Sony vph-1252Q and 1271 questions

[buschdogg]

Hi guys. I just got into crt projection a couple weeks ago and LOVE it. I always wanted a projector, but I never thought it was practical because I know I'd want to use it for TV/Gaming/Movies/computing (I'm actually writing this on it right now, lol.) and paying 3-400 bucks every time a bulb wears out just wouldn't be worth... so it's great, not to mention the fantastic support / community for crt projectors.

Anyway, I had a couple questions... first off, I actually have the possibility to upgrade my projector already... my boss wants a projector at work to run constantly... I told him that a crt would be much more cost effective for what he wants to do (rear project onto a screen in a window...), I also happened upon a fellow selling a Sony vph-1271 projector. I told my boss if he buys one, take mine (for the price I get the 1271 for) ... or I'll just give him the 1271... so my question is... is the 1271 a better projector than the 1252? I've read it's noticeably louder, which scares me... because one of my next questions is how do I quiet this thing down? I know it's just fans.. can I open up and replace them with silent fans for pc cases, or will that give me some sort of error and shut down the projector? Also, how easy is it to get to the fans, because it seems the loudest culprit is in the bottom and front of the projector.

Finally, on my 1252 (and I assume this will be similar in the 1271 if it is indeed better) A) What are good resolutions, (I'm currently using it at either 1280x768 or 1366x768, as well as 480p, though I intend to get a transcoder to use for 1080i/720p... and, is there a way to save the setup data when switching resolutions? I want to switch resolutions, but EVERY time I change sources or switch to a new res, I have to recalibrate the damned thing because it goes to the initial, unconverged, skewed, mess of an image... that said, if I do the setup on that resolution then switch back to my old one, will it still be calibrated for the old one? Does it store data for ever resolution/refresh rate or just the current and last used one?

I know this is a long post with many questions, but if you know the answer to any of them, please let me know.

Thanks!

[TVrepairman000]

Hi

First of all welcome to the wonderfull world of the CRT projector.

I beleive the Sony VPH-1270 / 1271 and 1272 offers a better max resoution up to 1280 x 1024

The VPH-1250 1251 and 1252 I belive have a max of 1024 x 786

I beleive the 127x series has a higher video bandwith than the 125x

The differance between the VPH-1251, 1271 and 1252, 1272:

The VPH-1252 and 1272 use 07MSP CRT's that are slightly brighter than the 07MP, The VPH-1250, 1251, 1270, 1271 use 07MP CRT's

All the 1250, 1251, 1270, 1271 are basically the same chassis using the same parts.

Adding 2 extra boards not fitted in the 125x (from a dead 1270 / 1271) will basically turn a 125x into a 127x

Not yet having seen a VPH-1252 or 1272 I cannot comment on the chassis differances but I have read that they are a bit more noisey possibly due to them getting hotter quicker with the brighter 07msp tubes.

See this site for some pictures maybe you can see some differances between them.

http://www.john-mears.co.uk Click the link on the left "Sony VPH-1271QM Projector"

Also a guy called Curt Palme who is in the US has a website with loads of CRT info inc Sony so I highly recommended giving it a look.

http://www.curtpalme.com

To minimise noise, I would first oil the fan bearings with 3 in 1 or even Castrol GTX, the small one inside blowing though the heat sinks between the huge top circuit boards and the ones on the PSU this will reduce the noise slightly.

Completely silence, build a hush box, it is really the only proper way to go as the fans are there to keep it cool, slowing them down (by dropping voltage though diodes & resistors or home made regulators) will make PJ run hotter, reducing the life of components.

You could try to find and fit some Panaflow (Matsushita / Panasonic) DC brushless fans, these are very very good quiet fans but they will need to have the 3rd yellow wire (fan speed / stop sense) otherwise the PJ will never power up / shut down giving the fan error code on the LED block panel.

Resolutions I am running RGBHV from PC 1024 x 768 @ 75Hz and I get an excellent picture, I play DVDs and any AVI / MPEG though PC.

Nintendo Wii uses Composit video input, which is pretty darn good @ 120 inches!

Sky + box is hooked up though a Scart RGB to RGBHV converter and feeding a second RGBHV input card (I have 2 RGBHV input cards) again gives good clear image.

The HD resolution I would look for the specifications chart on Curt Palme's site that will tell you what you can get out of her.

The projector should remember the convergence for the input and frequency of that input meaning if you swap from a PC thats outputting 1024x768 @75HZ to a differant one putting out 800 x 600 @ 65Hz providing that the images from each PC have each been setup, converged and saved prior it will remember.


Hope this helps.

TVrepairman.

[buschdogg]

Wow, thank you X 1000.. I couldn't have asked for a better response.

Actually, I do have one more question... you said "panaflow" fans specifically.. but will any fan work so long as it has that yellow wire? I think a visit to www.newegg.com might be in order...

Also, does anyone know the exact number of fans in the unit (for ordering purposes.)

-Josh

[TVrepairman000]

Hi

Yes any DC brushless fan will work like the ones found in PC cases as long as they have the 3rd yellow / white wire, I recommended Panaflo or even Papast as they use proper ball bearing bearings not the cheep crappy brass sleve, they are also quite quite.

There are 2 fans on the power supply, 2 on the top main board, one on rear back side and the last on is on the back of the middle heatsink below the stand buy LED's and IR pickup

So 5 x 80mm x 22mm with the speed scence 3rd wire and 1 x 40mm x 12mm noraml no 3rd wire.

All are 12 volts DC

A good place to look for fans would be www.uk.farnell.com www.cpc.co.uk www.rswww.co.uk.

Any decent online computer parts distributer like Scan computers or even overclockers should also sell these size fans as chassis cooling fans.

Hope this helps

John

[buschdogg]

So... I bought apevia fans... they don't cause the projector to shut down.. however, they also don't do anything at all... any ideas?

[TVrepairman000]

Originally Posted by buschdogg

So... I bought apevia fans... they don't cause the projector to shut down.. however, they also don't do anything at all... any ideas?

Hi

After further investigation with an Oscilloscope and by pulling my PJ apart I have found a solution.

The fans you have probably bought are 12 volt DC 3 wire fans (red black and yellow) that are for use with PC motherboards.

The issue with these PC fans is that on the yellow wire they stick out a square(ish) pulsing wave (frequency of pulse vary with speed) that has a positive voltage, what I expected the original PJ fans to do, Doh

The original PJ fans due to the way they get their power, the fans positive red wire to GND and the negative black wire to a - 12 volt rail, the output from the original fans yellow wire is a constant minus -12 volts and when the fan is slowed down or stopped the voltage drops up to about minus -8 volts and then the PJ shuts down.

I now have a solution, it is tested and working on my PJ with a Thermaltake PC chassis fan.

Using your new fans first of all tape up the yellow wire as this will now not be needed, then cut the connector plug off the old PJ fan's leaving a couple of inches of wire.

On the now cut off plug connector, strip the yellow and black wires and join them together.

Now connect the red wire from new fan to the red wire of the connecter and the black wire from the new fan to the now black and yellow wires on the connector, solder together and tape / heat shrink for a good job.

We are now basically fooling the projector by shorting the fan sense to the minus -12 volts, the logic on the CPU board now believes the fans are spinning ok and hay presto the PJ works.

Got there in the end (o:

Happy Christmas

John

[buschdogg]

FANTASTIC, MATE! Good work! lol, I wish I had thought of this... I will definitely be switching entirely to silent fans... any ideas on the easiest way
to get to the fans inside of the unit?

[TVrepairman000]

Hi

Yep you will need to take PJ to bits, it’s a bit of a pain but everything unplugs and unscrews easily and you can't plug the wrong things in the wrong socket as they are all different sizes.

First unplug projector and leave for a while to let caps in PSU discharge, leave unplugged from mains supply while working on it.

Remove the top vented panel by undoing 2 screws under the flap if you still have it attached )o: (they are captive screws so they cannot get lost) then sort of lifting and sliding towards back of PJ the vent bit will lift up / come off.

Next remove front (around lenses) by pressing the now exposed 2 clips down and sliding front top forward, it then simply falls out. (Is hooked in on bottom but no clips)

Now remove the next 2 black screws that hold the main hood / cover on, they are now exposed and near the built in remote. once undone simply lift front like the bonnet of car, again back is just hooked / clipped in, it may sound nasty as they come unclipped but its ok they will not break and then remove cover / hood.

Right all the fans (except the PSU fans) are visible 2 x top, 1 x small fan on back of heat sink (shiny long metal thing) and 1 x rear side, all wires are easy to get to.

The PSU you have to remove 2 captive black screws from the front left and right side (sort of half way down the sides on a bracket arrangement) then slide the PSU forward and unplug the wires from the circuit boards on the top of PSU basically unplug the lot, again they only go where they fit so cannot get mixed up, there is also 2 x multi plugs that need to be disconnected as the wires go to the rest of the PJ you cannot miss them.

You could take all 3 lenses off if it helps to get to the wires to unplug but you still have to slide the PSU out a bit so you can get to the bottom lens screws.

You may have to unclip the wires from where they go though clear Perspex on left hand side of PSU (from front), there is also 1 x black ground wire that has a spade terminal that unplugs from the side of the CRT chassis mounting or you can unscrew from back of PSU, either way is good.

Simply remove all the screws from the top cover of PSU from all 4 sides and lift off the cover, you can leave the boards clipped on the top metal cover as they don’t get in the way.

That’s it change the fans short the yellow and blacks and hay presto if the fans are good you now have a somewhat quieter projector.

Have fun

TVrepairman000