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[Austin Meet] The end of an era. (1 Viewer)

Jonathan DA

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 11, 2002
Messages
1,032
My fellow HTFers...Long ago humankind set out on a dangerous journey that has led us from the [insert humanity's place of origin according to your belief system] from which we have clawed our way to the top of the food chain through an ever advancing state of technological improvements. From the first tools used to collect insects from rocks, to scythes, to the industrial revolution, where the west created its first real middle class. From there, steady advancements endowed us with such gifts as "free time", wherein technology also stepped in to occupy us with such marvelous inventions as radio, and eventually movies. The advent of movies, and later television, created an entire industry around entertaining the masses. In time, those masses lucky enough to be part of the middle class decided they could further improve the movie experience by recreating it at home. Early home theaters were crude by today's standards, with CRT projectors displaying video in dim 480i images. As technology marched on, home theater enthusiasts were struck by a peculiar disease--Upgraditis! Each and every technological advancement slightly improved the image on their beloved CRTs--line doublers, line triplers, laser disc! The possibilities were endless. Soon though, an entirely new projection technology arrived on the scene--the digital projector. LCD came first, then LCOS and DLP. Serious home theater enthusiasts scoffed at these early digitals with their lousy blacks and poor contrast. But as always happens, technology advanced and the digitals soon began replacing CRTs in HTs everywhere. A few brave souls continued the good fight though--hooking their CRTs up to high powered computers to created integrated playback/scaling systems that still bested all but the most expensive digitals. Time marched on. Technology advanced. And the day has finally come...the end of an era...

Edit: New Date--Sunday, July 9th, 2006 The Barco CRT begins a new life
Come see the final showing on a CRT projector at the Mirus Miniplex!
Get your souvenir photo taken with one of the last CRT projectors!
Tell stories of the "old days" when it took six people to mount a projector!
 

Mark Hayenga

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 11, 1999
Messages
607
I thought they were working you too hard to have the time to post like this? :) Also, I'm assuming this means you pulled the trigger on the IN76? If so, I'm sure we can still manage a good half-dozen folks to put it on the ceiling and help calibrate it for you :)

And I wouldn't miss it for the world.
 

Jonathan DA

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 11, 2002
Messages
1,032
I haven't ordered the IN76 yet, but probably will once I get back from the July 4th weekend. The Barco is already sold, so it's definitely coming down.
 

Hank Frankenberg

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 13, 1998
Messages
2,573
Not trekkie, trekker. Pay attention boy. You know, I just had a thought: if you'd cut TV out of your daily activities, your IQ would increase, and you'd have time to find gainful employment. :)

Live long and prosper.
 

Jonathan DA

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 11, 2002
Messages
1,032
Ok peeps, I have to change the date from Friday the 7th to Sunday the 9th.

I haven't seen many responses; where's the love? So far I have 4 confirmed, there's plenty o' room for more. We have to give the Barco a proper send off!
 

Jonathan DA

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 11, 2002
Messages
1,032
It's not really ending so much as moving on. It has a nice new home waiting for it. And one anxious new owner ready for me to get the thing off my ceiling :)
 

Jonathan DA

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 11, 2002
Messages
1,032
OK, we're still on for Sunday for anyone who can make it.

We'll start around 4:00, throw some food on the grill around 6:00 and then hang out till whenever. We will of course pull the CRT off the ceiling at some point as well.

The new owner of the Barco is a filmmaker and has worked on indie films, as well as directed a few shorts of his own. I'm going to show a few of his short films Sunday, as well as the one he did recently for the 48 hour film project. If anyone has questions about filmmaking, this is a great chance to talk with someone who's been in the business.

See you at 4:00 tomorrow.
 

Jonathan DA

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 11, 2002
Messages
1,032
Nils, Linda, Hank, Mark, and all you non-forum friends,

Thanks for coming by and helping to send of the ol' CRT in style. Hank, you missed the antics of actually pulling the beast off the ceiling, so here are a few photos.

"I'm sure it won't fall if we only remove this one screw..."
http://static.flickr.com/62/18703296...ed15e3.jpg?v=0

"This is NOT what it looks like!" Or so Mark would have you believe.
http://static.flickr.com/64/18703450...a43468.jpg?v=0

Success! Well, sorta...
http://static.flickr.com/61/18703450...d1a4bb.jpg?v=0

Why are they so coy? Oh yeah, Raelene just passed on the rules..."Don't let him touch the convergence once the movie has started."
http://static.flickr.com/44/18703450...659876.jpg?v=0
 

Parker Clack

Schizophrenic Man
Moderator
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Messages
12,228
Location
Kansas City, MO
Real Name
Parker
Ok. Who is who in the pictures?

This makes me miss Tejas but not Houston. One of these years I would love to be able to make it down to Austin. I only went there once but would love to make one of these get togethers.

Johnathan:

Now you can build a large screen for your backyard, use the Infocus and have a large drive in movie outing.

Parker
 

Mark Hayenga

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 11, 1999
Messages
607
I'm the fat dude in the blue shorts :)

Parker: I'm trying to host a DIY Audio (mostly speaker builders) get-together sometime this fall. So far we have 46 people from around the state interested in attending. If you'd like I can put you on the email list we have for distributing information about it. It will most likely be held in Austin.
 

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