Hey Guys

Basically having a really hard time deciding on which projector to buy as an upgrade form my old Panny PT-AE500

I've narrowed it down to these 4

Panasonic PT-AX100
Sanyo PLV-Z5
Hitatchi PJ-TX300
Optoma HD70

Their all roughly in the same price area but just so unsure which to go for??

the panny's probs alot brighter than the other 2, the sanyo produces a fantastic image plus 3 years warranty and the hitatchi along with the panny can downscale a 1080p signal. then the Optoma is DLP which ay have slightly better black levels

i just dont know what to do??

My choice: AX100u

the flexibility of install & available lumens make this ideal for me. I am in a rental so I am moving so the flexibility of install is very important. I plan on doing some TV watching and having some Fight & Sports nights very often so ambient light will be there during those "parties".

using my credit card I get a 1 yr extension on my panny warranty for free, making it a 2yr warranty, which by then I will be upgrading to 1080p.

Noise, the panny is whisper quiet which is also important in my current 92" ceiling. I spent hours upon hours going back and forth between projectors, and I finally decided on this one, and I cannot wait for it to be delivered.

I am sure this might lead into a DLP vs LCD discussion as most of these do, but just make sure you aren't susceptible to RBE or at least have room to move the seating back to reduce the effect (most projectors do an excellent job and minimizing RBE anyways). I don't see the RBE at all on most devices so this has never been an issue for me, but the large flexibility the Panny offers made it the winner for my needs.

My pick is Z5, I just love the ease of set-up, its very quiet , no real SDE and super sharp
pic.

I just ordered the Panny after agonizing over the vast choices. I did this becasue I am willing to risk getting one with "issues" as long as I can get it fixed. I did opt for a ext warranty though.

I say HD70. Black levels are important to me.

Usually these questions are easier to answer if you provide the following information:

How far will you sit from the screen? How good is your eyesight (no glasses, 20/20 or pretty fuzzy?)
What color is your room? How dark will the room be when watching?
Approximately what size screen do you want?
Any projector placement restrictions? Ceiling mount?
Are you "allergic" to DLPs?
How crazy/anal are you about absolute black levels? Color fidelity?

Everyone should provide this information when asking about projectors if they want well informed opinions. Otherwise you will just hear a lot of "here's what I bought, you should do the same". It's definitely not one size fits all in the front projection market.