Panasonic PT-AE2000U vs Sanyo PLV-Z2000

Posted on July 22, 2007 by Art Feierman

Specs Preview

Panasonic Specs
Price
Technology
Native Resolution
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim)
Contrast
Zoom Lens Ratio
Lens Shift
Lamp Life
Weight
Warranty


Overview
Image Quality
General Performance
Warranty
Summary, Pros, Cons

In this comparison of two of the three $2000 and under 1080p projectors, we consider the Best In Class Winner, the PT-AE2000U, and the somewhat less expensive, Best In Class Runner-Up, Sanyo's PLV-Z2000.

These two excellent, low cost 1080p resolution projectors, are very similar in many ways, and different in others.

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Links to additional one-on-one comparisons
Panasonic PT-AE2000U vs. Sanyo PLV-Z2000
Mitsubishi HC4900 vs. Panasonic PT-AE2000U
Sanyo PLV-Z2000 vs. Mitsubishi HC4900
Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB vs. JVC DLA-RS1x
Sony VPL-VW40 vs. Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB
Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB vs. Panasonic PT-AE2000U
BenQ W5000 vs. Sony VPL-VW40
JVC DLA-RS2 vs. Sony VPL-VW60

Both of these projectors are of the 3LCD variety, and both offer exceptional placement flexibility, with 2:1 zoom lenses and plenty of vertical and horizontal lens shift. As a result, both should position well, either ceiling mounted or shelf mounted in just about everyone's room.

Let's look at the key differences:

Projector Sharpness

Here's the first significant difference. While the PT-AE2000U has very reasonable sharpness, it is among the softer looking of the 1080p projectors. This is due to Panasonic's SmoothScreen technology. SmoothScreen makes the pixel structure of the LCD panels virtually invisible. Now, in my opinion, that is a good thing, but hardly critical for 1080p projectors. I say that, because most folks at normal seating distances, really can't see the pixel structure either way. That's markedly different than 720p projectors where some sit further back, just to avoid seeing the pixel structure and screen door effect, and others favor DLP projectors for the same reason (less visible pixel structure).

By comparison, the Sanyo appears sharper than the Panasonic. The difference isn't huge, but it definitely is a bit better. In this regard, I don't think anyone bringing the Panasonic into their home is going to say "it doesn't look sharp". The Sanyo PLV-Z2000 does have more visible pixels, but you aren't likely to see them unless you move closer than where you most likely sit.