I picked up a very slightly used AE2000u recently and decided to give some feedback on this PJ for those who might be interested. This review is long, so for those who want the quick summary, go to the end just before the pictures. I should also add that I don't have access to my test equipment so all comments are subjective. When I get my equipment back, I'll try to add numbers.

I've had two other projectors (PJs) in this same room (our bedroom) over the last nine months so I thought I'd add my thoughts how the AE2000u performs against these other two PJs as well. The reason I'm doing this, is so folks can get a feel for what to expect as these three PJs cover all three technologies and vastly different price points. Obviously the Panasonic AE2000u is a LCD PJ and is one of the cheapest 1080p PJs on the market. The other two PJs are the more expensive 1080p JVC RS1 which is LCOS, and relatively inexpensive 720p Mitsubishi HD1000U DLP, both very popular PJs in their price categories.

Packaging and PJ Size
First thing I noticed when I received the AE2000u was the detail in the packing. The Panny came very well packed, double boxed, styrofoam, and nicely covered in a protective wrap. More PJ manufactures should consider taking these steps since some are still skimping on the packing quality. If Panasonic can sell a PJ at this price with this level of shipping protection, there's no reason more expensive PJs should come with anything less. And for the Sim2 guys, this might be a deal breaker... no satin or velvet bag with the Panasonic.

The remote that comes with the AE2000u is well laid out. It lights up nicely and is easy to read, even in the darkest of theaters. The controls are easy to use and self explanatory. The remote also learns and can be used as a universal remote if you desire to use it as such. Frankly, I didn't expect to get a remote this nice with a PJ at this price level.

Although I knew this PJ was fairly large, I didn't expect it to be quite as large as it was. I bought this PJ to replace the Mits HD1000u in our bedroom. I was surprised to see the Panny is at least twice the size as the HD1000u and weighs at least two or three times as much. It almost looks like the HD1000u on steroids. The AE2000u is only a little smaller than the RS1 and weighs less as well, but the JVC has a more attractive design.

Setup and Lens Notes
Hanging the PJ was no problem and it went up w/o any fuss. The PJ comes with a safety cable which I thought was a nice touch. Like most LCD PJs, the AE2000u has a nice range of zoom and lens shift. The mechanisms are easy to use and don't feel cheesy, like those found on the RS1. The lens is larger than I expected and has motorized zoom and focus. I should note the PJ has built in patterns for focusing and the automated lens has a very nice fine movement which makes getting it dialed in a snap... Walk up to the screen and just give the remote a couple of taps and the image dials in nicely without over shooting. Nice and painless. Much easier (and faster) than fighting with the manual lens on the HD1000u and RS1.

I checked the MC and CA on my PJ and I'm pleased to see it's very tight all around the screen. This was a major complaint I had with my RS1 as the MC (mostly red) could easily be seen from normal viewing distances when text or pop-up menus were displayed on sold color backgrounds. I don't think this AE2000u has more than 1/2 a pixel of MC anywhere on the screen and it's nearly perfect throughout most of the screen. Single chip DLP has a huge advantage having no MC, but this Panny is nearly perfect in this regard.

Noise
One of the first things that pleasantly surprised me was just how quiet this PJ is. I've only had the RS1 and the HD1000u in this room, but all have been mounted directly over the pillows on our bed. The RS1 was fairly quiet in it's econo mode (it was pretty loud in the normal bulb setting), and the DLP wasn't quiet, but it wasn't loud either (although the color wheel makes a very annoying high pitch noise that I certainly wont miss). The AE2000u by comparison is much quieter than either of the two mentioned PJs. In its econo setting it's whisper quiet and only slightly louder in normal mode. Even in high altitude mode the fan is not bad at all (more on that later).


I played around with the two bulb settings and found the econo setting to be fine for our application. The screen we are using in our BR is only about 84" diagonal (+/-). I made it myself and the paint I used is a very light gray with a poly topcoat for protection and a slight increase in gain. I never tested the gain, but I'd guess it's probably about 1.2. Anyway, the econo setting was more than enough for us, even in the dimmer color mode presets. I lent my light meter to a friend a couple of weeks ago, so I haven't been able to take any readings. Just going by eye, I'd guess the normal mode is about 15 - 20% brighter.

Contrast Ratio
The CR on the Panny is pretty good. Again, I haven't tested it, but in our darkly painted BR, it's more than satisfactory in this regard. Color 1 mode was mostly used on the Panny for these subjective comparisons, although the on/off CR in the less accurate color modes (such as Normal and Dynamic) is noticeably better. My guess is the 2500-3000:1 native and 6500-7000:1 with the DI numbers I've seen mentioned are pretty accurate. Regardless what the numbers suggest, the CR is very good in real world use. The DI on this machine is 100% seamless, I could not see it in use, nor can I here it working. I expected the DI to be a significant handicap compared to the other two machines since they didn't have the DI, but that wasn't really the case at all. In fact, I found the DI on the Panny to be so seamless, that I haven't bothered turning it off. The DI on the Panasonic has come a long way from the pumping, over active, noisy DIs of many of the past machines. Nice job Panasonic!

As one would expect, the AE2000u has superior on/off contrast compared to the Mits HD1000u, but it's not as good as the RS1. With a full fade to black, the HD1000u looks gray in comparison. The AE2000u has decent black levels, but the RS1 is slightly darker in a complete blackout. For the CRT guys looking for a point of reference, both the AE2000u and the RS1 still easily fail the hand puppet test. With that said, fades to black are more than sufficient for most, especially those coming from older or non-1080p PJs.

Surprisingly, the large differences in the on/off CR numbers is not completely what one sees when watching most movies since very little time is spend in near blackness. The ANSI CR on these guys are also noticeably different, although again, I don't have the equipment on hand to give actual numbers. In anything other than very dim scenes, the DLP not surprisingly has a little more pop to the image than the LCD or the LCOS machines, despite it being at a huge on/off CR disadvantage. The AE2000u appears to have just as much, if not more inter-scene CR than the RS1 during anything but the darkest of scenes. If I had to take a guess, I say the ANSI CR on the HD1000u is probably around 500:1, the AE2000u is around 400:1 and the RS1 is around 300:1 as each has a noticeable incremental jump. Interestingly, they appear to rank in the opposite order for ANSI CR as they do in on/off CR. In this regard, it would be nice to be able to have your cake and eat it too, but I'm still waiting for such a machine. DLP still has more pop in bright scenes and the JVC outperforms it at the lower light levels, but in overall viewing, the AE2000u provides a pleasing balance of CR in under most viewing conditions.

Color
The color on the AE2000u is absolutely superb out of the box using the Color 1 preset mode. This means a lot coming from me as I'm almost as picky as our resident color Nazi's Bob S. and Tom H. in this regard. This is truly the first PJ I've ever owned where I found myself satisfied with the color as it shipped from the factory. In fact, I can't even tell you anything about the color controls on this PJ because I haven't once felt a need to adjust anything, it's simply excellent OOTB! Actually, the factory calibration is one of the strongest attributes with this PJ. The gray scales, gamma, and color are excellent as shipped, I can't imagine any level of tweaking or further calibration can make this PJ significantly better. A big congratulations to Panasonic, I hope other manufactures take note. Another nice touch is the fact that Panasonic has also given the user about 7 other color presets which range from very accurate (Color 1) to the extremely bright and less accurate Dynamic mode. I've found Color 1 to be my favorite, and a couple of others to pretty good as well (Cinema 1 comes to mind). It seems Panasonic has placed a filter in the light path for use in the Color and Cinema modes which improves color accuracy, but at the same time decreases light output. If brightness is a concern, the Normal and Dynamic presets are the way to go since the filter is pulled out of the light path.

Using the Color 1 preset on the AE2000u, it's no contest compared to the other two PJs, the colors are simply much more accurate on the Panny. The cheap HD1000u is actually pretty good after a few tweaks, but its greens do push towards yellow a little. The Panny does not have any of the pea-green issues the Mits has been criticized for. It really shows in foliage and even in reflections and highlights as the AE2000u doesn't have the yellow/green tint that I find mildly annoying (although more than acceptable given the $900 price of the HD1000u). Overall, the Mits has relatively good colors, but the AE2000u is clearly much better.

The Color 1 colors on the AE2000u compared to the JVC are night and day. As many of you know, I've been more than vocal about the oversaturated colors on the JVC. You can't begin to understand how oversaturated the colors on the RS1 are, until you have a chance to see them on something like the Panny in the Color 1 mode... the difference is not in the least subtle. Glowing grass, taxies, and faces are a thing of the past and simply look much more natural on the Panasonic. For those who actually prefer the more oversaturated colors of the JVC (and I certainly understand there are plenty of people who like this), I've found the Normal preset on the Panasonic to give a similar picture, although I believe it has a slightly cooler color temp compared to the RS1. In fact, I find myself using the Normal mode on the AE2000u during the day as it's brighter and the extra pop of the colors seems to work well under more challenging lighting conditions. I should also note the Color 1 mode on the Panny is significantly dimmer than the RS1 (probably about 200 lumen dimmer), but the Normal mode (which has more similar colors to the JVC) I believe is brighter than the RS1.

Since I'm using the AE2000u on a smaller screen, the light output in the Color 1/economy setting is more than sufficient for my application. I should warn others that this combination will likely be too dim on 110"+ screens w/o the use of high gain screen material. For those with very large screens, with the bulb set to the higher setting and using the Normal mode, this PJ can push out a lot of light and the picture quality (color) would likely be more than acceptable to all but the color Nazi crew.

HD vs. SD
In this regard the Panasonic is a mixed bag. When viewing SD material, it doesn't perform as well through my PC connection. I should note that we watch HDM (BR and HD DVD) exclusively in our bedroom, but I also lay in bed and use the PJ as a display for the computer as well (which we also use to watch SD cable through the MS Media Center on the PC). All of the HDM is piped in via HDMI connection and the PC is hooked up through it's lower quality connection (I don't even have a DVI video card). I don't know why, but everything displayed through the PC on this PJ is very soft. The HD1000u was razor sharp through the same connection and even the RS1 which had poor MC was sharper as well. I haven't had a chance to look at any SD DVD over HDMI yet, but I would hope it's much better upconverted over HDMI than what I'm seeing through the PC connection. I don't watch SD DVD anymore, but I would like to have an answer. I'll have to report back on this.

With HD material this PJ is excellent and crisp. The single chip DLP is still sharper than the LCD or LCOS, but like the RS1, the AE2000u has a nice film like image. I've watched about 10 HDM movies on the AE2000u so far and I have no issues at all with it's HD capabilities.

As many of you know, Panasonic uses their proprietary Smooth Screen technology to eliminate SDE. This has been a complaint in the past as it has left the picture much too soft. Well, I can report that the SS implementation is way better on the AE2000u than any of Panny's previous models. There is basically zero SDE with this PJ and the picture is surprisingly pretty sharp. I won't go as far as to say it's razor sharp like on a good single chip DLP, but from normal viewing distances it's pretty crisp.

Features
The AE2000u also has some nice features. First, the Panny can do internal scaling for CIH setups. For those (like myself) who might want to use an anamorphic lens with their PJ, the fact that this PJ does not require an expensive outboard video processor is a big bonus. Both the HD1000u and the RS1 require external processing for CIH scaling, although the more costly RS2 does have this handy feature. The Panasonic also has some calibration features which are unique to this PJ. It has a waveform monitor included (mostly seen on professional equipment) which "measures the level of brightness output from a given video signal source. This feature also now automatically verifies that the source device is outputting at full dynamic range, and quickly makes adjustments to optimize it for your home theater setting. Users can easily see a graphical representation of any changes made to the unit's color settings." The AE2000u also has a handy split screen feature which allows you to make adjustments on one side of the screen while you can see the original on the other side for a baseline reference. Pretty slick. And for those who like to tweak, Panasonic has also included 18 presets slots for the user to build and label their own custom calibration presets. Another neat feature is their Detail Clarity Processor which "analyzes frequency characteristics of each frame in three dimensions (horizontal, vertical, and along the time axis) and applies necessary sharpness at varying degrees to create natural, life-like images with exceptional clarity." I've played with this feature and found it works very well on pristine source material, but it also exacerbates film grain so I suggest this feature is left off if you don't like seeing grain. The grain level seen with this feature on is similar to the RS1 which has also be criticized for exacerbating film grain.

Concerns
Overall I'm very impressed with the AE2000u, but I do have some concerns. I've owned LCD PJs in the past and I've found they do have some issues, the most common problems being dust and uniformity. LCD PJs have an open light path which welcomes dust to ruin your pristine picture. A couple of particles can cause havoc on PQ. The AE2000u does have a good air filter on it, but chances are at some point dust will make its way in and when it does, you have three choices... Send it out for cleaning, clean it yourself, or live with the bust blob in the picture. Fortunately, it's easy to take the cover off the PJ and clean it yourself, but it's still a hassle. I can see that my PJ does have a very small partial of dust to the left of center in the image, luckily it can only barely be seen when the screen is completely black and you have to REALLY look for it (nothing obvious by any means). At this point it's certainly nothing that would ever bother me, but it is a subtle reminder that at some point there will be larger more problematic particles that find their way in which might be seen in the picture. Most DLP and LCOS machines have sealed light paths, so this is not as much as a concern with these other technologies.

The other major concern I have with LCD PJs is uniformity. I tested my PJ at 15 hours and again at 40 hours and I see no significant uniformity issues, but I again know from past experience that this could be an issue in the future. I've read that some other people have seen some uniformity issues on their AE2000u (like any LCD PJ) after 30+ hours. At this point I don't know what's causing the problem to occur, but I suspect it could be heat related. Until I find out what might be causing the problem and how many PJs are being effected by it, I've decided to leave my PJ set to the high altitude fan mode for additional cooling. Even with the fans set to this higher speed, I have no problems with the noise level (it sounds like air coming through an AC duct) and it might be cheap insurance against uniformity issues, plus increase bulb life. I went into the utility menu and noted that temp one was reading 96* and temp two was around 169* in the econo bulb setting with the fans in HA mode, this should be plenty cool.

It's probably worth mentioning that the owners manual cautions that using this PJ over 6 hours per day and 2000 hours per year might accelerate wear to the optic parts. I suspect this is one of the typical CYA statements, but it does make me question the longevity of such a product. Time will tell, but again, I'm leaving the fan in its high altitude setting to extend life until I know more about the longevity of these PJs.





Summary
Pros:
Nice packaging
No SDE
Sharper image with updated Smooth Screen
Easy to use automated lens
Nice (lighted) remote
PJ can be bright in Normal and Dynamic modes
Very quiet
Good CR
Excellent color & OOTB calibration
Nice selection of factory preset color modes.
Will do CIH scaling internally
Neat custom features

Cons:
Larger PJ size
Soft image with PC input
On/off CR still not as good as LCOS (although ANSI CR might be improved)
Light output fairly low in accurate color mode
LCD issues (Dust and Uniformity)
No velvet/satin bag.

As promised, I've included some AE2000u screen shots for those who just want to see some pics. I believe I shot all in the lower bulb setting, DI on, and Color 1 mode. My Nikon D200 and related equipment was stolen while on vacation earlier this year and I have not replaced my photography equipment yet, so all of these pics were taken with my Sony point and shoot in manual override. Keep in mind these are only screen shots, they were placed here for entertainment purposes only. I would like to add these pictures do not do the actual image any justice, the actual image looks much better in person!

I should note these were shot by hand while laying in bed, I did not use a tripod so most of the images are very soft due to camera motion at the slow shutter speeds which I had to use! The actual on screen image is much sharper!

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Apoc1.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Apoc3.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Apoc2.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Kate3.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Kate2.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Kate1.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Stealth2.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Stealth1.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Mel.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/FF1.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/KOH.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Drew.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/PiratesChic.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/PirateShip.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/ChickenLittle.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Trumpet.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Flute.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Bass.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Piano.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Spidychic2.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Spidyblast.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/SpidyBlack.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/T5EBruce.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/T5EBlue.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/T5ECloseup.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/T5EJump.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/T5ELay.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/BondBW.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Bondinwater.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/BondSunset.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/BondDriving.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/BondPlane.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Bonddarkscene.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Bondtux.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/BondChic2.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/BondChic1.jpg

Wow, thanks for the great review. The screenshots look pretty good. Now that you've had a chance to compare, which projector will you keep in the bedroom - The panasonic or the JVC?

Great post. Mine comes today so I'm excited.

Excellent review. I would place my thoughts of the AE2000u exactly where yours are. Reality is, it's an awesome projector and excellent bang for the buck. Only the LCD issues (reliability, etc.) weaken it as a choice among other PJs. The colors are FANTASTIC though. After my use of the PJ, I can say that screenshots do not do it justice. As a side note, I agree about the Normal mode. The colors are off when compared to Color 1, but are probably acceptable considering the increased brightness. In fact, many will prefer the punch of Normal mode.

Wow, thanks for the great review. The screenshots look pretty good. Now that you've had a chance to compare, which projector will you keep in the bedroom - The panasonic or the JVC?

I sold the JVC. It had an unacceptable amount of MC and there's just no way I could live with the oversaturated colors. I frequently found myself being pulled out of the movie by the unrealistic colors. In all fairness, many people like the larger color space of the JVC, I just wish they included the ability to adjust them down much closer to REC 709/D65 standards. The nice thing about the Panny is you can have the colors either way.

Excellent review, appreciate your efforts. As good a value as it is, though, your comments on dust blobs and more importantly uniformity/longevity were also on the mark and why I ended up deciding to spend several hundred dollars more for a DLP (which was brighter, also, for my screen/theater setup).

Excellent review, appreciate your efforts. As good a value as it is, though, your comments on dust blobs and more importantly uniformity/longevity were also on the mark and why I ended up deciding to spend several hundred dollars more for a DLP (which was brighter, also, for my screen/theater setup).

What did you choose for your DLP PJ?

Nice review wet1.Alot if good info.I highly disagree though on the light output.I use a 110in screen 1.3 gain and find the ae2000 quite bright,To bright sometimes.I use cinema 3 and it is really bright,And I am coming from a ax100 which was bright.But over all a good review.As I have stated in other threads my ae2000 had to be return due to a green spot that develope after 29 hours or so.I will try one more then move on.Hopefully my next ae2000 will not get this problem.Everything else was perfect on my unit except for this problem.

Great stuff, I share many of the opinions in the review.

/Chuck

Is the saturation in these screenshots representative of the in person/on screen saturation?

Is the saturation in these screenshots representative of the in person/on screen saturation?
They're screen shots, I posted them for entertainment purposes only. The color accuracy (and saturation) is much more accurate in person. As Rob stated, these shots do the actual image no justice at all! :)

I highly disagree though on the light output.I use a 110in screen 1.3 gain and find the ae2000 quite bright,To bright sometimes.I use cinema 3 and it is really bright,And I am coming from a ax100 which was bright.

You might be right on the light output and screen size. I haven't done any testing with this PJ on a screen that large. OTOH, I would be amazed if the Color 1 image on a 110"+ 1.3 gain screen would be bright after the bulb racked up a few hundred hours on it. YMMV. :)

Nice pics and review, too bad i had to see that racist POS mell gibson's photo and movies ;(

Nice pics and review, too bad i had to see that racist POS mell gibson's photo and movies ;(

And I am sure you know Gibson personally to make this statement and aren't just assuming something based on one incident that happened when he was drunk.:rolleyes: I love humans...


Wet1,

I realize they are screenshots which is why I asked if they were close to the image. I guess that was too difficult for you to give an answer to other than to say they don't do the image justice. Like wtf does that mean...is the image on screen less saturated? More? Sheesh.:rolleyes: Forget it...

Hey, it was a nice review. And nice choice of screenshots... :)

You might be right on the light output and screen size. I haven't done any testing with this PJ on a screen that large. OTOH, I would be amazed if the Color 1 image on a 110"+ 1.3 gain screen would be bright after the bulb racked up a few hundred hours on it. YMMV. :)

Myself I would never use color1.Over 20 people have seen my ae2000 and all thought color 1 sucked.The cinema modes were liked.3 got the best comments.And normal 2nd.Most common folks like a littel color and pop.And I agree.:)

Congrats on the new toy, Scott!

Definitely agree with JoeRod, good choice on screenshots. Definitely more Jessica Biel would not hurt the perceived contrast ratio. 8)

And I am sure you know Gibson personally to make this statement and aren't just assuming something based on one incident that happened when he was drunk.:rolleyes: I love humans....

Its actually more than 1 thing...and are you saying it was all OK cause he was drunk?? :rolleyes:I love canadians. (its ok i can say that, I had a beer):)

Congrats on the new toy, Scott!

Definitely agree with JoeRod, good choice on screenshots. Definitely more Jessica Biel would not hurt the perceived contrast ratio. 8)

And I agree, more Biel helps contrast ratio.

i really hope the ae2k issues can be solved fairly soon; if so , im in!

Myself I would never use color1.Over 20 people have seen my ae2000 and all thought color 1 sucked...This explains why I discount most "user reviews", 20 clueless people! :rolleyes:

This explains why I discount most "user reviews", 20 clueless people! :rolleyes:


Except mine of course. My reviews are like GregR's (except on a kindergarten level) :D

It's probably worth mentioning that the owners manual cautions that using this PJ over 6 hours per day and 2000 hours per year might accelerate wear to the optic parts. I suspect this is one of the typical CYA statements, but it does make me question the longevity of such a product. Time will tell, but again, I'm leaving the fan in its high altitude setting to extend life until I know more about the longevity of these PJs.

[.

Nice review.

Your closing summary with the reference to the owners manual and caution on hours of use would scare me from buying this projector.

This explains why I discount most "user reviews", 20 clueless people! :rolleyes:

I would rather have my guest like the pic than be stuck watching a lifeless pic'
Because the owner is to worried about accurate colors and d65.:D

Yes, most people like torch modes. Usually you can convert them with some effort though. :)

I like accurate colors, but only if they are really bad off do I complain.


These days it's tough. I find content to be all over the place and I have sort of given up on true calibration anyways.

Nice review! Your thoughts pretty much echo mine, both the positive and negative.

So far at 40 hrs my 2000 has performed perfectly. If this continues I will be one happy camper!:D The price/performance ratio of this thing is off the charts.

Two quick questions:

One, are you saying the high-altitude mode only affects the fan speed (increasing it while lowering internal temps)

Two, how do you get into the Utility menu?

Regards,
Brian

Strong work Wet1. Much appreciated here in the land of sand and oil. Since I am unable to audition any of the latest 1080p PJ's (none in Riyadh), I've had to rely on other people's views and some video pundits reviews. I was going to wait until the Epson UB was released and see what resulted from that, but I think I've made my decision.

Nice to see someone dedicated to making AVS a better place.

Very nice review very informative, looking forward to your mesurements. I also want a bedroom with a big screen... What do you have in your Home Theatre :- )

Also understand why you don't want the TW2000/UB to be any better than the Panny ;- D

Nice review! Your thoughts pretty much echo mine, both the positive and negative.

So far at 40 hrs my 2000 has performed perfectly. If this continues I will be one happy camper!:D The price/performance ratio of this thing is off the charts.

Two quick questions:

One, are you saying the high-altitude mode only affects the fan speed (increasing it while lowering internal temps)

Two, how do you get into the Utility menu?

Regards,
Brian

Note: This is a part of PT-AE2000U SERVICE MANUAL

2 Ext Option
This projector has EXT OPTION in addition to standard on-screen menus.
· There are SELF CHECK and FLICKER ADJUST for service, etc.
2.1. Procedure to enter EXT OPTION
1. When the projector is power ON, press "POWER" button on the main unit or remote control unit to display "POWER OFF"
confirmation screen.
2. Press the right-arrow button to select "CANCEL" in the "POWER OFF" confirmation screen.
3. On the main unit or remote control unit, press the buttons in order of up-arrow, down-arrow, up-arrow,
down-arrow and "ENTER".
(When the "ENTER" button is pressed, "EXT OPTION" menu is displayed.)
2.2. EXT OPTION Menu and Functions
· FAN FULLMODE
Setting the cooling fan motor rotation speed
− Switching ON "FAN FULLMODE", the rotation level of the fan becomes high-speed rotation (fixed). Moreover, when "FAN
FULLMODE" is ON, changing "ALTITUDE" in OPTION becomes impossible (setting FAN FULLMODE is given priority more
than ALTITUDE).
· AUTO SETUP
Setting AUTO SETUP mode
− NORMAL: To set the normal mode (the dot clock is adjusted strictly)
− SPECIAL: To set the special mode (the dot clock is adjusted roughly)
* Do not change the initial setting (NORMAL).
· SELF CHECK
To enter the self-check mode
· FLICKER ADJUST
To enter the flicker adjustment mode
· 525i SD
When non-standard signal of 525i/625i is inputted (AV amplifier, etc.), synchronization might be disordered according to
connected equipment. In this case, set 525i SD to ON.
· OS
When a component signal (except 525i, 625i, 1125/60p and 1125/50p) is inputted, reflection noise (vertical striated beat) might
be generated according to connected equipment. In this case, set OS to ON. However, the resolution decreases a little.
· HPLL
When non-standard signal of VIDEO/S-VIDEO is inputted (VTR, VHD, etc.), horizontal synchronization might be disordered
according to connected equipment. In this case, set HPLL to OFF.
2.3. Canceling EXT OPTION
Press "MENU" button on the main unit or remote control unit.

In the SELF CHECK option you can see the temperature of the projector.

Bye

I would rather have my guest like the pic than be stuck watching a lifeless pic'
Because the owner is to worried about accurate colors and d65.:DWell, I don't want to watch a pic that the Director would not be able to recognize as something he/she created. If the scene is "lifeless", then that is how I want to see it. I am also not trying to add color to Sin City. :)

Myself I would never use color1.Over 20 people have seen my ae2000 and all thought color 1 sucked.The cinema modes were liked.3 got the best comments.And normal 2nd.Most common folks like a littel color and pop.And I agree.:)
Seriously? All 20 people thought Color1 sucked? Had you changed the settings? I just find that hard to believe.

The reality is that if you took 20 people at Best Buy and showed them two of the exact same displays (settings, etc.) showing Willy Wanka on one and a color accurate film on the other, most would say the Willy Wanka set looks better because of the vivid colors.

Wet1
what kind of camera/settings did you use for the screenshots. The level of detail is fantastic. The Kingdom Of Heaven head shot and the feathers in Apocalypto are amazing. Great review!

The reality is that if you took 20 people at Best Buy and showed them two of the exact same displays (settings, etc.) showing Willy Wanka on one and a color accurate film on the other, most would say the Willy Wanka set looks better because of the vivid colors.
Yeah, I agree. But I'm actually one of those people who usually likes a more saturated/vivid image over the technically accurate one. And I think Color1 is great.

Mine came today and damn you are right. This thing is massive. I didn't expect it to be so big. I still need the screen, mount and HDMI cable so I'll have to wait to test it out anyway.

The pictures of it do not do it just with respect to actual size. I expected it to be much smaller.

Mine came today and damn you are right. This thing is massive. I didn't expect it to be so big...
The pictures of it do not do it just with respect to actual size. I expected it to be much smaller.
I know. I had the old Panny 300 and 500 and assumed that it was about that size. I had a moment of panic when I opened the box and saw it because I have a custom made box that my pj sits in. I was like, "oh crap, this thing may not fit!" It has about an inch to spare on each side.

Well, I don't want to watch a pic that the Director would not be able to recognize as something he/she created. If the scene is "lifeless", then that is how I want to see it. I am also not trying to add color to Sin City. :)

I think you are missing the point.I appreciate your devotion to the director.
All i meant was most people like a littel more color than what many here consider the holy grail of color1.That's why we have many options on these fp's.:)

buddahead,
I agree with you, I don't particularly care what the director wanted, I like what I like.

I'm just surprised that you think Color1 looks bad. I think it looks good, not dull and flat like most ISF'd pictures I've seen.

...I don't particularly care what the director wanted, I like what I like.

I'm just surprised that you think Color1 looks bad. I think it looks good, not dull and flat like most ISF'd pictures I've seen.It will be interesting to hear how you two resolve what is "good" or "bad" since you have thrown out any reference (what the director created). :D:D

If fact, without accurate color and grayscale, that ISF stuff you so dislike, it is likely that while you have the same projector, the same scene may look so different on each of your machines that they might as well be different pjs.

Oh well, its all good! :)

...When viewing SD material, it doesn't perform as well through my PC connection.
...I don't know why, but everything displayed through the PC on this PJ is very soft.

Hi Wet1
Did you check that the overscan is off?
Thanks for your review.
Fernando

Hi Wet1: Checked my temps after running the PJ for 4 hours.

Temp 1: 69
Temp 2: 168

I am running in econo mode with standard altitude.

Also, after looking at various settings I agree with Jacksonian that Color 1 seems best to my eyes.

Thanks very much!

Note: This is a part of PT-AE2000U SERVICE MANUAL

2 Ext Option
This projector has EXT OPTION in addition to standard on-screen menus.
· There are SELF CHECK and FLICKER ADJUST for service, etc.
2.1. Procedure to enter EXT OPTION
1. When the projector is power ON, press "POWER" button on the main unit or remote control unit to display "POWER OFF"
confirmation screen.
2. Press the right-arrow button to select "CANCEL" in the "POWER OFF" confirmation screen.
3. On the main unit or remote control unit, press the buttons in order of up-arrow, down-arrow, up-arrow,
down-arrow and "ENTER".
(When the "ENTER" button is pressed, "EXT OPTION" menu is displayed.)
2.2. EXT OPTION Menu and Functions
· FAN FULLMODE
Setting the cooling fan motor rotation speed
− Switching ON "FAN FULLMODE", the rotation level of the fan becomes high-speed rotation (fixed). Moreover, when "FAN
FULLMODE" is ON, changing "ALTITUDE" in OPTION becomes impossible (setting FAN FULLMODE is given priority more
than ALTITUDE).
· AUTO SETUP
Setting AUTO SETUP mode
− NORMAL: To set the normal mode (the dot clock is adjusted strictly)
− SPECIAL: To set the special mode (the dot clock is adjusted roughly)
* Do not change the initial setting (NORMAL).
· SELF CHECK
To enter the self-check mode
· FLICKER ADJUST
To enter the flicker adjustment mode
· 525i SD
When non-standard signal of 525i/625i is inputted (AV amplifier, etc.), synchronization might be disordered according to
connected equipment. In this case, set 525i SD to ON.
· OS
When a component signal (except 525i, 625i, 1125/60p and 1125/50p) is inputted, reflection noise (vertical striated beat) might
be generated according to connected equipment. In this case, set OS to ON. However, the resolution decreases a little.
· HPLL
When non-standard signal of VIDEO/S-VIDEO is inputted (VTR, VHD, etc.), horizontal synchronization might be disordered
according to connected equipment. In this case, set HPLL to OFF.
2.3. Canceling EXT OPTION
Press "MENU" button on the main unit or remote control unit.

In the SELF CHECK option you can see the temperature of the projector.

Bye

I know. I had the old Panny 300 and 500 and assumed that it was about that size. I had a moment of panic when I opened the box and saw it because I have a custom made box that my pj sits in. I was like, "oh crap, this thing may not fit!" It has about an inch to spare on each side.

will that affect air circulation?

buddahead,
I agree with you, I don't particularly care what the director wanted, I like what I like.

I'm just surprised that you think Color1 looks bad. I think it looks good, not dull and flat like most ISF'd pictures I've seen.

thank u for the 1st sentence. same here. many others may disagree.

Thanks for the GREAT review...I don't care if you have your light and color calibrator/meter; the eye is the best one for me (and I've been doing this a long time). I'm saving my pennies for this pj and am not scared at the "6 hours limit daily", as I believe that panasonic is giving this number out at the extreme light output that the projector can muster up. Currently I have a Sony HS51A and have it on "altitude mode" in a room with a wood stove. AFTER a year in service, I have not experienced any problems with the excessive heat in the room (hence the altitude mode). I plan on selling this great pj for $700, but in the meantime, I'm eagerly awaiting this panny pj. I've had digital pj's for over 10 years (remember the Sony VPL-VW400Q?) and am confident that this pj will serve me well for a couple of years until they achieve sealed optics and such.
I also owned a Sony Peal and know what 1080P is all about. I really liked the pj but was un-inthralled with the brightness. I'm sure this AE2000 will fit the bill on my modest home-made 98" screen.

PS I don't think my HS51 has sealed optics, but I have a robust air filter in that room. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET THIS THING!...but.....I hope my chief RPA universal mount will accomedate this pj.... Sorry for the long post, but I was pretty impressed by your description of the Panny....OUT

I really liked the pj but was un-inthralled with the brightness. I'm sure this AE2000 will fit the bill on my modest home-made 98" screen.


The VW50 didn't light up a 98" screen? The Panny in it's optimal mode will not be much brighter but the Normal mode will.



I hope my chief RPA universal mount will accomedate this pj

If it is an RPA-U (universal) it will. If it is the Sony plate (RPA-020, etc.), it will not.

Sorry guys, I've been busy and haven't had time to get back here... :(

BTW, I'd like to say thanks for all the kind comments, it's nice to know time I took to write this up and post the pics was appreciated! :)


Two quick questions:

One, are you saying the high-altitude mode only affects the fan speed (increasing it while lowering internal temps)

Two, how do you get into the Utility menu?

1) HA mode only increases the fan speed, which will lower internal temps. I don't know if heat is going to be an issue with this PJ or not, but until I learn more I'm leaving mine in HA mode for casual view since the minimal noise doesn't both me.

2) On the remote hit: power, right, up, down, up, down, enter. :)

EDIT: It looks like castaño beat me to it. :)


...looking forward to your mesurements. I also want a bedroom with a big screen... What do you have in your Home Theatre :- )

Also understand why you don't want the TW2000/UB to be any better than the Panny
I hope to get measurements in the coming weeks, as soon as I get my stuff back.

Our theater is going under the knife this week. Based on this, I decided it was time for a BR PJ upgrade since the other PJ won't work in the BR because of throw constraints. When the other room is finish, I'll get a new PJ for that room as well. I'm actually hoping the Epson UB is better than the Panny as that's one possibility for the other room. I'm also looking at the Sony VW60, one of the Sim2 products, or even another AE2000.

I would rather have my guest like the pic than be stuck watching a lifeless pic'
Because the owner is to worried about accurate colors and d65.
I think part of why you don't care for the Color 1 mode as much is because of your screen size (with lack of high gain). As I mentioned, C1 mode isn't that bright for a larger screen and the lack of brightness will really make the picture "lifeless". To see what I mean, try placing the PJ in C1 mode and zoom the image down to a much smaller size. While you still might want more color, I think you'll agree the image has a lot or life to it. This is why I suggested staying under 110" when using Color 1 mode... or use a high gain screen. :)

BTW, I much prefer C1 mode in a nice dark room. During the day when I have some ambient light issues, I prefer the Normal mode as the extra brightness and color helps to reduce the picture washout from the ambient light. I also found that dropping the "color temp" a little (to make the pic warmer) really improves the Normal mode. Either way, it's great that Panny gave us all these option to choose from! :)


what kind of camera/settings did you use for the screenshots. The level of detail is fantastic. The Kingdom Of Heaven head shot and the feathers in Apocalypto are amazing. Great review!
Touchy subject! :( I had my nice Nikon D200 dSLR, multiple lens, and all my equipment stolen earlier this year while on vacation (from the hotel room). I haven't decided if I want to replace all of it or not. I'm starting to think I'll never feel comfortable again taking an expensive camera most places I would often want to use it.

I've since been using my old Sony point and shoots (I have two of them), which is what I used to take these pics with. I believe one is a F707 and the other is A T1 (?). Nothing special, but they take fairly nice pics. I used the F707 for most of these pics. I used a manual setting, and most of these photos were shot at around a -1 EV. I shot these pics with the camera resting on my (braced) knee while laying in bed. Obviously the pics aren't as sharp and detailed as they could be given camera movement at these super slow shutter speeds. If nothing else, I should go out and at least buy a tripod... :rolleyes:


Did you check that the overscan is off?
No I haven't checked that, I check that tonight. Thanks Fernando.


LCD lag, ghosting and studdering is one of my pet peeves. How's the motion during motion torture tests? Any blurring at all? How does 24p look? Compared to the RS1? I know you probably seen the Pearl. Even though the contrast wasn't quite up to 100% par for me, the motion was superb, does motion equal the Pearl? I only saw limited example video when visiting Panasonic Labs, but there was a problem with studder and "ghosting", and other motion problems. But, I heard Pirates of the Caribbean isn't the best motion source to test! I don't know if the issues I saw were related to the projector or the source material. Nevertheless, the Pearl never showed any motion problems, ever.
I can't say that I've ran the PJ through any motion torture testing, but I haven't seen any problems at all with ghosting, stuttering or blurring. I've watched several 24p movies w/o any issues. In fact, I also put RFOM in the PS3 to test the PJ with gaming (although I don't really do any gaming) and found no need to switch the PJ to the faster response setting. I'll continue looking, but so far I've seen nothing.

Congrats on the new toy, Scott!

Definitely agree with JoeRod, good choice on screenshots. Definitely more Jessica Biel would not hurt the perceived contrast ratio. 8)

Thanks Mike!

BTW, Biel want's to see pics of you too! :D
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/JPic.jpg

By popular demand...






http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/J8.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/J5.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/J4.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/J6.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/J7.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Stealth1.jpg

More Biel! :D




http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/J1.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/J9.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/Stealth2.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/J10.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/J11.jpg

And I am sure you know Gibson personally to make this statement and aren't just assuming something based on one incident that happened when he was drunk.:rolleyes: I love humans...


Wet1,

I realize they are screenshots which is why I asked if they were close to the image. I guess that was too difficult for you to give an answer to other than to say they don't do the image justice. Like wtf does that mean...is the image on screen less saturated? More? Sheesh.:rolleyes: Forget it...

Somehow I missed your typically colorful post.

There's nothing very accurate about these SS. I'm not sure what you want to me to say. Obviously the hue, saturation, and luminescence is going to be different on a screen shot. I don't have the actual image and these SS on the PJ screen at the same time to compare them, never mind how they look on my monitor compared to my PJ screen, or your monitor compared to my PJ screen. In fact I would have thought even you would realize there's minimal value I comparing these SS to the actual image, but I guess not. If you just want me to throw you an answer to fulfill your agenda, okay... these SS are more saturated. Does that make you happy? :rolleyes:



EDIT: I just found one last Biel pic. ;)

















http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/JLast.jpg
And yes, the saturation is pretty close! :D

You are right wet1.My 110in carada bw screen ,makes the color 1 look lifeless.The colors are fine but their just is not that pop.On my setup the other modes are just better to the eye.I just have to big a screen with not enough gain.I bet a HP 110in would look better wIth color 1.

How about a Silverstar? That's got the most gain I've seen thus far.

Nice shots, Scott. Im going to have to pull out Stealth again. I have forgotten just how good that movie was.

Thanks Mike!

BTW, Biel want's to see pics of you too!


She can do better than screen shots. Ill come see her in person the next time Im in California, when she wants. 8)

Scott, do you think you can zoom in on the left side of the screenshot of the waterfall that is partly covered by Jessica Biel's body? I would like to check out what kind of detail of the rocks the Panasonic delivers.

I know its just a screenshot but you should probably include Jessica Biels body in the pic, just so that we can have a frame of reference. In case you are wondering which of the waterfall shots, its the one that only the lower half of her body is visible.

Cliff, if you are on this thread, too, can you post a SS of that same zoom on your G90 stack, it would be appreciated. We can all probably learn a lot about the Panasonic and the G90.

Scott, do you think you can zoom in on the left side of the screenshot of the waterfall that is partly covered by Jessica Biel's body? I would like to check out what kind of detail of the rocks the Panasonic delivers.

I know its just a screenshot but you should probably include Jessica Biels body in the pic, just so that we can have a frame of reference. In case you are wondering which of the waterfall shots, its the one that only the lower half of her body is visible.
Mike,

I'm not sure if you're being serious, joking, or just want to see a close up of Miss Jessica's dumpster, either way I could do so, but it won't be until tomorrow night (I have to get some sleep for a big day tomorrow).

BTW, I suspect the exercise would be much more revealing of my sub standard camera and lack of tripod at these slow shutter speeds... but I'd be more than happy to do it for you if you're serious.


EDIT: I assume you mean this pic?

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/PJ%20Pics/J5.jpg

Just use a beanbag on a chair. Just as good or better than a tripod!

I have to lay on my bed, but the problem is I also have to fired the camera (no cable attachment for remote firing). Despite how smooth I try to be, the camera still moves as the button is depressed and held for that extra long exposure. :o

Should be an interesting moment when your wife walks in and sees you on the bed zooming on a paused picture Ms. Biel :)

Hey Scott, yes I was half joking. 8)

Sure, Id love to see a close up of her ass. 8) Just my luck I have that scene up in my HT and my wife starts throwing stuff a my projector. (Im only half-joking there too.) 8)

Victoria's secret magazines dont see the light of day in my house and god forbid someone bring a playboy in. So yes, please, do take a nice close up of that particular picture for me. 8)

Thanks!

LOL, I'll see what I can do! :D

Mine is really good about that stuff. In fact, she walked in while I was shooting the pics above... She just laughed and said "let me guess, PQ research for the guys?" :D

Hey Scott, yes I was half joking. 8)

Sure, Id love to see a close up of her ass. 8) Just my luck I have that scene up in my HT and my wife starts throwing stuff a my projector. (Im only half-joking there too.) 8)

Victoria's secret magazines dont see the light of day in my house and god forbid someone bring a playboy in. So yes, please, do take a nice close up of that particular picture for me. 8)

Thanks!

I'm suffering with you man, my wife is exactly the same.

Here's another screenshot of Jessica Biel ;)

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2343/jessicabielhr2.jpg

Cliff, if you are on this thread, too, can you post a SS of that same zoom on your G90 stack, it would be appreciated. We can all probably learn a lot about the Panasonic and the G90.

Which zoom?

Cliff

I have to lay on my bed, but the problem is I also have to fired the camera (no cable attachment for remote firing). Despite how smooth I try to be, the camera still moves as the button is depressed and held for that extra long exposure.

Use timer.

LOL, I'll see what I can do!

Mine is really good about that stuff. In fact, she walked in while I was shooting the pics above... She just laughed and said "let me guess, PQ research for the guys?"

That sounds good, Scott. Wayne's wife is very cool about that sort of stuff, too. Ill be looking forward to seeing that added "detail!"

I'm suffering with you man, my wife is exactly the same.

Thank God for AVS forum!

Which zoom?

Cliff


Cliff, post 63 on this thread. A close up/zoom of the left side of the screen. 8)

Here's another screenshot of Jessica Biel


VERY damn nice, Rob. What movie is that from? 8)

Oh....just some home vid stuff from my mini DV collection. :D

gotta hate the prude wives. Sorry fellas. Anything goes in my house.

Great screenshots wet1. What screen do you use, I have the same panny and my blacks are nowhere near that deep. I have a matte white screen, in a lounge room with white walls.

Great screenshots wet1. What screen do you use, I have the same panny and my blacks are nowhere near that deep. I have a matte white screen, in a lounge room with white walls.

I made the screen myself since I couldn't find what I needed commercially... that and I didn't want to spend a lot on the bedroom. I think it cost me around $60 for everything and a quiet Sunday to build it. It's about 84" and the room is a two tone dark blue. I painted it with a fairly light (neutral) gray paint and then put a couple of coats of satin poly over the top to increase the gain and protect the surface. The results are amazing.

I just bought a Schneider CineDigitar anamorphic lens for use in another room, so I'm going to need a new screen in that room when it's complete. Comparing my homemade screen (and the related test panels) to the other commercial screens I own has encouraged me to make my own screen for that room as well, but in a larger 2.35:1 format. :)

gotta hate the prude wives. Sorry fellas. Anything goes in my house.

I always wonder what could have been if I had just my foot down more often early on. 8( Oh well. 8)

Cliff, post 63 on this thread. A close up/zoom of the left side of the screen. 8)


Got it!

:D

I guess I'm probably the only person who doesn't know which movie that waterfall screenshot is from. Can someone clue me in? I saw Stealth mentioned, but I had heard it was a horrible movie.

I guess I'm probably the only person who doesn't know which movie that waterfall screenshot is from. Can someone clue me in? I saw Stealth mentioned, but I had heard it was a horrible movie.

Stealth, and you've just seen the best parts of if it via some crappy pics! :D

I guess I'm probably the only person who doesn't know which movie that waterfall screenshot is from. Can someone clue me in? I saw Stealth mentioned, but I had heard it was a horrible movie.

It's okay if you put it on mute and fast forward to the good stuff. :D

Mike,

Here's the detail overexposed, underexposed, and a different shot correctly done. As you can see, the rock detail looks much more crisp on the last shot. ;) Unfortunately, none of them look like they're very sharp on the original... A good opportunity for higher bit rates, BD50, and a camera man that wasn't so distracted. :(


http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/DSC01043.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/DSC01087.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w278/SS930/DSC01063.jpg

Here's another screenshot of Jessica Biel ;)

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2343/jessicabielhr2.jpg


Ok, I'm canceling my membership to Bangbros if this forum keeps up at the pace of this thread!!!

i want one!!!!!!!!! :)

Thanks Scott! 8)

I made the screen myself since I couldn't find what I needed commercially... that and I didn't want to spend a lot on the bedroom. I think it cost me around $60 for everything and a quiet Sunday to build it. It's about 84" and the room is a two tone dark blue. I painted it with a fairly light (neutral) gray paint and then put a couple of coats of satin poly over the top to increase the gain and protect the surface. The results are amazing.

I just bought a Schneider CineDigitar anamorphic lens for use in another room, so I'm going to need a new screen in that room when it's complete. Comparing my homemade screen (and the related test panels) to the other commercial screens I own has encouraged me to make my own screen for that room as well, but in a larger 2.35:1 format. :)
I just bought the panny 2000..getting it this week, and I would love to try build my own screen. Are you using sheetrock for your screen? And is the grey paint a satin finish or flat. Also want to comment on the pics...NICE!!!!!