Problems with projector (1 Viewer)

[Inigo]

I have PHILIPS HOPPER SV20 IMPACT. Has around 250 hours, and from the first day the images projected has very bright whites, impact whites. I can't solve it with controls, and is the same using DVD or VCR sources. The screen is a Da-Lite.
Is this normal? How can I correct this?
Many thanks

 

[Neil Joseph]

What is the gain of the Da-lite screen?
orangeman
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[Inigo]

It's a Model B Matte White 1.1 Gain screen. I don't know if this is the correct one for this projector. Improving the screen, do you think whites will be normal?
So you don't suffer this, and the problem is with the screen, isn't it? Maybe I spend not enough money for the screen, just 250$.
Thanks

 

[Frank]

I don't know anything about this projector but from the symptoms, it sounds like it's a single chip DLP type that is optimized for business presentations. If this is true then the only thing that can be done to improve it involves taking it apart and modifying the color wheel. This is not recommended!
Frank

 

[Stephen Dodds]

The hot whites is a common problem with business projectors and is why so few are recommended for HT.
Have you calibrated the brightness and contrast would be the first question.
If so, I can only suggest you try a different screen. A grey screen would give you better blacks and help control the whites.
Steve
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[Allan Jayne]

I would want to suggest a gray filter (referred to as a neutral density filter) mounted in front of the projector lens. This is an alternative to a gray screen, if you can get gray cellophane or "gels" from a theater supply shop you can experiment with multiple thicknesses to see how gray you need it and then order a glass filter with the desired density.
Each time you try a different shade of gray, recalibrate your gray scale using AVIA to see how it looks.
I am guessing that the reason why things seem so bright is that the projector was really intended for a bigger screen in a bigger room.
Also see if the lamp's brightness can be reduced. This is really for prolonging the life of the lamp and reducing image brightness would be a secondary benefit.
More video hints:http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm

 

[Inigo]

Yes, I have calibrated brightness and contrast but problem continues. I would try grey filter first. But I want to know if this problem is common to every Hopper sv20i.
Thanks to everybody.

 

[Inigo]

What is AVIA?

 

[James Peench]

AVIA is a DVD used to calibrate your television and audio. I used AVIA to calibrate my Mitsu WS 55857, and it made quite a difference. I had the TV for about a month or two before I calibrated and I had noticed that it didn't look quite right. The people who delivered the TV had adjusted the settings totally incorrectly. They had the shaprness and contrast all the way to the highest settings - and the rest were not quite right.
I used the AVIA disc to calibrate all the video settings on the TV and noticed a HUGE improvement. While I think most of the improvement was based on the fact that the settings when it was delivered were so wrong, it made a difference regardless. I recommend using something to calibrate your set. There is one other out there, but I can't recall the name of it offhand.
The other thing that it lets you do is adjust your audio settings. I did this too and have noticed that the sound is much more even. I had previously tried to adjust it by ear, but this was much easier.
Anyway, that's my two cents - hope it helps!

 

[Inigo]

I supose I will find this in a HT store, won't I?
Will try
Thanks

 

[Joseph Bolus]

I own this projector (BTW, it's a 3-chip 4:3 panel LCD, 1250 lumens, 200:1 contrast ratio unit, with HDTV and 16:9 anamorphic DVD support via its so-called LIMESCO chip).
The solution is to go with the Stewart "Grayhawk" screen which has been optimized for this kind of projector. The GrayHawk "tames" the bright whites while at the same time allowing for much greater contrast. It also somewhat helps out with the LCD "pincushion" effect. The GrayHawk is expensive but I consider it a long-term investment which I feel will enhance the contrast of any future LCD and/or DLP projector I acquire.
Trying the "grey" filter, as mentioned above, may also help, as well as just making a homemade grey screen. (Try using a color just above the lightest grey paint you can find.)
Also, back when I was projecting just on a white wall, I found that if I used S-VIDEO (which helps out with the black level a little), and reduced the BRIGHTNESS level to almost zero, and placed the CONTRAST at about 85%, I was able to achieve a picture I could tolerate. (It turns out that if you use one of the THX Optimode calibration routines included on a variety of discs, you'll end up with settings close to this.) I would also recommend running your SATURATION control at about 65%; this will help compensate for the CONTRAST being set so high. Again, use one of the calibration discs to help out with this.
BTW, with the GrayHawk, I run with the BRIGHTNESS and CONTRAST both set to 50%; that's how much of a difference this screen makes.
Hope this helps!
Joseph

 

[Inigo]

I have actually set the brightness down to 20%(more or less) and contrast up to 90%. Image quality remains the same with better whites. The problem has not totally gone but now is better than before. Thanks to all of you.