- Power cord (× 1)
- Wireless remote control unit (× 1)
- Batteries for remote control (R6/AA type × 2)
- Lens cover (× 1)
- 1 lamp installed in the projector
Let us introduce you to a major player in the Panasonic home theater projector family. Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the make-'em-jealous-without-breaking-the-bank projector, the Panasonic PT AR100U!
This bright, full HD projector provides vivid, clear and stunning content. Advanced features like the new red-rich lamp and light harmonizer 3 technology give you incredibly life-like images that automatically adjust to the lighting conditions in your living room or home theater.
Your next family movie night will be the envy of everyone on the block thanks to the PT-AR100U’s ability to pack rich details into everything from low-lit scenes to fast-moving content like sports and action movies.
I've owned many front projectors over the years but this is flat out the best I've ever purchased…
Read more customer reviews of the Panasonic PT-AR100U projector »
Click below to see the Panasonic PT-AR100U in action.
| Click on a spec (like Resolution:) to learn more about it. Click here for the complete glossary. | |
| Image Quality |
|
|---|---|
| Resolution | HD (1920 x 1080) |
| Brightness | 2800 lumens |
| Contrast Ratio | 50000:1 |
| Uniformity | 85% |
| No. of Colors | Full color |
| Aspect Ratio(s) | Native - 16:9 |
| Display Type | LCD; Transparent LCD panel (× 3, R/G/B) |
| Compatibility | |
| Data Signals | Native: 1080p (1920 x 1080) |
| Video Signals | 525i (480i), 625i (576i), 525p (480p), 625p (576p), 750 (720)/60p, 750 (720)/50p, 1125 (1080)/60i, 1125 (1080)/50i, 1125 (1080)/24p, 1125 (1080)/60p, 1125 (1080)/50p NTSC/NTSC4.43/PAL-M/PAL60/PAL/PAL-N/SECAM |
| H Sync | 15 kHz–74 kHz |
| V Sync | 24 Hz–85 Hz |
| 3D Ready | No |
| Dot Clock | 154 MHz or lower |
| Connectivity | |
| Inputs / Outputs |
|
| Built-in Audio | -- |
| Projection Lens |
|
| Lens | Manual zoom/manual focus F 2.0–3.4, f 21.5–43.0 mm |
| Throw Ratio | 1.33 - 2.69:1 |
| Keystone Corr. |
Vertical
Specs: Vertical: approx. ±30° |
| Lens Shift | Vertical: ±68%, horizontal: ±26% |
| Proj. Methods | Ceiling/desk, front/rear |
| General | |
| Dimensions | 18.1" x 5.13" x 14.3" (W x H x D) |
| Unit Weight | 19 lbs. |
| Operation | |
| Power Supply | 100–240 V AC, 50/60 Hz |
| Power Consumption | 280 |
| Ecomode |
Yes (Brightness: 2240 lumens;) |
| FCC Class | A |
| Audible Noise | -- dB |
| Lamp | 280 W UHM lamp |
| Lamp Life | -- |
| Replacement Lamp Cost |
|
| Included Accessories | |
| Items Included | Power cord (× 1), Wireless remote control unit (× 1), Batteries for remote control (R6/AA type × 2), Lens cover (× 1) |
| Remote Control | Yes Remote Control Included |
| Carry Case | No Carry Case Not Included |
| Warranty | |
| Projector | 1 Year parts & labor |
| Lamp | 90 days or 500 hours (whichever comes first) |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
Cons
Best Uses
Most Liked Positive Review
Perfect choice for my multi-purpose room
Let me start off by saying that I began searching in early October 2011 to replace my old Panasonic PT-AE900U. My family uses our projector as the primary HDTV and it is also occasionally used...Read complete review
Let me start off by saying that I began searching in early October 2011 to replace my old Panasonic PT-AE900U. My family uses our projector as the primary HDTV and it is also occasionally used as an Xbox/PS3 gaming screen. Needless to say we have clocked many ours and I am on our third 3000+ bulb. The unit did end up needing repair at one point but has served us well. I seriously considered the new 3D offerings from Panasonic and Epson and decided the additional cost was not worth the amount of time we would actually view 3D.
We have always used our projector in a multi-purpose living room. The walls are a darker color and the ceiling is white. We don't enjoy viewing in complete darkness so a dimmed light is always on in the corner of the room. The room has a lot of light during the day and is darkened by pulling our screen down in front of a large set of windows for daytime viewing. There's plenty of other ambient light during the day and because of this, we have rarely used the old panny for daytime viewing.
With this new PT-AR100U projector, everything has changed! I now understand the true meaning of the term "light cannon" and I am impressed. Daytime viewing is no longer an issue. We can view our favorite shows and are using our living room with some extra light on for a change. I was looking forward to the big step up in brightness plus the added step up from 720 to 1080. I must say that I am completely satisfied with my decision and my family is happy that we don't have to live like moles anymore. This is everything I hoped it would be and I am kicking myself for taking so long to decide.
We have a 92 inch high power 16:9 2.4 gain screen and everything I read said this was not the best choice for such a bright projector. This fact did not concern me because we also have a matte white/gray screen that can be used. However, I have discovered that when viewing in economy mode the high power screen does a great job. The brightness is similar, if not brighter than what a standard LCD or the newer LED screens put out and this is something that had been missing on our old panny. If you enjoy the brightness of a LCD or plasma, you will enjoy this even more because bigger is better. Turning the lights on does affect the contrast of this screen but it is still watchable. The gray screen will stay in storage for now but I may get ambitious and test it in the future. Color out of the box is great and I am using economy mode and cinema1 which seems to be the best choice. I admit the contrast could probably use some tweaking which I will look forward to doing after 100 hours or more of bulb time. Because I am using economy mode the fan is very quiet. The old panny was much louder in economy mode and also had a very loud iris. I do not hear any iris noise at all on the new unit.
The dimensions of this unit are identical to the PT-AE7000 3D model and the build quality is great. Panasonic has come a long way compared to our older unit and I only hope it is problem free. I am not crazy about the all white case of this unit but it was not a major concern. Panasonic only offers a one year warranty which stinks. Projector People/Panasonic offers an extended three year warranty for registering but it expires at 2,000 hours and we will finish those hours in the first year anyway. Epson offers a much better warranty. That fact and the availability to watch a split screen from two separate sources almost swayed me to Epson. I have always had "picture in picture" TV's and I wish more companies had this function on their projectors. There are two HDMI inputs and only one component input on this projector. This may be a problem for some but can be overcome with a good receiver or a switch box. I have noticed some slight motion blur while watching sports but not enough where I would complain. I have not noticed any gaming lag at all but have not thoroughly tested every game. The old projector was very dark for gaming but this cannon has no trouble.
This has been the perfect choice for my multi-purpose room and I would recommend it to anyone unless you want 3D. The price and quality are better than what I have paid in the past and I have no buyer's remorse whatsoever. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because it lacks some of the features of a higher end unit.
If you are on the fence…step into the light.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Screen Door Effect
I upgraded from a PTAX-200u to this projector. Unfortunately, this projector does not have the same SmoothScreen technology that my PTAX-200u projector had. The screen door effect is much more noticeable on...Read complete review
I upgraded from a PTAX-200u to this projector. Unfortunately, this projector does not have the same SmoothScreen technology that my PTAX-200u projector had. The screen door effect is much more noticeable on this projector and images are more pixelized. I was surprised that my old 720p projector had technology that this new 1080p projector did not have. If you are going to use this for a home TV and will be sitting fairly close to the screen (12 feet or closer) I would not recommend this projector. If you are going to use it for a movie theater room, sitting a good distance away, you probably won't notice the pixelation. On the positive side, the brightness and contrast ratio are fantastic on this projector.
Reviewed by 60 customers
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Pros
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Comments about Panasonic PT-AR100U:
We had a Panasonic PT AX100E/U projector that we bought about 6 years ago. The projector started overheating and the colors were mottled. Our new Panasonic PT-AR100U projector is much brighter than our last projector and the colors are better. The projector is ceiling mounted and the new model provides access to the lamp so we won't need to take it down every time we replace the lamp, which is more frequent than I would like, but that appears to be the deal with projectors.
Pros
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Best Uses
Comments about Panasonic PT-AR100U:
We replaced a projector with this unit a little over a month ago. It has about
220 hours on it of this writing.
We use it in our living room, which acts as our media room. The projector is quite
bright and very colorful. We use it with component connections.
The footprint is large, but does not bother me, as our prior projector had
quite a bit of heat issues, when used as a home theater projector. I think this larger
unit will be better...with better airflow.
As you can see from the photo I've attached, the projector can do pretty well in
a lit room. We have a patio door that is directly opposite the screen area and I left
it open for the photo.
When set to the "dynamic mode" the projector can be easily and comfortably viewed, even
when full sunlight comes through those doors.
I like all the menu options, and if you dig deep, there are even controls to set
a custom "mask" for the picture.
I needed something that would fill the area between my speakers exactly, and Carmen at
projector people did a great job recommending the proper PJ for our home.
I have enjoyed it very much thusfar and can't really see any cons to the PJ, outside
of the white color which doesn't blend into our room very much.
Overall, couldn't be happier.
Pros
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Best Uses
Comments about Panasonic PT-AR100U:
This is the 2nd projector I have purchased from Projector People. Great assistance and honest salesperson!
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Comments about Panasonic PT-AR100U:
I purchased this to use outside for movie night and recently for the Superbowl. The projector sits 40' back from the screen and the resolution was the same if not better than my new LED 55" HDTV. All of my guests were blown away at the brightness, clarity, and most of all the size - 18' w x 10' h. I would recommend this to anyone who likes huge HDTV.
Pros
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Comments about Panasonic PT-AR100U:
The Projector People delivered sooner than expected and responded quickly to emails. This projector replaced a Dell DLP and I couldn't be happier with it. It has a much better picture and provides a much larger picture than you can get with any
TV on the market for a lot less money. I am using it with a Sony Blu-Ray, DirecTV HD Satellite, Bose Cinemate and Nintendo Wii
Pros
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Comments about Panasonic PT-AR100U:
Great for watching HD sports and movies
Pros
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Comments about Panasonic PT-AR100U:
I replaced my 8 year old Panasonic PT-AE700U with this projector when it gave it up and went dead. I difference is HUGE!! Could not be happier with this unit. It took about 5 minutes to get it out of the box and on the shelf and another 2 or 3 to get it focused. VERY easy setup. Super bright picture (major change over my old 1000 lum unit). The footprint is large, but it makes no difference in my rear, high shelf mount setup. Love it and would highly recommend it to others.
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Comments about Panasonic PT-AR100U:
Great picture.....really high def
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Comments about Panasonic PT-AR100U:
in use as a media room projector,excellent customer service. this product exceeds my expectations,would strongly recommend purchase again!
Pros
Cons
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Comments about Panasonic PT-AR100U:
eexcellent value and performance,I have this in my media roomroom and have just adjusted my settings on the rec. 709 mode.very pleased with my purchase from projector people, would stronglstrongly recommend doing business with again!
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Do you have questions about this product?
get answers from real customers and in-house experts with AnswerBox.
Q:
I just replaced the lamp bulb and now it turns off after a few minutes? I've also cleaned the filter.1 answer
VERIFIED BUYER
A:
In menu you need to reset the hours on the bulb to zero (new).Q:
can this projector be used outdoors? If yes does it have to be completely dark to use?7 answers
VERIFIED BUYER
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You could use this outdoors.. As with most projectors the less light the better the results.. so a darker environment would definitely be more conducive .A:
yes- it can be used outdoors though you would want to wait till it is dark.VERIFIED BUYER
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Hi there,VERIFIED BUYER
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I have used this projector several times outside with an inflatable screen. There will be different factors that determine how dark you need it outside. I find that how large the screen is, the type of material your screen is, and how far away the projector is to the screen plays a big role. The distance I use it is around 20 feet projecting on a 15 foot screen. You won't be able to use it in the bright noon day sun but it works fine in the evening when the sun is going down. I usually play drive-in previews until it gets dark out and everyone settled down and ready to watch a movie. This projector is a tad large and heavy but I find that it works fantastic. Very happy with it! Hope this helpedVERIFIED BUYER
A:
Yes, I have used it outside... And not completely dark but fairly so. It depends on how big you want the image and how far back you set the projector. When I did it, I set the projector back about 12-14 feet and got an image of 8' x 15'. It wasn't completely dark, but almost. And the image looked great! When you get to showing images of this size, you really need a blu-ray....VERIFIED BUYER
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Unfortunately, we have not opened the projector yet. We are hoping to use it this year. From experience I know that my last projector I used a tent against a fence and put both side panels of the tent down in order to make sure it was dark enough.VERIFIED BUYER
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Mine is fine indoors with the windows unshaded in the day. If the sun hitsQ:
How loud is this projector?7 answers
A:
Panasonic rates the PT-AR100U as 29db which is quieter than a whisper. I have had the projector on a table right next to me in my home and did not hear it. Excellent projector!VERIFIED BUYER
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We have this unit... probably 4-5 feet from where we sit... in an openVERIFIED BUYER
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not load at all. but I use it in a commercial setting..RestaurantVERIFIED BUYER
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Very quiet. Mine sits about 80 cm behind me and 25 cm above ear level. Noise is not noticable.VERIFIED BUYER
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I don't have any technical data beyond what's available in theVERIFIED BUYER
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From what I understand this projector is above average in the noiseVERIFIED BUYER
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The projector does not produce sound. You will need a secondary audio sourceQ:
How to I set up the 12v Triggers to control the up/down screen function of electronica Elete VMAX 2 screen? The screen has an "eye reader 12V trigger cabe and both IR and IF remotes)1 answer
A:
The 12 volt triggers typicaly use simple 3.5 mm cableQ:
I have mounted my new projector on the ceiling and have noticed an unusual thing about the image. The observation relates to measurements taken of the image corners from fixed points on the ceiling, floor and the side walls. Bottom line, the two vertical sides of the projected image are not parallel to each other. Keystone does not fix this issue. Is there any adjustment that can be made to correct this or is this a projector optics issue? Thanks4 answers
A:
It's not shooting straight to the screen. I would reduce the size a bit then tilt, turn, and lens shift the projector until it's equal distance to the edge of the screen. Then zoom back out to the edge.A:
Yes there is, its called the lens shift feature or optical keystone correction which can be set manually.VERIFIED BUYER
A:
I just got mine close, I was lucky enough to mount it during construction. I had to move it round and use the adjustment knob on the side (under a cover by the bulb, you take the cover off, unscrew the nob a little to loosen the lense shift, and tighten after adjustment). I got it close, but not perfect. The knob on the side moves the image up, down, left and right. Adjust the projector up or down using the knob a little once you get the keystone close by adjusting the mounting bracket up and down. You should be able to get it near perfect. If you have a black border around the screen, you wont notice. It's a great projector and produces a great picture. The manual setup was a little difficult though.VERIFIED BUYER
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You have mounted the projector incorrectly. The projector must be level toQ:
I was told the Panasonic PT-AR100U is made in China and some say in Japan. Could you confirm where the Panasonic PT-AR100U is currently made that's sold by Projectorpeople? Thanks.4 answers
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Panasonic is a Japanese company, so they should be all made in Japan.VERIFIED BUYER
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I bought my projector last Feb. and it has a production date of 1/2012 and it states on the outside of the case that it is made in Japan. Hope that helps.A:
This projector was made in Japan and released October 2011.VERIFIED BUYER
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It's made in Japan.Q:
I read the one major "con" for this projector under "Customer Reviews" about the picture having the old "screen door" effect. Has anyone else had this issue or is this an isolated incident for this customer? I can't imagine a new product like this having this issue but just thought I'd ask as I am very interested in purchasing this unit.9 answers
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Unless you're planning to watch 4 feet or closer from the screen you will not notice the pixel structure. I was never a big fan of the 'Smooth Screen' technology and the 1080p native resolution makes it unnecessary. The image is solid.VERIFIED BUYER
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Unless you're planning to watch 4 feet or closer from the screen youVERIFIED BUYER
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The old 'screen door' effect does not affect me at all. I do notice it whenVERIFIED BUYER
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The picture clarity on the PT-AR100U is very close to an LCD screen. The technology has improved drastically since I last bought a projector in 2008. I get a lot of compliments on the clarity.VERIFIED BUYER
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All digital projectors exhibit a "screen door" effect to some degree or another. LCD projectors like this one do tend to have a more visible screen door than DLP projectors, but whether it's distractingly visible is just a matter of taste. I find that defocusing the lens slightly makes the screen door completely disappear while still leaving plenty of sharpness in the picture.VERIFIED BUYER
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Yes. I have noticed the screen door effect also. It happens mostly when watching cable through the projector during scenes with a lot of action (some stations are worse than others). It is not nearly as noticeable with Blu-ray dvd's (if at all.....). Hope that helps.VERIFIED BUYER
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I have two of them and never have experienced this issue.VERIFIED BUYER
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Absolutely no issue with this that I've seen, and I'm less than 9 feet awayVERIFIED BUYER
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Unless they are sitting a foot from the screen then no. LolQ:
This is a weird one - I swapped out this projector for my old BenQ 1100 720P - pure awesomeness!2 answers
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I am not sure. I would call Panasonic Tech support on this. The phone # to Panasonic is 800/211-PANAVERIFIED BUYER
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Is the Blu Ray player also Panasonic? If so they may be linked with theirQ:
I have an older Panasonic PTL 500U mounted in an enclosure. Is the size of this projector bigger or would it fit in my enclosure? I would like to buy one.5 answers
A:
This model is bigger than the previous versions. Here are the dimensions: 18.1" x 5.13" x 14.3" (W x H x D)VERIFIED BUYER
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This is a bigger unit I would compare it to the newer epson HD projectors because I don't know exactly how big the PTL 500U is. I had a Sharp before and this is like double the size. If you look on line and google the PT AR100U and go under dimensions it will tell you the size and weight.VERIFIED BUYER
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If you send me your dimensions I can check, I don't know anything about theVERIFIED BUYER
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I have this projector and it needed a space that was 22"-24" wide, 17"-20" deep and 8"-9" tall to allow for proper venting. (Not what I was really told when I bought the thing and my nook turned out to be too narrow.) So I put a shelf in front of my projector nook so that it was half in/ half out of the space and it works fine.VERIFIED BUYER
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Hi. I can't comment on the size of the 500U or the enclosure you're using for it. I can say that the AR100U is awesome! We love it! Incredibley bright. It is a big machine and pretty heavy...but we still manag to wig it outdoors for movie/sports night. Sorry I couldn't e more helpful.Q:
does the lamp brightness decrease overtime?6 answers
A:
While brightness can slightly decrease over time, with today's high quality lamps, it isn't as noticeable as projectors in the past.VERIFIED BUYER
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Yes it will as with any lamp source. For me it took three years. And itVERIFIED BUYER
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We've had this for five months with no degregation.VERIFIED BUYER
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We were given an older version of this projector which was quite old and theVERIFIED BUYER
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I don't have enough hours on mine to answer definitively, but so far,VERIFIED BUYER
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Hello. I bought this for my business partner and he loves it. He hasn't noticed any decrease in brightness over time but he's only had it in use for a few months.2 Day shipping on all projectors over $1000 for a limited time. View our *free shipping details