I am going to have a big construction thread soon :)

chronicaling my madness....

For those that have the 333 without an external scaler does it do the vertical stretch needed for my U85 VC lens?

Also, would a DA-LITE High Power 150.4" x 64" be too bright with the 333? If yes what other screens are recommended. I absolutely hate Grey screens & the Firehawk, seen them & think anyone who thinks those screens display proper whites or any other colors correctly need their eyes examined (lol) but that's just my opinion.

Btw, last night I visited a forum members home, Warren460 (thanks for having me over Warren) and saw the C3X on an 11 or 11.5ft (not sure exactly) 2.35:1 MicroPerf Firehawk and was VERY disappointed cause it LACKED the POP I was looking for since my combo screen & PJ has all that & then some. Btw, I have an H79 with a 119" diagonal High Power DA-LITE HDTV format screen. We viewed many HD DVD's that I brought over from my store and only 1 or 2 Sd DVD's.

I can't say enough BAD things about this screen. I know it's not the C3X cause it has had many praises here on the forum and I have seen the Firehawk before with other combos & it's just lousy imo.

It appears to me you have a pretty good idea of what you want in the screen. If you like what you have, just calculate what it's putting out ftL wise, then back into the gain you need to get the same thing. Pick up an AEMC CA-813 (<$150) and measure your H79, use some of the other measurements posted here for the 333. You can't trust that 2 different inexpensive meters will measure the same but for your purpose they ought to be close. Then go get the white screen with the gain (or lack of) that suits your measurment.

I can't help any more than that as I'm apparantly due an eye exam ;). Spectroradiometer must also need service :)

Chris, I have tried Firehawk and High Power samples with my 333. I too hated the FH as it was too dark and grey in light scenes.

As for the HP, if you love white in your scene, you'll love the HP with a 333. Of course I mean you'll have to love white at the expense of any other colour and any and all detail. In other words, it will be a wash out. You may be able to remedy this with a really dark ND filter but I dunno.

I am still struggling to find a screen material for my size and throw. So far the white side of a blackout cloth has beaten the best from Stewart and Da-Lite. This is, however, without an ND filter. In fact, we find the BO cloth perfect. I may have to get a ND filter to make a matte white or Studiotech 130 work.

So back to my first question I posted earlier For those that have the 333 without an external scaler does it do the vertical stretch needed for my U85 VC lens?

Chris, can't seem to recall seeing that option. I have an external scaler so it's been a while since I browsed through the internal ARs though.

[QUOTE=faterikcartman]Chris, I have tried Firehawk and High Power samples with my 333. I too hated the FH as it was too dark and grey in light scenes.

I am still struggling to find a screen material for my size and throw. So far the white side of a blackout cloth has beaten the best from Stewart and Da-Lite.


Did you try the Dalite High Contrast Cinemavision? It's not as dark as the FH and doesn't have the pronounced viewing cone. Colors look better on it as well (to my eyes). The FH is better at ambient light rejection for sure.

So back to my first question I posted earlier For those that have the 333 without an external scaler does it do the vertical stretch needed for my U85 VC lens?
Sorry Chris, it doesn't do that. Really though, you're not going to want to run this projector without a good video processor anyway. It looks good right out of the box, but there's no comparison with a 333 that's been properly calibrated with a good video processor... trust me.

[QUOTE=faterikcartman]Chris, I have tried Firehawk and High Power samples with my 333. I too hated the FH as it was too dark and grey in light scenes.

I am still struggling to find a screen material for my size and throw. So far the white side of a blackout cloth has beaten the best from Stewart and Da-Lite.


Did you try the Dalite High Contrast Cinemavision? It's not as dark as the FH and doesn't have the pronounced viewing cone. Colors look better on it as well (to my eyes). The FH is better at ambient light rejection for sure.

The Cinima Vision samples were a let down too; they give a yellow tint to everything. Blackout cloth has the most subtle grey hint to it rather than yellow.

A bit late to this thread...

The first page showed some info on purchasing but the link is invalid. Is this projector still available at a discounted price for AVS? Can someone post or PM the contact info?

Thanks!

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=690344

A bit late to this thread...

The first page showed some info on purchasing but the link is invalid. Is this projector still available at a discounted price for AVS? Can someone post or PM the contact info?

Thanks!
Eh, you're not late; this thread is only 9-1/2 months old. :cool:

Yes this projector is still available :)

Did anyone score a service manual for this projector??


Thank you!!!

I tried to get a service manual but every place I contacted either didn't even know of this PJ or didn't carry it. AVS is the only place I know of that you can pick one up. I've just been monitoring this thread hoping it will turn up one day from one of the posters (I actually thought it may have ended up coming from Alan ironically ;) )
Not that this PJ needs much, if any tweaking but its still nice to read those things and learn a bit more about the PJ.
Cheers

I do not think we will find a service manual for the 333 but the next best thing I was hoping someone had one for the Infocus 777 :)
I have a customer inquiring.

Thanks !!

I do not think we will find a service manual for the 333 but the next best thing I was hoping someone had one for the Infocus 777 :)
I have a customer inquiring.

Thanks !!The 777 user guide is available here. In 6 languages:

http://www.infocus.com/service/sp777/ug.asp?site_lang=1&site_region=1&

Edit:


Oops, I read "Service manual" but eyes passed along to brain "manual".

Back when I inquired about a SM, I got it pretty firm that no such thing existed, and if it did it woudl be closely guarded aht the IF factory. No one, I mean no one was coming off one, if it existed. I'm sure all of us woudl love to see/have it, but I wouldnt' get your hopes up.

Not that this PJ needs much, if any tweaking but its still nice to read those things and learn a bit more about the PJ.
Cheers
My ISF technician had no problem calibrating my system with only the publicly-available InFocus 777 manuals. Of course, nearly all of the calibration was done on the Lumagen external video scaler and not the projector itself, so there you go.

Anyone running 48Hz frame rate to this pj? I recently bought a DVDO VP30 and am still trying to figure it all out. I have set the VP30 to output 48Hz and have my 333 set to native resolution. When viewing the opening "far away and long ago ...." crawl on Star Wars, it actually looks a little better at 60 Hz.

Any suggestion about how to set up the processor/pj combination to optomize std DVD movie viewing would be greatly appreciated. I'm using a 127" wide 2.35 screen and and 480i out from an OPPO 970 DVD player.

I think the 333 only accepts 1080/24p.

Actually, it seems to accept 720p/48 OK. But my first impressions are that 720p/60 actually looks better (at least when watching Starwars Return of the Sith.

Anyone know of a good DVD for evaluating film based performance? I could use some hand-holding here <g>.

Been playing with mine....

wow, it almost too bright, even at 150".

It also makes a HUGE difference with the DVDO vp-50.

I still have to integrate the ISCO III...to be continued.

This thing really is an unbeliveable bargain.

Thanks
AVS :cool:

No such thing as too bright. :cool:

But if you want to attenuate the light output for calibration purposes, buy the InFocus 72 mm lens filter holder (no, I don't have the information on it anymore--search this thread for more info) and some good glass neutral-density (ND) filters. Don't buy plastic filters... the heat of the light beam will melt them! :eek:

EDIT: Linky to filter holder information (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8173502&highlight=filter#post8173502).

I like the Hoya HMC range of filters as they have a minimal effect on the image. Even cheap glass filters can reduce the ANSI contrast capability of the image due to light scatter within it, which is why the HMC range are so much better.

Gary

I like the Hoya HMC range of filters as they have a minimal effect on the image. Even cheap glass filters can reduce the ANSI contrast capability of the image due to light scatter within it, which is why the HMC range are so much better.

Gary


Gary,

what is HMC ?

Dan

Gary,

what is HMC ?

DanNo to speak for Gary, but I think it means Hoya Multi Coat IIRC.

You definitely want the multi coated. They are $100 something verses $50 but it will help maintain contrast and avoid reflections.

Here's a link that gives some info on the Hoya HMC (and other) filters:

http://www.thkphoto.com/products/hoya/hoya-02.html

Gary

Good info, thanks.

Dan

Got a real scare today after powering on the 333 - no color red! Thankfully a reboot was all that was needed. Other "bugs" I've come across is no light output at all and refusing to turn off fan (had to pull the power cable).

Sure hope these are only software bugs and not indications of a pending failure...

I have had the "no red panel" problem on at least two occasions over the past ten months, but rebooting the projector (i.e., turning it off and on) always solved the problem. I've never had the no output or everlasting fan problems, though.

I'm convinced that the no-red-panel problem is an issue with the startup sequence for my HT equipment. If I start my Lumagen scaler before I start my 333, the problem sometimes manifests itself. But ever since I changed the startup order in the "power on" macro on my MX-3000 remote control, I haven't had a repeat of the no-red-panel issue.

Just an FYI, the startup order is now projector wait 10 seconds Lumagen scaler wait 10 seconds video source (e.g., TiVo, DVD player) audio system

Is there a cheaper way to go with CIH screen and this projector for atleast short-term (with zoom?)? I will be getting an SMX AT screen and like to get as close to 150" wide screen as possible and I feel this projector is nice option because of brightness. But HD81 with 1080p and scaler to do 2:35:1 + Anamorphic lens cost less than 333 and is tempting but I am worried about the fixed offset causing problem with my 8'9" ceiling height along with several bugs that are being reported with that projector.

My eyes are not good enough to see rainbows as I had a first generation 61" Samsung DLP RPTV for over 3 years. So, I feel single chip DLP shouldn't be a problem for me unless front projector DLPs are different compared to RPTVs with single chip.

I am also waiting for Jason's review on RS1. If he thinks it handle even a 130" wide CIH, I will be sold on RS1. With RS1 I will have enough cash to get a scaler and Anamorphic lens and not worry about upgrades for a long long time.

I am looking into a 1080p setup due to how close we will be to the screen. If that wasn't a limitation, I'd be all over a new 333. It's an incredible value for what you get and has a wonderful picture - not counting the brightness advantages. If you can find a way to budget it in, and you don't have distance to screen (screendoor) concerns, I'd be looking seriously into it.

If I get a 13' wide CIH screen, can i set the projector to throw 13' wide 16X9 image and let the black bars on top and bottom fall on a black AT fabric (Dazen Expo)? This will let me enjoy CIH screen without having to spend on a scaler and anamorphic lens as the projector is bright enough to 'lit' that size screen.

I will have 3 rows of seating. First will be about 16', end 23' and 3rd row at 27'.

Yes, but you will have to mount the projector at exactly 1.8 x the screen width and opt for the long throw lens. You will also have to refocus and probably realign the picture vertically (unless you can shoot straight ahead). Both via the remote control fortunately.

If you want to purchase an Infocus 333, PM me.
go to this link for more information.
http://cgi.videogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.pl?projdlpa&1155309985
$8750 with shipping included.

Or you could buy a new one with choice of long or short lens from AVS for $7500 (assuming they still have some left, which I believe they do).

Happy anniversary! This thread (and my trusty 333) are one year old today.

I still marvel daily at the gorgeous, brilliant images that my 333 splashes across the 10' wide screen in the Scooterplex. Best damn HT investment I ever made. :cool:

Best investment indeed. My bulb is now on 660h and the 333 is measuring a healthy 1400 lumens. I read that Alans Ruby with a 1000h bulb measured 123 lumens :)

Brightness improvements are pretty much non-existing on the new hottest models, so unless this change drastically there will be a long time before I upgrade. The first 1080 models are just starting to become available and I recon there'll be another 2 years minimum before they become affordable.

That said, the 333s weakest point is contrast ratio. Mine didn't measure much over 1000:1 - only 1/3 of the published figure which to be honest I felt was overly optimistic. Compared to the Infocus 777, it's pretty hard to improve on BOTH brightness and contrast at the same time...pretty near impossible in fact.

Hi Scott

Boy time sure flys!
Happy anniversary to all :)

TorAtle

If Im not mistaken you have a 235:1 rear projection set up with this projector. I would love to see a few screen caps. The contrast must be great.

Thanks!!

Hi Alan, here's a picture for you.

Rearpro photos are impossible to capture correctly, so the colors are way off. However you get the idea. Note that you can see the shadow of the Prismasonic anamorphic adapter at the top - the 333 is shooting onto a mirror and the adapter is obstructing the lightpath on its way back to the screen :) I have a Chief RPM mount on its way that will fix this.

Thanks TorAtle. That really looks amazing. A ton of punch. If you had the choice would you go RP again and would you recomend it.

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/174.JPG

Thanks Alan, I'm really happy with it. For mixed usage (games, TV, movies) with some light present then yes, absolutely. If only for movies in a bat cave then FP will produce better fidelity - a white matte screen is hard to beat, and of course you have a wider choice of projectors.

Are the dimensions of the 333 the exact same as the 777?

Are the dimensions of the 333 the exact same as the 777?

Yes, same machine!!

Anyknow know where I can get hold of the service code? I'd like to see what sort of adjustment is available in the service menu...

Anyknow know where I can get hold of the service code? I'd like to see what sort of adjustment is available in the service menu...At least with the 777's, and I'd expect the same with the 333, all the infocus guys say there isn't one and that all the adjustments are on the regular menus. Long time ago, with much prodding, no one would come off it, if it exists.

http://www.projectorreviews.com/Manufacturers/infocus/InFocus777/performance.asp

quote: "and it's submenu - Service: On the image of the Service menu, you can see the small box on the right where you would put the necessary code to access the service menu."

Check out the little arrow next to the service item....it's not there in my menu, and I suspect it's because I haven't entered the code. If there's not a submenu, why is it possible to enter a code in the first place?

Btw, it's a 6-digit code. There are only 4 numbered buttons (1-4) on the remote, so it might "only" be 4^6 possible codes.

Oh I dont' doubt there's something there. But I couldn't get anyone to let go of it. Only 4096? Well then it's easy...we could split it into 100's if thre were 40 participants... :)

I think I have finally found the answer to my question by dissecting the Infocus 777 calculator:

http://www.infocus.com/upload/library/projection_calculator/infocus_sp777_projectioncalculator_en.xls

However I am hoping for a second opinion before I change my plan and pursue ceiling mounting a 333. My original plan was to shelf mount (upright) the projector with the lens center within the top bounds of the screen. However it seems that the 333 will only shift the image so that the lens center is ~1/4 of the screen height above the center of the image (aka 75% is below the lens center). To my eye it even looks like less than 75% but perhaps I am just bitter about the extra effort and the fact that a bunch of my image is currently on the ceiling ;). If on the other hand the projector is ceiling mounted (inverted) it supposedly is willing to put the entirety of the image beneath the lens centerline though Infocus recommend not going into the 10% of image height beyond the screen border.

Does my new understanding match the understanding and experience you have?

Take care,
Matthew

As of now I have ~2-4 hours on a 333 testing and learning the hard way about bad lens shift assumptions.

My initial impression is that the image is really noisy. This is coming from a 4805 which, granted has a slightly more modern single DLP chip. It does not look like the gross problem that is a typical of ground loop issues. Instead it is very noticeable random noise on even a static 50% grey flat field.

Is is possible that I am seeing some issue with power supplied to the 333? I am using the same outlet I was using for the 4805 which never had this problem. The only difference is that, at least temporarily I have been using a long (~20') grounded extension cable (the sort you would typically use outdoors for power tools). Obviously when I get a chance I will try to eliminate the extension cable as a culprit. If that does not fix it what is a good test to eliminate power as a culprit? Or is there a recommended power conditioning product I should be considering in-line?

Thanks for any thoughts,
Matthew

Is the noise more like mirror dithering? I've noticed in 3 chip DLP that they show the source material in great detail - warts and all, and in some cases it was so bad it was distracting. Part of the reason is due to the image brightness being much higher than cinema levels which makes the noise even more noticeable.

Have you set the white and black levels using a test disk, and have you tried different gammas? That can make a lot of difference to the noise your seeing. If it is brightness related, an ND filter will bring the brightness down and reduce the noise visibility somewhat.

What size and gain is your screen?

Gary

My memory was that the noise was more coarse than single mirrors but I have not had a chance to further trace the problem (aka turn the projector on) since the above post. It is the sort of thing that is hard to quantify but it is so much more noisy than any other DLP that I have seen (including bright 3 chips from Christie and Panasonic) that I think that it has to be another issue... Would not one expect more mirror dithering with a single chip unit?

Right now the screen is not up yet so we are talking about a ~96" wide image on a ~.6-7 gain denim blue wall ;). No white/black level calibration has been done yet but we did notch the brightness and contrast settings down a few ticks to decrease the chance of permanent retinal damage ;)

Thanks for the thoughts,
Matthew

Update:

Apparently I had really noisy power. I always thought power filters were hocus pocus but a unit from APC has done wonders for my picture. This is what was causing the image noise.

Take care,
Matthew

Hi there from little old New Zealand.

This is my first post in this forum but I was wondering if any of you would be able to help me with some technical specifications on the Infocus SP333 projector.
I have a friend with a small cinema who is looking at a SP333 to back up his current projectors and also give him a digital option when screening movies.

Does anyone have access to a projector calculator for this model and does anyone know what the SMPTE brightness is?
He is projecting onto a 6.1metre (20.01 feet) wide Perlux screen and any information you could supply would be gratefully accepted

http://www.infocus.com/upload/library/projection_calculator/infocus_sp777_projectioncalculator_en.xls


I found this one to be quite accurate. Brightness varies somewhat but the one I have seen was supposedly tested at 2800 lumens.

Is the 333 still available for purchase anywhere?

Thanks,

Dino

Just thought I would post an update of my 333 paired with the SMX screen. This is the 333 with over 1000 hours on the bulb shown on a 138" 16:9 SMX pro line AT screen.

(click to enlarge photos)


http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_ScreenShot2.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/ScreenShot2.jpg)

Shot showing where in-wall subs are still to be mounted under the screen.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_ScreenShotwithsubswaitingforinstall.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/ScreenShotwithsubswaitingforinstall.jpg)

Here I am in the photo to give you an idea of dimensions (I'm 5'10" @ 180lbs standing on the right side of the screen)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_CalwiththeSMX.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/CalwiththeSMX.jpg)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_Upclose333.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/Upclose333.jpg)

The colors and even lighting even close range and extreme angles are excellent with this combo

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_138inchSMX.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/138inchSMX.jpg)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_V6.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/V6.jpg)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_Matrix2.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/Matrix2.jpg)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_SMXScreen10.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/SMXScreen10.jpg)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_V5.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/V5.jpg)

An earlier shot of when I 1st mounted the PJ. I have the PJ 18' back from the screen between the 1st and 2nd rows of seating in the basment HT.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_PJhungup2.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/PJhungup2.jpg)

Cheers
Calvin

GREAT photos Calvin, thanks!

Dan

Nice pics, Calvin :)

Is the 333 still available for purchase anywhere?
Most of us bought it through AVScience, send them an email and ask if there's any left.

The 333 is based on the older 777 (approx 2000 lumens, 2000:1 CR), but is tweaked for more light output. I would say close to 3000 lumens and around 1000:1 CR is about right.

Just thought I would post an update of my 333 paired with the SMX screen. This is the 333 with over 1000 hours on the bulb shown on a 138" 16:9 SMX pro line AT screen.

(click to enlarge photos)


http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_ScreenShot2.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/ScreenShot2.jpg)

Shot showing where in-wall subs are still to be mounted under the screen.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_ScreenShotwithsubswaitingforinstall.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/ScreenShotwithsubswaitingforinstall.jpg)

Here I am in the photo to give you an idea of dimensions (I'm 5'10" @ 180lbs standing on the right side of the screen)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_CalwiththeSMX.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/CalwiththeSMX.jpg)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_Upclose333.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/Upclose333.jpg)

The colors and even lighting even close range and extreme angles are excellent with this combo

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_138inchSMX.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/138inchSMX.jpg)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_V6.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/V6.jpg)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_Matrix2.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/Matrix2.jpg)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_SMXScreen10.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/SMXScreen10.jpg)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_V5.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/V5.jpg)

An earlier shot of when I 1st mounted the PJ. I have the PJ 18' back from the screen between the 1st and 2nd rows of seating in the basment HT.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_PJhungup2.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/PJhungup2.jpg)

Cheers
Calvin

Wow really nice, what is the screen gain? is it a white or gray screen?

Dan

Thanks for the kind words guys I'm pretty happy with the 333 and SMX combo it really throws a astounding picture even better then my camera is capturing.

Dan, (RevelMn)

The SMX pro-line is a white screen and is reported to be a 1.16 Gain.

Cheers
Calvin

Just curious if any owners of the 333 or the 777 have built hush boxes and if so can you provide details of how you did it and if your happy with results. I'm contemplating doing this in the near future.

Thanks
Calvin

No hushbox but using the top of a closet as a projection booth. So very similar scenario and desire for silence in the theater.

I am not done with final ventilation but I can say that all the hot air that I can feel exits on the right side (assuming you are behind the projector and it is ceiling mounted). If you do not get the hot air away from the projector it will shutdown due to overtemp and the manual can tell you what the LED indicator is for such a state. I am keeping the exhaust fan on a UPS to ensure that air keeps moving no matter what happens...

It would be interesting to hear from Toratle as well since that unit sounds like it could be in a small space too...

Take care,
Matthew

Calvin looks like your watching a huge plasma. 3 chip DLP really shines:)

Very very nice room. Have fun!

Thanks Alan I'm enjoying the heck out of it that is for sure. I think I'm going to be fine with the 333 for the basement for a few years yet (until I get a 3 chip 1080P at around the 10 to 15k price point that is )

Cheers
Calvin

(until I get a 3 chip 1080P at around the 10 to 15k price point that is )

Cheers
Calvin

That will be a few years or more indeed but we can hope that happens sooner :)

I think my bulb has finally gone. My brother was over and just called me here at work. He said it came on then went out and it is constantly flashing a green light on the back panel and the fan won't shut off.

I've tried to trouble shoot it from work but it looks to me like the bulb has finally given up the ghost (it was over 1500 hours).
The infocus 777 only shows trouble shooting for 1 to 4 blinking red lights so I don't think it applies the same to the 333?
Anyone here know for sure if that is the issue?
I've just asked my brother to unplug it from the ceiling and leave it till I get home to take it down and then replace the bulb (which hopefully fixes the issue)

Should I be worried or is this just a normal bulb wearing out ?

Thanks
Calvin

I think my bulb has finally gone. My brother was over and just called me here at work. He said it came on then went out and it is constantly flashing a green light on the back panel and the fan won't shut off.

I've tried to trouble shoot it from work but it looks to me like the bulb has finally given up the ghost (it was over 1500 hours).
The infocus 777 only shows trouble shooting for 1 to 4 blinking red lights so I don't think it applies the same to the 333?
Anyone here know for sure if that is the issue?
I've just asked my brother to unplug it from the ceiling and leave it till I get home to take it down and then replace the bulb (which hopefully fixes the issue)

Should I be worried or is this just a normal bulb wearing out ?

Thanks
Calvin

I have the 777 and it did the same thing. on start up my bulb would glow dimly then go out. the fans would not turn off and the green light blinked. pulled the plug and installed a new bulb. plugged it back in and all is fine.

Dan

1500 hours sounds really good to me. How was it looking at 1500 hours? Mine started flickering at less than 500, replaced the bulb and all is well at about 400 hours on the new bulb. Still have a 1 stop (2X) filter on it.

I know at least one other person on this thread had similar (500 hour type) results.

Thanks for the reply Dan. I hope I have the same experience.

Gary,

Ironically I was just about to do a lumens comparison and write down the hours on the 3rd but I ran out of time so I was going to do it when I return home on the 14th. The picture was still terrific so I was interested in what my lumens were still at despite been over 1500 hours. I'll take a pic and post back here with the hour count once I get the new bulb in before I reset the hours but I think I was a bit over 1500 for sure.

I have had a few minor issues with the PJ in that time such as the Red not coming on which is fixed by a restart and one set of my components inputs doesn't seem to work (not that it matters I only use the M1-DA to HDMI anyways). Other then those minor issues I've been very happy with the 333. I still plan on upgrading to a smaller 1080P 3 chip DLP at some point but I'm waiting for them to come down in price to the 10k or less so it will be awhile yet.

Cheers
Calvin

No hushbox but using the top of a closet as a projection booth. So very similar scenario and desire for silence in the theater.

I am not done with final ventilation but I can say that all the hot air that I can feel exits on the right side (assuming you are behind the projector and it is ceiling mounted). If you do not get the hot air away from the projector it will shutdown due to overtemp and the manual can tell you what the LED indicator is for such a state. I am keeping the exhaust fan on a UPS to ensure that air keeps moving no matter what happens...

It would be interesting to hear from Toratle as well since that unit sounds like it could be in a small space too...

Take care,
Matthew
Is the topic heat or noise? I have no problem with either, since my rear projection "booth" is 3.6 x 3.6 meters. Can't hear the 333 at all, and there's plenty ventilation on both sides.

I'm past 1300 hours now, and still plenty of light output for viewing with lights on, so I'm happy.

The unit doesn't auto-shutoff when the bulb is at 1500 hours, is that correct? I'm typically using mine many hours at a time watching telly and playing games, which may be easier on the bulb, so I'm hoping mine will last a little bit longer.

TorAtle,

I wasn't home at the time but from my brother description and the fellow AVS member post it does appear that the PJ will not shut down with the remote during bulb failure and has to be "unplugged". As far as the unit auto shut off when the bulb reaches 1500 hours I don't think there is any "set in stone" number of hours per bulb as "mileage" may vary. I also used my 333 for many hours in a row with out shutting it down as well I wonder if this contributed to our longer bulb lives? There was still plenty of light output for me even at 1500 before it went out (I'm not sure of the exact time but I think over 1500 and less then 1600 for sure).

Cheers
Calvin

So I am looking at a 130 wide 2.37 using a SP777 which should have 2/3 of your lumens. Think that would work with the SMX?


Thanks for the kind words guys I'm pretty happy with the 333 and SMX combo it really throws a astounding picture even better then my camera is capturing.

Dan, (RevelMn)

The SMX pro-line is a white screen and is reported to be a 1.16 Gain.

Cheers
Calvin

So I am looking at a 130 wide 2.37 using a SP777 which should have 2/3 of your lumens. Think that would work with the SMX?

Absolutely it would with stunning results I'd expect :D

It was indeed the bulb. Put the new one in and no problems. Surprisingly it lasted 1547 hours as shown by the pic attached. Also even more surprisingly is the new bulb isn't really that much brighter then the last one just before it burnt out !! I didn't do a light comparison using my meter sadly but to my eye it doesn't look a lot brighter then the old bulb. I was very surprised by the last bulb it was bright and punchy right till the bitter end. Wonder if I got a one in a million bulb or if the new one will wear similarly? I know with my last PJ the bulb grew noticeably dimmer every hundred hours or so but not so with my 333 :D


http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/th_Burntbulb.jpg (http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h248/Calvin2006/HT%20Main%20-%20Basement/Burntbulb.jpg)

By memory, my 333 also seems as bright now as it was when new. I'm assuming there must be some reduction in brightness, but it's interesting nonetheless that your eyes don't detect much difference. Maybe the 333 has some sort of compensation for bulb age built in?

What's the going rate for an Infocus 777 bulb these days?

I think the bulbs are around 700 US but I'll have to find out later today if I get ahold of anyone at AVS to order a spare (I believe that is what I paid for the last one maybe it was 800 cdn as we had a weaker dollar at that time?)

Sorry to bring this thread back from the dead but I was wondering if any of my fellow Infocus 333 owners have upgraded and if so what did you get and what were you thoughts? Worth the upgrade for you, substantial or little difference etc...?

I'm currently thinking about upgrading to one of the many 1080P machines out there with improved contrast etc...
I unfortunately don't have the budget right now to upgrade to another 3 chip DLP that supports 1080P so I'm wondering about other offerings say in the $7k US range and lower?

Thanks
Calvin

I still have my 777 and am still VERY happy with it. I know there are alot better projectors out there and "1080p" is the big thing, but everytime I pop in a Blu-ray or HD DVD, I still am very satisfied with the picture!

The 777 has Minolta Optics, was typically calibrated within one click out of the box, typically had excellent convergence, had the same Delta based light engine design as the roughly 60,000 Sim2 HT5000, excellent CR and excellent brightness. It is still a very good projector, besting many current 1080 units. Particularly if you don't like your nose in the screen.

I am on my second bulb and loving it still.

RIP Screenplay 333
Born February 13, 2006
Died November 21, 2009

:(

After nearly four years of almost worry-free service, my beautiful Screenplay 333 died this evening. The lamp won't strike, and the diagnostic blinking red LED is just blink-blink-blinking away continuously, which it's not supposed to do (the most it's supposed to blink is five times for an overheat condition).

I've already tried switching out lamps and double-checked the filters--no joy. He's dead Jim... and right before the holidays when I just don't have the extra cash to mess with projector problems.

Sorry to hear that, Scott. Hope there's nothing seriously wrong with it.

Even though I bought a spare bulb 18 months ago I'm still on the first at 1975 hours! Quite a bit more than it should have lasted.

For the price paid, the 333 was a bargain. Won't be looking for anything new soon. Maybe by the time the 2nd one dies there'll be 100" 3D flat panels :)

What did you pay for your 333? I might have an opportunity to get one or two. I have no idea what they might be worth.

RIP Screenplay 333
Born February 13, 2006
Died November 21, 2009

:(

After nearly four years of almost worry-free service, my beautiful Screenplay 333 died this evening. The lamp won't strike, and the diagnostic blinking red LED is just blink-blink-blinking away continuously, which it's not supposed to do (the most it's supposed to blink is five times for an overheat condition).

I've already tried switching out lamps and double-checked the filters--no joy. He's dead Jim... and right before the holidays when I just don't have the extra cash to mess with projector problems.

I'll take a moment of silence for you and your projector.
:)

Sorry to hear that Scott. I'm still using mine daily (think I'm on my 5th bulb now with the bulbs giving me between 1500 to 2000 hours per bulb). I still get the occasional error where I have to restart the PJ in order to correct color once in awhile (maybe 5 times since I've owned it). Only once about a month ago did I get the "no strike" issue which I hope isnt' a sign that mine is going as yours has done. The "no strike" is part of the reason I've been exploring alternatives as far as what PJ to get next in case the worst was to happen (as just happened to you sadly).

Are you going to get it fixed or replace the unit?

Let us know how you make out.

Thanks
Calvin

Hi calv1n,

Signs are pointing to a controller failure. That's not good--it's not an inexpensive component to repair/replace. Also, both of the lamps I've got have less than 250 hours of life left, so after paying X thousand dollars to InFocus to fix the 333 I'd be staring at another bill to buy a couple of new lamps. So not worth it, considering the leaps in technology over the past four years. I'm going to upgrade to 1080p and switch back to LCD... and probably way, WAY under the $2,000 price point... the days of me spending multi-thousands of dollars on my theater are gone with the wind.

Oh and p.s., I was also having those color errors, but a LOT more frequently (about once a week on average). The 333 was my only TV in the house (why watch a flat panel when you can have a wall of TV?), so maybe it's because I was using it daily for 3-4 hours at a clip. It would usually be the green panel that wouldn't kick in, but sometimes it was the red one. In any event, cycling the projector off and on again was becoming a regular habit, and one that my partner never failed to scold me about ("It's a ten thousand dollar projector--why do we have to do this once a week?!").

So, I'm sorry that my 333 finally died--I doubt that whatever I replace it with will have the same color accuracy--but I won't miss the little quirks (nor will I miss the expensive short-lived lamps).

But won't you miss the lumens?

But won't you miss the lumens?
I don't think so (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=17139605#post17139605).

I don't think so (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=17139605#post17139605).
I had one of the earlier Epsons on loan, 1600 lumens in dynamic mode. Not watchable. Maybe a 800 lumens "bright room" mode will be ok-ish, but when the colors are dialled in you're back at 500-600 lumens. The old one was very low-powered compared to the 333.

I'm very curious as to what Scott is going to move to as well....what are you thinking Scott the new Panny?

Cheers

To be brutally honest my financial situation (like many of my fellow Americans) just isn't what it used to be four years ago, so every penny counts. The Epson 8100 seems to be the best compromise I can afford for now, but if it's too dark I'll have to look elsewhere. I should actually have an answer for you on that front later tonight... I just won the Best Buy lottery and found a store that has the rapidly-disappearing 8100 in stock... look for a report later this evening!

I don't think so (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=17139605#post17139605).

In no way is the Epson anywhere near the light output of what you have/had. Just an FYI.

Well aware of that. OTOH, my 333 was so freaking bright that it wore ND filters for the first 700-800 hours per lamp.

Well aware of that. OTOH, my 333 was so freaking bright that it wore ND filters for the first 700-800 hours per lamp.

Then you might be aokay. Seeing one is well worth it.

Too bad their new 1 chip isn't ready yet. Still curious to see how it's going to do.

"my 333 was so freaking bright that it wore ND filters for the first 700-800 hours per lamp."

Impressive, I didn't even know you could wear them out

Scott,

Best of luck. I hope you find something that works with your room and budget.

Noah,

:) I assume you jest, but Scott's mention of "wore" is akin to you "wearing" pants. The 333 was often paired with ND filters to tone done the lumens until the bulb aged and dimmed some ( I personally never used them and honestly never noticed {to the point where it would effect me} the gradual dimming on the unit like I have with previous PJ's). If you were joking I apologize for the above but I didn't see an "emoticon" which usually implies humor.

Cheers
Calvin

I assume you jest

yep

what the world needs is a deadpan smiley

The Epson Home Cinema 8100 isn't a perfect fit (you can read my initial impressions here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=17592446#post17592446)) but I believe it will be an acceptable substitute. The step down wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be... black levels and color accuracy on the 8100 have nearly caught up with what was the state-of-the-art four years ago when the SP333 was brand-new.

About the only deficiency (and admittedly it's a big one) is the reduction in absolute peak brightness from 3100 lumens to 1800. My thought process here is that the brightness is acceptable now but I will probably have to replace the 8100's lamp much sooner than its 4,000 hour limit... but even if I replace the lamps every 2,000 hours, that's still 500 hours better than the Screenplay and it will only cost a third as much (new 8100 lamps run approximately $260 right now).

Even though this thread is a few months old I wanted to reply. I was sorry to see Scott's 333 died. His thread help convince me to buy the 333 from AVS. I've enjoyed it for over 3 (going on 4) years now. Luckily we had none of the quirks. None, zilch (knocks on wood). I am on my 4th bulb (average about 1600 hrs a year before we replace it). It really was a perfect fit for our HT. The throw was long (23') the screen fairly large (10ft).So you can see we needed a bright PJ and the Infocus was the answer (for a very good price).

Now I'm spoiled. Once in a blue moon I get the desire to try a 1080p FP. But unless I'm willing to spend 15k+ I doubt anything will be close in the brightness department. So I'm stuck until the 1080p 3 chippers come down (hope the 333 last a good while)...:)

I realize this is an old discussion, but I was hoping someone could answer, whether or not, any 777 models ever came with a matte black case, or if it was just the 333's? Meaning, if I am looking at buying a used SP777 with a matte black case, does that automatically qualify it as being a 333? Thanks.

The "real" 777 was a high glosss piano black case. That's the only product ever offered to dealers from Infocus or it's distributors. I know that from personal experience. Had there been a flat black one, it would have been in the dealer literature and manuals, etc. It was not. The only flat black ones I ever saw were sold as the "333".

There was a older version of Infocus 777 (Darkchip 2, I believe) that was flat black. It did not have those silver edges.

I respectfully disagree. The DC2 machine was gloss, too. At least the last ones right before the DC3 were. I can't say about the first ones made, but I have early service and repair documents that show it in gloss.

Thanks, guys. One more question, does the 333 use a completely different firmware version than the 777? Can the 333 be flashed with v2.9 firmware, or will that create undesirable consequences?

I vaguely remember someone doing it back when the 333's came out via AVS, but am not sure. Probably risky without the original FW to reload if it did not work.