CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

mutantaction · Joined: 06 Sep 2012 Posts: 24

Hey guys!

I'm new here Very Happy

I've been completely detached from the world of projectors for 6 or 7 years. I use my
Marquee 8500 everyday, and it never fails me. Since it's from 1998 or so I'm beginning to
think about recapping everything with panasonic/rubycon caps.

Then I get the thought....how much has happened in the last 7 years? Where are the DLP's etc
on the quality scale compared to an 8" Marquee(with Moome HDMI). How much would it cost
to get an DLP(or other?) digital-pj that has comparable or better image than the Marquee 8500?

I know that my Marquee can scan to 152kHz or the like and be way more flexible with resolutions
than the fixed res. digital pj's, but I've never really used it.... Smile

I've also had the plan of building a 3-D HTPC since I have the glasses etc, but it never got off the
ground. So, it could seem that some of the CRT pros would never actually be used...

I REALLY love the Marquee. It's the ONE thing in my house that's ALWAYS working and never fails.
I have no desire for another projector, but I have to check in with reality! I learned that with
LaserDisc back in the day...where many of the LD-user maybe should have pushed more for DVD
than we did.

I'm asking this in the CRT forum...hoping for 100% brutal realism answers:)

Thanks!

RObert

mutantaction · Joined: 06 Sep 2012 Posts: 24

...by DLP I mean LcOS, D-ILA and what ever else:)

draganm · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 8990 Location: Colorado

ok, here's the BRUTAL, COLD REALITY, CHECK YOUR ASS AT THE DOOR answer .

Enjoy what you have Wink

There's no whiz-bang wonder box out there for a few hundred bucks. The better DILA based LCD's are a few grand.

mutantaction · Joined: 06 Sep 2012 Posts: 24

Well, a few grand is pretty cheap....how much do Marquees go for these days?

On the other hand, those digital pj's seem to come and go like everything else....there's probably zero
chance of repair and there certainly isn't anyone making input-cards for them 20 years from now
(or mods)

How would the image be on a 2 grand digital LCD-ish compared with a Marquee 8500?

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2012 5:46 pm Post subject:

Unless it's a newly retubed 9" set, any other set at this point is more or less worthless. Dragan nailed it. Use it until it dies, and even then you can usually repair it for cheap. If you've consistently used it for a few years, then you most likely have some tube wear, and the set is worthless. I was offered a free low hour 8500 yesterday. I turned it down because it was in Fl, and shipping to me would have been $350 incl customs clearance.

mutantaction · Joined: 06 Sep 2012 Posts: 24

Ok. I'll recap the machine and keep it. Which is what I mostly want to do. I just forced myself to be realistic. I love CRT's,
but also I owe to myself to push for the best image quality....even if that means getting out of CRT...which IS the hobby.
Paradox:)

The machine has never had a problem of any kind. It has a die-hard community and it even has hardware being built
just for it. It's a real workhorse and even though it's only 8", I think I have a great image.

I wonder how much I should expect from a cap change. I take it that the focus module will give me the most?
I just wonder if the bottleneck is the beam size and not the focus module?

Phoenixed · Joined: 13 Oct 2011 Posts: 514 Location: The mitten

mutantaction -

An 8500 with mods can smoke a 2k digital. Trust me.

mutantaction · Joined: 06 Sep 2012 Posts: 24

Phoenixed, in your signature you say that you have 1080p on an 8" ? Is that with normal HD-8's?

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

Run 1080p@48 hz and it will look fine for 16x9 aspects and then run 800p@60 or 72 for 2.4 aspect movies. its called active area scanning
and only scans the area of a blu Ray with an active image. the black are above and below the 2,4 movies is ignored by the scaler and PJ therefore freeing up bandwidth.

http://www.avsforum.com/t/737385/want-to-optimize-your-scaler-and-crt-calculations

Athanasios

draganm · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 8990 Location: Colorado

mutantaction · Joined: 06 Sep 2012 Posts: 24

The HD-145 lenses sounds a little too much, as do the filtering. I hope that a regular cap change will, as you say, give me
some improvement + prolonging the problem-free life of the unit

I'll recap the LVPS too.

I can see that many of the caps are already good Rubycons, but they're pushing 15 years now

Where do I see the number of hours? in the 0901 menu?

Thanks

Phoenixed · Joined: 13 Oct 2011 Posts: 514 Location: The mitten

mutantaction · Joined: 06 Sep 2012 Posts: 24

Ok, that sounds amazing !

Jeremy112 · Joined: 28 Sep 2006 Posts: 2649 Location: Fond du Lac, WI

Glad you've decided to stick with CRT, I still dont understand how people can watch a puky digital image on such a large format, especially if its not HD on a HD digital projector!! At least SD looks incredible on a CRT projector, something no digital will ever be able to do good unless its one of those super low resolution antique digitals Very Happy

I also have a recommendation for capacitors. 15 years ago Rubycons may have been some top notch caps, but these days I have found them to be a lot less reliable than some other brands, such as Nichicons.

In all of the electronics I've ever repaired, when it comes to capacitors, Nichicons have been THE MOST reliable capacitor I have used. Not only are they reliable, but their specs are usually right on or damn close when you purchase brand new ones. I have found that that is not the case with several other brands like Samxon or Rubycon.

That doesn't mean that every capacitor by Rubycon is a POS, but I've only ever seen 2 domed Nichicon capactiors in anything I've repaired with the Nichicon caps installed.

I just replaced 14 capacitors in a power supply of a TV that used Rubycons. They didnt physically look bad at all, but once I replaced them the voltages went back to spec and the TV operates flawlessly as it should.

Like I said, I'm not saying rubycons are the worst, but if you are looking for THE MAX in reliability and performance, spend some bucks on some high end Nichicon caps, especially if you really love the projector and don't want to get rid of it anytime soon.

My NEC XG1100 dates back to.... I THINK 1997, not entirely sure, but pretty sure. I haven't done a single bit of work to it other than use it and replace all 3 tubes because they were pretty toasty and one cracked.

If I were you, and I was looking to get at least 70% better PQ, I would not only do the capacitors, but I WOULD DEFINITELY get the HD-144 or HD-145 Color corrected lenses, the difference is HUGE, I mean VERY HUGE, not just a little "Oh that does look a bit better", I mean "DAMN, Look at the image, and people traded these boat anchors for 10 minute setups and perfect geometry??"

So my 2 cents, don't have to use a darn bit of it, but I think it would make you much more happier in the long run.

mutantaction · Joined: 06 Sep 2012 Posts: 24

Thanks for the advice! I usually feel safe with Rubycon/Panasonic/Nichicon, and will use them as a toss up:)

Well, I'm almost afraid to ask...how much does 144's cost? I assume some brackets will be needed too?

Phoenixed · Joined: 13 Oct 2011 Posts: 514 Location: The mitten

Try looking around here in the buy/sell forum here. Theres also a whole 8500 ultra being sold with everything needed somewhere on the net.
OR just ask Curt.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:18 am Post subject:

Not sure if I have 144s, but I do have 145s at $100/set.

HighDefMike · Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 62 Location: Florida

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:01 am Post subject:

Damn Mike, that's a SWEET color!

mc86 · Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 3:51 am Post subject: