Any One Still Have A Pt L500? Or 300? - Page 4

I still have my PT-L300u. I bought it in May of 2003. Up until recently, I only used it for movies and the occasional HD program. I now use it almost every day since I switched to Dish and the 942 DVR. Between ESPN, HD-NET, VOOM Channels, TNT and my locals I rarely watch SD. It's sad but I'd rather watch a crappy HD show then a mediocre SD one. I have ~1000 hours on the L300 and I don't plan to upgrade until by bulb burns out or I can get a 1080p machine for under 2K.

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Panny 300u 500u owner's! keep this thread alive!

Any owners still out there? My 300u is in its 4th year! I was going to get a AE900 , but I'm thinking waiting when panny has a sub-$3K AEx00 1080 native PJ!

My 300 is still going strong. It's almost 3.5 years old. On the second bulb. I'll either have to replace the bulb fairly soon or upgrade. One thing I've had to do is replace the blue polarizer right after I replaced the original bulb.

1500+ hours on my 300u. I'm going to be looking really hard at upgrading around February, so I just hope my bulb holds out until then.

I am still running a PT-L500U. Plan on moving soon and will install it in the new house, no plans to upgrade anytime soon. Picture quality is acceptable but most importantly, it works so well.

Chris

My 300U is now three years old and doing fine with the original bulb. Use it for SD DVD's and HD TV with OTA signals from the local stations. Waiting to see what happens with HD-DVD and Blu ray high def DVD's as well as this fall's offerings in front projectors. Will this be the year for 1080p LCD projectors? If not I am in no hurry.

My 500U is 1.5 years old, about 1300h, and I'm extremely happy with it. I noticed quite some VB when I bought it, but now I never see it if I'm not looking for it. The colours are wonderful the image is rock solid thanks to the total absence of SDE. The only problem with this PJ is the black level, because it has no dynamic iris (ih has an AI mode which plays with the two lamp modes but I don't use it, I prefer being in low lamp mode all the time).

For some time I considered upgrading to a 900, but as I'm moving and buying a stewart grayhawk screen I think I'll keep my 500 for a year or two. Hopefully at that time the Joe Kane blessed Samsung will be even more affordable than it is now or Panasonic will have a wonderful 1080p LCD for a very decent price.

Hi KLAATUWI, I recently tried the FL-D and 2ND filters on my AE300.

After 3years and 300H (well I only watch movies, in the dark!) I wished I'd tried it earlier!

In the end I only kept the FL-D filter, as the addition of the 2ND is just too dark. But the picture quality is now excellent (after some re-calibration, less contrast and slight decrease on red). The blacker blacks, and general saturation realy give the image solidity and depth.

The settings are different on HD tv and DVD but the 300 'remembers' the settings according to source. (Australia is blessed with a few 1080 free to air digital channels) and I use the Philips Q50 (revised firmware) for progressive 576 PAL dvd, IMHO a perfect match for the AE300.

So, try it, its cheap and (in my case) effective. This is on a DIY BO screen, 2.5m diag (16:9), with total light control (after dark ;-)

I was starting to sniff around for possible upgrades, and the Mits HC3000 was looking good, but Honestly, after this adjustment its hard to justify, especially when C2Fine and 1080 are around the (next?) bend...

Cheers

Philippe

My 300u is about 1,500 hours... that's low mileage compared to some posters! i took a hard look at a blue screen to see if could see any dust blobs, and i couldn't. i never opened up the unit. i run in low power mode, cinema 2 onto a da-lite matte white screen.

1080 input via component works best, but I was always curious what method this PJ uses to scale the 1080 down to 1/4HD. If anyone knows, pls respond.

Love this PJ!

Looks like I'm in good company! My 300U is 3 yrs old, 1800 hrs on the original bulb. I got a 106" High power last year, which helps offset the dimmer bulb.
I originally thought I would hold this PJ for 3 years, then upgrade for hi def DVD. Now it looks like hi-def DVD is another 3 years away! (Practically speaking, I know the units are shipping) I'm still loving DVDs and video games on this unit and expect I"ll be using it another 2-3 years.

My 300 is 3 years old with 1062 hrs on it. Still have the original bulb. We just watch the occasional movie in the HT on it. I noticed for the first time tonight a green tint. Does that mean my bulb is going or is it something else? I seem to remember reading ages ago about something simliar but I can't remember what or where. I guess I'll have to do some searching.

anyone here using the 500 with the new toshiba hd-dvd player, how is the picture using component and dvi with the hdmi adaptor. are there any issues using the hdmi adaptor?

I replaced my original bulb on my 300U at around 2500 hours (even though it was still good) and kept it as a spare. The second bulb was up over 4500 hours and starting to get pretty dim so I put the original one back in and WOW it really brightened things up.

I was considering upgrading but it looks so good I think I'll keep this old pj a while longer before I upgrade and hope the lamp doesn't go at a bad time :-)

You could sell the 300U + both bulbs and upgrade to the Infocus HD70. It would probably only cost you a few hundred bucks out of pocket. For $999 the HD70 is really tempting. I've got close to 1900 hrs on my 300U. I was hoping to be able to hold out for a reasonably priced 1080p machine, but now I'm not so sure if I can wait. I would love the extra resolution, brightness and contrast that the HD70 offers. Plus, a new projector would give me an excuse to buy the Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive. The limited 540p resolution of the 300U is holding me back from a next gen DVD player purchase.

It may be 2 more years with my 300U. looking like 1080p pj's are still out of my reach.

I guess nobody is using the combination. I continue to use my PT-L500U with D-VHS over component, Comcast HD using the Motorolla DCT6412III HDMI>DVI and upscaled DVD over component. Previously had used DirecTV RCA DTC100 over VGA and the DirecTV HR10-250 receiver with TiVo HDMI>DVI. I am sure the HD DVD player from Toshiba will work fine with that projector. No issues at all and I currently have one hooked up at my girlfriend's house and one at my home. I won't be upgrading any time soon.

Chris

I guess it's time to make the annual "yes I still have my PTL-300U and am still VERY happy with it" post

Bought it in May 2003, so closing in on 3-1/2 years, about 1700 hrs (2nd bulb), using the Zenith 318 upconverting DVD player via component inputs. HDTV has always looked awesome on this projector and normal, standard, get them from Blockbuster or Netflix DVDs look great. I had the upgrade bug during year 1 of ownership, but after that subsided, I haven't really looked much. This bulb should take me through a few more years.

Its cool to come back here occasionally and see some of the old Panny owners who have been posting since 2003 still around, plus some new faces that are finally emerging from their home theaters to post about their amazing 300's!

I have a ton of dust blobs on my 300.....I have searched for the dust blob thread but I think it go lost in one of the site crashes...anyone have any instructions for dust blob removal on the 300.....

I have put up with it for over a year but i gotta fix it today, got guests coming over

I just saw that thread with the picture(s), not more than 1 month ago, lol. I think this is the one below.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...9&page=1&pp=30

Some points as I just did mine, hold can upright, hold projector on its side. If you have a small vacuum, I'd use it near where you will be shooting the air, just to help suck up the loosen dust particles. I aimed the air at the polarizers, look closely to see if you need to do more, a flashlight and good eyesight helps a lot here. I also used air on areas that looked like it had dust buildup, around the fans (I think I recall two...the main one with the filter and the one by the bulb) and be sure also to vacuum the small filter. There was also a buildup of dust on the front, hard to describe but it was facing the front of the projector, you should be able to easily see the dust once the top is taken off. Good luck.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=572889

You guys freaking rock....I love this place

I still have and use my AE500 but it has been relegated to duty as an Xbox player and any signal that's composite. I have it mounted under my NEC 6pg projector and have it all automated with my Harmony remote. The Panasonic is really built. Panny makes fine projectors...

I have had my 300U for about 3 years. love it. also have had no urge for the upgrade bug until today.

Because I am having problems. I so want to see my new Playstation3 in the best quality I can get. The 300U says it is capable of 720p (750p).

I am running an HDMI to DVI cable from the PS3 to the DVI connector on the 300U.

I set the video out on the PS3 to HDMI, and I switch the input to DVI on the 300U, and all I get is a blank screen. Whats up with this? (I don't have to upgrade the projector because I could use component cable connector which I think give 720p also, but those PS3 component cables are hard to get right now.)

Has anybody else tried the PS3 with an HDMI to DVI converter cable? and got it to work?

anyone looking to buy email i have a l300 and upgraded tp ax100u
lots of light in my room thats the only reason for upgrade the pic
looks just as good on both but ax100 brighter in the day time

It sounds like you are getting a blank screen because the L300 isn't HDCP compliant. I know for a fact you won't be able to watch Blu-ray movies over HDMI with the L300U because of HDCP. I guess they may be enforcing it with games as well. The best that you will be able to do is 480p over HDMI or get the component cables which will work just fine with 720p.

I have an L500U for the last 18 months and have been very happy with it. I have 1800 Hrs on the bulb running in Eco mode. OTA HD Channels are impressive, still gives the wow factor when people come over. Like many others I would like to make the jump to 1080p when prices drop a bit..... Until then I am perfectly content.

My 300U is still going strong after 3 1/2 years. I think HD looks very nice on the projector. I have 1500 hours on the original bulb. People are still very impressed when they see the image the 300U produces. I'll upgrade when the bulb burns out.

Chiming in again, I just paired my 300u up with a Oppo 970 and now my SD DVDs have a new lease on life. Definitely improves the viewing pleasure on the trusty old 300.

About 565 hours on it, dreading the day I have to drop $350 for a new bulb/lamp!

It is projecting on an inexpensive blackout cloth over poplar frame in my upstairs home-theater...PSB Image surrounds, and PSB Alpha fronts and center (PSB Subsonic II subwoofer).

I like the projector--although somewhat handcuffed by the Component or DVI inputs only, I'm running mainly my 360 HD DVD through it, so it's a pretty good image regardless.