Panasonic AE700 … more bang for your buck?

Priced at only $2,899 (CDN) the Panasonic AE700 provides an image that rivals other cinema projectors priced at thousands of dollars more. It relies on its Smooth Screen technology to get rid of the nasty “screen door” image and employs a color correction system to reproduce colors that are more natural.

It is much quieter than its predecessors (26db), so you will even struggle to hear it watching the nature channel. The AE700’s 3000 hour lamp life saves you from having to buy a new replacement very often, in other words, you could watch a movie a night for three years and a gazillion movies later you would have to replace the lamp.

At a price of $650 (CDN) per lamp you are glad to be patient for once. One possible problem that may occur though is a series of vertical bars on the screen. This can be totally avoided by simply turning off the power switch at the back of the machine after the machine has cooled down. There is also the option of performing a VB “tweak”. This can be done by going through your options on the menu and using the flicker adjust option.

For those who own the AE100 and the AE200, the AE700 seems like a natural progression. However, those who own the AE500 may not notice much difference since there were few adjustments made. The AE700 has incorporated a Lens Shift and has far superior black levels. In other words, watching dark movies like Star Wars will make you want to get your teddy bear.

The resolution is amazing at 1280x720 and with that said playing Xbox is a dream since it can support the 720p format while DVD’s are noticeably better then the AE700’s predecessors.

The front exhaust fan cools the system more efficiently considering the dynamic of the mechanics behind the machine therefore reducing heat soak damage. The AE700 is a great machine and you’ll want to take care of it in order avoid any kind of service hassles. Panasonic’s customer service and warranties are much like my lower intestine, stinky and full of trouble.