Old/Archived News

Below is old/archived news. Most recent news will always be shown on the main page.

NEW! CalMAN DPG-1200 Digital Pattern Generator
December 7, 2009

Just like Steve Austin from the '70s, SpectraCal has revamped their Digital Pattern Generator to be better, stronger, faster than ever before. Introducing the new CalMAN DPG-1200!

It's faster, has more features, and now offers the ability to set the output level for maximum pattern fidelity. To kick off this new product we're offering a special promotion, but only until December 31, 2009:

Free upgrade to CalMAN Enthusiast for existing CalMAN Home users.
$100 off if you already have CalMAN Enthusiast.
Free gift-wrapping for the holidays.*

*C'mon! You know this is exactly what everyone on your shopping list wants! Surprise Aunt Edna with the latest in digital pattern generators! ;) (In all seriousness, free gift-wrapping is truly being offered. Just make sure to mention that you would like your DPG-1200 gift wrapped when you place your order).

The CalMAN DPG-1200 Digital Pattern Generator is a radical redesign of the video pattern generator. Built from commodity, off-the-shelf pieces, its ingenious design takes advantage of digital technology to give you a price / performance ratio that old analog pattern generators could never match. The CalMAN DPG-1200 gives you all the functionality of pattern generators costing in the thousands of dollars, and more. It’s also far more flexible than the old analog designs. With the newly updated hardware, the DPG-1200 now offers significantly faster pattern updating than the previous DPG-1000 (now discontinued).

In addition to a higher quality of pattern generation, the CalMAN DPG-1200 is small, convenient and easy to use. By running CalMAN with a Professional or Enthusiast license you can automate the DPG-1200 to maximize your efficiency. When you purchase one of our DPG-1200s you also get a CalMAN USB-UIRT, this plugs directly into your computer's USB port and controls your DPG-1200 via IR.

The CalMAN DPG-1200 is more versatile, more convenient, has a larger selection of patterns to use and test giving you even more ability to fine tune your calibration and equally reliable to the top pattern generators on the market today. The DPG-1200 is the perfect tool to combine with CalMAN if you are looking to maximize your video calibration.

Questions? Email us at SpectraCal@CurtPalme.com.

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ON SALE: HDMI 1.3 card for NEC XG projectors - Only 10 left!
December 4, 2009

Moome has further slashed the price of his HDMI 1.3 input card for NEC XG and Runco 991 CRT projectors to liquidate his remaining stock. Originally priced at $450 USD when they were introduced a year ago, they are now down to only $329 USD. That's a savings of $121 USD!

There are only 10 cards left and Moome tells us he is not planning on making any more XG cards as he wants to focus on his other products. So if you're looking at adding an HDMI 1.3 input card to your NEC XG or Runco 991 any time soon, now's the last chance!

Reviews/Testimonials

"I received my XG-FULLHD HDMI card today and I love it! The picture is much better than what I was seeing previously. I was using a HDFury1 with my Sony BD300 and VP30 video processor and was never very happy with it. Now I have the VP30 plugged directly into the new HDMI card and the picture is sensational. Couldn't believe how easy it was to install and setup. Thanks Moome!!" - Rob

"...very quick install/setup and first impressions are that the XG-FULLHD card is noticeably sharper than my HDfury1/RTC2200 setup..." - Lance

"There is no doubt the XG-FULLHD card creates an image that is better than the previous DVI card...colors are more natural, test patterns are sharper. Is the card worth it? That would depend on your budget, and what you expect out of this product. For myself, I say yes it's worth it...the PQ has taken a step forward, and just looks 'right'. This card IS a step up in all areas of image reproduction." - KennyG

"The color rendition of the Moome [XG-FULLHD] card is really quite impressive. The first thing that hit me when going back to the DVI card was how much better the HDMI card did to create a vividly lifelike image with more subtle gradients. (See XG-FULLHD vs HDfury screenshots)" - JArseneau

"... it is a true work of art from Moome, amazing in every way possible ... with the new NEC XG HDMI Moome card and my DVDO VP50pro video processor outputting 4:2:2 YPbPr HDMI I have a image that has improved in nearly every manner (See screenshots) ... the crispness of the image has improved a lot as well, the image is naturally sharper vs the older DVI card which looks slightly edgy in comparison ... color resolution and naturalness has improved so much it is unbelievable, I am so thankful to be able to get this card for my XG, it was worth every penny and more! I just can't get over home much of a improvement this card really is, the best way to describe it is like someone took a hold of a knob on your system labelled bandwidth and cranked it out the roof, the natural crispness and smoothness of the image is amazing, the contrast ratio aspects of the image may be the biggest improvement of all. I am now going to be giddy every time I sit down to do reviews and watch films. Thank You Moome! You are a true master sir!" - Gary

"The image is very sharp and the colours wonderfully vibrant and realistic! The black levels are outstanding!! Its certainly given this XG135 a few more good years without missing out on the latest Hi def formats." - Alan

"Finally installed my Moome XG-FULLHD card into my XG135LC .All sources fed through a VP50 and the results are stunning. Had the projector calibrated by ISF tech. Worth every cent." - Andrew John

"Installation could not have been more simple which was a relieve to me. As a matter of fact, I had more trouble running my 20’ HDMI cable through the attic than I did installing this card. It literally is a matter of removing two screws and replacing the blank panel with this card. The Moome card looked physically like it was always in the XG. That is to say, it doesn’t look like a mod or add on but rather an OEM piece. I figured that I am about as familiar with the Fifth Element on Blu Ray as any other title I have so that was the first thing I popped in the Panasonic BD30 player. My split second first impression of the image was that it was noticeably sharper than my previous setup (RTC2200 and HDfury1 by the way) and I was pretty sure that I was seeing a vividness of color that was not present before. Previous user reviews of this card kept coming to mind and I have to say that I agree with most everything that has been said here. For instance, a comment regarding less noise in the image really made sense to me as that was my impression as well. An overall smoothness which cleaned up the image a good bit without softening fine details in the slightest. I switched back and forth between my sources (Blu Ray, HD-DVD, HD Cable) and never once did the card miss a beat or the projector click like it used to when changing sources." - Dropzone7

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CRT Projector 2-week holiday sale starts now!
November 24, 2009

See our CRT Primer to read why CRT projectors are still used in home theaters where picture quality is paramount. Our Projector Rankings page will show you how they stack up. Not sure what projector is right for you? Email Curt for help!

Here is another projector list for sale. Starting today, just in time for the holidays, I’m having a 2 week sale to sell some of the inventory that has been sitting here for a bit. Look through the list - prices have been cut as I’ve got an excess of projectors here with certain models. Now more than ever, CRTs give you a bigger bang for the buck with a lower cost per hour run time than a disposable digital set.

Some highlights include:

Sony D50
Quantity available: 1

This is a great 1080i/720p projector, with 800 lumens from 7" tubes. Super sharp performance out of an ES focusing set. This set has zero tube wear, they have about 100 hours on them, and the set functions perfectly. A built in transcoder eliminates the need for an external box. All common modifications are done to prevent the 'lack of brightness' issue, and the parts installed are of higher quality, so they won’t fail again. c/w remote and ceiling bracket, but I’ll reduce the price if you’re buying this set to replace an existing one, and already have the ceiling bracket and remote. Case in excellent condition. With ceiling bracket and remote: $1500.00 Projector alone: $1200.00

DWIN 700
Quantity available: 3

Similar to the Barco Cine 7 series, these DWINs use the same tubes and lenses as the Cine units, but the DWINs are quieter, as they only contain one fan, making them virtually silent. Full digital convergence, an easy setup. Remote and ceiling bracket included. Excellent tubes, no visible wear. Note that these tubes are the same as in Barco 708 or the Cine 7, so if your tubes are showing wear, this is a cheap way to retube your set at far less than the cost of new tubes. I'll pull the tubes and will install the Barco HV leads at no extra charge. $1000.00

Runco DTV 947
Quantity available: 1

Equivalent to the Barco Cine 7, this set has 2500 original hours on it with zero tube wear. The case is painted black, and is in great shape. Similar to the DWIN above, the set puts out 1000 lumens from the super sharp P16 tubes. Build in transcoder means you can feed an HD component signal right into the set. Superb condition, remote included. $2000.00

	Runco DTV 980 Ultra Quantity available: 1 Equivalent to the NEC 9 PG Xtra, this set has about 1600 hours on it with zero visible wear. Great condition overall, the original box, remote, manuals, etc. Ceiling bracket included. 1000 lumens out of 8" EM focusing tubes Point convergence included, color filtered lenses. 1080p ready. $1800.00

Marquee 8500
Quantity available: 3

Retubed with very low hour (100) tubes, the defacto standard for reliable 8" sets. 1200 lumens from 8" tubes, 108p and beyond Remote and manual included, all ananamorphic mods done as well as the power supply reliability mod. I got a GREAT deal on these tubes, so I’m blowing out three of these sets only for $1900.00 each. Three of these only at this price.

	Marquee 8500 Ultra Quantity available: 1 A slight step above to the 8500s above, the Ultra features better convergence control and improved video circuits. 100 hour tubes installed, case in great shape. 1080p ready. $2300.00

NEC XG110LC
Quantity available: 1

An ultra rare find, this set had 42 hours when it came in. While virtually new in the box, the set was installed for about a week when the A/V installer realized that he should personally own a digital projector, as that's what he sold. He told me that while he appreciated the better CRT image, he'd sell more projectors if he owned a digital. So, down came the CRT and there it sat in a box... for years. Original everything included, box, manuals, ceiling bracket, lens caps. Not a mark on the cabinet. 1080p ready and capable. LC tubes mean no haloing effects. The best 8" LC set I’ve ever had in. I've run it for an extra 12 hours at low brightness to make sure the set was solid, and it is indeed. No mods done to this set, nothing needed to enjoy top of the line performance. One only at $2500.00

Marquee 9500 Ultra
Quantity available: 2

Absolutely mint and October 2002 vintage - these are the latest model Ultras I've ever had in. It looks like the tubes were all changed right before I got the sets, zero wear, the G2 levels of the tubes are in the 60s, meaning that you’ll get over 10,000 hours out of them. Rare and high resolution HD10E lenses on these sets, sharper than the stock GT17 lenses on them. Very late revision software in the units of course, everything you need for a 1080p to 2160p signal. Cases in pristine shape as well. c/w remote. $7500.00 each

Runco DTV 1200
Quantity available: 1

By far the pinnacle of all CRT projectors in my opinion, this set has everything. First off, it's a digital chassis, which means all parameters of the set are digitally created, enabling focus and convergence to be more stable than in analog generated waveforms. The whole chassis has been redesigned over the older Barcos, and the video section has been moved to one end of the set, greatly reducing video noise and interference. The menus are massively expanded, with electronic astigmatism and focus and convergence zones far greater than other sets. A resolution of 2500 X 2000 can be displayed, far greater than 1080p. 1200 lumens from the top of the line 9" LUG tubes, and the best available HFQ 900 lenses are installed. This set came in with about 2700 hours on it, but the controller board had a glitch in it, so I swapped it for one with 950 hours that worked properly. Installed are a new set of LUG tubes as the originals had a bit of 16:9 wear on them. The case is near flawless and is black, and Runco added the coloured C elements to the set, making the color reproduction better than other sets. Better yet, I've now got a lot of spare parts for the Barco 909/Cine 9/Runco DTV 1200, so I can support these high end sets. $8500.00

Many more sets are in the works, including lots of 9" sets, including some 2002 vintage Marquee Ultras, two Ampro 4600s, and two Sony G90s. Look for more sets in our products section. Happy viewing!

Questions or want to make a purchase? Email Curt!

See All CRT Projectors »

HDfury3 HDMI 1.3 converter now available for pre-order!
November 16, 2009

No HDMI? No problem! The HDfury3 upgrades any TV or projector by adding HDMI! Works with any display that accepts either Component (YPbPr/YCbCr) or RGB/VGA! Don't be stuck watching Blu-ray, DVD, Satellite/Cable at only 480p! Add an HDfury3 and watch hi-def at up to FULL HD 1080p resolution!

HDfury3 is the world's most powerful HDCP deciphering converter ever built! Introducing new features such as two HDMI 1.3 inputs with Deep Colour support and auto or manual switching, Dolby/DTS 5.1 sound, perfect image centering in both component and RGB modes, and user customizable options via DIP switches!

Ships late December (in time for the holidays)! Pre-order today to save yours!

HDfury3 main features:

2x HDMI 1.3 input with Deep Colour support (Manual or Auto switch mode available, user selectable)
Component (YPbPr/YCbCr) and VGA (RGBHV) video output
Sound output in both Analog and Digital Optical (S/PDIF 5.1 Dolby/DTS) through an innovative 3.5mm combo jack
4x EDID banks (2 per channel)
Built-in user selectable output resolution limit settings
Customisation settings available through DIP switches
Perfectly and automatically center image in all standard NTSC/PAL component modes
Manually adjust horizontal screen position in all NTSC/PAL RGBHV modes
Performs Colour Depth Upscaling in all modes (ON/OFF user selectable)
Sync Polarity Inverter included
Automatic SD/HD color-space selection
Accept third party accessories on its output
Software upgradeable

How does the HDfury3 compare to the previous versions?

The HDfury series has come a long way over the years! (see pictures)

HDfury1: RGBHV output only with a DVI-D input.

HDfury2: Introduced component (Y/Pb/Pr) output support with HDMI 1.1/1.2 input, colour depth upscaling to render 16-235 as 0-255, stereo sound output in both optical and analog, and supported third party accessories support on its output. The HDfury2 had an RGB output similar to the HDfury1 but with extended colour depth range for better colours.

HDfury3: The component features from HDfury2 were kept while the RGB and audio output were completely re-worked and improved. We are now extremely proud to announce that the LEFT SHIFT issue in RGB mode is NO MORE! The HDfury3 allows users to shift the picture LEFT/RIGHT at will through push buttons. The colour depth upscaling feature is now also user selectable (ON/OFF via DIP switch). The HDfury3 also features 4 customizable EDID banks, two of which may be used to limit the output resolution to 1080i out of the box (again via DIP switches). A very useful feature for anyone with a display that supports 1080i but not 1080p and has sources that do not offer manual setting of the output resolution. Also included are two HDMI 1.3 inputs with Deep Colour support and MANUAL/AUTO switching (the last powered ON source takes the lead in Auto Mode). Owners of fussy RGB displays will also be happy to learn that the H/V syncs may also now be force to either positive or negative via DIP switch. The RGB pixelclock bandwidth is greatly improved with 225Mhz support (1080p/72 is now perfectly resolved)!

Feature	HDfury1	HDfury2	HDfury3
Data processor	10 bit, 175 Mhz	11 bit, 200 Mhz	11 bit, 225 Mhz
Pixel clock bandwidth	165 Mhz	165 Mhz	225 Mhz
Maximum Resolution supported	1080p/60	1080p/60	1080p/72
Number of Inputs	One	One	Two
Input Type	DVI-D	HDMI 1.1/1.2	HDMI 1.3 with Deep Color support
Output Type	RGBHV only	Component or RGBHV (user selectable)	Component or RGBHV (user selectable)
Compatibility	GOOD (Issues with some devices such as HDMI receivers)	BETTER (Not compatible with Deep Color mode)	BEST
Long output cable support	NO	YES (25-35' cable)	YES! (40-50' cable)
User adjustable sync in RGB output mode	NO The H/V output sync matches the input sync	NO The H/V output sync matches the input sync	YES! The H/V output sync may be forced positive or negative
User selectable manual or automatic input switching	N/A	N/A	YES!
Sound Output	NO	YES Limited to 2-channel in both analog and digital	YES! 2-channel analog & Dolby/DTS 5.1 digital
Automatic image centering in component mode	N/A	YES	YES
Manual image centering in RGB mode	NO	NO	YES! User adjustable RGB image centering via pushbuttons
Colour Depth Upscaling	NO	YES (always on in all modes, not adjustable)	YES! (user selectable in all modes)
Lower power consumption	NO	YES (0.5A power supply)	NO (1A power supply)
Firmware upgradeable	NO	YES (by manufacturer only)	YES (by manufacturer only)
EDID upgradeable	YES	YES	YES
Screen position adjustable via firmware	NO	YES	YES
User selectable EDID banks	NO	NO	YES! 4 EDID banks (2 per input)
User selectable output resolution limit settings	NO	NO (EDID must be reprogrammed by manufacturer or the user)	YES! Two EDID banks are provided: One supports all resolutions, the other supports up to 1080i with 24Hz disabled (Both banks may be reprogrammed as well)
Output resolution limit and custom profiling	NO	YES	YES
Technology	4 layer mid density class 5 PCB	6 layer high density class 5 PCB	6 layer high density class 5 PCB

HDfury3 trade-in program for HDfury1/HDfury2 owners

An HDfury3 trade-in program is available for our faithful readers who own an HDfury1 or HDfury2. Here's how it works:

Order your HDfury3 today
Print a copy of your HDfury3 receipt
Wait to receive your HDfury3. Once received, return the printed receipt with your original HDfury1/HDfury2 and you'll be refunded against your HDfury3 order once your return is confirmed.

HDfury1 owners are eligible for a $49 refund, HDfury2 owners for $99 (50% of the current price of the HDfury1/HDfury2 units). Our trade-in program ensures that you'll never be without an HDfury! Only available though CurtPalme.com, and only for a limited time. It will end shortly after the HDfury3 units start shipping in late December. Stay tuned to future newsletters for more details!

Until mid-2010 the HDfury3 will only be available through CurtPalme.com. Pre-order yours today!

Need more information? See our HDFury3 FAQ!
Questions? Email us at HomeTheaterExperts@CurtPalme.com.

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New Moome Universal HDMI 1.3 converter with Mike Parker mods - limited quantities on sale!
November 7, 2009

The recent enhancements designed by Mike Parker and Walter (WTS) have now found their way into Moome's latest version Universal HDMI converter box. This new EXT-FULLHD v2 box includes special improvements for increased sharpness, higher bandwidth, less noise, and smoother gamma curve adjustments (among other things).

Upgrade your projector or TV by making it compatible with the latest HDMI 1.3 digital video standards! Don't be stuck watching DVD, HDTV, and Blu-ray at only 480p! Add a digital HDCP-compliant HDMI 1.3 input to any projector or TV with an RGB input, allowing you to watch hi-def content at up to 1080p resolution!

How does the new box compare to the original?

Gamma: Improved Gamma for a more linear greyscale (changes suggested by Walter/WTS)
Sharpness: Sharper Image (changes suggested by Mike Parker)
Picture purity: Cleaner/Less noise (changes suggested by Mike Parker)
Range expansion: Now supports 0-255 RGB level support for higher dynamic range (in addition to 16-235)
Stability: ESD enhanced to prevent electrostatic discharge
Horizontal shift: 50 preset memories (The original EXT-FULLHD only had 1)

A complete list of specifications and changes can be found on the order page.

The EXT-FULLHD v2 is now available for pre-order at a special introductory price but only for the first 20 orders! Pre-order now to get the lowest price!

Moome's Sony IFB-FULLHD v2 and Marquee IFB-FULLHD v2 cards are also available with these new enhancements. The existing NEC XG-FULLHD HDMI 1.3 card price was also recently reduced to only $360 USD.

Questions? Email us at Moome@CurtPalme.com.

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New Moome HDMI 1.3 cards for CRT projectors - Limited quantities on sale
October 1, 2009

Over the last few months Moome's been very busy working with Mike Parker, Walter (WTS), and Craig Rounds to increase the performance of his next generation of HDMI 1.3 input cards for CRT projectors. The new version 2 cards include special Mike Parker improvements for increased sharpness, higher bandwidth, less noise, and some gamma curve adjustments from Walter (among other things).

Which HDMI cards have been improved?

The popular Sony IFB-FULLHD v2 and Marquee IFB-FULLHD v2 cards have been revamped. They are available now for pre-order at a special introductory price in limited quantities. Only 20 Sony cards and 10 Marquee cards are available at special introductory prices.

How do the version 2 cards compare to the originals?

Complete information on the changes can be found in Moome's v2 card comparison document (PDF format). Below is a quick summary:

Gamma: Improved Gamma for a more linear greyscale (changes suggested by Walter/WTS)
Sharpness: Sharper Image (changes suggested by Mike Parker)
Picture purity: Cleaner/Less noise (changes suggested by Mike Parker)
Range expansion: Now supports 0-255 RGB level support for higher dynamic range (in addition to 16-235)
Stability: ESD enhanced to prevent electrostatic discharge

Reviews/Testimonials

"Moome's original design squashed (attenuated) 65% of the full bandwidth when running 1080p 60Hz. With Mike's new circuit, the FULLHD v2 now can resolve the entire 1080p 60Hz signal. With Moome's new design his card is the first and only option that can do full 1080p and YCbCr... the image is amazing!" - Craig Rounds, official FULLHD v2 tester, professional calibrator (www.cir-engineering.com)

Moome has also reduced the existing NEC XG-FULLHD HDMI 1.3 input card price down to only $360 USD. This offer's only valid on the next 20 orders. After that the price goes back up to $400. First come, first served! If you're looking at adding an HDMI 1.3 input card to your NEC XG projector, now's the time. See the NEC XG-FULLHD order page for complete details. There will not be a version 2 HDMI card for NEC XG projectors.

Need to add an HDMI input to different display type? Consider the universal Moome EXT-FULLHD or the HDFury2!

Questions? Email us at Moome@CurtPalme.com.

See All Moome Products / Buy Now »

NEW! High Performance Bellows for Marquee CRT Projectors and clones
September 30, 2009

We are proud to offer these custom made Electrohome Marquee CRT projector high performance bellows that have been carefully reverse engineered using better materials than the original (no longer available) stock bellows. Lab tested for superior performance and sold exclusively through CurtPalme.com!

Which projectors can use these bellows?

All liquid-coupled (LC) Electrohome Marquee projectors (and clones) can use these bellows. This includes but is not necessarily limited to:

Electrohome Marquee 8500LC, 8500LC Ultra, 9000, 9500LC, 9500LC Ultra
Accurate Imaging Technologies 9, 9-X
Crystal View CV-1
GTT Audio Video HT Reference 9
Madrigal MP-8, MP-9
Reference Imaging CinePro 9x, 9x Elite
Spatz Tech RE9000, RE9500
Theater Automation Wow (TAW) HD-900
Vidikron Vision 1
Visual Dynamics Reference 9

Why would I want new bellows?

Two reasons:

Over time the old style bellows may leak and "sweat" glycol out into the projector which can destroy other components as glycol is a very corrosive material.
When you put in new tubes you need to replace the bellows as new tubes do not come with bellows. Removing the existing bellows without destroying them is nearly impossible, and the original (stock) bellows are no longer available for purchase.

How do I know if my bellows are leaking?

Look around the front of your LC chamber for any clear liquid seeping out from the gasket around the face plate, or where the C-Element is connected (see pictures). If one of your existing bellows feels slippery or you can see little droplets on the rubber this means the bellow is aging or saturated with glycol and should be replaced as the highly corrosive glycol may drip into the projector. It will look like this:

As you can imagine, leaking/sweating of any fluids in and around tubes running at 35,000+ volts isn't a very good thing! If you see any leaking or sweating you should immediately stop using your projector and replace the bellows!

If I replace my bellows, won't I have to do it all over again some day?

No. The original bellows are 99% silicon which have a lower vapour transmission than the new ethylene-propylene material we use in our replacement bellows. Ethylene-propylene has a 7.5 times larger vapour transmission number. This means that these new bellows will not absorb moisture from the air and transfer it to the glycol which then causes the increase in pressure resulting in leaking and/or sweating.

Questions? Email us at athanasios@CurtPalme.com.

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Last chance to save $100 on the new LED compatible Chroma 5 meter!
September 25, 2009

Heads up! The $100 off discount on the new LED compatible Chroma 5 meter ends in less than one week (Oct 1st)!

More and more new displays are arriving based on Backlight LED technology. One industry analyst estimates that by next year 40% of flat-panel displays will use Backlight LEDs. Unfortunately, existing colorimeters give erroneous results when calibrating these displays. The errors aren't huge, but they're there, and most people don't go to the trouble of calibrating their displays for the purpose of making them "not too wrong."

Accurate results from backlight LED devices can be achieved if the meter has an additional calibration table to account for this discrepancy. To date, only one colorimeter has such a table: The Klein K-10. Available now for the first time are Backlight LED tables for the workhorse Chroma 5 colorimeter. It does not matter if the display is edgelit, backlit or backlit RGB - they all work with the new LED calibrated Chroma 5.

The price of Chroma 5 packages will be going up by $100 to cover the cost of the extra calibration. Until October 1st however, you can get the Backlight LED calibrated Chroma 5 at no additional charge through CurtPalme.com. All calibration is performed in SpectraCal's NIST-traceable calibration lab using a Konica Minolta CS-2000 reference meter. This is the only source for Backlight LED calibrated Chroma 5's. They aren’t available anywhere else.

Note: There is at least a two-week wait for Backlight LED Chroma 5's. Order yours now before the line gets longer! First come, first served.

Already own a Chroma 5? Want to make it LED compatible? Order a Chroma 5 NIST recertification and LED calibration will be included at no additional charge. The Chroma 5 recertification price is normally $175 but if you order in September it's only $99 (plus shipping). See our Chroma 5 order page for complete details.

Confused about meters? See our FAQ: Which meter is right for me?
Questions? Email us at SpectraCal@CurtPalme.com.

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CRT Projector Specials
September 8, 2009

Before diving into the new CRT projector arrivals, let me take a minute to direct your attention to something completely unrelated to home theater and accessories thereof. Presenting my fiancé's dog rescue that just turned 6 months old: www.coldnoseswarmbeds.org.

She started this as a part time venture, and at this point it is BC’s largest dog rescue, having saved over 300 dogs at this point. What makes her rescue somewhat unique is that she regularly flies dogs up from high kill shelters in the US to Vancouver for re-homing. She also has brought dogs in from Taiwan, saving them from the typhoon destruction that occurred there recently. Check out her site, and feel free to send her an email with comments. Of note on her site is the ‘dog blog’, which is a summary of her daily activities in the dog rescue world. She’s putting in 18 hour days, and my new job description around the house is ‘Underdog’: Dog walker and poop picker upper.

OK, onto projectors! As fall approaches, it’s a great time to put in a theater to get you through the winter, or to upgrade that aging projector that isn’t quite what it used to be. As the CRT projector prices keep falling and the digitals continue to have short life spans, it’s a great time to upgrade to that 8 or 9” set you’ve been wanting. I’ve got lots of sets in suitable for every budget. Here are the highlights of new arrivals, more are listed on the main list below.

QTY 1 - Runco DTV 947: This is a late model Barco 708/Cine7 with only 2500 h ours on the chassis. I’ve put in a zero wear green tube to match the blue and red, as the existing tube had a bit of wear. A 1 owner set out of a home theater. $1500.00

QTY 2 - DWIN 700: A great little 1000 lumen projector, similar to the Runco above. 720p capable, virtually silent operation. Easy setup, a small footprint. I’ve got 2 of these, ranging from $800 to $1500 depending on the tube condition.

QTY 2 - Barco Cine 8: I’ve got two of these, circa 2000 vintage. This is the equivalent to the Barco BG808s sets, one with the original Sony tubes in it, one modified (by me) to work with MEC tubes. Both have mint tubes, zero wear, good for 10,000 hours+ operation. The chassis has several upgrades over the BG808s chassis, an improved power supply, video circuits and vertical board. The Runco version comes with color filtered lenses, that’s something that Runco added to the stock Cine 8. 1080p ready. $2000.00 each.

QTY 2 - Marquee 8500 Ultras: Great top of the line 8” sets, both with new G and B tubes. Circa 2000 vintage. An excellent projector for 1080p, as the astig controls allow for perfect focus in the corners of the set. Upgraded video and geometry circuits over the non Ultra sets. Cases in great shape. $2800.00 each.

QTY 1 - Sony 1292: Near perfect shape, no tube wear. 1080p ready, 1000 lumens. Full 9” tubes, super sharp resolution. Remote included. Case in good shape. $2000.00

QTY 2 - Ampro 4600: A budget way to get into a 9” set! I’ve got two 4600s in great shape with zero tube wear. 1200 lumens, HD10 lenses, new memory battery installed. 110 Khz scan rate, great working shape. $3500 each.

QTY 1 - Runco 1101: very light green wear, no point in replacing the tube at this point. This is the equivalent of the BArco D1209s. 1080p ready, case in good shape , a 1 owner HT projector. On eBay here showing the tube condition.$3500.00

QTY 2 - Marquee 9500 Ultras/MP9/Vision 1: I’ve got two of these sets available, I’ll put a new green tube into either one. The R and B tubes are in great shape in both sets. 135 Khz, 1300 lumens. The MP9 was a $60K machine as was the Vision One. The MP9 has a fancier case and gold plated input connectors, the Vision One is the piano black finish version. Both came out of a home theater, 1 owner, in great shape otherwise. 1080p ready. $6000 each.

QTY 2 - Sony G90: One is on eBay here. Very usable as it is, no real need to retube. $3500.00. I have a second G90 that I’m going through. It needs a green tube for sure, possibly a blue. I’ll sell the set as is for $2500, or I’ll retube either set with a new blue and green tube for $6000.00. Remote control included.

Just in! QTY 1 - Barco Cine 9: 1 owner, home theater use. 2700 original chassis hours, I’m installing a new green tube due to slight wear. The blue and red tubes are fine. Very hard to find in good condition. Absolutely the best in CRT technology..$9000.00.

Look for more sets in our products section. Happy viewing!

Questions or want to make a purchase? Email Curt!

See All CRT Projectors »

NEW! Chroma 5 meters for LED displays (SAVE $100 UNTIL OCT 1st)
September 1, 2009

More and more new displays are arriving based on Backlight LED technology. One industry analyst estimates that by next year 40% of flat-panel displays will use Backlight LEDs. Unfortunately, existing colorimeters give erroneous results when calibrating these displays. The errors aren't huge, but they're there, and most people don't go to the trouble of calibrating their displays for the purpose of making them "not too wrong."

The price of Chroma 5 packages will be going up by $100 to cover the cost of the extra calibration. During the month of September however, you can get the Backlight LED calibrated Chroma 5 at no additional charge through CurtPalme.com. All calibration is performed in SpectraCal's NIST-traceable calibration lab using a Konica Minolta CS-2000 reference meter. This is the only source for Backlight LED calibrated Chroma 5's. They aren’t available anywhere else.

Note: There is at least a two-week wait for Backlight LED Chroma 5's. Order yours now before the line gets longer! First come, first served.

So, what do I do if you already own a Chroma 5? Want to make it LED compatible? If you order a Chroma 5 NIST recertification, LED calibration will be included at no additional charge for use with CalMAN. The Chroma 5 recertification price is normally $175 but if you order in September it's only $99 (plus shipping). Here's how recertification works: When you order you will be given a recertification appointment date. Rather than sending your meter in now, you wait until your appointment before sending it in. That way you don’t spend so long without the use of your meter.

Confused about meters? See our FAQ: Which meter is right for me?
Questions? Email us at SpectraCal@CurtPalme.com.

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Sony officially launches the $299 PS3 Slim
August 23, 2009

Last week Sony officially announced the much-rumoured PS3 Slim which replaces the existing PS3. It starts shipping this week in North America and Europe and will cost $100 less than the previous PS3. The PS3 Slim has basically the same features and functions as the "old" PS3 but is 33 percent smaller, 36 percent lighter, and is more energy efficient.

To achieve the new smaller size the internal design architecture has been completely redesigned from the main semiconductors and power supply unit to the cooling mechanism. The PS3 Slim is powered by a new 45nm version of the Cell processor, which runs at the same speed as the 60nm processor in the "old" PS3 but is smaller and therefore more energy efficient. According to company reps, power consumption for the Slim has also been cut by 33% which helps reduce fan noise (always a good thing in a home theater environment though we've never noticed the old versions to be overly noisy when playing Blu-ray movies in an average air conditioned home theater).

Here's a complete list of what's new in the PS3 Slim:

Smaller form factor - 33% smaller, 36% lighter (see picture below)
33% less power consumption resulting in a smaller/quieter fan
Textured surface finish
All models are 120GB (instead of 80 and 160GB)

You can no longer install another operating system (i.e., Linux)
Able to output Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio via bitstream (not just LPCM)

The last point may seem important to home theater users but it actually isn't very relevant. Blu-ray features new lossless audio formats called Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio which result in better sound quality (due to less compression) if your receiver or pre-amp is a newer model which is able to handle the higher bitrates. The "old" PS3 could still output these new Blu-ray lossless audio formats but only after converting them internally to the "generic" Linear PCM format first, and then sending the digital audio signal out to your receiver/pre-amp. In the end the result is the same. The only new feature here with the PS3 Slim being able to bitstream the signal is that newer receivers or pre-amps can actually light up that little "Dolby TrueHD" or "DTS-HD Master Audio" light to let you know what sort of signal it's getting. Previously (over Linear PCM) your receiver/pre-amp didn't know exactly what the original signal format was. Does it matter? No. But to some people having those little status lights light up is important. ;)

So in our opinion, nothing truly important that affects the usage of the PS3 as a Blu-ray or DVD playback device in a home theater environment has changed. It's still an excellent playback machine, just smaller and quieter than before. While the PS3 Slim may not be up to the quality of the Oppo BDP-83 universal player in terms of Blu-ray and DVD playback, it is still an excellent value if you're on a budget (it's $200 cheaper than the Oppo). The PS3 Slim becomes even more attractive if you have any interest in gaming. One minor annoyance is that those of you with custom rack mounted PS3's will need a new faceplate if you decide to replace an older PS3 with this newer model due to the different size.

What about IR control? We would have liked to have seen Sony add native IR remote support to the PS3 to make home theater integration a bit easier, but unfortunately that did not happen. Bluetooth is still the only way to control the PS3 Slim out of the box. Those with universal IR remotes will need to use the $15 PS3 Blu Wave Remote dongle (we use it and it works well) or the new Logitech Harmony PS3 Adapter if you use a Logitech Harmony universal remote.

See what people are saying about the PS3 Slim in our forum, or check out other recent discussions.

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DWIN 500/700 CRT Projector Layout and Setup Tips now online
August 18, 2009

DWIN, like most of the true CRT projector manufacturers (Electrohome, Barco, NEC, Sony, etc.) built its model 500 and 700 projectors from the ground up instead of OEM'ing a chassis from a third party.

Curt takes the cover off and goes deep inside a DWIN 500/700 CRT projector to show you the location of all the parts, features, and controls. A must-read for any DWIN owner.

As of the time of this writing (August 2009), DWIN appears to be out of business, as their website is now a blank page. DWIN sold thousands of the DWIN 500 and 700 CRT projectors, which were very popular as they are very small and *extremely* quiet for data-grade (HD capable) projectors. Quiet is probably misleading as the two models are actually, for all practical purposes, completely silent. The 500 has absolutely no fans in it (completely convection cooled) while DWIN added a tiny fan to the 700 power supply to offer slightly better cooling. The fan is completely inaudible unless you're a few feet away in a completely silent room. How many projectors can achieve that without a hushbox? Both are HD capable and throw a nice 1080i HD picture from Blu-ray and other HD sources.

To see how the Dwin 500/700 rank in relation to other projectors for use in a home theater environment see the Projector Rankings page.

See the Advanced Procedures page for various DIY instructions on maintaining and improving CRT projectors.

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Last chance to save $100 on CalMAN Enhanced Spyder 3 - Prices go up August 1!
July 22, 2009

The CalMAN Enhanced Spyder3 has proved to be wildly successful and they are shipping now! After the initial batch was processed and the duds were discarded, the remaining units were brought up to a very high precision. The resulting meters, with calibration tables supplied via CalMAN, are truly superb colorimeters.

What if I already own a Spyder3?

No problems! If you already own a Spyder3 and would like to get the advantages of the CalMAN Enhanced Spyder3, see our Spyder 3 Calibration Service. Your Spyder3 will be verified if it can indeed be calibrated. If its performance is too far out of range to correct, your Spyder3 will be returned to you and you will be refunded (you will only be charged for shipping). If the meter can be calibrated, you'll be provided calibration tables for use with CalMAN that will make it a CalMAN Enhanced Spyder3.

Note that CalMAN Enhanced Spyder3 performance is only available from within CalMAN, so a CalMAN licence is required (only $179 at the special CurtPalme.com reduced price).

How does it compare to the EyeOne Display 2/LT?

The CalMAN Enhanced Spyder 3 has the following advantages:

The CalMAN Spyder 3's are hand picked from a bulk sort with lesser meters tossed out – only the best are sold.
They are then checked against a reference meter for acceptable range.
Spyder 3's have two sensors for each color allowing CalMAN is able to calculate a more accurate description of color area with edge detection and peak estimate.
A tripod attachment for projector calibration is included.

What about accuracy/repeatability and low light handling compared to the Display 2/LT?

The results of the Spyder3 calibrations have been very good. The calibrated Spyder3 definitely provides superior results when compared to the Display 2.

Response time is 2 to 4 seconds, depending on light level. Unlike the Chroma 5 however, neither the Display 2 nor the CalMAN Enhanced Spyder 3 is temperature compensated so both should be allowed to acclimate to the unit being measured for 30 minutes after the display has been turned on. This is especially true for plasma displays which tend to run hot.

How does it compare to the Chroma 5?

At the other end we have the Chroma 5. It is in a different class. I think the easiest way to conceptualize it is to think of the Chroma 5 as the lowest priced professional meter. The Chroma 5 is calibrated to NIST-traceable reference standards by X-rite. The CalMAN Enhanced Spyder3 is the best performing consumer class colorimeter you can get.

Confused about meters? See our FAQ: Which meter is right for me?
Questions? Email us at SpectraCal@CurtPalme.com.

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Marquee HD Mod Reviews
July 22, 2009

Reviews of the Marquee HD mods are coming in and people are impressed with what they're seeing! Some samples:

"...I have a 1996 Electrohome 9500LC, currently at 4000 hrs on original tubes with Mike Parker ‘Micron’ mods (-03VIM & NB’s) installed in January 2009. For a while, I have been considering Dragan’s Marquee HD board modifications mostly from a reliability and stability standpoint for my aging Marquee. I was not really looking for further PQ [picture quality] improvement, as I have been very pleased with the image quality from MP’s latest mods. However this month, I had Dragan go ahead and update the deflection, focus, Stig, and convergence circuitry (5-boards). Upon re-installation, I was presented with a noticeable sharper focus and more 3-dimensionality, better resolution of detail in both the foreground and background, and silky smooth images with reduced noise in the picture overall. Furthermore, the picture seems more transparent, like a thin layer of film was removed when looking through a glass window. Blacks seem blacker, shadow detail more defined and color saturation more intense. This is all discernible with scaled video, but when viewing a native HD source these improvements really standout. It’s funny many of the same improvements I noted after installing the MP mods have been further enhanced upon with Dragan updates. So, in terms of value, it’s a winner for the improvements yielded in picture quality, and the rear heatsink definitely runs cooler after the upgrades to the boards, another good benefit. I highly recommend Dragan’s Marquee HD modifications, his soldering work is top notch and his turn-around time was excellent, I had the boards back in the projector in less than a week..." - Mike in CA

"It's been mentioned many times on the AVS forums that you simply cannot get 1080P on a Marquee 8500... I was really happy with my home theater but was a little frustrated that I paid for a 1080p Blu-Ray player but was not able to enjoy 1080p. So, I called Dragan and we discussed doing these projector upgrades. I agree'd to have him upgrade every board in the projector. A short few weeks later I got all my boards back and put it all back together. First thing I did notice was his superb packaging. No doubt that when he ships something it will arrive safely. ...Examining the boards, I must say, really good solder work. Very clean and professional. It's amazing how many capacitors and resistors he replaced. Glad I didn't have to do it. WOW, You know how you can't see anything can be better until you see it. This is definitely the case here. Originally I didn't think my projected image could be bettered. These upgrades didn't just improve the image quality 20%, I would say it was 200 to 300%! It's a funny thing about percentages, 100% means its double the amount. Well, I have to say, being a subjective thing, my image quality is 3 to 4 times greater in clarity, resolution, and vividness. Now I can truly say my picture is 3D. It's like I got an entire new projector. Convergence is rock solid, test patterns are razor sharp. Spot size is exact. Scan lines are easily seen. ...Now we are strictly watching all movies in 1080P. ...I can't say enough how happy I am with these upgrades. Highly recommended. " - StylinLP

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OPPO's long-awaited BDP-83 universal Blu-ray player now shipping
July 9, 2009

It's taken a long (long!) time but what many are considering the best Blu-ray player ever built is finally shipping! At $499 the Oppo BDP-83 is certainly not the cheapest player out there, but you'll be hard pressed to find any player that plays as many formats (including DVD Audio and SACD) and has such excellent audio and video quality. It's truly a top-notch player. Highly recommended! 7.1 thumbs up!

Oppo may not be a name recognized by most households but they've been around for some time now and their products are considered somewhat legendary by audio/video buffs. For example, their DV-983H DVD player is the only one to ever score a perfect 100 on the Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity DVD benchmark.

So it's no surprise then that their latest product, the BDP-83 Blu-ray player would be one of the most anticipated players since the dawn of HD movies on disc. Early pre-release reviews talk of the excellent playback quality and the exhaustive list of features and formats supported. This is the 'kitchen sink' of Blu-ray players. Absolutely nothing is missing! It truly an all-in-one solution media center for high definition (and standard definition) playback.

The Oppo BDP-83 plays Blu-ray discs and decodes all of the format's lossless audio schemes (DTS-HA Master Audio, Dolby TrueHD) right on board. Both 5.1 and 7.1 analog outputs are included for you audiophiles that don't have a newer HDMI receiver for decoding lossless audio. It also plays DVD, CD, AVCHD, CD, Kodak CD and even throws in both DVD-Audio and SACD high-resolution audio disc support (a first)! Additional formats like JPEG, DivX, MKV, and AVI are supported as well. It's fully BonusView and BD-Live compatible and has 1GB of built-in memory so you don't need an SD Card to use BD-Live like with some players. The DVD up-scaling is excellent and the 1080p video decoding quality via HDMI is second to none.

Video output choices are 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p50, or 1080p60. 1080p/24 output is also available with compatible displays and the BDP-83 is one of a select few players able to upconvert standard DVDs into 1080p/24 output. The BDP-83 also offers Source Direct mode which outputs source material in its original format untouched by any processing or scaling - something the purists will enjoy.

The only downside is not a huge and is one we've started to grow accustomed to in the age of digital sources: The component output video quality is not as good as HDMI since the advanced features provide by the Anchor Bay VRS ABT2010 processor are only available on the HDMI output. (The component signal completely bypasses the video processor). For the best video quality, HDMI must be used. Don't have an HDMI input on your display? Simple! Add an HDfury2.

The early reviews from the A/V enthusiast press have been through the roof too. To quote a recent review from Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity:

"In a system with HDMI connections, the OPPO BDP-83 is an extremely desirable player to have because it's a fantastic Blu-ray player with a beautiful picture and speedy operation. Standard DVD processing is top notch as well and the player features high quality audio output for all the latest HI Def sound codecs as well as additional media types such as DVD-Audio and SACD in both bitstream and PCM output. Because the BDP-83's component video connections don't take advantage of the ABT2010 processor, the performance is not near as good and doesn't get quite the recommendation for systems limited to analog video connections. However, with the BDP-83's HDMI capabilities, its performance on the bench, the exceptional build quality, their continued support to their product line, and the inclusion of features such as BD-Live and additional media playback, OPPO has an out-of-the-ballpark grand slam home run. Highly Recommended."

If you've been putting off buying a Blu-ray player or want to upgrade your older first or second generation player for something considerably better, this is the one to get.

Interested? Order an Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player today from Amazon for $499 and help support our forum!

Already got yours? Tell us how you like it in our Oppo BDP-83 forum thread.

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CRT Projector Specials
July 3, 2009

Qty 2 - Barco Cine 8: I’ve got two post 2000 vintage Cine 8 projectors. These are equivalent to the BG808s sets, but are about 5 years newer in design, with several modifications done to the power supply, vertical boards and video circuits.

Set # 1 is a Runco DTV-992 Ultra dated from 2000. Runco painted the case black (of course!) and added color filtered elements to the G and R tubes, making for very rich colors. Tubes are in excellent condition, no wear at all. 1080p capable.

Set # 2 is a Barco Cine 8, gray in color. I’ve put in all new tubes, zero wear, great condition. Someone has repainted the blue trim on the projector for some reason, and didn’t do the greatest job, but if ceiling mounted, that is closest to the ceiling and is hard to see. $2000.00 USD each.

Qty 1 - Runco 980 Ultra: This is another recent arrival, with only 1250 hours on the chassis. According to the spread sheet on my site, this is an NEC 6PG Xtra, but this set has the 9PG Xtra software on it, and I’ve run 1080p through the projector with no issues at all. The point board is installed as well. c/w remote and ceiling bracket. Zero wear on the tubes, razor sharp. $1500.00 USD

Qty 1 - Runco DTV 1100: I’ve had several of these in lately. These are based on the Barco 1209s chassis, capable of handling 1080p signals with ease. 1080p ready, 8” tubes, 1200 lumens. I’ve got one of these with very light wear on the green tube, or I can replace the green tube with a brand new one, your choice. $4000.00 w/original green tube, rated at about an 8 out of 10, or $5500.00 USD with a new green tube.

Qty 1 - ECP 4000: Got this one on trade locally, and it’s in really good shape. Tubes have been upgraded to the sharper 07MS tubes with minimal wear on them. R and G are perfect, the blue has a trace of wear, but nothing more than about 2000 hours of ‘on’ time. Very sharp and clear image for the ECP sets, convergence is solid and stable. Case is in nice shape as well. A great 750 lumen, 720p set. $150.00.

Qty 1 - Sony 1292: 1800 original hours on the unit, I replaced the green tube due to the Sony delamination thing that affected some Sony tubes. Zero wear on all tubes (see picture). Good condition case. 1080p ready, 700-1000 lumens depending on whose specs you believe online. Original 1292 remote included along with power cord and manual. The Moome Sony card slips right into the set. $2000 w/HD-10 lenses, $2600 w/Sony HD10F that came on G90 sets.

Qty 1 - NEC XG 75: Still 1080p ready, 1200 lumens, the green tube is not as good as other sets I've sold, but heck, this set will still run circles around an ES focusing set! With the large wear area, you can easily get 2-3 years of use out of the set while saving up for a new green tube. The blue has a tiny bit of wear (see picture), but completely usable for about 7000 hours. c/w setup remote and power cord and manual. $650.00

Qty 2 - NEC XG 135 LC: These two sets are the top of the line NEC XGLC projector, with a scanning rate of 135Khz. 1200 lumens, full 8” LC tubes. The green and blue tubes in both sets are new, zero wear, 1080p ready. Remote and ceiling bracket and manual included. A great upgrade for anyone with a lower end NEC projector, as the ceiling brackets and the throw distance are the same for all NECs ($50 off the price if you don’t need the ceiling bracket). Very reliable sets, I’ve done some reliability modifications that I do to all NECs that come into the shop. Fully tested, ready to go. $2700 each.

I’ve also inherited some signal processors/scalers that I’m going through, here are two for starters:

Qty 1 - DWIN Transcanner II: This set scales any video or Svideo signal exceptionally well, but it will also transcode any component signal to RGBHV. Great for a setup where you’re still using SD and HD signal sources. A passthrough input will accept an HDFury box for added flexibility. $350.00 w/remote.

Qty 1 - Runco VFD 4403 line tripler: Based on an NEC scaler, this unit has 6 inputs including a 480 I component, a passthrough and several video and Svideo inputs. Various resolutions for scaling purposes, up to 1024 X 768. IN a nice black Runco case. Works well. $125.00.

Questions or want to make a purchase? Email Curt!

See All CRT Projectors »

NEW PRODUCT: CalMAN Enhanced Spyder 3 Colorimeter
June 23, 2009

CurtPalme.com has worked out an exclusive deal for our members to bring you this product at a price lower than what everyone else pays anywhere on the internet! Buy direct from SpectraCal 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!

Introducing the CalMAN enhanced Spyder 3 colorimeter: Seven sensors for exceptional performance! Specially hand-calibrated for use with CalMAN to ensure the highest quality and accuracy possible!

If you are looking for a great colorimeter to do home calibrations at a reasonable price without sacrificing quality, the Spyder 3 is for you! We are taking pre-orders now for the CalMAN Enhanced Spyder 3 at a special reduced price of $120 off! ($100 introductory discount and a $20 exclusive CurtPalme.com discount). Orders start shipping in early July.

The Spyder 3 tri-stimulus colorimeter features 7 sensors, giving you a more complete calibration measurement than standard colorimeters, which only use 4 sensors. Standard tri-stimulus colorimeters (such as the EyeOne Display 2) use 3 sensors to measure red, blue, and green (RGB) and 1 sensor to measure pulse. The Spyder 3 also has 1 pulse sensor, but has two sensors for each color (RGB), which more effectively measures the range of each color for a more accurate calibration.

CalMAN supports the Spyder 3 flawlessly. The Spyder 3 is quick-reading and excellent at low light level work.

Included are a tripod holder and stand (for calibrating projectors) in addition to a suction-cup for direct screen mounting.

Why has the Spyder 3 not been offered before now?

The Spyder 3 is a wonderfully engineered meter but it lacked factory calibration. Our past experience with Spyder meters showed that only approximately 1/3 were accurate enough out of the box for serious display calibration. The others were simply too far off to be of any use so we've never offered or recommended them before. Now we're now taking the guesswork out of buying an uncalibrated meter! SpectraCal is buying Spyder 3 meters in bulk, picking the best ones, and specially hand calibrating them for use with CalMAN. The ones that don't meet the grade are quite literally recycled!

SpectraCal is enhancing each Spyder 3 unit by hand calibrating them in their labs and storing the control files in a custom folder that ships and installs with the meter & CalMAN. The result is an extremely accurate device that is highly competitive with much more expensive, NIST Certified tri-stimulus colorimeters.

Free upgrade to CalMAN Enthusiast for existing CalMAN Home users

Current CalMAN Home license owners can earn a free upgrade to CalMAN Enthusiast! Order your Spyder 3 now at the special CurtPalme.comm reduced introductory price of $279 and current licensees will be automatically upgraded to an Enthusiast license. This offer is available to anyone who currently has a Home Edition licence and purchases a Spyder 33, Chroma 5, or EyeOne Pro meter. Offer ends August 1st. Email us at SpectraCal@curtpalme.com to learn of other ways in which existing Home Edition users can earn an upgrade to the Enthusiast Edition, just by adding additional gear to their tool kit! Starting with CalMAN 3.4, the Enthusiast Edition will include features not found in the Basic Edition such as Profiling, Custom White Point Target Editor, and Design Mode in addition to greater meter support, DPG-1000 Digital Pattern Generator support, etc.

Already have an Enthusiast license? Email us at SpectraCal@curtpalme.com for a special introductory price on just the Spyder 3 meter.

Special introductory price: Save $100 until August 1st!!

The $279 introductory price goes up to $379 on August 1st – so act now and enjoy the benefits of a highly accurate video calibration solution at a great value.

Confused about meters? See our FAQ: Which meter is right for me?
Questions? Email us at SpectraCal@CurtPalme.com.

More Information / Buy Now »

CRT Projector Specials and News
June 10, 2009

Confused? See our CRT Primer to read why CRT projectors are still used in home theaters where picture quality is paramount. How do these and other projectors stack up? See our Projector Rankings page. Not sure what projector is right for you? Email Curt for help!

It's been a while since I've sent a new projector mailer out, but work and orders have been pouring in since the new year, so it's been very hectic here. I've inherited a lot of new clients ever since Barco announced on their website that they are out of CRT production as of January 2009, and I've gained a number of planetarium and military/commercial customers since then. Repairs and parts demand is at an all time high, with me sending out an average of 15 boxes every week, not to mention the projector sales to people that are still finding CRT to be a superior image, despite what the commission salespeople want to tell the general public.

The entry-level, intermediate, and high performance CRT projector sales pages has been updated. Some highlights:

Qty 2 - New in the box RCF 6220 projectors: These are new old stock, one is still in the box, one has no box, but is new with the manuals and remotes. These sets are similar to the ECP 4500, a good 7" 800 lumen set with digital convergence, great for a 1080i or 720p image. They are cheap, dirt cheap... $300 each. Why? This is one of the very few sets that I've never seen before, and therefore have no backup parts for them. If you buy the two, I'll take $550 for the pair. Lots of RCF sets were sold in Europe, less so in North America. I'll be listing these on eBay in a bit, so grab them now while I've still got them. The pair of sets were supposed to go into a high end showroom that never went ahead for some reason. I'm sure you'll get years of use out of these sets, but I've got them priced cheaply as I don't have backup parts for them.

~~Qty 100~~ SOLD OUT! – Barco Graphics 808s: These are all I have left of the 29 that I bought in January. Most have been sold, some were parted out, there's a few left in really nice condition. One customer that I sold a Barco Data 808 to a few years ago upgraded to this set, and he said the improvement was remarkable. Fully 1080p capable, these sets use the slightly sharper Sony tubes over the Panasonics that the other Barco 808 models use. Convergence on green card installed in most of these sets. Cases are a bit marked up, but the sets themselves are in great shape. $1200-1500 depending on tube and case condition.

Qty 1 - NEC XG 75: A trade in from a customer that switched to an LC set, this set was fully retubed, and has under 100 hours on the new set of tubes. $1500.00 with remote. 1080p ready.

Qty 1 - NEC XG 110LC: Again, fully retubed, in great shape, focus is perfect across the board. New NEC tubes, very hard to find. $2800.00.

Qty 3 - Vidikron Vision 1: These are the formerly $60,000 sets with the fancy fiberglass cases on them. Two are black, one is white. Red and green coloured filters, 1000 to 6000 original hours on them, all came out of home theaters. I'm still checking the white 1000 hour one, the others have a new green tube, the R and B are fine. Bargain priced at $6000.00 each.

Qty 3 - Runco DTV 1100: 9" sets, 1080p capable. New green tube installed, very similar performance to the Vision 1's above. $5500.00 each.

Tubes, tubes, tubes: I've been very lucky to get a whole stack of new in the box Sony and NEC tubes as used in various sets. Pricing is as follows:

SD 187 tubes: 3 sets available at $150 per full set of R G and B tubes.

07MS tubes: 1 set available at $180 per full set of R G and B tubes.

The Sony tubes above are used in: Sony 10XX series, Ampro 2000, Electrohome ECP, RCF sets, Barco 4000, 500, 600, 700 and 701 and some Seleco sets. Bring your set up to as new performance with tubes free of wear and fungus.

E8508 as used in the NEC PG and PG+ sets. $390 per full set of tubes. Two sets available.

I am getting many more sets in shortly, including another Barco 909, Sony G90s and NECs. I've also got some Faroudja scalers coming in shortly... Shoot me an email if you see something you want that's not on the list, but I've got good stock right now as well.

Questions or want to make a purchase? Email Curt!

See All CRT Projectors »

NEW PRODUCT: Blu-Wire T1/R1 HDMI Extension Kit
May 29, 2009

Enable long-distance HDMI - up to 200 feet from source to display! Unlike most HDMI extenders ours is easy to set up, reliable, uses only one cable, and has FULLHD 1080p support! No tweaking or adjustments required - it just works!

Having issues with picture dropouts, blank screens, or dancing dots in the image? You need to use our HDMI extender!

Even the best HDMI cables are only certified to approximately 45 feet when used as Category 1 ("Standard" 1080i/720p at 74.5Mhz) or 25 feet as Category 2 ("High Speed" 1600p at 340Mhz). The distances are reduced in electrically noisy environments or when lower quality (less expensive) cables are used.

The Blu-Wire HDMI T1 Transmitter and R1 Receiver provide a quick and easy method of extending HDMI v1.3 or v1.2 + HDCP over cost-effective UTP (unshielded twisted pair) networking cable. NO adjustments for ease of installation and maintenance, and full 1080p + HDCP performance over SINGLE UTP CatX cable.

The Blu-Wire T1/R1 HDMI Extension Kit is produced by Obonok Technologies, the world's leading technology for HDMI signal distribution over category cable. Two U.S. patents are pending on their proprietary technology used in this kit.

How is the Blu-wire T1/R1 Extender Kit better than other HDMI extenders?

Other solutions require two CatX cables. Our solution uses only one cable which reduces costs and making installation easier. Two less connections also means 50% less chance of connection-related failures.
Other solutions are only rated for 1080i and 1600 x 1200 with bandwidth in the neighbourhood of 2 Gbps or less. Our solution supports FullHD 1080p with 6.6 Gbps of bandwidth. Future-proof your setup by making sure your HDMI extender supports 1080p!
Other solutions are sensitive to cell phones and other electrical noise such as fluorescent lighting causing noise and/or dropouts. Our solution uses technology that is NOT sensitive to either - you do not need to use more expensive shielded cables required by most of the other solutions.
Other solutions require adjustment and tweaking to maintain a picture. Our solution has Auto Gain and Auto EQ which results in a good signal regardless of distance with no adjustments needed.

Hook-up

Hooking up the T1/R1 HDMI extender is extremely simple. Using short HDMI cables, plug the T1 transmitter into the source and the R1 receiver into the display then connect the two using a UTP networking cable and plug in the power supply. Done!

Questions? Email us at InteractAV@CurtPalme.com or visit our new InteractAV support forum.

More Information / Buy Now »

CalMAN Professional Edition: Massive price increases coming June 1st!
May 22, 2009

CalMAN Professional level calibration software and meter packages are going to see a price increase come June 1st. Expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $750 more for a pro level licence or package next month! The products will be not be changing, only the prices. If you've been putting off purchasing a CalMAN pro level package I'd highly suggest doing it before end of month.

Package	Current Price	After June 1st
CalMAN Professional Edition - Software Only	$1749	$2495
CalMAN Pro Calibrator Kit (CalMAN Professional plus an EyeOne Pro, EyeOne Pro tripod holder, Chroma 5, Chroma 5 projector kit, U3 USB device, pro carrying case)	$3149	$3695
Klein K-10 with CalMAN Pro Edition Software	$7895	$7995
CalMAN Professional Edition with EyeOne Pro (Includes EyeOne Pro tripod holder)	$2549	$2999

Starting June 1st, the Hubble and Chroma 5 meters will also no longer be available with a CalMAN Professional licence. They will still be offered with CalMAN Enthusiast and Home Edition licences.

Reviews/Testimonials from Professionals

"The Pro version boasts the widest hardware support in the industry and covers a wide variety of meters from the low-cost X-Rite Display 2 model up to the high-end Sencore OTC-1000. Automatic test pattern generator control is supported for the latest Model 4000 from Accupel as well as my own Model 3000, as well as the full line of Sencore and Quantum Data test generators. Unlike some calibration programs that throw a lot to digest at once for new users, CalMAN offers three tiers of operation ranging from beginner with a few simple, canned wizard screens to the fully advanced mode that lets you design your own layouts the way you want them to appear. Technical support is top-notch, with most questions answered within a day or two as well as an active support forum available through their site. I also found the included help and information screens almost worth the price by themselves, for they bring a lot of information from widely scattered sources and articles into one convenient place. I highly recommend this program and company." - Michael Marks, Widescreen Review Magazine #133.

"This is the most comprehensive piece of calibration software that I have had the pleasure of working with (and I have worked with quite a few). With their impeccable support and their willingness to listen to feedback and suggestions, their product has evolved into quite the masterpiece. SpectraCal has poised themselves to be a market leader for the calibration software market. The software is well suited both for Novice and Pro Calibrators. The application Help Files and predefined layouts are invaluable to the novice. For a Pro Calibrator, the ability to create custom workflow layouts is just what the doctor ordered. CalMAN has a comprehensive list of meters that it supports which also gives it a great edge over the competition. In addition to the tremendous meter support, this software provides you with the most comprehensive list of analytical data I have seen compared to other software packages. In a nutshell you can't go wrong with this software package." - Stephen Cooper, Digital Video Calibrations LLC, Jacksonville, FL

"CalMAN is simply the most versatile, well researched, tested, and well documented software available for display calibration. No professional's set of tools is complete without it. As a professional, having the ability to work with multiple meters in the same software is fantastic. For the hobbyist, the exceptional documentation make it not only a fine tool, but a great learning opportunity. The support is second to none. Like many great products, CalMAN grew out of a desire to do a job better and a curiosity about a technology. Well done." - Leonard Caillouet, A/V Calibration and Repair Technician, Gainesville, FL

CalMAN calibration isn't just for professionals. A complete line of Home and Enthusiast Edition packages are also available.
Confused about calibration meters? See our FAQ: Which meter is right for me? Questions? Email us at SpectraCal@CurtPalme.com.

Complete Line of CalMAN Calibration Software & Meters »

Hard to find Barco Graphics 808s projectors in stock
May 22, 2009

Confused? Not sure what's right for you? Email Curt and he'll help you figure out what's right for your setup.

I managed to get a great deal on over 20 of these hard to find BG808s projectors. I originally bought these for parts use only, but the tubes are in such good shape, it would be a shame to part these sets out. 110 Khz scan rate, 8" Sony tubes (some say that the Sony tubes are sharper than the Panasonics used in other 808 models), 120 Mhz video cards, 1200 lumens, IRIS camera installed in many of these sets, remote controls included. Hard to find convergence on green card is also included, mandatory for a blend or a stack. The cases on most of these do have some scratches and marks, but the price reflects that the cases aren't perfect. Heck, I've even got some units that are missing the top lids, so save even more if you don't care about the looks, or are doing a rear projection or coffee table installation where you won't see the set. 1080p ready. The hard to find Sony tubes in these sets are $1300 each new. Of the 10 sets I've tested so far, the tubes range from mint to good condition (slight wear on the green only), and have excellent emission. The prices of these sets range from $1200-1500 each, knock $200 off if you don't need a top lid. At this price, you're coming close to a 9" set's performance at a fraction of the price. Heck, buy two and do a blend or stack.

See all CRT Projectors »

Congratulations to our Box1020/1040/1021 Contest Winners - $10 OFF FOR EVERYONE ELSE!
May 15, 2009

Congratulations to both of our contest winners: Nashou66 and loribates!

They get to pick their prize from any of the following X-Vue products:

Box1020 RGB to Component converter & Gamma Boost: For component displays. Combine it with the HDfury2 to give your TV or projector with component inputs a nice gamma boost for the best image quality possible. Works great with the HDfury1 too. Also useful for hooking up RGB sources (like a laptop) to component displays. More Information / Buy Now »
Box1040 Component to RGB converter & Gamma Boost: For RGB (VGA) displays. Combine it with the HDfury2 to give your TV or projector with RGB (VGA) inputs a nice gamma boost for the best image quality possible. Works great with the HDfury1 too. Also useful for hooking up component sources (like satellite receivers) to RGB displays. More Information / Buy Now »
Box1021 RGB Gamma Boost: For RGB (VGA) displays. Same as Box1020 but without the RGB to component converter. More Information / Buy Now »

For those of you who didn't win, do not despair! Everyone that entered has been automatically issued a $10 off coupon towards any X-Vue product until the end of the month. Simply place an order for any X-Vue product at the regular price using the links provided above and you will be refunded $10 for each box you order until midnight May 31, 2009 (multiple orders are allowed!).

We had 341 contestants enter giving everyone a 1 in 170 chance of winning. Not bad! Make sure to stay tuned to CurtPalme.com and sign up to our newsletter for more contests coming soon!

Thank you to everyone for entering! We hope you enjoyed our contest!

Remember that your X-Vue $10 off coupons will expire at midnight on May 31, 2009! Questions about this contest? Email us!

See all X-Vue Products »

Heads Up! It's Home Theater Spring Cleaning/Tune-up Time!
May 14, 2009

Get the absolute best picture out of your TV/projector!

Every year about this time we like to run through a complete tune-up to make sure all our TVs and projectors are still perfectly calibrated. Most people don't realize that calibration changes as the components age, or for some displays (such as CRT projectors), as the earth's rotation shifts! (Due to the shifting magnetic field). Calibration is not something you "do once and forget about". Not even close.

If your displays are already calibrated like ours it's usually a pretty fast process of just running through the steps and making some minor tweaks here and there. The tweaks are typically not major, but doing this one a year (or whenever you change equipment or settings) ensures that the calibration errors stay minimal resulting in the best image quality possible.

So consider this your friendly reminder to get your meters & laptops out tonight and give your setups the quick once-over! Your TV thanks you for it!

Don't have calibration software or a meter? Check out our extensive Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide for free. This guide is for the home theater enthusiast who wants to get the absolute best picture out of any TV or projector. It will show you how to obtain the most accurate colours possible on any display regardless of what sort of technology it uses (Plasma, LCD, DLP, SXRD, LCOS, CRT, etc). No prior knowledge or understanding of greyscale or colour calibration is required. In fact, you may not even know what "greyscale calibration" is at all! That's fine! We explain why it's important along with exactly what tools are needed and how to use them.

Want to take it up a notch and use a professional level solution that walks you through the steps on-screen instead of having to read our guide? See our CalMAN Video Calibration Software. It's available at exclusive CurtPalme.com pricing either alone or with hardware meters.

Start the Tune-up! »

HDfury2 & Playstation 3 Setup Guide
May 6, 2009

We get a lot of questions on how to best set up a Playstation 3 with the HDFury2 so our very own Jeremy Rice (Mr. Tech Support extraordinaire) has put together a step-by-step guide to show you the ins and outs. Plenty of pictures to make it as simple as possible. It addresses many questions including the following ones we see all the time:

All I get is a black screen. All the time. Why?
I get a black only screen when I try and play Blu-ray movies. DVDs and games work fine. Why?
My TV supports 1080i but not 1080p? How do I turn off 1080p?
My TV doesn't support 24 fps (24 Hz) found on Blu-ray movies. How do I turn it off?

While the PS3 is a great Blu-ray/DVD player/scaler (and it plays games too we're told! :)) our tests have shown it to have a very lacklustre component output so it's always best to use the HDFury2 to convert the pure digital HDMI output to analog instead of using the built in D->A converters. The results are substantially better image quality: Whites that are a lot tighter/purer/punchier/brighter, greater contrast range, richer colours, and a considerably (not just a little bit) sharper image.

We've seen this first hand ourselves time and time again and won't go back to using the PS3 component outputs any time soon! Of course, the other major benefit from using the HDMI output is that you can scale DVDs past 480p (something that is not offered over component).

Links:

HDfury2 & Playstation 3 Setup Guide
HDfury2 Order Page (currently on sale)
HDfury2 Mods & Upgrades (on sale for CurtPalme.com customers until May 15)
HDfury2 Support Forum

Read the HDfury2 & Playstation 3 Setup Guide »

Marquee HD Mods now available for order!
May 4, 2009

We are proud to offer these special Marquee HD mods for you to bring your Marquee CRT projector (or clone) back up to spec and offer even greater performance!

These upgrades are offered for the Marquee series of CRT projectors and clones. These machines are 10-14+ years old now so some preventative maintenance will insure continued reliable operation. If your machine is an un-touched (unmodified) original you will also see a performance increase from this upgrade: 10-20% resolution increase for Blu-ray, better colours, and less smearing/streaking.

This is a CurtPalme.com recommended and approved service.

Which projectors are included with this service?

The following Electrohome Marquee CRT projectors and clones are covered under this service:

Marquee 8000, 8110, 8110+, 8500, 8500LC, 8500LC Ultra, 9000, 9500LC, 9500LC Ultra
Accurate Imaging Technologies Accurate 8, 9, XL
Accurate Imaging Technologies Integrated 8
Accurate Imaging Technologies Modular 8,9
Accurate Imaging Technologies Ultimate 8-X, 9-X
Crystal View CV-1, CV-2, CV-3
GTT Audio Video HT Reference 8, 9
Madrigal MP-8, MP-9
Reference Imaging CinePro 8x, 9x, 9x Elite
Spatz Tech RE8000, RE9000, RE9500
Theater Automation Wow (TAW) HD-800, HD-900
Vidikron Vision 1, 2, 3
Visual Dynamics Reference 8/9

What improvements will the Marquee HD mods offer?

This modification brings the following improvements to your Marquee projector:

Sharper focus
Reduction in video streaking/smearing
Increased colour saturation/more accurate colours
Increased convergence stability (less drifting)
Lower running temperatures for improved reliability and longer life span

If your trusty Marquee is drifting a little bit and requires regular touch-ups (even after warm-up), then it's likely there's some tired parts on that 10+ year old projector. An improperly running projector will have more problems over the long run. Just like changing your oil, certain parts should be replaced in your Marquee projector to ensure a long, trouble free life span.

On our test bench we've now seen many times now how a stock machine has very poor spot-size capability: Test pattern grid lines are simply too fat. After the modifications the focusing and spot size are much better. We would go as far as to say that an original 10+ year old Marquee fed a native Blu-Ray HD signal is losing at least 10-20% of the picture quality and resolution without these Marquee HD mods.

More Information / Order Now! »

CONTEST: Box1020/1040/1021 Giveaway!
April 30, 2009

We're giving away free X-Vue Box1020/1040/1021 products to a few lucky winners!

These boxes are the perfect way to do RGB/Component conversion and add a Low-Level Black Boost (Gamma Boost) to the HDfury1 or HDfury2!

What is Low-Level Black Boost (LBB)?

In most displays the shadow detail content is severely limited or simply completely missing. When there are a lot of dark areas in the picture they simply appear as a uniform black area even though the original content has a lot of details within these areas.

This phenomenon is next to impossible to compensate by conventional means by simply increasing brightness or contrast. By increasing brightness true blacks start looking grey and the overall picture only becomes washed-out.

Box1020/1040/1021 low-level black boost selectively addresses only the correct black (the shadow detail) information of interest creating a very dynamic looking overall picture with a rich shadow detail. The level of correction is adjustable for maximum detail.

Sample Pictures

The following pictures are examples where low-level black boost is used to bring out tremendous shadow detail using X-Vue products. No photo manipulation of any kind is done to any of the pictures except for resizing.

Want to learn more about LBB (Gamma Boost) and how to get pictures like these from your display? See our free Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies guide.

Enter Contest to Win! »

Massive HDFury Sale Now On!
April 19, 2009

HDFury2 Basic Kit: Regular price $249, Sale price $199, SAVE $50!   BUY NOW »
HDFury2 Advanced Kit: Regular price $339, Sale price $299, SAVE $40!   BUY NOW »
HDFury1 Advanced Kit: Regular price $149, Sale price $139, SAVE $10!   BUY NOW »
HDFury Gamer Edition: Regular price $139, Sale price $129, SAVE $10!   BUY NOW »

100% guarantee on all orders. Return for any reason for your money back. Orders ship direct from the manufacturer using fast 2-5 day free worldwide priority shipping with a tracking number.

For larger orders visit our volume pricing page and save up to an extra $1500 on top of the sale prices!

See our complete list of products and HDFury accessories! GO »

More people buy HDFury products through CurtPalme.com than everywhere else combined. In no particular order, below are some of the advantages of buying HDFury products through CurtPalme.com:

Only CurtPalme.com provides pre and post sales service through the HomeTheaterExperts@curtpalme.com email which is monitored by a team of home theater experts with over 60 years of combined A/V experience. You're not talking to teenagers doing this in their spare time, you're talking to computer techs and electrical engineers who are avid Home Theater enthusiasts that were instrumental in the design & development of HDFury products. We know the difference between 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 colour space so you don't have to. We also use HDFury products in our own home theaters.
Only Curtpalme.com includes the power supply and USB+5v cable standard in all HDFury2 packages. The power supply is needed in 99% of setups. Even if your setup seems to work without a power supply, you should use it anyway. Our experience is that you'll get better image quality (especially if you use the GammaX Gamma Boost product).
Only CurtPalme.com includes the component cable breakout in all HDFury2 packages needed for hooking up to component displays.
Only CurtPalme.com offers HDfury2 mods and firmware upgrades. These are offered at reduced prices (you pay only the handling and return shipping cost) to those who purchased their HDFury2 through CurtPalme.com. Only CurtPalme.com ships direct from the manufacturer to get you the latest software version of the HDFury products to begin with!
Only CurtPalme.com provides free product replacement when upgrades are announced (meaning you end up with two units in hand or cash back if you decide to ship the old unit back). Yes, this means that our customers actually get money back if their units needs replacement because a subtle problem is discovered. This has NEVER been seen anywhere else. This also ensures that CurtPalme.com customers are never without a working solution (no need to ship yours back first) so you're not left without a home theater for 4-6+ weeks.
Only CurtPalme.com includes *free* 2-5 day worldwide priority shipping with tracking on all HDFury orders.
Only CurtPalme.com has an exclusive agreement with HKmod to offer upgrades from previous products to newer next generation products. Simply trade it in for a discount on your next purchase. When HDFury2 was announced we offered HDFury to HDFury2 upgrades to all CurtPalme.com customers regardless of how long ago they purchased their original HDFury. Nobody else has done this. Buy an HDFury2 through CurtPalme.com and upgrade to HDFury3 when it's announced!
Only CurtPalme.com offers complete cable options for all RGB cables (RED for Barco owners, BLUE for VGA input owners, and GREEN for professional grade 5BNC input owners).
Only CurtPalme.com offers the HDFury2 Advanced Kit which includes the GammaX Gamma Boost product required by many displays (and all CRT based displays) for accurate gamma tracking. For more information and to measure gamma tracking on your display to see why you need it, refer to our Greyscale and Colour Calibration Guide for Dummies guide.

CurtPalme.com Testimonials

"... absolutely amazing and as mentioned, [CurtPalme.com] brings Customer Service to new level." - Cornell

"... I think what you are doing is outstanding! The way you are backing up your product makes me trust you even more. You have a long time customer here and I just wanted to say 'Thank you for your effort'. It is not going unnoticed." - UGC

"I am blown away at the speed of your CurtPalme.com tech support response! I must say that yours has been not only the fastest, but the most relevant tech support reply I have ever received. Many thanks. I am also glad that "someone's reading the content I've written" because I must admit that as I drafted my original email to you, I was fairy certain NO ONE was going to bother to actually READ it !! LOL" - Eric B.

"I greatly appreciate all of your help, correspondence, and courtesy. I have been wrestling with my theater digital/analog issue for weeks now and you have all been extremely patient and informative ... I have learned a little about signals and resolutions, (most of which from you guys.). Just based on your customer service, I must highly recommend CurtPalme.com to any customer I may have. Thanks again." - Andrew W.

"I just wanted to inform you that i received the HDfury2 unit yesterday. I hooked it up and everything is working great... I would like to thank you for your help on this. Your CurtPalme.com customer service is great and you responded promptly. Keep up the awesome work and I look forward to doing business with you in the future." - Chat A.

"I have a 50" Pioneer Plasma TV (PDP-5040HD) with HDMI input as well as component video inputs. Trouble is it is not HDCP compliant due to it's date of manufacture. I wish to take advantage of the 1080i resolution of the TV for playback of Blu-Ray discs with copy protection. I ordered and received the HDfury2 in about a week and it performs exactly as claimed. I'm experiencing a great picture, great color, no problems what so ever. I'd recommend it to anybody with no reservations. I also want to thank CurtPalme.com for the personal response to my questions prior to and after purchase." - Rees

"Is there a place on the curtpalme.com website I can leave feedback? That is without a doubt the best customer service I have ever seen in my life. I got the new HDFury2 this morning! Thank you both for taking care of this so fast!!!" - Matt

Confused? Let the CurtPalme.com home theater experts help you choose the right solution for you. Email us at HomeTheaterExperts@curtpalme.com or visit our HDFury2 FAQ.

More Information / Buy Now »

HDFury2 Mods & Upgrades Now Available!
April 19, 2009

We are proud to offer a speciality service for customers who need a custom version of the HDfury2!

This is a certified/sanctioned service offered exclusively for CurtPalme.com by our partner JoustMods.com. This work is done under agreement with the HDFury2 manufacturer using tools provided by the manufacturer. Your original HDFury2 warranty will remain intact! Please don't trust your HDfury2 to just anyone!

Don't have your HDfury2 yet? Buy it off our HDFury2 order page first!

Services offered include:

1. Firmware upgrade

Upgrade your HDFury2 to the latest and greatest firmware version: v1.50. It adds the following features:

Improved reset/initialization time

Improved power-up time

Faster Handshaking

No more "intermittent blanking" or "abnormal reset" during playback with some problematic HDMI sources.

2. Custom EDID (resolution) programming

As sold the HDFury2 supports just about any resolution and refresh rate up to 1080p/60 (see the HDFury2 order page for complete details). Custom EDID reprogramming is offered to limit this resolution support.

The most common use for this is to remove 1080p support so that 1080i becomes the highest resolution that the HDFury2 supports. This way Blu-ray players that automatically reset to the highest resolution when first powered on (such as certain Samsung players) will reset to 1080i instead of 1080p. This saves the hassle of having to constantly reset your Blu-ray player resolution every time you power it up. Very annoying! Luckily the number of players that override user settings like this is extremely rare.

A request to Blu-ray player manufacturers: You should let your users set the resolution the way they like and remember it even after the unit is turned off! (End rant!)

3. Hardware change to allow for BTB/WTW

This service is being offered for those users that would prefer that the HDFury2 support blacker-than-black and whiter-than-white (BTB/WTW) signals when fed an HDMI component signal. The HDfury2 special 'Colour Depth Upscaling' to increase the dynamic range will continue to be used in both RGB and Component modes (see the HDfury2 order page for complete details).

A hardware modification must be performed and a special version firmware (v1.51) is used which includes all of the v1.50 upgrades listed above. You must therefore also order the firmware upgrade at the same time. Simply add both items to your cart and check out.

Why is the firmware/EDID programming service offered for less cost if I bought my HDFury2 through CurtPalme.com?

As a thank you to our past customers, the firmware/EDID programming service is offered at a reduced price to those who purchased their HDFury2 through CurtPalme.com. Please enter the original 17-digit PayPal order ID you were emailed when you first ordered your HDFury2. This number will be verified before processing your order.

More Information / Buy Now »

Save $50 / FREE HDMI cable on Moome HDMI cards
March 6, 2009

Looking to add Blu-ray or other HDMI sources to your CRT projector? For a limited time, Moome is offering incentives and price reductions on all of his HDMI 1.3 input cards for CRT projectors:

CRT PROJECTOR TYPE:	INCENTIVE:
Complete line of Sony projectors and TVs with IFB slots (See complete list of compatible projectors)	Free 5M (16 foot) HDMI cable!
Electrohome Marquee 8xxx/9xxx Vidikron Vision 1/2/3 Accurate Imaging Technologies Crystal View CV-1/CV-2/CV-3 GTT Audio Video HT Reference Madrigal MP-8/MP-9 Reference Imaging CinePro 8x/9x Spatz Tech RE8000/RE9x00 TAW HD-800/HD-900 Visual Dynamics Reference 8/9 (See complete list of compatible projectors)	$50 off!
NEC XG Runco DTV-991/DTV- 991 Ultra (See complete list of compatible projectors)	$50 off!

Want to add an HDMI input to a different display? Consider the universal EXT-FULLHD or HDfury2!

These cards allow you to add digital devices such as Blu-Ray players, PS3, Xbox360, Satellite/Cable HDTV set-top boxes, and PCs with HDMI graphic cards to your CRT projector. Simply plug the card into your projector, your HDMI devices into the card, and watch! Two HDMI 1.3 inputs with gamma correction and infrared remote control are included. Don't be stuck watching HD at only 480p! Add a digital HDCP-compliant HDMI 1.3 input card allowing you to watch hi-def content at up to 1080p!

These cards are a culmination of everything Moome has learnt over years of building input cards for CRT projectors: They are by far the highest end cards he has yet to offer with new features such as: Two 100% HDMI 1.3 compliant inputs for Deep Colour support, better discrete 12bit D/A converters, faster 1GHz output buffer, and videophile quality op-amps for the best image quality possible. Supply is limited and tends to sell out fast as these high-end products are only built in small batches. This is the last HDMI input card you will ever buy for your CRT projector!!!

Widescreen Review Magazine uses Moome HDMI cards in their reference theaters which feature a Sony G90 and Runco 1200 CRT projectors. "We love our 9-inch CRT projectors, even though we have our pick of the leading edge D--ILA, SXRD, and DLP projectors." - Gary Reber, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, Widescreen Review

Reviews/Testimonials

"The card looks really good in the projector. I have the card / G90 set up now so that I can see the "just above black" bar next to window patterns on my VP403 with windows from 0 IRE through over 70 IRE. This is with rich inky blacks and a perfect gamma curve of 2.2 through the entire luma range. The card has behaved flawlessly for my testing and seems very solid. It also deals really well with long HDMI cables, better than other previous cards I have seen. I do recommend it and will post more info as time permits. I have done only a little calibration with it, and the card already looks good. I've watched Sunshine, Mission Impossible 3, 5th Element, Bank Job, Decent, and Ratatouille. Some of those are not exactly reference, but the board is doing well. Sunshine with its black details and dark glory looked absolutely fantastic. Everyone who was watching with me was really WOWed. This is really a great card. I ran 1080x1920 @ 72 Hz today for a couple hours at least. Coming through a monoprice, 22 gauge, silver plated copper, 35' cable. No issues at all; no sparkles, no noise... just perfect. That is not an easy test at all!" - Craig Rounds, official IFB-FULLHD tester, professional calibrator (www.cir-engineering.com)

"I received my XG-FULLHD HDMI card today and I love it! The picture is much better than what I was seeing previously. I was using a HDFury with my Sony BD300 and VP30 video processor and was never very happy with it. Now I have the VP30 plugged directly into the new HDMI card and the picture is sensational. Couldn't believe how easy it was to install and setup. Thanks Moome!!" - Rob

"...very quick install/setup and first impressions are that the XG-FULLHD card is noticeably sharper than my HDfury/RTC2200 setup..." - Lance

"There is no doubt the XG-FULLHD card creates an image that is better than the previous DVI card...colors are more natural, test patterns are sharper ...the PQ has taken a step forward, and just looks 'right'. This card IS a step up in all areas of image reproduction." - KennyG

"... it is a true work of art from Moome, amazing in every way possible ... with the new NEC XG HDMI Moome card and my DVDO VP50pro video processor outputting 4:2:2 YPbPr HDMI I have a image that has improved in nearly every manner (See here for screenshots) ... the crispness of the image has improved a lot as well, the image is naturally sharper vs the older DVI card which looks slightly edgy in comparison ... color resolution and naturalness has improved so much it is unbelievablee, I am so thankful to be able to get this card for my XG, it was worth every pennyy and more! I just can't get over home much of a improvement this card really is, the best way to describe it is like someone took a hold of a knob on your system labelled bandwidth and cranked it out the roof, the natural crispness and smoothness of the image is amazing, the contrast ratio aspects of the image may be the biggest improvement of all. I am now going to be giddy every time I sit down to do reviews and watch films. Thank You Moome! You are a true master sir!" - Gary (Home Theater Forum Software and Hardware reviewer)

Questions? Not sure what's right for you? Email us at Moome@CurtPalme.com and we'll help!

More Information / Buy Now »

New 'Enthusiast' license for CalMAN Video Calibration Software
March 4, 2009

Many CalMAN users have long been asking us for a license that would give them more access than the Home license permits without having to go all the way up to the Professional level. (The Professional license is meant for professional calibrators or people who use CalMAN in business).

Enthusiasts may have quite a bit of gear, but they're not using it professionally. The new CalMAN Enthusiast license supports all the meters supported by the various home licenses, including the very popular EyeOne Pro, the Chroma 5, and the Hubble, plus it enables automation of whole measurement sequences with the new CalMAN DPG-1000, the world's first Digital Pattern Generator.

A whole new set of meter/software packages have been introduced around the new Enthusiast license to cater to all levels and needs.

The new Enthusiast licence works with the newly announced CalMAN version 3.3 (released on March 3rd) which introduces many new upgrades.

Confused about calibration meters? See our FAQ: Which meter is right for me?

More Information / Buy Now »

NEW PRODUCT: CalMAN DPG-1000 Digital Pattern Generator
March 4, 2009

BONUS! Buy a DPG-1000 before the end of March 2009 and get a free upgrade to the new CalMAN Enthusiast licence for much greater meter support. A $199 value exclusively through CurtPalme.com!

ATTENTION PRO CALIBRATORS! Already have a CalMAN Pro Licence? Save $100 on your DPG-1000 purchase if you buy before the end of March 2009. Email SpectraCal@CurtPalme.com for details.

SpectraCal has been looking for the right pattern generator to offer their CalMAN users for a long time. When they couldn't find what they were looking for, they invented one themselves!

The CalMAN DPG-1000 is the world's first digital pattern generator. Rather than building patterns from analog circuitry, it uses Twenty-First Century technology. SpectraCal's Derek Smith created the design, then he went out and looked at you can't believe how many components until he found what he needed to create the DPG-1000.

By assembling the DPG-1000 from commodity components, Derek was able to bring the cost of a professional pattern generator down from the thousands to the hundreds of dollars. But don't be fooled by the cost. You can spend a lot more for a pattern generator, but nothing will give you more accurate patterns than the DPG-1000 delivers!

In addition to a higher quality of pattern generation, the CalMAN DPG-1000 is small, convenient and easy to use. By running CalMAN with a Professional or the new Enthusiast license (see news item above) you can automate the DPG-1000 to maximize your efficiency. When you purchase a DPG-1000s you also get a CalMAN USB-UIRT which plugs directly into your computer's USB port and controls your DPG-1000 via Infra Red.

The CalMAN DPG-1000 is more versatile, more convenient, and has a larger selection of patterns than other pattern generators on the market today. It gives you even more ability to fine tune your calibration. The DPG-1000 is the perfect tool to combine with CalMAN if you are looking to maximize your video calibration.

Why use a pattern generator and not a test disc for calibration?

Pattern generators are what the pro's use. For the first time a 100% digital HDMI capable version is now available and it's the same quality of gear the pros use, only 100% digital so there's no issues with signal degradation or quality.

Professionals start by calibrating just the display, as accurately as they can get it. A pattern generator like the DPG-1000 would be used, which they know you can trust. They the professional calibrator works backwards up the chain and calibrate each input separately. If the DVD or Blu-ray player is skewed, they'll want to set a mode on the display that compensates for it, but they won't want to use that mode when, say, cable TV is being watched.

Professionals know that they have no idea what the customer's DVD or Blu-ray player is putting out, but they know they can trust their pattern generator. If you paid a professional to come calibrate your home theater, he'd bring in a pattern generator. Now you can do that too, at a price that is a fraction of the cost of competing (analog only) pattern generators. (Not to mention you can impress your friends with the fancy custom foam-lined case!) ;)

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NEW PRODUCT: CalMAN USB-UIRT IR Controller
March 4, 2009

The CalMAN USB-UIRT is a device that emulates a remote control, and under CalMAN's control, sends your DVD player the codes that tell it to advance to the next pattern in a sequence so you don't have to select the next pattern manually. Using the CalMAN USB-UIRT, you can automate a whole calibration run with your calibration disk, the same way that someone with a pattern generator can.

The CalMAN USB-UIRT comes pre-programmed to allow it to communicate with almost all of the DVD players on the market, and also with the ability to learn how to communicate with any DVD player it can't currently communicate with.

SpectraCal not only wants to provide you with the most accurate results in your video calibration, they also want to ensure that you are able to get those results as quickly and easily as possible. The goal is to make the process simple and efficient. They are constantly striving to automate and simplify as many of the processes as possible so that you can focus on the details of calibrating your home theater to the highest possible standards.

Note: A USB-UIRT is included for free when you purchase a CalMAN DPG-1000 Digital Pattern Generator (see news item above). So if you own a DPG-1000, you do not need to purchase a USB-UIRT separately.

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Pronto TSU-501 Remote price drop: Only $39 now!
February 25, 2009

Techtoys needs to make room so they've slashed prices from $59 down to $39 on the remaining Pronto TSU-501 remotess. Free worldwide shipping included. That's approximately 1/10th of the price that other sites sell this remote for! Cheap enough to buy one for every room in the house and keep a spare just in case!

These are brand new, still-in-the-box touchscreen learning remotes that come with everything you need to get set up including software, manual, cable, batteries, etc.

Reviews/Testimonials

"The remote is several cuts above the usual slab 'o buttons. A learning handset that's also pre-programmed with a large code library, it features an LCD touchscreen as well as soft and hard buttons — all backlit. In a thoughtful touch, the remote automatically turns on when you pick it up (there's a tilt switch inside) and automatically turns off after a user-settable delay. And it can use either infrared (IR) or radio-frequency (RF) signals to control the system. RF is particularly useful when the control center is in another room (maximum range is 66 feet). The control center's output for a supplied dual IR emitter even lets you control other equipment in your rack with RF commands from the remote. Of course, you can also create macros, which allow you to issue a string of commands with one button touch. Finally, the remote has a serial port so you can connect it to your PC and customize the touchscreen's layout and the remote's operation using the supplied Freedom Edit Windows software." - Sound & Vision Magazinee

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