Sanyo PLV-Z2 - Layout

Overview
Layout
Image Quality
General Performance
Setup
Warranty
Summary, Pros, Cons

The Z2 from the front:  Like the Z1, Sanyo's first low cost lcd home theater projector, it has a fold down door, that when closed automatically shuts down the projector.  This is a nice feature if you are table mounting, and moving it around when not in use, but pretty much meaningless if you are ceiling mounting or putting on a high shelf, as you’ll never close the door. 

It’s what’s inside that counts.  As you can see in the image, Sanyo’s lens is surrounded!  To focus just turn the barrel of the lens, the Zoom (with a very respectable 1.3:1 ratio, that gives you good placement flexibility).  The zoom in and out are controlled by a lever on the left size of the lens (as you look at it).

Lens Shift
[Insert image: Sanyo Z2 lens closeup – yes it the same one as above]
It’s the other two adjustments on the right that add some magic.  What you are looking at are vertical and horizontal lens shift.  By rotating the vertical wheel, you can move the image up or down the screen, maintaining a rectangular image, so as not to need keystone correction, (which is destructive, in terms of image quality).  If you must place the projector off-axis (relative to the center of the screen), you also have horizontal lens shift to again, get you that perfect image, (despite what would otherwise be considered poor placement).  The horizontal wheel controls horizontal lens shift.  Having both H and V lens shift capabilities, combined with the 1.3:1 zoom, makes (finding the right place for) ceiling mounting the Z2, simple, compared to most other projectors up to 3 times the price!

Variable Aperture  [Insert image:  Sanyo Z2 aperture]
The last piece of “magic” up front, is a small lever on the right of the lens.  This controls the variable aperture.  By closing down the aperture, two things happen:  First, and immediately evident, the overall image gets darker.  Second, but more importantly, contrast improves.  If you are working in a very dark room, and your screen isn’t too large, closing down the aperture will give you the best image quality!
Control Panel
Moving to the top of the Z2, you will find a large triangular power switch (glows green) three indicator lights (Power, Warning, and Lamp Replace) and typical full control panel, consisting of a Menu button, Input button,  four arrow keys, and a Select button (enter).  Simply said:  That’s all you need! 

Back Panel
As you can see from the photo, the Z2 offers all the basic inputs you would expect from a home theater projector, and a bit more.
Note you have 3 RCA jacks for Component video, and in addition there is a DVI-I connector, that will allow you to bring in your choice of component video, an analog computer signal, or a true digital DVI signal.  This makes the Z2 rare, in that you can conceivably hook up two component sources, or a component and a DVI.  Nice touch.  I still wouldn’t mind seeing an analog VGA connector to support a computer as well.  For those using AV receivers, the problem is that most (at this time) do not support DVI, nor computer signals, even though most of the over $500 receivers can switch component (but usually, only two, and that can become a problem).
My belief is that many people, if not now, in the future, will also want to be able to display their computer as well as DVD, HDTV, TV, VCR, and Game consoles on their home theater projector.  And even if they don’t want to put their PC up on the projector, they might end up adding home control (and want to display it on their big screen) etc. and that too, would be feeding the projector a computer signal.
I digress. 
In addition to component and DVI-I, you can see S-video and a composite (RCA) input.  Rounding out the back panel are a Service port (for firmware upgrades, etc), and a master reset button (tiny, in the top right).  You can also spot a Kensington lock slot, and on the far left, is the power cord connector.

You can also see on the photo, the openings for air intake.  Unlike Sanyo’s PLV70, the Sanyo sucks in air from the back and the bottom, and pushes heated air out the side. [insert image  Sanyo Z2 back] This allows the projector to be shelf mounted, as it only requires enough space behind it, to connect the cables (a few inches, depending on how thick your cables are).  More on this in Projector Setup.

Remote Control

Sanyo’s remote works very nicely, with some backlit keys, but not all.  When will these HT manufacturers get their act together and remember they are building projectors that are designed for best performance in very dark rooms.  If a button isn’t backlit, you can’t read what it does.  So Sanyo does better than most, with at least the major buttons lighting up, (the light on control is a slide on the side).  The light goes off after six or maybe eight seconds.  (Sorry, I forgot to time it).  The backlit buttons include:
[insert image: Sanyo Z2 remote - lighted]

• Power
• Screen (I didn’t look into this feature, but it is obviously for triggering your screen, however the usual screen trigger 12v connector is not present, so it must work in conjunction with someone’s codes.  When I find out, I’ll update this.
• Lamp (toggles from bright to low settings)
• Menu
• Select
• Input
• Image (adjust) (brings up Image menu)

The large disc pad is just  below the Menu and Select buttons, above the Input and Image. 
[insert image:  Sanyo Z2 remote cropped – tony keep this large, and set it on the right side so that the text wraps on the left]
It doesn’t light up, but doen’t need to, it’s large and you can’t miss it.
That covers it for the lit buttons. 

The really nice features that I like are:

• The ability to one touch select your choice of the Normal and Cinema modes, or any of for user savable settings.  This is really nice.  [BenQ’s far more expensive PE8700 – my reference projector – also allows one touch access, and I love the feature.  You will too.
• There is also direct source switching as well, but you will have to memorize where things are by feel, no lighting there.

Ok enough of the Sanyo Z2's "Physical Tour", let’s get down to what matters – performance!  Please click on Next Section.

Overview
Layout
Image Quality
General Performance
Setup
Warranty
Summary, Pros, Cons