Light Leakage

Panasonic PT-AE4000 Image Noise

Nothing new here. For the 3rd generation, JVC has continued with higher end Silicon Optix for their image processing. They are still using the Silicon Optix Reon-VX (the lastest version no doubt). The Reon-VX is found in a number of excellent projectors. I’m not aware of any notable flaws in image processing. Mosquito noise is just visible, in normal amounts, without the Noise Reduction engaged. I don’t see a need to implement it, but that is personal taste. Performance on motion artifacts is very good. As you can imagine, the PT-AE4000 easily passes all the other related related tests on the HQV test disc, as that widely used test disc is put out by Silicon Optix.

The PT-AE4000 does offer a contrast enhancement feature, as well as the sharpness enhancement control. As would be expected, these increase noise, the higher the settings you dial in.

PT-AE4000 Audible Noise

Panasonic claims 22db noise level in low lamp mode, and that is extremely quiet although not the quietest (17 db). Figure another 4-6 db for full lamp power, which still makes it 5-7 db quieter than the noisier projectors (mostly DLP projectors). No one should have any issue with the PT-AE4000U when it comes to fan noise, not even with lamp on standard. Overall, I should note, it is just slightly quieter than it’s most direct competition, the Epson Home Cinema 8500UB. They are close enough, though, that if you can live with one, you can live with the other, and few of us would have any problem with the full power noise levels of either.