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Below is old news. Most recent news will always
be shown on the main
page.
ON SALE: HDMI 1.3 card for
NEC XG projectors - Only 10 left!
December 4, 2009
Moome has further slashed the price of his
HDMI 1.3 input card for NEC
XG and Runco 991 CRT projectors to liquidate his remaining stock. Originally
priced at $450 USD when they were introduced a year ago, they are now down
to only $329 USD. That's a savings of $121 USD!
There are only 10 cards left and Moome tells us he is not planning on
making any more XG cards as he wants to focus on his other
products. So if you're looking at adding an HDMI 1.3 input card to your NEC XG or Runco
991 any time soon, now's the last chance!
Reviews/Testimonials
"I received my XG-FULLHD HDMI card today and I love it!
The picture is much better than what I was seeing previously. I was using a Sony BD300 and VP30 video processor and was never very happy with
it. Now I have the VP30 plugged directly into the new HDMI card and the picture
is sensational. Couldn't believe how easy it was to install and setup.
Thanks Moome!!" - Rob
"...very quick install/setup and first impressions are that the XG-FULLHD
card is noticeably sharper than my previous setup..." - Lance
"There is no doubt the XG-FULLHD card creates an image that is better than
the previous DVI card...colors are more natural, test patterns are sharper.
Is the card worth it? That would depend on your budget, and what you expect out
of this product. For myself, I say yes it's worth it...the PQ has taken a
step forward, and just looks 'right'. This card IS a step up in all areas of
image reproduction." - KennyG
"The color rendition of the Moome [XG-FULLHD] card is really quite
impressive. The first thing that hit me when going back to the DVI card was
how much better the HDMI card did to create a vividly lifelike image with more
subtle gradients. " - JArseneau
"... it is a true work of art from Moome, amazing in every way possible
... with the new NEC XG HDMI Moome card and my DVDO VP50pro video processor
outputting 4:2:2 YPbPr HDMI I have a image that has improved in nearly every
manner (See
screenshots) ... the crispness of the image has improved a lot as well, the
image is naturally sharper vs the older DVI card which looks slightly edgy
in comparison ... color resolution and naturalness has improved so much it is
unbelievable, I am so thankful to be able to get this card for my XG, it was
worth every penny and more! I just can't get over home much of a
improvement this card really is, the best way to describe it is like someone
took a hold of a knob on your system labelled bandwidth and cranked it out the
roof, the natural crispness and smoothness of the image is amazing, the
contrast ratio aspects of the image may be the biggest improvement of all. I am
now going to be giddy every time I sit down to do reviews and watch films. Thank
You Moome! You are a true master sir!" - Gary
"The image is very sharp and the colours wonderfully vibrant and
realistic! The black levels are outstanding!! Its certainly given this XG135
a few more good years without missing out on the latest Hi def formats." -
Alan
"Finally installed my Moome XG-FULLHD card into my XG135LC .All sources fed
through a VP50 and the results are stunning. Had the projector calibrated by ISF
tech. Worth every cent." - Andrew John
"Installation could not have been more simple which was a relieve to
me. As a matter of fact, I had more trouble running my 20’ HDMI cable through
the attic than I did installing this card. It literally is a matter of removing
two screws and replacing the blank panel with this card. The Moome card looked
physically like it was always in the XG. That is to say, it doesn’t look like a
mod or add on but rather an OEM piece. I
figured that I am about as familiar with the Fifth Element on Blu Ray as any
other title I have so that was the first thing I popped in the Panasonic BD30
player. My split second first impression of the image was that it was
noticeably sharper than my previous setup and I
was pretty sure that I was seeing a vividness of color that was not present
before. Previous user reviews of this card kept coming to mind and I have to
say that I agree with most everything that has been said here. For instance, a
comment regarding less noise in the image really made sense to me as that
was my impression as well. An overall smoothness which cleaned up the image a
good bit without softening fine details in the slightest. I switched back
and forth between my sources (Blu Ray, HD-DVD, HD Cable) and never once did the
card miss a beat or the projector click like it used to when changing sources."
- Dropzone7
More Information »
CRT Projector
2-week holiday sale starts now!
November
24, 2009
See our
CRT Primer to read why CRT projectors are still used in home
theaters where picture quality is paramount. Our
Projector Rankings page will show you how they
stack up. Not sure what
projector is right
for you? Email Curt
for help!
Here is another projector list for sale. Starting
today, just in
time for the holidays, I’m having a 2 week sale to
sell some of the inventory that has been sitting
here for a bit. Look through the list - prices have
been cut as I’ve got an excess of projectors here
with certain models. Now more than ever, CRTs give
you a bigger bang for the buck with a lower cost
per hour run time than a disposable digital set.
Some highlights include:
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Sony D50
Quantity available: 1
This is a
great 1080i/720p projector, with 800 lumens from 7"
tubes. Super sharp performance out of an ES focusing
set. This set has zero tube wear, they have about
100 hours on them, and the set functions perfectly.
A built in transcoder eliminates the need for an
external box. All common
modifications are done to prevent the 'lack of
brightness' issue, and the parts installed are of
higher quality, so they won’t fail again. c/w remote
and ceiling bracket, but I’ll reduce the price if
you’re buying this set to replace an existing one,
and already have the ceiling bracket and remote.
Case in excellent condition. With ceiling bracket and remote: $1500.00
Projector alone: $1200.00
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DWIN 700
Quantity available: 3
Similar to the Barco Cine 7 series, these DWINs use
the same tubes and lenses as the Cine units, but the
DWINs are quieter, as they only contain one fan,
making them virtually silent. Full digital
convergence, an easy setup. Remote and ceiling
bracket included. Excellent tubes, no visible wear.
Note that these tubes are the same as in
Barco 708 or the Cine 7, so if your tubes are
showing wear, this is a cheap way to retube your set
at far less than the cost of new tubes. I'll pull
the tubes and will install the Barco HV leads at no
extra charge. $1000.00
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Runco DTV 947
Quantity available: 1
Equivalent to the Barco Cine 7, this set has 2500
original hours on it with zero tube wear. The case
is painted black, and is in great shape. Similar to
the DWIN above, the set puts out 1000 lumens from
the super sharp P16 tubes. Build in transcoder means
you can feed an HD component signal right into the
set. Superb condition, remote included. $2000.00
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Runco DTV 980
Ultra
Quantity available: 1
Equivalent to the NEC 9 PG Xtra, this
set has about 1600 hours on it with zero visible
wear. Great condition overall, the original box,
remote, manuals, etc. Ceiling bracket included. 1000
lumens out of 8" EM focusing tubes Point convergence
included, color filtered lenses. 1080p ready.
$1800.00
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Marquee 8500
Quantity available: 3
Retubed with very low hour (100) tubes, the defacto
standard for reliable 8" sets. 1200 lumens from 8"
tubes, 108p and beyond Remote and manual included,
all ananamorphic mods done as well as the power
supply reliability mod. I got a GREAT deal on these
tubes, so I’m blowing out three of these sets only
for $1900.00 each. Three of these only at this
price.
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Marquee 8500 Ultra
Quantity available: 1
A slight step above to the 8500s above, the
Ultra features better convergence control and
improved video circuits. 100 hour tubes installed,
case in great shape. 1080p ready. $2300.00
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NEC XG110LC
Quantity available: 1
An ultra rare find, this set had 42 hours
when it came in. While virtually new in the box, the
set was installed for about a week when the A/V
installer realized that he should personally own a
digital projector, as that's what he sold. He told
me that while he appreciated the better CRT image,
he'd sell more projectors if he owned a digital. So,
down came the CRT and there it sat in a box... for
years. Original everything included, box, manuals,
ceiling bracket, lens caps. Not a mark on the
cabinet. 1080p ready and capable. LC tubes mean no
haloing effects. The best 8" LC set I’ve ever had
in. I've run it for an extra 12 hours at low
brightness to make sure the set was solid, and it is
indeed. No mods done to this set, nothing needed to
enjoy top of the line performance. One only at
$2500.00
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Marquee 9500 Ultra
Quantity available: 2
Absolutely mint and October 2002 vintage
- these are the latest model Ultras I've ever had
in. It looks like the tubes were all changed right
before I got the sets, zero wear, the G2 levels of
the tubes are in the 60s, meaning that you’ll get
over 10,000 hours out of them. Rare and high
resolution HD10E lenses on these sets, sharper than
the stock GT17 lenses on them. Very late revision
software in the units of course, everything you need
for a 1080p to 2160p signal. Cases in pristine shape
as well. c/w remote. $7500.00 each
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Runco DTV
1200
Quantity available: 1
By far the
pinnacle of all CRT projectors in my opinion, this
set has everything. First off, it's a digital
chassis, which means all parameters of the set are
digitally created, enabling focus and convergence to
be more stable than in analog generated waveforms.
The whole chassis has been redesigned over the older Barcos, and the video section has been moved to one
end of the set, greatly reducing video noise and
interference. The menus are massively expanded, with
electronic astigmatism and focus and convergence
zones far greater than other sets. A resolution of
2500 X 2000 can be displayed, far greater than
1080p. 1200 lumens from the top of the line 9" LUG
tubes, and the best available HFQ 900 lenses are
installed. This set came in with about 2700 hours on
it, but the controller board had a glitch in it, so
I swapped it for one with 950 hours that worked
properly. Installed are a new set of LUG tubes as
the originals had a bit of 16:9 wear on them. The
case is near flawless and is black, and Runco added
the coloured C elements to the set, making the color
reproduction better than other sets. Better yet,
I've now got a lot of spare parts for the Barco
909/Cine 9/Runco DTV 1200, so I can support these
high end sets. $8500.00
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Many more sets are in the works, including lots
of 9" sets, including some 2002 vintage
Marquee Ultras, two Ampro 4600s,
and two
Sony G90s. Look for more sets in our
products section. Happy
viewing!
Questions or want to make a
purchase? Email Curt!
See All CRT Projectors »
New Moome
HDMI 1.3 cards for CRT projectors - Limited
quantities on sale
October 1, 2009
Over the last few months Moome's been very
busy working with Mike Parker, Walter (WTS), and
Craig Rounds to increase the performance of his next
generation of HDMI 1.3 input cards for CRT
projectors. The new version
2 cards include special Mike Parker improvements for
increased sharpness, higher bandwidth, less noise, and
some gamma curve adjustments from Walter (among
other things).
Which HDMI cards have been improved?
The popular Sony IFB-FULLHD v2
and
Marquee IFB-FULLHD v2 cards have been
revamped. They are available now for
pre-order at a special introductory price in limited
quantities. Only 20 Sony cards and 10 Marquee cards
are available at special introductory prices.
How do the version 2 cards compare to the originals?
Complete information on the changes can be found
in
Moome's v2 card comparison document (PDF
format). Below is a quick summary:
- Gamma:
Improved Gamma for a more linear greyscale
(changes suggested by Walter/WTS)
- Sharpness:
Sharper Image (changes suggested by Mike Parker)
- Picture
purity: Cleaner/Less noise (changes
suggested by Mike Parker)
- Range expansion:
Now supports 0-255 RGB
level support for higher dynamic range (in addition
to 16-235)
- Stability:
ESD enhanced to prevent electrostatic discharge
Reviews/Testimonials
"Moome's original design squashed (attenuated)
65% of the full bandwidth when running 1080p 60Hz.
With Mike's new circuit, the FULLHD v2 now can
resolve the entire 1080p 60Hz signal. With Moome's
new design his card is the first and only option
that can do full 1080p and YCbCr... the image is
amazing!" - Craig Rounds, official FULLHD v2
tester, professional calibrator (www.cir-engineering.com)
Moome has also reduced the existing
NEC XG-FULLHD HDMI 1.3 input card price down
to only $360 USD. This offer's only valid on the
next 20 orders. After that the price goes back up to
$400. First come, first served! If you're looking at
adding an HDMI 1.3 input card to your NEC XG
projector, now's the time. See the
NEC XG-FULLHD order page for complete
details. There will not be a version 2 HDMI card for
NEC XG projectors.
Questions? Email us at
MoomeCard@CurtPalme.com.
See All Moome Products / Buy Now »
NEW! High Performance
Bellows for Marquee CRT Projectors and clones
September
30, 2009
We are proud to offer these custom made
Electrohome Marquee CRT projector high performance
bellows that have been carefully reverse engineered
using better materials than the original (no longer
available) stock bellows. Lab tested for
superior performance and sold exclusively through
CurtPalme.com!
Which projectors can use these bellows?
All liquid-coupled (LC) Electrohome Marquee projectors (and clones) can use
these bellows. This includes but is not necessarily limited to:
-
Electrohome Marquee 8500LC, 8500LC Ultra, 9000,
9500LC, 9500LC Ultra
-
Accurate Imaging Technologies 9, 9-X
- Crystal View CV-1
- GTT Audio Video HT Reference 9
- Madrigal MP-8, MP-9
- Reference Imaging CinePro 9x, 9x Elite
- Spatz Tech RE9000, RE9500
- Theater Automation Wow (TAW) HD-900
- Vidikron Vision 1
- Visual Dynamics Reference 9
Why would I want new bellows? Two reasons:
- Over time the old style bellows may leak and "sweat"
glycol out into the projector which can destroy other components as glycol is
a very corrosive material.
- When you put in
new tubes you need to replace the bellows as new
tubes do not come with bellows. Removing the
existing bellows without destroying them is
nearly impossible, and the original (stock)
bellows are no longer available for purchase.
How do I know if my bellows are leaking? Look around the front of
your LC chamber for any clear liquid seeping out from the gasket around the face
plate, or where the C-Element is connected (see
pictures). If one of your existing bellows feels slippery or you can see little
droplets on the rubber this means the bellow is aging or saturated with glycol
and should be replaced as the highly corrosive glycol may drip into the
projector. It will look like this:
As you can imagine, leaking/sweating of any fluids in and around tubes running
at 35,000+ volts isn't a very good thing! If you see any leaking or sweating you
should immediately stop using your projector and replace the bellows!
If I replace my bellows, won't I have to do it all over again some day?
No. The original bellows are 99% silicon which have a lower vapour transmission
than the new ethylene-propylene material we use in our replacement bellows.
Ethylene-propylene has a 7.5 times larger vapour transmission number. This means
that these new bellows will not absorb moisture from the air and transfer it to
the glycol which then causes the increase in pressure resulting in leaking
and/or sweating.
Questions? Email us at
athanasios@CurtPalme.com.
More Information / Buy Now »
CRT Projector
Specials
September
8, 2009
See our
CRT Primer to read why CRT projectors are still used in home
theaters where picture quality is paramount. Our
Projector Rankings page will show you how they
stack up. Not sure what
projector is right
for you? Email Curt
for help!
Before diving into the new CRT projector
arrivals, let me take a minute to direct your
attention to something completely unrelated to home
theater and accessories thereof. Presenting my
fiancé's dog rescue that just turned 6 months old:
www.coldnoseswarmbeds.org.
She started this as a part time venture, and at
this point it is BC’s largest dog rescue, having
saved over 300 dogs at this point. What makes her
rescue somewhat unique is that she regularly flies
dogs up from high kill shelters in the US to
Vancouver for re-homing. She also has brought dogs
in from Taiwan, saving them from the typhoon
destruction that occurred there recently. Check out
her site, and feel free to send her an email with
comments. Of note on her site is the ‘dog
blog’, which is a summary of her daily
activities in the dog rescue world. She’s putting in
18 hour days, and my new job description around the
house is ‘Underdog’: Dog walker and poop picker
upper.
OK, onto projectors! As fall approaches, it’s a
great time to put in a theater to get you through
the winter, or to upgrade that aging projector that
isn’t quite what it used to be. As the CRT projector
prices keep falling and the digitals continue to
have short life spans, it’s a great time to upgrade
to that 8 or 9” set you’ve been wanting. I’ve got
lots of sets in suitable for every budget. Here are
the highlights of new arrivals, more are listed on
the main list below.
QTY
1 - Runco DTV 947: This is a late model Barco
708/Cine7 with only 2500 h
ours on the chassis. I’ve
put in a zero wear green tube to match the blue and
red, as the existing tube had a bit of wear. A 1
owner set out of a home theater. $1500.00
QTY 2 - DWIN 700: A great little 1000 lumen projector,
similar to the Runco above. 720p capable, virtually
silent operation. Easy setup, a small footprint.
I’ve got 2 of these, ranging from $800 to $1500
depending on the tube condition.
QTY 2 - Barco Cine 8: I’ve got two of these, circa 2000
vintage. This is the equivalent to the Barco BG808s
sets, one with the original Sony tubes in it, one
modified (by me) to work with MEC tubes. Both have
mint tubes, zero wear, good for 10,000 hours+
operation. The chassis has several upgrades over the
BG808s chassis, an improved power supply, video
circuits and vertical board. The Runco version comes
with color filtered lenses, that’s something that
Runco added to the stock Cine 8. 1080p ready.
$2000.00 each.
QTY 2 - Marquee 8500 Ultras: Great top of the line 8”
sets, both with new G and B tubes. Circa 2000
vintage. An excellent projector for 1080p, as the astig controls allow for perfect focus in the
corners of the set. Upgraded video and geometry
circuits over the non Ultra sets. Cases in great
shape. $2800.00 each.
QTY 1 - Sony 1292: Near perfect shape, no tube wear.
1080p ready, 1000 lumens. Full 9” tubes, super sharp
resolution. Remote included. Case in good shape.
$2000.00
QTY 2 - Ampro 4600: A budget way to get into a 9” set!
I’ve got two 4600s in great shape with zero tube
wear. 1200 lumens, HD10 lenses, new memory battery
installed. 110 Khz scan rate, great working shape.
$3500 each.
QTY
1 - Runco 1101: very light green wear, no point in
replacing the tube at this point. This is the
equivalent of the BArco D1209s. 1080p ready, case in
good shape , a 1 owner HT projector. On
eBay here
showing the tube condition.$3500.00
QTY
2 - Marquee 9500 Ultras/MP9/Vision 1: I’ve got two of
these sets available, I’ll put a new green tube into
either one. The R and B tubes are in great shape in
both sets. 135 Khz, 1300 lumens. The MP9 was a $60K
machine as was the Vision One. The MP9 has a fancier
case and gold plated input connectors, the Vision
One is the piano black finish version. Both came out
of a home theater, 1 owner, in great shape
otherwise. 1080p ready. $6000 each.
QTY
2 - Sony G90:
One is on
eBay here. Very usable as it is, no real need to retube.
$3500.00. I have a second G90 that I’m going through. It
needs a green tube for sure, possibly a blue. I’ll
sell the set as is for $2500, or I’ll retube either
set with a new blue and green tube for $6000.00.
Remote control included.
Just in! QTY 1 -
Barco Cine 9: 1 owner, home theater
use. 2700 original chassis hours, I’m installing a
new green tube due to slight wear. The blue and red
tubes are fine. Very hard to find in good condition.
Absolutely the best in CRT technology..$9000.00.
Look for more sets in our
products section. Happy
viewing!
Questions or want to make a
purchase? Email Curt!
See All CRT Projectors »
Sony officially
launches the $299 PS3 Slim
August
23, 2009
Last week Sony officially announced the much-rumoured
PS3 Slim which replaces the existing PS3. It starts
shipping this week in North America and Europe and will cost $100 less than the previous PS3. The PS3 Slim has basically the same features and functions
as the "old" PS3 but is 33 percent smaller, 36
percent lighter, and is more energy efficient.
To achieve the new smaller size the internal
design architecture has been completely redesigned
from the main semiconductors and power supply unit
to the cooling mechanism. The PS3 Slim is powered by
a new 45nm version of the Cell processor, which runs
at the same speed as the 60nm processor in the "old"
PS3 but is smaller and therefore more energy
efficient. According to company reps, power
consumption for the Slim has also been cut by 33%
which helps reduce fan noise (always a good thing in
a home theater environment though we've never
noticed the old versions to be overly noisy when playing Blu-ray movies
in an average air conditioned home theater).
Here's a complete list of what's new in the
PS3 Slim:
-
Smaller form
factor - 33% smaller, 36% lighter (see picture
below)
-
33% less power
consumption resulting in a smaller/quieter fan
-
Textured
surface finish
- All models are
120GB (instead of 80 and 160GB)
- You can no
longer install another operating system
(i.e., Linux)
- Able to
output Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio via
bitstream
(not just LPCM)
The last point may seem important to home theater
users but it actually isn't very relevant. Blu-ray features new lossless audio formats
called Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio which
result in better sound quality (due to less
compression) if your receiver or
pre-amp is a newer model which is able to handle the higher
bitrates. The "old" PS3 could still output these
new Blu-ray lossless audio formats but only after converting them internally to
the "generic" Linear PCM format first, and then
sending the digital audio signal out to your
receiver/pre-amp. In the end the result is the same. The only new feature here with the
PS3 Slim being able to bitstream the signal
is that newer receivers or pre-amps can actually
light up that little "Dolby TrueHD" or "DTS-HD
Master Audio" light to let you know what sort of
signal it's getting. Previously (over Linear PCM)
your receiver/pre-amp didn't know exactly what the
original signal format was. Does it matter? No. But to some people
having those little status lights light up is
important. ;)
So in our opinion, nothing truly important that
affects the usage of the PS3 as a Blu-ray or DVD
playback device in a home theater environment has
changed. It's still an excellent playback machine,
just smaller and quieter than before. While the PS3
Slim may not be up to the quality of the
Oppo BDP-83
universal player in terms of Blu-ray and DVD playback,
it is still an excellent value if you're on a budget (it's $200 cheaper
than the Oppo). The PS3 Slim becomes even more
attractive if you have
any interest in gaming. One minor annoyance is
that those of you with custom
rack mounted PS3's will need a new faceplate if you decide to
replace an older PS3 with this newer model
due to the different size.
What about IR control? We would have liked to have seen Sony add native IR remote
support to the PS3 to make home theater integration
a bit easier, but unfortunately that did not
happen. Bluetooth is still the only
way to control the
PS3 Slim out of the box. Those with universal IR remotes will need to
use the $15
PS3 Blu Wave Remote dongle (we use it
and
it works well) or the
new
Logitech Harmony PS3 Adapter if you use
a Logitech
Harmony universal remote.
See what people are saying about the PS3 Slim in our
forum, or check out
other recent
discussions.
More Information »
DWIN 500/700
CRT Projector Layout and Setup Tips now online
August
18, 2009
DWIN, like most of the true CRT projector
manufacturers (Electrohome, Barco, NEC, Sony, etc.)
built its model 500 and 700 projectors from the
ground up instead of OEM'ing a chassis from a third
party.
Curt takes the cover off and goes
deep inside a
DWIN 500/700 CRT projector to show you the location
of all the parts, features, and controls. A
must-read for any DWIN owner.
As of the time of this writing (August 2009),
DWIN appears to be out of business, as their website
is now a blank page. DWIN sold thousands of the DWIN
500 and 700 CRT projectors, which were very popular
as they are very small and *extremely* quiet for
data-grade (HD capable) projectors. Quiet
is probably misleading as the two models are
actually, for all practical purposes, completely
silent. The 500 has absolutely no fans in it
(completely convection cooled) while DWIN added a
tiny fan to the 700 power supply to offer slightly
better cooling. The fan is completely inaudible
unless you're a few feet away in a completely silent
room. How many projectors can achieve that without a hushbox?
Both are HD capable and throw a nice 1080i HD
picture from Blu-ray and other HD sources.
To see how the Dwin 500/700 rank in relation to other projectors for use in a
home theater environment see the
Projector Rankings
page.
See the Advanced Procedures
page for various DIY instructions on maintaining and improving CRT projectors.
More Information »
Marquee HD Mod Reviews
July
22, 2009
Reviews of the Marquee HD mods are coming in
and people are impressed with what they're seeing!
Some samples:
"...I have a 1996 Electrohome 9500LC,
currently at 4000 hrs on original tubes with Mike
Parker ‘Micron’ mods (-03VIM & NB’s) installed in
January 2009. For a while, I have been considering
Dragan’s Marquee HD board modifications mostly from
a reliability and stability standpoint for my aging
Marquee. I was not really looking for further PQ
[picture quality] improvement, as I have been very
pleased with the image quality from MP’s latest
mods. However this month, I had Dragan go ahead and
update the deflection, focus, Stig, and convergence
circuitry (5-boards). Upon re-installation, I was
presented with a noticeable sharper focus and more
3-dimensionality, better resolution of detail in
both the foreground and background, and silky smooth
images with reduced noise in the picture overall.
Furthermore, the picture seems more transparent,
like a thin layer of film was removed when looking
through a glass window. Blacks seem blacker, shadow
detail more defined and color saturation more
intense. This is all discernible with scaled
video, but when viewing a native HD source these
improvements really standout. It’s funny many of
the same improvements I noted after installing the
MP mods have been further enhanced upon with Dragan
updates. So, in terms of value, it’s a winner for
the improvements yielded in picture quality, and
the rear heatsink definitely runs cooler after the
upgrades to the boards, another good benefit. I
highly recommend Dragan’s Marquee HD modifications,
his soldering work is top notch and his turn-around
time was excellent, I had the boards back in the
projector in less than a week..." - Mike in
CA
"It's been mentioned many times on the AVS
forums that you simply cannot get 1080P on a Marquee
8500... I was really happy with my home theater but
was a little frustrated that I paid for a 1080p
Blu-Ray player but was not able to enjoy 1080p. So,
I called Dragan and we discussed doing these
projector upgrades. I agree'd to have him upgrade
every board in the projector. A short few weeks
later I got all my boards back and put it all back
together. First thing I did notice was his superb
packaging. No doubt that when he ships something it
will arrive safely. ...Examining the boards, I
must say, really good solder work. Very clean and
professional. It's amazing how many capacitors and
resistors he replaced. Glad I didn't have to do it.
WOW, You know how you can't see anything can be
better until you see it. This is definitely the case
here. Originally I didn't think my projected image
could be bettered. These upgrades didn't just
improve the image quality 20%, I would say it was
200 to 300%! It's a funny thing about
percentages, 100% means its double the amount. Well,
I have to say, being a subjective thing, my image
quality is 3 to 4 times greater in clarity,
resolution, and vividness. Now I can truly say my
picture is 3D. It's like I got an entire new
projector. Convergence is rock solid, test
patterns are razor sharp. Spot size is exact. Scan
lines are easily seen. ...Now we are strictly
watching all movies in 1080P. ...I can't say
enough how happy I am with these upgrades. Highly
recommended. " - StylinLP
More Information / Buy Now »
OPPO's long-awaited BDP-83 universal Blu-ray player now shipping
July
9, 2009
It's taken a long (long!) time but what many
are considering the best Blu-ray player ever built
is finally shipping! At $499 the
Oppo
BDP-83 is certainly not the cheapest player out
there, but you'll be hard pressed to find any player that plays as many formats
(including DVD Audio and SACD) and has such excellent
audio and video quality. It's truly a
top-notch player. Highly recommended! 7.1 thumbs up!
Oppo may not be a name
recognized by most households but they've been
around for some time now and their products are
considered somewhat legendary by audio/video buffs.
For example, their
DV-983H DVD player
is the only one to ever
score a perfect 100 on the Secrets of Home
Theater & High Fidelity DVD benchmark.
So it's no surprise then that their latest product,
the
BDP-83
Blu-ray player would be one of the most anticipated players since the dawn of
HD movies on disc. Early pre-release reviews talk of the excellent playback
quality and the
exhaustive list of features and formats supported. This is the 'kitchen
sink' of Blu-ray players. Absolutely nothing is
missing! It truly an all-in-one solution media center
for high definition (and standard definition) playback.
The Oppo BDP-83 plays Blu-ray discs and decodes all
of the format's lossless audio schemes (DTS-HA
Master Audio, Dolby TrueHD) right on board. Both 5.1 and
7.1 analog outputs are included for you audiophiles
that don't have a newer HDMI receiver for decoding
lossless audio. It also plays
DVD, CD, AVCHD, CD, Kodak CD and even throws in both
DVD-Audio and SACD high-resolution audio disc support (a
first)! Additional formats like JPEG, DivX, MKV, and
AVI are supported as well. It's fully BonusView and
BD-Live compatible and has 1GB of built-in
memory so you don't need an SD Card to use BD-Live
like with some players.
The DVD up-scaling is
excellent and the 1080p
video decoding quality via HDMI is second to none.
Video output choices are 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i,
1080p50, or 1080p60. 1080p/24 output is also
available with compatible displays and the BDP-83 is
one of a select few players able to upconvert
standard DVDs into 1080p/24 output. The BDP-83 also
offers Source Direct mode which outputs source
material in its original format untouched by any
processing or scaling - something the purists will
enjoy.
The only downside is not a huge and is one we've started to grow accustomed to in the
age of digital sources: The component output video quality is
not as good as HDMI since the
advanced features provide by the Anchor Bay VRS
ABT2010 processor are only available on the HDMI
output. (The component signal completely bypasses
the video processor). For the best video quality,
HDMI must be used.
The early reviews from the A/V enthusiast press have
been through the roof too. To quote
a recent review
from Secrets of Home
Theater & High Fidelity:
|
"In a
system with HDMI connections, the OPPO
BDP-83 is an extremely desirable player to
have because it's a fantastic Blu-ray player
with a beautiful picture and speedy
operation. Standard DVD processing is top
notch as well and the player features high
quality audio output for all the latest HI
Def sound codecs as well as additional media
types such as DVD-Audio and SACD in both
bitstream and PCM output. Because the
BDP-83's component video connections don't
take advantage of the ABT2010 processor, the
performance is not near as good and doesn't
get quite the recommendation for systems
limited to analog video connections.
However, with the BDP-83's HDMI
capabilities, its performance on the bench,
the exceptional build quality, their
continued support to their product line, and
the inclusion of features such as BD-Live
and additional media playback, OPPO has an
out-of-the-ballpark grand slam home run.
Highly Recommended." |
If you've been putting off buying a Blu-ray player
or want to upgrade your older first or second
generation player for something considerably better, this is the one to get.
Interested? Order an
Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray
player today from Amazon for $499 and
help support our forum!
Already got yours? Tell us how you like it in our
Oppo BDP-83 forum thread.
More Information / Buy Now »
CRT Projector
Specials
July
3, 2009
See our
CRT Primer to read why CRT projectors are still used in home
theaters where picture quality is paramount. Our
Projector Rankings page will show you how they
stack up. Not sure what
projector is right
for you? Email Curt
for help!
Qty 2 - Barco Cine 8:
I’ve got two post 2000 vintage Cine 8 projectors.
These are equivalent to the BG808s sets, but are
about 5 years newer in design, with several
modifications done to the power supply, vertical
boards and video circuits.
Set # 1 is a Runco DTV-992 Ultra dated from
2000. Runco painted the case black (of course!)
and added color filtered elements to the G and R
tubes, making for very rich colors. Tubes are in
excellent condition, no wear at all. 1080p
capable.
Set # 2 is a Barco Cine 8, gray in color.
I’ve put in all new tubes, zero wear, great
condition. Someone has repainted the blue trim
on the projector for some reason, and didn’t do
the greatest job, but if ceiling mounted, that
is closest to the ceiling and is hard to see.
$2000.00 USD each.
Qty 1 - Runco 980 Ultra:
This is another recent arrival, with only 1250 hours
on the chassis. According to the spread sheet on my
site, this is an NEC 6PG Xtra, but this set has the
9PG Xtra software on it, and I’ve run 1080p through
the projector with no issues at all. The point board
is installed as well. c/w remote and ceiling
bracket. Zero wear on the tubes, razor sharp.
$1500.00 USD
Qty 1 - Runco DTV 1100:
I’ve had several of these in lately. These are based
on the Barco 1209s chassis, capable of handling
1080p signals with ease. 1080p ready, 8” tubes, 1200
lumens. I’ve got one of these with very light wear
on the green tube, or I can replace the green tube
with a brand new one, your choice. $4000.00
w/original green tube, rated at about an 8 out of
10, or $5500.00 USD with a new green tube.
Qty 1 - ECP 4000:
Got this one on trade locally, and it’s in really
good shape. Tubes have been upgraded to the sharper
07MS tubes with minimal wear on them. R and G are
perfect, the blue has a trace of wear, but nothing
more than about 2000 hours of ‘on’ time. Very sharp
and clear image for the ECP sets, convergence is
solid and stable. Case is in nice shape as well. A
great 750 lumen, 720p set. $150.00.
Qty 1 - Sony 1292:
1800 original hours on the unit, I replaced the
green tube due to the Sony
delamination thing that affected some Sony tubes.
Zero wear on all tubes (see
picture). Good
condition case. 1080p ready, 700-1000 lumens
depending on whose specs you believe online.
Original 1292 remote included along with power cord
and manual. The Moome Sony card slips right into the set.
$2000 w/HD-10 lenses, $2600 w/Sony HD10F that came
on G90 sets.
Qty 1 - NEC XG 75:
Still 1080p ready, 1200 lumens, the green tube is
not as good as other sets I've sold, but heck, this
set will still run circles around an ES focusing
set! With the large wear area, you can easily get
2-3 years of use out of the set while saving up for
a new green tube. The blue has a tiny bit of wear (see
picture), but completely usable for about 7000 hours. c/w setup remote and power cord and manual. $650.00
Qty 2 - NEC XG 135 LC:
These two sets are the top of the line NEC XGLC projector, with a
scanning rate of 135Khz. 1200 lumens, full 8” LC
tubes. The green and blue tubes in both sets are
new, zero wear, 1080p ready. Remote and ceiling
bracket and manual included. A great upgrade for
anyone with a lower end NEC projector, as the
ceiling brackets and the throw distance are the same
for all NECs ($50 off the price if you don’t need
the ceiling bracket). Very reliable sets, I’ve done some reliability
modifications that I do to all NECs that come into
the shop. Fully tested, ready to go. $2700 each.
I’ve also inherited some signal
processors/scalers that I’m going through, here are
two for starters:
Qty 1 - DWIN
Transcanner II: This set scales any video or
Svideo signal exceptionally well, but it will also
transcode any component signal to RGBHV. Great for a
setup where you’re still using SD and HD signal
sources. A passthrough input will accept a converter
box for added flexibility. $350.00 w/remote.
Qty 1 - Runco
VFD 4403 line tripler: Based on an NEC
scaler, this unit has 6 inputs including a 480 I
component, a passthrough and several video and
Svideo inputs. Various resolutions for scaling
purposes, up to 1024 X 768. IN a nice black Runco
case. Works well. $125.00.
Questions or want to make a
purchase? Email Curt!
See All CRT Projectors »
CRT Projector
Specials and News
June
10, 2009
Confused? See our
CRT Primer to read why CRT projectors are still
used in home theaters where picture quality is
paramount. How do these and other projectors stack
up? See our
Projector Rankings page. Not sure what
projector is right
for you? Email Curt
for help!
It's been a while since I've sent a new projector
mailer out, but work and orders have been pouring in
since the new year, so it's been very hectic here.
I've inherited a lot of new clients ever since Barco
announced on their website that they are out of CRT
production as of January 2009, and I've gained a
number of planetarium and military/commercial
customers since then. Repairs and parts demand is at
an all time high, with me sending out an average of
15 boxes every week, not to mention the projector
sales to people that are still finding CRT to be a
superior image, despite what the commission
salespeople want to tell the general public.
The
entry-level,
intermediate, and
high
performance CRT projector sales pages has been updated.
Some highlights:
Qty 2 - New in the box RCF 6220 projectors:
These are
new old stock, one is still in the box, one has no
box, but is new with the manuals and remotes. These
sets are similar to the
ECP 4500, a good 7" 800
lumen set with digital convergence, great for a
1080i or 720p image. They are cheap, dirt cheap...
$300 each. Why? This is one of the very few sets
that I've never seen before, and therefore have no
backup parts for them. If you buy the two, I'll take
$550 for the pair. Lots of RCF sets were sold in
Europe, less so in North America. I'll be listing
these on eBay in a bit, so grab them now while I've
still got them. The pair of sets were supposed to go
into a high end showroom that never went ahead for
some reason. I'm sure you'll get years of use out of
these sets, but I've got them priced cheaply as I
don't have backup parts for them.
Qty 100
SOLD OUT! – Barco Graphics 808s: These are all I have
left of the 29 that I bought in January. Most have
been sold, some were parted out, there's a few left
in really nice condition. One customer that I sold a
Barco Data 808 to a few years ago upgraded to this
set, and he said the improvement was remarkable.
Fully 1080p capable, these sets use the slightly
sharper Sony tubes over the Panasonics that the
other Barco 808 models use. Convergence on green
card installed in most of these sets. Cases are a
bit marked up, but the sets themselves are in great
shape. $1200-1500 depending on tube and case
condition.
Qty 1 - NEC XG 75: A trade in from a customer that
switched to an LC set, this set was fully retubed,
and has under 100 hours on the new set of tubes.
$1500.00 with remote. 1080p ready.
Qty 1 - NEC XG 110LC: Again, fully retubed, in great
shape, focus is perfect across the board. New NEC
tubes, very hard to find. $2800.00.
Qty 3 - Vidikron Vision 1: These are the formerly
$60,000 sets with the fancy fiberglass cases on
them. Two are black, one is white. Red and green
coloured filters, 1000 to 6000 original hours on
them, all came out of home theaters. I'm still
checking the white 1000 hour one, the others have a
new green tube, the R and B are fine. Bargain priced
at $6000.00 each.
Qty 3 - Runco DTV 1100: 9" sets, 1080p capable. New
green tube installed, very similar performance to
the Vision 1's above. $5500.00 each.
Tubes, tubes, tubes: I've been very lucky to get
a whole stack of new in the box Sony and NEC tubes
as used in various sets. Pricing is as follows:
- SD 187 tubes: 3 sets available at $150 per full
set of R G and B tubes.
- 07MS tubes: 1 set available at $180 per full set
of R G and B tubes.
The Sony tubes above are used in:
Sony 10XX series,
Ampro 2000,
Electrohome ECP, RCF sets,
Barco
4000, 500,
600,
700 and 701 and some
Seleco sets.
Bring your set up to as new performance with tubes
free of wear and fungus.
- E8508 as used in the
NEC PG and
PG+ sets. $390
per full set of tubes. Two sets available.
I am getting many more sets in shortly, including
another Barco 909,
Sony G90s and
NECs. I've also got
some Faroudja scalers coming in shortly...
Shoot me an
email if you see something you want that's not on
the list, but I've got good stock right now as well.
Questions or want to make a
purchase? Email Curt!
See All CRT Projectors »
NEW PRODUCT: Blu-Wire T1/R1 HDMI Extension Kit
May
29, 2009
Enable long-distance HDMI - up to 200 feet from source to display! Unlike
most HDMI extenders ours is easy to set up, reliable, uses only one cable, and
has FULLHD 1080p support! No tweaking or adjustments required - it just works!
Having issues with picture dropouts, blank screens, or dancing dots in the image?
You need to use our HDMI
extender!
Even the best HDMI cables are only certified to approximately 45 feet when
used as Category 1 ("Standard" 1080i/720p at 74.5Mhz) or 25 feet as Category 2
("High Speed" 1600p at 340Mhz). The distances are reduced in electrically noisy
environments or when lower quality (less expensive) cables are used.
The Blu-Wire HDMI T1 Transmitter and R1 Receiver provide a quick and easy method
of extending HDMI v1.3 or v1.2 + HDCP over cost-effective UTP (unshielded
twisted pair) networking cable. NO adjustments for ease of installation and maintenance,
and full 1080p + HDCP performance over SINGLE UTP CatX cable.
The Blu-Wire T1/R1 HDMI Extension Kit is produced by Obonok Technologies, the
world's leading technology for HDMI signal distribution over category cable.
Two U.S. patents are pending on their proprietary technology used in this kit.
How is the
Blu-wire T1/R1 Extender Kit better than other HDMI extenders?
- Other solutions require two CatX cables. Our solution uses only one
cable which reduces costs and making installation easier. Two less connections
also means 50% less chance of connection-related failures.
- Other solutions are only rated for 1080i and 1600 x 1200 with
bandwidth in the neighbourhood of 2 Gbps or less. Our solution supports FullHD 1080p with 6.6 Gbps of bandwidth. Future-proof your setup by making
sure your
HDMI extender supports 1080p!
- Other solutions are sensitive to cell phones and other
electrical noise such as fluorescent lighting causing noise and/or
dropouts. Our solution uses technology that is NOT sensitive to either - you
do not need to use more expensive shielded cables required by most of
the other
solutions.
- Other solutions require adjustment and tweaking to
maintain a
picture. Our
solution has Auto Gain and Auto EQ which results in a good signal regardless of
distance with no adjustments needed.
Hook-up
Hooking up the T1/R1 HDMI extender is extremely simple. Using short HDMI
cables, plug the T1 transmitter into the source and the R1 receiver into the
display then connect the two using a UTP networking cable and plug in the power
supply. Done!
Questions? Email us at
InteractAV@CurtPalme.com or visit our new
InteractAV support forum.
More Information / Buy Now »
Hard to find Barco
Graphics 808s projectors in stock
May
22, 2009
Confused? Not sure what's right
for you? Email Curt and he'll help you figure out what's right for your setup.
I managed to get a
great deal on over 20 of these hard to find BG808s
projectors. I originally bought these for parts use
only, but the tubes are in such good shape, it would
be a shame to part these sets out. 110 Khz scan
rate, 8" Sony tubes (some say that the Sony tubes
are sharper than the Panasonics used in other 808
models), 120 Mhz video cards, 1200 lumens, IRIS
camera installed in many of these sets, remote
controls included. Hard to find convergence on green
card is also included, mandatory for a blend or a
stack. The cases on most of these do have some
scratches and marks, but the price reflects that the
cases aren't perfect. Heck, I've even got some
units that are missing the top lids, so save even
more if you don't care about the looks, or are doing
a rear projection or coffee table installation where
you won't see the set. 1080p ready. The hard to find
Sony tubes in these sets are $1300 each new. Of the
10 sets I've tested so far, the tubes range from
mint to good condition (slight wear on the green
only), and have excellent emission. The prices of
these sets range from $1200-1500 each, knock $200
off if you don't need a top lid. At this price,
you're coming close to a 9" set's performance at a
fraction of the price. Heck, buy two and do a blend
or stack.
See all CRT Projectors »
Heads Up! It's Home Theater
Spring Cleaning/Tune-up Time!
May
14, 2009
Every year about this time we like to run through
a complete tune-up to make sure all our TVs and
projectors are still perfectly calibrated. Most
people don't realize that calibration changes as the
components age, or for some displays (such as CRT
projectors), as the earth's rotation shifts!
(Due to the shifting magnetic field). Calibration is
not something you "do once and forget about".
Not even close.
If your displays are already calibrated like ours it's
usually a pretty fast process of just running
through the steps and making some minor tweaks here
and there. The tweaks are typically not major, but
doing this one a year (or whenever you change
equipment or settings) ensures that the calibration
errors stay minimal resulting in the best image
quality possible.
So consider this your friendly reminder to get
your meters & laptops out tonight and give your
setups the quick once-over! Your TV thanks you for
it!
Don't have calibration software or a meter? Check out
our extensive
Greyscale & Colour Calibration for Dummies
guide for free.
This guide is for the home theater enthusiast who
wants to get the absolute best picture
out of any TV or projector. It will show you how to
obtain the most accurate colours possible on any
display regardless of what sort of technology it
uses (Plasma, LCD, DLP, SXRD, LCOS, CRT, etc). No
prior knowledge or understanding of greyscale or
colour calibration is required. In fact, you may not
even know what "greyscale calibration" is at all!
That's fine! We explain why it's important along
with exactly what tools are needed and how to use
them.
Start the
Tune-up! »
Marquee HD Mods now
available for order!
May
4, 2009
We are proud to offer these special Marquee HD
mods for you to bring your Marquee CRT projector (or
clone) back up to spec and offer even greater
performance!
These upgrades are offered for the
Marquee series
of CRT projectors and clones. These machines are
10-14+ years old now so some preventative
maintenance will insure continued reliable
operation. If your machine is an un-touched
(unmodified) original you will also see a
performance increase from this upgrade: 10-20%
resolution increase for Blu-ray, better colours, and
less smearing/streaking.
This is a CurtPalme.com recommended and approved
service.
Which projectors are included with this service?
The following Electrohome Marquee CRT projectors and clones are
covered under this service:
-
Marquee 8000, 8110, 8110+, 8500, 8500LC, 8500LC Ultra, 9000,
9500LC, 9500LC Ultra
-
Accurate Imaging Technologies Accurate 8, 9, XL
-
Accurate Imaging Technologies Integrated 8
-
Accurate Imaging Technologies Modular 8,9
-
Accurate Imaging Technologies Ultimate 8-X, 9-X
-
Crystal View CV-1, CV-2, CV-3
-
GTT Audio Video HT Reference 8, 9
-
Madrigal MP-8, MP-9
-
Reference Imaging CinePro 8x, 9x, 9x Elite
-
Spatz Tech RE8000, RE9000, RE9500
-
Theater Automation Wow (TAW) HD-800, HD-900
-
Vidikron Vision 1, 2, 3
-
Visual Dynamics Reference 8/9
What improvements will the Marquee HD mods offer?
This modification brings the following improvements to your Marquee
projector:
- Sharper focus
- Reduction in video streaking/smearing
- Increased colour saturation/more accurate colours
- Increased convergence stability (less drifting)
- Lower running temperatures for improved
reliability and longer life span
If your trusty Marquee is drifting a little bit and requires regular
touch-ups (even after warm-up), then it's likely there's some tired parts on
that 10+ year old projector. An improperly running projector will have more
problems over the long run. Just like changing your oil, certain parts should be
replaced in your Marquee projector to ensure a long, trouble free life span.
On our test bench we've now seen many times now how a stock machine has
very poor spot-size capability: Test pattern grid lines are simply too fat. After
the modifications the focusing and spot size are much better. We would go as far
as to say that an original 10+ year old Marquee fed a native Blu-Ray HD signal is
losing at least 10-20% of the picture quality and resolution without these
Marquee HD mods.
More Information / Order Now! »
CONTEST:
Box1020/1040/1021 Giveaway!
April 30, 2009
We're giving away free X-Vue Box1020/1040/1021
products to a few lucky winners!
These boxes are the perfect way to do
RGB/Component conversion and add a Low-Level Black
Boost (Gamma Boost)!
What is Low-Level Black Boost (LBB)?
In most displays the shadow detail content is
severely limited or simply completely missing. When
there are a lot of dark areas in the picture they
simply appear as a uniform black area even though
the original content has a lot of details within
these areas.
This phenomenon is next to impossible to
compensate by conventional means by simply
increasing brightness or contrast. By increasing
brightness true blacks start looking grey and the
overall picture only becomes washed-out.
Box1020/1040/1021 low-level black boost
selectively addresses only the correct black (the
shadow detail) information of interest creating a
very dynamic looking overall picture with a rich
shadow detail. The level of correction is adjustable
for maximum detail.
Sample Pictures
The following pictures are examples
where low-level black boost is used to bring out
tremendous shadow detail using X-Vue products. No
photo manipulation of any kind is done to any of the
pictures except for resizing.
Want to learn more about LBB (Gamma Boost) and
how to get pictures like these from your display?
See our free
Grayscale & Color Calibration for Dummies
guide.
Enter Contest to Win! »
Moome's Sony HDMI 1.3
input card now on sale - SAVE $50!
April 29, 2009
Moome's now offering his most popular
Sony IFB-FULLHD HDMI 1.3 card at a $50 off
sale price same as all his other cards. If you're looking to add Blu-ray or other HDMI sources to your
Sony CRT projector this is the highest quality HDMI input you can add. Complete
with two HDMI 1.3 inputs and adjustable gamma boost for absolutely perfect gamma
tracking.
The IFB-FULLHD features true
videophile quality features such as two 100%
HDMI
1.3 compliant inputs for Deep Colour support, better discrete 12bit D/A converters,
faster 1GHz
output buffer, and quality op-amps for the best image
quality possible.
More Information
/ Read Reviews / Buy Now »
Save $50 / FREE HDMI cable on Moome HDMI cards
March
6, 2009
Looking to add Blu-ray or other HDMI sources to your CRT projector? For a
limited time, Moome is offering incentives and price reductions on all of his HDMI 1.3 input
cards for CRT projectors:
These cards allow you to add digital devices such as
Blu-Ray players, PS3, Xbox360, Satellite/Cable HDTV set-top boxes, and PCs with HDMI graphic cards to
your CRT projector. Simply plug the card into your projector, your HDMI
devices into the card, and watch! Two HDMI 1.3 inputs with gamma correction and infrared remote control
are included.
Don't be stuck watching HD at only
480p! Add a digital HDCP-compliant HDMI 1.3 input card allowing you to watch hi-def
content at up to 1080p!
These cards are a culmination of everything Moome has learnt
over years of building input cards for CRT projectors: They are by far the
highest end cards he has yet to offer with new features such as: Two 100%
HDMI
1.3 compliant inputs for Deep Colour support, better discrete 12bit D/A converters,
faster 1GHz
output buffer, and videophile quality op-amps for the best image
quality possible. Supply is limited and tends to
sell out fast as these high-end products are only built in small batches.
This is the last HDMI input card you will ever buy for your CRT projector!!!
Widescreen
Review Magazine uses Moome HDMI cards in their reference theaters which feature
a Sony
G90 and Runco 1200 CRT projectors. "We love our 9-inch CRT projectors,
even though we have our pick of the leading edge D--ILA, SXRD, and DLP
projectors." - Gary Reber, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, Widescreen Review
Reviews/Testimonials "The card looks really good in the projector. I have the card / G90 set up now so that I can see the "just above black"
bar next to window patterns on my VP403 with windows from 0 IRE through over 70
IRE. This is with rich inky blacks and a perfect gamma curve of 2.2
through the entire luma range. The card has behaved flawlessly for my testing
and seems very solid. It also deals really well with long HDMI cables,
better than other previous cards I have seen. I do recommend it and will post
more info as time permits. I have done only a little calibration with it, and
the card already looks good. I've watched Sunshine, Mission Impossible 3, 5th
Element, Bank Job, Decent, and Ratatouille. Some of those are not exactly
reference, but the board is doing well. Sunshine with its black details and
dark glory looked absolutely fantastic. Everyone who was watching with me was
really WOWed. This is really a great card. I ran 1080x1920 @ 72 Hz today
for a couple hours at least. Coming through a monoprice, 22 gauge, silver plated
copper, 35' cable. No issues at all; no sparkles, no noise... just perfect. That
is not an easy test at all!" - Craig Rounds, official IFB-FULLHD tester, professional
calibrator (www.cir-engineering.com)
"I received my XG-FULLHD HDMI card today and I love it!
The picture is much better than what I was seeing previously. I was using a
Sony BD300 and VP30 video processor and was never very happy with
it. Now I have the VP30 plugged directly into the new HDMI card and the picture
is sensational. Couldn't believe how easy it was to install and setup.
Thanks Moome!!" - Rob
"...very quick install/setup and first impressions are that the XG-FULLHD
card is noticeably sharper than my previous setup..." - Lance
"There is no doubt the XG-FULLHD card creates an image that is better than
the previous DVI card...colors are more natural, test patterns are sharper ...the PQ has taken a
step forward, and just looks 'right'. This card IS a step up in all areas of
image reproduction." - KennyG
"The color rendition of the Moome [XG-FULLHD] card is really quite
impressive. The first thing that hit me when going back to the DVI card was
how much better the HDMI card did to create a vividly lifelike image with more
subtle gradients." - JArseneau
"... it is a true work of art from Moome, amazing in every way possible
... with the new NEC XG HDMI Moome card and my DVDO VP50pro video processor
outputting 4:2:2 YPbPr HDMI I have a image that has improved in nearly every
manner (See
here for screenshots) ... the crispness of the image has improved a lot as well, the
image is naturally sharper vs the older DVI card which looks slightly edgy
in comparison ... color resolution and naturalness has improved so much it is
unbelievablee, I am so thankful to be able to get this card for my XG, it was
worth every pennyy and more! I just can't get over home much of a
improvement this card really is, the best way to describe it is like someone
took a hold of a knob on your system labelled bandwidth and cranked it out the
roof, the natural crispness and smoothness of the image is amazing, the
contrast ratio aspects of the image may be the biggest improvement of all. I am
now going to be giddy every time I sit down to do reviews and watch films. Thank
You Moome! You are a true master sir!" - Gary (Home Theater Forum
Software and Hardware reviewer)
"The image is very sharp and the colours wonderfully vibrant and
realistic! The black levels are outstanding!! Its certainly given this XG135
a few more good years without missing out on the latest Hi def formats." -
Alan Questions? Not sure what's right for you? Email us at
MoomeCard@CurtPalme.com and we'll help!
More Information
/ Buy Now »
Pronto TSU-501 Remote
price drop: Only $39 now!
February
25, 2009
Techtoys needs to make room so they've slashed prices from $59
down to $39 on the remaining Pronto TSU-501 remotes.
Free worldwide shipping included. That's approximately 1/10th of the price that
other sites sell this remote for! Cheap enough to buy one for every room in the
house and keep a spare just in case!
These are brand new, still-in-the-box touchscreen learning remotes that come with
everything you need to get set up including
software, manual, cable, batteries, etc.
Reviews/Testimonials
"The remote is several cuts above the usual slab 'o buttons. A learning
handset that's also pre-programmed with a large code library, it features an LCD touchscreen as well as soft and hard buttons — all backlit. In a thoughtful
touch, the remote automatically turns on when you pick it up (there's a tilt
switch inside) and automatically turns off after a user-settable delay. And it
can use either infrared (IR) or radio-frequency (RF) signals to control the
system. RF is particularly useful when the control center is in another room
(maximum range is 66 feet). The control center's output for a supplied dual IR
emitter even lets you control other equipment in your rack with RF commands from
the remote. Of course, you can also create macros, which allow you to issue a
string of commands with one button touch. Finally, the remote has a serial port
so you can connect it to your PC and customize the touchscreen's layout and the
remote's operation using the supplied Freedom Edit Windows software." -
Sound & Vision Magazine
More Information / Buy Now »
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