Panny AE3000u with a 2:1 ratio screen. Anyone done this?

So if I understand you, he always wants to fill the screen regardless of the aspect ratio of the source? If that is the case, a constant image area would be a viable solution. The advantage of the the Panasonic is that it is easy to automate.

Not yet, still need to acquire a FP with more zoom flexibility for my short throw.

As for your friend, CIA might be more hassle than he wants, if he stretches SD right now. But the AE3000U would make the hardest part simple.

Carada sells 2.05:1 screens for this purpose if you're looking into screens: http://carada.com/Screen-Projection-...sion-2-05.aspx

The only downsize I can see is the bars on the side you'll get for 16x9 HDTV & 1.85:1 movies, and the bars on top/bottom for 2.35 material. He probably won't be into manual masking.

It's worth a shot, and if you explain everything to him, it may be his best option.

LilGator i am looking into getting a panasonic 3000 and just wondered how its memory lens function would work with a 2.05 screen as i am the same as you with blu-ray and 16.9 viewing.....
Cheers lee

Hey Lee, the Panasonic AE3000U is a perfect fit for a CIA setup. Practically, it will be the same as any other projector. You will zoom to fill screen width for 2.35 material, and zoom to fill screen height for 1.78/1.85 material.

You just need to memorize those two zoom levels (and appropriate lens shifting, maybe focus) with the Lens Memory feature, and then you have one button switching between aspect ratios, and constant image area for most every movie.

The only thing you may want to look into is masking, but try without first and see what you think.

Just a bit of insight my room is 14ft long so bout 13ft lens to screen.... and width is 10 ft. Thing is where my screen will be is in front of a bay window so cant have a fixed screen so would be looking at a pulldown or electric one. I dont want to be moving closer to screen and back again for different ar's....Im not bothered about 4.3 at all and I read the very debated thread that you posted and am just confused whether u said a 2.05 screen would be good for dark knight or not? If i did go the 2.35 route then how big would the screen need to be to give me an image of 90 inch for 16.9 material? your thoughts are greatfully received.........Lee

Lilgator any ideas bud? i havent found anyone who does a 2.05 pulldown screen. Any suggestions or should i just go with a big enough 2.35 screen so to get a decent size 16.9 image?

Lee, a 2.05 screen will show more of the IMAX scenes in TDK than a 2.35 screen will. You would need a standard 1.78 screen the width of what you want 2.35 films to be, to have TDK projected without cropping though.

The largest you can go is a 115" wide 2.35 image from 13ft throw. This would give you a 85" wide 16x9 image (98" diagonal).

If you want a 90" diagonal 16x9 image on a 2.35 screen, you'd need a 104" wide 2.35 image. This is probably more reasonable, since you won't find a pulldown that will fit 10ft and have a 115" wide viewable image I'm thinking.

If you want to use a 2.05 screen, you can do 104" wide (8.67 ft) like above, but your 16x9 image will now be 90" wide (103" diagonal), and feel the same size as 2.35 material (in a different shape).

You can also do constant area with the same dimensions (104" wide 2.35, and 90" wide 1.78) but with a 1.78 screen (same width, just taller) to allow you to open the masks and show TDK full screen width and height. This would require a ~120" diagonal 16x9 screen.

1.78 pulldowns are easy to come across. It's hard enough finding 2.35 pulldowns in a decent price range, much less 2.05, but I'm sure someone like Da-Lite would custom build any ratio you want.

Masking will be an issue with a pulldown though, and if you want less masking hassle you'll want either a 2.35 or 2.05 screen.

Even better would be to buy two pulldowns, one 16x9 the size you want, and one 2.35 the size you want, and just switch between the two. This way masking wouldn't be needed. TDK would have to be shown on the 16x9 screen, unless you had a VP that did cropping.

Here's a good example of a dual-screen CIA setup that also happens to use the 3000U, due to the Memory Lens that makes this so easy: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1108874

Thanks for the reply dont think 2 screens is what i want but it i have found this place......http://www.purple-cat.co.uk/custom_p...or_screens.htm which is not far from where i live and sounds like what im after don't you think? Im thinking now a 2.05 screen is for me its just the masking bit im not sure of!If my rooms reasonably dark am i going to notice any difference without masking? And last question..... to get a 92 inch 16.9 image what size 2.05 screen will i need?

Sorry one more thing what screen fabric would be best matt white or high contrast grey?.......Many thanks

Those screens look like they would work, but you may want to look into tensioned screens to keep wrinkles minimal.

For 92" 16x9 diagonal, you will need a 106" diagonal 2.05 screen: 93" wide x 45.4" tall viewable area.

You'll have about 18 ft-L at screen width (2.35), and about 22 ft-L at screen height (1.78/1.85).

If your room is white walls/white ceiling, the gray contrast material may help your blacks/contrast at the expense of some brightness. You would have enough (15-18 ft-L) to start with, but as your lamp dims, you may lose too much brightness. It would only take the lamp being 27% less bright for you to drop below 12 ft-L on 2.35 material.

Now, if you have good light control and darker room/ceiling colors, I'd definitely go with the white. But you may want to stick with a white either way...

Thanks bud will take it all on board......phoned the place and they can basically do anything u want so thats good. When im up and running il post some pictures. Hows your system coming on? what are you planning to run with?

My system's on hiatus as I'm looking at moving- so a new room will impact my plans. I'd like to do a 8-10 ft. wide 1.78, use that width for 2.35, and 4-way mask to CIA for 1.78. Will probably start with motorized zoom/lens shift and see how tedious that gets. May look at a VP/scaler approach, for one-button ratio change.