CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[WayneB]

I am trying to understand “Signal Entry” on my Runco 980 ULTRA ( NEC 9 PG Xtra) projector. This is my attempt at understanding the whole process. It is amazing, but just by writing it down, things are starting to gel. But I am still not confident that I completely understand it.

I am requesting that anyone with experience with either projector, please review what I have written and correct my errors and add anything that I have missed.

I have read both the Runco manual and the NEC manual and Curt’s setup guides on this website. The Runco is an about 90% word-for-word copy of the NEC manual with a lot of the changes in the signal entry area.

First, here are some observations and quotes from both manuals that helped (and confused):

Show the Input Select List by OPERATE-INPUT SELECT or pressing “Input List” key on the full-function controller. It displays a title line of No. Input Name Date.

Show which Input is currently used by pressing the “Display” key on either controller (e.g. M-01 HDTV).

Change which Input is selected by pressing the number keys on either controller, or OPERATE-INPUT SELECT-cursor to item in list-ENTER.

The Runco manual says for Input Selection, “Press the #Key corresponding to the Aspect Ration Desired.”. “The Runco IDP980/Ultra series allows for convenient and fast input switching when used in SW1 mode. Up to 10 Different screen sizes or aspect rations can be selected… By pressing its corresponding #key on either remote, for example, in a common installation, #2 would correspond to widescreen and #1, the 4/3 format.”
However, the NEC manual just says “Input 1 through 10 selects the corresponding number slot of the ISS-6010/ISS-6010G”.

There are 10 “slots” on the Runco and possibly up to 100 slots on the NEC. These appear to be related to something called a “Switcher” on the NEC.

The “Source Information” screen is “for viewing the signal information and the current status of various setting” and is displayed by OPERATE-SOURCE INFO. It displays, among others, Slot # (e.g. M-01), Name (e.g. HDTV), Scanning Frequencies (e.g. 33.7KHz & 59.9Hz), Sync Polarity (e.g. +,+), Video Mode (e.g. RGB), ASTIG memory (e.g. USER-1).

Here is my interpretation of what I have read and experience. Corrections please!

Definition of Signal Entry:
A Signal Entry is a unique collection of projector settings that you want to associate with a particular combination of source device and media. The Signal Entry settings are stored in 1 of 10 memory locations called “Master Slots”, labeled M-01 through M-10. The settings include focus, alignment, convergence, etc., and can be viewed or set from the ADJUST menu on the full-function controller.

A Source Device, such as the StarChoice Motorola DSR505 satellite receiver, set at 1080i 16x9 mode would require a unique Signal Entry, such as M-01, with an arbitrary name such as HDTV.

The frequency, sync polarity, video mode and other values displayed on the Source Information screen, would be stored in the Master Slot memory location.

A second Source Device, such as a DVD player, that outputs a 1080i signal in 16x9 widescreen, could use the same signal entry as the satellite receiver, but more likely would have its own unique signal entry, such as M-02 named DVD.

It is also likely to create a separate signal entry for each different aspect ratio the DVD displays, such as M-03 DVD4x3, M-04 DVD178, M-05 DVD235. However, if the DVD player handles the format conversion and always outputs a 16x9 1080i signal, I think you only need the one Signal Entry.

A Source Device with a different frequency, such as 480P (xx.x KHz, yy.yHz) would definitely require a different Signal Entry.

Each unique signal input into the projector requires that a Signal Entry has been “Registered”. Registered simply means that you have created a Signal Entry, such as M-01 HDTV, and saved it in the projector’s memory (e.g. Master Slot #1). Saving is done with the "Store" key on the full-function remote.

If the projector can’t find a match for the input signal’s frequency it displays “*UNREGISTERED SIGNAL!!*”. (It also displays this if you select a blank input no. line on the input list).

To create (register) a Signal Entry, use ADJUST-SIGNAL ENTRY on the full function remote, select an empty entry line (e.g. “01”) and select “NEW ENTRY”. Then associate a Memory Slot with it (e.g. MASTER SLOT-01, which is M-01). Then name it something meaningful (e.g. HDTV). The “INITIAL DATA SELECT” allows you to use an existing copy of all the signal entry parameters as a starting point. For first-time setup, use “TEMPORARY” and proceed to do a full setup starting with ADJUST-FOCUS (or use the Step Through Menu by pressing CTL-ADJUST). Once you have a complete setup, you can save the parameters in the default area (ADJUST-SIGNAL ENTRY-CHANGE DEFAULT) and next time can select “DEFAULT” for the “INITIAL DATA SELECT”.

There are only 10 Slots on the Runco and even though there are 100 Entries in the Entry List (on multiple pages), you should only use 10 entries and there should be a one-to-one correspondence between entry number and slot number (e.g. 01 is M-01, 02 is M-02).

Could I please have some comments from other Runco or NEC projector users on the statements I have made above. Thanks.

[Mark_A_W]

Runco tricked the projector into thinking it was connected to the 10 memory switcher.

I have no idea why.



Just create a memory and go. You've regurgitated all you need to know (I think, I've never played with a Runco).

[WayneB]

Thanks....
Any other comments on what I got right and what I got wrong?
...Wayne

[Mark_A_W]

Just do this bit:

To create (register) a Signal Entry, use ADJUST-SIGNAL ENTRY on the full function remote, select an empty entry line (e.g. “01”) and select “NEW ENTRY”. Then associate a Memory Slot with it (e.g. MASTER SLOT-01, which is M-01). Then name it something meaningful (e.g. HDTV). The “INITIAL DATA SELECT” allows you to use an existing copy of all the signal entry parameters as a starting point. For first-time setup, use “TEMPORARY” and proceed to do a full setup starting with ADJUST-FOCUS (or use the Step Through Menu by pressing CTL-ADJUST). Once you have a complete setup, you can save the parameters in the default area (ADJUST-SIGNAL ENTRY-CHANGE DEFAULT) and next time can select “DEFAULT” for the “INITIAL DATA SELECT”.