Panasonic Intros 5500:1 Contrast Ratio HD Projector
September 11, 2005
Indianapolis, IN - Panasonic Broadcast has introduced the new PT-AE900U ($3,199), a native high-definition home theater projector designed to produce film-like images with a 5500:1 contrast ratio. The company says the PT-AE900U is capable of displaying ultra-sharp, ultra-clear HD pictures up to 14.5-feet wide, and it is equipped with digital picture-enhancing features developed to let users enjoy “Hollywood picture quality” in the comfort of their homes.
“The popularity of home viewing of films, sports, concerts and TV programming on large screens is exploding, and the PT-AE900U is the ultimate, high-value high definition projector,” said Steve Abend, Director of Sales, Projectors, Panasonic Broadcast. “The PT-AE900 incorporates the invaluable, real-world input of one of Hollywood’s top colorist and top cinematographers to deliver viewers an awesome recreation of the cinema experience!”
The PT-AE900U offers a host of image optimizing features including a new Dynamic Iris optical system that extends the iris range by 30% for a 5500:1 contrast ratio. According to Panasonic, Dynamic Iris, with scene tracking capability, constantly adjusts the light volume and gamma curve in real time, so the picture is always optimal and transitions between scenes are amazingly smooth and natural. The PT-AE900U is also outfitted with new Smooth Screen technology designed to eliminate the “Screen door effect” (visible spacing between pixels) and gives the projector a sharp, detailed HD picture that is remarkably smooth and film-like, according to the company.
The PT-AE900U’s Cinema Color Management (CCM) technology was developed to control both contrast and brightness to provide faithful reproduction of even subtle hues, moving color correction closer to the process used for motion pictures. With CCM, according to Panasonic, individual correction of more than 1 billion colors is possible. CCM technology also lets users choose from among seven preset picture modes, in which the contrast, brightness and gamma levels are adjustable, making it easy to select the optimal settings for any source material. These seven, pre-set picture modes, including Hollywood Cinema 1 customized by Hollywood colorist David Bernstein for watching movies, allows the user to best match his source material.
The projector’s Dynamic Sharpness Control automatically adjusts video signal enhancement based on the difference in brightness of adjacent pixels, largely eliminating noise amplification and delivering clearer, more natural-looking images. The PT-AE900U also features a redesigned sharpness filter designed to enhance the reproduction of fine detail along objects’ edges.
The 1100-lumen PT-AE900U is equipped with three 16:9 native, 1,280 x 720 pixel (2.76 million effective pixels) HD LCD panels. The model’s 2X optical zoom lens allows image size adjustment. The PT-AE900U can project a 100-inch picture from a distance of less than 10-feet or from a distance of more than 19 feet. A joystick-controlled optical system permits vertical and horizontal lens shift to enable the user to adjust the screen without having to move the actual projector, and without distorting the on-screen image.
To accommodate virtually any home electronic device, the PT-AE900U supports a full range of input sources, including DVD and video players, PCs and game machines. An HDMI input provides compatibility with HD digital sources, while component video input terminals deliver detailed images from high-end, progressive-scan DVD players. The PC IN terminal can be connected to a game machine or PC. Other terminals include composite and S-video, as well as a serial terminal for connecting a touch panel controller or similar device.
Other picture-enhancing features that Panasonic reports include:
• 10-bit digital processing and 10-bit gamma correction that accurately reproduces subtle changes in brightness and hue and quadruples the number of displayable colors to more than 1 billion with over 1024 gradations;
• Projector AI that automatically adjusts lamp brightness to the optimum level to match the characteristics of the picture in real time;
• Progressive Cinema Scan (3/2 pull down) that automatically detects an input signal from filmed material, and creates an optimum progressive scan processing method to assure faithful reproduction of the original image.
New to the PT-AE900U is a universal “learning” remote control that can memorize the functions of up to eight home theater components (both Panasonic products and products from other manufacturers) so that users can control an entire home theater system with a single remote.
Other key features include an operating noise level as low as 25dB, memory-storage of up three sets of picture adjustment settings; a 16-language on-screen menu; and manual zoom and focus. The PT-AE900U weighs 7.9 pounds, and its dimensions are 13-3/16” W x 3-23/32” H x 10-5/8” D.
For more information visit:
Panasonic Projectors
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