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Panasonic PT-AE4000 LCD HD Home Cinema Projector: Official Thread

57K views 113 replies 30 participants last post by  LordX 
#1 ·
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/images/panny4000.jpg[/img]
Panasonic PT-AE4000 LCD HD Home Cinema Projector

Panasonic PT-AE4000U Projector Specifications
Native Res.: 1080p
Brightness: 1600 ANSI lumens
Colors: 16.9 million colors
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 native, 4:3 compat.
Technology: Transparent LCD panels (x3, R/G/B)
Contrast Ratio: 100000:1
Compatibility: Native resolution: 1920x1080 Pixels, Maximum resolution: 1920x1080 Pixels
Inputs (Video): S-Video: Mini DIN 4-pin x 1, 75 ohms Video: RCA pin x 1, 75 ohms HDMI in: HDMI connector x 3, HDMI, HDCP compliant, supports HDAVI Control ver. 4
Weight and Dimensions: 16.09 lbs. 18.1in W 5.1in H 11.78in D

See Full Specifications List (Panasonic Product Page)

Features

[img]http://panasonic.net/avc/projector/products/ae4000/img/features/images/3-01.jpg[/img]
Intelligent Lens Memory with Auto Detection
Up to six settings can be stored in the Lens Memory, including zoom and focus positions for projecting in the normal 16:9 or 4:3 image ratio, and wide cinema projection settings. These memories can be recalled manually or can be set for automatic switching. The projector is able to detect 2.35:1 and 16:9 source and retrieve the stored setting automatically. This Lens Memory function lets you easily enjoy images with different image ratios on a wide 2.35:1 screen for an immersive movie theater-like experience.




[img]http://panasonic.net/avc/projector/products/ae4000/img/features/images/3-03.gif[/img]
2x Optical Power Zoom/Focus and Wide Lens Shift Range
A 2x optical power zoom/focus lens and a lens shift function together make it possible to project a 120-inch picture from as close as 3.6 m (11´10.) to the screen or as far as 7.2 m (23´7.) away. In addition, the image can be shifted ±100% vertically, and ±40% horizontally. This gives you outstanding setup flexibility. If you choose to ceiling-mount the projector, you can zoom and focus by remote control.

Programmable 12v Trigger for Automated Home Theater Setup
Two 12V triggers are provided. Since the input and output can be set independently (menu selectable), they can link flexibly with powered screens, room light and powered curtains. When combined with the Intelligent Lens Memory, they let you create a truly classy home theater.


[img]http://panasonic.net/avc/projector/products/ae4000/img/features/images/3-05.jpg[/img]
HDMI with x.v.Color™ Deep Color™
The PT-AE4000 has three HDMI input terminals for digital transmission without image degradation. The HDMI input terminals also support Deep Color and the x.v.Color™ color space of the HDMI 1.3 standard. Deep Color provides 10-bit (over 1.07 billion) and 12-bit (over 68.7 billion) color depths for smooth gradation between colors, while x.v.Color™ compliance reproduces natural, lifelike images (Effective in Color 1 image mode).


[img]http://panasonic.net/avc/projector/products/ae4000/img/features/images/1-01.jpg[/img]
New Rich Red Lamp
The incorporation of the new Red-Rich Lamp increases the luminance efficiency of the projector, to achieve 150% brighter Cinema Picture modes compared to its predecessor, the PT-AE3000.
Prior to the development of the Red-Rich Lamp, much brightness was lost to attain the desired color purity/balance for the rich color reproduction of Cinema Picture modes due to the lack of red luminance. The newly engineered lamp successfully adds red luminance, and enables the projector to produce brighter images with excellent colors. With the ability to produce a stunning brightness of 1,600 lumens, the PT-AE4000 unleashes the beauty of full-HD expression for viewing on various screen sizes.


[img]http://panasonic.net/avc/projector/products/ae4000/img/features/images/1-02b.jpg[/img]
Full HD Optimized Optical System
To assure maximum clarity and sharpness in full-HD images, this advanced optical system employs a full-HD-optimized lens unit comprising of 16 lens elements in 12 groups, including two large-diameter aspherical lenses and two high-performance ED (extralow dispersion) lenses. Each lens is carefully aligned to assure a uniform focusing balance from the center to the edges of the screen. As a result, the PT-AE4000 produces stunningly clear and beautiful images.

New Pure Contrast Plate Delivers High 100,000:1 Contrast Ratio
The Pure Contrast Plate in the PT-AE4000 uses a newly engineered crystalline material that is carefully matched to the characteristics of the LCD panels to effectively correct the passage of light exiting the panels. This enables the projector to block unwanted light leakage and successfully increases the dynamic range. It works together with the dynamic iris to achieve an astounding contrast ratio of 100,000:1.


[img]http://panasonic.net/avc/projector/products/ae4000/img/features/images/1-04.jpg[/img]
Pure Color Filter Pro for Richer and Vibrant Colors
The optical filter optimizes the light spectrum from the UHM projector lamp, helping to produce deeper blacks while improving purity levels in the three primary colors (red, green and blue). This advanced filter system improves color purity to cover a range that extends from the HDTV standard (Color 1 mode)* to the color gamut used in digital cinema*². This gives images the deep, rich coloring that distinguishes movie images.

* A setting that supports the 6,500K color temperature recommended in the HDTV standard (ITU-R BT.709)
*² Specifications put forth by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) DC28 Digital Cinema committees.



[img]http://panasonic.net/avc/projector/products/ae4000/img/features/images/1-05.jpg[/img]
Smooth Screen Technology Creates Film-Like Texture
While many LCD projectors suffer from a ''chicken wire'' effect, Panasonic’s pursuit of the highest possible image quality has successfully overcome this device limitation through the incorporation of Smooth Screen technology. This uses the double refraction property of crystals to arrange pixels on a screen with no gaps between them. Smooth Screen technology is designed to give you the kind of smooth, vivid, and three-dimensional like images you see in movie theaters.


[img]http://panasonic.net/avc/projector/products/ae4000/img/features/images/1-07.jpg[/img]
Full-HD LCD Panels Enhance Motion Response
The PT-AE4000’s full-HD LCD panels have a double-speed drive capability that improves the projection clarity of moving images. These high-precision panels use vertically aligned liquid crystal molecules with inorganic alignment layers. When no voltage is applied, the molecules are aligned perpendicular to the glass substrate, so there is minimal light leakage and the substrate remains black (called “normally black” operation), providing higher contrast.

Dynamic Iris Adds Beauty to Both Dark and Bright Scenes
The fifth generation intelligent iris system works by analyzing the brightness level of each image using a histogram, then adjusting the lamp power, iris and gamma curve* accordingly to create the ideal image. The adjustments are made virtually frame by frame. This helps the projector achieve a wide dynamic range with swift smoothness for added beauty in both dark and bright scenes.

Detail Clarity Processor 3 Gives Natural Clarity to Even the Finest Details
This digital image processing circuit brings greater clarity and sharpness to details, by reproducing fine nuances that were lost due to image compression. After a two dimensional analysis of the video signals frequency in each scene, the new circuit optimizes the sharpness of each image portion based on the extracted information. The resulting images have a more natural, lifelike expression than those of previous image-processing methods. The detection of super-high-frequency image components also enables more faithful reproduction of highly detailed information, such as the film grain in movies. The effect can be adjusted in eight steps from 0 to +7.

Frame Creation 2 Featuring Motion Blur Reduction
A double-speed display (120 Hz or 100 Hz) greatly improves the clarity of motion images. Frame Creation interpolates one new frame for each existing frame by analyzing the characteristics of the adjacent frames to reproduce sharp and clear images for fast moving scenes in sports and action movies. For 24p signal input, three frames are calculated and interpolated for each existing frame, to enable 4x speed (96-Hz) display. There are four modes (mode 1, mode 2, mode 3, and off) to choose from. The effect is more pronounced as you ascend through the modes, to provide crisp, clear images to your liking.

Waveform Monitor for Precise Collaboration
When the output level of the source device fluctuates due to the performance of the device or its cable connection, the original black and white levels of the image content cannot be reproduced. With the PT-AE4000 you can view the waveforms on the screen and adjust the settings both automatically and manually as you prefer.

Advanced Gamma Adjustment Function
The gamma curve can be flexibly controlled, allowing precise calibration according to the signal source and environment. Brightness (Y), R, G and B can each be adjusted to any of the nine points. Adjustment point positions can also be shifted. be shifted both horizontally and vertically to bring out the desired gradation level.

New Cinema Color Management Premium Enables Flexible Color Control
This color correction system enables free color control in two different modes. The Point Color Correction mode lets you pick a point in the image and adjust that color without affecting the neighboring colors, so it is easy to get just the right color equalization in hue, luminance and saturation. The Six Color Correction mode enables independent adjustment of red, green, blue, cyan, magenta and yellow.

Split Adjust Mode for Easy Picture Adjustment
You can freeze any scene you wish, and then make adjustments while easily comparing the original image and the adjusted image side-by-side.

16 Bit Gamma Correction for Natural Gradations
The PT-AE4000 handles up to 16-bit (full 12-bit) digital image processing. It faithfully reproduces even subtle hues and brightness variations.

Scene-Adaptive Resizing LSI
The PT-AE4000 converts pixels according to the characteristics of the on-screen image and adjacent pixels. This not only improves image sharpness and reduces noise, it also helps create beautifully enlarged images from 480p sources, so you enjoy superb picture quality when viewing DVDs from your home collection.

Scene-Adaptive 3D Noise Reduction\3D Noise Reduction circuit intelligently detects and removes unwanted noise without adversely affecting fine details. This achieves clear, low-noise images from all types of input sources and scene types.

Scene-Adaptive MPEG Noise Reduction
This system detects the amount of change in the input signal from one scene to the next and calculates the amount of noise to remove accordingly, minimizing both block noise and mosquito noise.

Selectable Frame Response
This function reduces the time from when the video signal is first input until it is projected (referred to as frame delay). The projector can be switched from Normal mode to High-Speed mode. High-Speed mode is recommended for video game use.

24p Compatible
Direct playback of 24 fps (frames per second) progressive video signals suppresses noise and optimizes the natural film quality of movies.

Progressive Cinema Scan (3.2 Pull Down) and HD IP
This automatically detects when the DCI input signal is derived from filmed material. HD IP enables the PT-AE4000 to convert signals recorded at a higher quality than was possible with conventional models.

Picture Mode
The PT-AE4000 has seven preset picture modes, making it easy for you to enjoy optimal viewing quality from a variety of image sources. Choose whichever mode provides the picture characteristics best suited to the source material.

Built-In Test Pattern
Five test patterns are built-in for the checking of color, quick and easy adjustment of zooming and focusing.


Screen/Throw Calculator Pro


Projector Central Review

Epson 8500UB vs. Panasonic AE4000
1080p Shoot Out




 
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#77 ·
Here is a reply from LoneAspen in the AVS Forum explaining it better than I did:

"The Panasonic Spec File for this projector is located here:

https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro...00/ae4k_sf.pdf

It has a diagram and chart on page 5. If you look at the 2.35:1 chart (the one with the note "When projecting both 2.35:1 and 16:9 images onto a 2.35:1 screen using the Lens Memory function") you'll see the minimum value of "H" is always zero. If you look for "H" on the diagram at the top of the page, this is the distance the top of the screen is ABOVE the lens. So that a negative value for "H" (as exists in the 16:9 chart) means the top of the screen can be below the lens. However, if minimum "H" is zero, as it is on the 2.35:1 chart, that means the top of the image must be even with the lens or higher than it.

Took me a while to figure that out, combined with some other posts here."
 
#79 ·
I love the memory function of my AE4000, I am using with a 2,35:1 screen right now and wold never go back to a standard 16:9.
You need to remember that the black bars on 2,35:1 images are still being drawn no matter if you use an anamorphic or not as its on the source video its just how the processing is done.
 
#81 ·
Sonnie, have you turned on "auto switching" in the user men under the Lens control? you have to select the lens memory that you set up for the 2,35:1 after selecting the auto switching.
dont forget to also use the upper and lower masking settings as well when setting up the user lens memory for the 2,35:1 to compleatly eliminate the black bars that will be off the screen.
 
#83 ·
Sonnie,
It took me a while to figure the proper way to save and set-up lens memory too. I write technical manuals, do complicated mechanical system evaluations and other engineering feats daily and had a of a time with the anamorphic set-up. I took a break for a few weeks and came back to it only to discover I was skipping an obvious but all important step - the digital adjust (in lens memory) part when doing the 2.35:1. Take a look at the attachment (even though written for the 3000 it is all relevant). I now have 4 lens memory modes set-up and it works "flawlessly", IMHO. I don't use the auto aspect ratio option and just use the remote to switch between varying aspect ratios. My next spet is to set up my universal remote but I am having too much fun playing games and watching movies.

For the $ it was the best choice for me as I do not need the brighter capability of other competitors nor did I want to spend the $ for a true anamorphic lens/sled set-up. I am sure there is a visible difference in doing anamorphic this way (stretching it out via lens zoom and digital offset) but for a 50/50 (movie/game) Home Theater rig I am truly happy. I do not regret it one bit!

I am so glad I did not wait 10-12 months for a 3D version of this, too. :spend:

I believe that the most important part of having a satisfying and quality audio or video experience is proper set-up and that means calibrating the video and taking the time to listen to various speaker placements.
 

Attachments

#85 ·
Thanks for that Scott, Tony, and Sonnie... it sounds like this one will do what I want without too much trouble after the initial setup. I don't mind pressing the buttons for AR myself to change, "auto" makes me nervous for some reason. What would happen in something like Dark Knight where the AR switches during the movie? :sweat:
 
#86 ·
"auto" makes me nervous for some reason. What would happen in something like Dark Knight where the AR switches during the movie? :sweat:
That was annoying, I had to turn off the auto switching for that movie as well as Tron. But thats not a common way to do movies so I dont worry about it.
 
#88 ·
Yeah, it was an interesting idea, but I think just too tough to implement properly at the end of the day, especially with front projection where people try to mask out the proper viewing areas. I guess it would be interesting on a regular plasma/LCD display, where all of a sudden the letterboxed image goes "fullscreen", but honestly I don't even really remember noticing that much when I watched it at home. How long/intrusive was the switch between modes?
 
#89 ·
It takes about 3 seconds for my AE4000 to switch between the two modes. But then it has to focus for another two seconds as well so the "processing" logo flashes during the entire time it does this, thats the more annoying part.
 
#90 ·
Ditto to Tonyvdb's reply. It takes all of about 5-7 seconds and there is an annoying "processing" logo flashing while it performs the switch.

I too keep the auto-switching feature off. I find it a bit annoying during the above mentioned movies and besides I have no issues with switching manually myself. even my 6 yr old figured out how to do it, now Mom that is another story.

I know the new 3D capable Panasonic projector PT-AE7000 will offer it too: lens memory function.

$3,500 for a more svelte looking 3D capable PT-AE4000? I might have bit if it was out last year but I will not be replacing my PT-AE4000 until it dies.....and I don't mean the lamp!
 
#91 ·
OK, that sounds good to me. 6 or 7 seconds before the movie starts won't bother me at all, especially to have it fill the screen properly. I really have no interest in 3D so hopefully I'll be able to pick up a 4000 for a great price sometime next year (assuming we do get to start our basement).
 
#93 ·
The AE4000 is a very popular projector and originally retailed for around $3000 It still sells lots so you may not see the price move much lower before they stop selling it at all (Ive seen it for $1899 here in Canada) given the new models are now out.
 
#94 ·
Prices for the AE4000 will no doubt come down now that the replacement(s) have been introduced. Wait until the end of the year and likely you will see the best pricing; until it is no longer available. That last sentence is just a guess so please if you know that is the one and have the $ don't hold out and find them unavailable.

Get it now and enjoy it!

If one waits to buy any type of electronics until the end of it's cycle you miss out on the enjoyment of using it. Note that electronics will always be obsolete in a few years compared to the new offering. There will almost always be a newer cheaper and better alternative. Don't believe me? Wait and see what Panasonic (and the entire industry) has out 5 yrs from now. It will likely be 3D w/ no glasses required and 2-3x the lumen output, or using an LED that does not degrade in light output over time; or all of the above.
 
#95 ·
I don't think there will be all that noticeable of a difference for folks like me (assuming I am the average guy) in moving up to the 5000... unless I wanted 3-D... and I don't. So I think grabbing a 4000 at a bargain is a great idea. That is if they actually come down in price.
 
#96 ·
So I think grabbing a 4000 at a bargain is a great idea. That is if they actually come down in price.
I agree, I find myself using eco mode on my 4000 most of the time because the normal mode is so bright that I almost need sunglasses. :sn:
 
#98 ·
Hi Peter, I am using a Jamestown 2,35:1 screen thats 120", I have a review of it here.
My projector is 14' from the screen ceiling mounted.
I have had not issues with my Panasonic but I have heard that the support is good.
 
#100 ·
I have been looking at this pj to replace my Sharp Z12000 since it came out. Now that Panasonic is offering an extended 2 year warranty and $250 rebate, I figured it was a good time to jump on a new one. I almost got a used unit for $1400, but for a few hundred more, it made sense to get a brand new unit with full warranty.

I sure hope it will be an improvement when compared to the Sharp. My screen is a 120" Dalite Hi Power.
 
#102 ·
Mounted the new AE4000 yesterday and fired it up. First impression was that the fan was considerably more quiet than the Sharp. The picture quality prior to calibration is just amazing. Not really fair to compare a 1080p resolution to the native 720p of the Sharp. The Z1200 had a very nice picture as well, but the AE4000 is another level better for sure. In Dynamic Iris, the AE4000 is quite a bit brighter on my 120" Dalite Hi Power. I used the same mounting location. Using the DVE HD calibration disk demonstration, the blacks looked to be much deeper as well.

I need to get familiar with the controls and start the calibration process. I did find that every time I use the focus function, it goes to the focus screen. I need to find out if there is a way to use a blu ray picture to focus on, I would like to use something other than the pj's focus display.

Overall, I am really glad I picked this machine. Considerably less expensive than what I paid for the Z12000 six years ago and a step above the Z12000.

:T
 
#103 ·
This is great news... glad it is working well for you.

I am pretty sure you can use the source picture for focus and zooming, although I don't remember exactly how it is done. It seems like it tells you on the screen when you are using the focus or zoom. I imagine one of these other guys will know.
 
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