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wowchad
Joined: 29 Oct 2009 Posts: 53 Location: Milwaukee'ish, WI
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 6:26 pm Post subject: New guy, newbie and I just bought my very first CRT!!! |
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Hello fellow CRT enthusiasts!
My name is Chad and I'm a middle aged dad here working on a 10 year dream of building a house addition which includes plans for a home theater in the basement.
I run a small family owned business while raising 4 kids (plus we currently have an extra three little ones from an inept sister-in-law) so time and money are tight but I managed to plunk down cash on a used Vidikron 2 (4500 hrs) and I'm excited to say the least
I have been working on a 650 sq ft addition for exactly one year and we're doing drywall now so I'm getting close but it'll still be a while before I get to start in on my basement theater project.
I'm slowly building up my inventory for my dream HT. I have started a nice collection of Von Schweikert speakers and some Escient toys but the biggie was landing this projector.
After reading Curt's primer and other various forums on the web my decision was between a Sony VPL-VW100 (or VLP-200) SXRD 1080p Projector or a CRT. Then after seeing these projectors still fetching 2-3k used plus the $800 bulbs I quickly started leaning toward CRT for longevity plus I don't really need the latest and greatest for DVD playback. I have a Blu-Ray player (Sony BDP-S1) hooked to my 57
" Mits Diamond and I'm not that impressed, plus I really want to utilize my Escient and Sony ES DVD changers so 1080 display isn't important to me...right now, or should I say yet
I'll have to re-size and post a couple pics of the project. Chad
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Artinaz
Joined: 15 Jun 2009 Posts: 110 Location: SF Bay Area
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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Hey welcome Chad! You will find some great resources and a very illing and knowledgeable group of people to help.
Post some photos now!
Azi
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ecrabb Forum Moderator
Joined: 13 Mar 2006 Posts: 15909 Location: Utah
TV/Projector: JVC RS40, Epson 5010
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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We definitely be illing, Azi!
Welcome to the forum, Chad! Definitely post some pics!
I'll just warn you... Once you get a taste of Blu-ray on a big screen on a well-set-up projector, it will be hard to go back to SD. On a 57" screen... Yeah, not that big of a deal... On a 110" screen... BIG deal.
Welcome!
SC
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wowchad
Joined: 29 Oct 2009 Posts: 53 Location: Milwaukee'ish, WI
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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So I shouldn't have wasted my money on a NEC Faroudja VP 400 Quadrupler?
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| Here I am putting up redwood siding |
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wowchad
Joined: 29 Oct 2009 Posts: 53 Location: Milwaukee'ish, WI
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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Here are a few where the HT will be going:
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| Steps are finished. That wall will be coming down shortly. |
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CRT_Ben
Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 1684 Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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| wowchad wrote: | So I shouldn't have wasted my money on a NEC Faroudja VP 400 Quadrupler?  |
Depends how much you spent. A quad will make your SD about as good as it can be, but quality Blu-ray players are going for $200 or less. Personally, the time I get to spend watching movies is limited enough that I have abandoned all SD.
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Nashou66
Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:38 pm Post subject: |
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Hi chad and Welcome. Yes for get the Quadrupler. Depending on What CRT you plan to go with there is the HD Fury II and a number Of Moome PRoducts geared
toward specific PJ's and or his external box.
And like the others have said I have not watched a SD movie in my theater in over a year.
EDIT, Just read you got a Marquee clone(vidikron) Get the Vim HD V2 for it and be done with it.
Athanasios
_________________ Don't blame your underwear for your crooked ass~ unknown Greek philosopher
"Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the Democrats believe every day is April 15." --- President Reagan
One Smart Dog!!!
Marquee High Performance Bellows now shipping!!
Marquee Modifications and Performance Enhancement
Marquee C-element and Bellow removal
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wowchad
Joined: 29 Oct 2009 Posts: 53 Location: Milwaukee'ish, WI
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:41 pm Post subject: |
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Couple more...this is the tongue and groove cedar ceiling and the big windows are the reason we can't really do a HT in the main living room.
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| Here is the 8' French door and 3 large corner windows. |
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wowchad
Joined: 29 Oct 2009 Posts: 53 Location: Milwaukee'ish, WI
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:49 pm Post subject: |
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I only paid $100 for the VP 400...I'll search Vim HD V2 and see what I come up with.
BTW I'm already considering pulling the boards and sending them into Draganm for the HD Mods since it'll be sitting for a while anyway.
My Model number is 38-P15285-98, can you tell the vintage by that number?
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akajester
Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 934 Location: Wisconsin
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:54 pm Post subject: |
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Welcome Chad! I live not too far from you, in the Fox Valley.
For about 3 months while I finished my basement I worked on building an HTPC. Best time I spent outside of the construction!
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wowchad
Joined: 29 Oct 2009 Posts: 53 Location: Milwaukee'ish, WI
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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Hey neighbor! We go boating up there from time to time although its big water for our 21' unless you run the river.
Our next door neighbors recently moved to Winneconne and really like it up there, big snowmobile country.
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wowchad
Joined: 29 Oct 2009 Posts: 53 Location: Milwaukee'ish, WI
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:02 pm Post subject: |
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Oh I almost forgot to post this picture of my tube condition. Not too bad except the green.
From all the reading I've done this is par for the course though.
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| VIDIKRON VISION TWO TUBES |
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kal Forum Administrator
Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 18114 Location: Ottawa, Canada
TV/Projector: JVC DLA-NZ7
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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| CRT_Ben wrote: | | wowchad wrote: | So I shouldn't have wasted my money on a NEC Faroudja VP 400 Quadrupler?  |
Depends how much you spent. A quad will make your SD about as good as it can be, but quality Blu-ray players are going for $200 or less. Personally, the time I get to spend watching movies is limited enough that I have abandoned all SD. |
... and pretty much all sources these days have built-in scalers too that are good enough, especially given the quality of SD as compared to HD. (Sorry Chad! But welcome to the forum!)
Nice pics - thanks for posting!
Kal
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My basement/HT/bar/brewery build 2.0
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Nashou66
Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY
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akajester
Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 934 Location: Wisconsin
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:24 pm Post subject: |
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I was going to say the same thing. That green burn will be VERY noticeable.
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kal Forum Administrator
Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 18114 Location: Ottawa, Canada
TV/Projector: JVC DLA-NZ7
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draganm
Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 8990 Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:45 am Post subject: |
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| wowchad wrote: | | Here are a few where the HT will be going: | that's either a Willy Wonka Chocoate factory sized door to the basement or a HUGE fricking basement. i'm jealous, wish my room was bigger than 18 x 13. Oh and welcome to the forum.
Glad to do those mods for you, and I also have a green tube with similar wear(6 or 7) but large even Raster pattern. that way you can use the whole tube and not squeeze it down and lose light output. tube is free with the mod's, just pay the $20. to ship it to you.
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jask
Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 10187 Location: kamloops BC
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 3:47 am Post subject: |
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Hey Chad welcome to the obsession... looks like you are well along!
the quad will be useful if you need to use vhs/sd dvd or OTA TV signals but like everyone is pointing out- HD on the projector spoils you for everything else.
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antorsae
Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 297
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:11 am Post subject: |
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Hey Chad - regards from Spain!
It looks to me that you were born to CRT... why? You are considering the mods BEFORE seeing the PJ in action! You'll feel at home here... Just don't let get too obsessed with test patterns and the like
And... NICE BASEMENT!!!! I love the radiating floor and the thermal insulation on the siding.
rgs - Andres
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Curt Palme CRT Tech
Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 24396 Location: Langley, BC
TV/Projector: All of them!
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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Ya know, these young whippersnappers that come in and scorea $25K high end projector for peanuts.... why I remember the days of 480i only and 400 lumens via a Sony 7220 modded to a flat screen, then a Sony 722, then a bunch of Zeniths...
Welcome Chad, you're in good company. While the Escient is good with the VP 400, BR and HD is far better.
I'd get a better green tube first, then either the Moome card or an HDFury2 and a BR player. Looks like you have a busy winter ahead.
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