Stacking Projectors?

[brianedm]

Casio's Convex System Lets You Stack Projectors and Unwarp Images With Surprising Precision


Aside from getting small enough to fit in your pocket and gaining enough resolution to melt your eyes, there hasn't been a lot of innovation in the projector market as of late. So thank you Casio for finally bringing something neat to that table with the company's new Convex control System.
A fairly non-descript control box packed with display ports and a network connection allows users to precisely tweak the shape of a projected image. It sounds a little boring, but Casio has revealed a couple of applications that make the technology actually seem pretty slick. For starters, the Convex System lets users easily stack a pair of projectors, automatically aligning both images resulting in double the brightness. Perfect for venues where darkening a room isn't possible. Two models of this stacked system will be available sometime this month with pricing still to be announced: the XJ-SK650 which will provide up to 6,500 lumens, and the XJ-SK600 which comes in at 6,000 lumens
But where the Convex System really shines is when it's being used with just a single projector. It allows the image to be projected on curved or uneven surfaces, while perfectly correcting the distortion. Using an included remote the Convex System allows images to be tweaked, re-shaped, and unwarped using a grid of up to 81 points. And if that's not enough to correct the image for your situation, it's probably a good idea just to find a better place to set up your projector.

 

[jostenmeat]

Hm. People have been stacking PJs since the days of CRT. I don't think it's been necessary ever since their demise.

The compromise of a curved screen is best applied when you cheap out on an anamorphic lens. Either get a good one, or don't bother to begin with is probably the better approach.

Basically to me, this is like "Onkyo has a new caged dual subwoofer system that lets you stack TWO subwoofers(!!), which are time aligned because they are in this caged system, with a combined total of 6500 Watts(!!), with an EQ system that will perfectly correct your strangely curved room!" IOW, why are you buying subs from Onkyo, you don't absolutely need the cage to align them (therefore you could choose other models/brands), the figure of 6500 in my mind is probably horribly exaggerated and/or under dubious conditions, and as far "perfectly re-distorting" the image, well, I'll just say that the nicest anamorphic lenses cost as much as a nice projector to begin with.

Maybe I'm missing something. Hm.

 

[majorloser]

I can remember some of those old double stack CRT's with the 8" guns. They were freakin' HUGE.
I was surprised to see them still for sale. I know they had a good picture, but I just can't see spending that kind of money on them.

Products

 

[BMXTRIX]

Casio simply isn't ahead of the game on this stuff. They tend to push out cheap product which is mediocre in overall quality. Their LED/Laser hybrid stuff has been completely cutting edge, but they have been extraordinarily slow in correcting severe color issues and noise issues. As well, when they came out with a large model in a very quiet chassis, they only released it with 4:3 aspect ratio at 1024x768 resolution. Something that is half a decade dated! They are slow on the uptake and poor to implement their products, which leaves a huge question mark on every single product they put out when they don't have the engineering prowess to put out the right product to start with.

Warping tools have been out for ages. Yep. Not new. You don't use them for anamorphic projection, you use it for curved surface projection. Yes, a good lens is a nice way to deal with some surfaces, but typically it is a far more complex surface than a lens can handle and is NOT an anamorphic setup we are talking about.

Still, if the product is priced nice and (more importantly) works extremely well, then it certainly would be nice to have available to use.

Likewise, if their projectors are quiet enough, have good color accuracy (not something Casio has done with their Laser/LED models!), and has high reliability, then they may be worth using. But, I'm not looking to take a gamble on them unless the cost difference is significant compared to the competition.

Also, not sure how many here at Audioholics are looking for 6,500 lumen projectors. Especially ones without any resolution, contrast, or pricing specifications associated with it.

 

[jostenmeat]

I don't understand why anyone would choose a curved screen if not for reducing pincushioning. If it's for a subtle difference in brightness, it seems like a pretty compromised/complicated/expensive way to go about it! If it's simply "just to have", well to each his own I guess. Thanks for straightening me out there.

 

[BMXTRIX]

The curved or warped screen is most often used in commercial/artistic setups. Virtual reality is a use as is advertising. A full VR immersion setup can easily run $500,000 or more depending on the level of immersion. Likewise, theater uses warping for special screens and setups to create specific effects. It can be quite stunning when applied properly. Finally, things like projecting onto a cylinder in a lobby, or directly onto the company logo are things which may occur in a lobby of a larger company.

This is the type of product we are talking about here, not the 'anamorphic' theater setup with a minimally curved screen. That's just not what this type of product is about.