Panasonic PT-AX100 - Page 2

Sample throw distances can be found here:

http://panasonic.co.jp/pavc/global/p...positions.html

This is the Panasonic to get, although its rumored to around $4k MSRP


1920x1080 D6
Dynamic Iris
12-bit dynamic gamma correction
Cinema Filter
H+V lens shift
2x power zoom
2 HDMI inputs

See thread here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...7&page=1&pp=30

1080p is nice, but I'm more interested in the new 720p model. Hopefully it streets below $2000 CAD at launch, if not I might go with the Epson 400. I wonder if the 'Cinema Filter' that Panasonic is advertising is similar to the filter that Epson uses on it's models.

Is that the AE1000? Nice.

Yeah, nice indeed. I'd love to upgrade my AE700, but I'm going to have to see what this puppy goes for. Would be great to make the upgrade to 1080!

why did you have to do that ay221? Such a tease...
I thought this was the under $3500 forum, go tempt the others in that other section (over $3500 section) hehehehe

I thought there was still a chance that the 1080P Panny would be 3500msrp?

I thought I read that a couple of places... 0_o!

That thing is sharp looking, a real budget killler compared to the 100 though.

And here I am still thinking of buy the 900U damn technology.

Yeah, it very well could be $3500 msrp. We will have to wait until Cedia to get the scoop.

Yep, so maybe $2200 in six months...

Maybe...

keep your fingers crossed. As much as I'd love a 1080p projector in an affordable price range, I don't see it happening within the next couple years.

Can it input 1080p/24? If yes, that would be handy someday when HD-DVD and Blu-ray output film-based content directly as encoded at 1080p/24 with no need to convert to 1080i/60 or 1080p/30.

anyone know the noise levels on this new Pana? Can't find it in the specifications and I guess it may be louder than the 900 as the brightness has increased.
Any info?

Just found the noise on the Japan site its 26db. not as much as i would have thought given the lumens output. Im getting one, can't wait to disect it and see what makes it tick.

Why ?, the MSRP of the Pana AE1000 is $3499. Should I remind you that the MSRP of the AE900 that was released just 12 months ago, is $3200 ?.

Sanyo is going to release their 1080 version of the Z5 somewhere in 2007, and then prices will probably take a dive, like every year.

It is very logical to assume that starting from about spetember of 2007, when the second generation of 1080 pjs will hit the market, the first generation of 1080 pjs could be bought for around $2000.

If that's true, what would the new 720p Panasonic sell for? I think that 1080p projectors, including the Panasonic, will remain high priced for a while so that Panasonic can sell both 1080p and 720p at a profit. But the current trend is to rapidly falling prices, so I could also be wrong. I guess only time will tell.

You know, it's too bad I couldn't afford both the new 1080p and 720p projectors. You could mount them both to hit the same screen. Then, when you want to watch football in full light conditions, you fire up the 720p. When you want to watch a movie in dark conditions, you fire up the 1080p (although I guess I'd also have to buy HD-DVD/Bluray). It would be even better to have two screens -- a High Power for the 720p and a nice screen that's not high power but has the best black level, like a good grey screen.

I wonder how the Cinema filter works:
http://panasonic.co.jp/pavc/global/p...features2.html

Picture of Cinema Filter attached.

Does it work like those static, tinted optical filters you put in front of the lens externally, or is it a dynamic LCD technology, changing shade depending on the scene?

From the image, it looks like it has gear teeth- does it move in/out of the image path?

Your link points back to this thread. Is there another thread you meant to point to?

See here, last paragraph of the first post:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post8387613

It's a bit unfortunate that we have two threads about the same topic. Would be great if one of the moderators could maybe create a sticky thread and merge these two, if possible.

Does the fact that the AX100 produce 2X the lumens of the AE900, means that the LCD panels will also yellow at 2X the speed ?.

Also, are we talking about a much reduced lifespan for the lamp, because of the high wattage ?.

Good questions. An inorganic panel would help with the yellowing, though the AX100 is still using organic, I believe.

I've been waiting for a 2000 lumen unit from Panasonic- I'd like to go to 10 or 12 feet wide image size.

With all that lumen headroom, maybe it will be the first budget projector to get an honest >1000 lumens after calibration...

yes it will do 1080p/24

Does this mean the AX100 displays the image on the LCD panels at 24Hz, or at an even multiple like 48Hz or 72Hz?

Will the AX100 take a 60Hz 480p or 720p input on component, HDMI and VGA and convert it to an even multiple of 24Hz (48Hz or 72Hz) for display on the LCD?

have aranged a demo AX100 for tonight from Pana rep. Will pull the lid off and see whether the quoted number of lens elements is correct, as I have reservations if the quoted number REALLY is correct, will also run a few heat tests to see if it can handle temperature extremes, incase i want to install it in the kitchen....you never know. Will post photo's tomorrow.

rustydylan: Looking forward to your opinion on the unit.

Could you ask if it's production or a pre-production model you are examining. Perhaps check out some fast moving pans of 720p material and see it performs. (I see my AE900U occasionally blur on rapid screen motion). Thanks in advance you lucky guy.

Still loving my AE900U, but nothing wrong with brighter.

Anyone know the release date for this projector ?

Davyo

Somehow I doubt that. The Epson Cinema 800 is rated at 1600 lumens which it does nearly produce in its "dynamic" modes but when calibrated to D65 is similar in lumen output to the existing Sanyo Z4 and Panasonic ae900 which is in the neighborhood of 300 lumens. I believe that the main drop in lumen output corresponds to the cinema filter that the Epson engages when in its cinematic modes. Since the Panasonic now incoporates the same thing, my guess is that its lumen level will drop significantly as well.

I believe the PT-AX100 uses C2Fine 720P panels which would in itself make it a serious upgrade over the AE900. C2Fine has been discussed numerous times on AVSForum, but some of the benefits include a 4-5 fold increase in panel contrast, inorganic rather than organic which will increase longevity, faster response time, and no VB due to a different addressing system. There are probably other benefits which I have forgotten. The bottom line is that D6 C2Fine panels are a HUGE improvement over the D5 panels used in the AE900/Z4/TX200, etc.

hmm..

The panasonic has been specifically designed to be a high lumen projector (hence the ambient light sensor) so there is no doubt it will be the brightest calibrated 720p theatre specific pj when it comes out, no matter what epson or anyone else claimed about the lumens of their first gen D5 pjs. Predicting it will be dimmer is just silly.

Everyone with inside knowledge has stated that the ax100 will be D5, not C2Fine, so don't get your hopes up. But, then again, NO ONE has reported panel failures, outside manufacturing problems, with the D5 panels, regardless of the fears posted here. The predictions that it will "yellow faster" is therefore equally silly - I guess if the current ae900s aren't yellowing, the ax100 could be said to yellow faster with imaginary math, "let's see, take the zero, multiply by zero, carry the zero..."

I can only hope that rival pj manufacturers pay their marketing staff to post this crap, I'd hate to think there are people out there who feel the need to post fud about every new product day in and day out just because they have nothing better to do.

Its been reported here on AVS that the upcoming Mitsubishi will be the ONLY projector released this year to have C2Fine panels so I would not get your hopes up just yet. Of course, that says nothing about what will be released in early 2007

And for the record, I believe that the AE900 replacement will still use D5 panels and as such, be subject to the same limitations as the current breed of projectors. As such, I don't think it is silly at all to expect a large drop in lumen levels in order to achieve proper D65 and adequate contrast / black levels as you simply need to cut back the amount of light passing through the LCD panels themselves. I'm not saying that it will cut back to 300 lumens when calibrated but I DO highly doubt it will reach 1000 lumens as some others think.

If you read this thread:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=718038

They indicate that the new Panasonic 1080p projector will have c2fine panels. It's also supposed to be released in November.