Question: for say around $1000 - $1500: an ecp4100 (or something at that price level) + spending $$ to have a pro calibrate or a used digital with low hours for about the same amount? I recently had my ecp4100 calibrated and it looks fantastic (currently using a Klossnova beam 78’ curved torus type screen + ps3) but I’m just curious …for the same amount of $$ would I have been better off going the digital route? Also, space is an issue so that’s one of the reasons why I would even consider a digital in the future. Any thoughts? Just here at work, working hard, thinking about home theaters and CRT’s!! Also, would stepping up to a 8' 9' crt on the same size screen make a significant difference?

thanks, jose

That price range should put you into much better than an EPC...

Honestly I would have recommended you used that money to buy a better crt, not trying to be mean but that ecp4100 is on the low end. For that kind of cash I have seen 8'' LC machines for that range. Maybe not all the time but they are getting really dirt cheap now. However, if you are happy with your current projector by all means just keep it and be satisfied. Save your money to when digitals really dig down and put out some pretty interesting products within the next few years. Until then just enjoy your ht and have fun.

Edit: ^^^ ditto

Think about an entry-mid PJ like an NEC PG and use the torus screen from the novabeam!

I sold a ECP a couple of years ago to someone to replace Kloss. We reused the 78" curved silver screen and it was fantastic. You could watch it in a lit room. I want one of those screens.

Chip

We reused the 78" curved silver screen and it was fantastic. You could watch it in a lit room. I want one of those screens.

ChipI've got one in my garage if someone wants it. Local pickup only, though. I can bring it to the Blendzilla II meet in a couple of weeks.

with enough beer its all good... :)

ya, i'm with everybody else, look for at least an 8" lc take your time and find a good one.

thanks for the responses/advise!!

Nate...i actually didnt spend that much. more in the $7-800 range for the ecp plus having someone come out and do a pro calibration + a hdmi to dvi box to get HD off the PS3. seems from what i've heard the digitals are getting better and better and a good proj. can be found in the $1-2k price range. thats why i was just curious. im crazy about the picture i have now off that novabeam screen and cant even imagine it looking that much better with an 8' crt but i guess it's definitely worth looking into.

clarence im tempted to take you up on your offer ...i have another ecp and its calibrated for that screen as well...but im already complaining about space but i guess that's what this CRT drug does to you! ...now im sitting here thinking where i could put another system...:)

Well if that is the case I highly recommend looking into an 8'' LC model instead of the current digitals. Yes they are getting good but currently I don't think anything can compete with an 8'' LC, bang per buck wise. I would be happy with say an RS1 but your looking at 4k plus and I could buy almost 4 of my XG LC machines for that!!! Anything less and I belive you are going to give up too much, I seriously looked at getting a digital over the past couple of months but there are simply too many things I love about my current pj. I do get annoyed buy its difficulty to setup and stuff and one day do look forward to getting a great digital its just not today. Hopefully when I go digital I can up my current 8'' wide screen to say 10+ that would be sweet.

It's getting to be tough choice when because of all of the variables. Both have their advantages. I got a Sharp DT-500 for only $762 on Ebay. It sells for about $1399 (maybe less now) usually and it's flexible. It's short throw and very bright. It can be higher contrast or higher brightness at the touch of a button.

I have an ECP 4500+ unit which I love to death (as well a 6PG), but the Sharp has its advantages over a unit like that and even over other better units. The sharpness and detail over an ECP is the biggest advantage; it'll be closer with an EM focus unit. It's way brighter, which is nice, especially for bigger screens and/or ambient light viewing. The dark detail is better than my ECP with gamma curve correction and there is no needing an HTPC with custom gamma curves or an expensive gamma circuit. It's bright and good for ambient light viewing, which is nice for gaming or tv watching when you have company over that doesn't wanna sit in the dark. I use this as my tv; 9'2" diagonal......I can't really do that with my CRT....it just isn't bright enough...love it to death in the darkness though or even with a shaded light.

I love CRT and would like to have another better CRT setup, but this Sharp is so damn good I rarely find myself missing CRT like I did whenever I would use my old Infocus 4805. There are certain scenes where I miss the CRT, but it seems to be about 10% of the scenes. I'm looking forward to moving upto over 10' wide. :D The Sharp honestly puts out an HD-DVD image that looks about on par with a good DLP cinema a lot of the time and in some ways better (better blacks and on/off contrast, for one). I can't complain.

Heres are two shots with a DVD on my silver torus with the light on...this also in high contrast and low lamp mode at minimum zoom (the least bright for all 3):

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/1319/d41nw6.jpg

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/7546/d101tx6.jpg


NOTE to DIE hard CRTers: I'm not saying this unit is better than a good 8" EM focus CRT, but it can be had cheaper and does have a lot of nice advantages. In some cases those advantages can be greatly appreciated.

I'm confused... why do you have christmas lights around your screen?

I'm confused... why do you have christmas lights around your screen?
To distract you from the horrible screen door effect. :p

I'm confused... why do you have christmas lights around your screen?

I haven't used them in awhile, but they were for improving black level and contrast. They keep your eyes irises from opening too much during dark scenes. It's like going from about 3,000:1 to past 20,000:1 contrast. Also, believe it or not (there is someone here who backed me up on this), but back lighting does give an oddly pleasing look to the image and it adds depth. Also, the brain adapts and once you start getting into a movie they lights are almost not even there anymore. They do there job of contrast enhancing/black level enhancing very well. I haven't felt like turning them on for awhile though, because the DT-500's blacks are great a large majority of the time.

BTW, is there really anyone who thinks a 720p DLP has "horrible" SDE? If so, you guys must sit extremely close or never follow action with your eyes. I sit 1.85X the distance and can't detect a hint of SDE. I could watch it at 1x the width with no problem. I'm just not that susceptible to SDE. Anything from 1.5x or further is perfect for 720p.

SDE is not like DLP rainbows (which people do seem to have different sensitivities to). Screen door effect is simply a matter of projector (width of black lines between pixels), focus (if it's out of focus, you can't see SDE as well of course), and visual acuity (if your vision is bad, you can't see SDE as well either).

Put me in the crowd that finds every 720p one-chip DLP projector I've seen to have objectionable SDE inside of 1.25x screen width.

PS: If you really wanted to close people's iris, try using a green or blue-green light, not a red light.

SDE is not like DLP rainbows (which people do seem to have different sensitivities to). Screen door effect is simply a matter of projector (width of black lines between pixels), focus (if it's out of focus, you can't see SDE as well of course), and visual acuity (if your vision is bad, you can't see SDE as well either).

Put me in the crowd that finds every 720p one-chip DLP projector I've seen to have objectionable SDE inside of 1.25x screen width.

PS: If you really wanted to close people's iris, try using a green or blue-green light, not a red light.

Well, you have to also take into account whether or not someone can easily focus on a stationary grid while moving images are on the screen. I had trouble seeing SDE with my 4805 because of this and I could see it perfectly on a white image or on a more still image.

The good thing is that if you sit really close like 1.25x the width or less a slight defocus will diminish SDE.

PS: I now already know about the green or blue-green light after doing some Microsoft Paint contrast comparisons. I realize they would be more effecitve than red, but red it pretty darn effective. I tried white/clear, but it was WAY too bright in my room with white walls. It lit up the whole room though and caused a little black washout....maybe that was the reason for the crushed dynamic range or whatever the effect was. I didn't dig it. So, green might be a great option as long as it's not much brighter than my red rope light to where it makes the room bright.