New House, New Theater

[strube]

I think you would have a hard time finding an enthusiast that would disagree with me about 150" XD being too big for that PJ. I have no direct experience with that PJ, and this is an educated guess. Sorry to break that opinion to you. This doesn't mean he won't be happy as a clam, but I can't see any experienced enthusiast recommending this size to begin with, particularly without the brightness of DLP.

Also, even if he throws up the pic, and goes, WOW! AWESOME! doesn't mean he'll still think that 500 hours later, or even 100 hours later where some people have even measured up to 30% lumens loss on an OEM JVC bulb. The PJ will be the very cleanest inside when fired up right OTB, no film or outgassing has yet occurred, etc, basically, it will look the brightest it will ever look in its lifetime using an OEM bulb when he first fires it up. Just FWIW.

No need for apologies. That said, when have you ever known me not to do things how I want to anyway, despite potentially prudent advice to the contrary?

I will just have to see how it turns out, he doesn't have an unlimited budget by any stretch. Actually it is maxed out as of today after he bought his seats and he has purchased everything he is going to with the exception of his dipole surrounds, which are unavailable at the moment, so scope lenses and masking panels are pretty much not going to happen at this point. I don't expect disappointment from him either way, whether or not I am happy with it doesn't really matter. He was kind of going for an IMAX in the basement sort of thing and I think that's what he will get. If it does turn out not to be bright enough for the screen, we will just have to cross that bridge when we come to it.

Also IMO, there isn't such a thing as 100% light controlled. The best that could be had is probably about 99% after you line the entire room in best grade velvet, wear clothes made of the same velvet, cover the seats in this velvet, etc. Flat black paint is orders of magnitude more reflective than just a decent velvet. IOW, if 100% light control means beige walls, I would have to disagree. I don't know how much is done, but at least paint is cheap. I recommend black carpeting/rugs, at least in front of viewers, and black ceiling is requisite with 150" XD powered by JVC, IMO. Check out Rosco Supersaturated Velour or something like that, I think #6003 it might have been. I'm just driving home the point as you know.

Well, remember this isn't my first rodeo by a long shot, so make sure you don't judge how it will look by that one picture I attached. As you know from my theater thread we are currently derailing, I am a fan of the adhesive-backed 45" wide rolls of thick velvet from McMaster-Carr, with which I covered my entire front wall at a fairly great cost. I haven't done any scientific tests on it or anything, but it will eat light better than almost anything else out there. The intent is to have all of the front of the room that isn't screen covered in this stuff, 6 feet back from the screen on the side walls and maybe even 10 feet back on the ceiling. Additionally, the carpet that is going in is almost black (slightly brown toned). We are going a fair distance to control stray light and maximize perceived contrast and brightness. Then there will be very dark, flat paint for the areas not covered in velvet. I would say my definition of bat cave and yours are closer than most, so sorry if I rounded up when I said 100% light controlled.

I understand, and I probably have already run the risk sounding a bit like a jerk, but then if there was a chance that he was* going to change out stuff due to dissatisfaction, it's probably cheaper and easier to do it now than later. My main concern is the screen size as 1.78 powered by JVC in anything less than a bat cave. Maybe DIY masking panels, I don't know, get a scope lens. Someone told me that James Cameron doesn't even use the whatchmacallit motorized thing to move the lens, he just throws it over with a pool cue or something. You can remove the panels for the sole purpose of watching the latest Batman movies if desired, sans lens, post zoom/focus adjustments, I dunno, I am blabbering a lot aren't I. I farted out the nutty DIY panels idea trying to quickly come up with a plan that doesn't require getting rid of any made purchases, but it would OTOH require more purchases. And I'm not saying it's a good idea either, just shooting the you know what.

Not so much a jerk as an uber-enthusiast. I always enjoy chatting with you about this stuff, and I do appreciate your opinion and your advice, even if I don't always agree. I am sure you know you can't offend me, so no worries...well, except if you bring up that nutbar James Cameron again.

Also, seeing what 3D enthusiasts say about JVC, there will be people that say it's totally out of the question here. But if dad is like me, he probably won't care all that much.

What are 3D enthusiasts? I always figured if you liked movies for the content and not the fakey, 1/3 brightness, special effect gimmicks that 3D is the enemy. I am going to stick with that school of thought.

 

[jostenmeat]

Oh, that definitely is a cave in my book, and happens to be way more controlled than I was assuming. In fact, 10' deep of velvet on the ceiling, wow, that might be the most light controlled room I've come across on AV forums, and I've come across quite a few. So if anyone is allowed to say 100%, I would say it is you/him!

So I was starting to try to be hopeful, then anticipating a brighter PJ than mine for example (I thought they had improved brightness with the generations, but I guess "it depends"), but unfortunately the one Feierman reviewed had it pretty dim. He had mine at 654 and 773 in high lamp mode, with both being on the cinema profile. This is what he got with the RS60. He thought it was so low, he sent it back to JVC. I see no edits/additions since the original review dated 03/11, and in the summary he says that the low brightness seems to be confirmed by what others are saying, IIRC.

Lumen Output and Color Temp at 100 IRE (mid zoom):

Film= 351 @ 6024
Cinema= 383 @ 6725
Animation= 506 @ 8531
Natural= 500 @ 6829
Stage= 500 @ 7955
3D= 507 @ 8997
THX= 497 @ 6828
User 1 or 2= 500 @ 6820

Do you have a Carada BW? Anyway, Jeff Meier measured the on axis gain to be 10% dimmer with the XD compared to the BW. That info might be useful to you in the future regarding your own system, and/or provide some sort of reference right now.

I guess we'll just have to hope for the best, eh. I checked out some pics of the RS60 model, and the vents are located differently than mine, as your dad's has them on the rear. I bring this up, because in the case that it is deemed too dim in low and/or eco, and he wants to run it in high lamp mode, I would consider compromising projector distance, especially if it only takes a couple/few feet to do so, so that the vents are firing away from listeners, rather than right at you.

Also, I mentioned the OSRAM lamp thingy to you. Apparently some people are saying it has superior brightness for the RS1, and perhaps even better color performance. Some people retrofit the bulb into the OEM housing. I have no idea if this is even worth looking into with the RS60, and I would like you to confirm the bits I've read about Osram, for my own selfish reasons.

 

[strube]

So I was starting to try to be hopeful, then anticipating a brighter PJ than mine for example (I thought they had improved brightness with the generations, but I guess "it depends"), but unfortunately the one Feierman reviewed had it pretty dim. He had mine at 654 and 773 in high lamp mode, with both being on the cinema profile. This is what he got with the RS60. He thought it was so low, he sent it back to JVC. I see no edits/additions since the original review dated 03/11, and in the summary he says that the low brightness seems to be confirmed by what others are saying, IIRC.

Do you have a Carada BW? Anyway, Jeff Meier measured the on axis gain to be 10% dimmer with the XD compared to the BW. That info might be useful to you in the future regarding your own system, and/or provide some sort of reference right now.

I guess we'll just have to hope for the best, eh. I checked out some pics of the RS60 model, and the vents are located differently than mine, as your dad's has them on the rear. I bring this up, because in the case that it is deemed too dim in low and/or eco, and he wants to run it in high lamp mode, I would consider compromising projector distance, especially if it only takes a couple/few feet to do so, so that the vents are firing away from listeners, rather than right at you.

Also, I mentioned the OSRAM lamp thingy to you. Apparently some people are saying it has superior brightness for the RS1, and perhaps even better color performance. Some people retrofit the bulb into the OEM housing. I have no idea if this is even worth looking into with the RS60, and I would like you to confirm the bits I've read about Osram, for my own selfish reasons.

We shall hope for the best, as you said. I am a few weeks from heading up to set up his system and do that Christmas/New Years thing. I looked for OSRAM bulb options for the RS60 but they are not existent for the post RS10-era PJs from what I can gather. I also had him project a 150"dia image on his tan wall and watch planet earth for a bit and he said he was more than happy with it, so I am sure he will be good to start with, at least before the post-new dimming sets in.

I got my RS60 up and running and the black levels are much improved. Brightness is also better for now, and should stay that way as I always ran in Eco mode. Because of the location of the lens and my shelf, I am maxed out on vertical and horizontal shift, and I had to remove one of my support chains. I have to move the shelf at some point, but it seems more than sturdy with one chain for now, considering I went way-overkill on attaching the back of the shelf.

I am still running on the same Carada Classic Cinema White screen I have had forever. Actually, it is the only thing I haven't ever upgraded. I better get on that.