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Finally got my projector set up, anything else I can do?

314 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by plissken99, Sep 10, 2003

plissken99

Discussion Starter · Sep 10, 2003

Over a year ago when I saw digital pjs in Ultimate Electronics, I knew I had to have one. After a year of research, agony and unwillingness to watch big movies on my 35in TV, I finally got it! I spent 9 months going after a digital pj, without realizing just what the prices on CRTs were, and thinking they were more trouble than they are. I ended up with a Barco Graphics 808 with nearly perfect tubes, at an unbelievably cheap price that I dare not utter, as the seller (Cousin.It) lurks these boards, and I couldn't be happier.

I'm running an HTPC at 1440x720, 71.928hz, I wanted to do 1440x960, but it was driving the pj to hard, and was actually blurry when compared to my current res. In the HTPC is a Radeon 9500 with an MP-1 mod. It's projecting a 16:9 120in image. It's so clear, it's like a giant plasma TV only with perfect black levels and no screendoor. I am so glad I didn't go digital, shame I never entered this forum until I had already done months of research into digital pjs.

My theater room is acceptable, but a little cramped, as my bed and computer are in it as well. The pj is ceiling mounted above my bed(thanks powerstrut), so if it falls, it will crush my legs

. But soon some houseguests will be moving out this spring, and I can relocate the bed and computer, and have a fully dedicated room.

I was wondering if there is anything special to do to the pj? Some modification or whatever to make it even better. If there is anything I can do, best I know now.

Anyway, I'll have pictures up in the gallery pretty soon.

Thanks for the help guys, I wouldn't have gotten far without members of this board!

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1 - 7 of 7 Posts

xanatos

· #2 · Sep 10, 2003

the 808 is such a nice projector

theres really not any thing

for you to do now but

enjoy it

XANATOS

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deronmoped

· #3 · Sep 10, 2003

Plissken99

The biggest improvement you can make right now is with a dedicated black room, you can also look into screens, and if you have some extra cash around get the gray scale and colors set up.

Deron.

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dmander

· #4 · Sep 10, 2003

Great post Plissken99. I did a lot of research on pj's as well and based my decision on purchasing a CRT from the postings on this forum and after seeing a few digital pj's in action. I recently bought a Barco 1208 that needs some work, but again I have found help on this forum. I can't wait to see what I've been missing.

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plissken99

Discussion Starter · #5 · Sep 10, 2003

I did use some black material around the screen and the walls/ceiling nearby, ut not the entire room, yet. The material is great, it's the stuff you line a garden with found in Sam's Club a 200x4ft roll. The screen is another concern, I had to get a pulldown and it has waves, it's bothersome on panning shots, and the blue green won't converge properly, so the whites in the wavy part, have a blue hue to them. I'm planning to cut the material out and mount it on something, a frame maybe.

What is the "grayscale and colors set up"? I calibrated it with Video Essentials, but only the brightness and contrast, as the computer provides a defualt, which appears to be perfect using the color bars and the blue filter with Video Essentials.

I had the option to buy a 1208 at the same price I got the 808 for(which I can at least was well under 2k, but it needed alot of work, and those 1208s are just plain monsters, it's like hanging a VW Beatle from the ceiling. I met my goal by getting it before Lord of the Rings TT came to DVD, I couldn't stand the idea of watching it on anything else.

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mp20748

· #6 · Sep 10, 2003

The only other thing to consider is a HDTV source. But so far you have the best of everything else: CRT, HTPC w/MP-1

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plissken99

Discussion Starter · #7 · Sep 10, 2003

I was wondering about HDTV. We have an antenna that came with the house, I don't know how good it is. But to get HDTV off it, would I need an HDTV card of some type? Any recommendations? I plan to get DirectV in HD, eventually, but that means a new Tivo as well, and things get pricey.

Also Mike, about the Zalman heatsink on the card, it supposed to get hot? It heats up quite a bit, but the PC has no problems when running for 3 days straight, so I guess it's ok.

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