[cgreynes]

hi,


i just bought an Infocus X1 yesterday at bestbuy for $699 (open box). I noticed when playing a DVD movie there is dark light on the top and bottom of the picture.


I searched this forum and read the (unofficial) X1 FAQ and im still confused what is the best way to remove this if it is possible. From what I have understand so far that it is possible to mask the top and bottom 6" in front of the lens. Is there any settings to be made or accessories/modifications to be added?


thanks

clark

 

[SpeedyHTPC]

P-A-N-A-M-O-R-P-H.


Beware that there are caveats to this like barrel distortion and focussing issues as the two major ones..

 

[jeffleonard]

I'll second the panamorph option. I have had one for almost a year and I love it.


Or, you can build some masking panels with black felt/velvet for 16:9/letterboxed material.

 

[Scott Osmond]

I have an X1 and a 4:3 DIY screen - after about 4 weeks of viewing, I was running to my local fabric store buying black velvet to mask off the top/bottom of my 4:3 screen to permanently make it a 16:9 aspect ratio instead.


It was one of the best things I've done for better picture quality and it was super cheap. It really brings out the image!!!!


Save yourself the money that a panamorph lens will cost, don't spend all the time trying to make something to put 6" infront of the lens to mask the iamge, go spend $10 on velvet and marvel at your creative abilities

 

[cgreynes]

thanks guys,


i searched online for panamorph lens and the price is expensive (Model PSO-U100 $1,995 and Model PSO-U15 $695). so i decided to go with the velvet option since i have very limited budget.


scott: about the black velvet over the 4:3 screen option, does the dark light on the top and botton is not visible or just minimized?

 

[edwardr132]

Also try cutting a rectangle out of cardboard and hang that about 6-12" away from the projector. It may take a few tries to get the rectangle just right, but you will probably get the idea right away in terms of converting from 4:3 to 16:9 on the fly.

 

[Cyrano]

 Here is a link to a posting I did about my screen construction and masking details.

The following is a portion to describe the Felt Masking technique I have used since July of 2003 with our X1. It still works very well, although I would to do something more automated. (It is fast to put up, though. Less than a minute to apply.)

Screen Masking


"I use 3/4" Velcro (male side) applied to the vertical frame edges of the 1" screen frame with glue and staples (I haven't noticed a need for Velcro on the horizontal frame edges, yet, but it wouldn't hurt.)

I have made two sets of black Felt panels. One set for 1.85 ratio material. And one set to handle 2.35 aspect ratio films. The 2.35 set are cut a little larger in order to cover the Ben Hur sized films as well.

Masking the light spill (the dreaded "black bars"!) makes a huge difference. The blacks of the projected image appear to be black since there are no gray projected areas to unconsciously compare them to.


The Felt panels act like the female side of Velcro and attach directly to the screen frame edge.

I am very glad that I kept the 4 X 3 ratio as an option as the X1 makes a beautiful IMAX sized picture for older films. People think I have a 16 X 9 screen until I remove the narrower panels to display a 4X3 film. It works and looks great. (the black Felt is completely invisible)"

(the rest is in the link provided)


The Screens forum here at AVSFORUM is a very good place to learn about all kinds of screens. I built mine using several different posting ideas. (and some of my own ).


I like edwardr132's idea, but it didn't work for me (yet!) as I found that I needed the cardboard almost 2' away from the PJ in order to get a good, clean edge on the shadowed area. But this method will also help cancel out the small amount of light spill that comes out of the grill area on the X1.


Good luck!

 

[BigguyZ]

I saw a post/ link somewhere sometime about a DIY panamorph. Didn't look too difficult. Good price on the X1 open box, I wouldn't want to spend that over again for an optional add-on for the unit.

 

[Jim McC]

Clark, I have the X1 with a 16:9 screen. The screen hangs on the wall, the wall is painted flat black, and I don't even see the light spill above and below image.

 

[Scott Osmond]

No the blackk felt does not reflect any light at all - you will be just amazed at how much it makes the picture improve - all for just $10.


Like Cyrano, I attached velcro to the sides of my screen and attached the felt to the velcro so I could adjust the height of the felt depending on the aspect ratio of the 16:9 content. To be honest I've never adjusted it once


One note - I find that the felt tends to droop in the middle of the screen (bottom panel only), no matter how tightly I attach it to the velcro. At some point I'm going to upgrade this arrangement so the felt is attached to something like cardboard so it will not droop. Sadly this would mean pulling my screen down and that would mean I couldn't watch the big screen - needless to say I haven't been successful in this endeavour yet.....


I echo the comments about the screens forum - you'd be amazed at what you can accomplish for very little money. A number of "screen-offs" have shown that you don't have to pay huge money to get a great screen.

 

[Cyrano]

I don't have much problem with the Felt drooping as Scott mentioned. Although a few points:

• - I do have to see that I am using the "fuzzier" side of the Felt strips. (I do like to use two different sizes so that I cover up all of the letterbox area for each aspect ratio. I don't like to have excess Felt dangling below the screen. (Or sitting above it as the case may be. (see gallery pics)
  
  
  - I always find that I smooth the Felt onto my screen with my palm as the last adjustment. It stays completely straight on the letterbox projected edge. (a little tighter fit is usually necessary on the edge portion of the Felt where it attaches to the screen frame.
  
  
  - I might apply Velcro male side to the Horizontal edges of the screen as a way of making a tighter fit.
  
  
  - One thing I really like about Felt is the way it completely sucks up the projected light. There is absolutely no sheen to it at all.
  
  
  - I would still like to find a method of automating the procedure. But I want to retain the effect the Felt has of laying on the screen's surface. (it is a hard surface screen - see link to my DIY screen in previous posting) I have tried a top and bottom "curtain" and I didn't like the way I could see the mechanics of it. (see Gallery for pics of my screen and masking.)

 

[jake14mw]

I have an X1 with a 4x3 framed blackout cloth screen. I have velvet wrapped around the 1x3 frame, and the blackout cloth stapled to that back of the frame. When I built my screen, I attached male velcro to the back of the wood frame so that it could not be seen. Then, when I mounted the screen, I used 4 blocks put behind the frame so that frame itself stays off the wall and the felt could be wrapped around the back of the frame and onto the velcro.


I also don't like the way that the velvet sags in the middle. I will be going to some kind of hard backing soon. What I have been thinking was to make the wood backing tall enough for 16x9, and then have extra velvet on it so that it could be adjusted in for 2.35. This way, I only have two pieces that would stay on the screen all the time ( I rarely watch any 4x3 on it). When watching 16x9, the extra material can fold over the top and hang below the bottom.


For those of you that use just felt or velvet, how do you get a straight edge on it? Even if you cut it straight somehow it frays alot. Do you sew a straight edge?

 

[Cyrano]

Quote:

Originally posted by jake14mw For those of you that use just felt or velvet, how do you get a straight edge on it? Even if you cut it straight somehow it frays alot. Do you sew a straight edge?

I used the machine-cut edge of the Felt for the edge that is on the screen. The cut I made, no matter how careful I cut, never came out as good as the factory cut edge. Another poster responded, in another thread, that there is a Cloth cutting Roller that can make a straight edge. Maybe so. But the Factory cut edge is perfect.

See my previous post - Our Felt does not droop. I think having a hard surface screen helps a lot in this area.

The line of the Felt is exactly the same as the projected line of the letterbox of whatever Aspect Ratio a particular movie is. And it lies on the screen so it really does vanish for any perspective. I think maybe there is some principle of "mutual attraction" that helps it stay in place.


Masking makes a HUGE difference. People who don't care about such niceties as "masking" are always impressed by how much better a film looks when all they can see is the film. The only blacks are within the film - the letterboxed area and the Felt mask are completely invisible.

And when I display a 4:3 film the IMAX sized projection is a nice plus to have when one's masking method allows for all Aspect Ratios. Big is nice to have.


We do have 100% light control and that does help.

 

[cgreynes]

seeing Cyrano's gallery, i have an idea on how the mask is going to look like. i thought at first the masking is going to be very hard, but thanks for the posts... i will take note on the drooping when putting on the mask and also look for a machine cut or factory cut felt. going to do the masking this weekend and check out LOTRIII


BigguyZ

"Good price on the X1 open box, I wouldn't ..."


good to know the right is right since i just searched this forum and most people here suggest x1 if price is a high priority. also a friend of mine sold his gift cards at 10% off... this also help it cut down the cost