This is my little survey, tell us if you re gonna use pro lens kit and witch LCD you re planning on or you already bought. Share anything you gonna try.

OK, I have ordered the pro lens kit. I have also ordered a Dell 2001fp LCD monitor and a TVbox9. I have ordered just about everything else except the tempered glass and misc. hardware. So I should start building in a few weeks. I plan to take a week's vacation once I have everything in hand and my plans complete. So look for a new PLOG to start soon.

For me, the expense just isn't justified. For my recessed ceiling-mount plan, the varifocus feature is irrelevant, as is the longer throw. Also, I'm confident that a 15" monitor will meet my needs fine, and anything larger will present a packaging problem for my application.

Take it easy,
Phil.

Pro Lens Kit and SGI 1600SW ordered. Video card with VIVO and DVI received and installed in the HTPC the other day. Looking for lamp, reflector, ballast and UV filter/heat shield.

Pro-lens kit will be ordered after my return from vacation in a few weeks. I will be building a new box to facilitate the longer throw, but other than that, I will be canniballizing everything else from my current Lumenlab projector.

I ordered the Pro kit, and bought some pre-stripped samsung 17"er from that techbench guy on ebay.

Yes. Pro Lens kit, SGI 1600SW, EP-1600 adapter (LVDS-DVI), GeForce FX 5900 video card. Vertical folded design. Plan to use MythTV running on Gentoo Linux with DVD-ROM, BT878 video card and PVR-350 card. May add an HDTV card later.

I also ordered the pro lens kit... I'm not sure if I made the right decision or not. My dilemma is the normal lens will project an image too big, while the pro lens MIGHT project an image smaller than I want (the larger box size changes my throw distance -- not sure if it will project too small of an image). I'm working with a preset throw distance that I can’t change (no room to move the projector where it needs to be mounted). I guess I'll find out soon enough.

I bought the Pro Lens kit also buying the Dell 1702FP - ushiro w/ the Blueline.. just waiting for everything to get here so i can get started.

I also 'will' be buying the pro lense, as I already have a Dell 1703fp coming

Pro lens with SGI 1600sw. I hope to construct a 3 fold box, but I have not decided 100%. Until I get it running, however, I will install the pro lens on my 15" projector.

Normal Lens Kit....for now.

I have a 15" Panel and the normal lens kit already...

I didn't want to plunk down too much $ on my first projector.
I look at this one as a learning experience and will build a Pro model
sometime in the future. (Cannibalizing parts of course.)

However, if I manage to ruin my 15" panel I'll be getting a 17" one
and a pro lens kit.

No sense buying another 15" panel if a 17" costs the same
-- jaydillyo

Herecomethebugs, if you use the projection calculator you can figure out what size screen you want, the throw distance, and then the focal length of the pro lens kit. It will tell you what size lcd would be right for you. For those who like a huge screen, but wanted higher resolution, you can go up to a 19" widescreen or a 21" 4:3 lcd. The pro lens kit is 1.6:1 seating distance with a 15" lcd, and drops from there as the lcd size increases.

I already have a projector with a 15" lcd and the old lens set. I purchased the pro lens set and will be building a higher resolution projector (lcd as yet unknown) with an electronic ballast and the best lamp we can find.

yep gunna get a pro lense kit for my next projector.. unsure what LCD yet least a 17" with a nice high contrast ratio more then 500:1 thinking of ither trying to get a Dell 1702FP or some of the new samsungs have nice spec's but a price tag to match

unless i go widescreen... and cut the frenzals, most of the stuff i watch is wide screen so it seems like an option.. though it is nice to beable to use 4:3 at times.. like in some pc games that only have 4:3 rations..

compareing my samsung to my benq the samsung 172x has heaps smaller dots looks smoother to the eye.. and better colour..

will be a folded design for sure.. to keep it as small as posssable

Have ordered Pro lens kit, ushio/el. ballast/mogul and some stuff from Lumenlab store. Norpro from Lighting unlimited. Have a philips 150S4 15" panel. Have trouble finding Lexan glass with xl-10 specs in Norway, so I will probably go with tempered glass. Will probably use the simple design, or maybe fold it with one mirror, have not decided yet. Probably going to use plywood for the box(as I already have some plywood laying around)..


The Edge

I ordered the pro lense kit. I currently have a working projector based off the old lense. It is in the way in my theater, so I am going with the new lense to allow me to put the projector further back and behind the seating.

Ordered the Pro Lens Kit (looks like they are in Chicago!?) I just received the 1600sw from cruser yesterday. He did a great job packing this sweet baby up and delivered everything as promised. I am considering multiple fs mirrors (up to 3). So excited that I have to remind myself NOT TO RUSH.

Actually you should be able to get 1.6 seating distance for both 15 and 17-inches. Use 450(17.72) at 15 inches and 500 (19.69) at 17 inches. I just did the calc for my living room and it works out the same.

Yep

Pro Lens's, SGI 1600, Designing a vertical tower similer to main tower speakers going behind couch.

Have plans to start off with the pro lens kit with 17 inch.

count me in for the users list.

ordered and now waiting on the pro len
using the 17" benq 767-12ms
and a tvbox9
can't wait to try it out

ordered pro lenses,using a 15" hp lcd in a standard long box with dual exaust.geforce fx5200 gpu and powerdvd software. pics are in the plog. i am making a small change in the way i separate the two cooling paths and will put those pics in the plog when finished

I just ordered the pro lens kit
I will start out upgrading my 15" projector and in the future I will do a 17" folded design.......cant wait!!
thanks brain for all the hard work!

Ordered a pro lens kit a little bit ago.
I'll be using it with a sgi 16000sw (this thing rocks)
Video card is an aiw ati 9700 pro (comes with a sweet remote) (is enroute)
Bulb and ballast are from lumenlab.
Will be a standup design for use behind the couch for my first attempt.

Can't Wait!!

Dittos. Ordered this evening.

I ordered the pro lens a few weeks back and will be using a 17" and the standard design.

Pro lens and still debating a 17" or 20" 1600x1200 monitor.
Either way, only one word..... "SWEEEEEET"!

Going to be using the pro lens.

Now the question is, which lcd do I use? I have on hand a 19" Samsung 913V, 1280x1024, contrast ratio - 800 typ., response 25 ms and I have a 20.1" Dell 2001fp 1600x1200, contrast ration - 400, response 25 ms. The Samsung has just a VGA input. The Dell has VGA, DVI-D, S-video and composite inputs.

Do I go for the higher contrast? ....or the higher resolution and more versatile input? Chime in everybody.

Either way, I will be stripping a monitor first unless I missed one of them on the forums somewhere.

hi chickwhite,

i'm very interested in how you proceed with your projector. i also have two of the dell 2100fp monitors. i would certainly go with the higher resolution panel of the dell. for data use and the absence of screen door and other bad artifacts, like horz or vert lines that
crawl on video pans, there is no substitute for resolution. i have already built a projector with the sgi 1600sw, so i would not go below the 1600 dpi, if the dell will strip down.

also, like you said the inputs, rca and svideo, are very nice. i often just hook up a standard all in one dvd vcr player with built in tuner, no computer needed. the chip in the panel does a nice job scaling, etc. plus, if you do use a computer, you can use the DVI in, instead of an analog connector. heck, it makes a great 20"lcd tv thats 1600dpi all by its self.

as far as published specs on cr. i would not worry much about those. i think you would be best off if you just test your monitors side by side. adjust both for the best grayscale, run gray scale ramps and adjust to see the most shades and shadow detail. then compare the two and play a few movies and tell us if the samsung with twice the published cr looks any better at all than the dell. i actually purchased an extra dell monitor for a projector and it would be my first choice, uxga for $700, man you can't beat that. all the best, tony.

Has anyone else' kit come in yet?

yeap

Sweet!!!

I got um.

FYI - Dealnews.com has the Dell 20.5" 1600x1200 monitor onsale tonight only!!! $625 bucks!!!

you guys are lucky!! got a lot of $$$ for this project. Me, cant even get the basic kit lense, though got some good plans in my mind but cant do it becuase it need materials, hope somebody's throwing their old basic lenses .. just tell me which garbage can so i can pick it up ... Just to prove that I can turn garbage into something

Mine came today Thanks Lumenlab!

I have a question. I was unscrewing the lenses a little bit and got some of the grease on the glass and was wondering what was the best cleaner and cloth to use to get it off without putting any scratches in them?


peace

Cotton T-shirt material and pure alcohol (don't use beer).

Knew that shine had a 1000 uses

Thanks



peace

got the zoom lens today! boy thats one mammoth lens brain
its a beautiful thing
Thankyou brain!

now to extend the front of my box...
peter