To Pe8720 Owners

[mgrobins]

Hi,

I was playing with settings this morning to recalibrate my pj/DVD and discovered something interesting that has a large impact on image quality.

I use many of the internal settings in my dvd player for sharpness, noise reduction, detail etc as well as the pj settings for colour, contrast, brightness.

Inside the "picture" menu for the 8720 is a setting called "filter". it's an on/off setting which allows the "sharpness" setting to be enabled and adjusted. I found that this is on by default and seems to be filtering out or over-compensating for any of the settings for detail and sharpness that my dvd player had. Some time back I queried the very sharp and over-accentuated border definition and ghosting that occurs on images and have found that this is the culprit. Even at low sharpness setting on the pj with this on the image is still overdone.

I turned filter to 'off', which then allowed my dvd player settings to take effect (adjusting them on the fly with "filter" on in the pj showed no change to the image) and the overall image is far better.

Not sure that I have explained this very well but I recommend you all play with this a bit and try using the settings on your dvd player for sharpness and disable it in the pj.

If my camera can capture the detail I'll post some pics.

[The_Preacher1973]

Hi,

I was playing with settings this morning to recalibrate my pj/DVD and discovered something interesting that has a large impact on image quality.

I use many of the internal settings in my dvd player for sharpness, noise reduction, detail etc as well as the pj settings for colour, contrast, brightness.

Inside the "picture" menu for the 8720 is a setting called "filter". it's an on/off setting which allows the "sharpness" setting to be enabled and adjusted. I found that this is on by default and seems to be filtering out or over-compensating for any of the settings for detail and sharpness that my dvd player had. Some time back I queried the very sharp and over-accentuated border definition and ghosting that occurs on images and have found that this is the culprit. Even at low sharpness setting on the pj with this on the image is still overdone.

I turned filter to 'off', which then allowed my dvd player settings to take effect (adjusting them on the fly with "filter" on in the pj showed no change to the image) and the overall image is far better.

Not sure that I have explained this very well but I recommend you all play with this a bit and try using the settings on your dvd player for sharpness and disable it in the pj.

If my camera can capture the detail I'll post some pics.

Glad you finally seem to have it sorted mg. I remeber when you first got the Marantz you mentioned these problems which I hadn't seen with mine. I kind of felt bad since I had recommended the DV9500 to you!

[Foggy]

Thanks for the tip mg.

I'll tinker with this setting tonight.

[Curious]

Thanks for the tip mg.

I'll tinker with this setting tonight.

Hey Foggy/Mgrobins,

I'm doing the tinkering of my 8720 atm and wondered if there was a list of best settings posted anywhere (search has only brought this thread up) apologies if I've missed the obvious

Cheers,

Curious

[Mannah]

There are some stark differences with image quality/brightness/image vibrantness with the projector settings, I've only had a brief tweak, but it is definitely noticeable. With some actual know how I'm sure it only gets better.

[Curious]

There are some stark differences with image quality/brightness/image vibrantness with the projector settings, I've only had a brief tweak, but it is definitely noticeable. With some actual know how I'm sure it only gets better.

Thanks Mannah, care to share your current settings?

Cheers,

Curious

[brodricj]

Try these settings to start with:

Set iris to minimum (unless your screen is 100" or more in which case you will have to open it to increase brightness)

Set lamp to 250w

set black level to 0 IRE

Preset mode to Home Theater

contrast 0

brightness 1

colour 0

tint 0

Filter 1

Sharpness 0

To set Colour enhancement, RGB Gain, RGB offset and 3D colour management correctly you really need the right test equipment. However the factory settings should be close and I wouldn't bother changing them.

[Curious]

Try these settings to start with:

Set iris to minimum (unless your screen is 100" or more in which case you will have to open it to increase brightness)

Set lamp to 250w

set black level to 0 IRE

Preset mode to Home Theater

contrast 0

brightness 1

colour 0

tint 0

Filter 1

Sharpness 0

To set Colour enhancement, RGB Gain, RGB offset and 3D colour management correctly you really need the right test equipment. However the factory settings should be close and I wouldn't bother changing them.

Thanks BJ,

I'll give them a whirl tonight!

Cheers,

Curious

[CAVX]

set black level to 0 IRE

So this projector has an 0IRE setting as well?

Preach might be able to better answer this. I did have a quick play on MG's system, and found that the Marantz DVD players IRE level has to be set to 7.5IRE not 0IRE to pass below black. I was then able to drop the below black stipe into the video black background using the brightness control. I have also seen this on Pioneers DV969. If 7.5IRE equates to PC 16 or video black, why would the setting be labled as such? To me, it makes more sense if the level below black (to pass below black) was called 0IRE...

Mark

[The_Preacher1973]

So this projector has an 0IRE setting as well?

Preach might be able to better answer this. I did have a quick play on MG's system, and found that the Marantz DVD players IRE level has to be set to 7.5IRE not 0IRE to pass below black. I was then able to drop the below black stipe into the video black background using the brightness control. I have also seen this on Pioneers DV969. If 7.5IRE equates to PC 16 or video black, why would the setting be labled as such? To me, it makes more sense if the level below black (to pass below black) was called 0IRE...

Mark

To start with, IRE has nothing to do with whether something is using video or PC black levels. IRE is not a measurement of “black” or brightness as some people seem to think. IRE is simply a measurement of volts in an analogue signal. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS IRE IN A DIGITAL SIGNAL.

The use of 0 IRE or 7.5 IRE comes down to how a display device interprets what black is. In the US, NTSC black levels are set to 7.5 IRE (53.6mV). In Japan, NTSC black levels are set to 0 IRE. In Europe and Australia, PAL black levels are set to 0 IRE.

As such, so long as your display can read negative volts, you will get BTB information regardless of whether you set your display and source to 0 IRE or 7.5 IRE. So long as your display has enough brightness adjustment, you will be able to compensate for using the wrong setting.

[Mannah]

Thanks Mannah, care to share your current settings?

Cheers,

Curious

Well currently I am set at:

Contrast 9

Brightness 4

Color 15

Tint 8

Filter 1

Sharpness 3

EXTENDED PICTURE SETTINGS:

Lamp: Native

COLOR ENHANCEMENT:

Red 20

Green 20

Blue 20

Yellow 20

White 0

Looks fantastic for episodes of Lost where you have lots of green foliage and blue ocean, as well as most other movies. But some black level seems to have been compromised. Having said that, I am also still projecting onto a wall

[Curious]

Well currently I am set at:

Contrast 9

Brightness 4

Color 15

Tint 8

Filter 1

Sharpness 3

EXTENDED PICTURE SETTINGS:

Lamp: Native

COLOR ENHANCEMENT:

Red 20

Green 20

Blue 20

Yellow 20

White 0

Looks fantastic for episodes of Lost where you have lots of green foliage and blue ocean, as well as most other movies. But some black level seems to have been compromised. Having said that, I am also still projecting onto a wall

Thanks Mannah,

More fiddling with my PJ i suspect!

Cheers,

Curious

[brodricj]

....Having said that, I am also still projecting onto a wall

Anyone projecting onto a wall needs to be lined up in front of said wall...and shot!!

Before tinkering with any settings, invest in a screen!!

If you really want your PE8720's PQ to be accurate it needs to be calibrated with the correct test gear (sorry, but the blue filter in DVE etc just doesn't cut it). Once done, I can assure you you'll be blown away by the improvement.

[benthx]

Yes I aggree 100% with you beejay.

Ben

[Mannah]

Anyone projecting onto a wall needs to be lined up in front of said wall...and shot!!

Before tinkering with any settings, invest in a screen!!

If you really want your PE8720's PQ to be accurate it needs to be calibrated with the correct test gear (sorry, but the blue filter in DVE etc just doesn't cut it). Once done, I can assure you you'll be blown away by the improvement.

Oh for sure, hehe, I don't not agree with you. But I just outlayed a fair bit of money to get the PJ itself, so I need to save some more before I can get the screen. The upside of that is I'll get used to projecting onto a rough wall, and then once it is onto a screen I should see a marked improvement.

The one thing I was really blown away by with this projector is the clarity of DivX movies. I watch a lot of TV series downloads (Lost, Heroes, etc) and the sharpness this projector displays is great. On the Pana Ax-100 with its 'smoothwall' technology low res sources were far too flat and blurry.

DVDs obviously are a lot better again, but that was a given Can't wait to test some High Def media.

Oh yeah, gears of war on xbox looked great on it!

[Curious]

Oh for sure, hehe, I don't not agree with you. But I just outlayed a fair bit of money to get the PJ itself, so I need to save some more before I can get the screen.

Well, theres a nice motorised LP Morgan (115") that will be idle soon, once I replace it with a scope screen I might be swayed to part with it for a fair price

(Yes, unashamed opportunitistic behaviour on my part )

Cheers,

Curious

[CAVX]

To start with, IRE has nothing to do with whether something is using video or PC black levels. IRE is not a measurement of “black†or brightness as some people seem to think. IRE is simply a measurement of volts in an analogue signal. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS IRE IN A DIGITAL SIGNAL.

The use of 0 IRE or 7.5 IRE comes down to how a display device interprets what black is. In the US, NTSC black levels are set to 7.5 IRE (53.6mV). In Japan, NTSC black levels are set to 0 IRE. In Europe and Australia, PAL black levels are set to 0 IRE.

As such, so long as your display can read negative volts, you will get BTB information regardless of whether you set your display and source to 0 IRE or 7.5 IRE. So long as your display has enough brightness adjustment, you will be able to compensate for using the wrong setting.

Today I went over to Mgrobin's place to take another look at his system. Preacher, you are (as always) totaly correct on the 0 IRE setting on the projector, but why does the source require its level to be set to 7.5 IRE. The blacker than black stripe of the pluge pattern is not visible at 0 IRE at the source...

The Marantz DVD player is connected by compontent video...

Mark

[The_Preacher1973]

Today I went over to Mgrobin's place to take another look at his system. Preacher, you are (as always) totaly correct on the 0 IRE setting on the projector, but why does the source require its level to be set to 7.5 IRE. The blacker than black stripe of the pluge pattern is not visible at 0 IRE at the source...

The Marantz DVD player is connected by compontent video...

Mark

Mark,

As I'm sure you're aware many manufacturers implementations of things such as passing BTB information leaves a lot to be desired. In this case I'd have to say that either Marantz got it wrong and it's not passing the BTB info, or Benq got it wrong and the 8720 can't read negative volts. It doesn't matter which. The important thing is that you've found a way for that setup to funtion correctly. It's one of the reasons why it's impossible to tell someone what settings to use in order to achieve the desired outcome. All we can do is give them enough information and understanding about what should happen, what could be happenning and what we want to happen in order for them to find a setup that works!

So in this case, obviously the Marantz needs to be set to 7.5 IRE in order to pass BTB info that the Benq can read. As you've seen though, it doesn't matter what setting you use on the Benq. So long as you adjust it's brightness it will display the BTB info. Where it gets difficult though is if you have other sources using 0 IRE, then you will need to recalibrate the PJ for those sources or you will be crushing the low end detail.

[CAVX]

So in this case, obviously the Marantz needs to be set to 7.5 IRE in order to pass BTB info that the Benq can read. As you've seen though, it doesn't matter what setting you use on the Benq. So long as you adjust it's brightness it will display the BTB info. Where it gets difficult though is if you have other sources using 0 IRE, then you will need to recalibrate the PJ for those sources or you will be crushing the low end detail.

Thanks Preacher,

Yes the Benq did have a black level shift when we switched from 0 IRE to 7.5 IRE, but in the Benq still did display the BTB signal...

Mark