Definitive CRT Projector Setup Guide

Point adjustment

Once you have the convergence grid adjusted so that hopefully it’s about as good as the above image, you can now take the remote and go very close to the screen and use the point convergence to fine tune the image. It’s very easy to overdo the point convergence. Generally speaking, you shouldn’t use more than 4 presses of the arrow keys in any direction, nor should the convergence be out more than one or two test pattern line thicknesses. If it is not looking as good as the above, go back and fine tune the basic convergence and geometry controls to get as close to the above image as possible.

Depending on the model and software installed in the NEC XG projector, you may either have one point grid per tube, or three (coarse, medium and fine). The later model sets (XGLC and XG852) usually have the three grids per tube.

The below shows the range of the point control. Once you’re in the point mode, press the arrow keys to move the cursor around the screen. Press the ‘ctrl’ and ‘red, ‘green’, or ‘blue’ to change the cursor to control the various tubes, and press ‘ctrl’ and the arrow keys at the same time then affects the area within the cursor square as below:

Perfection! (within the square area only!)

Now that the red grid is aligned well over the green grid, turn on the blue tube and converge the blue. Some people prefer to converge the blue image over the red as the red image is less bright than the green, which makes the blue easier to see. It’s all up to what you prefer…

Later Model Point Convergence Software

Here are some images of the later coarse, medium and fine point convergence controls found in the NEC XG sets. The point convergence controls should be used in order, as the coarse and medium modes can be especially effective in getting perfect geometry on the green tube. While you should use the point convergence sparingly, it can indeed be used to correct slight waves or curves in the basic geometry grid. Here are some pictures illustrating the effect of the coarse, medium and fine convergence grids:

Coarse:

Medium:

Fine:

Over-adjustment of the coarse point convergence as applied to the red tube:

Over-adjustment of the medium point convergence as applied to the red tube:

Over-adjustment of the fine point convergence as applied to the red tube:

Remember that the NEC XG sets have the most elaborate set of adjustments of any CRT projector out there. This can be frustrating and overwhelming for the first time CRT owner, but practice makes perfect, and assuming that all controls are working properly, the NEC sets can be dialed in to give you a perfect picture.

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