After a few months of research (which started at LCD - the demand for these things comes straight from their business applications, in my opinion), I finally came up with the right setup for good (great!) home theater video. The Sony G70 is currently on a makeshift mount comprising of books and other unacceptable components... but it's working until I get creative and build it right. As a result, the projector is a bit too far back, which sacrifices some brightness.
The screen is a 120" wide Stewart Videomatte, 1.5 gain w/ Velux (highly recommended... the Velux absorbs almost no light and cuts off any imperfect video edges you might have). I was initially worried about the size because of all the discussion about what's too much, and I came up with this to make a compromise for a more immersive picture. Well, no more worrying: it's plenty bright! There are still a number of distant street lights coming through multiple windows and the G70 still works wonders on the screen. Brightness and contrast are 40/50, respectively. Note this is with the projector about one foot too far back. The tubes on the Sony have under 100 hours on them so that may have something to do with it, but if they don't lose more than 15-20% of the brightness this is going to be great.
As for hotspotting, it's non-existant unless I'm too close and watching from the edge of the screen.
Now, with the screen this large and sitting a few feet inside the "optimal" viewing distance, the problem becomes calibration and everything else affecting sharpness. I've got it pretty dang close to what the Quadscan Pro (v2.5) had it looking like on this Trinitron FD monitor, and based on that I've a feeling it's going to be real tough to get it any sharper than that on the G70. Don't get me wrong - the image is rich with color and looks great as it is, but I could personally go for that last mile of sharpness. I think this has more to do with the video processor than the projector at this point, but both the processor and calibration are directly responsible.
I'll hopefully become a masterful calibration expert after it's properly mounted at the right distance and go from there... and then to the processor... might have to spring for a Rock eventually!
Back to screen size, if you can get the room dark without any direct lights coming through the room, I think you'll be ecstatic with a 120" width with 8" CRTs. Maybe this is just an initial reaction... time will tell.
Current setup (only have video right now): Sony G70Q, Stewart 120" wide Videomatte 1.5 gain w/ Velux, Quadscan Pro v2.5 processor, Better Cables component and VGA breakout, Panasonic A120 DVD player (ancient)
[This message has been edited by winchell (edited 04-12-2001).]
The screen is a 120" wide Stewart Videomatte, 1.5 gain w/ Velux (highly recommended... the Velux absorbs almost no light and cuts off any imperfect video edges you might have). I was initially worried about the size because of all the discussion about what's too much, and I came up with this to make a compromise for a more immersive picture. Well, no more worrying: it's plenty bright! There are still a number of distant street lights coming through multiple windows and the G70 still works wonders on the screen. Brightness and contrast are 40/50, respectively. Note this is with the projector about one foot too far back. The tubes on the Sony have under 100 hours on them so that may have something to do with it, but if they don't lose more than 15-20% of the brightness this is going to be great.
As for hotspotting, it's non-existant unless I'm too close and watching from the edge of the screen.
Now, with the screen this large and sitting a few feet inside the "optimal" viewing distance, the problem becomes calibration and everything else affecting sharpness. I've got it pretty dang close to what the Quadscan Pro (v2.5) had it looking like on this Trinitron FD monitor, and based on that I've a feeling it's going to be real tough to get it any sharper than that on the G70. Don't get me wrong - the image is rich with color and looks great as it is, but I could personally go for that last mile of sharpness. I think this has more to do with the video processor than the projector at this point, but both the processor and calibration are directly responsible.
I'll hopefully become a masterful calibration expert after it's properly mounted at the right distance and go from there... and then to the processor... might have to spring for a Rock eventually!
Back to screen size, if you can get the room dark without any direct lights coming through the room, I think you'll be ecstatic with a 120" width with 8" CRTs. Maybe this is just an initial reaction... time will tell.
Current setup (only have video right now): Sony G70Q, Stewart 120" wide Videomatte 1.5 gain w/ Velux, Quadscan Pro v2.5 processor, Better Cables component and VGA breakout, Panasonic A120 DVD player (ancient)
[This message has been edited by winchell (edited 04-12-2001).]
