The Panasonic PT-AX100U is the seventh model in a line of low-cost widescreen LCD home theater projector to come from Panasonic's laboratories in under five years. Starting with the original AE100, an 854x484 projector released in January, 2002, the Panasonic home theater projector line has progressed through increasingly higher resolution, higher contrast, and ever-improving video processing capabilities. Models have included the AE200, the AE300, the AE500, the AE700, and last year's AE900. The AX100U is the latest and by far the best in the line.

One could argue that this is the single most influential line of digital home theater projectors ever brought to market. It features unique innovations such as Panasonic's "Smoothscreen" technology that completely eliminates visible pixelation. Moreover, with the AE700 we saw the first combination of horizontal and vertical lens shift along with a 2.0x zoom range which allowed for previously unknown installation flexibility. With its aggressive pricing strategies, Panasonic has hastened the erosion of competitive DLP 720p pricing and brought high quality, large scale home theater within the financial reach of the average consumer.

ANSI lumens: 2000

Contrast (full on/off): 6000:1 with auto-iris

Light Engine: 1280x720, native 16:9, 3x 0.7" PolySi LCD with a 220W UHM lamp.

Video Compatibility: HDTV 1080p/60, 1080p/50, 1080p/24, 1080i, 720p, 576p, 576i, 480p. NTSC/PAL/SECAM.

Data Compatibility: Computer resolutions up to SXGA.

Connection Panel: One HDMI input, one VGA input, one set of component YPbPr inputs, one S-Video input, one composite input, one serial port, one kensington lock point, hardwired power on/off switch.

Lens and Throw Distance: 2:1 manual zoom/focus lens with manual H/V lens shift. Throws a 100" diagonal 16:9 image from 9.9' to 20.3'

Lamp Life: Unknown.

Warranty: One year.

The AX100U is a much improved version of last year's AE900. It retains the long 2.0x zoom range which enables it to deliver a 100" image from a throw distance of anywhere between 10 and 20 feet. The primary benefit of this long zoom range is that it enables the user to place the projector on a rear shelf, and get a wide range of projected image sizes no matter the depth of the room. This will allow most users to avoid the cost and nuisance of ceiling mounting the projector. In addition, the AX100U has manual horizontal and vertical lens shift. When the lens is in its neutral position, the centerline of the lens intersects the image just above its geometric center. Once again, this design is optically ideal for a rear shelf mount.

However, if you wish to ceiling mount, you can shift the lens such that, once the projector is inverted, the top edge of the image is below the centerline by about 16% of the picture height. So for example, if you are projecting a 120" diagonal image, the picture height will be 59", and the maximum gap between the top of the image and the centerline will be 9.4". In practical terms, after adding a few vertical inches for the ceiling mount itself, if you have an 8 foot ceiling, the 120" image will appear on the wall about where you want it. If you are going for a smaller image, say 100" diagonal, or if you have a much higher ceiling, the range of the lens shift will not be able to compensate for such a radical offset. In these cases, you may wish to use an extension tube with the mount to keep the image from appearing too high on the wall. (We don't recommend tilting and using keystone correction on any 720p projector since it causes all signals, and native HD 720p in particular, to be rescaled.)

One of the unique features of the AX100U is its "Light Harmonizer." This gives the projector the ability to detect and automatically recalibrate itself to varying ambient light conditions. In total darkness it will reduce its lumen output and maximize black level. But when someone turns a light on, it will automatically boost lumen output to brighten the picture and make it easier to see.

The Light Harmonizer can be set on AUTO mode, or it can be either deactivated or set to manual mode. Thus, in the event you don't care for the results of the automatic adjustments in Auto mode, you can adjust the projector to output the level of brightness you want. Manual mode enables you to set the iris at one of ten different apertures of increasing brightness.

Another capability that is new to many of the latest home theater projectors is the ability to accept and display a 1080p/24 signal. The AX100U will accept 1080p/24 as well as the more conventional 1080p/60. The 1080p/24 format is important because it will become a standard feature on many of the new high definition DVD players, HD-DVD and Blu-ray. Indeed, a couple of the Blu-ray players scheduled for release next month already have it.

The benefit of 1080p/24 transmission between the HD player and the projector is that it eliminates the need for 24 frame/sec film material to go through 2:3 pulldown conversion. This conversion has always been necessary to get film to synch with the 60 cycle displays that are part of the NTSC world. But with digital projectors being able to run at 24 Hz (or multiples thereof, 48 or 72 Hz), the conversion to 60 Hz is no longer needed. This will eliminate occasional artifacts such as judder in slow panning sequences and allow a smoother display of the film source. Once we acquire one of the new Blu-ray players with 1080p/24 output, we will do more testing to assess the degree to which this feature actually contributes to any incremental improvement in the viewing experience.

The AX100U offers a lot of flexibility in setting it up for various sources and lighting conditions. Not only will it save separate configurations for each input, but it offers three universal "favorites" which can be saved and loaded to any input at any time.

Finally, the AX100U comes with an all new remote control that is much easier to use than previous models. It is backlit, and the buttons are large, well-spaced, and easy to read in the dark. The remote provides button control for input selection, aspect ratio adjustment, picture adjustment, color management, access to precalibrated settings for dark theater viewing, living room viewing, favorite calibrations, as well as access to and control of the full menu. Most remote controls are a source of frustration for one reason or another. This one is not.

The AX100U delivers the most elegant and natural video image we have yet seen from LCD technology. By comparison, last year's AE900 was an incremental step beyond the formidable AE700, but this year the AX100U represents a very significant step to a whole new level of performance. Black levels are noticeably improved, and the subtle softness that we found in the AE900 is entirely gone. The AX100U's image is extremely sharp and clean.

Deinterlacing was already extremely good on the AE900, and it continues to be so on the AX100U. We find no difference in performance between the two in this regard. However, scaling on the AX100U is significantly improved and the image is quite obviously rendered with greater precision than its predecessor. The AX100 is able to resolve standard definition resolution test patterns to near perfection, whereas the AE900 was not quite there. There is also noticeably less digital noise and better color saturation and openness in the midtone values on the AX100U when it is placed side by side with the AE900. Collectively, these improvements produce a much refined image that, to say it again for emphasis, looks both elegant and natural.

The range of lumen output on the AX100U is exceptional. In optimized dark theater mode, our test unit measured 343 ANSI lumens. But in Vivid Cinema mode, which still retains exceptional color and contrast, brightness was boosted to over 800 lumens. And in Dynamic mode we were able to get over 1400 lumens without too much compromise in image quality. This would be ideal for a Super Bowl party where brightness in ambient light is all important, and small variances from color standards are not noticed by anyone. None of Panasonic's prior models in this line have anywhere near this range of lumen output flexibility. (The AX100U will actually generate lumen outputs higher than 1400, but we wouldn't use those settings for video viewing or gaming.)

Panasonic's SmoothScreen technology eliminates any hint of pixelation, even at very close viewing distances. Historically, LCD technology has tended to manifest more visible pixel structure than DLP products of the same resolution. But here the situation is reversed. Every DLP 720p projector we have seen in our lab thus far has more noticeable pixel structure than does the AX100U.

The Light Harmonizer feature is interesting, but it does not provide the full range of automatic adjustments to ambient light that the projector is capable of if you adjust it manually. For example, if it is operating in the low lumen Cinema 1 mode in a dark room, the introduction of ambient light will cause the projector to automatically boost lumen output by about 15%. However, if you go into the menu and select the Vivid Cinema mode, light output more than doubles. In addition, if you are already in Vivid Cinema mode, the Light Harmonizer does not have any incremental effect on light output. Therefore, the feature nicely accommodates a limited amount of ambient light introduced into a dark room, but it is not comprehensive enough to manage the projector's light output for all ambient light conditions.

As far as fan noise is concerned, there isn't much to worry about. Even in its brightest operating modes, the AX100U's fan noise remains remarkably quiet. There won't be any users of this projector opting to run in lower lumen output modes in order to reduce fan noise.

The Panasonic AX100U is the closest thing to a truly universal home theater projector we have yet seen. Its 2.0x zoom range and lens shift capabilities make it easy to place almost anywhere in the room you might want it. And its exceptional lumen output range will allow you to use it in a wide variety of room sizes and ambient light conditions. If you have a very large room, say 30 feet in depth, you may want a larger screen to go with it. You can install a 150" diagonal screen, and still put the projector on a rear shelf. That can save you time, effort, and the cost of a ceiling mount and long run video cables. Meanwhile, the Vivid Cinema setting will allow you to fill a 150" screen with a rich, pixel-free image. On the other hand, if you have a smaller room, you have the option to run in one of the low power Cinema modes that are ideal for a 100" screen in a dark room.

Though the versatility of the AX100U is one of its most distinctive characteristics, the ultimate satisfaction with this projector comes from its sharp, natural film-like image. In particular, standard definition DVDs look better than we've ever seen on any 1280x720p projector within this price range.