# Buying first projector - need advice



## dannynfld (Jul 24, 2013)

This will be in my living room in my basement apartment - controlling light is not a problem as the few windows can be covered with blackout curtains. 

I've been looking at the Panasonic PT-AE8000. My max budget (projector and screen) is $3000 (although keeping it under $2000 would be great) and this seems to be a high functioning projector for the money.

For specs, I would LIKE to project to a 120" screen from a throw distance of 11 feet or so... is this realistic? I read that the AE8000 is very bright, especially for screens 120 and under. I like to be close to the screen - I mapped out the dimensions of a 120" screen on my wall with tape and viewed it from my sitting distance of around 10 feet or so and it seemed perfect.

Is this the right projector for me? Is there a problem I should be looking out for?

I'm new with this technology, and I know that no matter how many reviews you read there's always SOMETHING that will come back and bite you in the after you plunked down your money.

Thanks in advance!


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## Tonto (Jun 30, 2007)

Optimal distance for a 120" screen in 15 feet, many people have gone larger with shorter distances & don't report any problem with being able to see pixels. That's a nice projector & you should be fine. You can always project the image on the wall before buying/making your screen & see what you think. Enjoy!


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

I am sitting 12ft from my 120" 2:35,1 screen and its perfect. I have an older AE4000 and love the auto lens zoom and its got fantastic image quality. The 8000 would be a great choice. in my opinion.


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## RBTO (Jan 27, 2010)

Some advantages of Panasonic projectors are a wide range lens shift which allows you to place them off-axis from the screen without worrying about keystone issues, and a spatial filter which greatly reduces the screendoor effect (seeing individual pixels when sitting close) without sacrificing sharpness. I have two AE2000 projectors (which I use for a passive 3D setup) and continue to appreciate their performance. I'm sure you'll love the AE8000 and appreciate the extra brightness it provides. The only issue I've had with my projectors is dust particles in the optical block. These can be blown out, and I think Panasonic has addressed this issue in later models.


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## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

I agree the Pani 8000 would be a great projector.


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