March 19, 2008

1080p Projectors - Why Pay More?

Falling prices on 1080p home theater projectors have buyers wondering, "What's the difference?" as they research high-definition home theater projectors. We thought we would point out some of things to keep in mind when comparing the features and basic specifications.

The Basics

Some of the differences among popular 1080p projectors are the same old stuff. Brightness and contrast are the biggest differentiators. Brighter projectors and higher contrast ratios are more expensive, and explain the cost difference in many cases.

Brightness

The very popular Panasonic PT-AE2000U is 1500 lumens, which is brighter than the lower priced (and also popular) Mitsubishi HC4900's 1000 lumens. That means in lights-on situations, the brighter projector will suffer from less wash-out, although both will still be viewable in some ambient light.

Black Level / Contrast

Black levels are a very important measure in a home theater projector. Today, most projectors designed for home theater have contrast ratios of over 2000:1. Just about any 2000:1 contrast or better model will satisfy the average viewer. However, more particular viewers may prefer models with contrast levels of 10,000:1 or better.

[ Image: Black detail on the Panasonic PT-AE2000U ]

Features

Now for some of the features that buyer's don't know they need until they have them. These kinds of features usually account for a couple hundred dollars difference, and might be worth well more than that!

Throw Distance

In short, the throw distance is a measure of how far back from the screen a projector must be mounted to achieve the optimum image size. The standard throw distance for a home theater projector is aproximately 13-17 feet. If your projector is mounted outside of the best possible range you will want to look for a projector with a longer throw, or a zoom lens. The Panasonic PT-AE2000U offers a 2X lens which means it would be a better choice in an installation from 25-30 feet.

Zoom Lens - Lens Shift

Installing a projector can be a real challenge. But certain features like zoom lens and lens shift can significantly simplify the process. If a friend of yours installed a projector in his home theater 3 or 4 years ago, he had to do some serious planning before he got started. Without lens shift, the projector had to be mounted directly center to the screen (or slightly offset if the lens was not centered) and he probably had just a couple of feet of leeway in the distance between mount and screen. Thankfully, lens shift and zoom lenses allow for MUCH greater flexibility.

Note: Keystone correction is not recommended in permanent installations and should be avoided if possible. Some home theater projectors do not include keystone correction functionality.

[ Image: The Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB with lens shift in action. ]

Connectivity: HDMI 1.3 vs. 1.2 Compatibility

A multitude of connectivity is not a major issue in permanent installations since so many users will be connecting to the projector with just one cable (component video or HDMI). However, if the projector is used in multiple locations as a part of a media room, connections like S-video and even composite video are nice to have. Multiple HDMI inputs are also a nice feature for users who want a direct connection from source to display for obvious reasons.

Note: HDMI 1.3 (aka Deep Color) is a newer standard for HDMI and it carries more information than HDMI 1.2. The difference in the quality of the image may be noticeable to some users and there may be future compatibility issues with HDMI 1.2 connections.

March 05, 2008

Projector People and Panasonic Sponsor 2008 Gasparilla Film Festival

ProjectorPeople.com and Panasonic sponsored the second annual Gasparilla Film Festival in Tampa, FL this past weekend (Feb. 27-Mar. 2, 2008). Over the course of five days, the festival screened over 50 features and short films from here and abroad, conducted panels with directors, actors, and producers, and hosted a series of VIP parties.

ProjectorPeople.com provided a Panasonic PT-DW5100U projector for the VIP deck. It was the real star of the show. In the photo here, the projector is creating a nearly 40 ft. image from roughly 40 ft. back – and it looked phenomenal. It was fully bright enough the handle the environment – 5500 lumens can do that. The color and contrast were also astounding even on a pink, stucco wall. The PT-DW5100U is a widescreen, DLP® projector with proprietary Panasonic technology for image improvements including vivid color control, 10-bit video processing, noise reduction, progressive scan playback, and dynamic sharpness control.

Images of the Panasonic PT-DW5100U in action at the film festival:

Panasonic, projectors, PT-DW5100U, film festival, event production, DLP projector

January 31, 2008

A New Color Brightness Standard for Video Projectors?

When people shop for projectors they compare a lot of information. Since so many people shop online rather than comparing hundreds of models in a brick and mortar store, they often have to rely only on manufacturers published specifications to make their ultimate decision. Most of the specifications you see published are standardized in one way or another to keep manufacturers and resellers honest.

Brightness, for example, is reported as "ANSI lumens", the ANSI stands for the American National Standards Institute. Contrast is also a standard, though the methods of calculation (ie. full on/ full off versus "real world" measurements) are sometimes not equal.

But the people at 3LCD, an advocacy group for LCD technology, believe that there is more to the picture quality story than just brightness and contrast. Just a few days ago they announced support for a new "Color Brightness" standard which they feel addresses another important issue to end users; color accuracy. While the new standard will not exactly specify how accurate color is, it will illustrate the ability of the projector to produce color, which factors heavily into the equation.

When the standard is adpoted users will see two ratings for brightness. Here are two examples from the people at Lumita who have done the research.

Example Projector with Good color performance:

Light Output specification:

• White 1800 lumens
• Color 1800 lumens

Example Projector with Poor color performance:

Light Output specification:

• White 1800 lumens
• Color 900 lumens

Why the New Color Brightness Standard?

Most likely the push from the folks at 3LCD has to do with the technology battle between DLP (Digital Light Processing) and LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The two technologies make up nearly 50% each of the home theater and business projector markets (with LCOS a distant third), but each camp continues to work to get a larger share of the market. The advantage of LCD which is most often cited is color accuracy, a characteristic that currently does not have a standardized metric. That’s where Color Brightness comes in.

Here's an excerpt from a January 2008 press release from 3LCD:

"3LCD today confirmed its support for the new Color Brightness metric. The Color Brightness metric is being submitted to the ISO for approval as an update to the International Standard for light output measurement. Color Brightness specifies a projector's ability to deliver color. The Color Brightness metric addresses the failure of current projector specifications to measure color performance, allowing purchasers to evaluate color performance at a glance. 3LCD joins a growing list of industry players supporting the new metric."

Though it may have been born of the battle between LCD and DLP, the standard will also give consumers insight when comparing to LCD projectors. It also gives the folks at DLP a specification to target for in the image quality debate. New DLP technology has greatly improved color accuracy already.

Exactly What is Color Brightness?

If you are interested in the technical talk about Color Brightness, here is a little more from the 3LCD press release we quoted earlier:

"Today all video, DVD, HD, digital camera and computer signals are encoded in an RGB color space. In all of these devices and in the world around us, red, green and blue added together equal white. If this is not the case, a full and balanced range of color cannot be reproduced. Color Brightness measures the brightness of red, green and blue, just like the input signal. If a projector can produce bright red, green and blue that combined equal the brightness of white, true, accurate and balanced color is possible. If Color Brightness does not equal the White Brightness, accurate color reproduction is impossible.

...The new proposal modifies the International Standard IEC 61947-1 to provide purchasers with additional information on a projector's color performance. The existing brightness standard provides consumers and purchasing managers a critical metric often communicated as "lumens" or "ANSI lumens." The updated specification will not affect this current white illuminance measurement. It simply adds another metric that specifically measures color illuminance. Color Brightness is measured using the same industry-standard methodology. The new number is also reported in lumens, providing a familiar and relative number. If both the white illuminance (brightness) and color illuminance (color brightness) are equal, the projector will accurately deliver the proper energy to the primary colors of red, green and blue exactly as they are in the source video signal.

[ photos: Images from Lumita .pdf ]

Who Will Use the Standard?

Epson and Sony are two of the larger manufacturers on board for the new standard. 3LCD group also support implementation of the new standard, and issued the press release that initiated our discussion today.

Press Release from 3LCD

projector, projectors, Color Brightness

January 21, 2008

New Epson Home Cinema 1080p UB Projector - Now Ready to Ship!

We started talking about the Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB (the UB stands for "ultra black") projector a few months ago, and now our long awaited 'ultra black' projector is finally here. The projector has made a name for itself because it features Epson's very own 3LCD D7 panel, which boasts higher contrast ratios among other improvements. Here's a little more about the new projector from features to function.

Our First Look at the Epson UB Series

Our first look at the Epson UB series came at a local consumer electronics event back in early October. But this was our first look at the Home Cinema 1080 UB in person. We hooked it up with a native 720p Movie Cowboy that upconverts to 1080p, since our native 1080p Cowboy 'fell off the horse'. We hope to have it back into shape soon, before our next 1080p shootout.

[ photo: The new Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB connections. ]

Hats Off (lights on) to the New D7 3LCD Chip

The Epson Home Cinema and Epson Pro Cinema 1080 UBs both include the new 3LCD D7 chip. The D7 chip is full HD (1920x1080) resolution and has 12-bit color which manages to crank out over 68-billion colors (though I could only identify 67-billion). It also delivers a 50,000:1 contrast ratio. It's also a 1600 lumen projector, which really sparkles in a dark room, and holds it's own in rooms with ambient light. We will outline the differences between the Pro and Home versions in a paragraph or two.

[ photo: Image from the Epson's Home Cinema 1080 UB lens shift example. ]

Videos of the Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB in Action

We set up the Home Cinema 1080 UB as soon as we had one we hadn't sold already. We decided to show it against the Panasonic PT-AE2000U, one of our highest performing, and best selling 1080p units. Both looked very good, but in person, the blacks were noticeably blacker on the new UB. Some of those in the demo liked the color on the Panasonic better, while others really thought the blackness of the Epson made the image punchier. Here are some videos that will give you an idea of what the two looked like in person, though my Lumix camera could not pick up the black levels as well as we could see them in person.

Our first view of the Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB in action. On the left is the Epson, on the right our Panasonic PT-AE2000U.

We start shooting on a matte gray painted wall, then drop the screen to see if we can determine a difference on a matte white surface. The Epson is still on the left, and the Panasonic on the right.

Roller coaster video on the two 1080p projectors. Still the Epson on the left and Panasonic on the right. Much like a ride at Disney World, watching the video in person, on the big screen, can actually make you queasy.

See all Projector People videos

More Photos from Our Home Cinema 1080 UB Shootout

Motorcycle comparison. Epson Home Cinema 1080 is on the right. Panasonic PT-AE2000U on the left.

Here is a close up of that very same image. The details is so good that you can see the detail in the tires. A great example of the high contrast in action.

You can also see the serial number...

See all Projector People photos on Flickr

Epson Home Cinema 1080UB Specs

• Full HD (1920x1080) resolution
• 1600 lumens
• 50,000:1 contrast ratio
• 2-year manufacturer warranty

Cool Features

• (2) HDMI inputs with 1.3 support
• 2.1 optical zoom lens
• Lens shift (with impressive range of 96° vertical/47° degree horizontal)
• Quieter fan (as low as 24db)
• Faster cool-down time (aprox. 16 seconds)

What's the difference Between the Pro Cinema 1080UB and the Home Cinema 1080UB?

The Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB has all the specs and features listed above, and it has a white, pearlescent finish. The Pro Cinema 1080 UB also has the aforementioned specs and features, but comes in a black, pearlescent finish. It also has ISF™ (Imaging Science Foundation) certification that means its image meets the most rigorous standards for video fidelity and calibration. The Epson Pro Cinema 1080 UB also ships with a spare lamp, a ceiling mount, and includes one more year of warranty period. The Pro Cinema will be available through authorized, local, CEDIA dealers and at ProjectorPeople.com. The Home Cinema 1080 UB will be available through ProjectorPeople.com as well, with free, same-day shipping in the U.S.

Helpful Reviews from Projector Central and Projector Reviews

Both ProjectorCentral.com and ProjectorReviews.com have posted reviews of the new Epson projectors (the Home and Pro Cinema respectively). We pulled their conclusions and are linking to their complete reviews.

The Epson Pro Cinema 1080 UB is a beautiful projector once it is calibrated. And in buying the Pro version you are likely to get some assistance with the calibration. The overall package is fairly priced, and a highly competitive value proposition. If you want to budget about $4,000 for your next home theater projector, it would be difficult to find a better choice than the Pro Cinema 1080 UB. We can give it our Editor's Choice Award with great enthusiasm.
~ Read complete review on Projector Central.com

If you are spending less than $3000 at the time of this writing (1/08), the Epson Home Cinema 1080UB is definitely, in my book, the king of the hill, and the one to beat. It's going to give noticeably more expensive projectors a serious run for the attention of those who have the bucks, but now don't feel the need to spend the extra. Simply put, this Epson is serious competiton for many of the projectors costing significantly more.
~ Read complete review on ProjectorReviews.com

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January 17, 2008

CES Reporter - Forget HD TVs. Go for a Projector

Our CES review is coming soon, but we recently came across one reviewer's take on CES and we couldn't agree more! See Jeremy Laird of Tech UK's quotes below, along with our own interjections.

Yet again, it was wall to wall LCD and plasma panelry at CES this year. But it's about time punters realised the HD TV market is all about sparkly gimmicks and keeping-up-with-the-Joneses consumerism.

If you're remotely interested in the viewing experience, what you really want is a projector.

It's what we hear from our customers all the time. If you want an awesome movie theater quality experience in your own home, a projector is, without question, the way to go. And even after you factor in the cost of a replacement lamp, you are often still saving money over a flat panel display over 42-inches.

[ Photo: A ProjectorPeople.com Customer Home Theater. See more here. ]

The basic argument goes something like this. Even the largest, most preposterously pricey panels are plain puny compared to a good projector. For pure cinematic immersion, a decent projector is absolutely untouchable. And thanks to the recent fall in HD projector prices, you'd be mad to pay more money for a smaller, chronically inferior HD TV.

And compared to your old 4:3 TVs, the 42-inches feels more like a 30-inch set. The 42-inch spec is measured along the diagonal, so with the wide aspect ratio, you're losing overall size.

But why settle for 40 inches when you can have 140 inches. Or even 240 inches. With a projector, the physical dimensions of your home rather than the depth of your wallet define how big you can go.

Exactly. Projectors with zoom lenses and lens shift add to the flexibility and ease of installation. Most LCD based projectors have lens shift as do select DLP based models. Watch for these features if you suspect your space will be a challenging one, or if you just like cool features.

Currently, there are several solid 720p DLP projectors available in the £500-600 segment. Just compare that as a value proposition to a £5,000 60-inch plasma TV. Hand on heart, I'd rather watch the £500 projector painting an eight foot image across my wall than the much pricier plasma. What's more, by this time next year, I reckon full 1080p projectors will be selling for under £1,000. Then it really will be no contest.

And like plasma and LCD TVs, prices on projectors are dropping at a regular rate. Today you can pick up a full HD projector for just $1499 after rebate!

[ read the complete article on Tech.CO.UK ]

projector, projectors, CES Review, New 1080p projectors, new high definition projectors, new home theater projectors

December 07, 2007

720p vs. 1080p - When to Go "True HD."

Last year we posted a photo of a football game projected onto the side of a house. It's the kind of image you can only get from a projector, over 10-feet diagonal, literally filling the entire area with the image. It was one of our most popular 720p native projectors, and one of our best sellers last year (Panasonic PT-AX100U). At the time, we thought it looked fantastic. We even featured it on our "Football Packages" page to highlight it's impressiveness.

[ 720p image: Panasonic PT-AX100 (native 720p projector) displaying HD football on the side of a house last year. ]

This year, we have an image of the same house, and an image that's about the same size. But the picture is simply stunning. It's an obvious improvement over the previous images, which already looked very good.

[ 1080p image: Panasonic PT-AE2000U (native 1080p projector) displaying HD football on the side of a house this year. ]

So, we thought we would share those images with those trying to choose between 720p and 1080p resolutions, and discuss our own thoughts on the matter. To start, we will talk about viewing distance recommendations from related to field-of-view, and then talk about resolution and image size.

Screen Sizes and Viewing Distance for Optimum Field-of-View

Screen manufacturer Da-Lite has established a basic guideline for selecting a screen size. Essentially, it boils down to recommending your seats be approximately two feet back for every (1) foot of image. So, if you want a ten-foot wide image, you need to be back about 17 and a half feet back from the screen. Our most popular screen sizes are 92", 106" and 120" respectively.

Screen Size Suggestions based on Field of View

Screen size	Optimum Viewing Distance
92-inch	14.4 feet
106-inch	15.3 feet
120-inch	17.3 feet

The Da-Lite screen suggestions are all about finding the distance that allows you to keep the entire screen in view without moving your head from side to side (aka field-of-view) for the complete picture. Their suggestions have nothing to do with the resolution of the projector.

Resolution and Screen Size Recommendations from Projector People

Our customer feedback and our experience here in our own testing is that 720p looks as good as 1080p on about any screen under 80-inches from a reasonable viewing distance, but the 1080p is a dramatic improvement in an image over 120-inches when compared side by side. Ultimately it may come down to how picky you are about your image. But if you can afford to go 1080p, there isn't much of a downside, other than the lack of true 1080p source material.

Resolution Suggestions Based on Screen Size and Pickiness

Screen Size	Not Picky	Kinda Picky	Very Picky
92-inch	720p	720p	Either
106-inch	720p	1080p	1080p (true HD source)
Over 120"	1080p	1080p (true HD source)	1080p (true HD source)

This chart is based on customer feedback and our own experiences with in house demos. If you want some more technical discussion on the topic you can read this article from this blog.

• Epson Home Cinema 1080
• Panasonic PT-AE2000U
• Mitsubishi HC6000
• Sanyo PLV-Z2000

If you want to see the most popular 1080p projectors in action, check out our blog post. Scroll to the end for some video.

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November 06, 2007

Projector People 1080p Shootout - November 2007

[ 1080p Home Theater projector shootout ]

We just recently received the Panasonic PT-AE2000U, Sanyo PLV-Z2000, and the Mitsubishi HC6000(BL) projectors into our inventory, so we thought we would fire those up with some of other top sellers - the Epson Home Cinema 1080, Optoma HD80, and the 720p bestseller the Panasonic PT-AX200U respectively.

Quick Specs for our 1080p Shootout Projectors:

Panasonic PT-AE2000U – New!
[ HD (1920 x 1080), LCD with D7 C2FINE™, 1500 lumens, 16,000:1 contrast ]

Sanyo PLV-Z2000 – New!
[ HD (1920 x 1080), LCD with D7 C2FINE™, 1200 lumens, 15,000:1 contrast, 3-year warranty ]

Mitsubishi HC6000 (BL) – New!
[ HD (1920 x 1080), LCD with D7 (with Micro Lens), 1000 lumens, 15,000:1 contrast, Power lens shift ]

Epson Home Cinema 1080 – Current Bestseller
[ HD (1920 x 1080), Epson C2Fine 3LCD technology, 1200 lumens, 15,000:1 contrast, 2-year warranty ]

Optoma HD80 – Current best-seller
[ HD (1920 x 1080), 1080p DMD DLP technology, 1300 lumens, 10,000:1 contrast, 2-year warranty ]

Panasonic PT-AX200U - 720p Bestseller
[WXGA-H (1280 x 720), 3LCD technology, 2000 lumens, 6,000:1 contrast, $1299 MSRP ]

If you want to compare all these projectors in detail you can create a comparison chart using our comparison chart tool. The tool allows you to compare our complete specs for up to three projectors at a time.

On to the 1080p Projector Shootout!

We set up our selection of 1080p projectors in our large demo room. We shot them lined them up side-by-side on gray painted wall (since we don't have a screen wide enough to accommodate all five projectors at one time. You might see a scuff or two on the wall, but this should still give you a chance to see them all in low-resolution video action.

We used mostly "out-of-the-box" settings for each unit, though we did tweak one or two just a little bit for the best comparison. If you want the best looking image on any projector, consider purchasing video calibration software, or tweak the images based on your personal preferences and viewing habits.

Shot of all five projectors from left to right:
Optoma HD80, Mitsubishi HC6000(BL), Epson Home Cinema 1080, Panasonic PT-AE2000U, and Sanyo PLV-Z2000.

Panasonic PT-AE2000U
This is one of our most popular sellers, even though it has only been on our shelves for a few days. The AE2000U includes the new D7 LCD panel we have discussed previously, and it also features three (3) HDMI inputs for added connectivity.

Sanyo PLV-Z2000
Criticized by some bloggers for having an 'ugly' chassis, the Sanyo has also received a number of strong reviews since it's release.

Mitsubishi HC6000 (BL)
This one just arrived the day of our review, so we haven't had much interaction with it yet. We tweaked the color on this one from it's 'out-of-the-box' settings and it looked much better after the change. Mitsubishi is known for color accuracy in their LCD projectors. This one appears to also have very accurate color.

Epson Home Cinema 1080
The Epson Home Cinema is actually not the most recently Epson 1080p Home Theater projector to be released. Well, okay, the new Epson Home Cinema 1080p UB (for Ultra Black) isn't on the shelves yet, but it is coming soon. The version without the UB is still a great looking projector though, and Epson makes the LCD panels that power other popular LCD home theater projectors, including the popular Panasonic and Mitsubishi models.

Optoma HD80
One of these kids is doing his own thing... our only DLP in the mix for this shootout, the Optoma HD80 has also been on the market a bit longer than some of the others. Known for deep, rich blacks, the Optoma HD80 images looked very good, and had less visible 'rainbow' than we have seen in some DLP products. The color also looked very accurate. We can most likely attribute this to their new color wheel and Brilliant Color chip now available on DLP projectors.

Panasonic PT-AX200U
For comparison sake, we also ran the AX200U along with the big boys to see if it could hold it's own. It actually did a very convincing 1080p imitation, and for the price, this projector is really one of the best values on the market today. But if you want true HD, you'll need to shop elsewhere.

Video of new 1080p Projectors in Action

We also took just a little bit of video for you. There may be some motion artifacts when the camera is moving from image to image, but that is because we are using the video mode from our digital camera to shoot the comparison. We took some sample footage in a still mode and with moving video so you can compare the color as well as the video processing.

Projectors with a still image.

Projectors with a moving image.

projector, projectors, D7 3LCD Panel, Epson Pro Cinema 1080, Optoma HD80,Mitsubishi HC6000(BL),Panasonic PT-AE2000U,Sanyo PLV-Z2000,Panasonic PT-AX200U,1080p projector shootout, New 1080p projectors, new high definition projectors, new home theater projectors

October 30, 2007

Panasonic PT-AX200U Front Yard Theater

This time of year in Florida is perfect for outdoor movie nights. So, I took home the new Panasonic PT-AX200U this weekend for some family fun on the front lawn.

Here are some shots of our setup and the PT-AX200U in action. We are shooting on a white, twin sheet stretched across my front porch. Not an ideal surface, but this ends up giving us about a 110-inch image in 16:9 format. With that size, the 2000-lumen brightness rating of the Panasonic PT-AX200U really makes a difference. The video came to life as the sun set. The easy lens shift and wide zoom range also made setup a snap. Once connected, it took just seconds to aim, zoom and focus the image to fit our space. Connection was easy too. Just one HDMI cable from the AX200U to the Oppo Digital DV-981HD. From there, the DVD player connected to our receiver, which powered our speakers on the porch.

We watched two videos that I have seen countless times before. (We have a five-year-old.) They were both animations – The Iron Giant directed by Brad Bird, and Kiki’s Delivery Service directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. I had never experienced these DVDs as films on the big screen and the experience was remarkable. I noticed details I had previously missed. Our day-to-day TV is a 1080p LCD, so it is not for want of resolution. The change in pure scale is what changes the experience of the content. Now I know why Panasonic so adamantly pursues the director’s original intent.

Panasonic's Cinema 1 Mode

The Panasonic PT-AX200U, like the other Panasonic home theater projector models, has a “Cinema 1” mode. Panasonic recommends this preset for viewing movies. In pursuit of the film director's original artistic vision, Panasonic employs leading Hollywood film colorists to tune the color space of the projector to match the color of the original film as closely as possible. Their Pure Color Filter can adjust the light spectrum to produce a level of light that maximizes the performance of the LCD panels while expanding the visible color range and producing richer blacks.

See more photos, video and features of the Panasonic PT-AX200U

Panasonic projector, projectors, backyard theater, Panasonic PT-AX200U, Panasonic home theater projector", 720p projectors, new high definition projectors, new home theater projectors

October 25, 2007

The Panasonic PT-AE2000U In Stock Now at ProjectorPeople.com!

The eagerly anticipated new Panasonic PT-AE2000U 1080p home theater projector is in our warehouse, and units are flying out fast to fulfill customer orders. The new Panasonic projector includes the latest D7 LCD panel, which we have discussed previously in our blog. But what other features have home theater enthusiasts drooling? Cool new features include more inputs, 16-bit digital processing, and some great geek gizmos. Read on for the details.

What’s New on the Panasonic PT-AE2000U Projector?

Three (3) HDMI inputs
The PT-AE2000 has three HDMI input terminals for digital transmission without image degradation, and two component input terminals. The HDMI input terminals also support the wide color reproduction capability of the new HDMI version 1.3a xvYCC* standard.

16-bit Digital Image Processing
It may seem like millions of colors are enough to make a great looking image. But that is yet another archaic conviction in the time of technology. In this, the dawn of the 21st century, you must have a billion colors. But seriously though, there is a visible difference between 14-bit and 16-bit color.

[ image top: 16-bit color ]
[ image bottom: 14-bit color ]

14-bit looks great, but 16-bit is smoother and a big bonus for 120-inch screens. The two bit difference means four times gradation improvement, which brings out more subtle colors and fine texture and depth in your image.

Split Adjust Mode
If you’re a videophile, or you just like messing with stuff, the new Split Adjust Mode might just be your favorite new feature on the Panasonic PT-AE2000U. This cool new feature allows you to adjust the image with a split screen what keeps your current settings visible while you fussing with the new settings. That way you won’t have to wonder… did it look better this way? Or that way? This way? Or like this?

[ image: AE2000u's new Split Screen Adjust mode ]

[ Learn more about Split Adjust Mode ]

Waveform Monitor
The Waveform Monitor is another cool new feature. Most people probably won’t use it for much more than to impress their friends, but those who want the power of video professionals will like the control it provides. I am going to let Panasonic give you the details. Here’s an excerpt from their site:

[ image: Waveform Monitor - Before compensation ]

The PT-AE2000 gives home consumers a projector with a waveform monitor similar to that used by professionals. This function displays waveforms to show how the PT-AE2000 has adjusted the images of the input signals sent from the source device. In cases where the output level of the source device fluctuates, you can view the waveform on the screen and adjust the image brightness and contrast to match standard levels. Once you have the gray scale and the waveform monitor displayed, you can press the "DEFAULT" button to automatically adjust the balance of the input signals to optimal levels. Further adjustments can be made manually while viewing the waveform monitor as a guideline.

You can also monitor the exact signal component that you want for the full screen or for any desired horizontal line. You can display the luminance (Y), red (R), green (G), or blue (B) component for the full screen, or for a single line. And you can adjust the levels for the full screen.

[ image: Waveform Monitor - Monitor the exact signal ]

[ Learn more about the waveform monitor from Panasonic]

The Panasonic PT-AE2000U Also Includes Your Favorite Features...

Lens Centered Design – for easier installation.
Symmetrical design with a centered lens and a high-grade finish that look sleek and stylish.

2x Optical Power Zoom Lens – for breezier installation.
Project a 120-inch picture from as close as 11´10˝ to the screen or as far as 23´7˝ away)

Lens Shift – for beautiful installation.
Image can be shifted ±100% vertically, and ±40% horizontally.

Learning Remote Control w/ Function Buttons
Control multiple devices in your home theater with one handy remote.

But How Much Does the Panasonic PT-AE2000U Cost?

We saved the best for last. The price on the new Panasonic PT-AE200U… is just $2,699. That’s about a $1,300 drop from the price of the Panasonic PT-AE1000U introduced last year. 1080p HD resolution is more affordable than ever before. Are you ready for some HD?

Action Photos of the Panasonic PT-AE2000U

We had a preview of this new 1080p projector recently and took some photos. We used the Digital Cowboy for true HD to true HD connection.

Read full specs and more about the Panasonic PT-AE2000U

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October 22, 2007

New Technology from 3LCD - The "D7"

And the technology marches on. The makers of 3LCD technology have recently announced their latest and greatest 3LCD technology, the "D7" with C2FINE™ chip technology. So, what's so great about the D7? Read on.

The D7 Difference

As we blogged about in our CEDIA 1080p Home Theater Projectors article last month, the new D7 chip improves upon the contrast ratio, color processing, and virtually eliminates the (now nearly fabled) screen door effect in new 3LCD 1080p projectors. C2FINE™ technology utilizes a vertical alignment technique to provide higher contrast ratios, deeper blacks and up to 12-bit color processing to produce over 68 billion unique colors.

Quick Take on D7 Improvements:

• Contrast ratios - Now can acheive as high as 50,000:1 contrast. 16,000:1 is more typical.
• Color Processing - Now with 12-bit color for over 68 billion unique colors
• Image Quality - Reduced "screen door" effect. All but eliminated on with D7 technology.
• Competitive Prices - Prices are not known for these models yet, but it's very safe to guestimate that there will be several options under $3,000.

But It Must Be 1080p!

You might call it a catch, or just the way it goes, but the new D7 chip is only available on 1080p high-definition (native HD resolution) projectors. The good news is that the new chip will be powering what are likely to be the most popular 3LCD projectors for the next several months. If you're on the fence, the D7 image improvements are one more reason to go 1080p.

New Projectors Coming Soon with D7

Sanyo PLV-Z2000
The Sanyo PLV-Z2000 includes enhanced 3D color management system and two HDMI 1.3 inputs. Features include an advanced lens shift system with short throw lens and wide-range zoom capability for maximum installation flexibility. The PLV-Z2000 offers 1,200 lumen output and 15,000:1 contrast, a Wide aperture, and low noise fan for super-quiet operation.
- Now available for Pre-order! Price is $2,495 (plus $300 rebate or free GPS system.)

Panasonic PT-AE2000U
Follow up to the top selling PT-AE1000U, the new Panasonic PT-AE2000U will include 3 HDMI inputs, a new "Split Adjust" mode allows users to split the screen into two halves, one to make picture adjustments and one to see those adjustments as a baseline reference, a waveform monitor - seen mostly on professional video and film equipment for measuring the level of brightness output from a given video signal source. It will also automatically verify the source device is outputting at full dynamic range and makes automatic adjustments to optimize for you. Of course it still has the features you love like lens shift and a 2.0x zoom lens.
- Available late October/November.

Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 1080 UB
The Epson Pro Cinema 1080 UB offers a contrast ratio of up to 50,000:1 and new UltraBlack™ technology for brilliant image quality and the richest, deepest blacks. This projector has two HDMI 1.3 inputs and an OptiCinema™ lens with 2.1x optical zoom for flexible set-up - projecting up to a 100-inch widescreen image from only 9.8 feet. The Home Cinema 1080 UB will also include the new D7 chip. Check out our comparison of the two new Epson home theater projectors on our recent blog post.
- Available in December

3LCD technology is currently the number one selling HD front projection technology, in both 1080p and 720p resolutions.

For more questions about new 1080p projectors call a Projector Expert today!

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October 17, 2007

Projector People Sneak Preview of the New Epson 1080 UB Projectors

We had another preview of the soon-to-be-released Epson 1080p UB projectors at the recent "State of the CE Union" event hosted by Audioholics.com October 6th. Wow.

New D7 3LCD Panels in Two New Epson Home Theater Projectors

The PowerLite Home Cinema 1080 UB and Pro Cinema 1080 UB projectors are built around the new D7 LCD panels (mentioned in our previous CEDIA roundup 1080p post). These panels not only boost light output, but also dramatically increase the contrast ratio. In the case of the new Epson UB projectors, that translates to an unprecedented 50,000:1 projector contrast ratio. Now we see how "UB" stands for "Ultra Black." Paired with 12-bit color processing, the new Epson Cinema 1080 UB projectors deliver 68-billion colors that *pop* - true, rich cinema blacks, vivid hues, and crisp, clear highlights. If you don't like the color out of the box, these projectors also offer six-axis color adjustment for personal fine-tuning of your image.

[ photo: The soon-to-be-released Epson Pro Cinema 1080 UB with anamorphic lens for a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. ]

Both the Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB and Pro Cinema 1080 UB are full HD, 1920 x 1080 resolution. Both are 1600 lumens bright. "What’s the difference between the two?" you ask. We'll get to that shortly. For now, let's talk about the other features that will make you want to consider this projector as the centerpiece for your home theater.

Features of the Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB

The Cinema 1080 UB has a 2.1 optical zoom lens and an impressive lens shift range (96° vertical, and 47° degree horizontal). This means quite a bit of flexibility in the placement of the projector in your room because the zoom can make up for distance and the lens shift can align the image with your screen even if the projector is off center.

[ photo: The Epson Pro Cinema 1080 UB in the 2.35:1 format. ]

Both projectors also have two HDMI 1.3 with x.v.Color™ support. X.v.Color support means the HDMI input can handle a new, faster bit rate for the chrominance and luminance data. More data, more accurate color.

Pro UB or Home UB?

Now on to the differences. The Home Cinema 1080 UB has all the specs and features listed above, and it has a white, pearlescent finish. The Pro Cinema 1080 UB also has the afformentioned specs and features, but comes in a black, pearlescent finish. It also has ISF™ (Imaging Science Foundation) certification that means its image meets the most rigorous standards for video fidelity and calibration. The Epson Pro Cinema 1080 UB also ships with a spare lamp, a ceiling mount, and includes one more year of warranty period. The Pro Cinema will be available through authorized, local, CEDIA dealers. The Home Cinema 1080 UB will be available through ProjectorPeople.com with free, same-day shipping in the U.S.

[ photo: The Epson Pro Cinema 1080 UB in the 2.35:1 format. ]

Stay tuned for more updates on new projectors and technology!

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September 28, 2007

Video of Panasonic PT-AX200U in Action

As soon as we got our hands on the new Panasonic PT-AX200U gaming projector we hooked it up and played some video games. Halo 3 was an obvious choice, and a few other popular Xbox games. We also hooked up the Wii, for some afternoon calisthenics (remember that movie Gung Ho?). We took a little bit of video on our Panasonic Lumix and Leica digital cameras and uploaded them to share.

Projector Setup: Setting up the Panasonic PT-AX200U with the Xbox and Wii

Here you can get an idea for the size of an image the AX200 can produce. It's not as big as it could be, but it is probably as big as it needs to be. We didn't measure the screen, but a rough estimate would be about 6 feet by 11 feet for a 12-14 foot diagonal (or 144-180 inches!). The characters within the games are sometimes actually larger than the person playing the game. That's a big image.

Panasonic PT-AX200U Connections

There are two HDMI, 2 s-video, a VGA (computer), and component video inputs.

Panasonic's Light Harmonizer Technology

It's a little hard to see on the video, but this technology was originally designed for business use, for lights on presentations. They have since adapted it for their home theater projector.

Game Play: Panasonic PT-AX200 on Xbox Halo 3 Edition

Battlefield 2

Halo 3 (4 players)

More Halo 3 (4 players)

Halo 3 (1 player)

Halo 3 intro

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September 26, 2007

Panasonic PT-AX200U Hits the Street

New Gaming Projector from Panasonic Now Available!

ProjectorPeople.com now has the new Panasonic PT-AX200U on the shelves and ready to ship! And it also includes a super low price point that has surprised many in the industry… just $1299.

[ image: Professional gamer T-squared endorses the new Panasonic PT-AX200U for gaming at 2007 CEDIA ]

Panasonic's predecessor to this projector, the PT-AX100U, had a suggested retail price of $1999 just a year ago! If you find an PT-AX100U in stock today, you would likely pay the same $1299 price, but only after turning in a $400 manufacturer rebate.

The Panasonic PT-AX200U is a long awaited video projector for many reasons, but mostly because it’s the first projector to specifically target that gaming market. Video games have matured into a more sophisticated and interactive experience and the giant screens created by projectors are an ideal complement to the truly immersive experience.

The benefits of a big image have never been in question, but the cost of a projector for gaming has been. With a very aggressive street price of $1,299 just announced, the Panasonic PT-AX200U is less expensive (by cost per viewing inch) than any other HD monitor. Front projectors have always been a better bargain per inch because the images can be as large as 200-inches diagonal, and no LCD or plasma can produce that large an image for the price of a projector.

[ image: Gamers sit and play the new Panasonic PT-AX200U for gaming at 2007 CEDIA on a 92-inch screen. ]

However, projectors have had difficulty producing detail in shadows and the darkest areas of an image. So with darker games like Halo or Splinter Cell, some of the game play was lost. There were also complaints about lag time in video processing. The Panasonic PT-AX200U fixes both issues.

Read more about the new Panasonic PT-AX200U

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September 18, 2007

Projector People’s CEDIA Round Up – 1080p Projectors

Projector People's own Kelly Lamison attended CEDIA last month and shares her insight into the event and its impact on home theater projectors.

DLP vs. LCD Projectors: The Battle of Projection Technology

The age old war between DLP and LCD projectors wages on. But this time, in the 1080p battle, the camps have exchanged strategies.

The Prices, They've Dropped.

It was a DLP projector, the Optoma HD80, that was the first 1080p projector to break the price barrier with a low $2,699 street price this summer. At 1300 lumens bright with a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, the 1080p HD80 projector is quite a deal. Epson’s Home Cinema 1080 also came in at $2,699, but after a $300 mail-in rebate.

New "D7" LCD Technology Improves Contrast and Brightness.

Now, the LCD camp has broken through the contrast ratio ceiling. The new "D7" 3LCD panels are boosting Epson's new Home Cinema 1080 UB projector to a record high 50,000:1 contrast ratio. Previous DarkChip3 DLP projectors have topped out at 12,000-15,000:1. Increased contrast ratio improves overall image definition, highlighting details in the clouds of a bright sky or revealing subtle textures hiding in shadows. The new D7 3LCD panels combine higher light output with better pixel alignment to improve image quality.

According to the 3LCD consortium, the new 1080p D7 3LCD chip delivers a 20 percent increase in aperture ratio. This reduces the space between each pixel, allowing more light to pass through it and diminishing what is called the "screen door effect." The D7 chip also features C2Fine which deepens black levels and provides 12-bit color processing to produce over 68 billion colors. The new 1080p projectors to feature D7 3LCD technology include: Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB, Panasonic PT-AE2000U and the Sanyo PLV-Z2000.

Home Theater Projector Contrast Ratios Rocket Through the Roof

An important note about contrast: Contrast ratios like the record highs touted this fall are only discernable in completely dark rooms. Any bleed of light to hit the screen reduces the contrast of the image. While the projected image does benefit from the improved definition, the brightness, clarity, and color capabilities of the projector are also important factors for typical viewing environments.

New Epson Projector with 50,000:1 Contrast

The forthcoming Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB (for Ultra Black) is native 1920 x 1080 resolution and 1600 lumens bright with a 50,000:1 contrast ratio. The impressive contrast ratio brings startling definition to the image, and its 12-bit color processing brings true, natural color to it. It also features two HDMI 1.3 inputs, lens shift, and a 2.1 optical zoom for flexible home theater setup. The live demonstration was breathtaking because of the realistic depth of field and image detail.

New Panasonic 1080p Projector with 16,000:1 Contrast

Panasonic also built its next generation PT-AE2000U 1080p projector around the new D7 LCD panels. Additionally, it refined its auto-iris technology to provide a consistent 16,000:1 contrast ratio at 1500 lumens of brightness. Panasonic's iris reads the light level of the video signal frame-by-frame and controls light output for maximum contrast accordingly.

Panasonic also went back to the drawing board for the glass lens design, honing the aspherical curves to best channel the light output. It also features three HDMI inputs this time, with the same 2x optical zoom and lens shift. And, as usual, Panasonic worked with Hollywood film colorists to refine the final color processing to ensure the PT-AE2000U projector produces a natural, film-like image that best matches the original content. Our live demonstration of the new projector featured 1080p Blu-Ray content of a music video. While the content itself was not so inspiring, the projector's reproduction of it was nothing short of awesome. The colors were rich while refined, and the flesh tones absolutely natural and smooth.

Sanyo Enters 1080p Projector Race

Last but not least (we are going in alphabetical order here), Sanyo enters the true 1080p projector space with their new PLV-Z2000. With the new D7 LCD panels it outputs 1200 ANSI lumens at 15,000:1 contrast, in video mode. This is impressive since many manufacturers quote these ratings from data mode which is inherently brighter. This was Sanyo’s first time on the CEDIA floor and so their booth was small and not without ambient light issues. It was not an ideal demonstration. But with the strength of Sanyo's engineering for quiet operation, precise color management, 14-bit gamma correction, and two HDM1 1.3 inputs that support the new Deep Color standard, this projector is sure to be a contender. Match that with what looks to be an aggressive price point and it could be the deciding factor in this battle of the DLP and LCD projector war.

Of course the war is not yet over. At Texas Instrument's DLP booth, a new DarkChip 4 DLP chip was previewed. As part of an HD rear-projection TV with LED (light emitting diode) backlight, it claimed a 100,000:1 contrast ratio. The Dark Chip 4 projector running in their theater listed a 15,000:1 contrast ratio. We can't wait to see it all next year.

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September 13, 2007

Projector People's CEDIA Round Up - The 720p Home Theater Projectors

This is our favorite time of year. The air is cooling, the holidays are coming, and the new projectors are officially rolled out for consumption. This year the focus seems to be on the 1080p resolution, but there are two very interesting developments in the 720p camp.

The New 720p Projectors
Get in the Game - Panasonic sure did. Their next generation Panasonic PT-AX200U projector sports a new "Game Mode" which improves signal processing for a virtually zero-delay response time from controller to image. Game Mode also pumps up the detail in the crucial dark scenes common in many video games. Without Game Mode, these scenes look muddy in the shadows, but in Game Mode the details in those dark areas are revealed.

Projector People's very own Joey Shipley was the first gamer in the U.S. to test the new Panasonic Game Mode with a copy of Splinter Cell running on the new Xbox Elite. He will be trading in his Panasonic PT-AE900U for the new PT-AX200U. Panasonic also has the endorsement of Major League Gaming. Tom Taylor, known in the professional gaming circuit as Tsquared, manned the Panasonic booth at CEDIA - challenging visitors to a round of Halo 2 and recounting how his experience with the new PT-AX200U projector is "unmatched."

[ photo: Typical projector in dark scenes. Some detail missing in the darkest areas of black. ]

The PT-AX200U features the same 2000 lumen brightness, 720p resolution, 6000:1 contrast ratio, and Hollywood color tuning as its predecessor. (Panasonic really does take its engineering samples of home theater projectors to Hollywood color studios for final color adjustments before their production runs.) The PT-AX200U also adds an additional HDMI input, improved Light Harmonizer technology, and a refined Advanced Dynamic Sharpness control for clearer more natural images.

[ photo: Example of Panasonic PT-AX200U projector in dark scenes. Greater detail in black areas of the image. This is cruicial in video gaming because much of the 'action' takes place in the shadows. ]

Expect the PT-AX200U to ship around October 1, 2007. At the moment, your guess is as good as ours on the street price.

Make the Rounds - Epson is the first manufacturer to bring an all-in-one DVD player and projector to market in 720p, HD resolution. Their new MovieMate 72 3LCD projector incorporates an up-converting DVD player that up-converts standard definition DVDs to HD 720p and sends an all-digital signal to its native 1280 x 720 resolution projector partner. Both devices sit in a newly designed chassis that can swivel so that the DVD can be loaded from any side.

A very nice package for the price (ESP $1200), the new MovieMate 72 projector also features built-in, 5-watt speakers with Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS sound. Other bonuses include lens shift (another first in this category), and an HDMI input for another high-definition device.

Kelly Lamison

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July 23, 2007

Backyard Theater Packages Update

We talked about Backyard Home Theaters in last month's tech news and they were so popular that we sold out of our least expensive ($599) package. We wanted to update you on the packages, and point out a few of the benefits of selecting a package with a lot more bang for a little more buck. So follow along if you're interested. If you're are more of a listener than a reader, you can also check out our Backyard Home Theater Podcast.

High Definition Projection

If you are interested in getting the best looking images long term, a high definition projector (720p or 1080p) is the way to go. We offer a Panasonic PT-AX100U package that includes an HD DVD player and some extra long cable. But you are welcome to create your own packages using our Custom Package Tool or by calling a Projector Expert for your customized solution at a great price.

[ photo: Panasonic PT-AX100U projected on the side of a house. The image may be enormous...but they still can't hear you. ]

If you invest in a backyard theater package, it doesn't mean your projector can only be used outdoors (be sure to bring it in at the end of the night). As summer turns to fall, your projector can still be a part of your family entertainment. The World Series, NFL and College football seasons, NASCAR races, loads of HD content from Discovery Channel and so much more are available right now over a simple HD cable box.

Most networks are using a 720p native signal, so if you want to be economical, a 720p projector will get the job done. 1080p projectors look incredible though, but depending on your sensibility, might be too much of an investment to take outdoors. But hey, if you want to live a little, we get it. We understand the love of a gorgeous image.

So, choosing a high definition projector will keep your loved ones basking in giant, great looking images inside and out - all year long.

The GoSpeak Option

In our latest Podcast we mention a neat product that is a great investment for the backyard theater. The Interlink GoSpeak is a handy speaker system designed initially for educators to use with their multimedia presentations and lectures. It's a small, portable speaker system that puts out more than enough wattage to fill up your backyard for a movie night, and if you buy a microphone you can also use it as a mini PA system in case you can't get the kids attention.

Call today! Before the summer is over!

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May 18, 2007

Home Theater: Beyond Brightness and Contrast

Beyond brightness and contrast ratio, home theater projectors have many similar specifications. Nearly all are now HDTV compatible which is widescreen (16:9) native. The majority have an HD video resolution of 720p or 1080p. Finally most have standardized on HDMI connectivity. So what else sets one home theater projector apart from the other?

Video Processing

Faroudja® and Pixelworks® are the most common video processors in home theater projectors today. Avid videophiles will stand staunchly behind their preference, but both technologies have their own loyal following.

In general, video processing capabilities improve as the cost of the projector goes up. Newer processing chips maintain higher contrast ratios and eliminate the 'jaggies.' But when compared to the standards of just a year or two ago, video processing has vastly improved. In general, only those who invest in very high quality sources (HD DVD players and HD receivers) need to also worry about their processing technologies.

[ photo: Binkley Home Theater eight foot wide screen with the Sanyo PLV-Z2 ]

High Definition Connectivity

As we mentioned, home theaters projectors will most likely have an HDMI connection and most will also have an analog HD connection (component video). So when looking for differences, you might look for multiple inputs for component or HDMI video. You may also want a VGA connection so that the projector can also be easily connected to a home theater PC (Windows Media Center) computer. Wireless video is still not a reliable option for home theater enthusiasts, although there are some solutions available. Hopefully the aggressive efforts of companies like Tivo and Microsoft will help make the wireless video dream a reality in this market.

Note: The Sanyo PLV-Z5 is the only projector under $3000 to offer two HDMI connections. The benefit of this is the ability to create a direct connection to an HD source, such as an Oppo HD DVD player, which is preferable to running the signal through multiple processors. You will still have one HDMI connection and/or a component video input for your receiver or upconverting video processors like the DVDO.

Other Popular Features

There are also those intangible features that help make you "love" your home theater projector. One manufacturer includes a manual joystick style lens shift adjustment that allows users more flexibility, and instant gratification. We also hear customers rave about the electric shutter for the lens on the Sanyo PLV-Z5, which closes automatically when the projector is shut down. This feature helps keep the collection of dust on the lens for those who may forget to put the lens cap after a night of family fun.

Here are a few more popular features that set one home theater product apart from another:

• 12v screen trigger (for controlling an electric screen with projector remote)
• Lens shift capability (preferable to keystone correction)
• Image mode presets (your day and night time image tweaks stored in the menu)
• 2X zoom lens (for installation flexibility)
• Silent fan operation (less background noise)
• Longer warranties (beyond one year)
• Rebates and promotions!

If you have more questions about our selection of home theater projectors. Please contact a Projector Expert today!

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April 16, 2007

Tech News: The Advantages of 1080p

Price ranges by resolution

WVGA	480p (848 x 480)	407,040 pixels
WXGA-H	720p (1280 x 720)	921,600 pixels
HD	1080p (1920 x 1080)	2,073,600 pixels
HD has twice the number of pixels of a 720p native display.

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March 21, 2007

Tech News: The State of Home Theater Projection