[MichaelHL]

Hello everyone, I am new here but have read this forum alot with some great information. I am redoing my HT and am putting a LT150 for movies. I need some help setting it up and what do I need. Here is the info set up:


LT150 on a back wall of room on a shelf.


Dalite 100" diagnal 16x9 screen 14 feet away(approx)


Progressive DVD Play, Either Sony 9000ES or Panny RP91


7.1 Receiver


DVDO IScan


Direct TV HDTV


My question now is how to set it up. I have to have the LT150 portable to use with a laptop later on for business. I know there are settings to save when used for Home theater.


Would it be best to run the signal from the DVD player through the IScan and then the LT150 for best pic or direct from DVD to LT150? I know I need a Composite to VGA converter correct? Also, I can run the DSS through the ISCAN and then the LT150 through S-video correct for best picture? Any other tricks to getting this done right? I appreciate the help and all the other post have been great.


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Michael

 

[RobertWood]

This post was about to leave the front page. Someone help give Michael the advice he needs. I would try but I'm just a newbie who has a lot of posts and I've run my mouth too much today already.


Bob


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~ The Sultan of Cheap ~


[This message has been edited by RobertWood (edited 08-14-2001).]

 

[mwan]

I'm with Robert also a newbie with FP but a couple of things jump out at me... If put the LT150 on a shelf how high is it... this will have an affect on where you put you screen... also the inputs are on the back of the projector... so again it may present a problem putting on a shelf.


Since both of the dvd players you are looking at are prog-scan I would go directly to the projector unless you are going to use the Iscan for switching...


sorry but I am a newbie also hope this helps...


Miles



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My System Config

 

[Art Lloyd]

Michael,


This seems a little silly to me. Bob Wood is much more knowledgeable than I am but seems to be suffering a modesty attack.

Your projector will have a problem with the dimensions you describe. I believe it will throw a picture with a width of .76 the distance to the screen. Check me on this but I think that is ballpark. You will also have a problem with the altitude of the shelf. The NEC site and the manual has figures for the measurement down from the screen for an uright mounting, as on a shelf.


You will not get a good picture with any "S" connection as "S" transmits an interlaced signal which is inferior to the progressive signal you will get from your dvd player or from you ISCAN. I read elsewhere in this forum that your projector deals with component signals better than VGA. Do some experimentation. I don't know about ISCAN and HD passthrough. Art



[This message has been edited by Art Lloyd (edited 08-14-2001).]

 

[MichaelHL]

Thanks for the help so far. The screen is actually going to be pretty high as I have a 12 ft ceiling and it is going to hang from there. The projector and shelf will be made accordingly for it. I talked to the people at Projectorpeople.com and they said to shoot on a 100" diagnal, the projector should be about 14 feet away. Not sure if this is correct as I do not have the projector yet. THey said I should experiment first to see what screen size I need. Does anyone know what size I will be at roughly from 14 ft away?


We are going to run cables from from the DVD player throught the ceiling and down the wall to where the shelf is going to be. Cables will be set up there to plug the projector in. That is the only way I can think of for it to work.


How should I plug in my DSS then to the projector? I plan to run it through a ISCAN and better the image. I believe the LT150 has two composite inputs? I can run one for DSS and HDTV and another for DVD. Any thoughts or help would be appreciated. I know there are quite a few tricks out there to get the best possible pic as I was reading before with removing of pins in the VGA cable to get adjustments. Thanks




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Michael

 

[Art Lloyd]

Michal,


Maybe we are talking about different projectors. I bought a Nec Lt150 and it has one composite input, one that I would never use. Your line doubled DVD must go in the VGA/Component input. Same with your HD. No composite input that I am aware of will deal with either signal.

Removing pins on the VGA cable is about turning it into a component cable. Apparently the NEC gedts confused if it gets anything on pins 13 & 14. Art


[This message has been edited by Art Lloyd (edited 08-14-2001).]

 

[Art Lloyd]

M,

Something bothers me about Projector people telling you that "about" 14 fit will do it. This thing has no margin for error in this area. It is not like my g15 which has the ability to adjust image size so that "about" works. Something has to give, either the image size or the distance to the projector. Art

 

[ckolchak]

Michael,

i'm just a newbie here too (only had mine for less than two weeks), but it sounds like you may have a problem putting it on the shelf.

also-sounds like you may want a switcher because for the best (or at least better) picture you will want to use the vga or rgb input of the projector. you'll definately want to hook the dvd player straight up (don't go thru the iscan)

but i believe the iscan also has a rgb/vga connection.

you should get a better pic using it for your DSS, but i don't think it will improve your dvd signal any.

also something to keep in mind- if you will be watching a lot of letterboxed movies, you'll probably want to position the projector to hit the screen so that all or most of the letterbox bars fall outside the screen area. try to border your screen with black velvet ( my preference) or black felt also works good.

its best to wait until you actually get the projector and see how it throws from where you want it or can set it up before you order your screen.

i'm really happy with mine and don't think you can go wrong with it. maybe tricky finding the proper place to set it, but at 3.3 lbs, and since it sounds like you'll be using yours for work also, it's not a hard pj to disconnect and hook back up again.

also the LT150 zen-master here, Grant, said he wasn't particularly fond of the rp-91 mated to this pj, so you may want to go with the pioneer.


somebody else should be able to correct me, or offer you more detailed advice.

i'm still try to track down the right cables to use also,

i'll post when i find a good deal on them.


good luck!

 

[Lebuck22]

I'm a newbie as well,

This is my setup.


My screen is 55x77 = 96inch dia the projector is 133 inches away from the screen and about level with the bottom sitting on a table that is 25inches tall. The projector is angled down just a bit.

I would guess that 14 feet would be to far away for a 100 inch screen.


Lee.

 

[terryb45]

A simple solution to connecting the component outputs of a dvd to the LT150 would be to get a "5 BNC Monitor" cable from Best Buy. It is in their computer cables section. Then all you would need are three "bnc female to rca" adapters from Radio Shack or a local electronics parts store. The cable is 6 feet long and costs $50. The three adapters will run about $3-$5 each.

 

[MichaelHL]

Thanks for all the input and help guys. Sorry, I was wrong about the connections before. I know that I will need a adapter to use the components. Here is what I am looking at so far:


Progressive Scan DVD direct into LT150 with Component cable adapters. Scaling from the LT150. Only reason I was saying through the IScan before was to use the RGB or VGA from it with the mod to the pins. Which is best?


DSS and VCR ran through the IScan or Quadscan(trying to decide) and into the LT150 with either S-video or RGB. Can I run this through my AV receiver to use as a switcher? Again, what would work the best?


Thanks for all the help so far.


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

Michael


[This message has been edited by MichaelHL (edited 08-15-2001).]

 

[Don Black]

Your switching problem won't go away. Both your progressive DVD player and your iScan will require the use of the VGA in on your LT150. You can't output either via S-VIDEO as it defeats the purpose (S-VIDEO is an analog signal).


So, you will need an RGB switcher than can pass through progressive signals. If you find such a product at a reasonable price, please let me know. I'm still looking...

 

[drewman]

According to the LT-150 manual (available as a PDF on their website) at 13.1 feet back the picture will be 120". This not adjustable at all because of the lack of zoom on this model. The LT-150z should be out soon and has a zoom feature if this size is too big for you.


I mounted my LT-150 on a wall in the back of my loft using an upside down 13" television wall bracket I bought from IKEA for $25 (Observator is its name). I drilled some holes and bought some thumbscrews for ease of removal. The bracket came with a saftey strap that I used as well. It works really well and the silver version of the bracket makes for a nice look with the grey LT-150. It did have to drill another hole in the mount to allow the tilt control screw to function properly.


BTW, an RGB and a component signal are both analog still. An iScan outputs a RGB signal and a DVD Progressive outputs a component signal. Both will require the use of the HD-15 port on the back which looks like the monitor connector on a computer.


For switching, you could use something as simple as a HD-15 switcher meant for using two computers with one monitor.


Most scalers that have an RGB passthrough won't pass through the component signal properly because the voltage levels are different (1 volt vs .7 volt).


As a new LT-150 owner myself, I hope this helps someone out there. I watched Entrapment last night. The DVD transfer was just so-so, but the picture this thing puts out works so well that the local movie house just won't be getting any money from me anymore.


drewman

 

[Art Lloyd]



Nice post, Drewman.Great idea about the wall bracket. Paying over $200 for a bracket for a 3 pound projector sounds a little silly. Finally getting somewhere for Michael. Now another item:Check carefully with your ISCAN and a progressive player to see which really offers you the better picture. On theory it should be the player but this is not always the case. Try bringing up diferent threads on VGA switching machines. There are some cheap ones that are automatic. Kramer makes one. I don't know about the ISCAN models and possible use as switchers or pass through for high def. I think it is possible, with the right wires, to do the "pin job" on the cable going from DVD player to the switch so that you are not only switching between two sources but also between VGA and component output. The projector will auto select for the kind of input you provide it. This only makes sense if you must use VGA from your doubler. Have fun.

 

[Kirk]

Michael-


"VGA" refers to the connector type (either at the end of the cable or at the projector). "RGB" and "component" refer to the signal being output by devices and accepted by the projector. The LT150 has a VGA-type input which can accept either an RGB or component signal. Similarly, the iScan has a VGA-type output connector and can send either an RGB or component signal. (There's a switch on the back of the iScan that selects the type of output signal).


Since the iScan is a deinterlacer, you won't want to run your progressive scan DVD player through it because your player is already outputing a progressive signal to the projector. (I run my interlaced DVD player through the iScan to take advantage of the latter's superior deinterlacing and 3:2 pulldown capabilities). You're correct that the LT150 will have to do the scaling, but keep in mind the iScan is not a scaler anyway. Now, to get the best connection from your DVD player (which outputs component via 3 RCA-type connectors)to the LT150, you will need a breakout cable as others have described. One end of the breakout cable will have the VGA-type connector (to be used at the projector end) and the other will (likely) have BNC-type connectors (3-5 depending on the cable). You simply buy some BNC-RCA adapters from Radio Shack to connect this end to your DVD player.


For DSS you will want to run the signal through the iScan to have it deinterlace the satellite feed. You can connect the DSS set-top box to the iScan using an S-Video cable. Now as others have mentioned, you're going to have a switching problem since the LT150 only has 1 VGA-type input connector which in our example is already taken by the breakout cable coming from your DVD player. You can either physically swap out the cable at the projector or get a switcher as others have suggested.


One final note. As I (and others before me) explained in an earlier thread, simply throwing the switch on the back of the iScan to output compenent and plugging a VGA cable into the LT150 won't cut it. The LT150 gets confused if it senses any signal on pins 13 & 14 (the sync pins) so these will either have to be removed or you can order a cable from someplace like Better Cables and just ask them not to connect those wires to those pins. Check out this thread for more: http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/Forum10/HTML/007931.html


Kirk

 

[Art Lloyd]

Kirk,


Thanks for the clarification on VGA and RGB. My point about the dvd player was that one cannot assume that a progressive signal from a dvd player will always be better than the doubling one gets from ISCAN or another doubler. The quality depends upon chip sets used as well as the use of fewer digital to analog changes in the player. The picture may very well be better or at least as good with interlaced to the doubler. If Michael does not already own this stuff he might try it out and see what really makes a diffeence, putting his money where the picture is.

I guess I should have said that he could use a switch with two VGA inputs to change between RGB and Component by "clipping" pins 13 and 14 on the component side inputing the switch. Art


[This message has been edited by Art Lloyd (edited 08-15-2001).]


[This message has been edited by Art Lloyd (edited 08-15-2001).]

 

[MichaelHL]

THanks a bunch guys, this is been very helpful. So it looks like I will be needing a VGA type sqitcher. Anyone know who makes one? I can get the special cable made for the components to VGA on the LT150 through betercables. I rather do this as they will not solder the 13 and 14 pins so there will be no problem. The DSS will run through the IScan and DVD direct. Switching is the problem as I do not want to manually switch the cables. Someone said we can solve this with a computer switcher for two screens. Got to look for one. Any more help is always appreciate. Thanks



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

Michael

 

[Art Lloyd]



Michael,

I have an automatic switch made by Kramer. It homes in on the active input. I Don't remember the electronics supply where I ordered it for about $120. You can google it or someone will know where to get it. Works well. I take it that there is no pass througg on the Iscan. Art

 

[Don Black]

Great discussion guys!


Art: Can your Kramer switch pass through a progressive component signal via a breakout cable? Or only standard component? Thanks!

 

[BlueRivets]

Michael - I'm using a cheap-o mechanical switch that looks like the top one .


I don't see any difference versus a direct connection.