Panasonic PT-AE3000 info and video here - Page 45

I've been able to get around the dust blob & filter cleaning issues altogether by simply applying a layer of 3M Filtrete material directly covering all air intake points on the outside of my projectors before I ever turn them on. It's quite an eyesore (especially if your projector is black), but you can easily see when the filter material is dirty and needs to be changed, plus you never have to clean the normal filter. I did this on the AE3000 and mitsubishi HC5000 for about 1000 hours each and never had any dust blob problems. The filter material is thin and very breathable, so there were no issues with ventilation, either. I've since moved on to LCOS, but if I ever go back to LCD, I'm definitely going to use the external filter method again.

Joel

I cleaned my filter once in ~7000 hours, the time I changed the first bulb. I have gotten like 4000 hours out of my current bulb. My first bulb was obviously dimming badly when I replaced it at 3000 hours or so, but my current bulb must be a freak since I reset the timer and just keep going on it. It hasn't dimmed at all. I am still running eco mode even.
Warren.

7,000 total hours... 4,000 hours on the 2nd bulb and it hasn't dimmed at all... Wow!!! This is for the people that prefers the EPSONs because they claim a superior lamp life of "up to 4000 hours".
I clean the filter every 100 hours. 700 hours on the lamp and zero dust blobs.

yeah! I always run it in low mode, (3000 hrs estimate) and in a fully dark room. It's gotten dimmer but by cranking the contrast and brightness, yes, very watchable, Maybe not ideal, but fine to watch. I just don't want to push it much further. I think the Panny 2000-3000 hr reccomended usage when other manufaturers suggest more is just a ruse so you will buy a bulb sooner. More $....

Well, my first bulb was certainly ready to be replaced. It was really dim by then. I can see that they need to recommend changing since it makes their projectors look bad if someone sees them dim, and as a safety thing in case the bulb blows up, if that is even possible.

Yeah, at 4,000 hours it's lost maybe 25% of it's initial brightness. Still very watchable and punchy.

Also, I tried connecting my Sony HD cam tonight which has "x.V. color" (deep color) which should be watchable on the 3000 via HDMI but when I went to the menu it was greyed out. No way to access it. Anyone try it? I assumed it would have become "live" once receiving an xv signal.

Looks like my bulb is getting ready to expire as I'm receiving "Replace Lamp" each time I turn the projector on (currently at about 2070 hours). Researched a few sites and found what appears to be the OEM replacement at Mwave.com for about $200. Source:

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/SKUSearch...iteria=BN00193

Originally was going to buy from Provantage as other owners in this thread have recommended, however its $120 more there. Would welcome any thoughts on the one offered at mwave - thanks.

^Note: that link says the lamp is a "compatible" version and makes no mention of the actual manufacturer of the product. I personally would stay away, YMMV.

Good catch - thanks Zillch. Certainly not worth the risk, think I'll head to ProVantage.

Tupalev.
If your PJ's warranty has expired and the lamp is bright enough, you can keep using it by resetting the lamp runtime. There is a risk (very small IMO) that the lamp could explode and the little glass particles could damage something inside.
To reset the timer, from manual:
If the lamp usage time has passed 2 000 hours (when LAMP POWER has been set to NORMAL), the projector will switch to standby mode after approximately 10 minutes of operation. The resetting procedure should thus be completed within 10 minutes.
1. Connect the power cord to the projector and a wall outlet, and switch the MAIN POWER on.
2. Switch the POWER button.
3. Press the MENU button to display the menu.
4. Select OPTION and press ENTER.
5. Select LAMP RUNTIME.
6. Press and hold the ENTER button for approximately 3 seconds.
7. The confirmation screen will be displayed and select OK.
8. Switch off the POWER button to reset the duration of the LAMP RUNTIME.
9. Confirm the duration of time in LAMP RUNTIME is reset to "0".

Thanks for the tip Ferbal!

At the start the projector displays Panasonic logo, green indicator flashes 3 times and turns off. I have to unplug to make it start again. It did the same thing before I replaced the lamp module few weeks ago. The newlamp worked with no problem only few days. I cleaned the filter but no difference.
Please help to diagnose.

^I forget what it is exactly but when changing the bulb there is lever or something that is pushed down which is a switch that lets the projector know the bulb has been swapped.

When removing the main cover or bulb cover there's also some sort of analogous lever/switch. I suspect you haven't seated the cover on properly, tightly, screwed down all the way, backwards, etc or the lever switch is faulty.

Basically the projector refuses to turn on because it thinks it is bulbless or that you have left some hatch open [which corrupts the airflow scheme so lighting up the bulb would jeopardize it so it refuses for safety].

That's my 2 cents.

Thanks,
going downstairs now to check all covers. will let you know either way.

Thanks for the tip m. zillch,
I am responding from my theater. It was too easy. I opened and closed the cosmetic cover and it worked (ceiling mount). I am not sure if this cover has a switch or hard closing made the lamp cover to fit properly but it worked

I am trying to configure the memory lense feature of my panay ae 3000. What I would like to do is set one setting for 16x9 and another for 2.35. But for some reason when I configure one, I sitll have to manually change the wheel on the projector it self to move the picture up\\down. I can't seem to figure out how to get around having to manually change it each time I switch back and forth... Is there some way to do this?

Thanks

Even though you're in the wrong forum, I think I can help you.

The PT-AE3000 memorizes changes in position done using the electronic shift commands done with the remote through the projector's menus to move the image up and down and left and right on the imaging LCDs. The mechanical shift wheels - which actually move the imaging LCDs around behind the lens - are not memorized, only the electronic shifts. (The PT-AE2000 has the electronic shift commands also, but they're not memorized.)

Personally, I have a 9.5 foot wide 16:9 screen (consisting of the wall, painted - over flat white wall paint - with a mix of 2 parts Sherwin Williams Luminous White flat latex to 1 part Michael's Arts and Crafts "Craft Smart Metallic Silver," a mixture concocted by guys at another web site who call it "Cream&Sugar" - note the absence of spaces). I just keep the projector set so that 16:9 fills the screen. Both formats fill the width of the screen, with the 2:35:1 not as tall but centered. (4:3 old-style tv and movies fill the height but not the width.)

If you have a 2.35:1 screen, you won't like this approach, of course, since 16:9 material will be too tall for the screen if you've set up for 2.35:1.

Sorry I didnt' realize this was the wrong forum, I looked at the subject line and matched it to mine. If there is a better one please let me know. Thanks

As far as the projector goes, I was under the impression from what I have read on here people were able to just press one button to switch between the two formats. does that mean everyone with a 2.35 screen has to manually adjust the lens? Or is that only a feature that comes in the 3k+ projectors?

Thanks again

Actually, you're not in the wrong forum - I was confused and thought this was the 2000 forum (got here from a link in an email). My mistake!

In answer to your question, as a user of the 2000 I'm not familiar with the exact procedure (which must be in your manual) but I think what you would do is:

(1) get the format whose shape matches that of your screen centered properly on your screen as big as it can be while still fitting - this should get the mechanical shift wheels set properly;

(2) find the menu command to memorize that setting;

(3) re-zoom and use the electronic shifts to get the other format set up properly, and use the menu command to memorize that setting.

At that point it should be easy to toggle between the two memorized settings using your remote, with no need to use the mechanical shift wheels.

I'm not in top form tonight.

(1) Before you start, make sure that both the vertical and horizontal electronic shifts are set to zero.

(2) Set up 16:9 - which uses the whole LCD panels - first, using the zoom and the mechanical shift wheels to center the image on the screen. This will get the mechanical shift wheels set properly for both formats. You can use the projector's focus test pattern for this.

(3) Memorize that setup.

(4) If you're using a 2:35.1 screen, put a disk in that format on and zoom it to the right size and use the electronic shift controls in the menu with your remote to get it right.

(5) Memorize that.

Then you should be set up properly and can toggle formats using the remote.

If you're using a 16:9 screen, you're done after step 2, since all other aspect ratios are framed within 16:9, and are all centered at maximum size with the same setting. 2.35:1 is the same width as 16:9 but not as tall, while 1.33:1 (4:3 conventional TV and pre-cinerama films) is the same height as 16:9 but not as wide.

Thanks for your reply Philnick and sorry for my late responce.

I have tried to do what you layed out before and tried again tonight. The problem I seem to be having is if I adjust the settings for 16x9 and then use the electronic shifts for a 2.35 pictures i hit the max limit meaning I can't turn it up any more, yet it is still not enough, the top of the picture is about a foot below the top of the screen yet. I have to use the mechanical shift to move it up further to fill the screen... and by the way, the same thing happens if I start with 2.35 centered and go down to 16x9, the electronic shifts max out and I have to use the mechanical shifts again.

Not sure if I am describing it right, does this make sense?

It would help to figure things out if I knew what shape your screen is (16:9 or 2.35:1), but I have a feeling you're going to have to book it with your manual.

If you have a 16:9 screen, a 2.35:1 image should be vertically-centered, not aligned with the top of the screen. As I pointed out, with a 16:9 screen, it's "set it and forget it" - the same setup works for both formats, just set it up for 16:9 and you're done.

If you zeroed out the electronic shifts before setting up for 16:9 and used only the mechanical shifts to get 16:9 set up, the electronic shifts should be sufficient to compensate for 2.35.

It's possible that the greater magnification at 2.35 makes a minor error in the mechanical shifts at 16:9 too much for the electronic shifts to compensate for.

It's also possible the problem may stem from your projector being way off the vertical center of the screen, though that shouldn't matter.

Since I've never used this pj, I'm now calling out to the rest of this forum, who are PT-AE3000 owners, to pitch in and help out!

PS There's another possibility out in left field: If you're using a Constant Image Height setup with an external anamorphic lens in front of the projector to spread the image out sideways for 2.35, all bets are off about using the pj's memorization feature. If you're doing that, you'd have to both (1) use the projector's menus to tell it to stretch the image vertically to fill the imaging panels when showing a 2.35 film and (2) turn that off and get the anamorphic lens out of the way when watching anything else.

Sorry, my screen is 128" 2.35 screen. The projector is mounted to the ceiling and sits about a foot above the sceen. I tired looking through the manual but I can't really find anything to set both 2.35 and 16x9 so you don't have to use the mechanical shifts, basically just says here is how you zoom and here is how you move the display up or down type thing.
I do have the electronic shifts at 0 each time before starting.

I do not have an anamorphic lens.. but I want one

Thanks again for your assistance

I am not sure what you are missing in your setup. I have the ae3000 with a 2.35 screen and presets for both 1.78 and 2.35 and it works fine. i am mounted on ceiling, even with the top of my screen. i have 1.78 setup and stored. and then i hit the lens button, zoom out until the width gets filled and the blue all runs off the bottom of the screen. then you go into the menu and do the lens adjustment. it's labeled "V-AREA ADJUSTMENT" you should see it there. with 2.35 content being displayed you then use the digital adjustment sliders to move with image within the screen to line it up. once you have done that then you go store that lens memory as 2.35 setting and your done! i also recomend you assign the function button in your menu to the lens load menu so you can access it directly.

Maybe I will try to take some pictures tonight.
When I get the pictures set for 16x9, I zoom out to fill the screen, but the zooming out actually moves the whole picture down about 2 feet at the same time, hence I have to use the mechanical shifts to move it back up. The electronic V-Are Adjustment" shift won't bring it high enough back up. Does that make sense?
Do you think maybe I have to tilt the projector mount down a little??

yah you should not have to move the mechanical shifts.

you are saying that when you hit lens and your in 1.78 and your blue screen fills perfectly from top to bottom of your screen, then you adjust the zoom to fill the width and somehow your whole blue area moves down by 2 feet? that seems impossible, the image should be stretching out larger. wait a minute, your projector IS upside down right?

yes it is upside down on the ceiling.

i dont know, it just doesnt make sense, if it is upside down and mounted on the cieling, then when you zoom the screen should get larger on the sides and bottom but the top should not move down, if anything it should move UP.

I will take some pictures tonight to show you what I mean.. thanks

Ok, I took some pictures tonight. I apologize about the quality of the pictures and the number of them.

Here is a shot from the back of theater to show you the position of the projector being above the screen.


Another shot from the side


Here the picture is a 16x9 zoomed to height and set to fill the screen.


The electronic shifts are zero'd and the Lens Controll V-Area Position is set to 0.


As well as the Position screen and V-position setting is at 0


Now I zoom the picture out to fill the width of the screen. This is what I was talking about the picture being moved down about a foot from the top after zooming. The lens control V-Area position still at 0.


and the position V-position still at 0


Right now the picture will not move up any higher than this, if I use the Lens Control V-Area position and crank it all the way up (63) the top of the picture it self moves up, but the whole picture never moves. Hard to explain this, but it almost looks like once it get to a certain point when adjusting the picture just gets cut off. Notice the PS3 icons between the last picture and this one.


And just for another visual here is a picture of a movie in 2.35 (cars) in this position


Now in order to get the picture to fill the height of the screen I have to move the mechanical shifts to move the picture up leaving the electronic shifts at 0. See how both the height and the width now fill the whole screen.


Here is a screen shot of the test pattern type screen.


And another one.


Well I hope the pictures help explains my issue. I am sure it is just a setting or the way I have it setup, but I been messing with the settings for a long time now and I haven't been able to get past manually adjusting the mechanic shifts. I know from what others have said you are able to switch between 16x9 and 2.35 with just a click of the button.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.