Panasonic PT-AE1000U Projector Review - General Performance-2

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PT-AE1000U Remote Control

This Panasonic projector uses an improved version of the learning remote they introduced last year with the PT-AE900U. Although I did not try programming it to control other devices (there's only so much time), overall it is a very well laid out remote control.

Also of note, it has very good range. I was able to get a good bounce off my screen with the "round trip" from the remote to screen to the projector's front IR sensor at distances just beyond 35 feet. Better than most, and sufficient for virtually any room.

At the top of the remote are two power buttons, the large one for the projector, and the second one to control the "system". Also on the top row is the backlight control. Once the backlight is engaged it will automatically turn off after 30 seconds. There is also an LCD display, which relates primarily to the handling of other devices. You can see and select from all of the devices you have programmed. Most of the buttons below the LCD and above the arrow keys are for controlling other devices, and include buttons for channel and volume change, controls for VCR and DVD, etc.

The lower half of the remote is almost all about the PT-AE1000U projector. Curving around the diskpad (4 arrow kes and centered Enter button), are three buttons, the left one is Menu. The middle one is Device for toggling between devices that the remote controls. Here lies my only complaint. I often accidently hit the device button when feeling for the up arrow. Then, by changing the device, I had to go back and reslect the projector before continuing). The right most of the three buttons is the Return button, which has multiple functions depending where you are in the menus, but primarily moves you back up the menu levels until the last will turn off the menus.

Directly below the diskpad, are a default setting button and a freeze frame button.

Next come three rows of three buttons. The top left of these is the Input source button which allows you to toggle through the various inputs. A lens button is next bringing up the screen mentioned in the Menus section, and focusing and controlling the 2:1 zoom lens. The right button is for Sleep options. On the 2nd row, there are buttons (left to right) for setting Aspect ratio, Picture Mode (the presets) and the Memory Load button, to choose settings you have saved.

On the last row, you can engage the Waveform monitor, there is a second button that toggles through presets and other settings, and the Color Management button that allows users to create custom color profiles.