Panasonic PT-AT5000E

Panasonic's 3D projector is Hollywood tuned

Panasonic believes a close association with the Hollywood elite gives its first 3D projector an edge over rivals. The new PT-AT5000E, which has just begun shipping in the UK, was fine tuned at PHL (Panasonic Hollywood Laboratories), its award-winning research and development facility located in the heart of America's film capital.

The PT-AT5000E is the first LCD projector to use transparent LCD panels driven at 480Hz. Panasonic says that by adopting an ultra-fast refresh rate it can eliminate 3D crosstalk, the double imaging ghosting effect caused when one eye's image overlaps another.

The model is also exceptionally bright at 2,000 lumens and boasts a contrast ratio of 300,000:1. This helps combat the dimming nature of Active Shutter 3D eyewear. 

Other innovations include a 3D viewing monitor and 3D picture balance mode to minimize bad 3D effects. These control the level of stereoscopy, keeping parallax effects within the confines recommended by the 3D Consortium committee. Installers can adjust the stereoscopic picture balance of the left and right eye images, by displaying them side by side and tweaking individual waveforms. Panasonic says the result is the most comfortable and believable 3D in its class.

Integrators can also take advantage of extensive image control for 2D presentations, including Advanced Gamma Adjustment, Cinema Colour Management, Point Colour Correction and Six Colour Correction.

The PT-AT5000E features two programmable 12-volt triggers, offers horizontal and vertical lens shift and has an intelligent lens memory which is able to auto detect (and zoom appropriately) 16:9 and 2.35:1 aspect ratio content.

The PHL angle is a good selling point for the Japanese major. Over the years, the facility has become the go-to-place for Hollywood's creative technicians.

The Labs were opened in 2001 with an aim to develop and foster high definition technologies in collaboration with Hollywood studio executives. Since then it's become a leading 3D authoring facility and has close ties with James Cameron. It's at PHL that the 3D standard for Blu-ray was developed. 

The Panasonic PT-AT5000E 3D projector retails at around £3,200.
 

Panasonic web site