Infocus Projector "Flicker" (long..PLEASE read!) (1 Viewer)

[WilliamG]

Hey guys-

Approximately one year ago our church purchased the LP-500 for the use of PowerPoint projection during worship service. We have also purchased a Samsung DVD/VCR combo player to use with the system. About three months ago, we noticed that the projected image began to 'flicker'. The intensity of this flicker varies from barely noticable to very noticable and there seems to be no regularity to it. In other words, sometimes it does- sometimes it doesn't. I can tell you that when turned on and left on for 4-5 hours, there is very little or no flicker at all. The lamp has 280 hrs. on it.

It may help to know how we have our equipment set up. As mentioned earlier, we have the DVD/VCR combo and I currently have a makeshift monitor (13" tv) hooked up. The projector is ceiling mounted, with the computer cable running from projector to laptop in our multimedia booth in the rear of the building. A yellow ended RCA-type cable is in the composite video jack in the projector. It becomes a coaxial cable with an 'F' connector at the media booth. To this connector the installer added an RCA screw-on adapter.

In order for us to preview and cue DVD's, videos, etc., befor the congregation sees them, I have the coax running to a Radio Shack A/V Selector (A/B switch)"Video Out". A Radio Shack Gold Series A/V cable runs from the DVD/VCR composite "video out" to the A switch "IN". Lastly, an RCA video cable from the B switch "OUT" to the tv/monitor. As you know, this allows the image to be on the monitor, or on the screen, or both- at the push of a button.

Do you see anything in this setup potentially damaging to the projector?

I'm sorry for being long-winded about this, but I hope I have provided some useful information for you to help us solve this problem.

I know this isn't technically HOME theater, but I really need your input.

PLEASE HELP!

 

[Gregg Loewen]

perhaps macrovision from the vcr / dvd combo??

anybody else have a guess??

 

[WilliamG]

Gregg,

You said "perhaps macrovision from the vcr / dvd combo??"

That's assuming we're running the player all the time, right? Really, right now, it's mostly PowerPoint from the laptop; occasionally a video/DVD is shown. As someone - I think it was the King of Siam (Yul Brynner)who said "'Tis a puzzlement to me ...!"

Question: The way I have the equipment rigged through the A/B switch (admittedly the less expensive way out) should have nothing to do with the flicker, correct?

 

[Chris V]

Hi William,

I have essentially the same setup in a church as you do, right down to the Radio Shack A/B box. I have never noticed a problem like you describe, but I have a suggestion. Is there any way that the prjector could be suffering from a voltage drop? Is the projector on the same circuit as a fridge, or air conditioning unit? Perhaps the compressors, or something of the like is giving you a voltage drop? Just an idea to check.

 

[Derek*k]

Is this like a video-sync kind of thing? How long does the projector flicker for? Is it a split second blip?

I'd start by running a completely new cable from the Samsung combo to the projector. I'm not talking a permanent cable, but just one for a test outside of the service. If the flicker goes away, then you know that the problem is in the media booth. If the problem persists, the problem is most likely the projector.

 

[WilliamG]

Chris,

Funny that you should ask about the circuit. Our resident electrician told me last week that he's going to install another circuit at the booth, and hopefully this week, because we had way too many things going through a surge protector. My contention all along is that it may have been "dirty power/low power" causing the problem. Of course, I've been wrong before! But there're 2 or 3 amplifiers, a 12 channel sound board, and an EQ on the same circuit besides what I've mentioned.

Only thing is, we've tried my theory by unpluging everything but the projector; left the laptop to run on its own battery and threw a PowerPoint image to the screen. And it still flickered. So that negates my low power part of the theory. :frowning:

Derek*k,

It flickers intermittently. And not in the same 'area' of the screen. Sometimes it's stronger at a corner than others. Also, see above!

And thank you both for replying!
Do I hear any others?!