CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

flapper · Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 5 Location: CT

I am a custom installer who has a client with a ten year old theater system. The current system has a B&K processor, a DVDO iScanHD processor with RGB Output, and a SIM2 three gun projector with RGB inputs. The customer wants to upgrade the processor to take advantage of new components he recently purchased (blueray, sat box, cable box) running HDMI. Will the HD Fury2 work in this situation, or should I just specify a DVDO VP30 processor with analog RGB output? Obviously, I would like to use the HD Fury 2 if it will work. thanks.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:17 pm Post subject:

Hi Flapper,
Yes you can use the HdFury2 in this sitiuation.

Does your customer still use any SD sources? If not then you could replce the DVDO and run an HDFury2 + an HDMI switcher.

However if your customer is still using SD sources, especially VHS or Full Screen 4:3 DVD's then I would keep the DVDO, attach the HDFury2 to the RGB pass through and put an HDMI switcher before the HDFury2. Depending on your needs you may need a switcher with optical/RCA Spdif switching as well.

You will have to setup the projector for the new input sources, not sure if you do CRT setups. Just to let you know.

flapper · Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 5 Location: CT

Thank you for the information. We are looking to replace the B&K processor with the Marantz AV8300 processor. The client no longer has any SD sources. I was going to pair the Marantz with the DVDO VP30, just to get the analog RGB output to feed the projector with. If the HD Fury will do this without the DVDO, all the better. I would imagine there will be some kind of scaling that needs to be done. will the HD Fury handle that, as well? Thank you again.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:53 pm Post subject:

The DVDO won't ouput analog from a digital input.

Since your client has no SD sources any longer then I would hook it all up like this:

Bluray-----\
Satelite-----Marantz AV8300--hdmi.cable--HDFury2|RGBHV.breakout cable.===RGBHV====projector
Cable------/

For the Sim2 you'll want to run it at 1080i or 720p. It may sync to 1080p but the picture will be soft. Plus you'll be stressing the projector at a higher scan rate for an overall softer picture.

The HDFury2 doens't scale anything. It's just a digital to analog converter so the resolution will need to be set at your sources.

Set the Bluray to 1080i.
Satelite may be better at 720P if your client's a sports fan. If he prefers more movies then I would go 1080i. Unless it's one of the newer satelite recievers that can output the chanels native resolution. The only disadantage to using native is needing to set up more resolutions on the projector.
Cable box, same again. 1080i is usualy the best for that.

You can experiment once you have it all set up of course to see what looks best.

Do you know how long your clients RGBHV cable run is? If it's over 30 feet I would recommend the HDFury2 advanced kit with the GammaX. It's rated to drive analog cables to 50+ feet and add's much needed gamma boost for the CRT.

As you may know with CRT once you set it for a great balck level the shadows details in films tend to disapear. The GammaX helps bring that out by just boosting the low IRE so your overall brightness looks good and you can see what's happening in the shadows as well as providing the cable driver stage. If you do get the GammaX run both power supplies, one to the HDFury2 one to the GammaX. It makes the picture much more 'punchier'.

Jeremy

Pulse1 · Joined: 06 Apr 2008 Posts: 28 Location: UK

**AnalogRocks**

flapper · Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 5 Location: CT

Thank you all for your responses. Yes, the SIM2 is the 800HD, which after ten years in the system still looks remarkable. The cable running from the current DVDO to the projector is a regular RGB cable, and I would say it is about 30 feet away would the HDFury 2 and the GammaX be the right way to go? Thanks very much, just want to give my client the best I can.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:09 am Post subject:

Pulse1 · Joined: 06 Apr 2008 Posts: 28 Location: UK

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 8:35 am Post subject:

Pulse1 · Joined: 06 Apr 2008 Posts: 28 Location: UK

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:14 am Post subject:

It's good to have someone that's actually tested it all out before him too. Thanks for the heads up Pulse.

To Flapper.
If your client doesn't want to go the route of the Lumagen HDP you can still run 1080i or 720p strait from your sources to the HDFury1 and add a GammaX in there as a cable driver. While the GammaX's gamma boost isn't an 11 point it does make a nice difference to the overall picture.

So the same diagram I did above applies just substitue HDFury1 instead of HDFury2. and you'll need an HDMI to DVI cable for the HDFury1.

Bluray-----\
Satelite-----Marantz AV8300--hdmi.to.DVI.cable--HDFury1|GammaX|RGBHV.breakout cable.===RGBHV====projector
Cable------/

Just one more heads up. The Samsung players have issues with their video output. Everytime you turn them on they look at the EDID in the HDFury and see it as a 1080p capable device. Then they automaticaly set their output to 1080p. You'll go into the menu and set it to 1080i/720p. Once you turn off the power they forget their settings.
No firmware upgrade has been issued by Samsung as yet to fix this issue.

The Sony bluray players don't have this issue. I have the BDP-S550, BDP-S300 and a PS3 here and they all remember their settings you only need to set them once.

Pulse1 · Joined: 06 Apr 2008 Posts: 28 Location: UK

flapper · Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 5 Location: CT

Again, thanks to everyone advising me on this setup. The BlueRay player is a Marantz 7003, the satellite box is the DirectTV H623, and the cable box the Motorola DCT-6416. all output HDMI, which will feed a Marantz AV8003 processor. from there I will take the HDMI output from the Marantz processor to the HD Fury 1, take out the DVDO iScanHD that is currently there, do the GammaX, and on to the projector. I will look at the Lumagen unit- I am not familiar with it. Thank you all again for your help.

Kiev Savoie · Joined: 25 Oct 2007 Posts: 432

just a heads up. there is a guy in buy and sell trying to sell an hdfury1 that he never used for $75.

flapper · Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 5 Location: CT

Hello again- I got one of the last three Lumagen HDP's from the factory. I also bought the GammaX. Would I use both, or just the HDP, as I would imagine that has everthing and more than the GammaX would have. I would then take my three sources (BR, Sat and Cable) into the Marantz 8300, HDMI output from Marantz to HD Fury1, output of that to Lumagen HDP, output of Lumagen to projector. Would it hurt to use the GammaX, or just forget it? Thanks again.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 4:23 pm Post subject:

Hi Flapper,

I see we never followed up on this. Sorry about that.

Did you get it all up and running?

Jeremy