Home Theatre/TV: Panasonic PT-AE3000 LCD Home Theatre Projector – Review – 75

Hot on the heels of the beaut Mitsubishi HC-7000, Panasonic has released the successor to the PT-AE2000, creatively christened the PT-AE3000.

Both the AE2000 and 3000 look identical from the outside, but some quite radical changes have taken place underneath the rather utilitarian black casework.

One of the standout features of the 3000 is its motion blur-reducing frame interpolation technology, which essentially inserts extra movie frames, thereby minimising the annoying judder that can occur during panning scenes.

Contrast ratio has been increased to an eye-popping 60,000:1, and particular improvements have been made to the projector’s ability in producing deep black scenes as well as a better colour palette.

Also on board is an anamorphic lens emulation feature, eliminating grey/black bars above and below the image while watching 2.35:1 Cinemascope movies. It’s a cool feature, and for the first time I was able to enjoy some of my favourite movies just as I had seen them at the cinema.

Three HDMI 1.3 inputs are present on the rear panel. That is possibly overkill if you have a receiver with plenty of inputs, but it’s better to have too many than too few. There are the obligatory (and now archaic) composite, S-Video and Component video inputs for added flexibility, a computer input for those wanting to create Microsoft Excel masterpieces between entertainment sessions, and a handy RS232 input for control purposes (from a PC, for instance).

The 3000 is equipped with a 2:1 zoom lens and vertical/horizontal lens shift for easy placement, and in my room I had no issue filling my 100-inch screen from a distance of around three metres. I consider these particular attributes to be deal breakers when choosing a home theatre projector as the ‘perfect’ position immediately in front of a screen is not always possible, so those of us who have to mount their projector off-centre will find an easy solution in the AE3000.

Modern HT projectors are essentially plug ‘n’ play, but Panasonic has some sophisticated colour management software built in to the 3000 to give videophiles complete control over the projected image. That said, I was very happy with what I saw from the projector straight out of the carton and I felt no need to tweak colours, although I did reduce the colour saturation slightly.

Luckily for me and other Blu-ray adopters, discs are becoming easier to find here in New Zealand, so I gorged myself on the latest releases. Transformers may not be playing at your local arthouse festival, but it is a damn good action flick and the best giant robot movie I’ve seen all year, and eminently watchable through the fab Pana.

There was no issue with fast panning scenes thanks to the very effective frame interpolation, colours were vibrant and detail was exceptional. Next on the menu was Juno, by far my favourite teen pregnancy movie of 2008. Here the AE3000 displayed very natural skin tones and a genuine cinematic quality – the ultrasound test in 1080p looked incredibly realistic.

Panasonic has done it again. Its 1080p projectors just seem to get better and better, and the fabulous picture quality combined with ease of placement and a slew of colour management options place the PT-AE3000 right at the head of the field.

GARY PEARCE

Panasonic PT-AE3000 LCD Home Theatre Projector – Specifications

TYPE: 3-LCD inorganic panel
RESOLUTION: 1080p
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
CONTRAST RATIO: 60,000:1 (with iris control on auto)
DIGITAL PROCESSING: 16-bit
NOISE: 17dB (low lamp mode)
LENS: Vertical/horizontal lens shift with 2x zoom
CONNECTIONS: HDMI x 3, Component x 2, S-Video, composite video, VGA
DIMENSIONS: 460 x 130 x 300mm (W/H/D)
WEIGHT: 7.3kg

CONTACT:

www.panasonic.co.nz

Pros

• Stunning imagery

• Natural colour right from the carton

Cons

• A bit industrial looking

Verdict

• Panasonic’s new PT-AE3000 is a killer HT projector

This Review is from Tone Issue 75.