The InFocus X1 is a video/computer projector designed to meet the needs
of both the Home Theater market and the business market. It is being
heralded by many as a breakthrough product for its affordable high-value
features. With the introduction of this projector, creating your own big
screen home theater has suddenly become a price-competitive option for the
average home entertainment consumer. Read on for more information.
DRAFT VERSION
FAQ version 0.7.9 (2003-11-06) The newest version is maintained at http://members.shaw.ca/technut/x1faq Please send corrections and additions to the FAQ Editor:
technut @ shaw.ca
You are also invited to post and read public comments regarding this DRAFT
version of the FAQ. >> This FAQ is not affiliated with InFocus Corporation or
any other organization.
This FAQ will attempt to cover all aspects of the X1 Projector itself,
and also touch on some closely related topics.
Because it is likely that the X1 will be the first projector owned by
many of the readers of this FAQ, I will also try to provide a basic
overview of using the projector for Home Theater, and pointers to
additional resources for further reading.
This FAQ is not a buyer's guide for selecting a projector; there are no
comparisons to other brands or models. I will also not be making any
product recommendations, though I may provide information to assist in
locating certain products if they are not widely available.
This summary of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) is a collection of
knowledge from a variety of sources, primarily but not exclusively from:
InFocus's web site,
documentation, and customer support
various user forums and web pages on the Internet
(particular thanks go to the folks who post in the AVS
Forum
and to the InFocus employee(s) who participate there)
contributions from readers of this FAQ
The FAQ is a compilation of information from both official and
unofficial sources. I cannot make any guarantee as to the accuracy of the
information, so use it at your own risk. When in doubt, go to the official
sources.
In rare cases when I think it would be especially useful for the reader
to know which information was obtained from (or confirmed by) an InFocus
source, I will mark that information as follows:
""
- indicates that the information either came from or was confirmed by
official and/or published InFocus sources. Some examples would be
information published on the InFocus web site or in InFocus
documentation or press releases, or information from InFocus management.
""
- indicates that the information either came from or was confirmed by an
employee of InFocus, but it does not appear to be documented by any of
the official and/or published InFocus sources. Such information should
be reliable even though it may not be considered to be official. Some
examples would be information posted by an InFocus employee to an
Internet site (other than to InFocus's own site), or information
received from an InFocus employee via a phone call or email (unless it
comes from or is confirmed by InFocus management).
This FAQ is developed and maintained by an X1 owner, not by InFocus or
any reseller. It is not a marketing tool. Please excuse me if my
enthusiasm for the product sometimes makes it seem like one.
I am located in Canada so the FAQ will probably have an unintentional
North American bias, but I am happy to include International information
when it is provided to me. You may also notice some Canadian spellings of
words.
If you have any additions or corrections for this FAQ please email them
to the FAQ Editor at technut @ shaw.ca .
I regret that it will not be possible to provide individual credit for
contributions, but they are genuinely appreciated by myself and the
readers of this FAQ. Thank you!
[0.4]
How can I add a link to the FAQ from my web page or in my messages?
First off, let me thank you for wanting to link to the FAQ. It's a
great way to assist fellow X1 owners or to lead others to discover the X1
for themselves.
There are several ways that you can provide a link to the FAQ depending
on your preferences and whether you are adding it to a web page or to a
message. For your convenience I have created a page of examples
with copy&paste code.
I would prefer that you not distribute a static copy of this FAQ since
it will eventually become out of date. It would be better if you were to provide
a link to the original, which is maintained at http://members.shaw.ca/technut/x1faq
. But if you do decide to make a copy then please be sure to include the
version number and a link to the maintained original FAQ.
0.x (June-Oct 2003) - This is a DRAFT version of the FAQ (yes it is
taking a ridiculously long time, but I still have some major upgrades
in mind before I'll be happy with it)
0.7.5 (2003/09/30) - updated to reflect increased lamp life rating
0.7.8 (2003/11/04) - fixed a couple of broken links
0.7.9 (2003/11/06) - updated a link to the recently revised X1
Manual and updated the History section to note the new manual shows a
remote without a joystick control. Added a warning about the mounting
bolt lengths. Also added a link to the SP4805
FAQ being developed.
The InFocus X1 is designed to be a "crossover" projector, one
that is suitable both for business presentations and for home
entertainment. If your budget was the only thing holding you back from
front projection, the X1 is what you have been waiting for. It sets a new
milestone for value for money at the low end of the projector price range,
and it has features that make it a great first projector for a home
theater.
Native Resolution: SVGA (800 x 600)
Aspect Ratio: 4:3 standard (800 x 600); 16:9 wide (800 x 450)
Display: DLP™ by Texas Instruments: 0.55" SVGA 12°
DDR DMD
Video Processing: DCDi™ by Faroudja: FLI2200
Brightness: 1100 max ANSI lumens
Contrast Ratio: 2000:1 full on / full off
Light Source: 150W SHP / 4000 hours
Projection Methods: Front, rear, ceiling
Projection Lens: Zoom lens with manual focus and manual zoom
adjust
Image Size (diagonal): 2.7’ to greater than 21.6’ (0.8m
to greater than 6.5m)
Data Compatibility: SVGA, VGA, XGA, Macintosh®
Video Compatibility: NTSC, PAL, SECAM, EDTV, HDTV (1080i and
720p RBGHV)
Input 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)
Audio: 2.5-Watt mono speaker
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
Warranty: Two-year standard warranty on parts and labor, 1
year accessories
Lamp Warranty: 90 days or 500 hours, whichever comes first
Technical Support: Free during business hours for the life of
the product
Ships Standard with: Soft carry case, Lens cap, Wireless
Conductor™ Remote Control (including batteries), color-coded cable
straps, standard VESA 15-pin analog computer cable, 3.5mm computer
audio cable, power cord (national and regional variants), SCART
adapter (EMEA Only), Projector System CD (includes: multi-language
projector User Guide, projector Quick Start Card, URL/service
information/accessories after market), user manual (printed version),
Quick Start Card (printed version)
I will not be tracking the best price or recommending where to get the
best price. Please do not email me to ask. I suggest you search the many
Internet price-finder engines or browse through the price-deal forums such
as FatWallet.com
(not an endorsement... simply an example).
The Manufacturer's Suggest Retail Price (MSRP) for the InFocus X1 is:
$ 999.00 US (MSRP effective May 19, 2003)
Street price appears to be MSRP or close to it (less than 10%
discount). There have occasionally been deeper discounts or coupon deals
from certain retailers. Some refurbished units are also starting to
appear in the market for substantially less, but with a much shorter
warranty.
[1.3]
Is the projector sold under any other names?
There are several other projectors which appear to be relabeled
versions of the X1. It is not clear whether there are any differences
between these models and the X1 itself (other than as noted).
IBM
iLV300 (remote includes laser pointer; possibly component
adapters)
InFocus
ScreenPlay 4800 (includes Component to HD15 adapter; Component to S-Video adapter;
a different "Home Entertainment" remote; firmware tweaked
for Home Theater; see this
article)
What differentiates the X1 from the 4800 model from a hardware
standpoint? There is no difference from a hardware standpoint. The 4800 includes
the component to s-video adapter and the component to VESA adapter, and
has specific software enhancements for home theater.
I will not be recommending any particular outlets or resellers (other
than the manufacturer). Please do not email me to ask.
The X1 is widely available from online retailers, and at the InFocus
Store. The InFocus website also has a Where
to Buy feature to help locate an online or local reseller. You might
also find it at your local business equipment or home theater retailer,
and it has recently started to appear in some home electronics outlets.
The primary considerations when buying are to purchase from a reputable
company and to check their return policy and restocking charge, in case
you decide you don't like the projector after you have taken delivery and
used it for a bit. When comparing prices, remember that they likely do not
include any additional shipping and handling charges (which can vary
widely) and any applicable taxes or duties (some of which may not apply
depending on whether you purchase inside or outside your own
state/province/country).
It is also recommended that you view a demonstration of the projector
prior to buying it, if possible. If you cannot find a demo in your local
area, you may be able to get a free loaner projector from InFocus to test
it out.
InFocus 10-Day
Free Evaluation Program (secure
form)
(you may need a reseller's assistance, though many report that it is not
necessary)
authorized vs. other sales channel? any blacklisted dealers?
warranty issues if bought out of country?
Is there more businesses that purchased the X1 or people using it as a
budget home theater projector? According to our data there are more buying the projector for business
than home use, but home users are a very large percentage.
Code-named "Tsunami" during development
(an early version of the manual was
"Tsunami manual rev 01 11-6-02" and the
firmware filenames still have references to "tsunami")
2003/05/31 - X1 Rebate period officially ends ($100 US)
2003/06/00 - X1 free extended service plan offer extended to July 31
2003/06/30 - X1 Rebate period original end date (unofficial end)
2003/07/00 - X1 free extended service plan offer extended to Oct 31
2003/08/00 - New X1's are shipping with a remote that does not have
backlight
2003/09/00 - X1 lamp life rating increased from 3000 to 4000 hours
2003/10/00 - X1 manual updated to reflect firmware 4.x features and
a remote that does not have a joystick control
Future of the X1? Rumor:The next X1 may lose a major feature, and the next
ScreenPlay version may become more distinct and feature rich. The
SP4805 (new SP4800) will have a new multi segment color wheel. Contrast
will be bumped up, and it will have component inputs. The X1 replacement
(new model number unknown, X2?) may get some of the same enhancements but
will no longer have DCDi. Both will be available sometime in the
first quarter. For more discussion of this rumor, see here.
A new FAQ for the (as yet unreleased) ScreenPlay 4805 is under
development here.
Aspect Ratio: 4:3 standard (800 x 600); 16:9 wide (800 x 450)
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 12°
DDR DMD
Video Processing: DCDi™ by Faroudja: FLI2200
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
Data Compatibility: SVGA, VGA, XGA, Macintosh®
Video Compatibility: NTSC, PAL, SECAM, EDTV, HDTV (1080i and
720p RBGHV)
Minimum Projection Distance: 5’ / 1.5m
Maximum Projection Distance: 32.3’ / 9.8m
Zoom Ratio: 1.2:1
Digital Keystone Correction: +/- 20 degrees
Input 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)
Audio: 2.5-Watt mono speaker
Brightness: 1000 max ANSI lumens
Number of Colors: 16.7 million
H-Sync Range: 31.5 – 80 kHz
V-Sync Range: 50 – 85 Hz (85Hz at XGA only)
Power Supply: 100V-240V at 50-60Hz
Power Consumption: 200-Watt (typical); 250-Watt (maximum)
Noise Level: 37 dBA
Operating Temperature: 5° to 40° C at sea level (0 to
10,000'); 41° – 104° F
Menu Languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese,
Korean, Portuguese, Italian, Norwegian, Russian, Chinese Simple,
Chinese Traditional
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
Warranty: Two-year standard warranty on parts and labor, 1
year accessories
Lamp Warranty: 90 days or 500 hours, whichever comes first
Technical Support: Free during business hours for the life of
the product
Ships Standard with: Soft carry case, Lens cap, Wireless
Conductor™ Remote Control (including batteries), color-coded cable
straps, standard VESA 15-pin analog computer cable, 3.5mm computer
audio cable, power cord (national and regional variants), SCART
adapter (EMEA Only), Projector System CD (includes: multi-language
projector User Guide, projector Quick Start Card, URL/service
information/accessories after market), user manual (printed version),
Quick Start Card (printed version)
Note that opening your X1 (other than simply removing the lamp housing)
will likely void your warranty. So spare yourself and use this information
to satisfy your curiosity instead.
"The reason we choose to optically sync the DLP chip to the color
wheel is so that it automatically calibrates itself at all times. This
way, the colors remain perfect forever, never requiring re-calibration as
other projectors do."
"The color wheel motor should last a very long time. I do not have
the X1 info in front of me, but in general motors like the one on the
color wheel in the X1 have rated lifetimes on the order of 75,000 hours.
The color wheel is not user replaceable, and is also not considered a
component with a significant field failure rate."
How does the response time (i.e. on/off time for a pixel) of the X1
compare to say, an LCD such as the Z1? Are DLPs generally
"faster" than LCDs? The response time of a DLP pixel is orders of magnitude faster than
that of LCD. Typical LCD response is on the order of 30 ms, which can blur
fast pans (or tennis balls). DLP pixels are fast enough that no blurring
occurs.
[4.4.2]
What other electronic components are used in the X1?
Texas Instruments DDP1000 DDM Controller
Texas Instrument DAD1000 Waveform Generator
The X1 has a PixelWorks chip and the Faroudja chip. We chose to use the
Faroudja chip for deinterlacing because it does a much better job than
PixelWorks does. We still use the PixelWorks chip for its other functions
such as GUI, scaling, keystone correction, and color space conversion.
viewing distance
light control
ceiling, rear projection
positioning (vertical/horizontal, on ceiling, on wall), bulb orientation
must remain horizontal
The orientation of the projector has no effect on the image quality coming
out of it. However, your screen probably does to at least a small extent.
Since no screen is a true lambertian surface, for a typical 1.0 gain
screen the image will be slightly brighter to the audience if the
projector is ceiling mounted. The higher the gain, the more pronounced the
difference will be (unless you are using a retroreflective screen which is
better for tabletop mounted projectors).
bias lighting - In brief its supposed to cut down on eye strain due
to the high contrast of a dark room and bright projector. It also gives
the screen and image a more 3d appearance almost as if its floating. Some
people do rope lighting attached to the back of the screen with a dimmer
of some type.
using mirrors for larger image normally employed in rear-projection setups and in rooms where throw
distance is at a premium.
You want to use what is called a "first surface"
mirror--basically a optical-grade mirror that doesn't have a glass
surface. A normal mirror has the shiny part sandwiched inside a sheet of
glass, which you don't want because the glass will cause secondary
reflections that will harm your picture quality.
Assuming that your projector has a setting that will do the appropriate
reversal of the projected image ('cause the mirror will flip everything),
all you need is the mirror and some carpentry skills. For construction
ideas you might want to check out the Home Theater Builder forum here at
AVS. For the mirror itself, go to Google and type in "first surface
mirror"; you will be presented with a wealth of suppliers.
[5.2.1]
How can I tell how large an image the projector will throw at a certain
distance?
The X1 has a zoom lens, so there is actually a range of image sizes
available from any particular distance. The best way to determine
that range is with the use of the X1
projection calculator provided by InFocus. Remember that the distance
is measured from the front of the lens to the screen. You will need
to leave 16 inches or so behind that point for the rest of the projector
and to allow room for cables.
The X1 throw ratio [(distance from screen to lens) / (screen width)]
ranges from 1.89 to 2.27.
[5.2.2]
What height should I have my projector at?
Once you have determined your screen placement, there is an optimal
height for your projector. That height will allow you to have an
undistorted image without making any corrections. If your projector
is too high or too low, you will have to tilt it and your image will
narrow at the top or bottom (known as trapezoidal distortion, or "keystoning").
The projector has a feature called keystone correction which can
compensate for this, but it does so at some expense of image quality. The
X1 has very good keystone correction, so you may not find the use of it
objectionable, but that is a personal judgment. If you wish to avoid
having to use the keystone correction, use the following information to
determine the optimal projector height.
When the projector is in 4:3 mode (the default mode), the image offset
is 112.2%. This means that if you have an image 10 feet high and you are
projecting from a table top, the bottom of the image will be 1.22 feet
above the center of the lens. If you are projecting from the ceiling with
the projector installed upside down then the top of the image will be 1.22
feet below the center of the lens.
When the projector is in 16:9 mode, the image offset is 132.9%. This
means that if you have an image 10 feet high and you are projecting from a
table top, the bottom of the image will be 3.29 feet above the center of
the lens. If you are projecting from the ceiling with the projector
installed upside down then the top of the image will be 3.29 feet below
the center of the lens.
Any variance from these heights will require tilting the projector and
having to correct the distortion with the keystone correction feature.
[5.2.3]
Can I place the projector a bit to one side?
The X1 does not have any keystone correction for horizontal
displacements. If your projector lens is not horizontally centered
at a right-angle to the screen then your image will have an uncorrectable
trapezoidal distortion, being vertically shorter on one side than the
other. Note that the center of the lens is not in the center of the
projector, it is actually offset by 65 mm (2.56 inches), so offset the
center of your mount by the same distance in order to compensate.
[5.2.4]
How do I properly align my projector and screen?
To align a projector to the screen, you should follow these steps:
First adjust the roll (in terms of pitch, roll, and yaw, this means
rotate about the lens axis) until the bottom of the screen is aligned to
the bottom of the image when table mounted, or the top of the screen when
ceiling mounted.
Then adjust the yaw (if there were a flagpole sticking out of the top
of the projector, rotate about that) until the top edge is aligned to the
top of the screen for tabletop, and the bottom edge for ceiling mount.
When you do this the image will move sideways, so you will need to
physically move the projector or screen sideways when making this
adjustment.
Once both are aligned your projector is square to the wall and level
with the screen.
With keystone correction set at 50 (ie. none), measure the length of
all four edges of the projected image. Your projector is properly aligned
when the top=bottom and left=right.
DIY
Commercial
Factors to consider (color, gain, materials)
masking
with a 16:9 screen you have to top and bottom mask for 2.35:1 (and for
spill beyond 16:9)
I won't be viewing 4:3 sources so I was thinking about masking to
get rid of the light spill in the 4:3 area while viewing 16:9. Has anyone
tried placing some black paper over the lens cut out block the gray bars?
I'm worried about some light being reflected off the edge of the paper and
onto the image. A black mask will work best if placed at least 4-6 inches in front of
the lens. At the lens, the light is too unfocused to make a mask
effective.
Using the InFocus mount (P/N SP-CEIL-007), the distance from the
ceiling to the lens center is 144mm without the extension arm. With the
extension arm, the distance is adjustable between 306mm and 386mm.
DIY mounts
Well, I've slapped together what may be the cheapest, simplest ceiling
mount in history. Two Plumbers 3/4" Floor flanges joined by a 4 inch
pipe nipple bolted to a triangular chunk of MDF which attaches to the
projector. Total cost - about 12 bucks cdn. For the record, pipe nipples
come in various lengths, and can be joined with a simple pipe coupler,
allowing a plethora of drop distances - all you DIY's take note
the thread for X1 mounting is a metric M4 thread
4mm x 0.7mm thread pitch
The depth of the brass thread on the base of the projector is exactly
10mm. Caution! Do not exceed the depth of the brass
threads or your bolts may impact and damage internal components of the
projector!
the three triangle mounting holes are on a 150mm square. ie: a hole at
each of the two back corners and one hole at the mid point of the front
side, of a imaginary 150x150mm square area. Correction: According to the spec sheet just published (below) the
two back holes are 150mm apart and the front hole is centered at 151.4mm
from the two back holes X1
dimensions (.pdf / 85KB)
The projector has 3 video input ports. A VGA port for computer
connections or, with an adapter, component video (480p or higher).
An S-Video port for video connections and, with an adapter, component
video (480i). A composite video port (480i).
The VGA port can be used for 1080i, 720p, 576p, and 480p sources (both
RGB and component with a VGA breakout cable). For 480i and 576i, there is
a special adapter than comes with the projector that attaches through the
s-video connector. Only 480i, 576i, s-video, and composite use the
Faroudja processing, so these sources may look better than 480p and 576p
from a progressive DVD player that does not have Faroudja inside.
A component to VGA breakout cable is necessary for component HDTV (1080i,
720p) and EDTV (480p, 576p) sources.
The s-video connector on the X1 has 3 extra pins (7 instead of 4) for the
component signals.
NTSC and PAL Infocus_x1 & Scart
There have been a couple of posts about this recently, so I spoke with
Infocus this morning and I hope their reply will be useful to many of you.
First of all, not all Scart devices are exactly the same. But, for the
sake of this discussion, there are two possibilities that should be
available to most, if not all, Scart-equipped video devices.
The two possibilities are Scart->SVideo and Scart->VGA. Cables for
both types of connections are available. While all, or almost all, Scart
devices should be able to go to VGA, not all can go to SVideo. If you
check the manual for your device, look for (aside from SVideo) Y/C or
S-VHS.
Obviously, the VGA connector should give a better image, but depending on
what type of device it is (in my case, for example, it is a satellite
receiver), the SVideo may be perfectly acceptable.
resolution
cropping
(480i/p is cropped to 450 to maintain native pixel mapping - which is less
cropping than most TVs)
most movies these days are shot at 1.85:1, not the 1.78:1 that is
available in 16:9 480p. Therefore, there will be black bars on the top and
bottom of the image. So most of the time when viewing 450 lines you will
not be missing anything.
It is cropping the sides, the top, and the bottom. So you get 800x450,
square pixel native for 480p sources.
Why vertically crop to 450 instead of leaving it at 480 lines (800x480)?
The main reason is to fit perfectly on 16:9 screens. Since most DVDs will
not use the extra area anyway, this was felt to be a good compromise. It
also gets rid of head switching noise and closed captioning for tape and
broadcast sources (this is normally done in TVs through overscanning).
Since 720p and 1080i require a good bit of scaling to even come close to
the panel resolution, the entire image is scaled to 800x450. No cropping
at all.
So if I figure correctly, a native 1.85 image would be 848x459
active. Not losing much there on top and bottom. we will be seeing 800x450
of those. 1.85:1 cropped to 1.78:1
a native 2:35 image would be 848x361 active. Loose nothing there. we will
see 800x361. 2.35:1 cropped to 2.22:1.
The X1 in 16:9 mode will crop a dvd from 848 x 480 pixels to 800 x
450 pixels. But, it delivers very good pq quality because it is doing 1 to
1 pixel mapping, so there are no scaling errors or artifacts.
For a 1:78 movie, it will crop 30 pixels from the vertical picture, and 48
pixels from the horizontal picture, or about 3% on all sides.
For 2:35 to 1 and 1:85 to 1, it will do the same cropping, but because
these movies are "shorter" vertically, the X1 is actually only
cropping the black bars above and below. It will still crop the 48 pixels
(24 from each side) from the horizontal picture. All in all, it's barely
noticeable.
For the X1 which is SVGA, we chose not to scale the image vertically in
order to achieve a native display of 480i/p content (or as close as you
can get with a square pixel display), so you will get the sharpest
possible output due to the lack of vertical scaling. XGA displays will
need to scale both vertically and horizontally to fit the screen, so the
image should not be as sharp. However, XGA and higher displays of the same
technology have smaller (and therefore less noticeable) pixels so the
viewer should be able to sit closer to the screen without seeing
stairstepping of the pixels. If you're thinking that an XGA LCD is better
than an SVGA DLP, I would like to warn you that in general pixels are
easier to see on LCD displays due to their lower aperture ratio.
Note that in "native" and "16:9" modes for NTSC
sources there is no vertical scaling. The projector takes a 480 line
source and crops it to 450 lines before displaying it.
The horizontal lines for anamorphic and non-anamorphic DVDs is the same
:720.
(720x480-pixel and 704x480-pixel sizes have the same aspect ratio because
the first includes some overscan.)
All NTSC DVDs are mastered at 720x480. Since this is a non-square pixel
format, the 720 columns will need to be scaled horizontally to either 640
(non-anamorphic) or 853 (anamorphic) before playback on square pixel
displays like digital projectors. The X1 does this horizontal scaling and
then crops the image to 800x450 for anamorphic DVDs.
By "square pixel" I mean that the actual pixels are square.
For instance, if you have a 4x3 pixel array and the outer dimensions
measure 4" x 3", then the pixels are square. DVD formats do not
use square pixels, as 720 divided by 480 does not equal 4:3 nor 16:9.
scaling
However can you explain how this works for PAL sources. Presumably
it is one thing to crop a 480 line NTSC DVD source to 450 lines, but how
do you deal with 16:9 aspect with anamorphic 720x576 PAL DVD source
material?
If you simply crop this to 450 lines you would be dropping 126 video lines
(or around 22% of the vertical picture frame)!
At a guess, does this mean you simply scale PAL 16:9 material to 800x450
(or scale to something larger and then crop as well)?
We scale PAL to 800x450.
In which case do we assume picture quality for NTSC anamorphic DVD source
will be better than PAL anamorphic DVD source, because the NTSC source is
not scaled?
It will be slightly better, yes.
On a related note, can you provide some additional explanation of PAL
support.
eg: If the color wheel is 2x or 120Hz (7200rpm), how does this work for
50Hz PAL source? Does the wheel slow to 50Hz 2x (ie: 100Hz or 6000rpm)?
Yes, the wheel slows down to 6000rpm. You can hear it if you listen
closely.
Also for non-interlaced PAL 4:3 source, can I assume that the PAL 576 line
50Hz source will provide better picture quality than the scaled NTSC
source at the native 800x600 4:3 DMD resolution?
eg: Is the video decoder inside the X1 outputting say 768x576 for PAL
source and displaying this native on the 800x600 panel without any
scaling?
PAL will look sharper than NTSC when you are in 4:3 mode, because
its native resolution is higher.
Finally, having read about the slight 4:3 stretch when this aspect source
is displayed in "native" mode (for NTSC), can you also explain
the geometry for PAL 4:3 source when displayed in "native" mode
and when displayed in 16:9 mode.
PAL has the same issue as NTSC for "native" mode. The
video decoder outputs 704x576, so the image will appear too tall.
line doubling
aspect ratio modes
In 16:9 mode, the image is in the central 800x450 pixel area - a
16:9 proportion. For an NTSC anamorphic (enhanced for widescreen) DVD, the
720x480 RECTANGULAR pixels are converted to 854x480 SQUARE pixels. The
left and right 27 columns are cropped off, as are the top and bottom 15
rows, leaving 800x450 pixels to be displayed. (This loss of image is
similar to overscan on an ordinary TV.) The 75 rows of pixels above and
below the image are as black as the X1 can make them.
In 4:3 mode the image fills the entire 800x600 pixel area. If a
letterboxed DVD is played, this mode is useful since the actual image will
be essentially in the same 16:9 central area.
"Native" mode prior to firmware version 3.6 meant the
"actual" pixels as received by the X1. This varied by the type
of signal. So with a 1080i signal, you saw the upper left quadrant of the
picture. With ordinary NTSC signals, the native digital format was, I
think, 704x480 rectangular pixels. When shown with square pixels, this was
geometrically distorted. And it was taller than the 450 pixels for the
16:9 mode. This prevented proper use of a 16:9 screen.
InFocus recognized this limitation and in version 3.6 the
"Native" mode was changed. (At least for NTSC signals, its name
is no longer very descriptive.) It will now display a 4:3 NTSC signal by
converting it to 640x480 pixels, cropping off the top and bottom 15 rows
and displaying a geometrically correct 640x450 image in the center of the
screen. There will be "black" bars left and right within the
16:9 image area.
4:3 native mode fixed in 3.6 firmware
1:1 pixel mapping will yield an arguably unwatchable picture, due to the
fact that the digital video standard for NTSC is 704x480 which uses
non-square pixels. Instead, what we've done in the newer firmware is to
slightly scale the image horizontally so it corresponds to 640x480 which
is the square pixel equivalent to native 1:1 pixel mapping. In addition,
in order for it to fit properly on a 16:9 screen, the top and bottom 15
lines are cropped. The image should not appear stretched.
4:3 mode
Stretches or shrinks the image as necessary to fill the full 800x600
pixels of the projector. If the original source does not have a 4:3 aspect
ratio, then it will end up distorted when it is scaled to fullscreen.
Upscales 480i, 480p, and 640x480. One-to-one mapping for 800x600.
Downscales 1024x768.
16:9 mode
Stretches or shrinks the image as necessary to fill a 16:9 window of
800x450 pixels (which is vertically centered in the normal 800x600 display
area). Again, this will not preserve the original aspect ratio unless the
source image is 16:9 (or anamorphic 4:3). If the source image had a 4:3
ratio then it will be distorted (squished down) to fit in the 16:9 window.
Note that if the source is a true letterboxed movie designed for 4:3
screens, then switching modes from 4:3 to 16:9 will not remove the
letterbox, it will just squish and distort the aspect ratio of the movie.
There is some special handling of 480i and 480p 16:9 material. Instead of
being scaled to fit, it is instead cropped on 4 sides to 800x450 to
preserve a one-to-one pixel mapping.
Crops 480i, 480p. Downscales 720p, 1080i.
Native mode (as implemented in firmware v3.6
and newer)
Displays the image at its native resolution. If the native resolution is
less than 800x600 then the image is centered. If the native resolution is
greater than 800x600 then the upper left-hand corner of the image is
displayed and any excess pixels are cropped at the bottom and right-hand
edges of the projector display area.
Useful for watching NTSC 4:3 on a 16:9 screen because 480i and 480p will
be vertically cropped to 450 lines to fit within a 16:9 screen; higher
resolutions (eg. 800x600) will not fit a 16:9 screen.
presentation/video/film modes
(white segment on for Presentation only; brightness drops by about 30%
with the white segment off)
For business presentations, projectors typically boost greens (and whites
in the case of DLPs) for maximum impact and ambient light resistance.
These color boosts need to be turned off in video due to the awful
consequences to the picture quality of film sources (especially skin
tones). When you turn them off you lose brightness and contrast.
Just like other projectors, both brightness and contrast ratio drop for
video sources.
Color wheel is RGBW. It is a crossover product so needs the extra white
boost for business use.
"The only difference between Film and Video mode in the X1 is the
gamma curve. The Video gamma curve is designed to mimic the inverse
response of a video camera, while the Film gamma curve is designed to
mimic what you would see in a movie theater. The Film gamma is a more
aggressive gamma, so that dark areas of the image are darker than those
with the Video gamma."
Go to your favorite DVD, pick a fairly dark image, and switch between the
two modes to decide which you like best.
color wheel speed 6000rpm for PAL, and 7200rpm for NTSC
"The projector is frame-locked for 48-62 Hz sources, and the color
wheel will change speed to match the source. Above 62 Hz, frames will be
dropped, so I do not recommend 75 Hz input for a video source."
light output beyond image (e.g.. top and bottom in 16:9 mode)
16:9 vs. 1.85
No DVI input
Component to VESA Adapter SP-VESA-ADPT (6 inch adapter for 480p, 720p, 1080i component input
to the VGA port)
InFocus Store: X1
Component to VESA adapter
Component to S-video Adapter SP-VIDEO-ADPT (short adapter for 480i, 576i component input to the
S-video port)
InFocus Store: X1
Component to S-video adapter
If the VESA adapter from InFocus is backordered, can I get it somewhere
else? Search around (eg. at google.com or froogle.google.com) for "SP-VESA-ADPT".
Or you could instead get a HD15 to 5 BNC cable (which are quite common)
and add 3 RCA adapters (to the Red/Green/Blue wires).
VGA component adapter: HD15 to BNC cable; add BNC to RCA adapters to
the red, green and blue wires
Making own HD15 cable:
As far as how to make the cable, Y should go to G, Pb should go to B, and
Pr should go to R. This is pretty much consistent everywhere, so if you
simply buy a "component to HD15 breakout cable" it will probably
work. Yes, sync on green is correct for component signals.
HD15 to component cable HD15 pinouts:
1= red (Pr)
2= green (Y)
3= blue (Pb)
6= red ground
7= green ground
8= blue ground
What cables should I run to the X1?
For most users if you run a VGA cable, an S-Video cable, and a Composite
(single RCA) cable you will be able to connect virtually any device to the
X1. You may also need a VGA-to-Component adapter for 480p or better
from a Progressive DVD or HDTV cable box. With these 3 cables the
only thing you are giving up is being able to use 480i Component (with the
InFocus S-Video adapter cable), but most users find that standard S-Video
is very comparable.
Needing to use both the component adapters (the VGA and S-video
component inputs) on the X1 with a long cable run? Consider buying a
long component cable (3 RCA to 3 RCA) and get the short X1 adapters. That
way the same long component cable can be used with either input (with a
component switch at the X1 end).
Does the S-video adapter convert the component video into S-video?
The Component to S-video adapter does not actually convert the signal to
S-video. The adapter has extra pins in the S-video connector that are not
present in standard S-video connectors. Those pins match up with extra
connectors on the X1 to allow the adapter to carry true component signals,
with no conversion.
I want to make my own S-video to component adapter. What is the
pinout?
You probably won't be able to find a suitable S-video connector since the
X1 adapter's S-video connector uses 3 more pins than a normal S-video
connector. But in any case, here is the pinout:
The signal from the component outputs of a progressive DVD player is
analog. However, it is a much better analog signal than the interlaced
one, and is similar to the signal from a computer graphics card. Also, if
the de-interlacing is done in the digital domain inside the DVD player
before and analog conversions then it is likely to be more accurate.
Therefore, if the deinterlacing in the DVD player is equivalent to that of
the projector, and the cables between the player and projector are capable
of twice the bandwidth requirements of interlaced video, then the picture
should be better using the progressive output of the DVD player into the
VGA input of the projector.
Dark scenes - check the black level setting on your dvd player -- if
you've got options, try the other setting(s)
Panasonic DVD-XP30 & DVD-XP50 switching to 480p (progressive) - I
have my xp30 feeding into X1, and it did not work at first. After much
frustrating moments, I finally find out why.
(1) There are TWO places in xp30 that I needed to set in order to get 480p
out. Follow its Instruction Manual (page
9, column 2, lower 1/3) for proper setup. Once done, the word "prog
out" will appear on the upper right hand corner of its LCD panel.
Should I set my DVD player and the X1 to 16:9 mode or 4:3?
Using 480i or 480p DVD players as an example:
If the DVD player is set to 4:3 mode and it then letterboxes an
anamorphic widescreen (16:9) movie, the vertical resolution of the movie
as sent in the signal to the projector will be only 75% of 480 lines = 360
lines (with the other 120 lines containing only the black letterbox). With
the projector in 4:3 mode, it will then scale those 360 lines to 450 lines
at the projector.
On the other hand, if the DVD player is set to 16:9 mode with an
anamorphic movie, then the image will fill all 480 lines of vertical
resolution in the signal from the DVD player. And with the projector in
16:9 mode those lines will then be scaled to the same projector vertical
resolution as before (450 lines).
Both ways result in the same number of vertical pixels being
displayed by the projector. But if you start by giving the projector only
360 lines of image to scale instead of 480 lines, then the lower
resolution image will not look as good when they are both scaled to the
same size. For example, you get 360 lines scaled to 450 in 4:3 mode versus
480 lines scaled to 450 in 16:9 mode.
So there is a distinct advantage in running both the DVD player and
the projector in 16:9 mode. You should get a better image in 16:9 mode
because you are actually sending 25% more lines of resolution to the
projector's scalar in the first place.
A side note: The InFocus X1 in 16:9 mode actually does vertical
cropping to 450 rather than scaling to 450, so you lose a bit off the top
and bottom but the image is sharper for not having been scaled.
Another side note: The principles are different if you are using an
HTPC for DVDs. In that case you are better off setting the HTPC to the
projector's native resolution and letting the HTPC do all the scaling.
Does this theory apply for all letter-boxed DVDs or only ones in
1.87:1? What about 1080i HDTV? Should you use 16:9 on the projector for
everything other than 4:3?
Set your DVD player for 16:9 televisions and you will gain a 25%
resolution improvement when combined with anamorphic DVDs (which almost
all are these days) and the 16:9 mode of the X1. Even for non-anamorphic
DVDs it is okay to leave the DVD player in 16:9 mode, then you simply can
change the X1 to Native or 4:3 (depending on your screen size) and the
image will have the correct aspect ratio and also will have the maximum
resolution. The only time you may want to change the setting in your DVD
player is for watching content on televisions that do not have a 16:9 mode
(which is the case for most televisions).
To look at it another way, the 4:3 setting on DVD players, which is
the default setting, acts as a resolution reducer for all anamorphic DVDs
in order to be compatible with 4:3 televisions. When you set the DVD
player to 16:9 televisions, the resolution reducer is turned off.
ATSC is the sanctioning group for DTV (Digital TV) in the US. There are
3 possible ATSC HDTV formats. 1280x720p & 1920x1080i are in use at
this time, see the HDTV Programming Synopsis for details. 1920x1080p is
for future use as technology allows. All HDTV formats are 16:9 aspect
ratio.
The remaining ATSC formats are standard digital formats, but 16:9 480p
has been defined as EDTV (Enhanced Definition) by the Consumer Electronics
Association, and is accepted as the defacto term. 480i DTV is Standard
Definition digital TV.
480i analog is NTSC, the previous TV system.
640x480p, 800x600p, 1024x768p, 1280x1024p, 1600x1200p, etc. are all
computer graphics formats, none of which are HDTV, or part of the ATSC
standards.
HDTV
16:9 1920 x 1080 Interlaced 30fps (Square pixels)
16:9 1280 x 720 Progressive 60fps (Square pixels)
EDTV
16:9 704 x 480 Progressive 60fps (Rectangular pixels)
4:3 704 x 480 Progressive 60fps (Rectangular pixels)
SDTV
4:3 704 x 480 Interlaced 30fps (Rectangular pixels)
The Sony HD100 and RCA DTC100 are the only two set top boxes we know of
that do not output correct 1080i, and we have tested most of the rest of
them.
The X1 is detecting the signal from the Sony HD100 as 1080i, however, the
HD100 does not output 1080i with the correct timings. What I expect you
will see is about 2% on one side and 6% on the other side of the image is
black bars. The HD100 appears to use the same output stages as the RCA
DTC100 which has the same problem. There is a workaround for the RCA (with
newer firmware) that involves changing the timings in the menus, but I do
not think there is a similar workaround for the Sony.
The DTC-100 got a firmware upgrade where you can choose short, long or
RCA specific timings. The Sony never got one and probably never will. Here's what I got from our technical support people (for the DTC100)
1. Press the Menu Button.
2. Select menu option number 7, Assistance.
3. Select menu option number 8, Monitor Setup.
4. Select menu option number 2, Retrace Timing.
5. Select option Short Retrace (EIA 770.3 Timing).
The X1 does not have a TV tuner built in so you will need to use an
external one. For example, a cablevision converter or digital cable
box, or you could use the tuner in your VCR.
I have the HD output kit for the X-Box. I can't get it to show
anything either through the component into special S Video adapter that
came with the pj (with the X-Box set for 480p, 720p or 1080i output), nor
will it work when I put the component outputs of the X-Box through a
component to VGA adapter and run it into the computer input. The s-video adapter should work when the XBox is in its setup menu (no
disc in the drawer) which is 480i. In the setup menu you will need to tell
the XBox that your TV is HDTV compatible. Once setup this way, connecting
the component output to the VESA connector via a simple RCA to 15-pin
adapter should get it to work properly in 480p or higher. Be advised that
there are very, very few titles that will "turn on" the HDTV
modes in the Xbox. A couple of popular ones are Dragon's Lair (1080i) and
Enter the Matrix (720p or 1080i). Tip: the green output from the HD pack will give a black and white
image if plugged into the composite input. This will let you view the
dashboard without swapping A/V packs.
It was quite easy to set up the xbox for those who were coming across
problems. After attaching the HD pack to the xbox, I hooked up the green
cable to my tv to see a black and white image. The settings for widescreen,
420p, 720p, 1080i, Dolby Digital, and DTS were now all available in the
settings menu. I enabled them all ( i left the projector in 4:3 mode and
let the xbox put out the widescreen format...worked best this way), used
the breakout cable to hook up to the projector and voila. Note: To those
that "upgraded" their xbox, all "extra features" are
480p so no need to worry about not being able to see menu's and such.
However if you have not "upgraded" your xbox, you simply just
miss out on the beginning intro of the "X" splash screen. Once
the game is initialized, the projector kicks in with the picture, so no
real issues there unless for some reason you want to go back to the
settings menu.
I tinkered with the projector's color temperature, RGB, and other settings
a bit, but haven't really come up with anything that seems to be that much
better. I used the progressive player for the xbox, and I honestly thought
my cheap RCA DVD player with component out looked better. So those wishing
to watch DVD movies with the projector will probably not be pleased. Also,
its impossible to watch DVD's through the breakout cable from the xbox if
it has not been "upgraded".
With a video game machine like the Xbox, running 480p will give you
additional detail from your games that you won't get from 480i. This is
because the Xbox and its games are natively a progressive source, so if
you run 480p there is no deinterlacer involved at either end. On the other
hand, if you run the Xbox at 480i it is actually having to downconvert the
progressive source down to interlaced, and then the X1 has to deinterlace
it back to progressive again. Some detail will get lost in the
translation.
Without PowerStrip: The X1 shouldn't do any scaling if you
set your HTPC to 800x600 @ 60 Hz and set the projector to 4:3 mode. Your
PC will then scale 16:9 material to 800x450 with 1:1 pixel mapping to the
projector. When I need to see the whole desktop on my 16:9 screen I switch
the projector to 16:9, which does use the projector scaler and distorts
the desktop aspect ratio, but you get to see the whole desktop within the
800x450 pixels.
If you are planning to do PC gaming with the X1 then I strongly
recommend you go with a 4:3 screen so that you can display the full
800x600 (or downscaled 1024x768) game image. The X1 does not provide any
way to proportionally downscale a computer image within a 16:9 screen
(though I really wish they did! maybe a future firmware upgrade?). You can
set the projector to 16:9 mode but it will vertically squish the 4:3 image
down to fit the 16:9 area, distorting the picture. And the other mode,
native mode, doesn't do any scaling so that doesn't help either.
With PowerStrip:
1) After experimenting with powerstrip I was unable to get a
resolution of 800x450 working, but I did get 800x453 to work. The x1 sees
it as 800x600 so the scaler on the projector is not activated and the
computer desktop is displayed on my 16:9 screen.
The following are my powerstrip settings:
800x453=800,32,80,112,453,49,3,99,37107,278
I played around and found that 1024x580 works fine:
1024x580=1024,40,136,144,580,97,6,123,64800,278
The X1 will see this resolution as 1024x768@60Hz. It will scale it using
the same algorithm that it uses for 1024x768, so you won't get any weird
distortion or anything. It looks just like you're running the HTPC at XGA
resolution except that everything fits inside a 16:9 screen.
I prefer this setup, even though it's not native res. Somehow the scaling
acts as a sort of antialiasing which makes everything look less pixellated.
TV and DVD look better, and web browsing & other computer apps are
easier to use at 1024x580 as opposed to 800x453.
2) The X1 is set to 4:3, but I am using powerstrip on my HTPC
to create a custom resolution of 800x453. I was never able to get 800x450
working, but the extra 3 lines aren't noticeable. The X1 sees it as
800x600 so the scaler isn't activated. The following are my powerstrip
settings:
800x453=800,40,80,104,453,49,3,99,37125,7
To use these just copy them and go to the custom resolution screen
in powerstrip then hit the paste button.
This setup allows me to have the HTPC desktop displayed on my 16:9
screen. There are a couple problems with this resolution however. First,
on some things in Windows the OK and Cancel buttons are off the screen
since there are only 453 vertical pixels. I have overcome this by using
tab to blindly hit OK or using the powerstrip tray icon to quickly change
to 800x600 and back to 800x453. Second, sometimes when I turn the
projector on the image is shifted to one side, I fixed this by programming
the effect key to do auto image and included it in the power on macro.
SCART not all Scart devices are exactly the same. But, for the sake of this
discussion, there are two possibilities that should be available to most,
if not all, Scart-equipped video devices.
The two possibilities are Scart->SVideo and Scart->VGA. Cables
for both types of connections are available. While all, or almost all,
Scart devices should be able to go to VGA, not all can go to SVideo. If
you check the manual for your device, look for (aside from SVideo) Y/C or
S-VHS.
Obviously, the VGA connector should give a better image, but
depending on what type of device it is, the SVideo may be perfectly
acceptable.
typical settings
pre-calibrated?
using settings from another projector?
recalibrating over lamp life (esp. after first # hours)
factory defaults
Service Mode
cool, warm, warmest settings (bug)
white line at top of 4:3 HDTV, use advanced option to position up
Seems like when I toggle from one preset or color temperature, the
correction can be different every time. Like if you were explaining to
somebody how to tweak, you'd say Start with film, Go to cool, Increase
RGB's, etc. When you switch to a new mode, video, film or presentation, whatever
settings you changed will be erased unless you saved it. The best thing to
do is go to film(or whatever mode you like), rgb values will be reset to
50, then make whatever color changes you like, go save a user setting, and
that's it. When you go to that user setting that you saved, your rgb
settings(and contrast, brightness, etc..) will be set to what you saved
before.
The settings available to you depends on which connection you use. On
the video connection it has normal color/tint controls and RGB. Through
VGA it just has RGB.
There is a proper setting for brightness on a projector. That
setting is at the point where pixels of the darkest black (i.e.,
luminosity level 0) are projecting at the darkest level the projector is
capable of producing AND where the adjacent levels (1, 2, 3, 4, and so on)
are all distinguishable from each other and from the lowest level 0. If
you lower your brightness setting below that point you will
"clip" or "crush" the blacks. This happens because you
have already lowered luminosity level 0 to the darkest the projector is
capable of. If you continue to lower brightness then other luminosity
levels, pixels that should be distinguishable from luminosity 0, will be
lowered to the same lumosity level as the darkest pixels. Thus, you lose
detail in your image.
Same thing happens in reverse with the brightest luminosity levels
when you raise contrast above its proper setting.
And the "brightness" and "contrast" controls are
badly chosen terms in the early days of the TV industry. They should be
called "black level" and "white level," respectively.
Usually, there is only one optimal setting for these controls, for a given
projector and screen.
The Brightness and Contrast controls are there so you can match your
PJ to your various sources, just as has been explained above. The exact
electrical signal for "Black" and "White" varys from
one DVD player, set top box, VCR, etc, to the next. The controls allow you
to adjust your PJ so that when your DVD player (for example) sends the
signal for "Black", your PJ projects the darkest grey it can.
The same for "White". If you adjust your controls beyond those
levels, you will lose shadow and highlight details.
A non-scientific poll
of X1 projector owners at AVS Forum indicates that approximately 20% never
see rainbows, 60% see them sometimes but find it minimal enough that they
can live with it, and 20% see them often enough that it bothers them
significantly.
Many have reported that they see fewer rainbows or are less bothered by
them as time goes on.
I don't think rainbow reduction is follow-the-recipe simple -- too
much depends upon your eyes and brain, the size of your screen and the
overall brightness of the image and your particular room. Reports of the
worst rainbows came from those shooting a smaller image on a higher-gain
screen. So going gray will help,a ND filter might ...the
overall goal here should be to reduce the whacking brightness of the
brightest bits of dark scenes.
bias lighting might help too -- raise the room light level (via _indirect_
lighting) so that the screen image isn't perceived as so overpowering.
I saw fewer rainbows going from a 5' wide to a 75" -wide screen.
it'll be a balance of bright-enough vs. too bright.
screendoor, pixelation
If you have very good vision and are bothered by seeing pixels, I
recommend a viewing distance of 2x the screen width. You can also slightly defocus the projector to reduce the effect.
lumens
The SMPTE requirement for movie theater projection is approximately 12
foot lamberts for 100% white. To get foot lamberts from lumens, divide
your lumens by screen area in square feet, and then multiply by your
screen gain. For instance, take a 1000 lumen projector on a 1.0 gain, 8
foot wide 16:9 screen:
1000 lumens / (8 ft x 4.5 ft) * 1.0 gain = 27.7 foot lamberts, or about
double what a movie theater would have.
This assumes that your projector outputs 1000 real (not just spec'd)
lumens when connected to your video source, and that the projector gamma
is similar to the original film. At 1000 lumens, the widest I'd go is 8'. After setting it up and
calibrating it for video, this sized screen will give you about 15
ft-lamberts, the SMPTE recommended minimum for motion picture screens.
Assuming a unity gain screen. ((1000 lumens *.7 for calibration)*1 screen
gain)/(8' x 6' for 4:3)=14.6 ft-lamberts.
30 degrees of vision (SMPTE) Take your total lumens, divide by your square footage, and multiply it
by your gain. The X1 is a 4:3 pj, so for 16:9, multiply lumens and screen
area by .75--I assume you did this already. But many people feel the X1 in
film mode cuts lumens by about 50%, so to be more realistic, start with
500 lumens, then for 16:9 take that times .75 and you get 375 lumens in
your 16:9 area. If your 16:9 area square footage is 24.7, and your gain is
1.0, then your fl would be around 15.18. If the picture still feels flat,
it may be because your painted wall is less than 1.0 gain, the
contrast/brightness are not set correctly, or you have ambient light
bouncing from your walls/ceiling that is washing out the picture. 15.18 fl
should give you a decent picture.
"The 2000:1 contrast is a result of the optical architecture we
designed in combination with the new DDR DLP imaging device which has 12
degree mirrors and a dark metal layer behind them."
mosquito noise
So called "Mosquito noise" in skies is a very common artifact of
MPEG compression. One way to tell if the compression is the cause is to
pause the DVD player and see if it stops. If it does not stop, then it
could be noise in the analog processing of the DVD player or the
projector, and in general this processing is done better by a HTPC (hence
the comments that HTPCs reduce "dithering"). Thirdly, it could
also be the projector dithering to produce an even gray scale. Even when a
HTPC is connected, the projector still needs to dither a bit spatially to
prevent contouring of the image. This occurs mainly in dark areas of the
image.
ground loops, rolling lines, ground hum, cheater plug
defocusing
image flaws
dead or stuck pixels
Checking for stuck pixels: Set the screen blank setting to black and look
for white spots; set the screen blank to white and look for black spots
"We do not have a dead pixel policy or a zero dead pixel policy
for the X1 projector. If the customer wants to resolve the issue, it will
have to come in for evaluation and we will determine if it meets Infocus'
specifications. If it does not, we will repair it under warranty." "For the ScreenPlay 110, ScreenPlay 5700, and ScreenPlay 7200,
our current policy covers all pixel defects, and is built into our cost of
doing business with these products. However, in keeping in line with most
DLP projector manufacturers, we do not at this time have a zero dead pixel
policy on the X1."
uneven brightness
hot air interference patterns - heat mirage on screen.
To check for this, blank your screen to white, then take a close look at
the right half of your screen, you just may see some mirage waves. I
confirmed this with my X1, I moved it forward so the exhaust does not hit
the tabletop and they disappeared, I also tried a paper deflector &
that worked just fine.
Can the X1 be used with a Panamorph lens without the help of a HTPC?
Is it able to stretch the image (anamorph setting?)?
Set the projector to 4:3. Set your DVD player to 16:9. Add the Panamorph,
et voila!
[7.5.1]
What modifications have people made to the X1?
First off, be aware that any modification to the projector itself is
almost certainly going to void your warranty. Modify it at your own risk.
Some owners have added optical filters in front of the lens of the X1.
(see next item)
There has also been discussion of adding an "anamorphic"
lens, in order to take advantage of the X1's full 800x600 resolution with
16:9 material. I do not have any details on this mod.
It is recommended that you not modify the projector in an attempt to
reduce fan noise, as the designers have put "the best practical
low-noise cooling system into the projector already".
One owner has heavily modified his X1. Among his mods are a partially
blacked out color wheel, lens iris, blacked out optical engine, and lots
of filters. See his description and photos at this AVS
Forum thread.
Another owner has created a modified X1 projector that he calls the
"Goo 0.5". No details are available on exactly what
modifications were made but some who have seen the projector were
impressed by the image quality. See the related AVS
Forum thread.
There is another interesting AVS
Forum thread discussing the feasibility of using 3 projectors to
create the equivalent of a 3-DLP projector (which would eliminate any
possibility of rainbows).
It is possible to load the firmware for the SP4800 onto the X1 to take
advantage of any feature differences. See the Firmware
section for more details.
Another feasible (but potentially risky) modification would be to alter
the firmware files, for example to create a custom startup logo. But I'd
suggest leaving that one to the professional hackers.
[7.5.2]
What optical filter modifications have been tried?
The main purpose for adding an optical filter has been to reduce light
output, which it is said may also reduce the visibility of the rainbow
effect in some cases.
Although the X1 is not threaded for attaching optical filters, a 62mm
filter is just the right size to fit snugly inside the plastic bezel of
the focus ring. A twist of about a 1/4 turn secures it there.
The most common filters that have been tried are "neutral
density" or "polarizing" filters, which are supposed to
reduce light output without significantly altering the color balance
(although recalibrating is a good idea anyway).
A word of caution when placing a filter in front of the lens. There is
the potential to build heat up in the filter, the bezel or the X1 lens
itself. But there have been no reports of damage so far.
Based on recommendations of several others I bought both the Hoya
62mm HMC ND 2X Filter and the Hoya 62mm Linear Glass Polarizer. I found
both of them online for under $30 each. I tested them out on the X1 and
liked the effect. The polarizer did cut the brightness a bit too much so I
ended-up sticking with the ND filter. The improvements are that the image
is not quite as "edgy", it has more black depth, I notice fewer
rainbows and I find it less fatiguing.
If you remove the bulb housing you can see the color wheel (photo).
The red/green/blue colored segments of the wheel appear to each be
around 100 degrees wide (300 in total), and the white (actually clear)
segment appears to be around 60 degrees wide. The white segment is only
used when the projector is in Presentation mode, to brighten the image.
When the projector is in Video or Film mode, the white segment of the
wheel is turned off to give a more accurate color balance.
But what does it mean to "turn off" the white segment? What
that really means is that the lamp will still shine on the DLP chip during
the white segment, but none of the pixel elements will be turned on to
their reflective positions, so the projector will project a blank or
"black" picture during the white segment of the wheel.
However, as you might have noticed, even when the projected image is
"black" (such as above and below a letterboxed movie), there is
still some light reaching the screen that is clearly visible when compared
to the area beyond the projector's image area.
This background level of light is caused by reflections off the surface
of the DLP chip even when the pixels are turned off, and by stray light
that has bounced off other surfaces in the light path.
In an effort to improve the contrast ratio and black levels in Video
and Film mode, one modification that might be considered (and which has
been used with other DLP projectors) is to black out the white (clear)
segment of the color wheel to prevent that background light from escaping
through when the white segment is turned off.
However, this modification apparently cannot be used with the X1
because of the optical synchronization of the color wheel.
"The reason we choose to optically sync the DLP chip to the
color wheel is so that it automatically calibrates itself at all times.
This way, the colors remain perfect forever, never requiring
re-calibration as other projectors do.
The X1 syncs at the beginning of the red segment. However, there is a
problem if you black out the white segment. We prototyped a blacked-out
white segment using a Krylon silver paint pen, and this change caused
the sync to change to the beginning of the blue segment (everything that
is supposed to be red changes to blue), which will not allow the
projector to produce colors properly. So, unfortunately, blacking out
the white segment is not an option for the X1."
So it would appear that completely blacking out the color wheel of the
X1 would only cause grief. However, as mentioned in the previous FAQ
section, one brave owner did partially black it out and was able to leave
enough clear segment exposed so that the projector still worked properly.
burn-in (lack of)
powering off - cool down - low noise when off
"The X1 is designed so you can simply power it off without running
the fans. The lamp and the parts around it have no trouble handling the
heat. The lamp is actually happier cooling off slowly than quickly (as
most really hot things are), and it just means that you need to wait a bit
longer before you turn it on again.
2-3 minutes is pretty much all you need to wait. The lamp needs to be cool
enough to successfully re-strike. Lamp life will be slightly degraded each
time it does not strike properly."
Could a firmware upgrade be used to allow people to totally power
down the projector via remote?
"Unfortunately, to do this would require some additional
circuitry inside the projector. When we designed the X1, we felt that the
cost tradeoff for this feature did not allow it."
dust I had a brief experience with a dust fibre at the top of my picture
about a month ago.
After much investigation I discovered that the dust fibre appeared to be
just behind the lens. I gave the projector a good blow through the small
gap around the lens, and the dust fibre was gone!
Be sure the unit is very cool before you blow it out with air. If it is
still warm when you hit it with a blast of cool, compressed air, you can
crack things, like glass lenses and capacitors. The reason this happens is
that most materials expand during heating and contract when they are
cooled. The blower can cool a small area rapidly, and this differential
cooling of hard materials like ceramic and glass can cause stress to build
up in them, leading them to fracture or shatter.
So unplug that projector and give it at least 30 minutes to cool before
you try something like this.
Cleaning the lens:
The coatings on most glasses are different from the types of coatings
on optical surfaces. They're made to be handled with no ill effects.
Projector lenses have the same type of coatings as fine optics:
telescopes, cameras, etc. These coatings can be affected by the oils in
hands, airborne pollutants, smoke etc. Many of these coatings are fairly
fragile. On camera lenses, camcorders etc. I highly recommend installing a
clear uv or skylight filter as protection. Helps protect the actual lens
from scratches, fingerprints etc. Also it can be cleaned repeatedly, and
then discarded at minimal cost. That way you almost never clean the actual
lens itself. If you transport your projector, or have it in any other high
risk environment; on a table, smokey or dusty environment, its probably
not a bad idea to do this too. (if your projector takes screw on filters)
Otherwise the SMART filters, or any other color correction filter you
tweak with will accomplish this too. (the cinema filter on the HS10)
As far as cleaning goes, eyeglass cleaner may or may not be a bad idea.
I don't know the individual formulas to say. Never ever use any
ammonia-based cleaner, windex, window glass cleaner!!! They'll eat most
optical finishes right off.
What you want to use is the same thing you'd use to clean a camera
lens. I don't recommend the 'cleaning cloths' They're fine when they're
brand new, but they tend to pick up dirt. Whether you can see it or not,
its there and it'll leave scratches. I prefer good old kodak lens paper
and lens cleaning fluid. Its harder to find than it used to be. A lot of
camera stores have generic brands, and while they're probably not going to
harm anything, I find that they tend to streak too easily. Otherwise,
check out these links for some other materials: astronomics
edmunds scientific
The pens and brushes are good for 'touch-up' cleanings. Use them when
dust-off doesn't work for little specks. Remember, some dust/dirt on a
lens will not be noticeable. Don't overclean your optics! Every time you
clean a lens you ARE scratching it! Your ARE affecting the optical
coatings. It may be slight, it may be imperceptible, but over time, it MAY
add up. Also, anytime you are cleaning, you are risking damaging the lens.
So, just use moderation.
Cleaning instructions: I assume now you have cleaning paper, fluid and
dust-off(or some type of compressed air in a can.) Blow off the lens with
dust-off to remove any large or loose dust. Take a sheet of the paper and
wad it up slightly. I usually wad it up so that I'm holding it by the
edges, and the center of the paper becomes a little 1/4" dia.
surface. (sorry for the bad description) Do what works for you. Basically
you want a little tip thats loosely wadded to clean with. Take the lens
fluid and place a drop on the tip of the paper. NEVER put fluid directly
on the lens!!! It can run into the side of the lens and get into the inner
surfaces. You do not want to have to have your lens disassembled to clean
it! Take the wetted cloth and lightly rub in a circular motion, (pick one
direction, clockwise or ccw and go with it) working from the outside, to
the inside. You don't want to push dirt to the edges where it will get
stuck, or worse work its way inside the optics. You want to 'lift' the
dirt off the lens. Do not rub hard! Part of the reason for the loose
wadding of the paper, is to keep from pressing down. If necessary (for
more than just dust:smoke, something sticky), repeat with a new piece of
paper and fluid. Never reuse a piece! Usually my last step is to take a
dry piece and lightly wipe (circular motion, out to in) and that will
remove any remaining dust or moisture as well as streaks. Last step is to
blow off any lint or remaining dust with dust off.
Hopefully this will help you do it right. -SDJ
BTW please use care when cleaning optics. Particles can exist airborne,
or in your cleaning materials, that could damage your optics. While I do
stand behind my cleaning methods, which I have garnered from years of
experience and other sources, understand you do so at your own risk.
150 Watt DC SHP (Super High Pressure) Mercury Arc Lamp
lamp life (was 3000 hours, now 4000 hours)
"Longer lamp life with software upgrade - The X1 lamp life
specification has changed from 3,000 hours to 4,000 hours. This upgrade is
effective for all X1 projectors with software version 4.1 or higher. This
change is based on lamp life data we have collected since the X1 was
released. Nothing in the product itself was changed. Projectors using
earlier software versions can be upgraded to take advantage of the new
lamp counter configuration."
"The lamp life is tested using the proposed ANSI method, which
means that lamps are run in projectors for 2 hours on and then 15 minutes
off, continuously, to try to mimic a typical use model. This testing is
done in multiple units. All of our current data show that the lamp in the
X1, on average, meets or exceeds its 3,000 hour rating."
(statement made prior to increase to 4000 hour rating)
Projector settings (brightness/contrast/color) do not effect bulb life.
replacements started at $495 US, have since dropped to about $299 US
Will bulb prices come down significantly, like to the $100 range?
"The material costs of mercury arc lamps (which are the most
efficient light sources in the world for their wattage) are very high. The
purity of the tungsten electrodes exceeds 99.9999% and the quartz envelope
surrounding the electrodes is also ultra-pure so that it can contain the
7,000 degree Kelvin plasma arc. To sell a lamp for $100 right now, we
would be offering it below material cost. That being said, projector lamps
are getting less expensive due to automation, competition, and higher
volume production. For instance, the X1 lamp sells for $299, which I
believe is the lowest price we have ever offered a lamp for in a current
product."
would it be prudent to buy a replacement bulb now and keep it around
for future?
Are there any shelf-life issues with bulbs?
Run your projector for 90 days ... then buy a replacement lamp. Put your
old lamp on the shelf as your backup.
I say this because Infocus only warranties their lamps for 90 days from
proof of purchase. The last thing you need is to buy a $300 lamp, put it
on a shelf for a year, have it pop the day you install it ... and have
Infocus tell you it is not warrantied.
light output over time
normal failure
"For the X1, the failure mechanism for the lamp is that it will
extinguish itself or no longer light due to the arc gap being too big (it
slowly burns back over time). Sometimes the lamp will explode due to
manufacturing defects, but the rate of explosions with this lamp is
extremely low (so low that it is difficult to measure)." The screens on the lamp housing are there to protect the end user and
the projector's internals from glass shards in the very rare case of lamp
explosion.
premature failure
warranty
Small changes in brightness that occur periodically over many minutes are
normal for most arc-lamp projectors. The brightness change indicates a
repositioning of the arc and does not correspond to any serious problem
with the projector. However, if the lamp is changing brightness quickly or
pulsing, then you should get it replaced under warranty.
Firmware is software which is stored in hardware so that it is
persistent even when the device is powered off. In the case of the
X1, the installed firmware operates and controls the functions of the
projector. The firmware in the X1 was designed to be upgradable in order
to add new features or fix problems in existing features.
"CAUTION - For a
successful upgrade, follow the instructions carefully. Avoid interrupting
the software upgrade once you've started it from your PC. Disrupting the
upgrade process by removing cables or disconnecting the power before the
upgrade completes can damage the projector. Projector damage caused by
disrupted, incomplete or aborted upgrades is not covered by warranty. All
shipping and repair expenses for projector service stemming from
incomplete software upgrades are at customer expense."
Loading new firmware erases your settings! Write them down first if
you want to save them.
Follow the instructions. The most commonly overlooked step is
that you must hold down both the Keystone buttons on top of the projector
as you power it up.
X1 Software Revision History
Software Version
Notes/Enhancements
v4.1
29-August-2003
FIXES
Fixed remote mouse issue. Remote mouse now continues to
respond beyond 5 minutes.
Correct Norwegian translation for volume ENHANCEMENTS
Lamp counter now allows 4,000 hours of operation for a
single lamp. Prior versions allowed 3,000 hours. Longer life
rating due to data collected since the X1 was released.
Sync Threshold control in the Picture/Advanced menu allows a
broader range of use with Progressive DVD players. The default
value works for the large percentage of the DVDs and the other
option allows those others that have issues to function. The
Sync Threshold menu option is only available for the Computer
input.
Auto source default setting is "On"
v3.8
19-June-2003
FIXES
Corrects image blanking during power down
Corrects leftward image shift for 720p50, 1080i23, 1080i24,
and 1080i25 sources ENHANCEMENTS
Improves video synchronization with wide variety of source
signals
v3.6
FIXES
The Ceiling and Rear projection modes could not be enabled
if the projector had not synchronized with a source signal.
The image could exhibit occasional instability near the top
when the projector was connected to a 480p video source. The
instability was most visible when a 4:3 aspect ratio was
selected. ENHANCEMENTS
When the overscan option is enabled, the projector properly
centers video images from NTSC and PAL sources. This also
applies to images from 480p video sources.
The projector more quickly identifies a broader range of
signals in any operating mode.
v2.9
Updated French, Portuguese, Italian & Norwegian
translations
Disable debug messages on USB disconnect
v2.7
Flags removed from the language menu
Phone numbers removed from splash screen
Enabled support for Overscan button on Director remote
* It is possible to load SP4800 firmware on the X1 by some minor file
alterations (as discussed here),
or by using an altered set of files circulated as
"X1_or_SP4800.zip" and available from some of the unofficial
firmware download sites listed above.
ScreenPlay 4800 Software Revision History
Software Version
Notes/Enhancements
v1.4
29-August-2003
FIXES
Fixed remote mouse issue. Remote mouse now continues to
respond beyond 5 minutes.
Correct Norwegian translation for volume ENHANCEMENTS
Lamp counter now allows 4,000 hours of operation for a
single lamp. Initial release version allowed 3,000 hours.
Longer life rating due to data collected since the SP4800 was
released.
Sync Threshold control in the Picture/Advanced menu allows a
broader range of use with Progressive DVD players. The default
value works for the large percentage of the DVDs and the other
option allows those others that have issues to function. The
Sync Threshold menu option is only available for the Computer
input.
Auto source default setting is "Off"
v1.3
NOTE
This software version was released for only one day and then
pulled from the InFocus site. The next official release after
v1.1 is v1.4
The recent posting of 1.3 was an error. FIXES
Corrects menu always appearing in the upper left corner,
which is not always part of the display area ENHANCEMENTS
Extended lamp life to 4000 hours
v1.1
Initial release
I have no problem with X1 owners re-flashing their projectors with
ScreenPlay 4800 firmware. I only meant to say that the firmware upgrade
program (called FlashUSB) will not currently allow it with the firmware
files that exist today.
The removal of v1.3 from our website has nothing to do with this issue.
There will be future firmware upgrades for both the X1 and the
ScreenPlay 4800. There are no current plans to modify the flashing
software to allow owners of one platform to flash the firmware of another.
The lamp and the way it is driven is exactly the same in both products. I
would suggest, therefore, that any lamp-related enhancements on one would
also be added to the other at nearly the same time.
firmware versions on different brands?
If possible, obtain the latest firmware versions from your projector
vendor.
Failing that, I've had a report that X1 firmware can be loaded on the
Toshiba MT100. So it is likely that OEM'd code versions identify
themselves to the firmware flashing program as being either an X1 or
SP4800 (depending on which code the OEM'd version is based on). So
those with OEM'd projectors should be able to keep up with the latest X1
or SP4800 code versions directly from InFocus without having to worry
about their projectors becoming firmware orphans. (However, be aware
that unless you have access to original firmware files from your OEM, you
will not be able to restore your projector to the original firmware with
your OEM's logo after loading standard X1 or SP4800 firmware.)
I am having problems with loss of signal (blue screen) issues while
watching DVD's on my X1.
you lose 5 odd seconds.
it seems to happen when there is a flash of very bright light.
Bright flashes causing about a 5 sec. blue screen before resync.
The issue with component video losing sync has been corrected in the
2.9 firmware for the X1.
How can I tell if I have a dead or stuck mirror in my DLP array?
Display an all black screen (800x600) and look for odd pixels, then
display an all white screen (800x600) and look for odd pixels. (you can do
this by setting the Blank Screen setting)
If you don't find any, you don't have a problem.
I sometimes hear a high-pitched whine from my X1, is that normal?
Half the noise on a X1 tends to be the color wheel.
Try this:
Shut the unit down via the power switch, and -immediately- turn it
on again. (Just a quick 'click-click' with the power switch!) After a few
seconds the color wheel will stop turning because it cannot sync to the
bulb...which is OFF...and you will have chance to hear the fans alone. Let
the projector run for a minute like this to ensure that the bulb is
properly cooled. You have to let the bulb cool, as is usual. Then shut the
unit fully off again. You will get the flashing red light, indicating a
bad bulb.. but this is due to the fact that the power supply will not
immediately strike the bulb on again, which is a good thing. The machine
is acting like it is dealing with a temporary power outage...and
protecting itself...which it is!
This will allow you to figure out how loud your particular color
wheel is, compared to the fans.
The bearings on the color wheels naturally get a bit louder as they
age. The change in noise level is usually noticeable. It does not mean
that it is worn out! They just naturally get louder.
Only worry about the color wheel if your machine starts 'flashing'
with weird colored 'double' images, etc. This means the color wheel is
loosing sync. It may 'flicker' in a very, very quick fashion if the wheel
is loosing sync. I mean very quick. Almost like a imperceptible
'flashbulb' kind of effect.
I'm seeing two complete images when I use component input.
You may be trying to send a 480p component signal to the S-Video component
adapter. It only accepts 480i. For 480p you will need the VGA
component adapter.
I connected my DVD player to the component input using an adapter on
the VGA port, but I'm not getting a picture.
Check that your DVD player is capable of 480p (progressive) video.
Ensure that you have it set for progressive. Some players need to be
set in two places. Some players have a progressive switch on the
outside (perhaps on the back). Select the "Computer" input
on the X1.
There were dim dark bands marching up the screen when the picture is
relatively dark. When the picture is white or a bright color, the bands
disappear.
Sounds like ground hum bars to me. If you have cable-TV hooked up to your
system anywhere, unplug it and see if it goes away. You can also try
lifting the ground on the projector with a "cheater plug"
(receives 3 prong plug, but only has 2 prongs). If the cable-TV is the
problem, a video ground-breaker that goes on your cable-TV line that may
help.
I have faint, wide bands slowly scrolling up the screen.
"It is a ground loop, which is caused by a difference between
the signal ground and the chassis ground of the projector. If you have
cable TV (which tends to be the culprit due to its ground being
potentially a half mile away), disconnect it from the wall and the
scrolling bands will probably go away. To fix it you will need an
isolation transformer or you need to lift the ground of the projector
(which is not recommended because you will reduce the safety of the
product)."
My pj is sitting on a table and the image is about 5 feet wide. On
the top right corner, running about a foot and a half towards the left and
the same distance running down the right side,there is a one inch border
of light . I have tried adjusting the pj but cannot get it to go away.
The border you are seeing on the upper right that goes left and down is
the outline of the DMD. If you use a black mask around your screen
this should no longer be visible.
A strange rainbow line appeared. It's a thin squiggly line that goes up
from the bottom of the screen. It is blue red and yellow and kind of
vibrates a little bit. That's the best that I can describe it. Does
anybody know what this could be?
A fiber of something has gotten within the light path. Let the lamp
cool and then blow around the lens and vent areas to try to dislodge it.
My colors look a little washed out and dull. Have you guys played around with the advanced colors settings? I
cranked mine up to above 90 (well, tried it at 70 first, that helped a lot
too) for all three colors now and the picture has come alive with color!
One of my few complaints was it sometimes looked a bit washed out looking.
This complaint is now GONE.
When I first power-up my X1, I have a lot of grey pixels splattered all
over the screen (which is otherwise black). When the picture comes on, all
pixels look completely normal. Is something wrong with my projector? Is
this something a shot of compressed air will fix? In the powered off state, the DLP mirrors can assume an intermediate
position and look gray. Once the chip is powered up, all the mirrors are
back under control of the electrostatic drivers and point in the proper
directions for on and off. So, all the pixels go "normal" once
the power up process ends. I wouldn't be too concerned about the undefined
state they are in prior to chip initialization. If they work during normal
operation, they are fine. Remember, every single one of them is flipping
back and forth very rapidly. A broken mirror would stay in the wrong
state. A blast of air won't do anything for this. The DLP is sealed
so nothing can contaminate the device. A tiny speck of dust would be
enough to jam a mirror so they are built under clean conditions and
completely sealed by a clear window.
