Can I use 3 X1's as a 3 chip DLP substitute? (1 Viewer)

[Chandler34]

Hello again everyone. Well after much research into the projectors, I am even more confused. I was curious as to the possiblity of using 3 X1's as a substitute for a 3 chip DLP (a much cheaper alternative no doubt, at this point my budget is aprrox 15K for the projector) Would the brightness be increased 3x's? The screen is a 110x54, can the X1 handle this big of screen? The throw distance is movable up to 24 feet. Inital thoughts were that this wouldnt work, but I am not an expert by any means, anyone care to provide some insight into this?? Thanks guys!!

 

[RobertR]

You want to try to converge THREE fixed-panel displays onto the same screen? I don't think this will work, especially in the absence of any electronic convergence controls, such as those used by CRTs.

 

[Mike Wladyka]

the only idea i can come up with is as follows. i have no idea whether or not it would work, probably not. if you could mod the x1's to only display black and white, remove the color wheel. Then place red, green, and blue lens' on the three projectors and project the image all in the same spot. does anyone else think this could work? i have no idea why or why not it could or couldn't work...seems like it could, of course i have little background in optics...

 

[Eric Samonte]

Isn't that called "stacking" projectors?

 

[Doug_H]

There have been extensive discussions on this at AVS forum and in theory it is possible. You would remove all chance of rainbows and have an incredible picture.

The convergence would be the difficult part but just about anything is possible if you can get the right heads together.

The idea that was thrown around was simply running the green, red and Blues into seperate X1's and converging them. No modifications to the boxes themselves.

 

[ChrisWiggles]

Yeah maybe, but how in the HELL would you be able to stack fixed pixel displays. That would be literally impossible without significant adjustment features and waky lens shifting and such, and keystoning the ACTUAL panels. Good lord. That's like 1,000 times more difficult than just getting a CRT projector...

 

[Neil Joseph]

This is what makes home theatre such a fun hobby but alas, I concur that the convergence would be a royal pain to get right in this setup.

 

[mike_bianchi]

Yeah, interesting theoretical discussion but not very practical. I can set the convergence for polarized 3D in a theatrical setting, but it's relatively simple in a single-strip side-by-side environment. Since it is sync'd (single strip, single projector, lamp, etc.), then one piece of test-loop film of the correct variety and it can be set.

I've never had the displeasure of trying to set the convergence on a two-projector/two-reel setup for 3D.

But, I've often pondered myself if you could do 3D with 2 digital projectors, each with it's own half of the strip and polarized lenses. But this adds the factor of sync'ing the two machines' data as well.

Just setting the two's convergence would be a nightmare but 3? SHEW!

 

[Harry Lincoln]

Here's a thought, 2 projectors - one front proj and one rear proj, twice the brightness, convergence wouldn't be hard at all.

Edit-
Now that I think about it - the screen would be a problem, rear proj would need a different type screen than a FP setup. You might also get light from one proj entering the other.

 

[Rajeev_s]

I dont think this would work, it would still give you black and white picture. You actually need Red only for red picture and certain mix of 3 colors to get others. I dont know how you could seperate all the 3 colors from a signal and send them to the PJs with the color wheels on them.
Can you do that with component video ?

 

[alan halvorson]

Even if you could make this work, wouldn't the resolution end up the same as one X1? It may be brighter, but, for the trouble and expense, I'd want much higher resolution.

 

[ChrisWiggles]

Not to mention again the PITA this would be, but what a stupid idea.

I mean, why waste your time trying to do this with crummy entry-level projectors anyway. Get yourself a single CRT and be done with it, or do a double stack with some. Heck, a Blended double stack would be awesome. Why waste your time with such expense and probably impossible task, JUST to get rid of rainbows. If it bothers you that much dont buy a DLP, it's be a thousand times easier, and cheaper too.

Plus you'd have like triply poor black levels.

Get a 3-chipper, or another kind of projector. Sheesh!

 

[Josh Meier]

He was just throwing around a simple idea, no reason to make such a negative post.

I use one of these "crummy entry-level poor black level" projectors and absolutely love it... It was quite the upgrade to my older projector, and I don't take kindly to someone telling me that something I just spent 1000 dollars on is crummy.

I was actually considering something a similar at first, but then the rainbows aren't really a problem with me, so I have no reason to do it anymore. Anyway, I just thought your post was a bit on the harsh side.

 

[ChrisWiggles]

You're right. My post was, unintentionally, harsh.

I didn't mean anything particularly negative or harsh by it.

My apologies. Perhaps a smiley would have helped lighten my tone.

What I was trying to say, which came out sorta nasty in typing it, was just to focus again on first how impossible this would be. And second, how silly it would be, since the benefit would be close to none, except getting rid of rainbows.

If you want that, for three of these projectors, you could get a pretty nice LCD, or you could get a CRT. And the arguments pro for the digitals still remain (IMO) much easier use and setup than CRT. But trying to do a TRIPLE stack with digitals wipes out any ease of use issues. In which case, why not just get a far superior CRT?

I also did not mean to bash entryl-evel digitals. However, trying to buy 3 of them for a very complicated configuration, again, a CRT would be so much easier than this it's not even funny, and way superior in all regards.

It's a neat, but after some though, pretty silly idea at this point. However, who knows, "stupid and silly" ideas tend to make the best inventions.

Again, didn't mean anything nasty in my previous post. My thumbs down was more the idea. :b

 

[Chandler34]

well, I was more or less just throwing ideas around. I purchased a X1 this weekend to see what this little machine can do and I was FLOORED! I have decided to make my theatre room dark enough to enjoy the projector whenever. This should hold me over (as well as have the option to be used for presentations whenever that occurs) until the 3 chip DLP's start coming down in price. Thank you all for your input (disregarding the negative input) This hobby is indeed a "Macguyver" type hobby where there isn't ever one set way of doing things. Probably why I am into reefkeeping too

 

[Mark gas]

If you need more brightness just stack 2 x1's.