[Zee]

Hi everyone

here's my dilemma.. I have decided on the nec LT projector running with a htpc.. will be used 100% for dvd playbacks


1. Since the NEC LT has no zoom as I understand, I would need to mount it very precisely .. the closest I can mount the projector to the screen is about 20-21 ft away.. what kind of screen size will that give me?? and is that changeable??


2. Since the projector is 4:3 native resolution ...and all I'll be running will be DVDs so am I going to lose all the resolution or is there like a widescreen or anamorphic mode ???


3. the way my wall is I want to be able to mask the sides of the screen depending on ratio of dvd rather than top or bottom .. is this possible ...for example 2.35.1 movie = 54" height x 126.90 width, and 1.85.1 movie = 54" height x 99.90



4. Since I'm watching primarily DVDs is recommended that I get a 2.35.1 or 1.85.1 or 1.78.1 screen ??


5. With this particular projector, which screen would be recommended .. since cost is a issue I would need something that is manually pull down ..since there is a door in the wall can't have a permanent fixed screen .. and electric would be out of my range .. any recommendations..


thank you sooo much in advance everybody .. I know with your help I soon will be a happy and proud owner of a HT system.


thank you again


Zee

 

[Halcyon]

A note on throw distance, a distance that far will give you over a 200 inch screen. I am projecting from about 10 feet back and have a 100" screen.

 

[Grant Smyth]

Halcyon is right! You need something with a zoom unless a 200 inch screen will work for you - won't for me. You'll need to be a long way back for viewing - a screen that large will display huge pixels. I am using a 96 inch wide screen with the projector on the floor about 14 feet from the screen.


Maybe the Seleco, Infocus LP350 or Sony will work for you. Read Alan's recent review. The HTPC is a great idea - it will improve just about any projector.


Why does the projector have to be so far back? My Marantz is ceiling mounted and behind me, while my LT150 is on the floor and in front of me.

You can run the computer cable (hook two together or purchase one long one) to the projector from just about anywhere.


I calibrated my RPTV (plunge test, contrast, colour etc.) and have now calibrated the LT150 to the RPTV (experimenting) and I am getting amazing shadow detail and overall picture (this thing doesn't wash out like my Marantz). More to come later.....


Cheers,


Grant Smyth


Remember, seeing is believing.

 

[Grant Smyth]

Forgot about your other questions concerning amamorphic mode etc. Yes, there is an amamorphic mode (and others), however, if you are using a HTPC you will need YXY (programme for aspect ratio). Why not purchase the special component cable from NEC and use a progressive scan DVD player (like the updated Denon 2800)? The picture is almost as good as with a HTPC and you retain control over contrast, brightness, colour and hue (also less expensive). Make sure you experiment with the gamma settings (try natural 1 or 2 and set the contrast higher by 40% and the brightness higher by 25% - higher is to the right) and click the "white segment" off. I will be posting some settings that I find work really well with the HTPC, in a few days.


As far as screen shape is concerned I have owned both a "widescreen" and a 4:3 screen. I like the 4:3 screen - you can watch 4:3 material and there is no problem with 16:9 material. Best of both worlds! On my setup the bars above and below (16:9 material) are black (like the curtains) so no need to mask. Believe me, if I thought masking would improve the picture I would do it!


Anyway, good luck.


Cheers,


Grant Smyth

 

[tyee]

Grant

I just purchased an LT150 and am waiting for delivery. I too liked it better than any other projector I've seen in the last two weeks. I have a question about the Dalite Hi-power screen. What is the exact model you have or would recommend? I looked on Dalite website and it looked a little confusing. From the quick look there seem to be many models that are available with the hipower material. Is this correct? Thanks.

 

[Grant Smyth]

Tyee,


The screen I have is the Da-Lite High Power with a gain of 2.8. Phone Da-Lite at 1-800-622-3737 and they will send you a sample of this and any other material you want to look at. I also have a Da-Lite Matte White (1.1 gain). Both screens are 96 inches wide, but have 2 inch borders (really 92 inches wide) and are 4:3. I bought the high power for my Marantz and it has worked really well (700 ANSI lumens). Seems to be a perfect match for the LT150, although others are getting good results with other "white" screens. Until the grey screens have higher gains I would be very cautious with them. I am getting great blacks, incredible shadow detail, outstanding colour and a very, very, punchy picture - for now I have no real interest (outside of curiosity) in a grey screen.


I know I've said this before, but you must click off the "white segment" found in the LT150s menu - gets rid of all or nearly all (except a few scenes in some transfers) of the "video" noise. I saw the difference immediately and was elated (thanks for the tip Nelson)!


I will be posting settings for HTPC, progressive scan DVD players and interlaced DVD players soon. They seem to all require different settings.

I am still really excited about this projector, (I tend to have a short attention span so there must be something going on here) the more I play with it the better it gets - huge versatility! I think a lot of people will be kicking themselves if they recently bought projectors and didn't at least demo this one. I've had e-mails from members who were going to buy much more expensive machines, but bought the LT150 instead with a HTPC and screen and still saved money over just the projector they were going to buy. They're knocked out by the picture! Hey, that's exactly my story! I was checking the market to see if there was something that was "better" than my Marantz and didn't see anything that was worth the price for such a small improvement until I stumbled on the LT150 - I became desperate to get my hands on it. Yes I tend to be excitable - makes life a little hectic, but fun!


Cheers,


Grant Smyth


Remember, seeing is believing.

 

[Grant Smyth]

Mike,


Open the menu and go down to advanced menu and click to the right (now you're in). Go down to projector options and you'll see Menu and Setup (to the right). Click right to Menu and then down to Setup and click on your right key again and this will open Page 1. Click right to move you over to page 4 (using right button) and click down to white segment and click enter to disengage it (take the check mark out). Now click down to OK and press enter. Hit your cancel button on your controller (not cancel on Page 4) to take you out.



Zee - My projector is mounted 1 inch above the floor and my screen starts 16 inches above the floor (4:3 screen). It is back 12 feet and 4 inches for a 96 inch wide screen. For 126 inches you'll probably be 15 feet back. If you're set on this projector I would try the following - get an old white sheet and cut it to the width you want to project on to and then hang it where you want your screen to be. Take the projector and place it (on a table or a custom mount - this projector is so small and light you won't need anything elaborate) at the height and distance you need. Now you can determine how you will want to permanently mount it.


Where there's a will there's a way. I hope this helps.


Cheers,


Grant Smyth


Remember, seeing is believing!

 

[Zee]

thank you everyone for your responses .. question though


Grant Smyth : if you're projector is on the floor how big and how high is your screen from the floor .. see in my case the the bottom of the screen has to be 8 feet over ground.


also if I want to project a 2.35.1 movie the size of 54" height and 126.9" width, how far does my NEC LT 150 has to be..


thanks

 

[PeterF]

bump