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Author Topic: ACS-2048 Scaler Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-27-2014 04:50 PM                     Barco has apparently discontinued this scalar and they are now offering the high end Geffen in it's place, they even sell a complete cable kit to go along with it. I have never been impressed by Geffen's smaller scalar's which seem to leave a lot to be desired. Has anyone used this new Geffen yet and what is your opinion of it? Thanks! Mark  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 04-27-2014 06:12 PM                     Huh? Are you sure Mark? http://www.barco.com/en/Products-Solutions/Options-accessories/Other/Alternative-content-switcher.aspx Barco is not showing it as discontinued. Christie is who sells the Gefen scalers (of the projector manufactures) as does Film-Tech. As far as DCinema scalers go, the ACS2048 was/iS BY FAR the best. That is, if what you wanted was actual scaling. For instance if you had a DVD with say a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, it could scale that up to prevent letterbox bars, regardless if it was with an anamorphic squeeze or not. However, in order for it to do its magic, one has to understand what you want it to do and put in the correct amount of "cropping" to have it magnify just right. Though HDCP compliant, it is VERY FUSSY about HDCP. If one hooks up a BluRay to it and then right to the projector...generally, there are not problems...if you have other things in the HDMI/DVI switching scheme...like say an Audio de-embedder or A/V receiver...you may have HDCP handshake issues. It all depends on the player and the devices you have upstream. We have used it rather extensively in some of our more sophisticated systems. The truth is, the need for scalers is diminishing as consumer content moves heavily to BluRay and other 1080p capable sources. Furthermore, the scaling engine with current ICP software running in series 2 projectors can also scale HD content and eliminate letterbox bars or deal with anamorphic squeeze source material, if you know how to set the SOURCE parameters of the ICP. I carry around PCFs that are set for the popular ratios and they work on any DLP projector. So what is left for scalers is to deal with are non TMDS sources like SDI/HDSDI. If you have a Christie or and NEC with a "legacy" module...then you already have a direct SDI spigot...which is best anyway. Failing that, using an AJA or Black Magic Design converter, one can get SDI to DVI pretty easily though one has to watch out for PSF formats since they are not really part of the TMDS world...the converter would have to put it in a proper HDMI format (the right AJA should do it fine). As for Gefen, I've never really liked them. Their scalers are so-so and their accuracy of getting the image right isn't there. The current A/V Cinema Pro III (black case) handles the low bandwith Dolby and DTS now so you are covered on the sound though you are only going to get discrete 7.1 if your source can output LPCM. However, if you need just a box that will deal with sound and provide a single point of entry for BluRay, Cable, laptop...I suppose it is a way. Remember, the ACS never dealt with sound. The most direct alternative to the ACS is the more powerful but much more expensive ImagePro II. http://www.barco.com/en/Products-Solutions/Image-processing/Presentation-switchers/All-in-one-video-scaler-scan-converter-and-switcher.aspx What is it you are trying to do?  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 04-27-2014 06:16 PM                    When do you use it? (Simultaneous post...Steve gave an example)  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-28-2014 08:50 AM                     At Cinema Con we we told by Barco to order the Geffen Scaler. The guy from Barco even took us over to Troy in the Strong booth and told him exactly what to sell us. I thought that a bit odd but with so many scaler's out there perhaps Barco decided to stop making it. This is going on a DP-2000 and the customer wants to be able to feed any content source into it, Blu-Ray, cable and any odd sources that people renting the theater may happen to bring in. So including a scaler is actually necessary on this job. The projector will also get a new Gore Board at the same time. Mark  |  IP: Logged Antti Nayha Master Film Handler Posts: 268 From: Helsinki, Finland Registered: Oct 2008 posted 04-28-2014 10:03 AM                     This news almost makes me want to stash a couple of those trusty old ACS-2048's...  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-28-2014 11:34 AM                     Perhaps one of the Barco dealers on here could check this and see if it s indeed true or not true. I would rather cancel my order with Strong and get the ACS-2048 instead if it's still available. The sound processor they already have will handle Dolby Digital off Blu-Rays and many other formats so they are pretty well covered there. Mark  |  IP: Logged Steve Moore Expert Film Handler Posts: 211 From: Leeds, West Yorks, UK Registered: Apr 2008 posted 04-28-2014 01:12 PM                     When I looked at prices on the Gefen AV Cinema Scaler Pro I and II a year ago in the UK as an alternative to the less than reliable CineIPM 2K I was told by the UK dealers that the gefen's were discontinued and no one had any stock. I've been trying to locate a Barco one 2nd hand for the last year!  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 04-28-2014 05:55 PM                     Since you are using a series 1, you almost have to use a scaler for all but the most basic stuff. I'll find out and report back. The Gefen is now on the version 3 and is only available via the Cinema industry. Film-Tech is the best source (or a Film-Tech dealer)  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 04-29-2014 05:35 AM                     The ACS-2048 is still available. In fact, they just released a new software update today. Feel free to switch your order.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-29-2014 10:12 AM                     Thanks for checking!  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-29-2014 01:19 PM                     We are checking with Strong to see what the deal is-was. It appears to me they just wanted to sell us either what was in stock or perhaps they do not have access to the Barco scaler. At any rate, we're going to try to nix the Geffen and get the Barco. This theater is located relatively far away and I don't need any issues after the fact. Mark  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 04-29-2014 02:27 PM                     There is currently a long lead time on the ACS, June I was quoted recently as earliest delivery! Been using these lately; http://www.calibreuk.com/product_pages/digital_cinema.php I really do not like the Geffen very much.  |  IP: Logged Geoff Newitt Film Handler Posts: 49 From: FARINGDON, OXFORDSHIRE, UK Registered: Dec 2011 posted 05-06-2014 10:50 AM                     I'm always slightly surprised when people sing the praises of the ACS-2048 - our teams have never got on with them at all. I wonder what we're missing? They seem a bit flimsy, too - the BNC sockets seem to be only pressed in, prone to working loose and becoming unreliable. I'm with Pete - those Calibre units are pretty good, our default scaler nowadays.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-06-2014 11:10 AM                        The popular scaler around here is the Analog Way Pulse LE. It has a bit of a goofy user interface, but it works fine and does pretty much everything that is needed for most special screenings from video and computer equipment (including HDCP and a separate monitor output). My only two issues with it are the inability to adjust the gamma on a per-input basis and its inability to set the output frequency to 23.98 or 24Hz (the output is only settable to 60Hz or 50Hz). Oh, and there is an evil picture-in-picture mode that is hard to escape from. I have seen the earlier version of the Gefen (circa 2012) and was unimpressed. I have not yet encountered the ACS-2048. I have used several other Barco units (mostly the Image Pro HD) and all seem fine for what they are. For the most part, though, I agree that scalers are becoming less necessary. The most popular alternative content devices are HDCAM, Blu-Ray, and computers, and all are easily accommodated with HD-SDI and DVI inputs on D-cinema projectors. For sound, the DMA8 (plus) and the Oppo Blu-Ray player with its discrete 5.1 (or 7.1) audio outputs cover pretty much everything that people are asking for now.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-06-2014 11:52 AM                     I run a lot of HDCAM, DVD and Bluray. I often use the ACS-2048 to adjust the aspect ratio of alternative content. I also have an ImagePro-HD which I use for zooming and panning images that aren't quite right -- I encounter this a lot. My only complaint about the ACS-2048 is that it is unstable, and needs to be rebooted a lot. Inputs just seem to "die" if not used for a few days. ESPECIALLY the DVI inputs.  |  IP: Logged

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