Building a DIY backyard projector for under $50.00

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[victor-eyd]

Yes, this topic should easily be on lumenlab as well as diyaudio but I wanted to share my fisrthand experiences in creating an extremely affordable outdoor (and even indoor) projector for about the price of 4 evening movie tickets and popcorn.

But for starters, the most likely question: Why even bother??

For me, the answer was two fold- 1st, I wanted a projector that I could use for anywhere without worry of damage and ease of use with good brightness AND 2nd, as my kid's gaming projector. I considered the zoombox but the resolution on that unit is terrible (note: my friends has one so I'll test it out soon enough) for the price.

First , the lcd is a 15" planar which has a ribbon issue which will cost me about $20.00 from lumenlab to correct. The lcd display was given to me free from a local college since they were going to throw it out because there was no picture. In reality, the backlight was broken which I was inevitably going to throw away. One should be able to find a similar lcd on craigslist or ebay. Certain ones work better than other so here is lumenlab's database to tell you which model works. It is recommended to only use 15" or smaller because of the next paragraph.

http://www.baseportal.com/cgi-bin/baseportal.pl?htx=/Lumenlab/main

The next option is the lightsource/optics. Like all other cheapskates, I decide to forgo the build your own "It sorta looks like a coffin" design and instead use the old reliable overhead projector. Here are some designs using the tried and true concept and the route I ultimately took. I found again on craigslist someone selling a dalite model 5000 portable overhead projector for $20.00. It is an extremely powerful overhead using ($6-12 ea) MR16 bulbs and (supposedly) 5000 lumen output. That I found out that this was a good overhead after I bought it was pure luck

Here are some designs and articles on creating your own projector. Yes, the waf factor is extremely low but it is extremely portable and more rugged than a pj, costs wayyy less than even a used pj, and the bulb parts are very cheap.

Yes, once its done I will fire it up on my 12ft screen as a measuring stick of its effectiveness as an outdoor pj.

http://www.allinbox.com/hybride.htm

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

Here are some initial images. I still have to contend with light leakage and creating a tray to hold the stripped panel but the results look extremely promising. It can handle speed very well so there's no noticeable lag time on fast action sequences like football and the projector uses cheap long (50-60hrs ) lasting bulbs. The screen is in my dedicated home theater and is a painted wall using valspar plank grey interior flat. The image size about 75" 4:3
The protoype




Panel on overhead displaying ota hd feed on broncos/san diego game


The image with (4) 60w lights on


Closeup of resolution of the lcd panel. Yes the picture is inherently softer than a standard projector. But then, what did you expect for $50.00


Another display of the image. Note the colors are fairly good but what is most important is that I have a working homebuilt $50.00 projector.

Victor

[rfisk]

Well done, Victor!!  I'll bet this is a fun project.  It'll be interesting to follow this through your refinements.  It's brighter than I'd expect, with four lights on.

Thanks for posting!

Randy

[victor-eyd]

Further testing, and of course crazier buying sprees ensue...

The planar ribbon cable issues forced me to find an alternative, and low and $30 later I was sitting on a samsung 15" with no ribbon cables issue at all. It tested fine and I have a working picture 

I have it testing on a light green wall in my kids play area which is a 19ft throw. From that distance I was able to render a 12ft wide 4:3 or 16:9 image (diagonal is obviously much larger) The picture was watchable (animation primarily) but as expected dark scenes suffered pretty badly, ie I wouldn't recommend watching any scenes that take place at night as you'll probably see none of it. Obviously, if I moved the overhead closer the image will get better but the limitations are quite obvious.

It's time for improvements-
1. Remove the anti-glare film. It easy to see. If you reflect light off ech side of the panel the side with a dull reflection is the side with the antiglare. You have to be careful with removal as the polarizing film (the sheet that makes the panel actually project images) could be on the same side. On the Samsung, though, I believe its on the other side so I'll probably be safe when I remove it.

2. Light bleed control on the overhead projector. I'll have to darken the inside of the light chamber to minimize light reflections. I will also have to create a box to enclose the entire overhead. This will remove most of the stray light from entering the room. It will be similar to this one but I'm gonna make mine (hopefully) better looking.



The one thing I should note about creating a diy projector is connectability. Most of the 15" lcd panels you can get (at least in my price range - $35 or under) to create your own diy only has a vga input. This will necessitate either a transcoder like a vdigi or nextvision N6 other a dvd player that has a vga out (like a neodigits) That in turn raises the overall price of this project unless you were going to use a pc primarily or had a device mentioned.

One panel that I've heard is easy to strip ,is 15", and as all the connections you could need is this one:

http://www.ecost.com/ecost/ecbath/shop/detail~dpno~656295~Action~Detail.asp

However, the price starts at $130 for a refurb so again, if you want to stay cheap-look around or make sure what you buy you can use for other scenarios so its not an esxpensive one-trick pony.

More to follow.

Victor

[Bubba]

Very Cool Victor.. Its like a miniature projector house 

[victor-eyd]

I wonder if it can double as a ticket booth as well 

Victor

[victor-eyd]

Removal of the anti-glare film was a success.

The images are now even brighter and more colorful than before. While the anti-glare works when you're seeing it as a monitor, when using it as a projection panel it is a definite hindrance and needs to be removed to get the most performance out of the panel.

Victor

[audiobuff2]

I've got a laptop lcd that the backlight failed on.
Anyone know where I might find an adapter for the flat cable that connected it to the motherboard?
This would be a fun winter project.

[victor-eyd]

Try digi-key. They might carry the extension cables you are looking for.

Victor

[victor-eyd]

Well, the initial tests were a success. For $50 (less if the 15" planar was used). I still have some issues with light spill and an optical problem with the freshnels and the panel, which I hope to have remedied but overall the concept works has a few advantages:

1. No need to burn expensive bulb life on a crappy movie or mindless gaming
2. Its just as portable to bring around to other homes
3. Cheap bulbs ($5-10 each with a 75-200hr lamp life)
4. Easy to build. I rate it a 3/10 in construction. Just make sure the lcd is a tested one for easy of stripability
5. Easy on/off

Here are a few images





Victor

[victor-eyd]

Okay, so the question remains...

How does it look outside? Well, surprisingly good. The biggest stumbling block I've come up against is that you need a decent or at the very least flexible tv-to-vga converter with color controls to get a better picture. The vdigi I'm using more or less sucks and gives me extremes in oversaturation or under in darkened picture quality. using the monitor controls don't do anything for some reason the brightness control is almost useless when I use the vdigi.

Note: If you do buy into this setup, research your converters and'or make sure the dvd player you have has color controsl , like gamma (ie jvc models)

Here are some pics to show the setup. I ended up using my laptop since my cheap KLH outdoor dvd player cannot/does not want to output component

[victor-eyd]

Here's my 2nd diy projector.

It is a retrofit combining yesterday's technology to today equipment. Inspired by some posts from Lumenlab, I found this projector at a computer supply store. They sold it to me for $50. I also had a portable lcd player which was gift to my daughter, who subsequently destroyed the backlight by pouring milk on the unit.

I'll be trying it out on my gemmy or diy screen but I am very hopeful. Pixellation is noticeable closer than 2.5x screen width but hey, its $50!

The projector


The dvd player


together


inside my theater room






outside theater






Victor

[victor-eyd]

More outdoors. I maxed out at about 150" 16:9 but for what you get, not bad at all...

Note that the images (without the flash) are much brighter in real life. The camera (and probably cuz I don't know how) cannot capture all of the light. But you get the general idea that it does work, and works surprisingly well. Add another to the sicko collection










Victor

[victor-eyd]

To reiterate, the entire reason I built a diy is simply that my outdoor uses are limited, and for me to get a projector so what would amount to 20-30hrs max per year in my climate zone just wasn't feasible. Not that  I couldn't simply buy a used one for same price or less (usually less  ) but also it's fun to do (and quite easy, once you get the general idea) 

But whichever road you choose, enjoy the outdoors! I wish I could more often...

Victor

[chears]

You are a mad man, nicely done!

You are the Mcgyver of Backyard Theaters.

[doomsdaydvd]

I know that this thread has been on hiatus for over a year, but this is the thread that got me moving in the first place.....

A couple of years ago, I saw an ad for the Zoombox in a holiday circular. I'm a cult movie collector (mostly horror) and love to see them projected on a big screen. I did a little research and found myself here (and moving me beyond the Zoombox concept). I was inspired by this whole site, in particular, this thread! This was after reading and researching DIY projectors (you know, the 15" stripped LCD with a metal halide bulb, two fresnels and optical). I didn't want to go the hard route (I'm not an electronics expert and do not have the money to spend on something that will take a lot of time), and went with the quickest, cheapest and cleanest version of the project - the one started by this thread.

However, I ended up just getting a ready-to-go LCD panel (standard-def - Sharp QA-1500) and an Apollo AI-1000. I got the panel a while back and finally got the ohp yesterday. The whole setup was basically in the price range set by this thread - around $55.00 (not including shipping - I got both items on eBay)! I got a panel because it's self-cooling and has a composite input (so I can directly input from VHS/DVD). The AI-1000 was only $15.00 and is very bright and compact (it can be broken down to fit in tight storage spaces).

My first setup worked, but I will be continuing the project, making modifications along the way. There's a great deal of light-leakage from the ohp (but it's a 17,000 lumen ohp, using a DYS bulb, thus providing a lot of light), and it generates a great deal of heat (the panel image started to get a bit "wavy" after an hour). I'll need to custom-build some sort of enclosure with fans to fix the light leak and heat problems, in addition to creating a workable screen (I tested on a bare wall - not large enough; flannel sheet - too soft). My space and budget constraints dictate the project, but it can be done!