[leadfoot]

Very simple. Vote for your favorite based on the preliminary observations from CEDIA and the press releases.

 

[supa]

Forget Z2, I want the AE500!


This time I'll try to wait the official european release, easier to deal with the possible warranty-issues. Not that I have had any issues with AE300 (*knock on wood*) but ordering from Japan is still a risk I'd like to avoid.

 

[daggerNC]

Still very early in real information to make an informed choice. Like if the Sony isn't as quiet as spec'd (it better be alot more than 2dB than my current HS10), or the Panny or Sanyo production units deliver a virtually equivalent solution (sans HDMI) while being >$1K street price lower, then the votes may change quite a bit. These are my 3 front runners (OK, I'd really like one of the 3-chip DLP's or 1080P LCOS/LCD's but we're talking affordable here) and since I have my sister/brother-in-law ready to buy my HS10 I need to know which one will deliver!!


dagger

 

[rogo]

"I need a price...."


"Price check on the projectors...."


No vote until then.

 

[leadfoot]

Quote:

Originally posted by rogo "I need a price...." "Price check on the projectors...." No vote until then.

Awww, c'mon, be a sport. You know you've decided anyway. How could you have a Z1 in your bedroom and not have a Z2 in the living room? Blasphemy! You're going to be Sanyo's poster boy.

 

[Scott Gammans]

Poll was edited at starter's request to change the "HS10" entry to "HS20"

 

[GreggPenn]

This resolution/price combinatio of LCD (1280x720) meets my dream requirements of 1 year ago. We are almost there.


Assuming the price of the Panasonic and Z2 are similar, I chose the Sanyo because I hope it will have a 3yr warranty (ala Z1 vs 300 last year).


If the warranties are the same, I'd still probably go with the Z2 because there past presence in the front PJ -- home theatre -- market provides them with more experience.


I eliminated the Sony because I've never felt comfortable with the reliability of their products (going back to the introduction of CD car players).


(While I actually feel a little more comfortable with Panasonic vs. Sanyo -- in terms of overall brand quality, Sanyo's entries into the low-end, 16:9, LCD market have been a smidge better priced and equipped).

 

[rlindo]

I'd have to wait to hear about that lamp modulation or whatever thing the Ae500 uses. A guy who saw the pj at CEDIA said he noticed some funky change from bright to dark scenes and this feature might be the culprit.


Right now I'd choose the Z2 simple because it wil be the cheapest and will have the true specs to compete with the others. Just look at the former mdoels (z1, hs10, ae300) to see how the z1 was right there.

 

[leadfoot]

Quote:

Originally posted by Scott Gammans Poll was edited at starter's request to change the "HS10" entry to "HS20"

Many thanks, Scott.

 

[darinp]

Quote:

Originally posted by rlindo I'd have to wait to hear about that lamp modulation or whatever thing the Ae500 uses. A guy who saw the pj at CEDIA said he noticed some funky change from bright to dark scenes and this feature might be the culprit.

Sounds like it is important that the feature can be disabled. Maybe most people will just turn it off. It can make the CR specs look good, though. I hope it isn't like white segments on colorwheels, great for specs but mostly bad for real world video.


--Darin

 

[gigapower]

i've really got my little heart set on the L500u.

 

[Spoonfed]

Im in Australia, and with a Release date of 10th October for the AE500 in the states i'd be suprised if we see it this year in Aust. proably early/mid next yeat, tooooooooooooo long

 

[leadfoot]

Is anyone else worried about the lamp modulation feature lessening the useful life of the lamp? I think I'll be setting mine to off if that's how it will modulate light output. I'd rather see a second LCD panel array.

 

[leadfoot]

I can't believe how tight this poll turned out. I guess nobody really knows enough about *any* of the projectors for any one of them to stand out. A lot of talk about the HS20 lately though.

 

[Spiky]

Can't answer til I can see them. Or at least hear reviews of them based on real-world use. Z2 sounds good enough to warrant waiting out the current lineup and picking it over the HS20 or L500U, but who really knows?

 

[Kriilin]

If the AE-500 has 1:1 mapping, and the black level modulation thingy works ok, I'll go for that one. Random thought: Could (in theory), the pj's scalar look at the values for RGB on a pixel-by pixel basis, decide which ones should be black, and use a 4th panel merely as a light gate for that particular pixel, and/or contribute to the expanded grey resolution? I think the pulsing lamp thing would be too annoying by changing the whole picture, plus I don't think you can modulate those lamps that fast.

 

[leadfoot]

Quote:

Originally posted by Kriilin If the AE-500 has 1:1 mapping, and the black level modulation thingy works ok, I'll go for that one. Random thought: Could (in theory), the pj's scalar look at the values for RGB on a pixel-by pixel basis, decide which ones should be black, and use a 4th panel merely as a light gate for that particular pixel, and/or contribute to the expanded grey resolution? I think the pulsing lamp thing would be too annoying by changing the whole picture, plus I don't think you can modulate those lamps that fast.

I don't think this would work because the "fourth" panel you speak of would be in a different focal plane than the others. Meaning, say pixel is flagged as needing to black, so the fourth panel blocks the light. Well, since there has to some amount of distance between panel four and the others, the darkended pre-pixel will not likely fall perfectly within the confines of the converged panels' pixel. It would probably make the image very, very soft rather than more contrasty. Just my uninformed guess as how that might work, FWIW.

 

[astroboydivx]

Quote:

Originally posted by Spoonfed Im in Australia, and with a Release date of 10th October for the AE500 in the states i'd be suprised if we see it this year in Aust. proably early/mid next yeat, tooooooooooooo long

Yeah, but you can do what many of us do, and that's import them from Visual Apex (shipping and insurance come to $US185) or [email protected]

 

[Spoonfed]

astroboy,


So your saying if i purchase a AE300 say for $1699 US (there current price) which is $2588 Australian (From Visual Apex) I only have to add another $185 to the price and that is the total price to my door?


I thort customs would be substaintial cost on this sort of item? What about warrenty? Will Panasonic Australia Warrent the item?


D

 

[shrugger]

I've got to go with the Z2, even though I had previously had my heart set on the 300U. After waiting, and waiting to see what was coming out at CEDIA, I don't think I can wait until January for a 500U.


Plus, my gut is DVD PQ will be essentially identical on both, the Z2 will be a fair bit cheaper, and lens shift is really, really nice!


-shrugger