[bkwong73]

Hi All,


I need your advice. I have a NEC Xg75A projector with a Quadscan and a Stewart 4x3 screen.


I am considering getting a Faroudja NR 1280x720 (16x9) scan rate. And selling my Quadscan.


Would this 16x9 scan rate be okay projected onto a 4x3 screen?


I want to be able to watch widescreen movies as well as normal TV. If I am watching normal 4x3 TV, would it fill my entire screen? And I am assuming that widescreen movies will have black bars at the top and bottom.


Any advice would be appreciated.


Sincerely, Brian

 

[Bill Lucas]

Brian,


If it filled your 4X3 screen it would be a distorted image. The short answer is that no, it wouldn't fill the screen. The Faroudja NR scaler is a great piece. It does aspect ratio control so whatever it is fed will be output in its correct aspect ratio. Perhaps you should get the NR scaler set at 800X600. A little short of the capabilities of your projector but a better resolution for your application. Or you could get a new screen in a 16X9 format. That's what I would do.

 

[bkwong73]

Hi Bill,


Thanks for your reply.


Would you think that getting a Faroudja NR with 1024x768 would be better for my 4x3 screen?


Thanks, Brian

 

[Per Johnny]

Hello,


All NRS's can be set up for both 4:3 and 16:9 sreen shape's at the same time. You set the sreen shape in the system settings 4:3, widescreen or widescreen on a 4:3 fixed panel display. Theese parameters can be assigned to each preset.


The XG needs 720p in 16:9 at least but you can configure it to show 720p in 4:3 without distortion. But if you plan to do this the XGA version maybe would work better. But the documentation states that this is possible on both.


Per Johnny Ødegaard

 

[Steve Goff]

The 1280x720 NR will fill your screen without distorting the image. It can be set up for either a 4:3 screen or a 16:9 screen. But you will still see distinct scan lines. (I speak from experience, having an XG85.) The 1024x728 seems a better match for the resolution of these projectors. With my projector I still see individual scan lines on a 4:3 screen at 768, but not from standard viewing distance.

 

[bkwong73]

Hi Guys,


Thanks for your input.


Right now I am using a Quadscan scaler, but it is an ergonomic nightmare.


Is the Faroudja easier to use compared to the Quadscan? Have any of you compared the picture quality of the two or even with an HTPC?


Thanks, Brian

 

[Bill Lucas]

Guys,


You cannot FILL a 4X3 screen with a 16X9 image without cropping or distorting the image. It doesn't matter what tricks the scaler is capable of doing.


It is true that the NR scaler will display 4X3. It will add black bars to the sides of the image to properly display 4X3. As you all know CRT projectors must be setup as constant height or constant width. Regards.

 

[Per Johnny]

Bill,


All NRS have theese modes:


1. Screen shape 4:3, then you have to set-up your projector for 4:3. It will output 4:3 undistorted over the entire screen. It will output anamorphic video inside the 4:3 in it's correct presentation(using the 480 lines in the midle - 120 lines black on top and bottom).


2. Screen shape 16:9, then you have to set-up your projector for 16:9. It will output 4:3 centered with black bars at each side. Anamorphic video will be presented over the entire screen un-distoreted. Letterboxed(non-anamorpic) will be presented zoomed in with the black bars cut off.


Even if the NRS 1280 x 720 are labeled 16:9, it can be set up for proper operation on 4:3 screen. You tell it that you have a 4:3 screen and it will fill a 4:3 picture using all the 1280 x 720 undistorted.


Per Johnny Ødegaard

 

[gordf]

Brian, I think you should have an HTPC

 

[bkwong73]

Hi All,


I just talked to Jeff Davis with Faroudja Tech Support. And he did say that the 1280x720 or 16x9 NR scaler would be great with the Nec Xg 75 projector, on a 4x3 screen.


He told me to set up the faroudja NR to output 4x3 and to adjust the CRT to fill the 4x3 screen with 4x3 material.


And that the Faroudja NR will control the aspect ratio whether it is 16x9 anamorphic dvd's, or letterboxed or 4x3 dvd's. He said that the CRT raster's can be set up to maximize the 1280x720 without distorting the image.


I hope that he is right. Because I am planning on getting one in the next couple of weeks.


Thanks, Brian