CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

oblongdot · Posted: Mon May 18, 2015 1:16 pm Post subject: Newbie Question

Hi Folks,

I have a Barco BG808s which I picked up for free, some time last year, thinking that I could fix it. Well, life got in the way and it has sat on my kitchen floor ever since. I did trace the fault but figured that it wasn't worth the $2-300 to fix it. So today, my mate and I started stripping it down, removing the lenses etc., thinking that we may be able to use them creatively somehow. Question is, is there a market for parts for these things or is that just more hassle? As far as I can see, the green CRT looks fairly new. The lenses are no good because we've bust them all open now!

Cheers

tb2000 · Joined: 14 May 2015 Posts: 8 Location: UK

I think you'll find that the market for CRT stuff in the UK is quite small, for some reason people in the UK seem convinced that flat screens and digital stuff is better when, quite frankly, it's not (for quality of build or reliability - or even picture quality a lot of the time). I think most people's idea of a CRT projector is a badly converged, cloudy, washed out picture in an old rear projection tv in a pub, or a badly maintained projector in the ceiling, or even a rear projection arcade game with horrendous burn-in! I'm fairly convinced that not a lot of people here in the UK have seen a properly set up CRT projector as they can blow most digital stuff out of the water! I'm also in the UK, recently joined the site. There's a bigger market in the USA for CRT stuff and there are members from other parts of Europe here, and also Australia and New Zealand. Don't dump the CRT tubes, they are no longer manufactured and i'm sure someone would want them! What model numbers are they, out of interest? Also, what was the fault that you reckon would've cost that sort of money to fix? Smile

oblongdot · Posted: Mon May 18, 2015 3:04 pm Post subject:

Hi tb2000,

I agree with what you say about the image quality of CRT projectors. In a previous life, I worked for a company called Electrosonic and installed, setup and serviced these machines on a regular basis. A correctly setup Barco produced a fantastic image, with the analogue "warmth" far outweighing the "coldness" of a digital image, very similar to the debate in audio regarding analogue and digital.

Having spent the afternoon removing all three lenses, I can confirm that both the green and the red CRT's look fairly new, with no burn-in at all. The projector is all closed up now but I'll open it up over the next few days and let you know the part numbers.

The fault, if I recall correctly, was something to do with the tripler. The emails are on an old, rather decrepit laptop but I'll see if I can dig them out as I'm sure I was in touch with Curtis Palme regarding the fault and I'm also sure he gave me the price for a replacement/repair. It wasn't just the cost of repair that changed my mind though, the practicalities of finding space in my flat for this beast, meant that it would have taken up space that I just don't have at the moment. My living room already has 2 Hammond organs, 1 Wurlitzer piano and various other keyboards and filmmaking gear!

I'll take your advice and keep the CRTs but it looks like the rest of it will be dumped.

:^)

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

oblongdot · Posted: Mon May 18, 2015 8:27 pm Post subject:

Er, yeah, thanks draganm, I'm fully aware that they can be mounted on the ceiling but I live in an old flat and I don't want to mount it there. You may be right about the Quad, I really can't recall the details now. Anyway, these are moot points, the lenses are now dismantled, the CRTs will be removed then it's going to the dump. ;^)

gregstv · Joined: 27 Aug 2007 Posts: 628 Location: Australia

Put all the parts on buy and sell. Put pictures up as well. The tubes should sell as they are getting harder to get.

tb2000 · Joined: 14 May 2015 Posts: 8 Location: UK

Absolutely, I was going to recommend putting the parts for up sale myself. This sort of stuff is only going to diminish in quantity as it's no longer made, so there's bound to be people out there who need parts. In fact, I was going to offer to take the lot off of your hands, it's a shame you've busted open the lenses from the tubes but i've quite often thought about getting a CRT projector to play around with. Only problem is the distance - i'm at the other end of the country down in the south west! Plus I know that these thing can be pretty heavy so i'd think post would be a bit expensive! That said, I do know a private courier I use for large and heavy items. Smile

There's a CRT projector for sale on eBay about 200 miles from me, but it's a "Maxiview Eclipse" which I can't find much, if anything about on the 'net.

oblongdot · Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 9:34 am Post subject:

tb2000, is that an "offer", offer to take it off my hands? I will soon begin to take it to pieces to sell off individually as I have seen tubes on eBay go for around £140 each, so let me know if you really are interested in taking the whole thing.

tb2000 · Joined: 14 May 2015 Posts: 8 Location: UK

Hi,

Yeah it would be but to be honest I think postage would be silly money and the courier I use probably wouldn't be able to get to you for a couple of months, as he's constantly so busy! Plus if I take it, knowing me it'll just end up putting on a shelf and i'll probably never get around to sorting it!

Cheers Smile