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This topic comprises 10 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Author
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Topic: D-Cinema...post your pros and cons of the different equipment
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Julio Roberto
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 938
From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Registered: Oct 2008
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posted 12-31-2009 07:41 AM
Pretty much agree with Demetris.
My only preference is trying to avoid RealD, as I don't like the notion of paying royalties to a third party to exhibit a film. Besides, their system is the one with the worst 'ghosting' (double/blurry image) to the point of needing some treatment to the film to keep it low enough (ghostbusting). On the other side, their XL system provides good illumination performance.
The one that probably gets the best results in the widest range of situations/installations quality-wise is Dolby. But it is also fairly expensive. Needing a LOT of light to use it, the worst in this aspect, doesn't make it any cheaper. Usually has to install a high gain screen, which usually suffers uneven illumination, and expen$ive high-wattage projection lamps. Also, their glasses are very expensive in case of loss of damage and require labor-intensive maintenance (cleaning/drying after each single show ... imagine what happens if your dish washer breaks down on a weekend). Their slightly different color-per-eye makes the neutral-grey areas of the image have a noticeable 'rival-color-cast', but the color artifacts are not too large, nor is the color-correction performed on the servers too degrading or the retinal color rivalry too headache-inducing. Ghosting is almost zero with this system.
XpanD is cheap to install (no new screen needed, cheap hardware), good in light performance, but it's the one with the most expensive glasses just as labor-intensive to recover/clean as Dolby. Even more, since they also need battery replacements almost every month. Also, if they "break", they can just stop working entirely while Dolby's may perhaps be repaired. Also, I don't know why (no need to in theory), there seems to be cases of excessive ghosting reported (I suspect that they come from people with defective glasses or weak batteries).
Master Image offers slightly overpriced hardware (for what it is) with good light performance but silver screen required. Their ghosting performance is better than RealD's but worse than the others. Filters must be kept clean. Glasses are cheap and "trouble free" disposables. Overall, a system that makes economic sense and middle-of-the-pack in performance, specially if they lower the price a bit or you can get a good deal.
Dual-projection like Imax would have an advantage in illumination, performance (good light, low ghosting from passive filters, high quality signal use), your choice of silver screen or not (you can use passive infitec filters and use Dolby glasses or polarizers and use disposable ones), etc. But needless to say you need to buy two projectors instead of one. But since a Dolby system can mean $30k, well, it's not too far off from a new projector. Having two projectors can mean you can buy two-cheaper, smaller lamp models instead of a single, more expensive one that can use a higher wattage lamp for 3D. And you can always use the second projector as a spare one or something (i.e. more of an valued-investment than a Dolby wheel).
As you can see, no system is perfect. I think that as long as you avoid RealD, any of the others is a good choice. If losing expensive glasses is an issue in your market or the added labor is a problem, your only real options are Master Image or passive filters dual-projection.
How is your experience with XpanD? Do you lose many glasses to breakage/theft? Do you get complains of ghosting? How often do you have to change the batteries? Any issues cleaning them, like water spots etc?
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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!
Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 05-21-2010 09:58 PM
A big "pro" goes to Barco for their convergence design as implemented in the DP2K series.
This is an improvement over their already superior design, I might add.
While most projectors come (from any manufacturer) with convergence pretty close, rarely are they perfect everywhere (if you really look) but normally, it is more trouble than its worth to try to get it that last little bit.
Those familiar with the series 1 Barco projectors will recognize the system but it has changed in a couple of ways. First, one no longer needs the reeeeeaaaaaalllllyyyyy long allen drivers for the red alignment. In fact, one need not use ANY TOOLs except to get the covers off! There are 6 knobs mounted on flex shafts, each numbered (and color coded). Barco has a new convergence test target too. This target has numbers to tell you which knob to turn while looking at that target. There are really just three locations to adjust for with a specific knob for each .
The other big change is you don't have to loosen the DMDs to adjust them...they are pretensioned.
Since Blue is the chip that isn't easy to get to, it is the "fixed" dmd and the other two are adjusted to it. So you adjust Red to align with the blue at the three locations, then do the same with the green referenced to the blue. You do have to "go around" a couple of times since the controls are interactive but when you are done, it is pretty close to perfect. You can then load a target that puts the "star" pattern in many places over the screen to verify that all is good everywhere.
If you use the USL convergence camera (which I consider essential for doing a proper convergence), this should be a 15 minute job from start to finish and the difference it makes is pretty stunning since you don't get that color fringing and the overall sharpness seems to increase.
Steve
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