CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

mc86 · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 6:50 pm Post subject: ECP 4500 / Vidikron VPF 50 HD Qs

Hi All -

So, after a bit of reading and research, as my first foray into the world of CRTs I set out to buy either a 4100 or 4500 ECP. When I found out the the Vidikron VPF 50 HD is "basically" or "essentially" I bought one. It came with a Vidikron-branded line doubler / controller, but no manuals or cables. Now that I have it and am going to start having fun, this noob has some Qs!

I've gone through what little I can find out about this unit on the forum and have read most everything I can find out about the ECPs. I *think* I've done my homework (read Curt's ES Greyscale guide, the tube/raster setup, the complete setup guide, the Electrohome manuals, throw-calc'er, etc.) and understand most of what *could* be done. As I'm not sure I have the wisdom or full knowledge to determine what *should* be done, I humbly ask for some help.

Some background: the MS07 tubes (so much for my "I have a Golden Ticket" 07MTS wishes) look to have never been run at all. I see no fungus or blemishes, either. And IF the flaky guy I bought it from is to be believed, the unit only ran for one year as a display model in the late 1990s and has sat ever since. On this later point, I'm actually inclined to believe him given the dust that covered it. Anyway, I'm guessing that means ~1500hrs MAX use. I have simply plugged the unit in and played for about 5 mins.

QUESTION 1
How, exactly, is this unit different from the ECP 4500? Are the differences such that I should use this for parts and buy a different ECP 4500 to save bother OR can I run with this, get other ECP 4500 parts as needed, and pray that any custom-vidikron bits don't fail for 3 to 5 years until I get something different? Recommendations?

QUESTION 2
Are the Delta HD-6C ML lenses the same as the ECP? I need to know if the distance calculator (for the 35/4500) can be trusted.

QUESTION 3
The unit came with a Vidikron LD40 control unit (Faroudja-made line doubler+?) that I can find ZERO info on. It has controls (see pics) and supposed will let me control the projector remotely (via RS232). Do I have to use the above control unit/doubler? When I ran my Laserdisc S-vid through the LD40 *without* connecting the serial controller and into the projector's RGBHV input, the images are uniformly too high on the raster area (the raster areas look about ok) and the image quality is poor. When I did the same thing using a DEC IDC 3000 I was given, I get total garbage onscreen.

QUESTION 4
When the frilly Vidikron Pinafarina case is on the unit, there is a big ugly hole on the back and the wired (remote) controller can't be seen at all! So when I bought the unit (month ago) and saw the hole, I just figured the control has been scavenged and then bought one from a nice guy here two weeks ago off a ECP 4500. Imagine my surprise last night when I took the top of the case off and there was the controller -- and they even bothered to make it say Vidikron! How bizarre. So -- why the hole? And why "hide" or even include the wired remote at all?

I have more, but doubt more is proper just yet. BTW, if there are folks within 90min drive who know this stuff and can share, I'd love to meet-up to learn and tinker. There should be local CRT user groups.

Thanks so much in advance.
Matt, in Pittsburgh, PA

mc86 · Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 4:48 am Post subject:

for others/posterity: answering my own Q's a year and 1/2 later. Today I finally got this thing going. With slow and methodical prep, no problems...lots of info out there.

vidikron unit is nothing but an ECP in a pretty box.
the lenses are the same.
the LD40 is an earlier LD100 with fewer inputs and likely a bit less capability on some axes.
#4 - who knows...maybe note seen in 99% of installations...

Matt

mc86

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 9:46 pm Post subject:

I believe there might have been some differences between the two in the way that the memory locations were set up. It's been years though since I've seen a Vidikron, so I could be wrong.

Throw distance = the same

Hole in the back of the case- you're most likely missing a long rectangular part of the case that covers that back area. The clips die, leaving that hole when the owner throws out the strip.

Answer to question #5 that you didn't ask: YES, YOU ARE A HOARDER!