CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

msj350 · Joined: 14 Dec 2008 Posts: 9

I bought a used GE Imager 310 ( I am guessing late 80's model) and set it up to play movies. It projects on a 45 degree knee wall with 124 inch screen. The picture seems to be quite good. To me it is comparable to my old 60" Mitsubishi Big Screen. I have a set of cables that can connect to the computer and the RGBHV input. I could not adjust the computer video output correctly to get this to work. So for now I use the single video input.
I have looked at the converters advertised on this site but I do not have the background or understanding to make a good sound discission.
Does anyone recommend one of these boxes or would this be a poor investment for me being this unit can not do any better?

I have $220 invested to date.

Any input would be greatly appreceated.

-Mike-

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:09 am Post subject:

That is a...Panasonic PT 101 or 105? It might do line doubling, I don't think it will do HD, so you don't need those converters I don't think. I'll see if I have the specs somewhere..

msj350 · Joined: 14 Dec 2008 Posts: 9

He gave me a manual that calls this a NEC DP-1200A as well.

sparky_grl · Guest

OK, sorry, thought I might be off track. That set's specs are here:

http://www.curtpalme.com/PJSpecs_NEC.shtm

It will do 1080i...just. Set it up for composite video and learn the setup before spending any more money. The image will probably look a bit soft on those tubes, but as long as you have decent brightness, then it should look OK.

But learn the set before you spend money on the accessories. Do you have the large setup remote? that's mandatory for doing convergence and setup.

msj350 · Joined: 14 Dec 2008 Posts: 9

I do have the remote and I did perform the convergence.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:16 am Post subject:

You make it sound so easy..LOL!

The NECs' are about the hardest to set up out there. If you truly mastered the DP 1200, then you're good to go if you ever want to upgrade.

But if you can, post a screen shot.. Wink

msj350 · Joined: 14 Dec 2008 Posts: 9

Here are a couple of pictures

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 2:50 pm Post subject:

Damn impressive. Let this be a lesson to newbies everywhere. HEre's a guy new to projectors, got one of the hardest projectors to set up (IMHO), didn't ask any questions until after he got a picture... sweet! Very Happy

Have you read this:

http://www.curtpalme.com/CRTPrimer.shtm

That should help explain some of the signal basics.

Cheers!

msj350 · Joined: 14 Dec 2008 Posts: 9

I did. That is great information and I thank-you for your help with this.
I am looking at the RTC2200 Component to RGB Converter with Gamma Boost. I would like to be able to present powerpoint presentations through this via my laptop and possible play 720p videos.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:43 pm Post subject:

No, you can't. The projector can't scan as high as 720p. You can do 640 X 480 max, and maybe try 800 X 600. This is a 1987 vintage design, 720p wasn't even a twinkle in a computer engineer's eye at that point.. Wink

If you want to feed a BR or HD signal into the set, you probably can do 1080i, but no higher in resolution.

Person99 · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 4899 Location: Flower Mound, TX

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 4:01 pm Post subject:

Ya know, I knew a hater would come out and trash this new CRT owner, so I'll say this:

DAVE... SHUT UP!

Not everyone here has had multiple CRT projectors, not all of us have the luxury to audition multiple digitals, and not all of us are digital fans.

I would agree somewhat in not going overboard in spending huge money on accessories for this set, OTOH if the CRT owner gets hooked on CRT, the HDFury and gamma correction units can get transferred to other CRTs.

Funny how some ex CRT owners that used to trash digital owners in the past now get all high and mighty now that they've made the switch.

Remember what THumper's mom said to Thumper: 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all'.

Person99 · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 4899 Location: Flower Mound, TX

Person99 · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 4899 Location: Flower Mound, TX

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 5:00 pm Post subject:

Dave, all CRT owners have poked fun at digital owners and vice versa. I agree, maybe he overpaid, but that's like saying to a 16 year old kid that bought his $500 first car that it's a piece of crap and he overpaid. C'mon man! By the looks of his screen shot, the tubes are in good shape, and from his pix, I'd personally rather watch a $220 DP 1200 than some $200 POS digital found on eBay.

As for this site having a future in digital technologies... that would be a definite NO. What's the point? I can't offer any better service than Wallyworld or Costco when it comes to disposable digitals, and can't compete with large volume sellers when it comes to price. So why would I bother spending time and money on digitals on this site?

Frankly, I was most offended by your last sentence. Yes, that would be nice if everyone had an 8 or 9" set with minty tubes, but there's still 100s if not a couple of thousand Sony 12XX EM focusing sets out there. With the current economy, everyone is cutting back, and not everyone can afford what you had.

CRT may be fading, but it's not dead by a long shot. I predict this site can sustain itself in it's current state for another 5 years without changing a thing. Once I start putting up sound stuff early in the new year, it will attract a different clientele, but the CRT stuff will remain on the site.

Person99 · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 4899 Location: Flower Mound, TX

Zebu Fellenz · Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 2567

So Dave,

What would you have gotten for $220 that would be better than what he has. Is there a digital for that price that would really compete? I wouldn't pay $220 for the machine he has, but that is because I wouldn't have to, in the states these type of machines are much more common and cheaper. There is a limited supply in AU and that drives the price up.

And last, it doesn't really matter weather or not you would have bought it, what matters is that he is happy with what he has.

-Erik

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 5:42 pm Post subject:

Dave, you totally missed my point, but I'm not wasting any more time on it. Erik understands.\\

Your opinions are always welcome here. It's the presentation of them that sometimes needs work.

Person99 · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 4899 Location: Flower Mound, TX

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 5:57 pm Post subject:

For them, no. THey play on a totally different level than we/I do here.

Again, tell me how a 1 man player (or 2 or 3 or 4) is going to compete even with avs without doing installs as I've done with CRT projectors? I have a captive market here now, which is the only reason why I'm here. I can troubleshoot my ass off and repair/diagnose sets without seeing them in person. I can send parts out so end users can do board swaps.

With digitals, I can't afford to stock the 1000s of bulbs required in the off chance that someone might order one. I can't repair them. I can't deal with HDMI issues or other quality control problems without seeing the install.

No, I did look into it, heck, I even looked into repairing flat screens, gawd knows there's enough of those around. It can't be done. Besides, as probably even you would agree, when the digital dies, it's obsolete anyways, and you don't bother getting it repaired.

Oh, and one other thing: Business is completely different in Canada than it is in the US. Most Canuck suppliers don't keep up with the fluctuating USD and they add a markup, so a Canadian digital projector will always be more expensive than a US one. By the time I order one from the US, pay for shipping, duty and customs, I can't compete with a Canadian looking online, he'll just buy direct.

No, it's back into sound system design and installs locally. If I get bored with that, I might come to the US to look for work. From what I see, a multifacted audio and video sales guy/installer/designer/troubleshooting/repair guy with 20+ years experience is really hard to find, even in the US.

We'll see. I have an idea for audio installs that I can't see having been done on the net out there yet. It's my goal to try that down the road...