CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[Jeremy112]

I am curious as to what components should be replaced in a NEC XG projector to electronically bring it back to brand new condition.

I know capacitors are always something that should be replaced, but what about resistors, transistors, diodes?? Any of that?

Also, can the fans in the XG be replaced with a quieter fan, instead of modifying them to run at lower RPMs? I know that there are several computer fans that would be dead silent vs whats in the XG.

I am asking these questions because I would like to give my XG1100 a major overhaul before I switch to a 9 inch CRT. I want to experience what this projector operated like when it was new 15 years ago. With the usage its had before me, and since I have owned it, I am sure a refurbishment of the parts would make an improvement, particularly in stability and reliability so there is less of a chance of component failure.

Any advice is appreciated. I wont be starting this until I get my sony Pearl back from Mac, so I have something to use while I am restoring the projector.

[gjaky]

Well electronics are not like cars, you can't expect much performance gain with random component cahnges, also the boards are not "wearing out", unless the parts are out of their specs any board should perform just like a new, if some components are out of spec, you'll probably notice it.
NEVER, NEVER change fans on a NEC for the sake of noise. This is described here at least hundreds of time NECs are using very high quality fans, you hardly find any better, if you find one which is more quiet then it's blowing much less air, which is not good. The noise of these sets is caused by air turbulance not the fans themselfs, if the noise bothers you then build a hushbox, that's the ultimate solution.

[Jeremy112]

Thank you gjaky for all the tips,

I have to admit though, I find it very very hard to believe that I am hearing wind turbulence from the fans when they sound like they are whining. I have a computer tower with 15 fans in it and I know what wind turbulence sounds like, and its much different than the whine the XG fans produce they rotate at 3100rpms, which I would think should be more than enough for the NEC XG since there are several fans in it as well.

As far as the electronics go, I would have to disagree and say that the machine has gone out of tolerance compared to what it was 15 years ago.

I have had many little issues and I am sure that its related to parts being used up long before I got this thing. I have to do regular touch ups about every 3 or 4 days, which isn't so bad, but when other issues like I had posted last night in another topic, then it tells me the projector can no longer keep itself stable.

The fans... I could compromise on that, though I am willing to bet I could find better fans, now that its 15 years later. The electronics I know are due for an upgrade. You can't just use something for 15 years and expect it to stay exactly the same. That is like thinking the oil in a car never needs a change after a few years of sitting even if you only put a couple hundred miles on the car since its last oil change.

[MikeEby]

Back when XGs were in their heyday lots of folks were doing fan mods. I don't know of any of those projectors that are still running. Is that the reason? I can say for sure but many people have had issues after mods. The ONLY fan I have changed in my XG is the little sucker on the green neck board. That one is loud as hell and from what most people say doesn't do much. I did replace it with a PC fan held in with some cable ties.

As far as caps don't fix it if its not broke.

Mike

[Jeremy112]