The propaganda
The best way to see the advantage of ‘full’ 1080p HD is on a really really big screen. LCDs are getting there, plasmas can be pretty huge, but for a truly massive screen size, projection is the only way to go. Small wonder then that Panasonic's 1920x1080p PT-AE1000 projector has been one of 2007’s most hotly anticipated home cinema products.
The PT-AE1000 has a no nonsense design and the specs certainly don’t threaten to let the side down. Two HDMI inputs, a component video, D-Sub PC input, and even a SCART socket make for a really decent array of connections. The claimed contrast ratio of 11,000:1 and brightness of 1,100 lumens are well into the right ballpark too.
Unique features include the AE1000’s aspherical glass lens system, which is designed to reduce light dispersion and should yield a more vivid picture. Then there’s a new Pure Colour Filter – that claims to produce richer reds, greens and blues, deeper blacks and a wider colour gamut – and the inorganic, vertically aligned LCD panels for enhanced black level performance. Oh, and it can run at a whisper-quiet 22dB for undisturbed viewing pleasure.
The good
When I think of High Definition, I tend to think of big, bold colours – colours that dominate your senses and shout their prowess in your face. Certainly a lot of HD products err in that direction and can occasionally go a little over the top. The AE1000 doesn’t make that mistake. In fact, it produces pictures that benefit heavily from an incredibly subtle blend of colours and gentle tones which add significantly to the level of realism. Even the most minute colour shifts are visible and there’s an outstanding amount of shadow detailing in dark picture areas. Skin tones can be one area which more vivid rivals struggle with, but our tests highlighted the fantastic tonal range that is particularly prevalent when watching character’s faces in diverse lighting.
We had also worried that Panny’s decision to stick to LCD as opposed to popular high-end DLP technology might result in the dreaded ‘Chicken Wire’ effect. But thanks to Smooth Screen technology this wasn’t an issue at all (although it has its own disadvantages). Many other detrimental effects, such as jagged edges, grain and dot-crawl, were mercifully absent too and the use of LCD cuts down the appearance of rainbowing and motion dither that often affects DLP systems.
The bad
As we had feared, Panasonic’s Smooth Screen system comes with its own caveat. Reducing the visibility of individual pixels has the side effect of softening edges which detracts from the razor-edged sharpness we’ve come to expect from 1080p pictures. It’s a shame because the subtle blend of tones and colours are a particular strength of the picture but the softened edges detract from that.
Another technology that the AE1000 introduces is an auto-iris system. LCD systems can have a tricky time generating decent levels of contrast and a way of tackling the problem is to dynamically reduce the amount of light when showing dark scenes. That way you can enjoy deep, dark blacks and good brightness. Just not at the same time. Panasonic’s struggle with this double-edged sword is evident because colours can end up looking a little washed-out. This means that the projector loses out to rivals who have achieved more impressive levels of colour vibrancy.
Geek Sheet
Resolution: 1080i, 720p, and 1080p
Inputs: 2 x HDMI, Component, Composite, S-Video, D-Sub, SCART
Brightness: 1100ANSI lumens
Contrast: 11000:1
Dimensions: 460(w) x 130(h) x 300(d)mm
Weight: 7.2kg
Lamp: 165 W UHM lamp
Overview
Because of the few, but significant gripes, the Panasonic PT-AE1000 doesn’t quite meet the exacting standards that you’ll find in something like a top-end JVC projector, but then the AE1000 has one further trick up its sleeve: the price. At a decidedly reasonable £3,500 you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck. A further couple of hundred quid off that price tag would make for some easier decisions (so be sure to shop around!) but if this is already at the top of your budget, you certainly aren’t going to be disappointed.
Projectors are clearly destined for ‘full’ HD standards and Panasonic delivers the goods admirably.
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