My Sony VPH-G70 CRT projector is the crown jewel of my home theater. In my opinion, a big screen really makes it feel like you are watching a movie and not just watching TV and is an essential part of any home theater. Before I got my projector I was just going to get myself a rear projection TV; but one day going through the classifieds, I saw an ad for a CRT projector and the price astonished me. This led me to research them some more and it was at that time that I discovered the AVS forum. If you have any interest in learning about projectors, especially CRT projectors, AVS is the place to go. I found out that with the rise of small and cheap digital projectors that CRT projectors could be had for pennies on the dollar because lots of corporate boardrooms and government facilities were unloading them. So I read up on them some more, watched the classified ads and eBay, and checked out the trusted sellers that hang out on AVS and finally picked one up from Hammerhead Tech.

The G70 is actually the second CRT projector I have had in my home theater. My first CRT projector was a Sony VPH-1272Q which is an electrostatic focus, air coupled, 7″ CRT projector. The G70 on the other hand is an 8″, electromagnetic focus, liquid coupled projector. The reasons for the upgrade were: with 8″ CRTs I get more brightness and can run at a higher resolution; with liquid coupling I get better black levels and tighter focus, and electromagnetic focus allows me even better focus and a smaller beam spot size. While I really liked my 1272 I came across the G70 in the local classifieds at a price that was hard to pass up. I have been very happy with the G70 and I don’t think I will ever replace it unless I either hit the lotto or find a ridiculously good deal on a 9″ machine like a Sony G90 or an Electrohome 9500LC.

Due to room constraints I have my G70 mounted on the floor under a DIY coffee table. My table, as you can see, isn’t much to look at but it gets the job done. I am projecting an 87″ wide by 49″ tall image; this translates to a 100″ diagonal 16:9 screen. I have a separate page for my screen but in case you are wondering I am using a DaLite High Power Screen. I run the projector at 1280X720 resolution via my HTPC for DVD and standard definition sources. I run it at 1080i for HDTV sources. I have done all the setup and installation on my projector by myself or with the help of some non-techie friends and family to use as an extra set of eyes. While I think I have done a very good job, I would like to get a pro in at some point to adjust my gray scale, and maybe, when I buy a house of my own, I will get a pro to set up the entire thing from start to finish, as of now it is just not in the budget.
Shopping for a CRT projector? Then check out my CRT projector store!

I added two new guides regarding the G70 check them out.

Sony G70 Fan Mod
Sony G70 Tube Replacement

Sony G70 Specs

Picture tube:
8-inch (phosphor size 6-inch) high luminance, electromagnetic focus tubes

Projection lens:
Double focus, F1.1/135mm

Screen coverage:
60 to 300-inch measured diagonally, factory preset to 120-inch

Light output:
ANSI*1: 240lm (fH: 110kHz, fV: 50Hz, 6500K)
200lm (fH: 15kHz, fV: 60Hz, 6500K)
1200lm (peak white)
320lm (all white)

SIGNALS
Color system:
NTSC, PAL, SECAM, NTSC4.43, PAL-M
Resolution: 700TV lines (video)
1100TV lines (HDTV)
1700 x 1200 pixel

Scanning frequency:
Horizontal: 15 to 110kHz
Vertical: 38 to 150Hz
RGB bandwidth: 120MHz-3dB

GENERAL
Dimensions: 27 3/8 x 14 1/8 x 37 5/16 inches
Mass: Approx. 183 lb

INPUTS/OUTPUTS
Video: Composite: Loop-through BNC
Input A: BNC x 5
Analog RGB/Component:
HDTV*2 (Y/PB/PR):

Input B:
Supplied with an IFB-40: 14-pin multi connector (input: male, output: female)

Sony G70 Downloads

If you find these manuals useful please consider donating to my site, these eat up a ton of bandwidth every month. Thank you.

Operating Instructions (2MB)
Installation Manual (6MB)
Brochure (1MB)
Service Manual (117MB)
PJ Calc (2MB)
Phillips Test Pattern Generator (3MB)
Nokia Test Pattern Generator (300KB)

Check out these great deals on CRT projectors at ebay

Barco Sony CRT Video Projector Tube P16lkg02hha US $350.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Sep-10-2010 12:08:20 PDT Add to watch list

Sony 1-662-832-12 PA Board for G70 CRT Projector US $100.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Sep-10-2010 15:37:10 PDT Add to watch list

SONY VPH1030Q1 CRT Projector Rolling Padded Travel Case US $600.00 End Date: Saturday Sep-11-2010 18:41:36 PDT Add to watch list

SONY VPH-1042Q CRT Color Video Projector HACC Lens US $150.00 End Date: Saturday Sep-11-2010 18:49:45 PDT Add to watch list

Sony G90 P19LQF blue tube for CRT video projector US $200.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Tuesday Sep-14-2010 8:13:05 PDT Add to watch list

My Sanyo PLV-60 was a bit of an impulse buy seeing how I already had an Infocus X1 for video games and stuff. While the Infocus X1 is a great projector for the X-Box or Playstation I always found it rather lacking for PC games. I run a 16:9 screen and running the X1 in that mode only gives you a 800X450 resolution which is quite low. Considering I am not a huge gamer the X1 was serving it’s purpose well enough that I didn’t worry about it too much but I always try and keep my eye on the classified’s and on ebay for good deals. As you have probably gathered, I found a great deal on a Sanyo PLV-60 on craigslist that was just too hard to pass up.

The Sanyo PLV-60 sports a native resolution of 1366×768 which is nearly a 60% increase over the X1 and let me tell you, it makes a big difference. The 1366X768 is also a native 16:9 aspect ratio which is even better, I am not “wasting” any pixels. The PLV-60 is just a superior machine to the X1 in many ways. It has motorized lens shift adjustable via the remote, you can also adjust focus via the remote (a feature I love). The PLV-60 has plenty of inputs available as well. The input panel is on the side and I wish it was on the back but that’s just a nit pick. The PLV-60 has the following inputs available: VGA, 5 BNC, S-video, component as well as a serial port and some audio ports. I run everything into my NEC 6010 switcher and then run a single 5 BNC cable from the switcher to the projector. I have my HTPC, my gaming computer, X-box and my PS2 all hooked up to the PLV-60, it works great.

Picture quality is a big jump up from the X1 but still no where close to my Sony G70. It’s kind of funny to read some of the reviews of this projector when it first came out and how people were saying that it could be the CRT killer, I don’t know what those reviewers were smoking but I would like some. When I first got the PLV-60 after I dialed it in I watched Toy Story 2, which is my reference disc of choice. The PLV-60 puts out a very good image and I can see how many people are extremely happy with it. But to me it still looks very digital and doesn’t even come close to the smoothness of the CRT image and lets just not even bring up shadow detail or black levels. For video games, which is almost purely what I use this projector for, this projector rocks the house. I couldn’t be happier with the image I am getting for the price that I paid (I got the PLV-60 off craigslist for $400 and it had a brand new bulb in it). I also prefer the LCD to the DLP. With the DLP I would see rainbows and if I watched for a long time it would give me some eye strain. Seeing how the PLV-60 is LCD there are no rainbows and I haven’t had any problems with extended viewings.

One very small aspect of the projector that I find pretty cool is the ability to freeze the image. Basically it’s like hitting pause but you can do it with any source and there is no text or anything that comes up on screen. Very cool for video games and stuff.

The PLV-60 is not a small projector, it’s easily twice as big as the X1 but it’s nowhere close to the size of the G70. I was able to get a Chief ceiling mount off of ebay for a bargain and it has been great.

Overall I am extremely happy that I upgraded. The PLV-60 is just a far superior machine to the X1. With the native 16:9 aspect ratio, the 1366 X 768 resolution, more features and connection options I have been very happy with it. If you are looking for a nice used projector I can heartily recommend the Sanyo PLV-60, it’s a nice machine.

When I first brought my PLV-60 home it had a few dust blobs on the LCD panels. I wrote up a page about cleaning it which you can find here: Sanyo PLV-60 cleaning

In the market for a LCD projetor? Then check out my LCD Projector store!

Sanyo PLV-60 Specs

MSRP (USD) : $ 4,999
Brightness (Lumens) : 1200 ANSI
Contrast (Full On/Off) : 700:1
Variable Iris: No
Audible Noise: 37.0 dB
Weight: 20.3 lbs.
Size (inches) (HxWxD) : 6.5 x 12.4 x 18.8
Std. Lens: Focus: Power
Zoom: Power, 1.30:1
Throw Dist (feet) : Sanyo PLV-60HT Projection Calculator 7.4 – 46.0
Image Size (inches) : 50.0 – 400.0
Optional Lenses: Yes
Digital Zoom: Yes
Keystone Correction: Digital
Lens Shift: Yes
Networking: Wired:No
Wireless: No
Warranty: 3 Years
Performance:
H-Sync Range: 15.0 – 100.0kHz
V-Sync Range: 50 – 100Hz

Compatibility: HDTV: 1035i, 1080i, 720p & 575i
EDTV/480p: Yes
SDTV/480i: Yes
Component Video: Yes
Video: Yes
Digital Input: No
Personal Computers: Yes
Display: Type: 1.4″ PolySi LCD (3)
Native: 1366×768 Pixels
Maximum: 1366×768 Pixels
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 (WXGA)
Lamp: Type: 250W NSH
Speakers: 2.0W+ 2.0W
Max Power: 360W
Voltage: 100V – 240V
FCC Class: B
Status: Out of Production
First Ship: Apr 2001
Last Ship: Jan 2004

Sanyo PLV-60 Downloads

Sanyo PLV-60 Owners Manual

You can often find great deals on projectors on eBay. Here are some current auctions on LCD projectors.

Sharp PG-D100U LCD Projector with Remote PARTS REPAIR US $24.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 14:31:36 PDT Add to watch list

ViewSonic PJ1000 LCD Projector # L23529-185 US $9.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 14:31:56 PDT Add to watch list

Hdmi Cable for Sony VPL-VW100 LCD Projector 1080P US $3.50 End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 14:32:18 PDT Add to watch list

1080P Home Theater LCD HDMI Projector HD TV WII PS3 DVD US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 14:36:15 PDT Add to watch list

10FT SVGA Super VGA M/M Monitor/ LCD/ Projector Cable US $9.99 End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 14:36:30 PDT Add to watch list

My second projector is an Infocus X1, now you may be wondering why two projectors? I got the X1 primarily for video games, CRT projectors are susceptible to burn in, if you display a static image for two long the image can get permanently burned into the face of the CRT tube which will then show up in the image area regardless of what you are watching. It isn’t to big of a problem if you take precautions but with the price of digital projectors where they are now I was willing to spend the money so that I wouldn’t have to worry about it. The X1 is also going to be my beater projector. When I have to do some tweaking on my HTPC I am going to use the X1 and save the wear and tear from my G70. I will also use the X1 when I am sitting at my computer working on stuff and want to have the TV on in the background. I can also take the X1 with me if I ever want to take it to a friends house or on vacation. I would also some day like to setup a screen outdoors and have outdoor movie night.

As I stated earlier, the primary reason I bought the X1 was for video games. I’ve been a gamer ever since the Atari days but I had never gotten one of the latest generation machines and I have been itching to do so for a long time, so I finally broke down and got myself a Xbox. Gaming on the big screen is really something else. It really sucks you into the game when your character is life size (or bigger) and the Xbox also supports 5.1 sound which can be truely amazing.

How do I like the X1? For gaming it is great, I can play for as long as I want with no worries of burn in, the image is nice and bright and the image quality is fine. That said, I could not live with the X1 as my sole projector. The image quality isn’t even close to what I achieve my G70 it isn’t even close to what I got with my old Sony 1272 CRT projector. There are no blacks with the X1, only shades of gray, the image looks “digital” and not at all film like, I can see rainbows on a regular basis, screen door isn’t a problem for me since I sit so far back from the screen but would become so if I sat closer. Granted my G70 cost considerably more, but if I was getting one projector for all my home theater needs I would consider a lower end used CRT over the X1 if image quality is high upon your list of priorities.

I can see the appeal for going with digital projector though. The X1 is minuscule compared to my G70 and weighs about 1/20th of what it weighs. Setting it up is also considerably easier as well and can be done in just a few minutes. The image is also nice and bright which can become useful if you don’t have good light control or like to watch with some room lights on.

I made my own mount for the X1 and it was really quite easy. I actually had everything I needed, minus the nuts and bolts, already on hand. Here is how I did it. I took two plungers flanges, a small piece of threaded pipe, three small pieces of MDF (wood), an old speaker mount, some screws to attach everything together and three metric M4 thread 4mm x 0.7mm thread pitch screws that go into the projector itself. I took one piece of MDF, and attached one of the plumbers flanges to that, this piece attaches to the ceiling. I then took the small threaded pipe and screwed it into the flange. The nice thing here is you can use different length pipes depending on how far you need the projector to drop from the ceiling. I then took the second flange and screwed it into the threaded pipe, with this arrangement it allows you to aim the projector left to right. Another piece of MDF is attached to the flange. I then took the old speaker mount that I had and attached that to the MDF, this allows the projector to tilt so you can aim it up and down. Then at the bottom is another piece of MDF which attaches to the speaker mount and to the projector itself. One important thing to consider is the length of the screws that go into the projector itself. The thread going into the projector is exactly 10mm, do not exceed this or you can damage your projector! For more details on building your own mount look at the X1 FAQ I have linked to down below.

Looking to buy a DLP projector? Then check out my DLP Projector store!

Infocus X1 Specs

Aspect Ratio: 4:3 standard; 16:9 wide
Brightness: 1100 max ANSI lumens
Contrast Ratio: 2000:1 full on/full off
Data Compatibility: SVGA, VGA, XGA, Macintosh®
Display: DLP™ by Texas Instruments: 0.55″ SVGA DDR DMD
Image Size (diagonal): 2.7’ to greater than 21.6’ (0.8m to greater than 6.5m)
Light Source: 150W SHP/ 4000 hours
Native Resolution: SVGA (800 x 600)
Projection Lens: Zoom lens with manual focus and manual zoom adjust
Projection Methods: Front, rear, ceiling
Video Compatibility: NTSC, PAL, SECAM, EDTV, HDTV (1080i and 720p RBGHV)
Maximum Projection Distance : 32.3’/ 9.8m
Minimum Projection Distance: 5’/ 1.5m
Zoom Ratio: 1.2:1
Dimensions: 9.8″ (W) x 12.5″ (L) x 4.2″ (H)/24.9cm x 31.8cm x 10.6cm
Weight: 6.8 lbs/ 3.1kg
Sources: Computer (VGA 15-pin HDDSUB female); video (S-Video 6-pin mini DIN, component RCA through S-Video adapter, and composite video RCA); audio (3.5mm mini-jack)
Brightness: 1100 max ANSI lumens
Number of Colors: 16.7 million

Infocus X1 Links

Infocus X1 official site
Infocus X1 FAQ

Check out these X1 related auctions that are going on at ebay right now.

Projector Lamp For Infocus SP-LAMP-009 SP4800 X1 09-M US $156.99 End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 19:07:46 PDT Add to watch list

INFOCUS PROJECTOR LAMP MODULE X1 X1A US $158.00 End Date: Friday Sep-10-2010 4:39:16 PDT Add to watch list

INFOCUS X1 Projector Lamp SP-LAMP-009 US $130.00 End Date: Friday Sep-10-2010 7:26:10 PDT Add to watch list

Projector Ceiling Mount for INFOCUS SP4800 X1 X2 X3 US $29.99 End Date: Friday Sep-10-2010 11:05:25 PDT Add to watch list

InFocus X1 DLP Projector US $26.00 (3 Bids) End Date: Friday Sep-10-2010 16:15:32 PDT Add to watch list

The 950 is loaded with features and can handle just about any surround sound format you throw at it such as Dolby Digital Surround EX, Dolby ProLogic II, the complete suite of DTS-ES and DTS Neo:6 processing and decoding, and Cirrus Logic’s Extra Surround, in addition to 5 Channel Stereo and 7 Channel Stereo modes. The 950 is also loaded with inputs. It has four optical and two coaxial inputs for digital sources which are all assignable to any of the five A/V inputs, it also has four pairs of audio only analog inputs for your more basic devices such as tape players and record players. One nice feature is the ability to route all analog inputs so that the signal is routed around the DSP and directly to the volume control. A 5.1 multi-channel analog input set is included so you can hook up SACD or DVD-A players. The 950 doesn’t skimp on the video side of connectivity either, you get two component inputs and one component output, five audio/video inputs for your DVD player, VCR, etc. You can hook the 950 up to your display device with composite, S-video or components outputs. The 950 is also capable of converting your RCA inputs into S-video but it unfortunately cannot convert RCA/S-videa into component. Also the 950 is unable to carry the onscreen menu over the component connection. Due to all the connectivity options in the Outlaw I was able to remove the NEC 6010 switcher from my system which simplified things.

I have been very happy with the 950 in just about every category. It sounds equally good in the surround sound modes as it does in listening to it in stereo mode. I have really enjoyed having the Cirrus surround sound option on this unit. This mode allows you to take a 2 channel or 5.1 channel mix and convert it into a 7.1 mix from both analog and digital sources, it works surprisingly well and can really liven up regular TV. The 950 is a great unit and I don’t see myself replacing it at any time in the near future.

Outlaw 7100 Amplifier

I of course needed something to power all my speakers since the 950 is just a processor. I decided to stick with Outlaw Audio again and picked up their 7100 amplifier. Weighing in at fifty pounds I knew right away this was a serious piece of equipment but it was still an incredible value. These two Outlaw products make for a pretty hard to beat combo, music comes alive with this gear and movies sound amazing. The clarity is amazing, it never sounds strained or distorted regardless of how long or loud I play it (and I often play it loud).

I would just like to personally thank Outlaw audio for these two products, with their business model (internet only sales, you buy directly from them therefore cutting out the middleman) I have been able to afford the type of quality equipment that probably would have cost me two or three times as much if I were to go with another manufacturer. If you are in the market for some new gear I highly suggest taking a look at Outlaw’s offerings. The two models that I have have been discontinued now and replaced with newer models.

Outlaw 950 Processor Specs

Audio Section
Analog

• Frequency response: 10 Hz – 90 kHz: +0, -3 dB (Bypass Mode)
• Signal to Noise Ratio: 102 dB (Bypass Mode)
• Distortion: 0.0038% (20 Hz ~ 20 kHz) (Bypass Mode)
• Input sensitivity / input impedance: 200 mV/ 47kohms
• Rated output: 1V(0dB gain in Bypass Mode)

Digital

• Signal to Noise Ratio: 102 dB
• Total Harmonic Distortion: < 0.005% (1 kHz, at 0 dB)
• Dynamic Range: 100 dB
• D/A Output: Rated output 2 V (At 0 dB playback)
• Digital Input: S/P-DIF Format
• DSP Processor: Cirrus® CS 49326
• ADC: Cirrus CS 5360
• DAC: Cirrus CS 4396

Video Section
Composite

• Video Format: NTSC
• Input/Output Level: 1 volt P-P
• Input/Output Impedance: 75W
• Frequency Response: 5 Hz – 10 MHz — +0, -3 dB S-Video
• Signal Format: NTSC Y/C
• Luminance (Y) Input/Output Level: 1 volt P-P
• Chrominance © Input/Output Level: 0.3 volt P-P
• Input/Output Impedance: 75W
• Frequency Response: 5 Hz – 10 MHz — +0, -3 dB

Component Video

• Signal Format: NTSC Y/Pr/Pb
• Analog Components
• Luminance (Y) Input/Output Level: 1 volt P-P
• Pr Input/Output Level: 0.7 volt P-P
• Pb Input/Output Level: 0.7 volt P-P
• Input/Output Impedance: 75W
• Frequency Response: DC – 45 MHz — +0, -3 dB

General

• Power supply: AC 120 V, 60 Hz
• Power consumption: 45W
• Dimensions (including feet and connectors): 17.12 (W) x 4.6 (H) x 14.76 (D) inches, 435 (W) x 117 (H) x 375 (D) mm
• Weight: 17.6 Lbs/8 kg
• Trigger Outputs (x2): 12 VDC, 100 mA maximum

Outlaw 7100 Amplifier Specs

• Power Output (FTC): 7 x 100 watts @ 8 ohms, 20 – 20kHz, 0.05% THD, All Channels Driven; 7 x 165 watts @ 4 ohms, 20 – 20kHz, 0.05% THD, All Channels Driven
• Signal to Noise: 119dB “A” weighted
• MFR: 20Hz. -20kHz. +/- 0.1 dB at rated output
• THD: < 0.05% at rated output, all frequencies, < 0.01% at 1 kHz.
• IMD: < 0.05% at rated output.
• Power Bandwidth: 5Hz – >100 kHz +0/-3 dB
• Damping Factor: > 400 from 10 Hz to 400 Hz
• Crosstalk: > -90 dB from 20 Hz to 20Khz
• Gain: Voltage gain of 28.
• Slew Rate: 50v/Microsecond
• Input Impedance: Nominal 50 kOhms
• Size: (HxWxD): 5″ with feet x 17.2″ x 16.2″
• Weight: 51 Pounds
• MSRP: $899

Now I am going to go completely off topic and talk about my friend who got me into home theater because it is a funny story and it has to do with a receiver. His name is Scott and one day while he was at a garage sale he saw an old McIntosh receiver. At the time he had no idea what a McIntosh was, but the receiver was really heavy and felt impressive. While he was holding it another guy who was shopping at the garage sale asked him if it was a McIntosh, Scott told him yes, and the guy got really excited and asked him if he was going to buy it. Scott, seeing the man’s excitement, figured he had something special in his hands so he told the guy yes, he was going to buy it; the guy sulked off and went home to cry in his pillow. Scott paid a hundred bucks for the McIntosh which was bought purely out of spite and then went home and started researching what he bought. That day started his, and in a way my, home theater obsession. He later had the McIntosh appraised and at the time it was worth about $1,100.

Ok, back on topic. While the Outlaw has been great for me, I have been itching to replace it with some higher end equipment. I would like to eventually get Outlaw’s separates – an Outlaw Audio 950 Preamp/Processor and either Outlaw 7100 amp or their 770 amp. It isn’t really high on my list yet; I’d like to get some new surrounds first and a better room to put all this stuff in.

It had been a while since I’ve gone to Outlaw’s web site but I just checked it out to get some specs and stuff for this page. Turns out that Outlaw has stopped making the 1050 which is kind of sad.

Outlaw Audio 1050 Specs

• Proprietary 6.1 channel processing for Dolby Digital
• Dolby Digital, DTS and Dolby Pro Logic
• 6 X 65 Watts “discrete” amplifier section
• Line inputs and outputs for all channels
• Gold-plated, 5-way binding posts
• Adjustable frequency crossover with 6 settings (60, 80, 100, 120, 150 and 200Hz)
• Center, surround and subwoofer trim controls
• Three digital audio inputs
• 5.1-channel direct input

If you don’t know what a HTPC is, it stands for Home Theater Personal Computer. Essentially a HTPC is just your average everyday computer with some choice components geared toward a home theater user. HTPC offers tons of flexibility, when a new technology comes out you can usually just buy a new input card or some software and you are good to go, no more buying new set top boxes to have the latest and greatest. They are also great when it comes to upgrading, often all you will have to do is download an upgrade for your software or a firmware update for your hardware and you are good to go, even if you have to buy a new input card for your HTPC it will generally be cheaper than buying yet another set top box. You can also do a ton of different things with a HTPC. I use my HTPC to watch DVDs, as a scaler, an audio jukebox, a DVR (digital video recorder like Tivo), to receive HDTV over the air signals and record them, I scale all my laserdiscs via the HTPC, I can play games on it, view all my digital photos on the big screen (sure beats dragging out the slide projector) and of course all the normal computer stuff like surf the net, check my email, etc. There are a lot of other things people are doing with there HTPC that I am not.

Since I have an entire section devoted to my HTPC I am going to stop here and just give you a list of my hardware and software so you can see what I am using.

HTPC Hardware

• ASUS P4S800 Motherboard
• Pentium IV 2.6GHZ
• Radeon 9500 Pro w/ MP-1 Clarity Mod
• 512MB Crucial PC-2700 Ram
• 2X Toshiba SD-M1712 DVD drives
• Samsung 160GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
• Antec SL400 Power Supply
• MyHD MDP-100 HDTV Tuner Card
• Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-250 TV Tuner Card
• VGA ZM80C-HP Zalman Video Card cooler
• Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu CPU Cooler
• MAudi Revolution Sound Card
• Liteon Airboard Wireless IR Keyboard
• Kanam HT200S (Silver) Case
• Round Cables

HTPC Software

• Windows XP Pro
• TheaterTek
• Powerstrip
• Sage TV
• Media Center 10
• Girder
• Netremote
• FFDSHOW

INTEL i5 660 SLIM DESKTOP PC HTPC COMPUTER SYSTEM HDMI US $619.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 14:55:57 PDT Add to watch list

INTEL i5 650 SLIM MINI DESKTOP HTPC COMPUTER SYSTEM NEW US $599.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 15:04:42 PDT Add to watch list

Shuttle XPC Glamor HTPC/Media Desktop HDMI/Win 7 US $379.99 End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 15:31:27 PDT Add to watch list

AMD 250 DUAL CORE HTPC HDMI Desktop Media Center PC US $512.99 End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 16:08:15 PDT Add to watch list

AMD 250 X2 3.0Ghz Desktop Micro ATX HDMI HTPC Computer US $509.99 End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 16:08:24 PDT Add to watch list

The Pioneer CLD-704 Laserdisc player is considered by many to be one of the better Laserdisc players that a mere mortal could afford and definitely the best non-Elite player that Pioneer ever made. The player has most of the bells and whistles that a good Laserdisc player has: autoflip, digital out, AC3 and S-video out which are the four that I find the most important. It also has digital video noise reduction (V-DNR) which allows manual on-screen adjustment of both high frequency and color video noise. It has a video signal-to-noise ratio of 51 db which is a key spec for Laserdisc players.

A lot of my friends wondered why I bought a Laserdisc player. The answer is simple – while DVD’s are a much better format overall, there are still a lot of movies that are not available on DVD that you can get on Laserdisc. The big one being the original cut of the original Star Wars trilogy, you know the one where Greedo doesn’t shoot first. George Lucas has finally promised to give us Star Wars on DVD on September 21, 2004 but they are going to be the special edition versions. While I am going to buy those, I like having the orginal cuts of the movies that I grew up on a loved. Laserdiscs often sound better than their DVD counterparts as well due to their PCM soundtracks. Also DTS Laserdiscs are all full bit rate and the sound on them is amazing. Plus you can often get Laserdiscs for really cheap in the used bin or on eBay. Last but not least those big 12″ shiny discs are just plain cool and you get nice big art work on the packaging.

I have gone through several Laserdisc players. I am always keeping an eye on classified ads looking for good deals so I went through a rapid succession of players. My first was a Pioneer CLD-S104, which is a great beginner player. I then jumped on a Pioneer CLD-504 that came with an RF demodulater and the Star Wars SE box set that I got for a steal. Then came a Pioneer CLD-606 that I picked up on eBay that came with a whole bunch of discs. This player never even made it into my system; while it was in transit to me I found my CLD-704 for $50 in the classifieds; the 704 at the time was going for about $350 on eBay so I just couldn’t pass it up. The great thing is through all this I have sold all my extra players, some of the discs that I picked up with the players and a RF demodulator and in the end I have made more money then I spent, so in a sense my Laserdisc player was free.

Looking to buy a Laser disc player? Then check out my Laserdisc store!

Pioneer CLD-704 Laserdisc Specs

• Horizontal Resolution: 425 lines
• Video Signal-To-Noise Ratio: 51db
• Frequency Response: 4-20,000Hz
• Audio Signal-To-Noise Ratio: 115db
• Video Output Terminals: RCA Jack (75ohms, unbalanced)
• Audio Output Terminals: Digital output (Optical & Coaxial) RCA Jack x 2
• AC-3 RF Output: RCA Jack x 1
• Headphone Output: Yes (with volume control)
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 16 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 17 1/8
• Weight: 18.5lb

The problem for me with most RF demodulators is that in order to get the sound from them into your receiver you need a set of analog 5.1 inputs. My receiver has a single set of 5.1 inputs but I have two devices that need one. The Marantz DP-870 and my Pioneer DV-45A SACD/DVD-A player. This is the main reason I picked the DP-870; it has a set of 5.1 inputs, most of the other RF demodulators do not. So I run the output from my Pioneer DV-45A into the Marantz’s 5.1 inputs and then run the output from the Marantz into my Outlaw 1050′s 5.1 inputs. I was a little worried about sound degradation due to running the Pioneer through the Marantz but the Marantz has a bypass mode. When you activate the bypass mode the input and output jacks are connected through relays which have no active circuits in them so if there is any sound degradation it is kept to the bare minimum.

I have been very happy with my Marantz. It doesn’t see a whole lot of use because I primarily watch DVDs, but when I break out a Dolby Digital Laserdisc it is nice being able to hear them in all of their 5.1 glory.

Marantz DP-870 Features/Specs

• High quality Dobly Digital AC-3 DSP decoding chip, manufactured by Zoran
• AC-3 RF input, for connection to compatible Laserdisc players
• Coax and optical digital AC-3/PCM inputs, for connection to other sources, such as DVD, DSS or HDTV
• Individual channel level controls and internal test tone generator, for precise system setup
• Master volume control and mute function
• Adjustable delay time
• Bypass feature
• Rear panel speaker configuration switches that match the DP-870 to a wide range of speaker types and sizes
• 6 discreet channel inputs and outputs with standard RCA jacks for easy connection between existing surround sound pre-amp/processors and power amplifiers

RF Coax To RCA Composite Video Audio Demodulator NTSC US $79.00 End Date: Friday Sep-10-2010 6:40:54 PDT Add to watch list

Kenwood DEM-9991D RF Demodulator - RARE - Mint!! US $99.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Sep-10-2010 21:39:26 PDT Add to watch list

RF Coax Cable TV To HDMI DVI Video Audio Demodulator US $158.00 End Date: Saturday Sep-11-2010 23:05:20 PDT Add to watch list

Vintage Nakamichi DE-1 Dolby AC-3 RF Demodulator US $99.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Sep-12-2010 7:15:23 PDT Add to watch list

B&K DT-1 Digital Switcher RF-Demodulator LaserDisc US $219.95 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Sep-12-2010 10:59:28 PDT Add to watch list

With an ever growing amount of home theater components I had an ever growing amount of remotes to go with it (I have a total of 10). It reached critical mass and I bought myself a universal remote. The first remote that I got was the Marantz RC2000mkII and it worked great, I could control everything from one remote and all was good in the world. When I built my HTPC It opened up the possibility of having a much cooler remote system. This is where the Fujitsu comes in.

I run a program called Netremote on the Fujitsu tablet. I discuss Netremote in much more detail in my HTPC section, the page can be found here. But seeing how Netremote is computer program you need a computer to run it on. Netremote comes in two flavors one for Windows and one for Pocket PCs. I personally use the one for Windows and don’t really know anything about a Pocket PCs. Since I am using the Windows version, I need a device that ran Windows. I ended up with a Fujitsu Stylistic LT tablet PC featured on this page. The Fujitsu has a 8.4″TFT Color touch screen LCD, a 233MHz Intel processor, 64MB of RAM and a 4gig hard drive. I bought my tablet from an online retailer, but they no longer have them. The tablet also cam with a mini docking station which I absolutely love. I keep the tablet in the docking station 95% of the time, it just sits on my table and I think it looks good. With it in the docking station I never have to worry about the batteries and it keeps it in a very convenient place which makes using it very easy. You can find tablet PCs on eBay all the time and I much prefer the size and look of tablets to Pocket PCs. To me a Pocket PC is just to small and it looks like just a normal remote. I love having the big screen that the tablet affords because it gives me much more freedom when I design my Netremote screens and it looks so hi-tech and cool, it really makes a great impression on guests.

My tablet has performed great. Combined with netremote I think it gives me the best remote control possible and the wow factor is really hard to beat. I will admit that there are times where I wish I could just quickly pick up a remote and turn up the volume or something and I do sometimes miss the tactile feel a handheld remote can offer you. Of course if I really wanted to I could incorporate a handheld remote to compliment my tablet pc/netremote remote if I wanted to. hmmmmm now there is a thought.

Looking to purchase a Tablet PC? Then check out my Tablet PC store!

Tablet Related Links

Netremote & Girder Home Page
USB-UIRT
Ebay is probably the best source to find an inexpensive tablet. You don’t need much so an older model works great. I have bought three tablet PCs off ebay so far.

AC Adapter Fujitsu Stylistic 500 1000 1200 2300 LT C500 US $2.99 End Date: Friday Sep-10-2010 8:51:09 PDT Add to watch list

AC ADAPTER CHARGER Fujitsu Stylistic LT C-500 LT P-600 US $8.99 End Date: Saturday Sep-11-2010 0:38:04 PDT Add to watch list

Fujitsu Stylistic LT C-500 Motherboard with 500MHZ CPU US $44.00 End Date: Saturday Sep-11-2010 7:51:34 PDT Add to watch list

LOT 20 FUJITSU STYLISTIC LT C-500 HARD DRIVE CONNECTORS US $14.99 End Date: Saturday Sep-11-2010 8:27:16 PDT Add to watch list

256MB Memory for Fujitsu Stylistic LT LT SD RAM Upgrade US $39.96 End Date: Saturday Sep-11-2010 9:12:57 PDT Add to watch list

HDTV is simply amazing especially if you have a nice TV, and I am pleased to say that HDTV looks absolutely stunning on my Sony G70 projector. The clarity of the image really needs to be seen to be believed; it often appears as if you are just looking out a window at the image rather than looking at TV screen.

More and more shows are added all the time in HDTV. I don’t watch a whole lot of TV but I have my favorites. I never miss an episode of CSI which is presently very well in HDTV, but most of my HDTV viewing is on the cable channels. HBO offers most, if not all, of their original programing in HDTV. So Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, Carnivale etc. are all in HDTV and HBO does it very well. Unfortunately HBO doesn’t always do a good job with the movies they show. They often will show movies not in their proper aspect ration; so a 2.35 movie is shown in 1.78 in order to fill your screen. This angers me greatly and I won’t watch a movie if they are cropping it. Thankfully Showtime doesn’t do this and they show all of their movies in the proper aspect ratio. I am not much of a sports fan but lots of games these days are broadcast in HDTV, I did watch the superbowl this year and really looked great.

Unfortunately, Comcast still isn’t offering CBS or the Discovery Channel HDTV channels yet in my area. I can still watch CBS via my HTPC but I would really love to get the Discovery Channel, I am big fan. Hopefully before to long they will add it to the lineup.

The Motorola DCT5100 is also capable of scaling all non HDTV channels to HDTV resolutions. You can have it scale to either 480P, 720P or 1080i. I have all my channels scaled to 1080i. The scaler in the cable box is decent, nothing special, but it does look better than straight cable. I actually watch most standard definition through my HTPC and mostly just use the cable box for the HDTV channels.

I have since removed this piece of equipment from my system. I now run a Motorola DCT 3416 HDTV DVR.

Motorola DCT5100 HDTV Cable Box Features

• Integrated High Definition (HD) decode capabilities
• Advanced convergence platform for video, audio and high-speed data services
• Built-in DOCSIS cable modem for high-speed interactivity
• Powerful, high-end microprocessor and graphics hardware
• Large memory footprint, expandable to 160 MB to run the most advanced operating platforms
• Open architecture supports a variety of downloadable third-party software platforms and applications
• Full array of audio, video and data interfaces
• Enables e-commerce, t-commerce, streaming media, PPV, IPPV, VOD, Internet browsing, e-mail, telephony, home networking and much more

Motorola QIP6416 HD DVR Cable TV High Definition 6416 US $90.00 End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 16:55:54 PDT Add to watch list

COMCAST MOTOROLA DCH3416 HD DUAL TUNER DVR CABLE BOX US $86.00 (19 Bids) End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 17:05:06 PDT Add to watch list

Motorola 6416 Verizon FIOS HD Home Media Hdmi DVR US $79.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 17:22:50 PDT Add to watch list

3 Motorola 2500 Verizon FIOS Home Media Cable Boxes US $50.00 (3 Bids) End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 17:31:44 PDT Add to watch list

MOTOROLA DSR505 HD SATELLITE RECEIVER AS IS US $4.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 17:47:05 PDT Add to watch list