HD HOME CINEMAS

Casino Royale (2006, Collector's Edition) (Blu-ray)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment / 2006 / 144 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: October 21, 2008
List Price: $38.95

Reviewed by Peter M. Bracke www.highdefdigest.com
Sunday, October 19, 2008

Editor's Note:

Portions of this review also appear in our Blu-ray review of 'Casino Royale.'

The Movie Itself: Our Reviewer's Take

The last few years -- no, make that the last few decades -- have been trying times for even the most dedicated James Bond fans. Ever since the vintage days of Sean Connery, the laments have been the same. Why can't they make a great Bond film like they used to? Why do they keep hiring bland, forgettable actors to play 007? What happened to all the danger, excitement and seriousness of the early years? And why can't they at least get someone to compose a decent Bond theme song?

'Casino Royale' is the first sincere effort on behalf of the series' filmmakers to address those grievances. It is as if after decades of fan griping, bad reviews and pop culture tongue-lashings, the Bond producers finally realized that, despite continued blockbuster grosses, their beloved franchise has long since become a punch line. As much as I've enjoyed various post-Connery entries, from the silly if spirited Roger Moore years to the better of the far-too-outlandish Pierce Brosnan era, let's face it -- when was the last time 007 seemed like anything but a dated anachronism?
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By going back to basics -- and back to the beginning -- the Bond producers have finally given the character the reboot he so desperately deserved. Dusting off 'Casino Royale,' the first Ian Fleming Bond novel, it's year zero for 007. He's lean, mean, hungry, fresh with his license to kill and, at times, even inept. He is, as "M" (Judi Dench) describes him, a "blunt instrument." But it is the best thing to happen to the character since he first turned to the camera and uttered those immortal words, "Bond... James Bond." At last, the character is relevant again, and put in a story that places him in genuine jeopardy, hits strong emotional notes, and sets the stage for a grand new era for the franchise.

The story is complex, but vintage Bond. Newly granted 007 status, James' first assignment is to spy on a terrorist and bomb maker, Mollaka (Sebastien Foucan). After the mission goes bad, he's led to Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), banker to the world's top terrorist organizations. Secret Service intelligence reveals that Le Chiffre is planning to raise money in a high-stakes poker game at the "Le Casino Royale." Bond must go undercover and sabotage the stakes, knowing that if Le Chiffre loses, it will destroy his organization. But Bond will get caught up in his own game, when he meets the seductive Vesper Lynd (Eva Green). Stealing his smarts as well as his heart, she will become the only woman ever to make him distrust his alliances with his government and his job. The game soon plays itself out in unexpected ways, and Bond learns that in the spy business -- as in poker -- you never know who you can trust.

Why 'Casino Royale' works where so many of the previous Bond films failed is because it at last restores a sense of urgency and consequence to the proceedings. Hardly the cool and unflappable comedian of the Moore years, or even the ruggedly calm, charming hedonist perfected by Connery, this Bond is fallible, clumsy and even blockheaded. He has no gadgets to rely on, no over-the-top villain to foil, and he yet has found a Bond girl he loves enough that he's willing to jeopardize his entire life. Bond hasn't been this vulnerable since the last great film in the franchise, 1969's vastly underrated 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service.' If we know from frame one of the film that Bond and Vesper are never going to be together, we still are at last given a fresh understanding of how such a rogue character could have been led to marry, albeit with such tragic results, as he did in 'Service.' Creating this kind of throughline for the character is one of the many brave, bravura strokes in 'Casino Royale,' and the move to humanize and add complexity to Bond is a much-needed relief.

'Casino Royale,' of course, doesn't skimp on the action. Dropping the ridiculous, CGI-laden extravagances of the Brosnan entries (which reached their nadir when Bond went para-surfing off of a digital cliff in 2002's 'Die Another Day'), 'Royale' is rugged and rough. The action sequences here are simply incredible. The early Madagascar foot-race sequence is a tour de force of choreography, movement, camera placement and pacing -- it's simply fantastic. The sequence where Bond attempts to sabotage a airport bomber is also a stand-out. Even the casino sequences are oddly exciting, because we know the stakes, and they're high -- I never would have thought two people playing poker could be so riveting.

You may have noticed that I've gotten to the end of this review without speaking those two words: Daniel Craig. It's a testament to 'Casino Royale' that it probably would have been the finest Bond film in eons, on every level -- writing, direction, action, sexiness -- regardless of the Bond actor who played him. But Craig defied all the skeptics and proved a surprisingly vociferous group of online detractors absolutely wrong. He is, for my money, the only actor since Connery to completely own the role. He mixes sexiness, swagger, irony and even a sprinkling of brute vulgarity to create an interpretation that transcends the cliches. Though perhaps Green (as Bong girl Lynd) is a bit too young for Craig, we never once doubt that Bond is in love with her. It's the heart of the story, and at last, Craig allows us to see the heart of Bond. Together with the talent and dedication put into 'Royale,' it finally restores the lost luster to a once mighty, grand franchise. They've been saying it at the end of every 007 outing for years now... "James Bond Will Return." In 'Casino Royale,' he finally has.

The Video: Sizing Up the Picture

'Casino Royale' first hit Blu-ray in early 2007, as one of the more anticipated titles in the format's early life. At the time of my original review, I gave it quite good marks, but not superlative ones -- and received tons of flack from fans who seemed unable to accept anything less than a five-star rating. Now, over a year later, Sony is re-issuing 'Casino Royale' in this new two-disc Blu-ray edition, and has again repurposed the same 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode. My feelings remain the same -- it's a very good if not reference-quality presentation. (Sorry!)

After the opening teaser, which is black & white and purposely grainy, the credits take off with the typically bombastic Bond theme song, and it looks fantastic. Colors are rich, vivid and stable. Detail is great. And the sense of depth and three-dimensionality -- even though we're talking animation here -- is wonderful. Unfortunately, after that, I couldn't help but feel a sense of deflation. My overall opinion of the bulk of the transfer is that it still looks somewhat digital and artificial. The level of detail only sometimes reaches the heights of the best Blu-ray titles I've enjoyed over the past couple of years. Certainly, the image has pop but I wasn't consistently blown away.

The source is indeed as pristine as a new penny, and often sparkles. Blacks are excellent, and colors vibrant. Contrast, however, consistently runs hot, enough so that the image looks routinely blown-out and unrealistic. Colors sometimes veer towards oversaturation. Fleshtones just don't look natural, and aside from extreme close-ups, I often could not detect realistic skin textures -- everyone looks painted orange. Dark scenes are actually better as contrast isn't so distracting, and the film's use of cooler blues pays off with a more film-like, pleasing appearance. The actual card-playing centerpiece of the middle of the film is also quite nice, and a respite from the earlier, more sun-drenched exteriors, such as the Madagascar chase sequence that, again. looked too hot. Detail can be fairly strong, though the flushed hues and bright whites flatten out the image and it doesn't have absolute top-notch depth.

Without a doubt, 'Casino Royale' is always watchable and has moments of true grandeur. But is it a five-star transfer? A year on, I still have to say no.

The Audio: Rating the Sound

While I may have qualms about this disc's video transfer, it is far harder to find fault with the audio. Sony has ditched the uncompressed PCM 5.1 Surround track of the original "Casino Royale' Blu-ray and replaced it with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround option (48kHz/24-bit). The switcheroo doesn't result in any appreciable drop-off in quality, though after a series of very anal comparisons, I can say I would probably give the slightest of edges to the PCM -- but only the slightest.

First, the good stuff. This is a James Bond film, so we expect nothing less than gangbusters sound design, and sure enough we get it. The filmmaking team behind the franchise know that their bread and butter is the kind of action that sets trends, and there are some back-to-basics, non-CGI sequences here that are truly death-defying. The sonic highlights in 'Casino Royale' are by far the early Madagascar foot chase, the airport interception, and the climactic collapse of the building in Venice. Each provides first-rate demo material. Dynamic range is wide and powerful. Deep bass rumbles (just listen to that airplane take off -- it's a stunner). And the attention to fine detail to discrete effects is flawless. Imaging between channels excels and is near-transparent, with a very effective wall of sound created during the most intense action moments. When the bullets fly, 'Casino Royale' doesn't disappoint.

The film's less bombastic moments also hold up. 'Casino Royale' is a long film, and quite heavy on the dialogue. I like the use of subtle ambiance at times -- listen for the soft lull of crickets in the rears as Bond seduces Solange early on -- and the typically lush Bond score can also nicely swell up when needed. Dialogue is nicely balanced, with only Daniel Craig's most mumbled lines needing any assist in volume matching. I suppose my only nitpick is a desire for a little more creativity in the sound design (I had hoped for something cooler in terms of sound effects on the opening, famous "gun barrel" shot), but this is a minor quibble.

As far as comparing the PCM and TrueHD tracks, I whipped out my old 'Casino Royale' Blu-ray, and picked three scenes (the opening credit sequence with the Chris Cornell title tune, the foot chase and the airport interception), and did some back-to-back comparisons. After flipping between the two Blu-rays about ten times, I would give a very slight thumbs up to the PCM in terms of low bass. The airport sequence in particular felt ever-so-slightly more robust in the bottom on the PCM than the TrueHD. I also thought the title song sounded somewhat wider in the mid-range on the PCM, at least when I had the sound blasting at a very high volume. In all honestly, however, these results reveal such a negligible difference it could just as easily be subjective hearing. If nothing else, the two Blu-ray versions of 'Casino Royale' will provide nothing but more fodder for the ongoing PCM vs. TrueHD debate.

The Supplements: Digging Into the Good Stuff

The Bond films have been re-tooled, re-issued, re-packaged, re-mastered and re-everything'd on video so many times now that it's been a punchline almost as long as the line, "shaken, not stirred." So it went with 'Casino Royale' on Blu-ray, which Sony released in early 2007 in a decent but far from comprehensive package. So here we are, about a year-and-a-half later, and the studio has finally delivered a two-disc set worthy of the best Bond film in ages. This is one fine Collector's Edition, and the one they should have done the first time around. (Video is a mix 'n' match of 1080 and 480 sources, with subtitle options in English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Chinese, and Portuguese. All materials are on Disc Two, except where noted.))

* Audio Commentary - Hosting this commentary (on Disc One) are producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, as well as a cadre of crew members including composer David Arnold, production designer Peter Lamont, effects supervisor Chris Corbol, costume designer Lindy Hemming, director of photography Phil Mayhew. Frustratingly, most of these participants are not introduced, so I had no idea who was speaking or when. (I slowly figured it out based on what they were saying, but how about some subtitles next time, Sony?) This is a technical track, but I preferred it to the visual commentary in the exclusives (see below). Every scene is dissected in vivid detail, from the exact angle Daniel Craig needed to point his gun to Arnold discussing composing the title theme song, to the extensive search for new Bond girl Eva Green. Oddly, neither director Martin Campbell nor Craig are here, but this is still a great track.
* New Featurettes (HD, 24 minutes) - New to this Blu-ray are five featurettes, though they are obviously one doc cut up into different parts. A host of principals (director Campbell, producers Wilson and Broccoli and Callum McDougall, co-screenwriters Paul Haggis and Neal Purvis & Robert Wade, Bond historian John Cork, authors John Pearson and Peter Biskind, and even early Bond girls Linda Christian Power, Diane Hartford, and Maureen O'Connell. Presented in 1080p/MPEG-2 HD, this is not quite the ultimate documentary on 'Casino Royale,' but certainly close to what we all wanted on the first 'Casino Royale' Blu-ray.

First up is "The Road to Casino Royale" (28 minutes), which goes all the way back to Ian Fleming's original story and chronicles the long, long journey it took to make it to the screen as Bond 21. There is some cool footage of early Bond misfires (including Barry Nelson as "Jimmy Bond"), lots of rare stills and archival materials, and a big detour into the famous Kevin McClory 'Thunderball' controversy. A very thorough dossier.

"Ian Fleming's Incredible Creation" (21 minutes) goes in-depth into the 'Casino Royale' story itself, and dissects the modern day adaptation. Dubbed the "holy grail" of Bond novels by Broccoli, the challenge for the filmmakers was retaining the basic structure of a novel that revolves around a poker game, while also updating it for modern times, and somehow facilitating a satisfactory reboot for the entire franchise. Fleming's background and literary influences for Bond are also discussed at length.

Next is "Bond in the Bahamas" (24 minutes), which tackles the location where a good portion of 'Casino Royale' takes place. Though this comes off a bit too much like a Bahamas advert at times (and it's odd this location gets so much attention while many of the others in the film are left unexplored), this is where the grit of the production detail is covered. Also fun here is a look back at the other Bond films that exploited the Bahamas, including 'The Spy Who Loved Me,' 'For Your Eyes Only' and 'Thunderball,' and how they link to 'Casino Royale.'

"Ian Fleming: The Secret Road to Paradise" (24 minutes) is the only feature that feels like a bit of padding. Once again, the Fleming/Bahamas connection is discussed ad nauseam. A host of additional socialites and other well-to-do types are interviewed, who give us context of the social scene that Fleming found himself surround by when the first conceived and wrote the early Bond novels. Unfortunately, most of this material could have been combined with "Bond in the Bahamas" to much better effect.

Finally, "Death in Venice" (23 minutes), which is the only featurette that really features any interviews with Daniel Craig and Eva Green (both culled from on-set material). The film's final sequence featuring the sinking Palazzo is documented, though for me it might be one of the weakest aspects of 'Casino Royale.' A great deal of exposition and plot development culminates in the scene, which was -- judging by the extensive production footage here -- a logistical nightmare.

My only gripe for these featurettes? I hoped for at least some perspective on the eventual success of 'Casino Royale' since it's release two years ago, but none of that is covered here. In fact, 'Casino Royale's newfound place in the Bond canon as a classic isn't really discussed at all. Oh, well -- I guess Sony is saving that for the Blu-ray triple-dip?
* Featurette: "Becoming Bond" (SD, 24 minutes) - "Becoming Bond" was on the original DVD, and remains a decent cut above your average making-of. Though the narration has that cheesy, breathless EPK tone to it, the wealth of video diary footage, and a new interview with a very scruffy Craig, elevates it high above the mundane. Among the highlights are surprisingly frank interviews with Bond overseers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, director Martin Campbell, screenwriters Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, and co-star Eva Green (complete with distracting bulging neckline). No one denies that casting Craig was a gamble, as was going back to basics and abandoning the much-criticized but highly-profitable Pierce Brosnan era. I also liked the footage of Craig's nervous first day on the set, and the host of still photographs of the late Ian Fleming which I've never seen before. No, this is not a huge, sprawling documentary, but it is far better than you might expect.
* Featurette: "James Bond for Real" (SD, 24 minutes) - Also carried over from the previous DVD, this is a nice ode to the film's considerable stunt work. The same participants again show up, and all the material is culled from the same footage used for "Becoming Bond." I find myself simultaneously enthralled and bored with these kind of features. The stunts in 'Casino Royale' are fantastic -- this is all on-set, real-time craziness that blew me out of my theater seat -- but this doc is a bit too technical for my taste. Regardless, action fans will love this one.
* Deleted Scenes (HD, 8 minutes) - There are four scenes new to the 'Collector's Edition,' all in 1080p/MPEG-2 video: "Rescue and Recovery," "Squandering Government Funds," "Cricket Pavilion" and "Gettler Raisers Bond's Suspicions." None of these scenes are tremendous, but there is a nice moment between Bond and Vesper and a decent joke in he "Government Funds" clip. The quality of the scenes is good, if close (but not quite) up to the main feature.
* Music Video (SD) - Rounding out the extras is a music video for Chris Cornell's "You Know My Name." I like the tune, and the video is fun. Is it a Bond theme classic? Maybe not. But at least it's better than a-Ha's "The Living Daylights."
* Theatrical Trailers (HD) - Finally, we get trailers (on Disc One) for '21,' 'Hancock' and 'Vantage Point.' Inexplicably, there are no trailers for 'Casino Royale,' nor the upcoming 'Quantum of Solace.' Dammit.

HD Bonus Content: Any Exclusive Goodies in There?

Throwing quite a big bone to us Blu-ray'ers, Sony has produced a couple of nifty exclusives for this 'Casino Royale' double-dip.

* Picture-in-Picture - Bond finally gets his first Blu-ray PIP track, here dubbed a "Visual Commentary." Less a digest version of the documentary features, this is essentially a sit-down filmed chat with director Martin Campbell and producer Michael G. Wilson. The plusses are that as this set has no proper audio commentary with Campbell this makes the perfect replacement, though there is considerable overlap in terms of information here and that imparted in all the documentaries and featurettes. Such redundancy is probably unavoidable, but would have been helped had there been any integration of making-of and/or supporting interview footage. That makes this PIP a bit on the dry side. (Note that this PIP track is Bonus View-enabled, so you must have a Profile 1.1-capable player to access it.)
* "Know Your Double -O:The Ultimate James Bond Trivia Quiz" - This is a single- or two-player quiz that asks up to 20 random questions quiz on the entire Bond series, from 'Dr. No' to 'Casino Royale.' I'm a Bond fan, but by no means an expert, and I answered about 70 percent of the questions correct. I suspect that like most trivia games, it's really the more casual fan who will enjoy it the most.
* BD-Live - Finally, Sony has enabled 'Casino Royale' with BD-Live functionality. At presstime, only a basic Sony online destination page is running, with trailers for other Sony titles, plus a link to online James Bond sites.

Easter Eggs

No easter eggs reported for 'Casino Royale (2006, Collector's Edition)' yet. Found an egg? Please use our tips form to let us know, and we'll credit you with the find.

Final Thoughts

James Bond is back. Daniel Craig has truly defied the punters and emerged as -- yes, wait for it -- the best Bond since Sean Connery. 'Casino Royale' is a wonderful reboot for the venerable franchise, and only makes me hold my breath for the next adventure with Craig, November's 'Quantum of Solace.' This Blu-ray double-dip is the disc we should have got the first time around -- the video and audio are the same (which ain't a bad thing), and the two discs of extras and exclusives are very strong. However, if you don't care about supplements you can probably pass on this re-issue as it doesn't really improve the tech specs, but certainly, if you don't already own 'Casino Royale' on Blu-ray, now is the time to pick it up.

Supplements

* Audio Commentaries
* Featurettes
* Deleted Scenes
* Music Video

Exclusive HD Content

* Picture-in-Picture
* Interactive Trivia

Technical Specs

* Blu-ray
* BD-50 Dual-Layer Discs
* Two-Disc Set
* Bonus View (Profile 1.1)
* BD-Java Enhanced

Video Resolution/Codec

* 1080p/AVC MPEG-4
* 1080i/480p/i/AVC MPEG-4 (Supplements Only)

Aspect Ratio(s)

* 2.35;1

Audio Formats

* English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround (48kHz/24-bit)
* French Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround (48kHz/24-bit)

Subtitles/Captions

* English SDH
* English Subtitles
* French Subtitles
* Spanish Subtitles

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Vizio has launched two new lines of mid-sized, 1080p LCD televisions...and one line has new "Java" styling designed to integrate with contemporary home decor.

The high-def-TV-maker-with-an-attitude Vizio is charing into the end-of-year holiday market, launching two new lines of 1080p-capable mid-sized LCD televisions featuring the company's new "Java" decor that's designed to integrated with and complement contemporary home designs. The 37-inch VOJ370F/a> and 32-inch VOJ320F offer full 1080p resolution, a 6,500:1 contrast ratio, 500 nits of brightness, and a wide 178-degree viewing angle—and, of course, consumer-friendly Vizio pricing. Alongside the new "Java" units, Vizio is also releasing updates to its VO series of LCD panels, bringing the 32-inch and 37-inch models up to 1080p resolution.

"In today's economy, it is even more important for Vizio to continue to offer Americans the newest features with unique new styles at extraordinary values," said Vizio VP of sales and marketing Laynie Newsome, in a statement. "Capturing the pulse of the consumer to meet their demand for the best-looking and highest performance value in flat panel TVs is our focus."

All four of the new LCDs feature three HDMI 1.3 inputs (two rear, one on the side), along with component, composite, S-Video, and VGA inputs. The units ship with a standard/HDTV/QAM tuner, and the units all feature integrated 12W/channel speakers. The base of all the LCD units can be removed for wall mounting. Vizio backs all the units with a one-year warranty and guarantees none of the TVs have bright pixels or permanent burn-in.

All four new LCDs should be available this month, with the 32-inch models going for $649.99 and the 37-inch models going for $849.99.

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www.Projectorcentral.com

Every so often a projector manufacturer takes a mighty swing and hits one way out of the ballpark. Such is the case with this fall's new Panasonic PT-AE3000. Panasonic's third generation 1080p home theater projector combines a breathtaking array of features with rich, satisfying image quality, and brings it all to market for an MSRP of $3,499. The AE3000 is one of those new benchmark-setting achievements that will cause the industry to rethink pricing on 1080p projectors. One wonders... how long can some brands continue to ask $10,000 and up for 1080p projectors when you can get stunning, high contrast 1080p picture quality and an unsurpassed boatload of features for street prices close to $3,000?

Specifications

ANSI lumens: 1600

Contrast (full on/off): 60,000:1

Light Engine: 1920x1080, native 16:9, 0.74" LCD with a 165W UHM lamp.

Video Compatibility: 1080p/24/50/60, 1080i, 720p, 576p, 576i, 480p, 480i. NTSC/PAL/SECAM.

Connection Panel: Three HDMI 1.3 ports, one 15-pin VGA input, two sets of 3-RCA YPbPr component video, one composite video, one S-video, one 9-pin D-sub serial (RS-232c).

Lens and Throw Distance: 2.00:1 powered zoom/focus lens, with manual vertical and horizontal lens shift. Throws a 100" diagonal 16:9 image from 10 to 20 feet.

Lamp Life: Unspecified.

Lamp Cost: $400

Warranty: One year.

Key Features and Advantages

In last year's review of the AE2000, we said it had such a long list of unique and noteworthy features that it was hard to know where to start. With the AE3000, that list is even longer. Features that will get the most attention on the AE3000 are much improved contrast, Frame Creation for rendering a smoother image, a rapid frame delivery option for gaming, and Lens Memory for 2.35 screen set-ups.

Contrast. The single most riveting improvement as far as picture quality is concerned is in contrast. The AE3000 delivers much higher contrast than the AE2000. We measured the AE2000 at 305:1 ANSI contrast, while the AE3000 jumps to a very impressive 446:1.

Those numbers might not sound very big to you. But ANSI contrast measures the dynamic range potential in a given frame of video, or the actual difference between black and white at the same time. ANSI contrast numbers are always much lower than Full On/Full Off numbers, so they are not typically published in official specifications. In practical terms, a jump from 305:1 to 446:1 means you get a whopping increase in visible contrast on the screen. In fact, 446:1 is the highest ANSI contrast number we've yet measured on an LCD projector, and it brings LCD's ANSI contrast performance very close to the numbers we see on the DLP competition.

Meanwhile, Full On/Off contrast has been improved as well. The AE2000 was rated at 16,000:1, and the AE3000 is rated at 60,000:1. Our contrast measurements confirm that there is indeed a substantial boost in Full On/Off performance in the AE3000. But ultimately, the numbers are meaningless by themselves. It is the combination of black levels, rapid iris action, ANSI contrast and Full On/Off contrast that produces the final impression of snap, sparkle and three-dimensionality on the screen. And the AE3000 has it in spades. When set side by side with the AE2000, the AE3000's blacks are obviously much deeper and shadow detail is far superior to that which was achieved on the earlier model.

Lumen Output. Not only is contrast outstanding, but the AE3000 has an excellent range of lumen output. Dynamic mode is the brightest, and measured 1273 lumens on our test unit. With factory defaults, the picture in Dynamic mode has a greenish cast to it. But if you bump red up about five notches and green down a couple, you end up with a very bright picture that is also quite pleasant to watch. It isn't perfectly color calibrated, but the evident greenish cast is substantially diminished, and most casual viewers will find the picture to be quite satisfying. It is a great operating mode for Super Bowl parties or other events where you need the extra brightness to combat ambient light. It is also an ideal operating mode for video gaming with room lights on.

Most videophiles will opt for the more ideally color balanced operating modes. In this regard, the AE3000 shows more improvement in lumen output over the AE2000 than the slight change in maximum lumen specs would imply (1600 vs. 1500 respectively). Both models have three distinct Cinema calibration modes, labeled 1, 2, and 3. Last year we measured the AE2000's lumen output in these modes at 345, 390, and 370. But on the AE3000, we measured these same modes at 385, 470, and 566. In addition, Normal mode is an excellent trade-off calibration between the Cinema modes and Dynamic; it was putting out 792 lumens, with not much degradation of color to be too concerned about. I had a large party at my home this past weekend, and I used the AE3000 in Normal mode to display live concert Blu-ray discs. My guests were mesmerized by the brilliant, realistic three-dimensionality of the image. The most frequent comment I heard --- "Why would you ever go to a concert when you can have this instead?"

As a final note, the position of the zoom lens and setting the lamp to eco-mode will both diminish lumen output in all operating modes. Eco-mode will cut lumens by 18%, and the zoom lens at maximum telephoto cuts lumens by up to 41%. So if you need to maximize lumen output, use the wider angle end of the zoom lens if possible.

Frame Creation. The AE3000 has a new feature which Panasonic calls Frame Creation. When activated, it allows the projector to evaluate movement between previous frames, generate an interpolated frame as a half-step, and insert it into the frame sequence. This is then played back at either 120 Hz or 96 Hz depending on if the source is 30, 60, or 24 fps. You have three choices-Off, Mode 1, or Mode 2. You can select "Off" if you want to disable the feature altogether. Mode 1 will use the prior two frames to do the interpolation, and Mode 2 will use the prior three frames.

The benefit of Frame Creation is that it renders a smoother, sharper image when the camera is panning, or when detailed subject matter is moving across the screen. The sharpening effect is more pronounced in Mode 2 than it is in Mode 1. Why did Panasonic give you the option to turn it on or off, you may wonder? The reason is that, though Frame Creation sharpens the image, it can make the image look to some viewers a bit less like natural film. Thus it can create an effect that some find objectionable. Therefore, you can experiment with it, and decide for yourself whether you want it off, or in Mode 1 or Mode 2.

When you have Frame Creation active it increases video processing time and thus delays delivery of the image to the screen. Even with Frame Creation off, you will typically see a slight video delay (most obvious in lip-synch). That delay becomes more noticeable in Mode 1, and more noticeable yet in Mode 2. If you are just getting started in home theater, keep in mind that all video display systems tend to manifest a bit of video delay that can produce lip-synch issues. That's because it takes more time to buffer and process a video stream than it does to get an audio signal to the speakers. The way you fix this is to use a corresponding audio delay feature that is built into most A/V receivers and external video processors. Or you can use something like the comprehensive but inexpensive Felston Audio Delay, which is what we use in our lab (see review). Audio delays will enable you to bring the sound and picture back into perfect synch, and they are an important part of your home theater set up.

Gaming Mode. As far as gaming is concerned, video delay is not a good thing, and audio delay does not fix the problem. So the AE3000 has a feature which is not called Gaming Mode, but should be. It is called Frame Response, and it lets you adjust the speed of frame delivery from the buffer. Your options are "Normal" and "Fast." "Normal" will provide normal video processing and results in a frame delay of about 3 frames (assuming Frame Creation is off). "Fast" will eliminate some of the standard video processing overhead and cuts frame delay to about 1.5 frames. You can see the effect on lip synch when switching between Normal and Fast, as lip synch problems pretty much disappear in Fast mode. There is no way for a video picture to appear instantaneously with zero delay on any digital video display, so the Fast frame delivery feature on the AE3000 is about as good as it gets. Put the AE3000 into Fast frame response mode, select Dynamic calibration with a few color tweaks, and you end up with a magnificent high resolution gaming system.

(By the way, we tried to activate Frame Creation while setting Frame Response to "fast" to see if the projector would explode. Apparently, the engineers anticipated this. The AE3000 simply defaults to Frame Creation and ignores the fast Frame Response command. The AE3000 knows when it is in the hands of a stupid user.)

Lens Memory. Are you interested in Cinemascope 2.35 widescreen format? A lot of home theater enthusiasts who are mostly interested in widescreen movie viewing (as opposed to HDTV sports and 16:9 HD broadcast programming), are considering the wider format 2.35 screens these days since most movies being made are in this format. The problem has always been how to get the picture from a native 16:9 format projector to fill a 2.35:1 widescreen. The traditional method is to use an external anamorphic lens which can optically distort the image from a 16:9 aspect ratio into the wider 2.35 format. This certainly is one option. Unfortunately, anamorphic lenses cost a lot of money. Typically they are more expensive than the AE3000. So they add a huge expense that most people thinking about buying the AE3000 wouldn't want to pay.

The "poor man's" way to solve the problem has been to use a projector with a long enough zoom lens to move the image size back and forth-zooming to wide angle to fill a 2.35 screen, then zooming forward to fill the vertical height of the screen when a 16:9 or 4:3 image is being viewed. This eliminates the need to buy an anamorphic lens, but it introduces the nuisance factor of having to manually adjust the zoom lens and (often) vertical picture height as well every time you change the format of the viewing material. This can get annoying in a hurry.

Panasonic's "Lens Memory" system is a clever and exciting solution to this problem. If you have a 2.35 (or 2.4) screen, you can set up the projector with the lens toward the wide angle end, and fill the screen exactly to the format of a 2.35 (or 2.4) movie. Activate the Lens Memory feature, and it will go through a routine to memorize the exact position you have selected for the lens. Then zoom the lens forward so that a 16:9 picture fits perfectly into the height of your 2.35 screen. Now activate the Lens Memory feature again, and it will memorize this setting as well. Once you have done this, the AE3000 will automatically reset the lens either to 2.35 or 16:9 at the touch of a button. Presto! You've got an easy-to-use solution for 2.35 Cinemascope movies without the burdensome expense of the anamorphic lens.

We examined this feature closely to ensure that the zooming adjustments were precise and that focus was maintained after each re-adjustment. On our test sample, it passed with flying colors. In addition, keep in mind one thing: If your projector is mounted above the centerpoint of the screen so that it is projecting at a downward angle, the center of the projected image will shift vertically when moving from 2.35 to 16:9. The good news is that the AE3000 has the ability to reposition the 2.35 image up or down within the 16:9 native frame, and this capability has been integrated into the Lens Memory feature. So if your projector is mounted above the center of the screen, you can set both the lens position and the position of the image in the frame, and they will both adjust with a single touch of the button.

Smooth-screen filter. Panasonic home theater projectors are famous for their Smooth Screen technology-essentially a filter that removes visible pixelation. The AE3000 has this same feature. However, it appears to have been adjusted slightly. The AE2000 and its predecessor the AE1000 are the only 1080p projectors we've seen to have absolutely no pixelation at all. On the AE3000, there is a more distinct pixel structure when viewed up close. It is still subtle and completely invisible at normal viewing distances. But it looks like the filter has been tweaked slightly to avoid erasing all hint of pixel structure. As far as we're concerned, this is handy in that it helps for fine-focusing. In theory the presence of a little bit of pixel structure should also contribute to a slightly sharper picture. The AE3000 does indeed appear sharper than the AE2000, but it is difficult to separate the effects of the increases in contrast from any effect of the filter. Higher contrast images always look sharper when the image is equal in all other ways, and we would never have called the AE2000's image soft by any means.

New Remote Control. The AE2000 had a large, complicated learning remote that could control several devices in the theater. This has been abandoned and replaced with a smaller, more ergonomically friendly remote with large, easy to access buttons and great backlighting. Overall, we like this new one a lot better.

Other features. Many of the features that made the AE2000 so popular have been carried forward into the AE3000. Fan noise is still very low--just a whisper in full power mode. Even in high altitude mode, when the fan is moving extra volumes of air to compensation for thin atmosphere, the unit is remarkably quiet. And in eco-mode, the fan is for all practical purposes silent-you cannot tell it is on unless you put your ear close to it.

The on-board wave form monitor that appeared on the AE2000 has been a hit with users, and the AE3000 has it as well. The system assists in the calibration of the projector, and for those into tweaking it is a great tool to have available.

Similarly, split screen calibration is another popular feature introduced last year. a feature that you don't find on many home theater projectors. Here is how it works. Start with a screen image that you want to use as a template for making your adjustments, as follows ...

After you freeze the frame you want, you simply activate the split screen option, and a rectangular selection window pops up. You can move it back and forth to define which section of the image you want to work with.

Once you have selected the desired section, the projector will replicate it such that you have two identical copies side by side ......

Now you can make any adjustments you want to color temperature, color saturation, brightness, contrast, or gamma. The projector will apply the adjustments you make to the image on the right side of the screen, and hold the image on the left side constant. In this manner you can see precisely the effects of the changes you are making. You can finish by either saving or discarding the changes you've been experimenting with. For many users, this is a great educational tool that helps you understand the nature and range of the various adjustment controls available to you.

Limitations

Last year we had a hard time finding much to complain about on the AE2000, and the task is doubly hard with the AE3000. Certainly, for those who want to ceiling mount their projector, it would be nice to have an option to get it in a white case. As it is, the dark gray casework may not be aesthetically pleasing when mounted against a white ceiling in a living room or some other multi-purpose room. However, in a dedicated theater room it won't make any difference.

Last year we mentioned the lower lumen output in Cinema modes as being somewhat of a limitation, but that has been fixed in the AE3000.

The warranty is one year, which is the minimum acceptable warranty period for the industry. Many home theater projectors come with two year, and in some cases three year warranties. On the other hand, you can buy an additional year or two of warranty, and still end up with a projector that is a phenomenal value for the money paid.

Conclusion

The Panasonic AE3000 will be one of the year's hottest selling projectors. With stunning, natural high-contrast image quality and an impressive array of unique features that don't exist on competing models, Panasonic has established a formidable price/performance proposition that will be hard for others to match.

For the 1080p models we are reviewing this fall, we have been withholding our 5-star ratings until we can evaluate them in side by side comparison. However, from those we have seen in the lab, plus the viewing of demonstrations of all the other models, we can safely report that the AE3000 will earn 5 stars in Features, Ease of Use, and Value, and that it is highly likely to earn 5 stars in Performance as well. It is the strongest 1080p contender we've yet seen for our Editor's Choice Award, although we may end up giving two Editor's Choice Awards in the 1080p class this year. We offer our congratulations to the product marketing and design engineers at Panasonic for creating a truly remarkable home theater projector that takes the state of the art to the next level.