CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

After going to Dr. Dog's meet, I was curious how far blending and stacking have progressed over the years. Cliff and Curt are the two stacks that I know of. William, Nash, Antorsae, Tim and Boilermaker are the blends that I know of.

I know William is using a new Analog Way box, but I haven't heard of anyone using anything new. Has there been any upgrades to the TV One line? Any new hardware out there that makes blending/stacking easier? How about PC software?

Of course, I am kind of baiting here. Last week, I saw someone on AVS mention a company called Aflex5D in relation to stacking. I looked at their webpage and see that they have several products. The AF5D-60 is mentioned as their edge blender with a retail price of $4750, but it looks like it can be had for considerably less. At least I think it can based on the pricing from the US distributor Elite Screens.

Another company that I ran across is VNS, which has a product called the GeoBox. The name really peaked my interest, as Geo is the name of a company that has a chip that I saw in action at you know who a couple of years ago. After watching the video, I thought it looked promising. They have two products for blending. The 502 is for a regular flat screen two pj with a cost of $1100. The 104 is a single pj box, so you would need multiples. It can do curved screens and looks a little more advanced with a cost of $750. Finally, it isn't listed but they have a 302 for $600. This box is 8 bit and doesn't do scaling or de-interlacing like the 502.

I didn't get the price for the stacking boxes. The Aflex looks like it is around $400 street for the A5FD - 20. The GeoBox I would assume would probably be in the same ballpark for the 301.

http://aflex5d.com/products/60-series
http://www.vnstw.com/en/products_view.asp?ID=134&BKID=68
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG2uI4-6SLk

CasetheCorvetteman · Joined: 09 Nov 2008 Posts: 6319 Location: Australia

Id be interested to know if anyone has done anything using AMD Eyefinity or a simular multi screen nVIDIA setup.

It'd be reasonably easy to go a 4 machine hard egde setup using the right digitals, but not sure if you can soft edge with those video cards. Hard edge with a bunch of CRTs would probably be quite a battle, it the edge wasnt perfect it'd be easily seen.

Using four of those really nice JVCs would be an interesting setup with that diagonal shifting UHD they have...

The nVIDIA i have in my main machine can do 4x 1920x1080 at over 60Hz, it can also do 4096x2160 at 60Hz via displayport and still do three other 1920x1080 displays, as well as 4096x2160 at 60Hz via Displayport and then a second 4096x2160 at 60Hz using two more HDMIs in a pair.

There are blend options, but i have not had two equal displays to see what can be done.

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

I emailed the company about the geo box. No CMS preset gamma values for the blend zone and limited resolution compared to the Tv-ones.

I think the PC based systems are much better now than then. Before they were not as feature rich but from what I have seen they have come a long way.

Nashou

jbmeyer13 · Joined: 03 Dec 2010 Posts: 1135

Unless someone releases a box that provides sufficiently granular control over the blend zone it's a moot point. If/when that happens it could become interesting.

Two PJ's always means twice the problems. I'd like to see a really well done 11'-12' wide Torus screen prior to ever attempting blending/stacking. If the image is bright enough and you can keep the seating inside the sweet spot it might work. Seems with the Torus that people either love it or hate it.

ecrabb · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2014 4:11 pm Post subject:

ElTopo · Joined: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 1608

This would be my dream setup.

hal · Joined: 28 Nov 2012 Posts: 100

I'm putting together a 14' blend using two low hour G90's, TV One C2-7100, Nvidia Titan and Quadro cards.. Most of my viewing will be 16:9 DirecTV Sports feeds.

HogPilot · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 3:01 am Post subject:

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

Nash,
Does the ANALog Way have CMS gamma? I don't remember William playing with anything like that. I remember him engaging the soft blend and then doing a calibration for each pj.

Any software solutions out there worthwhile? I found a couple, but didn't look to closely at them.
http://www.edge-blending.com/products.htm
http://www.ventuz.com/products/director.aspx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgfjxI7H2sQ

Crabb,
I know what you are saying. It is why I asked the question to see if blending has gotten easier and better. I know CIR thinks they are a pain in the a$$. Having watched Williams's set up, that thought wasn't dissuaded although there were extenuating circumstances.

I don't think you would need to double up for the JVCs with a 10 foot wide screen. Dillon's 4910 lit up William's 12 foot wide SMX screen just fine. He was using an anamorphic lens though. You can see the pic on the meet thread. Having said that though, the Geobox might actually do a good job stacking.

Jason,
I personally like Torus screens. Not only do you get the added brightness of a high gain screen, but you also get much better uniformity. I am not sure what screen material is available. The old material of choice was the Vutec Pearlbrite. Interestingly, I think the Geobox warp engine would help a lot with a Torus screen.

ecrabb · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:34 am Post subject:

Right, Sparky. I was thinking of stacking with like a 13- or 14-foot screen, but I had visions of grandeur about how big my room could be. I know better, now.

Which seats are those, Hog? They look like they have nice thin arms, and the cushions don't look like the Sta-Puf marshmallow man - both attributes I desire.

Thx,
SC

ElTopo · Joined: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 1608

Sure there are other digitals out but the Sony i have is nearly new.

Will be used for sport/tv.

The blendend 909's are for movies only Cool

This would be my favourite seat (but too expensive i think):
http://www.architonic.com/pmsht/5400-hollywood-figueras_proref/1163903

@hal: Why 16:9 ? Only for sports ?

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

Spanky, No one will make the needed functionality a CRT blend need because there are too few CRT blends which require a perfect blend zone. Seos is the only one I know of that had an adjustable Gamma in at 6 ire's IN the blend zone as well as an over all CMS.

Gordon, who came to see my blend, works with FPGA's and Color. So he ordered a FPGA and will work on a CMS dedicated to just the blend zone. I asked him all we really need is greyscale and Gamma adjustment at 21 zones and have an adjustable zone where the blend zone will be. This unit will have to go after the Tv-ones I would think. We'll see how far that project gets.

But after seeing my Blend he is determined to do one himself.

nashou

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

Hmmm, I thought William said he just needed to do a calibration on each pj and that would take care of the blend zone. I may have misunderstood him though.

Speaking of chairs, as soon as I got back from the meet I purchased two Roche Bobois chairs along with a couch. They need some work, but damn are they comfortable.

hal · Joined: 28 Nov 2012 Posts: 100

ElTopo, DirecTV is mostly 16:9.. Sports> football, hockey, Nascar For movies 2:34.. I don't have the height in my room so I need to install blanking and narrow up the 16:9 screen a tad. Running 2:34 I'll run the full width.

HogPilot · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 11:33 pm Post subject:

HogPilot · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 11:36 pm Post subject:

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

Ok, ok, Nash. I think I understand what you are saying. Go to the 12 minute mark of this 15 minute video. Is this what you are talking about?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgfjxI7H2sQ

Francisco · Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 305 Location: The Netherlands

I was impressed by this solution: http://www.curtpalme.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36160&highlight=macbook+blending
Nash did you give it a try as well?

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

It is to bad that Matrox can't step up to the plate. They have a new card coming out, but it looks like their Powerdesk software will only blend with no gamma control or even soft edge.

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/graphics_cards/m_series/powerdesk/
http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/graphics_cards/c-series/

ElTopo · Joined: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 1608

A pc blending solution might be too much trouble ?!

OS, driver, ......

A standalone blender like a TV ONE C2 might be more plug'n play.

ElTopo