Who was the old man?

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I don't see how any type of image projection would have been possible.

So, it wasn't a high-def Palantir then?

But I agree with you, the Palantiri were not astral projectors. What one viewed in the stones could be manipulated -- as Sauron did to Denethor -- but Sauron did not jump out on the Steward in his room in the White Tower.