Runco LS10 Physical Tour
March 2011 - Art Feierman
This Runco LS10 is rather big and bad, compared to most projectors we receive for review.
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Runco LS10 Physical Appearance
The Runco LS10 projector is slightly oval in appearance, finished in a flat, non-reflective black, and is particularly tall, at around 8 inches. The LS10 does slope downward toward the back. It's got a sculpted look, and it looks pretty nice, though not the flashy flying saucer look that InFocus offered. Basically the largish LS10 is expected to blend into the dark ceiling in your theater.
The fully motorized lens (zoom, focus, and both vertical and horizontal lens shift), is recessed. Six different lens are offered, discussed below.
Runco also offers the Cine-Wide lens attachment for all but the two shortest thow lenses, including the standard one. Inside the projector the Cine-wide lens may have its own sled for true anamorphic operation, but there is also, I believe the option to have the Cine-wide lens without the internal sled. That would mean using a 2nd "stretch" anamorphic lens mode to correct, when you want to watch 16:9, or 4:3 on a Cinemascope shaped screen.
Like the other LifeStyle projectors from Runco, the infra-red sensors are found on the front, and on the top (which will be the bottom - where you want it - when ceiling mounted). Venting is on the side. Hot air exits mostly to the left (when looking from the back), with the Runco projector on a table.
To replace the lamp, the lamp door is located next to the input panel on the rear. There is a nice big cable cover, which is a bit of overkill on the LS10d, since basically only power and a connection to the DHD4 processor (and a screen trigger) are operational on the back of the projector. The rest of the inputs found there are replaced by the far larger choices on the DHD4 processor.
Control Panel
The LS10's control panel is located on the top. It is a small, roundish, and basic affair, located about 8 inches behind the front of the projector. The projector's power switch is a couple of inches closer to the front. The lighting goes off when the projector is "working". The D version of the LS10 requires passcodes to let you access a lot of the controls that were remote accessed on the LS7 and the LS10i, and can be accessed from the control panel. The thought being, that The LS10d comes with an installer's remote, focused on what they need, and also with the idea that the LS10d customer wants a simple remote, and isn't tweaking the projector. The D, the LS-10d, is for folks that want simplicity, let the installers and calibrators do all the hard stuff. Things like focusing the lens with the D, will require the control panel (or passcodes), but not the LS7 or LS10i.
At the top is the Source button, and opposite it at the bottom, is the Menu button. Inside of them, are the four arrow buttons and a centered Enter key. Pretty standard stuff, and no extras.
That Power switch doubles as your full status system. Solid green indicates ready to power up (that's an unusual use of green, but, ok...) Blinking green is powering up, and when projecting (on), the light goes out. It also can blink red for overheating, red/green flashing for lamp issues. 
Finally there's solid red, which translates to: Call the doctor, theLS10 is demanding service.
The DHD4 Processor has its own large control panel, shown here, with Source selection, menu, navigation keys and power. There's a nice large and blue LED text display showing source and more.
Input/Output
Runco's LS10 projector is well equipped when we're talking the LS10i. Note, though, it is not exactly overloaded with connections.
Remember though, we have here the LS10d, which is basically an LS10i with the DHD Processor, and it is truly loaded with more connections. Let's start with what's on the standard LS10i: I'll touch on both projectors. Just remember, only one HDMI input, a 12 volt trigger, and the power input work on the back of the projector if you are using the DHD4. Everything else hooks to the DHD processor.
The LS-10i: There are the standard 2 HDMI inputs (one designated for input from the DHD processor), and an HD15 connector for your standard computer analog input. There's one set of component video inputs using three color coded RCA connectors, and a second one, with three BNC connectors instead. Of course there's a Composite video and an S-video port.
Shown, back of the LS10d (though most connectors not functional)
There's an RS-232 serial port for command and control using your favorite room control system, and a pair of well configured 12 volt "screen" triggers. In the menus they can be configured for screen up/down, or masking functions
OK, now let's look with having the outboard DHD Processor offers instead. First, note that the "usable" HDMI port on the projector part of the LS10d, is only for the HDMI signal from the DHD, not from your favorite Blu-ray player.
Shown, back of the DHD4 processor:
The DHD4 has 4 HDMI inputs! Plus an HDMI output to the Projector. There are two full sets of component and RGB (5) BNC connectors each, 3 composite videos and another component video but with 3 RCA jacks. Would you believe there are additional screen triggers and a host of control connections - including a USB, a couple RS232s for different purposes, and Ethernet.
I'm sure it's missing something (just not sure what)?
Runco LS10 Menus
This section is pretty much a straight duplication of the LS7 menus.
The important point to realize though, is that Runco doesn't expect you to need these menus. Only the ones accessable with the "d's" provided installer remote.
The LS10d projector has a second set of menus for the DHD Processor. The menus with green are standard LS10 menus, accessible with either the LS10i's remote control, or from the Control Panel of the LS10d. The menus of the Installer remote control, that comes with the LS10d, are below.
Runco has done a really nice job with their menu system. Text size is reasonable, not large, but easy to read at normal seating distances. All the image controls are laid out on the first two menus, Main, and Advanced. Main has your standard items; Aspect Ratio, Saved Memory selection, Brightness, Contrast, Sharpness, etc.
You can control the menu position (the menu box is pretty large) as well as the opacity.
Overscan is also located on this menu too, and gives a choice of zoom, (to fill the screen) or cropping (to maintain 1:1 pixel mapping).
You can also change sources from this menu. Remember, it is the "Main" menu, even though it's got lots of image controls.
One more item on that menu is the PIP control for Picture in Picture, in this menu, you can see the PIP sub-menu open inside the Main menu.
The Advanced menu has most of the fun controls and "toys".
You'll find Gamma controls here, and choice of Color Temperature settings.
Frame rate control allows you to output 24fps content at 24 or 48. This is not Creative, where you create a unique frame in between, to smooth motion. It's a good thing, nonetheless.
The RGB controls are located in the Advance menu as well.
Shown here are 
the RGB Gain and Offset controls:
Shown here is the system menu:
The Control menu starts off with Lens Control which is simple and works well. Once entering the Lens Control menu, there are separate menu items for focus, zoom, and lens shift.
The DHD Processor's menus are simpler affairs as seen here: (shortly).
Runco LS10 Remote Control
T
he Runco remote controls - yes there are two, but the LS10d, comes with one type, which we've been referring to, as the Installer's remote control. The LS10i, comes with a different remote, one the same as the LS7 comes with.
That remote is featured on the page dedicated to the LS10i differences.
The DHD's remote is primarily about source selection, aspect ratios, and choosing between ISF Day, ISF Night, and two custom calibration settings buttons. It also powers up both the DHD and the LS10.
As someone who like to play with my equipment, constantly adjusting this or that, I miss the other remote control. Mike says, with the passcode, you can get to all of the "green" menu settings though.
LS10 Lens Throw
The LightStyle LS10 projector offers six different lenses, so there should easily be one with the throw ratio you need for best placement in your theater. The lens that our review unit arrived with has a throw ratio of 1.74 - 2.17. For those not familiar. To get the distance, use the formula of Throw Distance = throw ratio x screen width. For a 100" diagonal 16:9 screen, therefore, you can place the projector as close as 13.4 feet, or as far back as 17.4 feet.
All considered, the six available lenses include a wide angle fixed lens, and 5 zooms. We worked with the standard lens - the Proteus 3. Its throw is 1.74 to 2.17, with is somewhat limited, but typical for a limited range zoom. Other zoom lenses get the ratio all the way out to 6.76 (distance compared to screen width). For a 100" wide 16:9 screen, the Proteus 6 with its max 6.76 throw, would be able to sit as far back as over 50 feet, or with the Proteus 2, as close as 1.45. The wide-angle fixed lens option is primarily for rear projection, with a fixed .77 throw ratio.
Runco LS-10 Lens Throw, for the six offered lenses.
Proteus 1: Fixed 0.77:1 (for rear-screen applications)
Factor x Screen Width: Proteus 2: Zoom 1.45 - 1.74:1
Proteus 3: Zoom 1.74 - 2.17:1 (with CineWide 1.30 - 1.63:1)
Proteus 4: Zoom 2.17 - 2.90:1 (with CineWide 1.63 - 2.17:1)
Proteus 5: Zoom 2.90 - 4.34:1 (with CineWide 2.17 - 3.26:1)
Proteus 6: Zoom 4.34 - 6.76:1 (with CineWide 3.26 - 5.07:1)
What is fascinating, (but not confirmed) is that I was told in my "Q&A" call to Runco, that all the lenses are equally bright, so that the lumen measurements aren't going to vary by any noticeable amount. That's a stunning achievement for 6 different lenses. Note that the standard lens is the one with the least zoom range, so theoretically we'd expect brighter. Most likely that simply means that it's the least expensive design, as the others could provide more range, with the same basic loss of brightness. Mind you, I'm not complaining... The picture is nice and sharp, but I wouldn't be suprised if a couple of these other lenses are visibly sharper still.
LS10 Lens Shift
There's a healthy amount of lens shift. With a 100" 16:9 screen (1.78:1 aspect ratio), there's plenty of vertical shift, allowing you to place the projector as high as about 8 inches above the top of the screen surface, or as low as about 8 inches below the bottom, and anywhere in between. There's a fair amount of horizontal lens shift as well, but remember, that the more you use of one, the less you can use the other. That number, I believe will change dramatically as you go to longer throw lenses.
Runco LS-10 Anamorphic Lens Options
Runco offers you the projector with 4 anamorphic lens choices - basically a Cine-Wide lens designed to work in conjunction with 4 of Runco's six lenses for the LS-10 projector. Our review unit came with the standard lens. The Cine-wide setup is nicer than the traditional way of lower priced projectors, which requires an external lens and motorized lens sled in most cases.The LS10, with your choice of Cine-wide compatible lens sees a $3000 extra charge for the Cine-Wide.
The Cine-wide anamorphic option, will of course, let you stretch the width of the image. That will change the throw formulas listed for the standard lens, when combined with the Cine-wide lens.