Just got payed, got some extra cash on me, what to do with it? I could save it for that high power screen material I want to order, but I also wanted to try a coil ballast. Many members hear claim its absolutely painfull to look right at their bulbs, and its totally blinding. That doesn't exactly sound like my bulb. I wanted to try the coil and core for reliability and maybe increased brightness, but I'm not positive it will. The professional screen material will make a definite differance whether my bulb is working to its full potential or not.

The coil ballast is cheaper then the screen so it wouldn't set me back far, but its not a garenteed improvement...

What to do... new ballast new screen

I thought you were getting the Venture setup? I personally would finish the PJ first.

yup, yup, rule of the thumb for me in dealing with troubleshooting is attack the problem at whats most easiest then work to the hardest. Figure you can let go a little for a coil ballast but you will probably crucify yourself if you found out a high dollar screen still gave you little to same result but thats my take on this.

I only got the venture bulb and in case you didn't know my projector has been up and running for sometime.

Well andisharifi highly reccomended this screen material. Its got a very limited viewing angle and he said the brightness improvement was unbelievable. This works for me since my home theatre is very narrow and as wide as the screen itself. I ordered a sample of the material so once that arrives that should help me make the decision.

Hmm. Didn't know you got the bulb. I guess the brightness hasn't changed. If not you should really try a new ballast.

I received my Dalite samples today and just got done watching Robots with the High Power sample on the wall. It definitely pops and has limiited viewing angle. The blacks seemed washed out but the blues,greens, whites, and yellows rocked. I am going to try and adjust with ffdshow to see if I can lower the washed out blacks. I will try and post some pics this weekend.

Oh brightness is better but still not high enough to satisfy me.

just get the ballast.

If you ended up not needing it, one of the two can be sold to recoup the loss.

What are you projecting onto now Mikau. Please tell me its at least a white wall, and not a bed sheet or something.

As for the painfullness. Its not like the second your eyes cross paths with the bulb, you drop to your knees in agonizing scrutiating(sp) pain. But rather your reflexes simply make you revert your eyes off of the lamp. Just for the sake of it, tommorrow night im gonna try to stare at my bulb. I know its dangerous, but Im tired of the, my bulb isnt bright to look at approach.

When I do this, regardless of what the results are. I never want you to bring up that unscientific method again. Can we make a deal?

I would get the screen Mikau. The coil ballast isn't gonna get it any brighter, just more reliable. I think your setup is working fine, your just not satisfied with the performance. I suffer from dark scenes as well when i don't do any adjusting through the HTPC, but when i do, that problem is diminished. When you raise gamma or brightness it tends to wash out some colors, but the HIGH POWER brings the colors back only with much much more authority. Yes the blacks do tend to get washed out just a bit more, but its well within reason, and t thats only 1 color vs. all the other colors that come to life. And you can adjust the black levels down as brianabs suggested, and still have the punch of the HIGH POWER. You'll see what you get your samples just how much of a difference it will make, and i'm almost 100% sure you will get that screen before the ballast.

I agree that you probably just are not happy with the brightness, as that is a very common complaint on the forums, including from me. I will say that my bulb can not be looked directly into, but I have the e-ballast, not the coil. Also, the e-ballast should be more effecient than the coil and give better overall brightness. So, it is likely that you have normal brightness, but our current normal just is not that great. Of course Scuba is correct that you can seel whichever ballast is not as good, but with your well documented troubles with the e-ballast, I think people will be very hesitant to buy yours.

Regarding the screen material. Their really appears to be revolutionary work being done with the LF setups for brightness and contrast. I would wait to see how that pans out before I touched anything else, as this has the potential to give you results similar to those of much more expensive estups, with a much better viewing cone than what you are thinking of getting. Also, the work being done with polarizers is progressing very well also, and looks like it may really ber able to increase lumens. I would not let that money burn a hole in your pocket. I would sock it away until these 2 technologies pan out, whcih for the first time in a long time really look like they will.