The Best 1080p Resolution Home Theater Projectors of 2007
04/25/2007-Art Feierman
Overview
Image Quality
General Performance
Warranty
Summary, Pros, Cons
1080p Home Theater Projectors - Summary and Comparisons:
Click on these links to read more in-depth comparisons.
Panasonic PT-AE1000U vs Epson Home Cinema 1080
Epson Home Cinema 1080 vs Mitsubishi HC5000
3LCD: PT-AE1000U vs Home Cinema 1080 vs Mitsubishi HC5000
BenQ W9000 vs Panasonic PT-AE1000U
Sony VW50 Pearl vs Mitsubishi HC5000
Optoma HD81 vs. Sony VW50 Pearl
Optoma HD81 vs BenQ W9000 and W10000
BenQ W10000 vs JVC RS1
JVC RS1 vs Sony VW50 Pearl
JVC RS1 vs Optoma HD81
JVC RS1 vs Panasonic PT-AE1000U
Summary - The Bottom Line
BenQ W9000 vs Panasonic PT-AE1000U
Remember, I did not actually ever get a W9000 to review. What I do know, is that this budget version of the W10000, is now selling for under $4000 putting it on the high side of the Panasonic PT-AE1000U. 
As many of you know, I'm a big fan of BenQ, having owned two of them previously, the old 8700+ with Darkchip2, and the PE8720 with Darkchip3. The only three differences I am aware of between the W9000 and the W10000 are the price, the W10000's Darkchip3 DLP vs the W9000's Darkchip2, and the warranty.
Certainly, the BenQ W10000 outperforms the Panasonic in terms of black levels - significantly on scenes with mixed brightness, and even on really dark scenes. I can only conjecture, however that the W9000, with its not as good black levels, is more in line with the Panasonic. 
I would guess that on those dark scenes that the Panasonic (shown to the right) will produce blacker blacks than the BenQ W9000, and they are probably fairly similar on those mixed scenes with both significant very dark areas and some bright ones. Essentially I am suggesting that the Panasonic overall has the advantage in black levels, and therefore when properly set up, shadow detail as well.
The W9000, however, will have the sharpness advantage, since should have identical sharpness to the W10000, which is especially sharp (a BenQ trademark). Both projectors will get very good marks for being film-like. And, both projectors have a 1 year warranty.
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The Panasonic, of course has a significant advantage in terms of placement. Although the W9000 has vertical lens shift, its zoom lens has an extremely small range of only 15% (1.15:1), and would have to be considered fairly long throw. Although a few, who balance their room size with the screen size, may be able to shelf mount the BenQ, most, I think will have to ceiling mount.
Perhaps most significantly, the BenQ will have a brightness advantage, but with the Darkchip2, to get those extra lumens, you will have to open the manual iris, and that will degrade the black levels a bit, giving the Panasonic a bit more of an edge.
Those who have been previous owners of a home theater projector and appreciate the film-like quality DLP projectors will like the W9000, but in fairness, the PT-AE1000U is also very filmlike. So I believe the bottom line here, will be the appeal of the extra sharpness of the W9000, against placement flexibility and slight advantage in black levels of the Panasonic. Remember though, I'm guessing - never had the W9000 to play with.
Click on these links to read more in-depth comparisons.
Panasonic PT-AE1000U vs Epson Home Cinema 1080
Epson Home Cinema 1080 vs Mitsubishi HC5000
3LCD: PT-AE1000U vs Home Cinema 1080 vs Mitsubishi HC5000
BenQ W9000 vs Panasonic PT-AE1000U
Sony VW50 Pearl vs Mitsubishi HC5000
Optoma HD81 vs. Sony VW50 Pearl
Optoma HD81 vs BenQ W9000 and W10000
BenQ W10000 vs JVC RS1
JVC RS1 vs Sony VW50 Pearl
JVC RS1 vs Optoma HD81
JVC RS1 vs Panasonic PT-AE1000U
Summary - The Bottom Line
Overview
Image Quality
General Performance
Warranty
Summary, Pros, Cons