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Competition
In the world of widescreen LCD projectors under $3,000 there are now three giants at three different price points—the Panasonic PT-L300U, the Sony HS10, and the Sanyo PLV-Z1. All three of these are significant achievements, and all three deliver more video impact for the dollar than anything we've seen in the past. Most of the email we've received on these units asks for comparisons between them. Which is the best? Well, let's try to sort it out.
PT-L300U vs. Sony HS10: At the moment, there is at least a $500 difference in street price between these two units. At first glance the Sony would appear to win on specs alone—higher resolution, higher lumen rating, HDCD compatible, etc. Is the $500+ premium you'll pay for the HS10 worth it? Honestly, we would be hesitant to say so. The L300U is a much stronger overall performer than we expected to see.
First, the L300U and the HS10 are equal in terms of pixelation/screendoor, which is to say neither of them has a problem with it. In rolling credits you can barely detect some pixel structure from a normal viewing distance if you have great vision. So the higher resolution (1365x768) panels that you'd think would give the HS10 an edge in this regard do not in fact do so.
Second, even though the HS10 is rated at 1000 ANSI lumens to the L300U's 800, after calibration and the addition of the cinema filter on the HS10, the lumen output of these two machines is basically equal. There are differences that will vary based upon how you tweak them, but for all practical purposes they produce the same amount of light. Thus there is no comparative edge in brightness either.
In terms of HDTV, the HS10's ability to take HDTV via DVI with HDCD compatibility makes it a stellar performer with a clean crisp picture that is compromised only slightly by the need to scale it to 1365x768. The L300U must take the HDTV signal via an analog input. However, it gains an edge by rendering the HD signal more precisely into its ¼ HD format. The end of the story is that HDTV resolution on both of these machines is terrific, and neither has an advantage over the other.
Meanwhile, the L300U outperforms the HS10 in several key areas. Contrast and shadow detail are visibly better on the L300U. This by itself will tip the choice for most buyers toward the L300U. In addition, those sensitive to fan noise will definitely prefer the quiet L300U over the somewhat less than quiet HS10. And the 5000-hour life on the L300U compares favorably to the 3000 hours you may get on the HS10. For frequent users, this could save some extra cash down the line.
There are other differences but they get lost in the tall weeds. The L300U has an edge in color decoding, and the Sony has an edge in brightness uniformity, although the differences in both of these areas are subtle. We are now down to irrelevancies in the overall scheme of things.
The bottom line is that the Panasonic PT-L300U, primarily due to distinct advantages in contrast, shadow detail, fan noise, and perhaps lamp life, is in our estimation the stronger performer overall of the two machines.
PT-L300U vs. the Sanyo PLV-Z1: This comparison is an entirely different smoke. Current street prices of the PLV-Z1 are several hundred dollars below the L300U. Therefore those entry level home theater enthusiasts looking for the "best cheapest" solution will be drawn to the PLV-Z1. The L300U is the better of the two machines, but the question is whether the advantages that the L300 has over the Z1 are worth the extra money to the first time buyer. Only the buyer can make that call.
Both of these products use the ¼ HD LCD panels, and both render exceptionally sharp HDTV. The L300U however produces less pixelation at any given viewing distance than does the Z1. If you are planning to go with a 100" diagonal screen or greater, and plan to sit 12 feet or closer to the screen, the differences in pixelation/screendoor will become quite apparent and should be considered a major factor in choosing between these two products. If you are going with, say an 80" diagonal screen and plan to view from a distance of 12 feet or greater, the difference in pixelation is a non-issue and you should ignore it.
The L300U has a quieter fan than the Z1, but not by much. The Z1 is relatively quiet in low power mode as well. (By the way, please note that the earlier issue we found on the Z1 with the fan periodically kicking into high when in low power mode has been identified and resolved. After an adjustment was made by Sanyo, our PLV-Z1 has been running for hours with no problem at all).
When it comes to lumen output, believe it or not the PLV-Z1 is the brightest of the three machines after calibration. Though it is rated at only 700 ANSI lumens, we measured actual lumen output in high brightness mode at 646, and in low power/cinema mode it came in at 503. That is somewhat brighter than the after-calibration readings of either the L300U or the Sony HS10, both of which have higher lumen ratings as per manufacturer's specifications. (More reason to ignore published specifications!)
In terms of contrast, the L300U has a very subtle edge over the PLV-Z1 but they are very close. Both outperform the HS10 in contrast and shadow detail.
The L300U has DVI-D input, and the PLV-Z1 does not. Due to the fact that the L300U is not HDCD compatible, the advantage of DVI is to be realized by those who use an HTPC for DVD playback. This gives you the best possible picture, and you don't have that option on the PLV-Z1.
Again, lamp life may be a consideration. In low power mode the PLV-Z1 may deliver 3000 hours, compared to the L300U's possible 5000 hours. (Actual lamp life depends on user-controlled factors such as average on time, the ambient heat in the viewing room, the ability of the projector to dissipate heat within its immediate surroundings, etc.)
So is the L300U worth several hundred more than the PLV-Z1? It really comes down to two issues--screen size vs. viewing distance and whether you want to use a computer with DVI as a DVD source. If you want to stick with a regular DVD player, and you are not sitting too close to the screen, then save the money and go for the PLV-Z1. If you want to use a computer, or you want to sit in the range of 1.5x the screen width or closer to the screen, you will be better off investing the extra money to eliminate the pixelation that you'd otherwise have with the Z1.
Conclusion
Panasonic has combined all of the vital elements needed for resounding success—excellent contrast, plenty of brightness for home theater, no pixelation, no fan noise, small, easy to install, all for a street price under the magic $2,000 barrier. Dollar for dollar it is one of the best values we've ever seen in a projector. We are happy to add this beautiful new machine to our list of highly recommended products. Click for specs, dealers, and current street prices.
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