I know absolutely NOTHING about CRT projectors. I have always been living in the digital realm. Panasonic projectors.

There's a guy locally here that is selling his Barco 808. Is it worth $600? I don't even know what to ask the seller.

I'm interested in maybe trying out a CRT just for the fact that I can get better black levels and contrast. Am I barking up a bad tree?

Thanks,
Rob

Its a different picture, to be sure, and setup is WAAAAAYYYYY more involved than plunk and play of digital.
The image of CRT projectors is *generally* less fatiguing, and most feel they have the hands down best contrast ratio, which best mimics real life, but you give up convenience of connection(no native HDMI, for instance) and setup(very, very site specific setup requirements).
If the tubes in the Barco are good, it certainly may be worth it. Check to make sure they are not browned with burn/wear and do not show a static image burned into them.
Go look at it and see it running before you decide anything....

I just got an 808 a few weeks ago.
It is awesome. I can't imagine trying to compare it to one of those little lcd projectors.
Sure its big, bulky and heavy too, but isn't that half the fun?
Gotta get rid of my old one now, thats the downside to upgrading.

Read the FAQ/Primer in the 'tips' section before you go on my website below. That shoud help..:)

If you want better blacks and contrast CRT is it. If the tubes are good $600 is a steal.

I have some more information that I received from the seller...

It's Graphic808 not an "S"

He is not the original owner (2nd) and that the counter shows 12,000 hours (twelve thousand).

The original owner kept it in standby supposedly and that is why the counter is so high.

The blue tube looks "worn" but I'm NO expert. I will try to post pictures.

Please give any/all advice opinions.

Thanks,
Rob

88277

88278

88279

Bad tubes...
They will project an image, but with that pattern of burns the colors will be all over the place (imagine a bright-white scene, a'la "Ice Age," with differing shades of pinkish and bluish squares all over the screen.)

I wouldn't give $600 for that. both the green and blue tube would have to be replaced for proper color balance. If it was cheap say less that $100 I would say buy it just to see what a CRT is capable of but in that condition their are many better deals to be had.

Erik

I paid $300 for an 808s whose tubes were in marginally better condition. The blue is worn about 80% as badly but evenly, so I've got yellowish whites but at least they're pretty much even.

With a beefy HTPC, a good digital camera, and some photoshop skills you can even out pattern disparities in the tubes, but at the expense of brightness - and only the *disparities*. And, to prevent a potential disaster like I ran into when I showed up here, while you can compensate for burn by altering levels, you won't get true white because the blue tube's output will be a bit yellow even if it's the same *brightness* as the red and green tubes (see how easy that was, draganm? :D).

It's easier to find tubes for the regular 808, but if your total budget is 600 I'd keep looking. However, if you can afford to get new B/G tubes, or are willing to wait to find them, it'll be an awesome PJ. Even with the (*evenly*) badly worn blue tube, my 808s is so much better than any digital it's not even funny. A friend of mine saw it, calibrated hastily and set up badly, last night, and was nearly speechless.

Prepare to spend at least a hundred hours learning about CRTs and getting it set up. Then prepare to desperately want to spend another $5k to upgrade when you get done.