Panasonic PT-MZ670U Projector Review – Hardware 2

Panasonic PT-MZ670U Projector Review – Hardware 2: The Control Panel, The Remote Control, The Menus

The Panasonic PT-MZ670U’s control panel is located on the top of the projector, just behind the lens. If facing the lens, its words would be upside down – this design choice was probably made because the projector is likely to be ceiling mounted, and the person mounting it would likely be looking at it from the back of the projector. I found the control panel to be well laid out.

The first row of buttons has a large On/Off button next to a somewhat standard 9-button configuration. At the center of it all is the Enter button, surrounded by four directional arrow keys. The left and right arrow keys also function as the volume controls.

Going back up to the top left, next to the Power button, is the Menu button. On the opposite side of this top row is the Input Select button. In the corner below, there is the lens button, which opens up the motorized lens controls, and also doubles as a Cancel button. Opposite of that button is the one for Shutter.

I’m going to discuss the buttons on the remote control, but feel that the image provided is sufficient, so I will do so briefly. Starting with the very top section, there are but two buttons: Power and Auto Setup/Cancel. The row below that has three buttons relating to the motorized lens functions – Focus, Zoom, and (Lens) Shift.

Below that is the usual navigational configuration – an Enter button surrounded by 4 directional arrow keys, with four buttons surrounding that, positioned into each corner of the section. Starting with the top left, there is the Menu button, and the Return button on the other side. Below that is the Function button, with the Default button opposite of that.

The next section consists of six buttons, all for the inputs: HDMI 1, HDMI 2, Digital Link, RGB 1/2, Video, Network/USB. Under that is the 10 key numerical pad, with two buttons surrounding 0 at the bottom. Most of these buttons have another function (all except 8), so I’ll list that below:

1 = Screen Adjust
2 = Digital Zoom +
3 = Shutter
4 = Freeze
5 = Digital Zoom –
6 = Mute
7 = P-Timer
9 = Aspect
0 = Status

The buttons on either side of the 0/Status button are On Screen and Test Pattern. The final three buttons are for ID All, ECO, and ID Set. That ECO button brings up the ECO management menu, where you can change your brightness settings from full power to ECO, etc., saving energy and reducing the fan noise to almost nonexistent. The remote is not backlit – this would have been nice, but it is hardly typical of business and education projectors, so it’s definitely not a blemish on the PT-MZ670U’s record.

That does it for our tour of the Panasonic PT-MZ670U's hardware! Next up is our discussion of the projector's picture and sound quality.