote that came with this projector?

I have a Denon AV receiver and a Toshiba DVD player, and I was able to program both into the remote. I followed the directions to create a macro, and now I can turn all three devices on/off.

Is there a way to, while using the macro under "User 1", control the volume on the receiver while in User 1 mode? Kind of annoying to keep toggling back and forth between REC and USER 1 just to control the volume.

Thanks.

Thanks cpcat for the suggestion. I tested it with a 15-foot and a 3-foot HDMI cable. It did not work with the 15-foot but did with the 3-foot cable. Because of complications with the wall mount with my Panny plasma, I can't really pull out its 6-foot HDMI cable and test it with the pj. But as I typed earlier that plasma and cable does work with the HR20.

I guess the question I have now is there anybody is successfully using the new DTV HR20 with an HDMI cable of 15-feet or longer?

Don't know. Is there an HR20 thread started yet in the reception hardware part of AVS? Might check there.

In the meantime, is your monoprice 24 guage or 22 guage? There's no guarantee, but the 22 guage should have the best chance of working. You could call Monoprice and explain your situation and I'll bet they will help. There are also HDMI/DVI booster devices available which go in-line for longer runs. Good luck.

Has anybody programmed a macro with the Panasonic remote that came with this projector?

I have a Denon AV receiver and a Toshiba DVD player, and I was able to program both into the remote. I followed the directions to create a macro, and now I can turn all three devices on/off.

Is there a way to, while using the macro under "User 1", control the volume on the receiver while in User 1 mode? Kind of annoying to keep toggling back and forth between REC and USER 1 just to control the volume.

Thanks.

I have had a panny 900 now for about 2 months. I recently noticed 2 light spots on the left side of the screen when it is black. They are about 1 inch around. It says in the manual that dead pixels won't effect picture. I don't think these are dead pixels. Kind of curious if anybody else has seen this. Maybe some kind of contamination in the projector? Thanks Ron

Its Dust on the polerizer filter in the lcd chamber..... I guess???

I'm using this projector with the 25 Ft HDMI to HDMI Cable (24AWG) (Gold Plated) purchased from Oppo with the DV970-HD. This cable is used between my VP30 and the AE900U without any HDMI issues.

So, anyone else have lamp problems with the AE900? I have had mine for 54 days, it arrived at my house 7/28. A few times it has taken longer to startup than normal, presumably it did not get lit up right away and tried again. Last night it would not fire at all, I tried 3 times, kept getting the blinking lamp light. I pulled out the lamp, it looked fine, reinserted it, and it finally fired up.

Has anyone had to reseat the lamp before? Should I try getting it replaced before the 90 day warranty is up? Coming from the Toshiba MT700, I really don't want to get into lamp troubles again.

Incidentally, for anyone who is counting: I also got my rebate and rental card yesterday. I didn't get it sent out until 8/11 or 12, so that was 38-39 days after I mailed it.

Hey Spiky, did you clean the filter?

Anyone have any suggestions on how to ceiling mount this thing on a concrete ceiling? I live in a loft, so it could be tricky. Also, how long is the power cord this thing comes with?

Can someone comment on the technology behind "Smooth Screen"?

It is a function of:


The optics?
The LCD panels?
The video processing?
A combination of these?


-Stephen

Hey Spiky, did you clean the filter?
Yes. It wasn't dirty to my eyes, but I'll try to clean it weekly from now on, just in case. And temperature shouldn't be an issue. It's been warm in my basement this week, it hit 70F. It fired up last night instantly.

Can someone comment on the technology behind "Smooth Screen"?

It is a function of:


The optics?
The LCD panels?
The video processing?
A combination of these?


-Stephen
You should be able to find this with a quick search, it has been discussed for years, throughout Panny's model line. I believe it is optics, essentially, although not the lens itself.

Can someone comment on the technology behind "Smooth Screen"?

Few are going to really know (or tell) what's totally behind this tech. However, surfice it to say that it works very well on the AE900 and the ablity to literally go up to the screen and see virually no SDE is amazing.

Some have complained that this results in some softening of the image. However, the image I get with HDMI HDTV and DVD is always sharp with great contrast, dynamic color (10-bit color processing engine), and no RBE.

A great projector... :)

and no RBE.

I should hope not.

There is another thread on this forum about LCD projectors experiencing burn-in. That's crap, right? We're not talking computer monitors or RPTVs, which undoubtedly experience burn-in. This is a front projector.

If you own an AE900 and have burn-in, please let me know.

wow... I'm a year late. I wish I had the finances to stay on top of the latest & greatest. However, I am just too behind the 8 ball monetarily to even consider it.

Then when something NEW & popular finally comes about (HD70) in my price range... I get disqualified due to my high ceiling. *sigh* go figure...

Maybe it was meant for me to have the AE900U... maybe Panny was what was in store for me all along. It just feels goiod knowing that I will be able to mount this baby on a shelf 5 feet up from my seating position and start watching it....

Man... I am ecstatic.

Just thought I'd post this here since my solo post did not garner any responses:

After 100 or so hours of use, our AE900 has apparently developed a sever case of VB. I've done adjustments in both the OSD and Power, yet it does not do anything.

Specifically, the issue is banding at the sides, there is almost an "ehanced" level of banding on the 3 or 4 bands on the far sides that are readily visible in any light colour images. It is not limited to the blue sky, smokey cloud grey situation. The centre banding is there, but much less prevelant.

Has anyone else had this issue with their 900?

Then when something NEW & popular finally comes about (HD70) in my price range... I get disqualified due to my high ceiling. *sigh* go figure...

The HD70 only works with a high ceiling since it has to be positioned outside of the screen's height. It is low ceilings that make this PJ not possible.

The AE900 has to be positioned within the height of the screen, high ceilings give no benefit to it.

On 9/16 some one mentioned the panny 900 at costco. I went online and they don't show it at all. I tried the store location nearest me and they don't list it online either. Will they have it in store if I go there? This is a 130 mile trip one way for me so I wanted to make sure before I left. Thanks.

Owners manual, page 12:

Liquid crystal panel

Do not project the same image for long periods of time, as this may remain as an afterimage on the liquid crystal panel. :mad: :mad: :mad:

The only reason I bought a projector is because they are not supposed to suffer burn-in. I spent 5 long years paranoid about watching 2.35:1 DVDs or football games in OAR on my RPTV because of the black bars and static scoreboard images;I am not about to do the same for another 5 years with this projector.

I now have a three-week old AE-900 for sale. If you are not concerned about burn-in and want this wonderful projector, by all means, PM me.

Owners manual, page 12:

Liquid crystal panel

Do not project the same image for long periods of time, as this may remain as an afterimage on the liquid crystal panel. :mad: :mad: :mad:

The only reason I bought a projector is because they are not supposed to suffer burn-in. I spent 5 long years paranoid about watching 2.35:1 DVDs or football games in OAR on my RPTV because of the black bars and static scoreboard images;I am not about to do the same for another 5 years with this projector.

I now have a three-week old AE-900 for sale. If you are not concerned about burn-in and want this wonderful projector, by all means, PM me.

A littel paranoid their Robert.Watching 2.35 movies will not hurt your FP/BUDDA

On 9/16 some one mentioned the panny 900 at costco. I went online and they don't show it at all. I tried the store location nearest me and they don't list it online either. Will they have it in store if I go there? This is a 130 mile trip one way for me so I wanted to make sure before I left. Thanks.

You could call the store, no?

^ I don't believe we've ever had a report of a Costco having an AE900 in the store. They were exclusively through Costco on-line. It's too bad that they don't have them currently, as Costco is a great place to buy things like this.

I have just about finished my full setup and I am one component from finishing. I have Dish DVR, and a HTPC going to a monprice 2 X1 hdmi switch. Works great, but now I want to switch this output to either my westy 1080p moniitor or my panny projector. The monoprice is only 2 in 1 out it does not support one in two out. Surprised me, since I thought it was just switching the lines. Any idees on a switch that can switch from one hdmi input to one of two devices out.

Thanx
Chris

Owners manual, page 12:

Liquid crystal panel

Do not project the same image for long periods of time, as this may remain as an afterimage on the liquid crystal panel. :mad: :mad: :mad:

The only reason I bought a projector is because they are not supposed to suffer burn-in. I spent 5 long years paranoid about watching 2.35:1 DVDs or football games in OAR on my RPTV because of the black bars and static scoreboard images;I am not about to do the same for another 5 years with this projector.

I now have a three-week old AE-900 for sale. If you are not concerned about burn-in and want this wonderful projector, by all means, PM me.
Good Lord!! Why don't you do a search on this issue instead of ranting with zero knowledge? It is called image retention, not burn-in.

Hey, I was wondering what a blinking green light on this projector means. I do not own the projector, but I'm looking too. I've found one that was manufactured in April 2006 and is described as not working. Says the green light just blinks and the unit does not function further.

What does this mean and is it user fixable? If not, how much do repairs usually cost on these things? I don't have to cash do blow on a new one but I've recently got into some HD stuff and would like something to do the material justice. If I can fix this myself or pay to have it fixed, I'd like to try and get a good deal.

The AE900 has to be positioned within the height of the screen, high ceilings give no benefit to it.

It is true that high ceilings don't give any benefit to the AE900 in most situations. However, it can be mounted above or below the screen by a certain percentage.. I can't remember what. It's not much, but it is there. I have mine mounted about a foot above the top of my screen, using the lens shift. Helps keep it out of the way of peoples heads.

I just got my AE900 set up and working last night. I'm using it on a 90" Blackout Cloth screen in a light-controlled (dark) room from 9ft away. I'm using low lamp mode and Cinema2 so far, and have done no calibrating or tweaking yet. We watched Gladiator on a 480i DVD player with DTS 7.1 surround sound. Just incredible. Like being in a movie theater, my wife said, and I agree. We were using a 32" Panny CRT before this, and there is no comparison. After 10 years, it was time for an upgrade.

What a great projector. Easy to setup, great picture. Very quiet fan, I was used to old projectors with loud fans, but these new ones are silent for all intents. This thing is so good, I really don't see myself craving an upgrade for many years. 1080P and darker blacks would definitely be nice to have with this big a screen. I bet those features will be dirt cheap and 1080P content will be everywhere by then. Until that time, this setup is better visually and audibly than my local movie theaters, so I'm very happy.

To think that 6 years ago, the cheapest 720p projector cost about $6000 street price and wasn't as good. Good stuff. :cool:

Hey, I was wondering what a blinking green light on this projector means. I do not own the projector, but I'm looking too. I've found one that was manufactured in April 2006 and is described as not working. Says the green light just blinks and the unit does not function further.

What does this mean and is it user fixable? If not, how much do repairs usually cost on these things? I don't have to cash do blow on a new one but I've recently got into some HD stuff and would like something to do the material justice. If I can fix this myself or pay to have it fixed, I'd like to try and get a good deal.

Sounds like a lamp problem. You could try removing lamp and re-seating it back again then run on high mode for a few hours if it comes on. Mine did this for a while on low power mode and this seems to have fixed it. If your lamp does not fire up then a new one is probably needed which will cost in the region of $350 and is user replaceable.

Do you think it would be worth it to buy one that exhibits such a problem for $300 or $400? If it does turn out to just be a malfunctioning lamp that I need to replace my total cost would be around $600 or $700 for an excellent condition projector with box.

If it's not the lamp and it needs repairs, does anyone have any experience with how much repairs on this model might cost me?

Good Lord!! Why don't you do a search on this issue instead of ranting with zero knowledge? It is called image retention, not burn-in.

I did: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=650324

And what exactly is burn-in, if not permanent image retention?

From http://www.***************.com/forum_topic.cfm?which=6551

Image retention on an LCD deals with electricity remaining in the panels after things are turned off. It is not the same as phosphorescent burn-in which actually wears down the phosphor coating within a display (plasma/CRT) at a different rate and is permanent. So, while what you had happen is VERY rare, it also isn't permanent and I would first try unplugging it for a few days, then try the white field for several hours.

From http://www.***************.com/forum_topic.cfm?which=6551

Image retention on an LCD deals with electricity remaining in the panels after things are turned off. It is not the same as phosphorescent burn-in which actually wears down the phosphor coating within a display (plasma/CRT) at a different rate and is permanent. So, while what you had happen is VERY rare, it also isn't permanent and I would first try unplugging it for a few days, then try the white field for several hours.

This is helpful, thank you!

Hopefully it'll help :)

^ I don't believe we've ever had a report of a Costco having an AE900 in the store. They were exclusively through Costco on-line. It's too bad that they don't have them currently, as Costco is a great place to buy things like this.
I got mine online from Costco... rebates and all.. apparently the model is not available from them online anymore.

I got mine online from Costco... rebates and all.. apparently the model is not available from them online anymore.

It's still on their website. The price is $100 less then it was about 2 weeks ago.

I've checked the projector calculator but some of it puzzles me. I'm thinking of getting the 900u, it will be in an ambient light situation, about 15' back or so, ceiling mounted at 8'. According to the calculator, I can only go 80" on the screen. That kinda blows as I was hoping at least for 84" to 90". Any clarification?

Sounds about right. 8' is real close. Be sure you are measuring from the front of the lens to the front of the screen.

I recently purchased a refurbished AE900U from saveonprojectors with a 2 yr parts and labor warranty and 3 yr bulb warranty (2 replacements) for $1500 - and I absolutely love it!

Right now it is just projecting onto a wall on the basement (still outstanding looks amazing though!), but I plan to ceiling mount it and hook up 5.1 surround.

My question is: what kind of receivers/switches are people using with their AE900U?

I've got a Motorola HD-DVR (3612 I think) that I've been running through component cables to the projector, but I plan to hook it up through HDMI. I'd like to add an HD-DVD player and/or HD video game console (360 or PS3) at some point, though I've heard people have had trouble running things through HDMI capable receiver/switches. I've been looking at Yamahas and Denons, with a budget of about $500 in mind.

Can anyone offer any input/personal experience on HDMI receivers or switches with the AE900U?

Thanks alot - from a very, very happy AE900U owner.

Octava hdmi switcher (http://www.octavainc.com/HDMI%20switch%203port.htm)

It's still on their website. The price is $100 less then it was about 2 weeks ago.



More correctly, it is again on their website. It was indeed gone for several days.

The Yamaha RX-V2600 (or 2700) both will do HDMI switching as well as upconversion from any other video input to HDMI. It also will scale 480P to 720P or 1080i. Their lower models the 1600 and now 1700 I believe will do HDMI switching, just not the up scaling. Not sure they will upconvert. I have the 2600 and it is by far the nicest receiver I have ever owned and am very happy with it. You can probably get them pretty cheap with the newer 2700 out now. Check them out in the receivers forum.

Many thanks for the responses... That brings up an excellent question:

How good is the internal upscaling on the AE900U? I know it depends on the exact receiver, but - in general - would it be better to let to let a receiver do upscaling, or let the projector? Or are you even able make this decision (i.e. somehow shutoff/bypass the upscaling in a capable AV receiver via HDMI)?

jandawil - do you have a cable television set-top box running HDMI to your receiver and then to the projector? I'm still concerned about my Motorola box and things I've read about it seeing AV receiver's as 'repeaters,' and thus not allowing the HDCP via HDMI handshake to go through and thus won't allow the signal to be relayed from a receiver to the projector.

Many thanks again.

Many thanks for the responses... That brings up an excellent question:

How good is the internal upscaling on the AE900U? I know it depends on the exact receiver, but - in general - would it be better to let to let a receiver do upscaling, or let the projector? Or are you even able make this decision (i.e. somehow shutoff/bypass the upscaling in a capable AV receiver via HDMI)?

jandawil - do you have a cable television set-top box running HDMI to your receiver and then to the projector? I'm still concerned about my Motorola box and things I've read about it seeing AV receiver's as 'repeaters,' and thus not allowing the HDCP via HDMI handshake to go through and thus won't allow the signal to be relayed from a receiver to the projector.

Many thanks again.

I am currently running component out of my DirecTV box into my receiver and than upconverting/upscaling to HDMI 1080i and feeding that to my PJ. You have to cable it that way in order to get the upscaling for SD channels. The 2600 receiver will will only do "pass-through" for HDMI ==> HDMI. I am not using the scaling on my PJ at all. I remember the reviews saying it is best to feed it a 720P signal. I have the Oppo upscaling DVD player so I set it to output 720P and it has an HDMI out that I run into the Yamaha 2600 and than is passes it through to the HDMI out to the PJ. Hope that helps. BTW.....my HD stuff on DirecTV looks just as good as running HDMI straight to the PJ.

I am currently running component out of my DirecTV box into my receiver and than upconverting/upscaling to HDMI 1080i and feeding that to my PJ. You have to cable it that way in order to get the upscaling for SD channels. The 2600 receiver will will only do "pass-through" for HDMI ==> HDMI. I am not using the scaling on my PJ at all. I remember the reviews saying it is best to feed it a 720P signal. I have the Oppo upscaling DVD player so I set it to output 720P and it has an HDMI out that I run into the Yamaha 2600 and than is passes it through to the HDMI out to the PJ. Hope that helps. BTW.....my HD stuff on DirecTV looks just as good as running HDMI straight to the PJ.

Jon - This is the setup that I will be using once my HT is done. Let me understand what your connections are:

Oppo - HDMI to yamaha 2600 HDMI to Projector HDMI.
Directv - Component to yamaha 2600 Component, then, Yamaha HDMI to Projector HDMI.

Do I have that right?

How does one handle HDMI on a RPTV and a projector? A HDMI switch with two outs? Is that the only option? I might have to keep my RPTV on HDMI and go component to the projector sadly.

Jon - This is the setup that I will be using once my HT is done. Let me understand what your connections are:

Oppo - HDMI to yamaha 2600 HDMI to Projector HDMI.
Directv - Component to yamaha 2600 Component, then, Yamaha HDMI to Projector HDMI.

Do I have that right?

Yes that is correct. The Yamaha only has one HDMI out. The Yamaha does audio/video switching depending on what input I select and sends that source out the HDMI output. It is all set to do it automatically by default so there is really nothing to configure. It's pretty easy and will make more sense when you look at the back of the receiver.

Did anyone have any insight into my post regarding newly developed vertical banding? My AE900 went from having nearly no VB to substantial VB, especially at the sides, even after being unplugged.

Re: HDMI switching.

I wouldn't go out and by ANYTHING to do this unless it supports 1.3 which was just recently come about. has twice the bandwidth, much stonger colors depth and, most importantly, the only way to get the new surround modes from HD and BluRay dvd's. I was about to drop 4K onto a Denon 4806ci until I found out they don't support HDMI 1.3. Guess I'll be waitin a few more months for something that isn't obsolete already. Sound is that important as well as PQ.

You may want to adjust your position on the new surround modes and HDMI 1.3. 1.3 is the only way to natively, digitally transfer the new codecs. But they are working just fine right now both with analog outputs or conversion to PCM over HDMI 1.2.

I am using a Panasonic XP-50 via component to my AE900. I have been noticing a problem that seems related to the black level setting on the XP-50. I currently have it set to the "lighter" option which seems to result in a flashing on the screen. I thought this might be related to dynamic iris. I turned off DI and it had no effect. If I change the XP-50 to the "darker" option on black level then the flashing ceases, but the blacks are completely crushed. When I bring up the THX optimizer Brightness Setup test, I cannot see the "THX" at all no matter how I adjust the brightness. I am wondering if this is a problem with my DVD player or potentially with the AE900. What do you think?

I was under the impression that both Dolby HD and DTS HD (the new modes) ONLY work via HDMI 1.3. Anything you'd get over a TosLink or Coax digital connection will be downmixed to DD 5.1 or the DTS equivalent. You won't be getting the uncompressed, higher bitrate surround track.

HDMI 1.1 is capable of carrying 5.1 PCM uncompressed. Since players like the Toshiba HD-DVD can decode TrueHD onboard, if you have an HDMI 1.1 compatible receiver you can get the full TrueHD experience via PCM.

-Sean