[william.mack]

Hello. Long-time lurker on AVS, first time posting.


I'm in the very early stages of planning my home theater and have a question that probably doesn't have a simple yes/no answer but I wanted some opinions on it.


Are black levels on a good CRT (ie: G90) so good that masking is essentially a non-issue? Or at the very least are the black bars dark enough to not be much of a distraction given a good light-controlled room?

 

[nashou66]

I do CIW with my marquee 8500 Air coupled and I have no issues, its so black you do not see the screen on top or below the scope movie or on the sides when i watch 4:3 TV.


Athanasios

 

[benareeno]

masking is absolutely required...


I find it funny when people ask such a subjective question...In my books, it's a must! In others, it's no big deal...why not judge for yourself?


Ben

 

[Cinenut]

I'd say absolutely! No matter how black your blacks are, there's simply no way around the fact that the other colors are themselves light sources and will brighten the edges of a white screen (as well as the room).


I built myself a little adjustable 4-way masking system with cheap velveteen and a few 1x2 boards using a "roll up" method. With rods on the sides, I can mask to any ratio. When the image spills onto the edges it really looks 3D. Costs nothing and really makes the image sing. Couldn't go without it!

 

[Mark_A_W]



Quote:
Originally Posted by nashou66 /forum/post/15489307


I do CIW with my marquee 8500 Air coupled and I have no issues, its so black you do not see the screen on top or below the scope movie or on the sides when i watch 4:3 TV.


Athanasios

Eh?


You are kidding me.


CRT projectors have TERRIBLE ANSI contrast.


They ABSOLUTELY need a masking system. I would take a 1031 with a masking system over a G90 without.


The grey bars are horribly distracting without a mask. The image POPS off the screen with a mask. Looks a million times better.

 

[Fellenz]

I don't have masking at the moment due to a change of screen but I plan on getting it back asap, good masking makes the image so much better in my opinion.

 

[Axatax]



Quote:
I do CIW with my marquee 8500 Air coupled and I have no issues,

I've been contemplating a CIW setup with masking, but I've hesitated as I feel I'm "missing something" about this concept - in my mind, this is the most logical way to deal with different ARs using a single CRT PJ, but yet, hardly anyone here seems to have gone this route (or doesn't post about their setup).


What am I missing here?

 

[Mark_A_W]

I think you are mixing up CIW and CIH.


95% of us have CIW = a standard setup on a 16:9 screen.

 

[Axatax]



Quote:
I think you are mixing up CIW and CIH.

No - as stated, I'm referring specifically to CIW with the use of a masking system (electric or otherwise).

 

[Mark_A_W]

Oh, well, I have a 16:9 screen with manual top and bottom masks driven by a curtain pull.



Top mask rolls onto a 25mm wooden dowel, bottom pulls up by strings wrapped around the dowel.


Simple, and it works.

 

[benareeno]

I prefer the largest 235:1 screen...I usually crop the top and bottom off 1.85 stuff...and usually without issue. Again..try it for yourself.