CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

Onslo · Joined: 11 Jul 2016 Posts: 5 Location: Australia

Greetings

I just received this unit for near nothing with a view to entertaining myself a few nights and possibly throwing it in the bin if it was dead or too old to be worth playing with.

I have a manual for it so set it up on the floor and plugged my laptop in to the RGB input it came with. It fired straight up and I 'focused' it by experimenting with distance from the wall. It has a good picture with slight blur on the text of the menu bar. I adjusted the lens focus and all the alignments in the manual and its surprisingly good.
All this took a half hour and wasn't done thoroughly so I am optimistic that by being more thorough I might get the picture focused up really well.

Is it worth tinkering with? Any advice of what I should do given its age to help keep it alive? Is the RGB input ok for video?It plays video off the lap top very well with no obvious problems.

Thanks in advance

Onslo

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 1:40 pm Post subject:

Sure, the 12XX series were super reliable, the most common thing that fails at this point are the fans, in which case the set will shut down. If you don't have the manual, check out the main site here:

http://www.curtpalme.com/Sony125x.shtm

Do all you can to focus the set, including the focus controls under the top cover. It's probably also worth reading this:

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

RGB is the preferred method to input signals, if you have a BluRay player in a computer, that will make a stellar source, or you can get an HDMI card to fit into the set as well:

http://www.curtpalme.com/IFB-FULLHD.shtm

These sets do lose the ability to focus over time (see the CRT primer for details), but if the set has under 5000 hours on it, you should be fine running 1080i or 720p. The set will display a 1080p picture as well, but its lack of ability to focus won't let you get all the detail out of 1080p. Still, give it a try!

Welcome!

Onslo · Joined: 11 Jul 2016 Posts: 5 Location: Australia

Thanks for the response Curt. Is there a way of finding the run hours total? I looked through the manual and couldn't find it. Also what is the simplest method of assessing the tubes are good enough to warrant continued effort. I see you can strip the tubes out and visually inspect the phosphor but I wondered if a test screen would be better?

A wonderful resource this forum is. Thanks a heap.

cmjohnson · Joined: 03 Apr 2006 Posts: 5180 Location: Buried under G90s

A full white test screen is useful. Cover up two tubes at a time (or switch them off via the control panel) to evaluate the condition of each individually.

It's just as easy to look into the lenses with a good flashlight and look for phosphor wear.

I had a 1272 for a while. I honestly don't remember who I sold it to but it had a very nice picture quality to it.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 2:05 am Post subject:

Hold down the 'service' or 'adj' button in the bottom left corner of the remote for 5 seconds. An on screen prompt will come up asking if you want to enter the service menu. Say 'yes'. That will unlock the service menu, and then hit the 'page' button 5 times. On the 5th screen, you'll see the 'timer', which is the hour meter.

Onslo · Joined: 11 Jul 2016 Posts: 5 Location: Australia

Thanks for that. It has done 2657 hours. Hows that?

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 1:37 pm Post subject:

Not bad providing the odometer hasn't rolled over. Wink

Seriously though. They are a great projector. Easy to set up ( once you get the hang of it ) and provides hours of fun. I use to run mine with the HTPC at 1024x768 and downscale over the air 1080i HD on it. All my friends loved it.

Also good for Halloween which is my favorite use for projectors:
SONY 1272:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihQCyXC9rMk

Sony 1040:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN7H_2ziBQU

and a few JVC d!gital projectors thrown in too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niuue_BOGi8

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 1:59 pm Post subject:

The sharpness should be almost as good as new! Good score!

Onslo · Joined: 11 Jul 2016 Posts: 5 Location: Australia

Thanks for the info. I hope it is appropriate to ask further questions under this without starting a new topic. If not please accept my apologies.
Here goes.

I am in need of a screen for this projector and wanting to keep this project reasonably cheap so wondered about a painted wall screen? I found this stuff. http://www.smartersurfaces.com.au/store/projector-products/projector-paint.html?gclid=CI6bwpLy7c0CFdhivAodrxsECQ

Has anyone any experiences? What size would you guys recommend I set this up for? I focused it on a beige off white wall with surprisingly good results so can imagine with a whiter surface it should be excellent. The size it projects to out of the box is about 2.6m wide and works well in my room so I think that I will stick to around that dimension.

If you all think the paint is no go, what size and model screen do you recommend for this projector? BTW I am in Australia so local options are good options.

jbltecnicspro · Joined: 23 Apr 2016 Posts: 512

the big E · Joined: 20 Apr 2013 Posts: 1928 Location: speedwell Tn.

the big E · Joined: 20 Apr 2013 Posts: 1928 Location: speedwell Tn.

I meant near not ear(stupid autocorrect)

cmjohnson · Joined: 03 Apr 2006 Posts: 5180 Location: Buried under G90s

For a cheap screen you simply can not go wrong by getting a quart of Behr ultra white, ultra flat latex house paint and painting the wall with it. Be sure it's ultra flat. Or if you need a separate screen, a 10 dollar sheet of masonite hardboard works quite well.

Onslo · Joined: 11 Jul 2016 Posts: 5 Location: Australia

Thanks cmjohnson. Is there anything particularly special with Behr? We don't get it down here, I wonder about any acrylic white ceiling paint?

the big E · Joined: 20 Apr 2013 Posts: 1928 Location: speedwell Tn.

It's supposed to be low glare and helps the contrast on the projector