Right now Panasonic has ended months of speculation by formally announcing its strategy to deliver the PT-AE4000U for the US industry. The announcement that may be a lot more buzz-worthy is that it will likely be provided at an official road cost of just $1,999.

The AE4000 announcement is dramatic. Even though its spec sheet isn't going to appear innovative compared to previous season's AE3000, the AE4000 is in fact a superior projector in virtually each way. Certainly it surpasses the AE3000 in image quality. And it's a lot more completely-featured than its predecessor. But what is most beautiful could be the value. Survive October, a mere twelve months in the past, the AE3000 was released with avenue costs shut to $several,000. This calendar month the AE4000 comes to market place at $one,999. This aggressive move will drive other makers competing within the residence theater projector industry to reassess their pricing amounts.

AE4000 vs. AE3000: Variations and Improvements

The AE3000 was already by far the most entirely-featured dwelling theater projector on the current market. The AE4000 trumps it in numerous important approaches:

• Crimson-Wealthy Lamp. Panasonic has engineered a proprietary new substantial stress lamp that puts out 50% additional red light-weight than its predecessors. Substantial stress lamps have usually been weak in pink spectrum gentle, and this new lamp design usually requires a big move towards eliminating that weakness. As well as the distinction is apparent. When putting the AE3000 and AE4000 part by side, crimson components from the image are noticeably brighter. The hue of red is not any various, but purple subject subject being a component of the full image is extra vibrant. A red stop signal about the AE3000 seems to be crimson, but it really is somewhat darker relative for the relaxation of your image than it truly is on the AE4000. The increased crimson written content of your lamp also contributes considerably to improved epidermis tones.

• Improved distinction. The AE3000 was rated at 60,000:one, and also the AE4000 is a hundred,000:1. Are you able to see the difference, chances are you'll wonder? Totally. When viewed in a dark room side by aspect, the AE4000 is clearly greater in contrast and deeper in black stage than its predecessor. And with higher contrast arrives the other typical advantages driven by distinction -- deeper coloration saturation, an improved sense of image depth, along with the impression of enhanced image sharpness.

The advancement in contrast was not accomplished by reducing the aperture about the auto iris. Somewhat, Panasonic has redesigned what they phone the Pure Distinction Plate, an optical component located right right after the LCD panels to strengthen the contrast degree. This component effectively enables the polarization filters to block the light-weight leakage brought about through the panels, for deeper blacks.

As together with the AE3000, the AE4000 makes use of inorganic LCD panels which also contribute towards the increased distinction in these models. In inorganic panels, the liquid crystals are vertically aligned, creating it simpler for polarizers to filter out pretty much all light for deeper blacks.

• Improved Cinema mode brightness. The optimum lumen ranking hasn't modified; both the AE3000 and AE4000 are rated at 1600 lumens. Nevertheless, the pink enhanced lamp contributes to your brighter overall image in Cinema mode. Our AE3000 measured 385 lumens in Cinema 1 mode. The AE4000's Cinema 1 puts out 548 lumens, or 42% increase. The other programmed operating modes are brighter too, but usually do not indicate as dramatic an enhance. As an example, regular mode measured 792 to the AE3000, and we are seeing 950 lumens around the AE4000 (+20%). On the AE4000, the Color 1 and Coloration 2 modes are each measuring within the 550 lumen range, compared to about 400 around the AE3000.

Conclusion

The Panasonic PT-AE4000 sets a new benchmark for cost/efficiency within the household theater sector. In both equally picture excellent and functions, it easily surpasses the AE3000. And at only $one,999 it could have an earthshaking impact on rates through the business. No other projector is as totally-loaded with end user friendly capabilities as this one particular; other than the AE3000, no other competing unit even can come near in features and functionality. But what it continually arrives lower to is picture high quality. And within this regard, the AE4000 surpasses not simply the AE3000, but all other 1080p models that we've nevertheless observed under $3,000. It truly is not the brightness unit to the market place by any stretch. Numerous other cheap 1080p models have brighter Cinema modes. But if you happen to be searching for very high image top quality and therefore are keen to provide up somewhat lumen output to acquire it, the AE4000 produces a refined, elegant photo that may be extremely tough to beat.

All of this adds nearly a outstanding significance proposition: at a highway of $1,999, we have plainly by no means noticed this very much overall performance at this price tag. Panasonic has long been really restricted-lipped about this merchandise launch. Until eventually now quite a few considered the corporate was dropping out of your house theater projector industry. Currently's announcement tends to make it clear that they are here to remain. The Panasonic PT-AE4000U will probably be one particular of the hottest selling dwelling theater projectors with the fall season, and we enthusiastically give it our highest recommendation.