Um.. with over 2700 topics in the Help section, I feel like a heel starting yet another, but I can't find this question anywhere.(see third paragraph below!)

I want to start with a Haas box, (I can build it myself), but want the standard lens kit, due to the fact that I want to start "small"?... Also, the price, if I may be so bold to say.. I ain't rich by any stretch of the imagination.. I do believe in buying a decent monitor, tho, cuz thats the heart and soul of the rig, ain't it? I had my eyeballs set on that Samsung SyncMaster 510n for 190 bucks.. but somewhere in a topic here on these forums stated somebody's problems with them.. so I ain't too sure.

My friend runs a computer repair and sales shop in our small town, and he thinks I should go with a 20" monitor, cuz basically, I could buy used from him, since that's all he has right now. (This' a guy I trust - I normally don't do business with him as he IS a friend, and I choose to KEEP it that way, but the offer of buying one from him that I know works, and doesn't have the dead pixels in the wrong places... is enticing, indeed.)

FINALLY, my question:
Standard lens(kit) is sized ONLY for a 15 inch and below? PRO lens is for 17-19"? Whaddabout the people who have 19" LCD's? Smoke and mirrors? Is the money I save from buying a 19" monitor gonna be absorbed by the extra 200 bucks for the Pro lens kit? That shoots the "start small" mentality... :angry: Don't get me wrong.. I don't have a problem paying for a quality 15" Monitor..It's just that It'd be cheaper for me to start with this Friend's used one!
ANOTHER question: What does the info about Brightness mean?
(The specs for the 510n are as follows:) What do all these specs mean to me? I'm looking at Contrast ratio, Response time, Pixel Pitch, Resolution, and maybe aspect ratio..The rest is Greek to me!
The Samsung SyncMaster™ 510n is a 15-inch analog TFT-LCD delivering a 450:1 contrast ratio, 250 cd/m2 brightness, 1024 x 768 resolution, 140/110 degree viewing angle and scanning frequency of 30-61 kHz horizontal and 56-75 Hz vertical. It features a narrow bezel design, MagicBrightTM and MagicTuneTM



This surely won't be my last question.. I expect to misunderstand MUCH more to come...

hmm, well as far as I know you won't gain anything from the 20 inch, it'll be alot harder to work with as far as lenses go (I think)

You could get a 17 Inch and have HD with a fairly small price, I've seen alot of people use that Samsung 510N though, You should run a search for it, I think you might be better off w/ a 17" or that 15"

But I'm the dumber one of the crowd, someone will be along any second and give you A better idea.

HAPPY BUILDING though!

Jefftt... north central ND eh? I was born in Minot... military brat. 13 years at the airbase... now my folks and his Air Force buddy have a farmhouse in Makoti which is now a summer retreat of sorts with fishing at Sakakawea.

Anyway... to your quesion.

I would say you were better off with a known good panel than one no one has ever stripped. The 20" is probably too big for the pro fresnels and you may encounter an FFC issue. It is still unknown how well the pro lens will project a 20" panel. Your throw is diminished with larger panel size... The contrast ratio may be too low.

The brightness spec is irrelivant as it refers to the backlight which we do not use.

The best options right now probably would be either a Standard 15" projector or a 17" Pro lens setup.
Even though the Pro Lens is still very new, I have no doubt we will be seeing some amazing results soon.
The longer throw and higher resoultion make the pro setup very tempting...

Probably the worst thing you can do is buy before you have a pretty good idea of what you want out of the projector.

You really need to decide where you want to use it... what picture size... what throw... what resolution... Can you live with the box in front of you or over your head at an angle that you will have to keystone correct the picture?(15" standard short throw)... The pro setup would allow you to set the PJ behind you where you could set it level and not have to worry about keystoning.

I guess what I'm looking at is a wall that's 9 feet wide by 7 feet tall, but I will be seated only about 10 feet away. I had already made the decision to have the pj in the middle, sort of between the two of us, as in built into an occasional table or something.. The keystoning shouldn't be too bad, then, since at worst, it'll be mounted a little low.. I looked at the calculator, but yaknow.. I don't really know the specs on those lenses. I know I need a 13.64" focal length (?) Other coordinates being 15" monitor/120" away, and 117" picture. Just a guess as right now. If I knew the f/l of the standard lenses, I could prolly deduce a smaller picture, huh?

I thinks I talked myself into a 15" monitor. Unless Jesus hisself plops something better down to me.. If 450:1 is too low a contrast ratio, then what is optimum? The free guide, I think, says ya should have at least <quote>For the 15” projector an excellent panel would be a 1024x768 (XGA) monitor with a 400:1 contrast ratio, 15ms response time and .28 dot pitch.</quote> ...that's all I'm going by. If someone has a reason to sway me t'wards a 750:1 with a (insert single digit here)ms response time, lemme know now, cuz I plan on starting purchases within two weeks!

O/T:
That's pretty cool.. Somethin pretty sweet about livin right under a bunch of '52's! thats one powerful bird!
(My respect for military people is high)

Thanks people!
-Jefftt

I should have been more clear, the contrast ratio on the 20" panel may be too low(unknown). The Samsung is fine. It's a good choice to stick with the 15" panel Standard projector considering the throw and placement you are looking for.