Panasonic PT AE-3000 Projector

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Anonymous

Guest
I realise this is not as captivating as the Ross /Brand thread. Perhaps I could have worded my question better, but a simple yes, timescale, no, or first impressions would suffice. I am now on page 6 and worrying that I will fall off the edge of the world. Is it still flat? Sorry to be impatient, but I am eager to buy and genuinely value the staff/ review team's comments/observations as they have served me well in narrowing down the field for other types of equipment I have bought.

I have never had a projector before but from the limited research I have done, the spec on this one looks very good and I am assuming it will be better than the PT AE-2000 which is/was well regarded. I will arrange to audition contenders, but would appreciate any guidance re pros/cons and things to consider regarding projectors in the £2,500 or less price bracket from the staff/ review teams or forum users.

Thanks,

Stroll DMc
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I'm in a similar position to you - I'm about to invest in my first PJ, but obviously want to make the right choice and it takes absolutely ages to audition them. You have to find a dealer who sells the particular model and then audition them one at a time.

All I can say is that I think it is worth taking the time. I've auditioned a number of DLP PJs (including Infocus 76 and 81, and SIM D80) and thought they were absolutely spectacular, except for the fact that I suffer from the rainbow effect, which I've decided makes DLP a non starter. I've seen a couple of older cheaper LCD PJs (can't remember the models) which weren't at all bad, but I think things have really improved since I auditioned them. In particular the ANSI contrast (ie. in picture contrast) on the 3000 has masively improved over the older model, so the gap in performance with DLP should in theory have really narrowed, and LCD has no rainbow effect, so in theory great for me.

I think I read on this website that the 3000 is being reviewed very soon, but I've come to the conclusion that with PJs you really MUST audition them at legnth yourself and not rush into a purchase, and use the reviews as a general guide (as recommended by WHF magazine). I was so close to buying the D80 after 10 minutes viewing, yet after half an hour I really began to get weary of the rainbow effect which in the end was a deal breaker. Different people have different responses to PJs and so much is dependent on the type of picture you want and what you will be watching. So my advice, having spent about 8 months trying to hunt down the 'perfect' PJ for my situation is, just go and audition the 3000 and see what you think.

I'm also eagerly awaiting the WHF review, but I've already booked an audition of the 3000. Let's hope it turns out to be as good as the specifications suggest it will be!
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Thanks for the comments and advice. The Home Cinema Centre, Morrison Street, Edinburgh say they have a PT AE-3000 set up in there demo room now, so I'll probably book a demo with them some time soon.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I am still here and haven't got round to auditioning this yet, any chance of a reply from the staff please, as to whether a review is due soon, and if so when?
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Hey Stroll if ye google "projector central" and tak ursel tae that site- you'll find some interesting reviews on pj's including the pt ae3000, pal
 

TheHomeCinemaCentre

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Oct 1, 2008
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We do have it set up and as of tomorrow it will be alongside the rival Sony VPL-HW10. Come in and have a look , the room is always running. The PTAE3000 improves on last years model with much better motion ( a real plus point ) better black levels and an overall improvement in sharpness/clarity in the wider areas of the screen.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Thanks for the latest replies, I've checked out the site suggested and found it very useful. The information was a good insight to me as I'm a complete novice when it comes to projectors. The update on the viewing room and Sony VPL-HW10 was also appreciated.
 

Joe Cox

Content Director, What Hi-Fi?
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May 31, 2007
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We'll have a First Test of this projector in our May issue, on sale April 8th.

(Don't forget you've got an April issue, out 11th March, to enjoy in the meantime...)
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
After 4 months of research, I finally bought the PT AE3000. It is fantastic. Great black levels and contrast, great flexibility with the zoom and easy to set up a cinemascope 21:9 picture then revert back to 16:9 at a flick of a switch. Also a digital zoom and digital focus.

I managed to see a IN82 at my local Sevenoaks and a Sony VPL HW10. I seriously considered the Infocus IN80 and the Infocus X10. While I was procrastinating, the prices of all of these projectors went up considerably and I missed a chance to buy the PT AE3000 for £1800 which was gutting because if you wait long enough prices are supposed to go down. After previewing a very detailed german website, I actually bought the Panny without seeing it. Very satisfied customer - the picture is awesome. The JVC DILA is supposedly the best but nearly double the price but maybe 10% better in terms of picture. This 3LCD is the best value for your buck and much more flexible than the IN80/81 /82 with the added benefit of 100/120Hz motion flow for sports and easier cinemascope pictures. I got it from the Exeter Panasonic shop for £1999 last month (Feb 2009) but I see the RRP is going up to £2500 on April 1st! I'm sure Panny are making a tidy profit on this model but they have come up trumps. It is quite big. If you don't want the cinemascope feature, I would consider the Sanyo PLV300 or the Mitsubishi 3000 although the latter uses older DC6 chip technology. The Sanyo is very quiet. With all these 3LCD's doing so well (and the Sony HW10), I can't see that the IN80 can sell for £1599 ( It was £999 at one point in September 2008 ) as a single chip DLP with the rainbow effect. If it came back to this price point, one could argue that the Panny at double this price point is not worth it because if you don't need the extra versatility and don't suffer from the rainbow effect - its an awesome picture but at £1600 , the Panny 3000 wins it for me. Very satisfied indeed.

ÿ

ps my wife was very ****** off when she saw how much it cost and how big it was but after setting it up with my Onkyo 806 and 133 inch electric screen - she was mighty pleased with the picture. Great for Home Cinema and for Football. ÿ
 

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