A couple Infocus X1 questions.... (1 Viewer)

[Nick Montgomery]

Ron,

Did you purchase it then return it or did you do the free trial thing where you fill out that online form? At the Infocus Store website it says there is a 15% restocking fee for returns.

--Nick

 

[David_J]

I too would be interested in knowing more about infocus's evaluation program.

One question about Projectors. Does your room need to be really dark in order to get such great performance? I've never seen one before, but I always kinda pictured people sitting around in dark rooms when they use these things.

Also, does a bulb really last 4000 hours? And do they go out all at once, or do they gradually peter out?

 

[ChadLB]

David,

The more control you have over the lighting coming in the room the better.

Try the Infocus evaluation program....gives you an idea if the Infocus X1 is for you.

Bulbs: Not sure if anyone has gotten the full hours out of a bulb. Most readings have had info of bulb blowing up, starting to get dim after so many hours....I think the biggest thing would be for instance the Infocus X1 and 4000 hours. I think it could last that long but I think say after 2000 hours you may start losing bulb brightness which will have an effect on your settings on the projector.

 

[Scott Dautel]

Re the InFocus Eval program ... recent posters have noted that InFocus is saying they are temporarily out of loaner units. I don't know what happens if you purcase direct from InFocus, then decide to return in

 

[Ron-P]

No offense taken at all Scott. I would still have the X1 if the rainbows did not bother me so much, it's a fantastic machine. Like I said, they did not bother my wife or daughter, just myself.

As far as the Infocus in home demo goes, when I bought mine, I had 30 days to test it and was allowed a certain number of hours on the bulb, how many I cannot remember.

Mitch, I shipped it back in the same box it was shipped to me in. I went to UPS and ground shipped it back, it was about $15 or so.

Nick, mine was a purchase and return, at the time I did it, there were no online forms to fill out for a trial unit. My guess is they sold a lot and a lot were returned so now they've set up this free trial with a demo unit. Also, when you call to order they will most likely wave the 15% restocking fee. If you return, you just need to deal with the same person that sold you the PJ.


Peace Out~

 

[Jed M]

One question about Projectors. Does your room need to be really dark in order to get such great performance? I've never seen one before, but I always kinda pictured people sitting around in dark rooms when they use these things.

Its going to differ from person to person but I have no problem watching football on my 92" 16:9 screen during the day in about 80% light. As long as their is no direct light on the screen watching movies or tv with the lights on is totally acceptable to me. Though I will admit that its even more jaw dropping with the lights off. I use my X1 basically like anyone would use a normal tv, but like always, ymmv.

 

[Phil_Lunar]

Just received it today for the evaluation program.

Wow this projector look incredible!

I've watch a couple of DVD and I am really impress with the color and black level.

I am using the component to S-video cable, but I will try to find the component to VGA cable to see if it really improve since I got a good progressive scan DVD player.

I just got one problem : I've hooked up my digital cable television through RCA video cable, And the image is good, but I got an annoying vertical black line that move from bottom to top. I've tryed to change my cable, but I got the same result. and my S-video cable is too short to try it.

Should I buy a longer S-video? will it cure the problem?

 

[Scott Dautel]

Phil ....

You've got a ground-loop problem... almost certainly coming from your cable TV feed. S-Video will NOT solve the problem. Temporarily disconnect your cable feed and watch it disappear!

Read all about the problem and solution in this thread

Scott

 

[Phil_Lunar]

thanks Scott, I've rearange my cable, and hooked it up with my computer S-video cable and the ground loop is almost gone...

But I got another problem that is directly on the projector:

there seem to be light variation(like if someone was constently playing with the britness setting) in some kind of loop . kind of hard to explain, but it is a bit like the macrovision protection(but it can't be that, because the projector is doing it even when there is nothing plugged on it)

is this a normal beaviour of this projector?

because it is quite distracting

 

[Nick Montgomery]

I am sad. I am not allowed to get an X1 till after Christmas. :frowning: However, I told my Dad about the X1 and he got really pump about it. He wants to get one now. He said to go ahead and order him one. So I still get to play!

He has alot better room for it than I. His livingroom is 12x22. I have a couple questions.

How low does the projector hang from the ceiling with the mount that Infocus sells on their website?

Can I mount the projector off center from the screen? He would prefer that it not hang down in the middle of the room. What kind of problems would arise from doing this?

The screen I am looking at getting him (If he ends up keeping the PJ) is the Da-Lite Model B High Contrast Matte.
Is this A good choice? The room has lots of windows. They are covered with pretty thick verticals that dim the light pretty good.

Thats all I can think of at the moment.

Oh man I can't wait to play with this thing! Although I am trying not to let my expectations get to high.

--Nick

 

[Nick Montgomery]

I got an X1 today from the evaluation program. I got it set-up projecting a 60" screen on a white sheet. It looks great with the exception of one problem. It has this wide transparent dark horizonal bar that scrolls slowly up the screen. I have it hook up with a 20' NXG s-video cable. I thought it was because of the long run of the cable. So I brought my DVD player over to the PJ and hooked it up with a 3' cable. Still the same thing. I does not do this on my 36" tube. What is this?

 

[Scott Dautel]

Nick ... you're not reading your own thread!

Read up a few posts and youll find another user with the same problem. It is a Ground Loop Problem and is relatively common for cable-TV subscribers with a new FPJ.

Fortunately, the fix is also pretty simple. click over to this thread for all the particulars.

Scott

 

[Kevin.K]

X1 with Time Warner SA3250HD. i have a few questions about images being displayed...
1. i have the STB set to output 480p, 720p and 1080i in 4:3 mode, normal mode
2. projector is set to 4:3 mode.

in the above scenario all material fills the screen 100%. 4:3 screen approx 64"*48". SD/HD does the same thing. it does not appear to be getting HD widescreen correctly.

if i change the PJ to native mode the image is blown up to the point that a face is about 48" tall.

if i change the PJ to 16:9 everything is changed to 16:9 even SD content, then i have to use the STB fill mode to make it 4:3..

does anyone else out there use this same equipment... any help. thanks

 

[Nick Montgomery]

--Hangs head in shame-- I read that when they first posted that too.

I will give it a shot tonite. What I don't understand is I ran the s-video straight out of my DVD player and it still did it.

 

[Scott Dautel]

Ground loops are a real bugger ... here's all it takes:

Cable --> TV XI PJ --> electrical ground
if all are wired together, there you have it .. a perfect ground loop.

Just disconnect the cable completely and watch the interference vanish.

Scott

 

[Nick Montgomery]

Sure enough. I unhooked the cable and those annoying bars vanished. Another thing I don't understand is why they don't show up on my 36" tube TV.

Now I wonder how hard it would be to get my cable company to put a ground loop thing in? Probably slim to none huh?I will probably just have to see if I can find one cheaper than $100.

That Faroudja chip that is in the X1. It is a de-interlacer. It de-interlaces all signals coming in to the PJ except for the vga input. Am I correct?

Does it really make that much of a difference? Or just to a critical eye? The reason I ask is I probably won't be able to actually purchase an X1 for a few months. And from what I have been hearing it won't be in the next model.

There will still be a de-interlacer, just not a Faroudja?

 

[Scott Dautel]

The Faroudja processor will work its magic on any INTERLACED signal sent to the X1. The VGA input is progressive, so no need to de-interlace. Also, if you send progressive out from your DVD player via Component, the Faroudja DCDi is also bypassed.

I think the Faroudja DCDi is a BIG DEAL in this projector. It adds tremendous value. I would think twice about a future version that was without DCDi. Resale values will drop dramatically.

Right now it's just an unsubstantiated rumor as to when & what InFocus will do regarding replacement of the X1 in 2004. There are SO MANY X1 units now in circ, that i'm betting you'll be able to get one well into next year. It just may be that InFocus believes that they went a bit too low when the cut the X1 price in May 2003. Before that, reviewers we calling it a "steal" at $1500.

Oh, BTW ... I saw one ground loop eliminator on the web at $49. Just google it.

Scott

 

[ShalM]

The X1 accepts 1080i input from the VGA port only. Does it mean that the Faroudja DCDi de-interlacer works with that signal ?

Will appreciate this clarification

 

[Nick Montgomery]

I believe the 1080i signal is noninterlaced to begin with. So it would not need to be de-interlaced. But don't take my word for it. I am just guessing. Wait for someone who knows for sure.

 

[Scott Dautel]

you guys really need to read the X1 unofficial FAQ

In the FAQ, section 6.1 says:
X1 only invokes Faroudja DCDi processing on interlaced feeds coming into the composite or s-video/component inputs. The vGA input DOES NOT allow Faroudja DCDi.

There is a component->VGA breakout adapter available from InFocus. The VGA port will accept a 1080i signal & scale it down. This is where it gets puzzling ... my understanding is that all dLP projectors are native progressive displays (In fact I'm certain of it). Thus, 1080i gets converted to progressive (i.e. de-interlaced) somehow ... it seems the Faroudja Chip would be the natural way to do this. However, The FAQ states otherwise.

Scott