Runco's QuantumColor Q-750i Update |
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| *Note: This article is an update to the Runco QuantumColor Q-750i product review. |
| Update To My Q Review - February 2010 |
Jennifer Blasen, of Runco's Home Theater Service & Channel Marketing, read my review of the QuantumColor Q-750i. Jennifer suggested that I contact and get with Eric Guslawski, Runco's Eastern Regional Product Specialist. Jennifer felt Eric would be able to address and resolve my technical issues. I did exactly that. Eric and I set up a date and time to meet at my house. Eric came over and provided a wealth of information and insight into the Q-750i. This review is an update to my original Q-750i review. |
| Let's Get Started...again |
After the introductory formalities, we got right down to business. The first thing Eric wanted to look at was why I was locked out of the ADVANCED tab. I explained that I looked for my setup answers in the manual. I told Eric that it had a lot of gaps and it didn't seem like it was meant for an end-user. Eric patiently filled in the missing gaps. He also confirmed the manual was not geared towards the end-user. Runco expects their Q-750 (projectors in general) to be installed and setup by a certified dealer/installer. It's a very sophisticated piece of equipment that requires an installer to have good knowledge base and training for you to get optimum performance from your Q-750. I really don't want to get into the contents of the ADVANCED tab. Just know there is a vast amount of menus, submenus and setup features. There are also a lot of acronyms. If you want to do your own set up, you'll need to know the meaning of each acronym and its function. Really complicated stuff. I really loved reviewing all of these features with Eric. After reviewing the setup menus and submenus, I have to agree with Runco. You should leave the installation to the professional installer. |
| Out Of The Box |
The Q-750i has four memory banks. Out-of-the-box, they are all set exactly the same. Two of them are not password protected and therefore adjustable on-the-fly. They're supposed to be labeled CUST-1 (Custom-1) and CUST-2 (Custom-2). The operative words are, "Supposed to be". The other two memory slots are password-protected. Those buttons are labeled ISF-DAY and ISF-NIGHT. Look at the image below. It displays two versions of the Picture Memory buttons. The above image is a scan of my supplied remote control. The lower image is a copy of the Picture Memory buttons as shown in the manual. They don't match. The lower image is the correct version. There must have been a huge sale on THX buttons because that button should have been labeled CUST-2 (Custom-2). The CUST button on the remote should have been labeled CUST-1. |
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Below, I cut and pasted page 50 of the user manual: *Custom 1 and Custom 2 contain the factory default settings when the projector is initially turned on. *When you recall the ISF Day or ISF Night memory settings, all settings associated with these stored values are grayed out. This prevents unintended adjustments from being made. For unrestricted access, select Custom 1 or Custom 2. At some point I must have unintentionally selected an ISF button. Hence, my gray-out issue. By the way, ISF is an acronym for, Imaging Science Foundation, Inc.". Joel Silver founded ISF in 1994 to standardized the methods for the calibration of TV images. That way everyone in the business is on the same page. |
| That Darn ADVANCED Menu Tab |
Eric and I did a step by step setup of my Q-750i. Once we got into the ADVANCED tab, I quickly realized why ISF DAY and ISF NIGHT were password protected. It's a way of saving the end-user from himself (or herself). Runco understands that the settings inside of the ADVANCED tab is way out of the average end-users field of experience. I have to agree with them. If you really feel compelled to experiment with the settings, do it with the CUST-1 and CUST-2 settings. If you screw up those settings you can always fall back, with the touch of a button, to the dealer installed password protected ISF memory settings. I want to briefly go over a really cool setting in the ADVANCED tab. Of the eight million settings, The "RSC" setting has the most visual impact. RSC is an acronym for "Runco Smart Color". This feature adds deeper color saturation to the overall image without sacrificing natural flesh tones. If you're a purist, you may want to maintain the REC701 standard. REC701 defines the standard for HDTV. The REC701 won't quite pop like the RSC feature; however, it is an accurate HDTV representation of the standard. |
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| The Best Of Both Worlds |
Here's what I did. I had my ISF DAY set up with the RSC (Runco Smart Color) set to "On". I use that setting for gaming. I really liked the way it makes the game's image pop off of the screen. RSC is also a good setting if you have some ambient light bleeding into your room. Let's say you have company. You're watching a football game with the lights partially illuminated. The RSC feature will help combat some of the screen's washout created by the ambient light. Then again, you may just fall in love with the RSC setting and leave it as your default setting for all viewing. Eric said most end-users do exactly that. |
| Remote Say What? |
As for my original comments on the remote control, I stand by them. Having said that, Eric brought up a really good point. Almost all end-users of the Q-750, and other Runco projectors, rarely use the supplied remote. It's mostly used by the installer. The Q's remote control settings are generally transferred into a universal remote. I smiled when he said that. I smiled because that was exactly what I did. |
3D Or Not To 3D |
I couldn't find any information as to whether or not the Q was 3D capable. The answer was ambiguous at best. So presently, the answer is perhaps. Apparently 3D would require a firmware or software upgrade. That would be awesome if that's the only requirement to go 3D. On the downside, it also may require a hardware upgrade. Worst case scenario? It may not be doable with the current model. |
Time To Go |
| LED technology has been around for quite a while. In the past, LED technology was unable to provide enough light for projection purposes. Well, that's no longer the case. LED is not the future of a projected light source. It's the present. We now see this technology in flatscreen displays, rear projection televisions, projectors and home lighting. It's an efficient and accurate light source that requires very little energy. The Q-750 is the poster child for this technology. As the years go on, I'm sure there'll be more refinements with LED technology. And now, you'll have to excuse me. I've got to go into my theater and play Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 online....again. |