JVC RS1X vs Panasonic PT-AE4000

I would choose the D-ILA over the LCD, if the price was the same. I only went with LCD because I couldn't afford a D-ILA.

Compare the reviews and screen shots of each here...

http://www.projectorreviews.com/jvc/dla-rs1u/
http://www.projectorreviews.com/pana...4000/index.php



AE4000


RS1


AE4000


RS1

From what I've read, the JVC will be brighter with a higher contrast ratio than the Panasonic once calibrated to D65. It won't have the features of the Panasonic, including the zoom memory and frame interpolation. It also won't have the detriments of the Panasonic, including possible uncorrectable misconvergence, dust blobs and smoothscreen (which intentionally defocuses to blur pixel edges in attempt to hide screen door effect).

I own a 4k and it's a great projector in it's built range, however, if you're going to buy used you might want to know a little more then spec.'s and screen shots. With that said, I've owned a sony ruby which is better then the rs1 and it was not better then the 4k. But the ruby is still a great projector in it's own right. Think about your setup before you jump.

This is the AE3000 vs the RS1 with the RS1 on the left. I'm not sure what tbase1 is basing the Ruby > RS1 statement on and I doubt you will find many that agree.

Also, it appears the RS1 pic from Skola's post is both underexposed and standard def while the AE4000 is not. Screen shots in this example are also poor except for determining black level and only if the exposure and all other environmental variables are exactly the same. The higher dynamic range of the RS1 will work against it in screen shots as whites will blow out with the RS1 while the Panasonic will less variation in brightness in the entire image and will photograph better.

Personally, I would make the comparison between the Epson and the RS1 unless you have a CIH without an anamorphic lens and don't want to manually zoom.

I'm not saying which is superior to the other, but in all fairness to the AE4000, those screenshots are missleading. They are understaturated in the source, and the Panasonic's colors are more acurate than the RS1's.

The RS1 will have deeper blacks and better native contrast, but the AE4000 has a CMS, FI, and other features someone may have interest in.

Art

You can't compare screen projectors by screen shots.

The RS1 still throws a fantastic picture. With an external box to correct the primaries (like the AV Foundry that the guys at Calman are putting out) it is an outstanding image that I think can be argued exceeds the current crop of LCD's. Without that, it is still a valid consideration - there are advantages to having a panel that produces that high a native contrast without the help of a dynamic iris, but there are more caveats built in (like lack of accurate primaries being just one). You can read Evan Powell's review of the RS25 - while it doesn't directly compare to your option, you can read his opinion of how the Epson and Panasonic stack up to the current JVC LCOS in the competition section:
http://www.projectorcentral.com/jvc_...tor_review.htm
Many on this forum take Evan's reviews with a grain of salt - he has tended to be a bit over the top pro-LCD in the past and I'm not sure I agree with everything he says in that "Competition" section - but its one mans opinion.