Video Performance and Other Impressions
Video Performance
Its 1,500 lumens output actually held up well; on par with the Mitsubishi 350 and the Optoma H56.
Although the published contrast rating of the PT-P1SDU is only 400:1, which result in a lack of deep blacks, I did find that the contrast was acceptable on DVD movie material projected in the 60-70 inch screen size. Once again, the higher end Mitsubishi 350 and Optoma H56 outperformed the PT-P1SDU.
I tested the PT-P1SDU using several DVD players and various input resolutions. Although the native resolution of the PT-P1SDU is EDTV quality at 800x600 pixels, the scaling capability of the projector easily handled 720p and 1080i input sources in the 16x9 format.
The color rendition was very accurate, skin tones looked good, however, saturated reds and blues did exhibit some color noise.
One aspect of the image that affects its quality is the presence of the LCD Screen Door Effect. This effect, the result of LCD technology, is represented by the visibility of the pixels on the screen, which has an appearance of looking at the image through a screen door, although not as pronounced. The more pixels and/or the smaller the screen this effect is minimized.
What I Liked About the PT-P1SDU
There are several things I liked very much about the PT-P1SDU.
1. Bright image - The image of the PT-P1SDU is fairly bright for small projector. I found that best results were obtained in 60-80 screen image sizes, but images up to 100 inches still were acceptable.
2. Compact size - The small size of the PT-P1SDU makes a useful tool in both home and classroom/meeting environments. It is easy to move from various locations.
3. Easy to set up and use - Setup and use could not be easier, the PT-P1SDU has a one button turn-on and starts up fairly quickly. The only manual adjustments typically needed are focus and zoom - which are located on rings near the exposed portion of the lens.
4. SD card slot for viewing digital still images - This is very useful for photo slide presentations or sharing digital photos with the family. Insert a Digital Camera SD memory card and the projector switches to the SD card mode with a menu.
5.Comes with a carrying case.
What I Didn't Like About PT-P1SDU
Although the PT-P1SDU is a fun and easy projector to use, there is room for improvement, even at its price range.
1. Low Contrast Ratio - Although the image is bright enough, the color accurate enough, and the detail surprising good for an 800x600 projector, the contrast ratio of 400:1 is not adequate to reproduce deep black levels. This can detract from the viewing experience in a home theater environment. With many projectors in the PT-P1SDU's price range able to produce deeper black levels, Panasonic might reconsider this aspect.
2. No direct component video inputs - Must use VGA/Component adapter cable. This may be due to the fact that the PT-P1SDU is intended more for general presentation use as VGA would be the most common input needed for PCs and Laptops.
3. Could use additional card slots ( such as: Compact Flash, Memory Stick, XD picture card) for more flexibility with digital photos from different types of digital cameras.
5. A little pricey compared to some other video projectors in this class.
Final Take
Although the Panasonic PT-P1SDU is not in the same class as higher end units, it none-the-less is a good performer for its type. The color quality and detail exceeded my expectations, however, contrast was light.
Using two different upscaling DVD players (set at 720p), the Samsung DVD-HD931, and the Helios X5000 DVD/Network Player, I found that the Panasonic PT-P1SDU reproduced the upscaled performance of both units accurately (the Samsung is the better of the two).
The Panasonic PT-P1SDU is illustrative of a trend that is making video projection available to the average consumer.
If you are in the market for your first home theater video projector, or need a projector for meetings or to take to family gatherings, check out the Panasonic PT-P1SDU.
I give the PT-P1SDU a rating of 4 stars out of 5.
