Visual Apex, Inc.

Full review
I recently purchased a Panasonic Projector AE-3000U from Visual Apex, and in all respects, the service provided by this company was absolutely exemplary, as has been my experience in the past.

Before I go further, I might mention my qualifications as a reviewer: studied EE at Purdue, started designing and building speaker enclosures and systems, as well as specific electronic applications (such as an LED VU Meter, complete with range and other switchers)at age 14, am director of a documentary/event videography company for 16 years, and have been designing home theaters for myself and many others for 24 years (yes, I know, before there was "home theater"!) I present the foregoing only to assert substance for my admiration and support of Visual Apex.  The Panasonic Projector was ONLY my second purchase from VA, but I have advised dozens of my customers, especially regarding purchase of products for home theater, products ranging from projectors to sound systems.  And without exception, my customers have found that VA's promises of product availability, delivery, and (if needed) service have been outstandingD! 

Now specifically, in regard to my most recent purchase, the Panasonic AE 3000U, VA provided the unit at a very competitive price (compared to other reliable companies), and delivered the product in a timely manner, as promised. Then the fun began, from a service standpoint - and to cut to the chase, VA REALLY CAME THRU, generally beating down the competition, in comparison to similar issues!!!!! The Panasonic AE 3000U was purchased as a replacement for a Panasonic AE 1000U, to be installed in one of my Home Theaters, with the only change a swap out of the newer for the older unit.  Well, two hours after installation, I began to have problems, the sort of which I have NEVER had with any other projector (including Panasonics, Sonys, Pioneers, and a
Barcovision 900).  I began to loose the picture,
in what I thought was a completely random fashion (though I found out otherwise, later).  On what seemed to be a random basis, I lost the picture in time periods ranging from one half second to four seconds. Suspecting a bad projector bulb, but having no experience with something similar, I called Visual Apex's Service Department and talked with David.  Now, as you can tell from some of the forgoing I take pride in my technical wherewithall, but I must tell you that I was in awe of David's apparent knowledge, understanding,
and application to my issue!  First, he gave an apparently well-informed opinion about the unlikelihood of the bulb being defective, given the symptoms.  He then provided a series of alternative configurations to progressively sort out the problem, such as trying out alternate Blu-Ray Players (I have several), operating the picture directly from a player to the projector,
without the receiver in the loop, etc., etc. Finally, as the gold standard test to determine if the projector was at fault, he suggested a direct HDMI cable (proven in other applications)
be run between a proven player and the projector. I had thought of all of his suggestions, prior to my conversation with him, but what I am mightily impressed with is that he came up with them, and that he had a genuine, (if you'll forgive the expression) in depth understanding of so many related issues.  This kind of broad knowledge is so abysmally absent in so many of Visual Apex's competitors.  So, you can see the reason for my own personal enthusiasm for Visual Apex. By the way, the problem of the Panasonic was NOT any problem of Panasonic.  It was related to an HDMI cable, but not the fault of the cable.  The problem was the blasted, incompetent design and specification of the HDMI cable, and specifically the plug and socket, mandated by the grotesques of the blasted HDMI consortium. In any event, here was the problem!  The Panasonic AE 3000U was mounted on a ceiling, using the outrageously priced ($470) Panasonic ET-PKE1000S official ceiling mount bracket, just as had been the case with the previous Panasonic AE 1000U.  The in ceiling HDMI cable running from
a Denon Receiver to the projector was a 57 foot long heavy duty HDMI cable, used for two years without issue with the previous projector. I tried one of David's suggested tests, running the signal from the new to the market Panasonic BD35 over a proven 7 foot Blue Jeans cable directly to one, and then another of the Panasonic projector's three HDMI sockets.  Nary a problem!  So then, I hooked up the ceiling running 57 foot Blue Jeans cable, and the same picture drop-out began again.  THEN I began to notice that whenever the theater's speakers produced substantial bass, the picture sometimes went out momentarily (This particular theater has one turbocharged HSU and a 15 inch Velodyne sub).  One additional point, the heavy duty Blue Jeans cable comes out of the ceiling, and in its path to the socket on the back of the Panasonic Projector, a cramped space (occasioned by the installation of the standard Panasonic cable cover) requires a relatively sharp bend in the HDMI cable.  AH HA you say that's obviously the
problem, and you're right!!!!!!!!  The torque (in this instance, horizontal versus vertical) causes one of those blasted delicate 19 connectors to momentarily fail when disturbed
by the easy resonance in that cable cover. The easy solution - attach a smaller diameter, more flexible Blue Jeans cable to the terminus of the current 57 foot heavy duty cable - same radius in the bend of the replacement cable, but not so much torque on the socket/plug = no problem! 

End of long, long story. Three cheers for Visual Apex, Panasonic, and Blue Jeans, and no comment about the HDMI organization.