Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: NEC 2500C vs. Barco DP-100

This is topic NEC 2500C vs. Barco DP-100 in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Brian DeCiancio (Member # 1422) on 02-22-2016, 06:06 PM:

Can anyone tell me which of these two Series 1 units produce a better picture and puts more ACTUAL light on the screen using a 6k bulb?

I've read the specs on both, but am interested in real-world experience.

Would you choose one over the other if you have them both in your possession?

I need opinions on these two models only.

Thanks in advance.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-22-2016, 08:42 PM:

You might really be more concerned about which one you can still get all the parts for and which one you can't.

Mark

Posted by Brian DeCiancio (Member # 1422) on 02-22-2016, 10:03 PM:

Good point Mark.

Any opinion on that angle?

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-22-2016, 10:21 PM:

Many parts have been discontinued for the DP-100, not really sure on the NEC. Check with Moving Image Technologies to see what's a go and no go on the NEC. I really feel that the DP-100 is past its end of support life span at this point in time, but there are still quite a few of them out there. I have one customer that has six of them and he buys up other DP-100 just for the parts... There are still a lot of NC-2500's here in Utah. NC-2500's are rats nests inside, but they are extremely reliable.

One thing I will mention is you are better off with a projector that does NOT have a pressurized cooling system as is in the early Barco's.

Mark

Posted by Brian DeCiancio (Member # 1422) on 02-23-2016, 01:26 AM:

I have several DP-100s now, but no experience with the 2500C. I am trying to determine if it's an "upgrade" to replace a DP-100 with a 2500C (the price is VERY right) or to cannibalize another DP-100 that I have at a different location and replace it with something more appropriately smaller.

I have a dead Barco parted out between 3 locations and have a month to get this dilemma figured out. I need something suitable for a drive-in. Again, bottom line, which provides a better image, DP-100 or NEC 2500C?

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 02-23-2016, 03:10 AM:

I am not sure there is an answer for your question. Out of the box I believe the 2500 and the DP100 use the same chips and those are D-Cinema projectors, picture quality is pretty consistent between all of them.

The issue is that any DP100 or 2500 will now have several thousands/tens of thousands hours on their shoulders and the optics inside will have degraded. It also depends with which lamps they've been run, in what environment and how much maintenance they've had.

Expect a drastic drop in light level with an old series 1 - at least with Barco in my experience.

I wouldn't bother replacing a DP100 with a 2500 unless the DP100 is completely dead and you had no spare parts left.

You say 6000W, I have a feeling that if you bought a brand new machine you could go with a much smaller lamp in a much smaller projector [Smile]

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-23-2016, 06:23 AM:

As to the DP100 support...officially, it is gone now. That said, it share most parts with the DP-3000..which remains supported so you can still get most parts. Whereas I don't have any NC-2500s (and no more DP100s), I cannot comment on their relative support nor have I measured both light outputs. I can say, that I'm happy to be done with DP100 support. Then again, I'm happy that my last NC800C is done too. The companies thought about service more and more with each revision and the older machines just are nasty to service. The points about how many hours are on any series 1 are valid...they are all heading to failure...the more ROHS complaint, the more likely.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-23-2016, 09:10 AM:

The one big advantage the 2500 has over the DP-100 is that NEC did not use a pressurized cooling system. I hate hate hate pressurized cooling systems! Barco even abandoned them....

If you can locate a Christie CP-2000SB this would probably be the best Series 1 for a drive in. The thing is a light canon!

Mark

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 02-23-2016, 05:19 PM:

The pressurised system was to allow the projector to be mounted upside down - legacy from non D-Cinema Barco machines.
As long as you have coolant inside and the projector is not upside down I believe you do not really need any pressure in the system. That said yes, older Barco coolant lines were mostly a pain.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-24-2016, 06:18 AM:

I pressurize the series 1 systems on a coolant change but I haven't met one yet that didn't lose its pressure over time with zero consequences. Most ignore the pressure so it isn't really a disadvantage.