Optoma H31 review & screenshots - Page 150

Have you tried SD with your XA1? I am debating getting a used A1 for my bedroom if I can find one cheap, but I figure it will have the color space/crushed blacks etc HDMI/DVI issues that have been reported ad nauseam. Could you test out a couple SD DVDs and let me know how they look? I guess I could take my A1 from my theater room and try it out for myself, but since my A1 is basically perfect, I'm paranoid to even look at it wrong, let alone move it.

That was a SD-DVD. The HD-DVD's look better than that. That's why I'm content, at the moment, with this 480p projector. This is over component cables too because I am having the DVI issues. So I loose the ability to upconvert my SD-DVD's, but do I need that on a 480p projector? I say no. The SD-DVD's look great and the HD-DVD's do too. Well except for the ones with bad transfers. You know the saying "trash in, trash out"

Ya, I love the way this projector performs with 1080i content from cable. I guess the only think keeping me from switching out my Oppo 971 for a used A1 is that I do have the occasional PAL disk. But I assume with the A1 that there is no overscan in conjunction with this projector? It would be nice to live without that. Hmm...

Looking good, Tex. Almost makes me want to go and fire up my H31 again. Shoot, I have yet to even see BD on mine. I found out component out from my HD-A1 looked pretty good, so...

hey everyone-

i've been a happy owner of the H31 since december of 2005 and have had zero problems with it till now. for some reason, it can't seem to find the component input. until now, i've only had a dvd player hooked up directly but i finally got my hands on a Wii today and switched things around and ran the dvd player and wii thru my HK avr 235 and then to the PJ. anyhow, the problem started before i shuffled things around but tonight i decided to try a process of elmination. i thought maybe the cable failed, but i hooked up the dvd player with another cable and still the same issue. is there some form or reset i can get to in the menu, sort of along the lines of the bulb hour reset? i'm at my wits end and any ideas would be greatly appreciated. thanks

Hey Guys, I can't seem to find the DVI optimal settings posted earlier in this thread for the H31. Can anyone help me out? I'll be using an A1 with this guy if that makes a difference.

Mark,
I'd definately get it working without the receiver first. Try disabling the auto-scan for inputs and select component specifically. Make sure your red, green, and blue connectors are plugged in the correct order. Also, though I don't own a wii, many source devices require that you "enable" the component output in their settings. For my DVD player and cable box, neither sent video to the component outputs until I changed it from composite to component in their settings menus. Good luck.

I know this is a very simple question for most, if not all of you but not for me yet.
I have only used my H31 for movies/games thru component input so far, but have recently got access to cable. is there a way to get cable tv to the projector when i only have the coax line that goes thru a vhs, or do i have to get a cable box that has hdmi (this would cost me about $200 from shaw)
thanks,

dosdemoaner

Get a cable box for the tuner cababilities in edition to the HD channels, your cable provider shoud be able to rent you one of these for a few dollars. My cable box has component out, so I use that into my recieve which does the switching between cable, DVD, and PS2...

If you do get a cable box with HDMI then you will need to run a HDMI cable to your proj with a HDMI>>DVI converter...our h31s do not have HDMI, just DVI.

The projector is like a computer or a TV-studio monitor, it has no TV tuner.

I've been using a Motorola DVR (digital video recorder) rented from a cable company
with a HDMI to DVI connection (via a switcher from monoprice.com).
With a good "HDTV" source, the picture quality is great.
With a bad one, you get "garbage in - garbage out."
The DVR has two cable-TV tuners and two cable-HDTV tuners.
You may record two programs at the same time plus play back another one.

I think, cable TV is expensive, but the cost of renting the DVR plus the required TV guide are well worth it.

Mike

Is anybody here using PS3 with the H31?

Awhile back somebody posted a question about his HDMI to DVI connection
not working with PS3 and H31, but nobody responded (I think).

Please, anybody, anybody?

Mike

Mike,
I made that original post and I never got an answer if anyone was able to use a PS3 with the HDMI to DVI convertor. I tried everything I could think of to get it to work but gave up because I had a new HC1500 on the way (currently working great with the PS3).

I would still love to know how to get this working though...

The H31 is a great projector and has worked with everything else that I have thrown at it.

Hello Everyone,

I have a strange issue. I have had my H31 for a couple of years and the lamp had about 2500 hours on it, so I thought I would replace it. I ordered a new one and installed it, but now the projector won't turn on at all. I don't see the green light flashing or anything. I even reinstalled the old bulb and nothing happens with it either, the unit doesn't seem to power up.

Any ideas?

I don't have any answer unfortunately, but am I selling one if you're interested! It's even without bulb!

This may be simplistic, but are you sure the power button on the unit is in the on position?

maybe late to the party, but there is no 'on' position button on the H31, it just toggles on or off each time you press the button/hold it down. Being the poster had his H31 for a few years we can assume he knows how the turn it on.

That being said, he should unplug the AC from the unit for a few minutes....30 minutes if you can. That will usually reset the unit, then try again.

Good luck.

I'm looking for a projection distance calculator for rear projection setup of my H31. All I can seem to find is a calculator for front setup.
Is it the same?
Can anyone help?

Thanks

I don't see why it would be different than front...as far as distance/size and offset is concerned. The only difference is reversing the image in the display menu so that things aren't backwards.

Thanks fleaman,
I am doing a backyard theater for the kids, and will be projecting up against a screen (yet to be determined/built) against the shed. If I use front, the PJ has to be in the middle of the seating area, and I'm afraid the kids and cords won't mix. If I do rear, I can open the two doors of the shed, put the PJ all the way back, and I will have less cords, better light control, and hopefully a better experience all around!

Thanks!!

Well, on a front set up you can have all the kids behind the PJ, which isn't a bad idea since the H31 is only a 480p PJ anyway, so you don't want to sit too close to the screen. For the cords/cables, put a rug over them. Then you should sit by the PJ to 'guard' it and have someone else to take turns guarding when you have to do other things.

Yet your idea will work too, and be more 'elegant' set-up wise.

You might have gotten an answer to your question already. I any case my setup did have both the H31 PS3 and the onkyo 805. PS3==>805 via HDMI from 805====>H31 via this cable http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2 from monoprice.

It work flawlessly. hope this help

I also have a PS3 and it works fine with the H31 over hdmi.

Ditto. I as well JUST hooked my PS3 up to the H31 via HDMI to DVI. The difference in picture was absolutely incredible. I figured it would be a slight improvement, but boy was I wrong!

Before I had it hooked up to plain old composite. Even at the best focus, text looked a bit blurry. Not with HDMI, however! Sharp as a tack!

Well, after several years of great service, I upgraded from the H31 to the Mitsu HC4900. The Mitsu crapped out on me after 6 weeks, so I had to send it in for service. Luckily I still had my trusty ol' H31 to get me through... or so I thought.

Got the H31 mounted back up and turned it on. Within five minutes it had shut itself down, and was completely dead. No flashing orange light (as if the bulb had overheated), no nothing. I can unplug it for a while and get it to reset, but when I turn it on it always does the same thing. I even swapped out the old bulb for the new(er) bulb, same thing.

Anyone have any ideas about this? While I probably don't want to invest much money in getting it fixed, I was planning on keeping it for emergency use or maybe even outdoor or garage use. Hope I can get it back in working order...

I am having problems using the dvi input for my h31. I have been using component and just bought a 35 foot hdmi cable. I am having problems making it work though. I have gone in and switched the settings on the ps3 to hdmi but the h31 does not find any signal. Any help would be great.

Thanks,

Tim

Here's a shot in the dark, but do you have your source lock enabled? Set it to auto on the PJ.
If that's not it, what kind of HDMI to DVI adapter are you using?

I do have the lock source enabled. I am also using a monster ultra hdmi to dvi converter. I have read many post and know that it works, but i am just not getting the picture.

thanks