[Larek]

This thread is to show my experiences with updating an 8 year old 35mm Dolby Digital theater to also show DVD moves.


The original thought for a low end digital projector was to replace a slide projector for advertisements. We ended up using it however for DVD when a 35mm print was too old and crappy or unavailable (silly independent films).


Then last spring we had a theft and lost 16K of equipment. Now I replacing and upgrading it.



Our screen is 30'x13' in 2.35 format. We have had our Dolby CP500 recertified in August. Now all that left is DVD stuff.

 

[Larek]

Our old system consisted of a Toshiba DVD player with Component Video to a Toshiba cp-X1200 Projector With a custom Avatar Lens. The DVD player sent optical audio to a Pioneer Elite VSX-74TXVi, who preamp out 5.1 was sent to a 6 channel add-on cad in our CP500.


The Pioneer Elite VSX-74TXVi was very new and replaced a Tectonics old receiver, that only powered speakers in the projection booth (audio monitor) and a second floor balcony private viewing room

 

[Larek]

We had several problems with the old system (hey It's the old system, but I was barely a year old when it got yanked.)


Problem 1. Focal Length


The Custom lens, while better than the Factory Lens, Couldn't Project an image larger than 10' high in 3:4 format.


The problem is that our thorough distance is 72 feet for a 30 foot screen.


Problem 2. Wide screen Prints are even smaller projected on this huge widescreen screen.


Problem 3. The Hitachi projector has this Doughnut selector button thing for selecting inputs. It not a good design and had a tendency to change inputs during a Movie.


Problem 4. The PreDVD setup had the CP500 feeding 35mm audio to the Pioneer. The new DVD setup had the Pioneer sending audio to the CP500. Neither unit had any feedback protection. And loop mistakes at 9K Watts is loud.


Problem 5. The Private viewing room and the Booth audio came from the same reciver, so non tech personel would enter the booth and mess with the audio rack.

 

[Larek]

New Stuff


Instead of re-buying a Large VSX-74TXVi we chose two cheaper units the VSX-80TXV. One for DVD's and booth and the other for the Private viewing room. This would keep out the volume adjusters, and provide a back up unit in case something happened to the main unit.


To prevent feedback loops we are going to try feeding the CP500 (preAMP) outs directly to the Primary Pioneer. The Primary Pioneer's Preamp outs will then feed the main theater amps. The VSX-80TXV carries the Dolby digital logo and DTS. We also ran this by the Techs recertifing the CP500 and they though it shouldn't be a problem.


The MCAA settings that will make a DVD sound great in the Theater, aren't used with the Multi-Channel input so the CP500's channel settings pass through unchanged (or so Pioneer says)


(We haven't tired it though, that's this weekend).




The other disappointment with the VSX-74TXVi was that the Toslink (optical) out which we wanted to down stream a second receiver, only send digitalis sources. i.e it doesn't have a A/D converter only a D/A Converter. So to down stream 35mm sound would require a long analog run.


Apparently this is a common occurrence with all brands we checked.


We also had problems playing music with 5.1 Channel Creative PC cards that have digital (spdif or toslink) outs. They are all stereo only on the Digital side, analog is required for all those channels on every Live,value, and audigy card.



Creative however has new fix for this. The DS-610, a 6 channel Analog to 5.1 DTS digital converter (both spdif and toslink), and its only $100



As all of the inputs go out analog ports (digital get converted to Analog, Analog Stays Analog) in the Primary Pioneer, the PreAmp outs will be sent to a DTS-610 as well to convert it to Digital and sent to the Second Pioneer.


(We haven't tired it though, that's this weekend as well).

 

[Larek]

New (Video)


We Did a major upgrade on the projector, and got a Panasonic PT-DW5000U projector and a (external) Floating avatar lens (120mm HUGE).


Its a Dual bulb, 5000 Lumen projector and it looks great on the big screen. But is Big, heavy and the non-attached lens needs to be some how mounted on the projector to keep it from moving around.


This projector is Naively 16:9, which is a lot closer to 1:2.35 than 3:4. The throw is much better too. The Increables on DVD 1:2.35 almost fills the screen when over projected (so we are window boxing a letter box print).


There are problems to work out with the screen ratios, but the audio comes first.


I'll keep this thread up to date. Post comments and suggestions please

 

[CAVX]

A big call - trying to acheive a D-Cinema with Home Theatre equipment.


Good luck there...


Mark