Panasonic’s First 3D Projector Due Here Next Month

Panasonic will release its first 3D home theatre projector here early next month.

The AE7000 will retail for $5700 and will be Panasonic’s first new HD projector in two years.

A lower-specified, 2D model also is due this year, the AT5000.

Panasonic has yet to list the AE7000’s specs on its NZ website but there’s plenty to explore on its global site and in the US press release.

Early reviews in the US have been glowing, with ProjectorCentral awarding it a maximum five-star rating for each of its measures: performance, features, ease of use and value.

“When all is said and done, the Panasonic PT-AE7000U is a projector for the true videophile.

“It certainly has a boatload of features and yes, it has remarkably clear, stable 3D performance.

“But even if the AE7000 did not have 3D or a wide assortment of features, it would still stand out as a major video engineering achievement based on the strength of its 2D picture quality alone.”

The AE7000’s NZ release will come a month after Sony’s full HD 3D projector, the VPL-HW30ES (below, Sony Media Release_3D Home Theatre Projector VPL-HW30ES), which costs $1800 more (whereas in the US the price difference is only $US200).

In a shoot-out comparison, ProjectorCentral reckons Panasonic’s AE has the edge in picture quality, “primarily due to its contrast advantage, and in 3D due to both incremental contrast and better clarity/stability due to reduced crosstalk”.

Meanwhile, until the end of the month Panasonic is running out its AE4000 model with a promotion that includes a free 42-inch plasma TV or Blu-ray player among other redeemable options.