[wilbur]

I am fairly new to computers so please forgive my lack of pc knowledge so can someone tell me how i hook up my pc to my projector? My projector has a computer input (rs-232) input and my pc has a dvd rom drive power dvd software and runs a p3 866 processor what else do I need to run the two together?

Cheers Steve.

 

[s.morris]

Hi steve,


I to have a Barco 708, i have only had it around 5 weeks, but i have learned alot from this forum and also the British AV forum

Which is here


What you will need a cable to connect the VGA output of your PC which is a

15 pin high density D sub ( which is the same as the the monitor connection) to 5 BNC’s. ( R.G.B.+Hsync +Vsync)


all thought your 708 only has 1 sync which is a composite sync, the pc will output RGB + Horizontal sync + Vertical sync,

What I have done as a temporary solution is to T the Horizontal and the Vertical sync signals into the Composite sync input on the Barco which is label S, this would not be classed as permanent ,what you need is the VGA interface or similar or you could use this
VGA sync combiner


Hope this help.


Steve

 

[wilbur]

Hi Steve, Thanks for the reply do you know of any graphics cards that allow you to pass a composite sync signal?

Cheers Steve.

 

[Yvonus]

Yes, the Matrox and ATI based cards are capable of outputting directly a composite sync signal. You'll probably need Powerstrip to activate this but this will allow you a direct connection without converter/manual combination of H+V and such. For short, any Radeon will do or Matrox G550 ..


I'm doing this myself with a G400 directed to a Sony 1031QM projector.

 

[s.morris]

Thanks Yvonus,


This is good news,

I have had silly prices for interface boxes one was (£700)($1000),


I have seen this option in Powerstrip but its greyed out on my card which is a nVidia GeforceMX400,


Are you useing a VGA (15pin Dsub)to 4xBNC's cable


Thanks again for your info


Steve

 

[wilbur]

Thanks for the info Yvonus and think this helps both Steve Morris and myself I too was quoted around $700 for an interface.

Do you set this option up when you load Powerstrip? and which soundcard do you recommend to pass a coax signal?

Cheers Steve W.

 

[Yvonus]

Yes, I'm using a custom made HD15/vga->4 bnc cables, then an adptator to connect to my 1031QM projector.


See this picture .. only 4 wires are coming to the projector http://yvonus.grolamerz.com/ht/DSCF0592.JPG


Steve ; what you're seeing is what I was expecting. The composite sync option is not doable by Nvidia chips.


You have to use Powerstrip as a startup proggy and let him set your predefined resolution/settings, including the sync signal.


However, and this is a limit to this technique ; you won't have anything displayed before Powerstrip is launched as the projector won't get a suitable sync signal until then. You won't see your computer booting, nor Win starting etc..


That's probably not a problem. Use a monitor to install your machine, Powerstrip and such. Then you'll be fine working on the projector directly.

 

[s.morris]

Hi wilbur,


Check this out

http://www.dtvmax.com/radeon_guide.htm


and this is the link fom that page



http://www.dtvmax.com/powerstrip.htm


Hope it help


keep me post how you get on, I need to get a Radeon card first


Steve

 

[wilbur]

Hi Steve,

So the way I understand it if we get a Radeon card the greyed out option on powerstrip for comp sync will then be enabled?

Which dvd software are you planing to run and have you made a desicion on your sound card yet?

Thanks in advance.

Steve W.

 

[s.morris]

Hi steve,

using Power dvd xp, which seem very good at the moment,

my sound card is the Guillemot Gamesurround Fortissimo II with spdif optical out


steve

 

[wilbur]

Hi Steve,

Do you know if this card has coax option as well? Also do you know what resolution you are going to run your 708mm?

Cheers Steve.

 

[s.morris]

Hi steve,


No the sound card only as spdif optical,


At the moment I have the 2 sync connected together via a T connector which only seem to lock on to 800x600, I have it set to 72Hz for NTSC and 75 for pal,

when i get the radeon i am going to try 1024x768 or there abouts, which I would say is the limit running it at 72Hz


Steve

 

[wilbur]

Hi Steve,


Be careful running it at 72hz, another guy told me if you run 1024 x 768 that the limit is 60hz, I am not sure myself maybe the powerstrip tells you the max I am also not sure on this because I am only in the process of building my htpc.

Do you know yourself Steve.?


Cheers Steve W.

 

[s.morris]

Hi Steve,


No not sure, will post on the uk forum, don't seem to get a lot of response from the USA forum on the 708,


The spec sheet for the 708 Data states that it will do 1280 x 1024 @60Hz

So i would say that it should be ok


will keep you posted


Steve M

 

[s.morris]

Hi Steve,


Got this from the Barco forum site


##########################################


Sweet spot scan rate/frequency for CINE 7

Tom - Thursday, 3 May

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The combination of 7" CRT's and optices, together with a wide bandwidth of 75MHz, make the CINE 7 idealy suited for 1024x768 at high refresh rates (72Hz and higher, although field flicker is already almost unnoticable at 72Hz). Alternatively, the CINE 7 has suffcient bandwidth to support 1280x1024 but then limited to 60Hz refresh.


Tom Vanthuyne

Product Group Manager

Home Theater


########################################


All though its for the Cine 7, i believe that it is very simular to the 708, ie. same RGB band width (75Hz) as my data 708.


Steve

 

[wilbur]

Hi Steve,

I think you have the data 708 whereas I have the 708mm which has a max horizontal scan of 50hz and a max rgb of 45 mhz so I dont know if II could run that refresh rate or not? I know it will do 1024 x 768 but I dont know which refresh rate? Do you have any ideas?

Cheers Steve.

 

[s.morris]

Hi Steve,


got this from the barco site


#####################################


" QUOTE"



[email protected] or [email protected] on BV 708MM

Tom - Friday, 2 Mar

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finding the right frequency for your specific application depends on many parameters and some of them are beyond our control, such as viewing distance relative to the screen size, and personal preferences.


On the technical side, the higher the refresh rate, the more stable the image will look: at 60Hz, you might still observe some field flicker while at 72 Hz this should be almost invisible.


The BV708MM can certainly run [email protected], and the higher number of lines will result in a smoother image without any line structure at all. At 800x600 you still might be able to observe some line structure in the darker scenes when you're close enough to the screen.


On the other hand, there is also the RGB Bandwidth limitation: at [email protected] you principaly need a bandwidth of approximately 35MHz. At [email protected] you're more into a need of 47MHz (these are rough calculations and depend on the exact video timings of your HTPC). As the BV708MM has a bandwidth of 45MHz, you might loose some horizontal resolution in the latter case.


Conclusion: at [email protected] you will get a more stable and crisper image but when you're too close to the screen you might still observe some distracting line structure. At [email protected] you will get a smoother and softer, more film-like image but you might observe some field flicker. The best choice in our opinion, is what you personaly prefer.


Tom Vanthuyne

Product Group Manager

Home Theater


#############################


Hope it helps


Steve

 

[wilbur]

Hi again Steve,

Yes this helps heaps I will run both and see which one looks better.

Thanks again,Steve W.

 

[s.morris]

Hi Steve,


Just to let you know that I got my Radeon 32meg DDr video card today, and can confirm that there is an option in the ATI software that allows you to output a composit sync, you don't even need Powerstrip.

I have tried it and all works well it output the composit sync to the H sync cable the V sync cable is not needed.


I have set the resolution on my 708 data to 1024 x [email protected] Hz which is a wide screen resolution and will not put to much of a strain on the PJ hopefully,

Still checking it out


Bye for now


steve

 

[wilbur]

Hi Steve,


Thats exactly the same video card I ordered so let me know how it looks. I would like to stay at the 72hz refresh rate but I wonder if I could go slightly higher than 800 x 600 using powerstrip which is very flexible.

Where did you get the info about our projectors? Did you ask someone at Barco I would like to know the max I could take it on 72hz.

Cheers again, Steve W.