CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

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

Just curious.

What are your plans regarding CRT projection and your viewing, over the reasonable/foreseeable future?

Ready to uninstall the three-eyed beast and go to the (always darker with every new generation) grey side yet?
Going to stick with the CRT projector until the tubes are degraded to the point of low picture quality or it breaks and
you can't find spares or someone to fix it for a fair price?

I myself seem to be more deeply committed to CRT than ever. Not because I planned to do this (in fact I did not!) but because I have been availing myself of the opportunity to buy former flagship models for, in some cases, a little bit of nothing.

A year ago I had a set of spares for my one Marquee 9500LC.

Today I have over a dozen Marquees and G90s.

One thing that has encouraged me to do this is that I have sources for tubes that may technically qualify as used, but
I get enough that really are in new condition in every way that I have been able to retube every projector I have ended up
with, replacing any tube that shows any visible wear at all, and still have more tubes left over.

I do have a JVC RS45 and I KNOW that Kal says that my setup on it is too close to the screen but you work with what you have and my room doesn't allow a longer throw distance and that's that. It throws a fine picture but honestly I have found the picture quality of my well tuned and modded Marquee to be somewhat more involving.

I realize that 4K is, and is likely to remain, a pipe dream for CRT. But 1080P done right on CRT looks so good that honestly I'm not feeling very motivated to jump on the 4K bandwagon. Oh, the day will come....but it's years off.

What I did not expect, and maybe my situation is kind of unique, is that at the end of CRT's run in most home theaters, the supply of new CRTs is stable even though it's been four years since the last new built CRT projector was shipped out of VDC's factory in 2013. I was expecting a CRT shortage to bring an end to projector production. That did NOT happen.

For myself, I see stability in my home theater for years to come. If any changes are made, it will be to take down a Marquee and install a G90 just for the fun of comparing them. I expect to upgrade sources and maybe put in a scaler/processor for some picture improvements, but I just don't see ditching CRTs in the foreseeable future.

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

my plans, I turn it on a few times a week and watch a movie / Netflix, then I turn it off again Wink

CIR Engineering · Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 6:01 pm Post subject:

I may add a Sony VPL-VW5000es, but I won't be pulling my G90 out. I see a digital and CRT in my theater in the near future. Some of my clients have a setup like that.

craigr

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

Eventually I'm going to be moving. When I do, a primary plan is for a home theater that is less space limited. I may do a blend setup at that time.

Heck, I may do a full 360 degree projection simulator at that time, for flight simulation! That can take up to 11 projectors for a single sim!

I actually have some hands-on experience with that kind of system. I could build one, given the time, money, and space required.

km987654 · Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 2:21 am Post subject:

I will be using CRT until the wheels fall off Cool

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

Good man!

I think the day is coming when VDC will be calling ME to see if I have some parts that some government customer really needs to keep an ancient system operating.

The only reason I'm not in their dumpster pulling salvageable parts out of it is because in their new facility, the dumpster is in a "secure" area, meaning locks, fences, and a guaranteed chat with a sheriff's deputy if I were to jump in without permission.

So I'd have to pay off the driver of the roll-off dumpster service company to pull over after making a pickup and let me browse for a few minutes. I have never done that but if I got news from a reliable source that it was worth my while to do that, make no mistake, I would. Mr. Green

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

AFryia · Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:01 pm Post subject:

Either the CRT breaks down or I move; which ever comes first! That's when I plan to go JVC D-ILA.

thewolfman · Joined: 28 Mar 2011 Posts: 1311 Location: Sweden

Once the vinyl wrap is done I'd like to glue 10 mm sound dampener basically everywhere I can. The mods ordering are for the most part done with. Now I just want to tune the beast with your suggestions regarding static focus.

racerxnet · Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 362 Location: Illinois

jbltecnicspro · Joined: 23 Apr 2016 Posts: 512

For me I think CRT is ultimately a pipe dream. Basement ceiling low, bad luck with the G70's. I'm not sure I'm ready to give it another go with mounting another beast on the ceiling and spending a weekend calibrating it.

I ended up buying a Yamaha DPX projector on eBay and it floored me on how easy it was to setup. Square it with the screen, adjust lens shift, adjust focus - DONE. Watch flipping movie.

It's not a contrast monster (only 5000:1 full on/off), nor is it the highest definition image you'll see (720p only) but its accurate, has great ansi contrast, and it works.

thewolfman · Joined: 28 Mar 2011 Posts: 1311 Location: Sweden

dochlywd · Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 7:58 pm Post subject:

I have both the JVC and Sony G90/Lumagen 3D set up in my basement. I used to only use the G90 for movie watching and use the JVC for everything else. About two years ago, I had to remodel my basement due to water back up and switched from the Stewart Videomatte 2.0 to a Vutec Silverstar because I wanted increased brightness for the 3D. I also made some changes to my front wall which made me move the screen forward and projector back. Surprisingly, I was able to line it all up really super close where convergence barely needed touched and I was able to improve a little of the corner focus. However, due to the new screen, the color is off as well as electronic focus I'm sure not being as tight as it could be. Now, I must tell you that Craig Rounds did the original install/set up and is the only one that has touched it since so you know that I was spoiled prior to the remodel. Truth of the matter is, I can't even remember the last time I have fired up the G90. This brings me to the struggle of spending the money to have Craig back out to dial it in V.S. applying that money to an upgraded digital. Craig is the best in the biz and worth every penny for his crazy good ability to get the most out of a system but I now use the calibrated JVC RS1/Lumagen for everything(except 3d of course) and have been satisfied. I do miss the smoothness and "hug" that my eyes felt when watching the G90 but its been so long now that I am contemplating selling the G90 set up and just upgrading to a 3d JVC. The problem is that this G90 is what started this whole journey with me many years ago so it would be like breaking up with my "first love"!! Smile

Maybe my G90 and I should go on the Jerry Springer show!!!

Doc

gjaky · Joined: 05 Jun 2010 Posts: 2802 Location: Budapest, Hungary

I am going to upgrade my NEC XG135LC to a late modell VDC Marquee 9500LC and apply my mods to it Smile

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

Dochlywd, let me know if you do decide to sell the G90. I suffer from a very serious mental disorder called "Compulsive G90 buying".

I should be picking up my sixth G90 this coming Saturday.

I get another Marquee Ultra next week.

It's a mental disease but it gives me something to work on in the evenings.

racerxnet · Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 362 Location: Illinois

New tubes and mods for my 9500. I'll run it till it dies.

greg9518lc · Joined: 19 Apr 2016 Posts: 360

Having a new 9518lc and a 9500lcp with new tubes as backups I will be running my current 9518 with 1200 hours into the ground then throw another one up. I should be good for 20 years by then digitals might be worth buying.

jmetal88 · Joined: 06 Apr 2017 Posts: 108

I just picked up my first CRT projector less than a month ago, so hopefully I'll be into it for a while. Looks like the unit I got will need a new blue tube soon, though (anybody got a low-hours blue 07MP I could buy?)

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

I will check my stock tomorrow. I may have a new blue tube for you. I said new and I mean it.

jmetal88 · Joined: 06 Apr 2017 Posts: 108