Latest News
Winter Auto-Calibration SALE
January 18, 2015
Complete
automatic calibration
packages are now
available, with our most popular bundle currently on sale
for a limited time. All packages include FREE
US/Canada shipping!
Automatic calibration allows anyone with little
or no training to fully calibrate their display with
almost no user input.
It adjusts the display's grayscale, gamma, and
colours to levels of accuracy that are simply not
achievable by manual methods.
Just setup a few simple options in
ChromaPure
software, click "Auto-Calibrate", and then go have a
cup of coffee while the process completes, usually
in a few minutes.
There is no need for the user to understand how
calibration works. Suitable for all display types.
Why use automatic calibration? Previously, calibration required the user to adjust their display manually while
ChromaPure software read the results using a meter. The
user would loop through displaying test patterns, reading the results, and
making adjustments, until the results were as close to accurate as
possible. These calibration steps are outlined in our
free step by step
guide.
Manual calibration has many drawbacks:
- Requires the user to have access to typically hidden (service menu) controls in the display.
- Displays often have limited adjustments that do not work
correctly, or are cryptic.
- Displays often have only 1 gamma adjustment, if any at all (compared to
up to 21 points with
auto-cal).
- Displays often only have only 2 greyscale adjustments, if any at all (compared to
up to 21 points
with auto-cal).
- Manual calibration of colour (gamut) is typically only done at 6 points,
if the adjustments are even available
(compared to up to 4913 points with auto-cal).
- Time consuming. Manual calibration requires the user to interpret the
meter readings and make the necessary changes in the display. Our
free step by
step guide is a step in the right direction, but the process is
still manually driven and can take hours, especially for someone new to the process.
All of these can result in a less than perfect calibration. Only automatic
calibration, done outside of the display, can compensate for these issues.
For complete details see our new
ChromaPure Automatic Calibration page. We
ship worldwide.
More Information »
Radiance 2144 Open Box, Radiance 2020 SALE, Lower
international shipping rates
January 13, 2015
We have a very few
high end
Radiance 2144 units now available for $2895
USD (MSRP is $4495).
These are the models with 4K output.
We're also having a sale on the entry level
Radiance 2020 model, now available for only
$1699 USD (MSRP is $2495). Only for a limited time.
These prices include free shipping to anywhere in
the USA or Canada. International shipping rates have
been greatly reduced: Now only $75 USD to ship
anywhere in the world, tracking included. Complete details
on our
Radiance order page.
The open box
Radiance 2144 units have been completely refurbished,
updated, and fully tested by Lumagen, and include
the standard 1-year limited manufacturer warranty
just like new units. They simply cannot be
sold as new given that the boxes have been opened
and/or the units were used during a quick demo. They
still look and function as brand new.
Supply of the open box units is extremely limited. Once sold out these
units will be gone.
For complete details see our
Radiance order page. We ship worldwide.
More Information »
Projectors for sale
December 11, 2014
Many here probably don't read the forum often,
but I've started putting together my own home
theater again after 7... yes... 7 years of being
idle. I've decided to go all out this time, and to
clone
Cliff's setup in Chicago. His features a 10'
wide screen and dual Sony G90 projectors for 2400
lumens of light output and a near infinite contrast
ratio. I first saw Cliff's setup in 2007, and it is
amazing. I've been back several times since, and
each time Cliff has improved his system a bit.
Well, not to be outdone, I've put
two
Barco 909 projectors on my own ceiling, to
see how close I could come to Cliff's setup. While
the system will be one of those 'it's never
finished' projects, my room is a far cry from
Cliff's at this point. I have a
thread going on in my forum showing my (slow)
build. Note that the forum is more or less
un-moderated, and that thread has gone in several
directions, but the progress is being shown. I work
on the room in-between working on everyone else's
projectors, so the work is slow. I do plan on doing
more over the upcoming holidays, as my acoustic
transparent screen is here, as are the
Moome HDMI cards for the Barco 909.
Even with the little work that has been done on
the theater, and there is a bit of a drifting issue
between the two projectors, the picture shows
massive potential. Frankly, since having watched
my stack for about 20 hours so far, there's simply
no going back to a smaller screen or a single
projector. A two projector setup does need regular
tweaking, but the end result is amazing.
Over the summer I purchased a lot of projectors,
and as a result I (again) have over 100 CRT
projectors in stock, including over 40 9" projectors
of all makes and models. With more coming in within
a month, it is time to dramatically drop the prices
on some sets until the end of December, as I simply
am running out of room.
In no particular order, here's a
'priced-slashed-inventory-reduction-we-won't-be-undersold'
type pricing on some projectors. (hint: try a
stack!) For those looking to upgrade, here's a great
way to do so:
(Qty: 3)
NEC XG
sets:
Either little or no tube wear. XG 75, XG 110 and
one XG110LC: $500 each. A great upgrade for
those that still have NEC PG sets, which are now
becoming unreliable due to bad capacitors. I see
no such failure on NEC XG series. -
(Qty: 3)
Sony G90: Top of the line CRT
projectors. All have been fully tested, and come
with a new Dallas chip installed along with a
factory remote. Ceiling brackets available.
Razor sharp, very reliable. Breakdown as
follows:
1800 hours, original tubes,
very faint 16:9 wear. $1800 231 original hours. No
wear. Remote and manuals included. $2800 All new LCP tubes, had
about 6K hours on the chassis. Good as new.
$2300
-
(Qty: 2)
Runco
1100:The Runco 1100 is the same as the
Barco Data 1209s. 9" LUG tubes and GT 17
lenses come with these Runcos. Fully tested and test
run, the cases do need some touchup work done, as
both have scratches on them. The cases are intact
however. Original shipping box for one of them as
well. Very light 16:9 wear, red and green (dark) C
elements. Will run 1080p, but you need a scaler
between the source and projector to adjust for image
wraparound. Anything under 1080p and you don't need
a scaler. $900 each
-
(Qty: Many)
Electrohome Marquee
9500 Ultra: I recently purchased a bunch
of very late model Marquee 9500 Ultra chassis made
in 2008. That's about as late as you can get, I
believe the last Marquee 9500s left the factory in
2012. These all came from a flight simulator
installation on small screens, so all CRTs have
hexagonal shaped wear, and HD10L lenses, that are
only good up to a 72" wide screen. Still, if you
have a 9500 and want to upgrade to the latest 9500
Ultra chassis that’s well under 10 years old, here's
a great way to do so. I've tested al of the chassis,
and they work flawlessly. Convergence is solid as a
rock on each set. The cases are a bit marked. I will
ship without tubes and lenses to save on shipping if
you want. $800 each. With brand new red and green
and a used blue (near mint shape) and GT17 lenses:
$1800 each.
-
(Qty: 3)
Vidikron Vision One: These are the 9500
Ultras with that fancy fibreglass case on them. All
three are indeed Ultra sets (many were sold with the
non Ultra chassis). I have one each in black, white
and that shiny gloss metallic blue, the only case
I've seen in that colour. All either have new or near
new tubes with no wear. $1500 each.
-
(Qty: Many)
Barco 909:
I have several Barco 909 projectors in stock that I
am about to go through and retube with new and good
used tubes. I will announce those in the next
mailout, sometime in January, but pricing on those
will also be less than ever before.
-
(Qty: 3) Dark green C elements out of
brand new Marquee greens: $200 each.
I am blowing out all of my NEC PG tubes since I
no longer support these sets. I have 2-3 sets of
mint/near mint and I think even a couple of new
tubes in stock for the PG and the PG+ (these will
not fit the PG Xtra or XG sets). Yours for the
paltry price of a donation of your choice via
Paypal, and cover shipping.
I have a great selection of good used CRT tubes
for almost all projectors out there. I have nothing
in the way of mint 8 or 9" green tubes, as I am
putting those into sets that I sell, but if you'd
like some good used condition tubes, just email me
with what you're looking for.
Lastly, some of you may not know that I also do
vintage audio repairs, and have developed a bit of a
reputation locally for working on reel to reel tape
machines. So much so, in fact, that a friend of mine
that owns
Innovative Audio has sold me his entire
inventory of low end and midrange decks. I currently
have over 50 reel to reel decks, ranging from Sony
and Akai to Teac and Sansui, along with a bunch of
parts as well. If you have a box full of tapes
somewhere, but your reel to reel has bitten the
dust, email me for what I have in stock, or check
out what's for sale on eBay under
my
eBay summary. I try and list 2-3
decks a week, and have had great success selling
them. Analog audio is making a huge comeback with
vinyl, and cassette tape and reel to reel is also
gaining in popularity for that warm analog sound.
Also, if you have an old reel to reel gathering
dust, let me know, as I do buy them, and as with
projectors, have been known to travel great
distances to pick them up.
I am tentatively planning a road trip at the end
of January 2015 from Vancouver to Albuquerque and
back. Nothing has been firmed up yet, but it's
looking to occur sometime around the last week of
January, and will be back in Vancouver by the end of
the first week of February. I may travel down to Los
Angeles, or may drive directly to New Mexico, all
depending on weather conditions.
See my
eBay summary for complete listings.
Questions?
Email Curt.
See All CRT Projectors »
DVDO AVLab TPG 4K (Ultra HD Test Pattern Generator)
December 5, 2014
The first pocket-sized test pattern generator supporting
full 4K Ultra HD resolution (3840x2160) at 50/60Hz.
Designed specifically for use with Colour Management System (CMS) software
such as ChromaPure
(which can control the box remotely as part of auto-calibraton), the AVLab TPG is
powered by USB and uses the USB interface to automatically control the video
calibration workflow. It is the ultimate tool for AV professionals in the field
to deliver lab-quality functionality to on-site display setup and calibration.
It offers a similar suite of test patterns as the
DVDO Duo with a few differences.
First, and most importantly, it outputs true 4K. It will even output 4K at 60 Hz
using YCbCr 4:2:0. This makes the TPG the most affordable 4K video test pattern
generator on the market by far.
The TPG is incredibly compact. It easily fits in your hand, which
makes it ideal for portable applications. Furthermore, it can draw its power
entirely from a connection to the PC via USB, so the user doesn't have to worry
about connecting it a separate power source.
It also comes with a remote control for standalone use, and is fully
supported by ChromaPure (as of version 2.5.1). Every serious calibrator, video
tester or engineer, or enthusiast with a 4K display should have one of these as
part of their toolkit.
For complete details see our
DVDO AVLab TPG 4K order page.
More Information »
Doctor HDMI: EDID Correction Tool
November 25, 2014
Resolves HDMI video loss / stability issues -
replicates a full 1080p, 3D EDID out-of-the-box
Doctor HDMI helps resolve most HDMI video
issues caused by faulty EDID handshakes or other
incompatibility issues. It's used to keep a source
device "always on" by tricking / feeding back to it
the same, stable EDID signal. Particularly useful
when using HDMI splitters and HDMI distribution
systems.
Are you experiencing video loss / video return
delays when a TV displays is turned on/off, or when
an AV receiver or matrix switcher's inputs/outputs
are changed? Doctor HDMI is the answer!
Doctor HDMI can also boost HDMI signal integrity
allowing longer HDMI cable runs. It can also be used
to limit the source output resolution.
Doctor HDMI solves these and other problems by acting as an EDID manager
and HDMI/DVI-D emulator/repeater that comes with
pre-defined presets, user programmable banks, EDID
sniffing and more.
"As a EDID emulator the Dr HDMI worked
flawlessly with my gaming PC. My main desktop PC has
its video output split between a monitor and a AV
receiver and TV setup. Of course, this resulted in
the EDID being incorrectly detected and the PC
refusing to output surround sound to the receiver.
Using Dr HDMI, it was trivial to capture the EDID
from the AV receiver, then by connecting Dr HDMI to
the PC, the PC was convinced it was permanently
connected to the surround sound system and selecting
7.1 surround sound was no longer a problem." -
videogameperfection.com
For complete details see our
Doctor HDMI order page.
More Information »
Radiance
2020 Video Processor
October 26, 2014
The new
Radiance 2020 is now available for order at a
special CurtPalme.com discounted price.
GO »
Feature wise, the
Radiance 2020 is an upgraded version of
the Radiance Mini: It includes twice as many
HDMI inputs (4) and outputs (2), an expanded CMS
(729 point instead of 125) for more
accurate auto-calibration using
software such as
ChromaPure, and
Darbee DVP™ image
enhancement technology which allows you to
adjust the amount of enhancement individually per
input (similar to all other adjustments). All other
video features match the current 21xx series.
The
Radiance 2020 has more memory and processing
power as compared to the Radiance Mini, so we can
expect that the performance and functionality will
be increased over time as Lumagen has often done in
the past with other models.
At 11" wide, 5" deep, and 1.7" high, it is larger
than the Mini but smaller than the 21xx series.
For a complete breakdown of Radiance models, see
our newly updated
Radiance feature comparison table.
Volume
shipments start October 28. Free US/Canada shipping
with tracking and insurance is included in all our
Radiance prices. International shipping is also
available.
Note: The Radiance Mini is SOON TO BE
DISCONTINUED. Lumagen has a few in stock and
does not plan to build more once they are gone. If
you're looking for a low cost Radiance solution,
now's the time.
For complete details see our
Radiance order page.
More Information »
NEW: Practical
Guide to Home Theater Sound Isolation
October
20, 2014
A new practical guide to home theater
sound isolation, written for the everyday home theater
enthusiast.
Sound isolation is about keeping house and home
theater sounds completely separated.
Stop turning up the volume because you can hear
the furnace, dishwasher, or footsteps above, and
stop worrying about waking the kids with your latest
explosion ridden blockbuster! Proper sound isolation
solves all of these issues.
This comprehensive 94 page guide answers questions such as:
- Does the kind of door you have matter?
- Do ceilings and flooring above (or below)
your theater impact sound isolation?
- How do I stagger studs?
- How do I dampen the room?
- How does decoupling impact sound isolation?
- What is the most important element of sound
isolation?
- What are the most cost effective treatments?
- How do I build a basement home theater and
isolate it from the floors above?
- How do I build a home theater on the second
floor and isolate it from the floors below?
- How do I remove furnace and air conditioning
noise from the home theater?
All of the critical topics of sound isolation are covered, written in a
conversational tone without any complex math. Here is the lesson list, from the
Table of Contents:
Lesson One: The Fundamentals of Sound
Lesson Two: Sound Isolation Fundamentals
Lesson Three: The Core Six Techniques
Lesson Four: Construction Techniques
Lesson Five: Suggested Implementations
Lesson Six: Sound Isolation Gallery
Free bonus: Two Part Audio Interview with Ted
White, founder of Soundproofing Company Inc.
To order see our
Practical Guide to Home Theater
Sound Isolation page.
Looking for more tips on building your home
theater? Our comprehensive
Home Theater Course & Expert Videos package
is also available along with our
Practical Guide to Home Theater Acoustics
and Private Home
Theater Tours.
More Information »
Colorimetry Research CR-100 Professional Colorimeter
October 3, 2014
Now available at a special CurtPalme.com
discounted price. Buy direct from our ChromaPure
partner at prices lower than buying off their own
website! Same product, same support, just more money
in your pocket at the end of the day.
ORDER NOW
»
There are two colour analyzers that professionals and dedicated enthusiasts
generally seek: A reference spectroradiometer for the last word in colorimetric
accuracy and a professional quality colorimeter.
Unfortunately, such devices are not cheap. The Photo Research and Minolta
reference spectros start at about $15,000 USD and go up to near $30,000 USD. The Klein
K-10a, previously the only professional quality colorimeter on the market,
retails at $7,000 USD.
Now there is a new entry to the professional colorimeter market, the
CR-100
from a new company called
Colorimetry
Research Inc. It is an incredibly fast reading colorimeter, reading more than twice
as fast as the popular Display 3.
In our testing of the CR-100 we have found that it performs at least as well,
and with respect at least to repeatability even better, than the Klein
instrument. It does this at a significantly lower price point of $4995 USD.
The CR-100 is accurate enough to be used as a standalone colour analyzer for
professional applications. For the most demanding applications it can be
profiled against a true reference spectroradiometer (such as the
JETI 1211).
Either way, its speed, low-light sensitivity, and repeatability are world-class.
The CR-100 is the most affordable professional colorimeter available. Just
mount either on a tripod, facing towards the source, connect to ChromaPure
Professional, and then use as you would any other colour analyzer.
For complete details see our
Colorimetry Research CR-100 order page.
Questions? Email us at
ChromaPure@CurtPalme.com.
More Information »
BARCO-FULLHD: HDMI 1.4 card for Barco CRT
projectors
September
23, 2014
Moome's new
BARCO-FULLHD HDMI 1.4 card
starts shipping at the end of November 2014. Order
yours today at a special pre-order price. Quantities
are limited!
Upgrade your Barco CRT projector by adding four
(4) HDMI 1.4 inputs with 3D support, gamma
correction and infrared remote control. These
digital HDCP-compliant HDMI 1.4 inputs allow you to
watch hi-def content at up to 1080p resolution.
The BARCO-FULLHD card allows you to easily add
digital devices such as Blu-Ray players, PS3/4, Xbox
360/One, Satellite/Cable HDTV set-top boxes, and
HTPCs with HDMI graphic cards to
your Barco CRT projector.
The BARCO-FULLHD replaces the (somewhat useless)
secondary RGB port 3 card in your projector. The
mounting bracket on the existing port 3 card is
removed by the user and installed on the
BARCO-FULLHD.
A port 3 dongle (included) is then plugged into
your Barco's external port 3 socket. The dongle
includes an IR receiver to allow for IR remote
control of the BARCO-FULLHD functions. A 3D sync
port is also available for connecting 3D emitters.
The BARCO-FULLHD offers advanced features such as
100% HDMI 1.4 compliant inputs, Deep
Colour support, 14bit D/A converters, a
maximum resolution of 1920x1200@75Hz (beyond 1080p
FULLHD), a fast 1GHz output buffer, and
high quality op-amps and capacitors on the output stage for the
best image quality possible. Testers with extremely
modified / high end Barco 909 projectors
are reporting that this is the best HDMI solution
they've come across.
For complete details refer to our
BARCO-FULLHD order page.
Questions? Email us at
Moome@CurtPalme.com.
More Information »
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