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

[Sonnie]

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

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

[Anthony]

Everything I read about this projector makes me want one. Sadly until I finish the basement there is no place for a projector

Hopefully one of my customers will want one so I can play with it!

[mechman]

Me too. But I just bought a W5000.

[Sonnie]

I really like the auto aspect ratio for 2.35:1 and 16:9. Of course it is loaded with features and the price is just incredible.

[Instal]

I still think its ugly

[Anthony]

You should be watching the screen!