Building your own projector

o_cudweiser · 01-31-2006, 07:40 AM

I just recently started researching on how to build your own DIY video projectors. So far, from what I understand, you can build a high quality video projector from around $100-500.

Has anyone done this before, or researched it also. I'm kind of wondering how good the quality really is, and how hard it would be to build, and also what all it can function with (mostly for movies, and console games..but could it also be used for cable tv, and could it be hooked up to my computer (How good would FF look being played on my wall!)).

o_salty milkshake · 01-31-2006, 07:52 AM

I've looked into this, mainly cause I realy want a projector, but can't justify buying one as I've nowhere to put it really.

The best one I've seen was the one where you lay a panel from a 15" TFT on an OHP. So all you need is the panel from a TFT (carefully removed), one with a broken backlight would be ideal and a £50 OHP from Ebay.

There's a video on THG on how they made theirs and what the results were like. The only thing is that you can really only connect a PC to it.

I'm not so convinced with the CRT TV and fresnel lense ones.

Apparently the plans you see on Ebay are garbage.

Same time now you can buy a basic 16x9 home cinema projector for £400, with all the connections you'd need, so it seems less and less worth bothering.

**mervaka** · 01-31-2006, 09:11 AM

tearing apart CRTs is fucking dangerous. dont do it. TFT+OHP sounds the most feasible

o_salty milkshake · 01-31-2006, 09:55 AM

you're not tearing apart a CRT, more building a box round it with a lens that allows you to focus the image on a wall. But obviously an OHP is adjustable and is far brighter. Plus if you can lay your hands on a 1280x1024 15" you can have a high def image.

http://www.denguru.com/2004/11/13/su...or_/index.html

**mervaka** · 01-31-2006, 10:04 AM

ah right.. i thought it involved removing the phosphor screen. saying all that, it wouldnt work anyway, not without a flourescent screen to project onto

Defrag · 01-31-2006, 11:50 AM

As someone said, there's a video on THG showing how to do this. It's cheap, gives good results and best of all, the bulbs are a fraction of the cost of a digital projector's bulbs.

o_fresh · 01-31-2006, 12:21 PM

anyone got the link to that vid?

o_ivaqual · 01-31-2006, 12:24 PM

http://www12.tomshardware.com/images...diy_beamer.zip

good stuff

o_salty milkshake · 01-31-2006, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fresh

anyone got the link to that vid?

Well the vid and the whole project in detail is on the link i posted. Denguru is the same people as THG?

o_ivaqual · 01-31-2006, 12:40 PM

edit : forget that, seems some sort of mirror site

o_exarch · 01-31-2006, 05:41 PM

http://www.lumenlab.com/

For $20 you can sign up for a guide. I was a bit hessitant as i'm well aware of internet scams but read through the forums and decided to go for it. Low and behold it's an awesome fact filled site/forum and the guys there are really helpfull.
I went for the full package which i need to pick up from Royal Mail ( i wasn't in when they came to deliver)
Anyway I'd really recomend building a full cased projector rather than the THW method, you get a much better light output giving a better picture. They also build their own lenses which are very good quality.
have a look on the forums and you can see some examples.
I have a spare forum key somewhere. I'll look through my mail and It's yours if i can find it.

o_cudweiser · 01-31-2006, 11:29 PM

When did you sign up? I was looking at lumenlab also, but I wanted to get someone elses opinion before I signed up. How hard do you think it will be for you to build your own projector?

o_salty milkshake · 02-01-2006, 07:47 AM

yes they do, but I don't get the reference

o_exarch · 02-01-2006, 09:24 AM

I signed up a few months ago, haven't had a look at the forums in a while though, been too busy mapping!
i'm at work at the mo but i'll check my email for you tonight.

01-31-2006, 07:40 AM	#1
o_cudweiser Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: LBKTX Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	Building your own projector I just recently started researching on how to build your own DIY video projectors. So far, from what I understand, you can build a high quality video projector from around $100-500. Has anyone done this before, or researched it also. I'm kind of wondering how good the quality really is, and how hard it would be to build, and also what all it can function with (mostly for movies, and console games..but could it also be used for cable tv, and could it be hooked up to my computer (How good would FF look being played on my wall!)).

01-31-2006, 11:50 AM	#6
Defrag Retired FF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Scotland Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	As someone said, there's a video on THG showing how to do this. It's cheap, gives good results and best of all, the bulbs are a fraction of the cost of a digital projector's bulbs. __________________ Fortress Forever. Level Designer, Gameplay Dude and whatnot.

01-31-2006, 07:52 AM	#2
o_salty milkshake Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Coventry, UK Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	I've looked into this, mainly cause I realy want a projector, but can't justify buying one as I've nowhere to put it really. The best one I've seen was the one where you lay a panel from a 15" TFT on an OHP. So all you need is the panel from a TFT (carefully removed), one with a broken backlight would be ideal and a £50 OHP from Ebay. There's a video on THG on how they made theirs and what the results were like. The only thing is that you can really only connect a PC to it. I'm not so convinced with the CRT TV and fresnel lense ones. Apparently the plans you see on Ebay are garbage. Same time now you can buy a basic 16x9 home cinema projector for £400, with all the connections you'd need, so it seems less and less worth bothering.

01-31-2006, 09:11 AM	#3
mervaka A Very Sound Guy! Fortress Forever Staff Join Date: May 2005 Location: UK Posts Rated Helpful 15 Times	tearing apart CRTs is fucking dangerous. dont do it. TFT+OHP sounds the most feasible

01-31-2006, 09:55 AM	#4
o_salty milkshake Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Coventry, UK Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	you're not tearing apart a CRT, more building a box round it with a lens that allows you to focus the image on a wall. But obviously an OHP is adjustable and is far brighter. Plus if you can lay your hands on a 1280x1024 15" you can have a high def image. http://www.denguru.com/2004/11/13/su...or_/index.html

01-31-2006, 10:04 AM	#5
mervaka A Very Sound Guy! Fortress Forever Staff Join Date: May 2005 Location: UK Posts Rated Helpful 15 Times	ah right.. i thought it involved removing the phosphor screen. saying all that, it wouldnt work anyway, not without a flourescent screen to project onto

01-31-2006, 12:21 PM	#7
o_fresh Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Brum. Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	anyone got the link to that vid?

01-31-2006, 12:24 PM	#8
o_ivaqual Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Europe, Front Yard Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	http://www12.tomshardware.com/images...diy_beamer.zip good stuff

01-31-2006, 12:40 PM	#10
o_ivaqual Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Europe, Front Yard Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	edit : forget that, seems some sort of mirror site

01-31-2006, 05:41 PM	#11
o_exarch Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bath, UK Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	http://www.lumenlab.com/ For $20 you can sign up for a guide. I was a bit hessitant as i'm well aware of internet scams but read through the forums and decided to go for it. Low and behold it's an awesome fact filled site/forum and the guys there are really helpfull. I went for the full package which i need to pick up from Royal Mail ( i wasn't in when they came to deliver) Anyway I'd really recomend building a full cased projector rather than the THW method, you get a much better light output giving a better picture. They also build their own lenses which are very good quality. have a look on the forums and you can see some examples. I have a spare forum key somewhere. I'll look through my mail and It's yours if i can find it.

01-31-2006, 11:29 PM	#12
o_cudweiser Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: LBKTX Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	When did you sign up? I was looking at lumenlab also, but I wanted to get someone elses opinion before I signed up. How hard do you think it will be for you to build your own projector?

02-01-2006, 07:47 AM	#13
o_salty milkshake Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Coventry, UK Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	yes they do, but I don't get the reference

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02-01-2006, 09:24 AM	#14
o_exarch Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bath, UK Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	I signed up a few months ago, haven't had a look at the forums in a while though, been too busy mapping! i'm at work at the mo but i'll check my email for you tonight.