## Road Trip ## GALAXIAN THEATER from NAMCO !!!

[uncletom]

Awesome summary there, vrax.

I didin't know digital projectors had less vivid colors than CRT projectors. But can't you just tweak the 'Saturation' or something in a DLP projector to display more intense color?

[vrAx]

Historically, color-corrected CRT projectors tend to have a more accurate tracking of color. These days, good digital projectors that cost around $3.5-5K USD are basically just as good. Now, considering this is a video game -- it really isn't critical. It's just nice to have some vivid red on the screen! CRT projectors have no fixed-pixel structure (like a shadow mask, or a digital projector) -- they're just painting the beam on a solid plane of colored phosphor, so they can naturally "bleed" the colors slightly, which is desirable.

..but what IS critical is your black level. You can see on the G3's screen now how the images are sort of washed out and some color won't turn all the way off.. With a properly set CRT projector with good tubes, your blacks will be exactly that: no light whatsoever on the screen. The color will really pop and look fantastic.. For an "environmental" game like G3, it's really important.

Unless you want to spend a LOT of money on newer digital projectors, any reasonably-priced or used digital projector is going to have comparatively  poor black levels. Also, digital projectors are only going to have extremely limited geometry adjustments, if any at all, as you can't alter the shape of the digital panels it's projecting from -- it all has to be done mechanically. So, even though G3's screen is curved, there are likely still some keystoning issues that you would not be able to adjust-out, but I still think it would look fairly acceptable. What isn't acceptable is how much you'd have to pay for good projectors with good black levels -- and how long the bulbs or the units themselves last.

Here in the USA, Sony VPH-10xx projectors are pretty easy to find, and if you have to pay more than $50-100 for one, you're being ripped off!
The people that want to use CRT projectors these days need them to be able to display 1080p, and only the high-end models that cost $20-50K a few years ago have value these days since they are the only ones that can actually display it. The rest are junk to nearly everybody, but exactly what G3 needs.

[Luigi]

Wow, lots of background info here

vrAx: Welcome! This is YOUR setup??    Please introduce yourself with a bunch of pictures  

[uncletom]

Thanks Vrax. Interesting to hear.

And.. "CRT projectors have no fixed-pixel structure (like a shadow mask, or a digital projector) -- they're just painting the beam on a solid plane of colored phosphor, so they can naturally "bleed" the colors slightly, which is desirable."

-  That's exactly what I like about the analog display technology.

About the poor black-level in LCD/DLP regular projectors, same goes for any LCD/LED panels. There's always this ambient base brightness which you can never get rid of, sadly.

And "... digital projectors are only going to have extremely limited geometry adjustments, if any at all.. "

-  I really had no idea about this. Since the G3 screen is curved, would two DLP projectors be able to project a seemless picture then? And what about the throw distance, are the CRT projectors generally better in this aspect? It would be a nightmare if you'd swap the CRT-prjs for some LCD/DLP ones, and discover that you cannot fit the size, being it too large, or too small.

[DarthNuno]

Thanks vrAx, I really appreciate all that stuff around CRT projectors. I may ask few things about them soon
Oh, and...of course, welcome to Galaxian3.net DFL' ALS' board!
PS : very impressive 'Daytona' wall! 

[uncletom]

Yes, it is. Kind of makes me wish I had eight asses so that I could play all of the Daytonas at once. 

About the SONY projectors there, could I buy one in US and have it shipped? Anybody knows how much it costs to ship a CRT projector to EU?

[level42]

Probably a lot more than the price of the projector itself. They are big and they are very heavy.

Your best bet might be getting it on Love's 2nd container.....

[uncletom]

That sounds lovely. Thanks Level. Who is Mr.Love?

[scr33n]

Who is Mr.Love?

https://www.dragonslairfans.com/smfor/index.php?topic=3726.0

[DarthNuno]

Well, I don't think it necessary to import such monsters projectors after all, because there are plenty of them in Europe for sale. But even when I find one for sale, the seller won't ship it... and I can understand it : realllly heavy, huge size,fragile ... and shipping costs probably almost  as huge as shipping a cabinet! 
So my best hope is to wait one for sale, not to far from my place.
Two months ago, someone not too far from Paris had ...TWO... projectors for sale... Because I use to go to Paris often to visit wife's family, we combined the family trip and went to that seller with wife & daughter (a kind of mini road trip) ...and bought them! It was a mess inside the car. All of stuff for vacation, and must find free space for these two projectors! 

These models are SONY VPM-1042QM, who seems to have the same specs than the SONY VPM-1043QJ that came originally with the GT6.



I didn't test them yet connected to the theater because :

- they are 220V, and the model inside the GT6 works under 110V. I think there is a switch inside the projector to switch between 220V & 110V?
- will probably have to set the right 'focus' position for the tubes, because the previous seller didn't use these projectors with the same "projector<>screen" distance
- will have to remove one from the gt6 and I'm too lazy to do it... 

But I think they will do the job right. So I have at last two *spare* projectors... and I'm still looking for more of course  So if one of you can help me on that, I would really appreciate  Here's the query guys    SONY VPH 1042 and I think other models in the series SONY VPH 104X should be ok too.

Oh, and a last note regarding the initial/original projector SONY VPM-1043QJ who has the 'missing blue' problem. I went with that projector to a Sony center close to my work, and ask them for a repair. They got the projector, they got also 60 or 80€ (can't remember exactly) to draw up a quote. Two weeks later, they told me : not possible to repair, no more part available for that mode!  Damn! I paid €€€ just for someone told me that 

[level42]

That sucks big time but I'm already surprised they even accepted it,  it is so old they probably have no-one who even knows how they work anymore

Yes I'd look in Europe too, plenty of business have been using these things. However I think in the US more and also there were a lot more private owners of these things.

Uncletom, it's pretty weird that you managed to miss the whole container deal thread....you should look around this forum a bit more to stay updated 

My favorite item of this site is right on top next to your avatar. It's a link that says "Show unread posts since last visit". By using this, you don't miss anything

[level42]

Here's the manual Bruno, the 240/120V switch is indeed inside and it's shown on page 3:

http://cinemadave.com/1040-Projector/Manuals/1042.Install.pdf

[uncletom]

Yes, I know, Level, thanks.

And I thought I was a good boy keeping my coffee stash updated. Staying up to date is a full time job, but I will be browsing this forum more thoroughly in the future. I've only got the email-note on for Galaxian 3 this far.

[funkycochise]

just checked my neighborhood :

http://www.leboncoin.fr/annonces/offres/lorraine/bonnes_affaires/?q=SONY%20VPH%20&f=p

a bit expensive imho...

[DarthNuno]

just checked my neighborhood :

http://www.leboncoin.fr/annonces/offres/lorraine/bonnes_affaires/?q=SONY%20VPH%20&f=p

a bit expensive imho...

Yeps, I've seen it few weeks ago. I contacted him and ask for a better price, because the condition doesn't look good... he said NO WAY 
SO ok...at this price, he can keep it forever!