Official PT-AE1000U Owner's Thread.

Cool, thanks for starting this thread.

I just swapped out a Pany 900 with the 1000U and am pretty happy with it so far. I'm using a 96 X 41 2.35 Stewart Firehawk G3 screen in a constant image height set up. I'm also using a VP-50 for my scaling, a Prismasonic 1400/FE anamorphic lens, an Oppo 970 for SD/DVD, a PS3 for Blue Ray and a Toshiba HD-X1. My room is 12 X 16 and the projector is ceiling mounted, 12' away from the screen.

I prefer the using the C2 mode, but suspect that after the bulb gets a few hours on it, I'll most likely use the normal mode.

I'm curious if anyone has had this unit professionally calibrated, or if anyone has done any serious tweaking. I can't help but feel that it can be even better than it is now with simple Avia test disk calibrations. There's certainly enough options and features for tweaking the heck out it.

Ultimate A/V has released it's final review on the Panasonic PT-AE1000U:

http://www.ultimateavmag.com/videopr...s/307panaptae/

have any of u guys actually tested the vga input for full 1920x 1080 rez? i know the spec sheet says it can handle it but wanted first hand knowledge

That review got me thinking about something..

There is some verbiage in the review about the noise level of the fan and that he suspected it may be locked in either high or low speed. I can't help but think that might just be the case. When I cycle back and forth between economy or normal lamp mode, the fan does not change. The specs on this projector at Projector Central say it's 22 DB at econo mode, but they do not have a note for normal. I'm wondering if there isn't something goofy going on? Or maybe this thing only has one speed?

I'm not bitching about the fan noise, as it's not too bad. But it would be nice if it was a tad bit quieter. I'd also like to know how this 22 db measurement was taken. My spl meter only reads down to 50 db, so I can't really get an accurate read on this thing. I think it is as loud if not louder than my 900 was though. I notice it more than I did the 900 and Projector Central has the 900 at 25 db's.

Projector Central review:

http://www.projectorcentral.com/Pana...PT-AE1000U.htm

i have a 900u, and am looking to make the jump to 1080p by the end of the year.

how is this in a room with a little ambient light?

there are so many options that it's overwhelming... but i've had really good luck with the ae900u.

Thanks for starting the thread!

I just changed from a 900u to the 1000u and I am, so far, very very happy with it. My HD-DVDs and Blu-Rays just -pop- with so much noticable detail it's amazing. Even 1080i HDTV looks significantly better. There's no doubt - 1080p with a large screen size is a HUGE difference over 720P. (I don't, however, see much difference with screen sizes below 42".) The "3d" look that you often see on smaller screens returns to the large-screen projected format with 1080p. I'm amazed how much detail i was missing.

I'm projecting from 11 feet away onto a 106" Carada Classic Cinema White screen. I'm inputting using HDMI and Component (for my Xbox 360.) I use C3 mode with (so far) no tweaks. I found C1/2 and the Color modes too dim. I'll tweak a bit when my HD-DVD DVE disc comes in, but I suspect not much tweaking will be needed. The performance out of the box is that good, and reviews seem to back that up.

I also use a Toshiba HD-A1, a Playstation 3, and a Comcast DVR box (3xxx).

In comparison to the 900u - specifically regarding brightness, I'd say both units are about the same. The 1000u is definitely brighter at 100 hours than my 900u was at 600 hours, but from memory the 900u was as bright when it was new. I ran the 900u on Normal and the 1000u on eco-mode. I run in a nearly completely light-controlled dedicated room. But with the brightness of C3 mode, I can have my overhead lights on dim and still get a solid picture. I prefer them all off for the best picture, obviously. "Normal" and especially "Dynamic" modes are brighter - to much brighter, but at the expense of color quality.

Comparing the 900u in black levels and contrast - the 1000u is definitely better. The detail in darker areas of the picture, specifically, is -much- better than the 900. Where I used to see fields of black I now see detail. Overall black levels are noticably better, too. I am very impressed with the contrast improvements over my 900u, which I already thought was superb.

Regarding the UltimateAV review.. I have questioned the difference between the ECO and Normal lamp modes myself. I cannot tell -any- difference between the two modes. I keep it on ECO as a result. Does anyone else see this behavior? The reviewer sure did. I suspect ECO mode is locked-in too, perhaps because of a FW bug.


EDIT: After 20 hours, the focus has gone crazy (I can no longet get even focus across the screen... the left side, especially the lower left, is always blurry), and I have a dust blob.

I'm working with the dealer now.

Paul,

If the lamp intensity doesn't change while toggling between Normal and ECO mode, yet the menu confirms the alternate settings, Are we REALLY stuck in the ECO mode or are we stuck in the normal modes? I wonder?????

Greg

I think we are all stuck in normal mode. I can not tell a difference in lumen output when looking at the screen (notta), but when I look at the lens from a non-blinding angle, I can tell that something is happening. But the fan doesn't change one bit.

As far as using this projector with ambient light goes, it is better than my 900 was. With the 900 I always felt as if I "needed" all the lights off. With the 1000U in C2 mode, I still rpefer all the lights off, but I don't have that burning desire to turn them off. I hope that makes sence. I think my screen plays into that too. I specifically bought it for occasional ambient light use. And I do love my screen BTW....

great, i have a graywolf, and when i move i'm going to have wayyy more light control than i do now, but i like to game and PC with a few small lights on.

All us new owners, take a look at the new $1000 increased rebate (from $400) including a 3 year warranty. I was 6 -days- too early on this one. More detail in the other 1000u thread.

For those who haven't purchased, April 16-30 there is now a $1000 cash back rebate and a warranty increase to 3 years (as part of that rebate). It's on Panasonic's website. This brings the price of the PJ more or less in line with the new Epson. (Hmmm... I wonder what provoked this change?)

I still think it's a better unit than the Epson, all things considered.

EDIT: I now say "go with the Epson", because the QC problems I am having with this less than 20 hour old unit is very upsetting. (see other posts)

I have my Xbox 360 w/ HD DVD drive connected through VGA. I have black bars around the right and bottom edges. It seems that Samsung HDTV's have a "p" setting that increases the image from 92% to 100%. Do any of you know a "FIX" for that? Will the spring update on May 7th from MS work. I heard that it will a VGA setting to allow either TV/PC outputs in 1080p.

As well now the 360 only works in 1360 X 768, not 1080p to the projector. Have any of you got it to work in 1080p? I tried the Video Authority VGA to Component adapter and a basic VGA to component cable but I think because of the 24 fps they do not like each other.

Hey everyone,

I was planning on picking up a PT-AE1000U in a few months, and I was wondering if anybody has tried to run a DVI to HDMI cord from their computer to the projector, running at a 1920 x 1080 resolution? Has it worked? I've heard there are issues with image cropping and overscan going from computer to an HDTV at 1080p, does this also apply to projectors as well, specifically the PT-AE1000U? Anybody know?

-Thanks!

what does samsung have to do with this?

i have a 900u, and i have the same issue with my 360. i played with the position settings in teh menu, but i can't get it centered/good.

any help on this would be great.

Apparently Samsung TV's have a setting that accepts the 92% VGA signal and fills the entire screen. Hopefully the May 7th MS 360 spring update gives 360 owners a similar option. I have heard that it will.

that would be awesome. i was about to the point where i was going to go into the service menu to fix it, but i think i'll wait.

I wanted to follow up on the lamp brightness issue. There definitely is a difference, perhaps 20 or 30% (it is minor, and doesn't change fan speeds initially - fan speeds go up as temp does if it is, say, a warm room.)

It won't seem to change at all when Dynamic Iris is on. To verify the two modes' differences, either A) shut Dynamic Iris off, or switch to a very bright scene and look.

I used my XBOX 360's Xbox Live page (it is a bright orange). Even in Dynamic Iris mode, I was able to see the difference between the lamp modes.

The change will be much more subtle on darker content. It seems only to show up in brighter images.

As an aside - I noticed I have a new 4 pixel(ish) piece of dust on my blue panel. ARGH. Luckily, I seem to be the only one who can see it, and it only really shows up on the color white.

Thanks Paul. That's good to know. When I have tried high lamp mode, it wasn't but for a couple minutes, then I got impatient and went back to eco.

Has anyone actually put a SPL meter on this machine to see how loud the fan is? I don't understand how projector central gets their numbers. 22 db's is almost silent, and mine is not silent by any stretch.

Hey all-

I've been digging through the online specs for this PJ, and I haven't been able to determine whether or not it's HDMI 1.1 or 1.2. Does anyone know?

Thanks.
Darren David

"I'm not bitching about the fan noise, as it's not too bad. But it would be nice if it was a tad bit quieter. I'd also like to know how this 22 db measurement was taken. "

I was reading the manual tonight and it said that if you are above an altitude of 4593 feet use high and that sets the fan speed to high.

No problem. I'll keep running it on ECO in order to get some increased brightness via NORMAL once the bulb gets old.

I want to revise my brightness comments, though... compared to the 900u I now think this 1000u unit is a -tad- less bright. But it's a close race.


I agree. The fan is good, but it's not silent. It is a bit louder than the 900u's fan. It does seem to moderate higher with temperature.

It is 1.2.

Unfortunately, QC issues are popping up quickly on my 1000u - so much so that I may have to send it back as defective within the next few days.

1) I got a new dust blob - my 1st in 3 projectors. Actually, it is more like a small piece of dust that covers around 6-8 pixels on the blue panel. It's only visible on white, and then it's in the far right of the picture.

I suppose I could live with that, since it is so hard to see. But it's annoying. The Panny 900u was always very good with dust, I thought, compared to my old Sanyo Z2.

2) I have uneven focus. The lower left corner of the picture is noticably softer than the rest of the image. The focus pattern confirms this: the other three corners and the middle are sharp, but the lower left crosshair is not.

I am hoping that moving the lens all the way in and out of focus will help, and I'll try that tonight, but I am not sure.

Otherwise, still puts out a great picture. But for a $4K projector, these problems shouldn't arise so quickly, if at all.

Have only had my AE1000U for about 10 days now. Prior to that I owned a Sanyo Z2 projector. The projector is sitting on an end table directly next to my seating position. I just got done watching two movies back-to-back and I can honestly say I did not hear the fan once during the movies. It was only after I turned the player off did I hear the projector's fan and then it was only slight -- much, much quieter than the Z2's fan.

I also noticed the Panny seems to cool down very quickly -- has any one else noticed this?

Thanks!

My ae1000 is mounted on a suspended shelf hanging from the ceiling above and about a foot and a half back from my seating position. It is less than four feet from my ears while watching movies. I never hear the fan at all until I shut of the sound on my system. I do notice that when first turning the unit on while standing beside it, I hear a the faint sound of the fan running, but after watching video for the evening(maybe three hours) when I shutoff the sound equipment I can hear it more noticeably. It appears that the fan speeds up with added heat.

This is a great projector. You can tweak it to death if that's what your into, but I'm very happy with it. Maybe at some latertime I'll do that tweaking thing.

Has anyone really received the $400.00 rebate yet?

Greg

I have not recieved my rebate that was sent in over 6 weeks ago.
I have had it right next to my ear watching movies and did not hear the fan.