Panasonic PT-AX200U Review:

The Panasonic PT-AX200U is ideal for watching sports events or playing video games in daylight conditions and surely for viewing movies in a dark room. Powerful 2,000-lumen brightness and new Light Harmonizer 2 technology make it easy for people to enjoy vibrant, dynamic images even if they don’t have a special theater room. Together with the 2,000-lumens brightness, Panasonic’s Light Harmonizer 2 technology produces vivid and easy-to-see images even in the kind of bright lighting that makes images from other projectors look whitish, faded or lacking in detail. The Light Harmonizer 2 circuit not only adjusts the gamma curve, but also controls the iris setting, lamp power, and picture sharpness to maintain easy, comfortable viewing at all times. The Panasonic PT-AX200U features a Game mode that improves signal processing for better response, allowing you to play games with minimal stress. Panasonic PT-AX200U also reveals gradation in saturated areas to show details that are otherwise lost in very dark areas. The Pure Color Filter was born from Panasonic’s pursuit of optical technology that delivers true Hollywood picture quality. The light spectrum is adjusted to produce a level of light that maximizes the performance of the LCD panels, which expands the color range and produces truer blacks. The high definition picture of the Panasonic PT-AX200U is remarkably smooth and film-like, while remaining amazingly sharp and detailed. Dynamic Iris has been refined to provide deeper, richer blacks for true image reproduction with stunning smoothness. This technology adjusts the lamp power, iris, and gamma curve according to data obtained from frame-by-frame histogram analysis of the image brightness level. The new Advanced Dynamic Sharpness Control determines image areas that need to be sharpened at varying degrees by examining small changes in brightness levels within the image. This greatly reduces noise amplification and delivers clear and natural looking images.

I purchased the Panasonic PT-AX200U for my dedicated home theater room in Aug 2007 after much reading and reviewing all options. Projectorcentral dot com is one of the best sources of information such as placement as well as reviews (both professional and consumer).

About the Panasonic PT-AX200U projector: Sharp, clear and bright (2000 lumens is really bright). While Panasonic PT-AX200U is ‘only’ 720p several professional reviewers have dubbed this the ‘poor-mans’ 1080p. Panasonic has developed a technology called smooth screen that effectively minimizes screen door effect and it really works. I have my viewing area exactly 1.8x the diagonal (105″ screen) and there is NO pixel distinction.

Setup: This was a snap. I used the much debated Avia setup DVD and the “Cinema 1″ Mode was spot on out of the box. Looked great.

Gaming: While we are not a gaming family, we do have a Wii hooked up with great results. We also have the Fisher Price Smart Cycle and it looks awful - terrible resolution a la 1985. The Panasonic PT-AX200U just exacerbates the lousy FP technology in the Smart Cycle - Don’t misunderstand - the Smart Cycle is great - just needs real graphics.

Placement: Panasonic PT-AX200U has phenomenal flexibility with incredible lens shift and 2.0x zoom. To make a 106″ picture unit can be from about 10 feet to about 20 feet away. Look carefully at zoom and lens shift before you buy.

Compatibility: Panasonic PT-AX200U accepts nearly all inputs (i.e. 1080p/24) and does not have to put the picture through 2:3 pull down. If you are considering a Blu-Ray or HD DVD be sure to check the signal compatibility of the PJ you are considering.
Noise: I sit under and just behind the PJ installed on the ceiling and it’s barley audible with no other sound in the room. Very good dB rating.

Summary: Great value. Great picture. Easy installation. 2 HDMI ports. Highly recommended!

—– By B. Almonrode

Panasonic PT-AX200U Specifications

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