Customer Reviews

Panasonic PT-AX100U Home Cinema Projector

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

Everyone that sees the picture this projector gives wants one. You'd expect to pay much more for this quality. The picture still looks great with the lights on and blinds open. Given the adjustability of the projector and the abilty to handle ambient light, this will work in a lot of homes other projectors might not be right for. And it looks great even on an inexpensive screen (Da-Lite HD Model B).

The only negative thing is I know about right now is that with all projectors including the new dlp rear projector tvs is that the bulb has to be replaced every 2000 or so hours and they cost over $300 to replace. I just got my projector, so I don't know if the bulb will last its advertised lenght.

I'd be surprised if you weren't wowed by this projector.

UPDATE:
I have had problems with this projector. Already on my second one and am getting ready to send it away for more work.

Seems to be a reliability problem. The projector shuts off automatically after I turn it on..forcing me to wait 5 minutes to turn it back on. Also, and much worse, the projected image is starting to go blank every 5 minutes and the imput options appear..very annoying and you may miss key parts of whatewver you are watching.

Now, still under warranty, Panasonic is making me pay to ship the unit to Kansas(I'm in California) where they will work on it and say they will have it back to me in 7-10 days.

If you still want to buy this after reading this, make sure you get a good warranty.

My rating now would be much lower than 5 stars if Amazon would let me change it(they won't)

Second Update: Well my Iris has broken again! And now it is out of warranty! This is the third time I have had to return this product for repair! I think there should be a class action suit against these guys for not recalling a product that almost everyone is reporting problems with...will never buy a Panasonic product again.

UPDATED DECEMBER 2, 2007
PANASONIC'S REPAIR FACILITY CAME THROUGH WITH FLYING COLORS....AND the AX100U is still, "TOP OF THE LINE!"

The AX100U received a Firmware upgrade and installation of latest IRIS module.
These repairs even appear to have solved a couple of minor issues that I had overlooked because this projector excels in so many other ways.

To sum up: The AX100U continues to amaze and delight with its superior performance.

Kudos to the KS Repair facility; they treated my "baby" lovingly and it arrived back to me, TRIPLE BOXED. (original double box plus LARGE well cushioned third.)




UPDATED NOVEMBER 18,2007

This is my review after TEN months and approximately 400 hours using the AX100U.

About two weeks ago my AX100U display began cycling on and off whenever connected to my satellite receiver's HDMI output. However, it worked fine on the receiver's other outputs.

HDMI input continues to display properly when connected to DVD player. P.C. input also displays normally.

When the problem first manifested itself, my first thought was a bad cable which turned out to be unfounded.

Next, I contacted the satellite company and they rushed a replacement receiver. What an embarrassment! Same problem again.

Then I did what I should have done at the beginning, call Panasonic customer service.

When I asked the rep. if they had had this problem before, he answered in the affirmative.

He promised to call me back today with all details, but failed to do so.

Called back this evening and the female rep. told me there was a recall on the AX100U. She said there is a n Iris problem in the lens, and will call me back Monday morning with details and a chat with a service person.

Hope my breath holds out until then.

My recommendation for this fine product still holds, unless there is a foul up with customer service and repair of the projector.

It seems only fair that Panasonic should bear the round trip shipping cost since the problem appears to be the result of an engineering error.

One more thing: With all the rough handling during the shipping process, it makes you wonder how many hours of lamp life remain when the unit is finally back in service


If you decide to purchase the AX100U, number one on your agenda should be to make sure you have a late model DVD player with Up Conversion capabilities. This is usually signified by a HDMI jack on the rear panel. Then you will be able to enjoy the full capabilities of your new Video Projector. Also make sure your Cable or Satellite installation has HDMI output as well. Of course the AX100U also has S-video in, Video in, PC (RGB) in, Component in, Serial in, which make it even more flexible for nearly any Home Theater requirement.

The Panasonic AX100U is absolute perfection which truly sums up this masterpiece of video technology.

My installation utilizes nothing more than an off-white wall for viewing, and the projector light source is set at reduced output for longer bulb life. It is hard to see where anything might be gained from the addition of a standard screen unless you are a strict perfectionist.

It is difficult to see how Blu-ray or HD can improve on the superb picture quality from standard DVDs when viewed on this elegant machine.

Even in ambient light during the day, the AX100U delivers outstanding color and detail.

Add to that the beautiful rendition of HD programming, particularly when watching HBO shows such as, Entourage and Big Love! It can be truly mesmerizing!

It is equally important to note that standard TV fare come alive once you familiarize yourself with the multitude of settings available from the well laid out menu. Satellite and digital cable display with pleasing results.

The sleek lighted remote is handy and adequate for all your requirements.

In my opinion, no dedicated LCD, Plasma, or DLP Television set can come close to delivering the kind of picture that makes every viewing on the AX100U the equivalent of a World Premiere.

Did a ton of research before buying. Could not find all the features I wanted, so I waited. (Went from 52" RCA rear projection tv to 92" projector.) Glad I did, this unit does a great job in a room with ambient light. I recommend getting a light gray screen rather than white or just using the wall for improved contrast. Excellent quality, quiet, great picture. Remember, the screen is only half the experience, don't skimp on sound!

I had purchased this projector12 months back and am facing a problem as briefed below and possible solutions tried but the problem is still not fixed.

1) The projector powers off after 30-60 seconds on starting and goes on stand by (yellow light). It then shows a red light of power off

2) The projector does not start after this with the remote

3) It has to be powered off from the mains and then restarted

4) Earlier, this used to happen once and now it behaves abnormally and sometimes it has to be restarted even upto 8 times or sometimes even just 2 times

5) After this, the projector does not shut down and movies can be watched for even as long as 8-10 hours

The projector was given to a service centre who did not find any problems in the hardware (power ballast, fans, bulb etc is ok). They have suggested that the PCB mainboard should be changed which costs as much as a new projector.

Knowing that the ax100 is a top rated projector, I purchased one. On the second night of use, it powered down and would no longer turn on for more than a few minutes. After a bit of research, I learned that this is a problem that many, many users have experienced - probably an iris problem. Do a search and you'll find a lot of information regarding this problem. A friend who has had this projector for a year is now experiencing the same problem. It is difficult to get a refund on a defective projector, so if you're going to buy this unit (I wouldn't), then buy from a retailer with a liberal return policy.

First off, this is only a good, but not great, projector. With the way projector prices have been falling, there are other options for less that deliver comparable performance. The Sanyo Z5, for example, costs several hundred dollars less and actually produces a sharper picture as well as including twice as many digital inputs as the Panasonic. I bought this model last September and have already had to send it in twice to get fixed. In fact, it's on its way to the repair center as I am typing this review. This is not an isolated incident either, MANY PT-AX100 owners have been experiencing problems just like mine and it's clear that Panasonic didn't spend enough time/money on quality control. Go read through any HDTV or projector forum for a laundry list of issues regarding this projector. The decision is up to you, but I would advise people to look elsewhere if they want to avoid a potential headache.

I've put about 200 hours on my new AX100U so far. If you're looking for a "do-everything" home theater projector, you'll find that the Panasonic AX100U is a perfect solution. As a Home Theater professional, I've owned and installed quite a few home theater projectors over the last few years (Optoma, Infocus, Sharp, BenQ, Mitsubishi, Sony, AskProxima, etc.) but the AX100U is definitely the best all-around solution (and I chose it over the 1080p Panasonic, Optoma and Sony models). Here's why:

1. Gorgeous picture (color saturation and contrast provide nearly a 3D image)
2. Brightest home theater projector on the market (Its mounted in my living room across from a 120-inch diagonal electric screen mounted in front of my fireplace). Lots of ambient light enters this room and the picture is still VERY watchable.
3. Its 720p resolution and "smooth screen" technology means NO pixels can be seen from just 12-inches away from the screen.
4. Absolutely no screen-door (no rainbows since its an LCD display)
5. Lots of lens shift adjustment makes it easy to install and fill your screen perfectly.

Here's a list of my viewing sources that are connected to the AX100U:
1. Computer
2. DVD player
3. Satellite dish
4. Playstation 2
5. HDTV outdoor antenna

The 1080p projectors appear slightly sharper if you're sitting within 6 feet of the screen. However, if you sit 6 feet away or more, they look identical). The 1080p projectors currently on the market can't handle ANY LIGHT AT ALL (you MUST have a completely dark room). Regardless of the source or the amount of ambient light in the room, the Panasonic AX100U will give you a stellar picture that's BRIGHT, vivid and life-like (even when watching Sunday afternoon football with the drapes open). Who could ask for more?

Buy it - you'll won't be sorry.

I have only just received this unit, but my first impression are that it is amazing! I don't have everything set up yet in the room, so I just tested it by putting the image on the back wall (which is unfortunately a cream color and is textured) while having my LCD tv sitting in it's normal spot. I hooked up my PS3 to it and turned on a couple blu-ray movies. My wife was watching tv and looked back at the projection and was absolutely amazed that the image on the wall looked brighter and clearer than the blu-ray movies my LCD tv, and she's not one notice differences all that much!

Set up is a breeze and I love the big buttons on the remote that switch the color and brightness modes.(buttons are "Home theater" "Living room" and "favorite") Also, the ability to physically move the lens and zoom are extremely nice and offer a great amount of flexibility for any size room.

I'll be sure to update the review after I've done more extensive testing on different kinds of inputs, and on a true screen instead of the wall.

I managed to get a PS3 and knew I needed a new HD projector to properly represent the Blu-ray movies and next-gen games. After searching for months over the net I finally found tons of good reviews on the PT AX100U and decided to go for it. Even though it's native resolution is 720p, it's HDMI input accepts 1080p/60 even 1080p/24! plus it handles all the resolutions below. Boy was I impressed! The jump in quality of even the SD TV image was immediately noticable! It does a good job of upscaling my current SD satellite line up. The PS3 sets itself to 1080p when connected to this projector and the picture looks excellant. The Blu-ray movies are very clean and sharp! The brightness is finally good enough to still watch programs with the curtains a bit open and a decent amount of light coming through. It looks like a massive LCD or Plasma screen. The colors and contrast are very good as well. I am very happy with this purchase and so are all my friends and guests who come over and are shocked by the clarity and brightness! Let's hope it works well for a long time to come.

I just got this from amazon, and it has an AMAZING short throw. I have it on a 106" screen from about 12' and it looks great. It's like having a 106" plasma on 16:9 Hi-Def channels. Also, if you order on before December 31st you can go to Panasonic's website and print a mail in rebate for $200 and a $300 Blockbuster gift card.