It's been years since last I posted. My Marquee 8000 has served me well over the years. The last year or so I have noticed a rare HV arc that would cause the image to collapse and recover. Other than that she has been a champ.

Tonight the red tube has dimmed causing the image to look greenish blue. I assume it is the tube but have not confirmed. I know both video sources, DVD via Lumagen and Cable Box HD via Lumagen passthru have the issue, but my 42" plasma still looks good from the same sources.

I suspect the notorious filament power supply drift took out the red tube.

If this is the case, is it time to go digital? It's atleast 5 years since I followed digitals. Back then you needed to spend $10K+ to rival CRT. I assume the gap has narrowed and the prices have dropped. Plus there is the brightness / sharpness advantages digital has over CRT. I watch 50% sport 50% movies so film like vs. sharpness is a bit of a wash for me. I have poor light control so brightness is a plus.

Or... Do I go thru the pain of replacing the tube, adjusting the LV supply and hope for the best on the HV supply (knowing I have a 50/50 shot at needing to replace it soon)

What would you do? If you were to go to digital what projector would you go with for roughly the same money it would take to replace the tube and HV supply?

Does VDC still rebuild 8000 tubes for about $500? What’s the going rate for a used HV supply and/or is anyone rebuilding them yet?


Thanks in advance


Jay

Considering the cost. You can fix your projector for about the cost of two digital projector lamps, so fixing it is likely the wisest decision money wise.
DO NOT buy a "rebuilt" tube, they are garbage, a waste of money. You can buy a real, Panasonic tube from ebay, especially a red, or from Hammerhead Tech or just keeping an eye out on the "for sale" forums...
Heck, you can pull a good red out of almost ANY Marquee chassis, its always the last to be burned.
Personally, I'd fix it if I were you. Modding the LVPS is easy, and simply checking it and setting it properly is even easier.

Or... Do I go thru the pain of replacing the tube, adjusting the LV supply and hope for the best on the HV supply (knowing I have a 50/50 shot at needing to replace it soon)
What would you do? If you were to go to digital what projector would you go with for roughly the same money it would take to replace the tube and HV supply?JayI wouldn't repair the 8000, I would take the B + G tubes out of it and put them in a nice 8500. There is no digital out there that I would even consider for the cost of upgrading your 8000 to a nice 8500. Check your PM box.

Draganm, I sent you a PM.

Anyway it is an 8500, I had 8000 stuck in my head for some reason.

So it seems not much has changed in the age old CRT vs. Digital debate. Looks like for the money CRT still rules.

I am an old school kind of guy so I ordered a supposedly new-in-box panny 180DMB22 red tube off of e-bay.

Now I just need to dig up all the docs and FAQs I will need to do the swap, it's been 4 years since I last did it and I have only done it twice before. I probably need to do the LV P14 mod as well as it was at 4.5 volts and must of been the cause.

Jay

Was the voltage measured at the tube (neck board) or at the P14 connector (ie is the voltage the same on each tube?)

If you measured at the P14 connector, so that each tube is getting the same voltage, what happens to the old red tube when you wind the voltage up to the 6.25V-or-so that it's supposed to be?

So it seems not much has changed in the age old CRT vs. Digital debate.
Jay

Well, digital has truly gotten better, but it's still un-natural looking. Not sure why the color range seems to still be so limited, and why the backgrounds still look so artificial.

I rarely recommend CRT. I still think it's for the perfectionist who's not so concerned about "Plug and Play".

So it seems not much has changed in the age old CRT vs. Digital debate. Looks like for the money CRT still rules.

I am an old school kind of guy so I ordered a supposedly new-in-box panny 180DMB22 red tube off of e-bay.

Now I just need to dig up all the docs and FAQs I will need to do the swap, it's been 4 years since I last did it and I have only done it twice before. I probably need to do the LV P14 mod as well as it was at 4.5 volts and must of been the cause.

Jay

Ahh so your the one who bought that tube. they have them come up about once every month, the blue is still for sale.

Athanasios

Was the voltage measured at the tube (neck board) or at the P14 connector (ie is the voltage the same on each tube?)

If you measured at the P14 connector, so that each tube is getting the same voltage, what happens to the old red tube when you wind the voltage up to the 6.25V-or-so that it's supposed to be?

I haven't actually tried that yet, I left it powered off once I got thru swapping neck boards and such.

The red gun was always a bit week, I was pushing the g2 pretty high on that tube. I could easily be wrong, but isn't P14 only meaningful when the projector is powered off?

Well, digital has truly gotten better, but it's still un-natural looking. Not sure why the color range seems to still be so limited, and why the backgrounds still look so artificial.

I rarely recommend CRT. I still think it's for the perfectionist who's not so concerned about "Plug and Play".

Having run CRT's for the last 12-13 years, I suspect I fit into that category. If I went for a digital I would probably never get over that "un-natural" look. If I never had the 8500, I wouldn't know the difference.

Jay

The red gun was always a bit week, I was pushing the g2 pretty high on that tube. I could easily be wrong, but isn't P14 only meaningful when the projector is powered off? if you push "standby" on the remote (which is actually vide-mute) the PJ and filaments remain fully powered up. Anyway, measuring 6.5V or 4.5v at any given time might not be accurate if you have the Gray trim-pot stamped MEXICO on top. That pot can drift up an down depending on temperature and other factors.

Ill bet that if you looked at the JVC RS-1 youd be happy. I cant see fixign ANY CRT machae at this time any more.




I know, Im crazy right? I dotn know what Im talking about. Ive heard it all before.

Vic,

We all know you're nuts. I'm not saying anything about your HT choices but you do own a Boat in the middle of the desert :rolleyes::D

Ill bet that if you looked at the JVC RS-1 youd be happy. I cant see fixign ANY CRT machae at this time any more.




I know, Im crazy right? I dotn know what Im talking about. Ive heard it all before.

But the thing is Vic that a CRT pj CAN be fixed. As many times as necessary and as long as the parts supply holds out. Digital pj manufacturers don't WANT you to be able to fix them. Where's the profit in that?
Your own quote contains that message so even you know it...and I don't mean that to be confrontational.

We CRT hobbyists, if I may speak for them, enjoy the tweeking and upgrading. Truth is, I haven't touched a thing on my 8500 in about a year whereas a digital with the same usage I've put on my 8500 would have required a new bulb in that time frame.

I foresee digital nano technology in large format panels or paintable displays (for example) as the end game in the bulb vs CRT competition. The panel will roll up for storage like wallpaper or the wall painted with a liquid self contained device to produce a permanent display.

Heck, I've had a digital and will probably get another one some day if they get it right but only if the technologies I mentioned above never reach an affordable price point. Whichever way it all goes, the CRT image will be, for me, the standard by which I gauge everything.

I personally don't think bulb projectors will be mainstream or enjoy anywhere close to the history and run that CRT has. Emerging technologies are already nudging them out of the way. One thing is for certain, bulb projection won't enjoy anywhere near the run that the CRT has but all too soon even the CRT will go the way of the Edsel.

My $.02 worth

Greg

Ill bet that if you looked at the JVC RS-1 youd be happy. I cant see fixign ANY CRT machae at this time any more.i'm sure he would love the RS1 too until it was time to pay for one at $4500. + He can fix the marquee himself for a few hundred bucks and use the other $4200. to take the whole family on a vacation next summer.;)

I will never own a bulb projector ever again. I dont care how good the image becomes.

I will stick with my 8500 and they can bury me with it.

My 4 year old Infocus X1 just bit the dust, I sold it on e-bay the other day as is.

I am a tinkerer at heart and that helps.

But sitting in the theater and watching an HD image on that projector makes me smile. :)