Sanyo PLV Z2000

Staff Writers | 2 Sep 2008

A fine projector: well worth considering, especially if you hunt down a competitive price

Sanyo's affordable LCD projectors have long impressed, but the company’s PLV-Z2000 marks a leap forward in performance over its earlier offerings. It boasts 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution, and is a bit larger than older Sanyo designs.

We don’t regard that as a problem, though: the PLV-Z2000’s bulk allows plenty of space for a large cooling fan, and it runs very quietly as a result. It also affords space for plenty of connections, plus a thoughtful (if slightly flashy) motorised lens cover: this slides out of the way when you’re ready for action.

Set-up is easy, thanks to simple thumbwheel controls for horizontal and vertical lens shift, and the Sanyo’s backlit remote is every bit as approachable as the on-screen menus.

Fine-tuning the picture is as complex or as simple as you like: you can start with preset image modes or tweak to your heart’s content, as you prefer.

Sharpness, detail and stability
And performance? In the main, excellent: the Sanyo’s sharpness, detail and stability lend real impact to both high-def gaming and Blu-ray images. Colours are accurate and realistic, movement is handled smoothly even with 1080p/24fps content, and the the overall vibrancy of images is deeply impressive.

Off-air TV is less eye-catching, of course, and you can buy a similarly-priced projector that's better in this respect and also capable of deeper blacks.

However, if you can get a good deal on the Sanyo we’d heartily recommend you to give it an audition.