Panasonic PT-AE300 (PT-L300U)

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  • Trevor Schell
    Moderator Emeritus
    • Aug 2000
    • 10935

    Panasonic PT-AE300 (PT-L300U)

    Panasonic
    PT-AE300 (**PT-L300U)
    High Performance Home Cinema Projector

    **Note the that the PT-L300U is also sold by Panasonic's Consumer division as the PT-AE300.




    Native 16:9 wide-screen LCD panel
    540p high-resolution 960 x 540 pixels x 3 (R,G,B)
    800 ANSI lumens brightness
    800:1 contrast ratio
    Smooth screen technology for reduced “screen door” effect
    Vertical/horizontal keystone correction
    6 picture mode (cinema 1, cinema 2, music, dynamic, sports, normal)
    294-pattern user-adjustable picture equalizing
    SD memory card slot
    Quiet 28 dB
    Colour temperature adjustable
    Back-lit multi-control remote control
    28 cm x 27.9 x 8.5 cm
    2.9 kg

    PT-AE200
    Home Cinema Projector


    Native 16:9 wide-screen LCD panel
    480p high-resolution 858 x 484 pixels x 3 (R,G,B)
    700 ANSI lumens brightness
    700:1 contrast ratio
    6 picture mode (cinema 1, cinema 2, music, dynamic, sports, normal)
    Vertical keystone correction
    SD memory card slot
    Quiet 28 dB
    Colour temperature adjustable
    Back-lit multi-control remote control
    28 cm x 27.9 x 8.5 cm
    2.9 kg




    Trevor
    My HomeTheater S.E.
    Sonically Enhanced
    C5
    Trevor



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  • Chris D
    Moderator Emeritus
    • Dec 2000
    • 16877

    #2
    Those units don't look too bad for entry-level mid-resolution models! My only question would be what the cost is!




    CHRIS
    Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"
    CHRIS

    Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
    - Pleasantville

    Comment

    • Trevor Schell
      Moderator Emeritus
      • Aug 2000
      • 10935

      #3
      Sorry Chris..
      The PTAE200 is listed at $3299 CDN
      approx $2,449 USA

      The PTAE300 is listed at $3849 CDN
      approx $2,849 USA
      Not the PTAE300 is also manufactured as the PT-L300U




      Trevor
      My HomeTheater S.E.
      Sonically Enhanced
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      Comment

      • Trevor Schell
        Moderator Emeritus
        • Aug 2000
        • 10935

        #4
        I just found a link on Projector Central that shows the Panasonic PT-AE300(PT-L300U) As #2 on the top 10 list.



        AND

        Panasonic PT-L300U projector specs, projector reviews and current street prices.





        Trevor
        My HomeTheater S.E.
        Sonically Enhanced
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        Trevor



        XBOX 360 CARD

        Comment

        • Andrew Pratt
          Moderator Emeritus
          • Aug 2000
          • 16507

          #5
          The 200 model was being cleared out to make room for a newer model so I doubt you'll find any around...at least not at the conventional places and the unconventional ones are likely asking way to much.

          the 300 is a great projector but is usually $600 more then the 1HD/Z1 which is almost identical save the smooth scan technology. If you sit closer then 12 feet the panny should have a slightly smoother image but past that they're identical so save you funds. Also warrenty is better with the 1HD unit.




          Comment

          • Trevor Schell
            Moderator Emeritus
            • Aug 2000
            • 10935

            #6
            PT-L300U vs. Sony HS10:

            At the moment, there is at least a $500 difference in street price between these two units. At first glance the Sony would appear to win on specs alone—higher resolution, higher lumen rating, HDCP compatible, etc. Is the $500+ premium you'll pay for the HS10 worth it? Honestly, we would be hesitant to say so. The L300U is a much stronger overall performer than we expected to see.

            First, the L300U and the HS10 are equal in terms of pixelation/screendoor, which is to say neither of them has a problem with it. In rolling credits you can barely detect some pixel structure from a normal viewing distance if you have great vision. So the higher resolution (1365x768) panels that you'd think would give the HS10 an edge in this regard do not in fact do so.

            Second, even though the HS10 is rated at 1000 ANSI lumens to the L300U's 800, after calibration and the addition of the cinema filter on the HS10, the lumen output of these two machines is basically equal. There are differences that will vary based upon how you tweak them, but for all practical purposes they produce the same amount of light. Thus there is no comparative edge in brightness either.

            In terms of HDTV, the HS10's ability to take HDTV via DVI with HDCP compatibility makes it a stellar performer with a clean crisp picture that is compromised only slightly by the need to scale it to 1365x768. The L300U must take the HDTV signal via an analog input. However, it gains an edge by rendering the HD signal more precisely into its ¼ HD format. The end of the story is that HDTV resolution on both of these machines is terrific, and neither has an advantage over the other.

            Meanwhile, the L300U outperforms the HS10 in several key areas. Contrast and shadow detail are visibly better on the L300U. This by itself will tip the choice for most buyers toward the L300U. In addition, those sensitive to fan noise will definitely prefer the quiet L300U over the somewhat less than quiet HS10. And the 5000-hour life on the L300U compares favorably to the 3000 hours you may get on the HS10. For frequent users, this could save some extra cash down the line.

            There are other differences but they get lost in the tall weeds. The L300U has an edge in color decoding, and the Sony has an edge in brightness uniformity, although the differences in both of these areas are subtle. We are now down to irrelevancies in the overall scheme of things.

            The bottom line is that the Panasonic PT-L300U, primarily due to distinct advantages in contrast, shadow detail, fan noise, and perhaps lamp life, is in our estimation the stronger performer overall of the two machines.

            PT-L300U vs. the Sanyo PLV-Z1 (HD 1):

            This comparison is an entirely different smoke. Current street prices of the PLV-Z1 are several hundred dollars below the L300U. Therefore those entry level home theater enthusiasts looking for the "best cheapest" solution will be drawn to the PLV-Z1. The L300U is the better of the two machines, but the question is whether the advantages that the L300 has over the Z1 are worth the extra money to the first time buyer. Only the buyer can make that call.

            Both of these products use the ¼ HD LCD panels, and both render exceptionally sharp HDTV. The L300U however produces less pixelation at any given viewing distance than does the Z1. If you are planning to go with a 100" diagonal screen or greater, and plan to sit 12 feet or closer to the screen, the differences in pixelation/screendoor will become quite apparent and should be considered a major factor in choosing between these two products. If you are going with, say an 80" diagonal screen and plan to view from a distance of 12 feet or greater, the difference in pixelation is a non-issue and you should ignore it.

            The L300U has a quieter fan than the Z1, but not by much. The Z1 is relatively quiet in low power mode as well. (By the way, please note that the earlier issue we found on the Z1 with the fan periodically kicking into high when in low power mode has been identified and resolved. After an adjustment was made by Sanyo, our PLV-Z1 has been running for hours with no problem at all).

            When it comes to lumen output, believe it or not the PLV-Z1 is the brightest of the three machines after calibration. Though it is rated at only 700 ANSI lumens, we measured actual lumen output in high brightness mode at 646, and in low power/cinema mode it came in at 503. That is somewhat brighter than the after-calibration readings of either the L300U or the Sony HS10, both of which have higher lumen ratings as per manufacturer's specifications. (More reason to ignore published specifications!)

            In terms of contrast, the L300U has a very subtle edge over the PLV-Z1 but they are very close. Both outperform the HS10 in contrast and shadow detail.

            The L300U has DVI-D input, and the PLV-Z1 does not. Due to the fact that the L300U is not HDCP compatible, the advantage of DVI is to be realized by those who use an HTPC for DVD playback. This gives you the best possible picture, and you don't have that option on the PLV-Z1.

            Again, lamp life may be a consideration. In low power mode the PLV-Z1 may deliver 3000 hours, compared to the L300U's possible 5000 hours. (Actual lamp life depends on user-controlled factors such as average on time, the ambient heat in the viewing room, the ability of the projector to dissipate heat within its immediate surroundings, etc.)

            So is the L300U worth several hundred more than the PLV-Z1? It really comes down to two issues--screen size vs. viewing distance and whether you want to use a computer with DVI as a DVD source. If you want to stick with a regular DVD player, and you are not sitting too close to the screen, then save the money and go for the PLV-Z1. If you want to use a computer, or you want to sit in the range of 1.5x the screen width or closer to the screen, you will be better off investing the extra money to eliminate the pixelation that you'd otherwise have with the Z1.


            Conclusion

            Panasonic has combined all of the vital elements needed for resounding success—excellent contrast, plenty of brightness for home theater, no pixelation, no fan noise, small, easy to install, all for a street price under the magic $2,000 barrier. Dollar for dollar it is one of the best values we've ever seen in a projector. We are happy to add this beautiful new machine to our list of highly recommended products.



            Trevor
            My HomeTheater S.E.
            Sonically Enhanced
            C5
            Trevor



            XBOX 360 CARD

            Comment

            • Andrew Pratt
              Moderator Emeritus
              • Aug 2000
              • 16507

              #7
              Nice summary Trevor and from what I've read its a very accurate view of these three machines.




              Comment

              • Trevor Schell
                Moderator Emeritus
                • Aug 2000
                • 10935

                #8
                Well..
                Locally here it looks like I can get the Panasonic for $3,299 +tax =$3700 CDN..
                So the HD 1 at $1,818 inclusive is looking to be a great value.
                I would be 12 feet @ seating area from the screen.




                Trevor
                My HomeTheater S.E.
                Sonically Enhanced
                C5
                Trevor



                XBOX 360 CARD

                Comment

                • Chris D
                  Moderator Emeritus
                  • Dec 2000
                  • 16877

                  #9
                  Yup, interesting comparisons. For me, though, you've got to throw in the new model releases, with better specs and performance all around (pretty much) with a modest increase in price, if any. This is purely personal preference, but even for the price increase, the Z2 is looking better to me than the Z1, the Sony HS-20 better than the HS-10, and both better than the Panny. Of course, if you're really looking for value in entry level, then the older models might be the way to go, since you'll hopefully find some with closeout deals over the next few months.

                  Dunno... Mongo only pawn in game of life.




                  CHRIS
                  Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"
                  CHRIS

                  Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                  - Pleasantville

                  Comment

                  • Trevor Schell
                    Moderator Emeritus
                    • Aug 2000
                    • 10935

                    #10
                    That's true Chris,,The replaced models may be discountinued and therefore some nice discounts to follow.

                    The Matinee HD 1 that Andrew purchased still is much lower in price than the other models mentioned. Making it a very attractive package as one of the top performing budget FPTV's rated.

                    My only concern right now is would I see the screen door effect at 12 feet from the screen.?




                    Trevor
                    My HomeTheater S.E.
                    Sonically Enhanced
                    C5
                    Trevor



                    XBOX 360 CARD

                    Comment

                    • Trevor Schell
                      Moderator Emeritus
                      • Aug 2000
                      • 10935

                      #11
                      Had a good look at the Panny 300 today.
                      The room was not very dark , so the color was dull for that reason.
                      However the image was very clean at 11 feet away.
                      My price would be $3,000 CDN..That would be the best deal I could get.
                      List is $3,849 CDN




                      Trevor
                      My HomeTheater S.E.
                      Sonically Enhanced
                      C5
                      Trevor



                      XBOX 360 CARD

                      Comment

                      • Andrew Pratt
                        Moderator Emeritus
                        • Aug 2000
                        • 16507

                        #12
                        Ouch at $1200 difference the 1HD appears a much better buy considering they're so similar. You might also want to see what kevin's price on the 300U is.




                        Comment

                        • Claude D D
                          Senior Member
                          • Jan 2003
                          • 465

                          #13
                          Trevor get The HD1 and a iScan http://www.htmarket.com/iscanpro.html And you still have dough to spare.

                          Comment

                          • Trevor Schell
                            Moderator Emeritus
                            • Aug 2000
                            • 10935

                            #14
                            That's right,,The HD 1 is a bargain and then some.

                            You will have to give me more detail on the iScan.
                            Unfortunately I have little knowledge of what they do or how they actually work.

                            Thanks,




                            Trevor
                            My HomeTheater S.E.
                            Sonically Enhanced
                            C5
                            Trevor



                            XBOX 360 CARD

                            Comment

                            • Andrew Pratt
                              Moderator Emeritus
                              • Aug 2000
                              • 16507

                              #15
                              Trevor the iScan is a line doubler that will upconvert video into a progressive (or interlaced) HD like image. Its very useful if you watch a lot of VHS, Laser Disc or satellite (cable) since you'll get a much smoother image with a doubler running. It can help for DVD's as well but we're starting to see cheaper alternatives for that with dvd players offering on board doubleing (like the Liteon) for very cheap.




                              Comment

                              • Trevor Schell
                                Moderator Emeritus
                                • Aug 2000
                                • 10935

                                #16
                                I guess what I don't understand, is why does the HD 1 need a line doubler if one is using a progressive DVD player as the source.?




                                Trevor
                                My HomeTheater S.E.
                                Sonically Enhanced
                                C5
                                Trevor



                                XBOX 360 CARD

                                Comment

                                • Gordon Moore
                                  Moderator Emeritus
                                  • Feb 2002
                                  • 3188

                                  #17
                                  It can help for DVD's as well
                                  Actually I'm curious about this as well. I thought the iscan is handy for non-progressive sources. Combining a motion adaptive and 3-2 pulldown algorithm.

                                  Trev's right...if you have a decent progressive player why bother? Sounds like most of his watching will be film-based. If what he's watching is 95% movies and 5% tv, I think the money would be better spent on HD Expressview or the like.




                                  "A RONSTER!"
                                  Sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up here.

                                  Comment

                                  • Andrew Pratt
                                    Moderator Emeritus
                                    • Aug 2000
                                    • 16507

                                    #18
                                    Right the iScan was more popular for DVD's when most DVD players were not progressive scan....or people using lower quality progressive scan DVD players (note there's some $$$ prog. players that would benefit from an iScan)

                                    Basically though its primarily for interlaced images from TV's and Satallites etc.




                                    Comment

                                    • Dustin B
                                      Member
                                      • Nov 2003
                                      • 37

                                      #19
                                      Well, I'm a whee little bit late to the party. But anyways, projector prices in Canada area way out of whack on most models. The Panasonic AE300 being one of them (Kylie's quoted me the same $3299 plus both taxes best price).

                                      I purchased my AE300 4 months ago for $2830CDN total from Visual Apex. This includes shipping, duty and GST. At the time the price was $1699USD. Currently the price is $1499USD.

                                      An extra note on shipping. Visual Apex would only ship UPS, so my options were ground for $50USD plus $60CDN brokerage or express for $100USD. I choose the later.

                                      Visual Apex was excellent to deal with and I've had no problems with the projector. Visual Apex from all reports I've read is also supposed to be excellent to deal with if you have a problem. And the $1000CDN price difference to buying local would pay for a lot of shipping back to Visual Apex in the first year.

                                      Mind you at this point in time you may be better off waiting for the AE500, Z2, HS10 to become available from Visual Apex.





                                      "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it."

                                      My Home Theatre Page & My DIY Sonosub
                                      Constant Area Screen - The Only Way To Go

                                      My Home Theatre Page

                                      Comment

                                      • Trevor Schell
                                        Moderator Emeritus
                                        • Aug 2000
                                        • 10935

                                        #20
                                        Hey Dustin!
                                        Welcome to the HTG!! :T

                                        Good for you on the Panny 300.
                                        So how do you like it?
                                        Do you notice the SDE?
                                        How far do you sit from the screen?
                                        What screen do you use?

                                        Sorry about all the questions? :P

                                        BTW,,Have you seen the Yamaha LPX-500 FPTV at Audio Warehouse?
                                        It's a 1280x720 res with 800Lumens and Contrast.
                                        It's set up in a room that can be darkend.
                                        I thought it produced a stunning image and would wonder how the PAnny 300 would compare in a dark room?




                                        Trevor
                                        My HomeTheater S.E.
                                        Sonically Enhanced
                                        C5
                                        Trevor



                                        XBOX 360 CARD

                                        Comment

                                        • Dustin B
                                          Member
                                          • Nov 2003
                                          • 37

                                          #21
                                          I'm 13.5' from a 98" diagonal 16:9 DIY screen with plain blackout cloth. Andrew thinks I'm nuts but I haven't preferred any of the gray screen options I've tested including Vutec Graydove, Dalite HCCV and the dDog sample he sent me over the plain blackout cloth.

                                          Screen door is a complete none issue for me. Can't see it at all. Got to see a AE100 today. Very obvious and obnoxious screen door on that unit. My only complaints with the AE300 are the scanline style artifact that shows up on vertical panning shots. It's far from a deal breaker though. And it would also be nice if I could achieve a 1:1 pixel mapping on my HTPC. But again far from a deal breaker given the image quality I'm getting.

                                          I breifly viewed a Yamaha DLP projector at Audio Warehouse a month or two ago. Don't remember the model number, they wanted $8k for it though. They didn't have it setup properly little lone calibrated, but with the demo I received (in comparison to what I see at home) I would have choose the Panny hands down even if they were the same cost. Setup and calibrated properly I imagine it would best the Panny, but I doubt by a margin large enough to justify more than twice the cost.





                                          "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it."

                                          My Home Theatre Page & My DIY Sonosub
                                          Constant Area Screen - The Only Way To Go

                                          My Home Theatre Page

                                          Comment

                                          • Trevor Schell
                                            Moderator Emeritus
                                            • Aug 2000
                                            • 10935

                                            #22
                                            Interesting Dustin.
                                            The Yamaha you seen was an old model.
                                            It's no longer there. The new Yammy was priced at
                                            $6K and much better than the previous as far as I am concerned.
                                            This new one is LCD while the previous was a DLP projector.
                                            If you are in the area have a look.




                                            Trevor
                                            My HomeTheater S.E.
                                            Sonically Enhanced
                                            C5
                                            Trevor



                                            XBOX 360 CARD

                                            Comment

                                            • pred286
                                              Junior Member
                                              • Dec 2003
                                              • 2

                                              #23
                                              Does anybody know if there is such a drastic improvement from a Sony VLP-400Q to the Panny or HD1? It is time for a bulb, which is very expensive, so I might be upgrading soon if there is such an improvement. I don't know of any dealer which will allow me to bring one home to compare.

                                              Comment

                                              • pred286
                                                Junior Member
                                                • Dec 2003
                                                • 2

                                                #24
                                                ops: Double post, sorry. ops:

                                                Comment

                                                • Andrew Pratt
                                                  Moderator Emeritus
                                                  • Aug 2000
                                                  • 16507

                                                  #25
                                                  I know george has the 400Q so he might have some specfics on what you might expect to see with one of the newer projectors. Off the top of my head I'd guess higher resolution and better black levels but I'm not positive on those.




                                                  Comment

                                                  • George Bellefontaine
                                                    Moderator Emeritus
                                                    • Jan 2001
                                                    • 7637

                                                    #26
                                                    Steve, I don't think you will see that great a difference in resolution. The VPL400 is 1068 x 480. The HD 1 is 964 x 544 and the Panny is 960 x 540. So the totals in all three cases are similar in total number of pixels. Where the difference may be is in HDTV sources because of the unique 960 x 540 lcd pixel arrangement per panel. The 540 is exactly 1/2 1080i. But many people who connected the Sony to a HD source claimed the picture was better than dvd, so it's hard to say. I do feel you'll see quitye a differeence in contrast for both the HD1 and the 300 over the Sony. You may like the picture of the HD1 better than the Panny. The Panny uses what they call Smooth Screen Technology that makes it difficult to see the pixels. But some don't like it and say the picture is too soft. Well Sony has the delta pixel array ( staggered overlapping, rather than a straight line) and it too has a somewhat soft picture.
                                                    Or you may want to wait things out and get a Sanyo Z2 whjich has a full hi-def res of 1280 x 720, and higher contrast, I believe.

                                                    I still have the Sony in my HT setupt, but is the secondary PJ now to the main star, my NEC HT1000 dlp.




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