DIY Video Projector

[icculus]

nothing stimulates innovation like good old fashioned competition. so far there is only one active site dedicated to this topic. i personally don't care who had the idea first. what really matters is who actually took the time to put some work into the site. cowanrg has obviously been working on this site for a while, and is one of the most frequent posters on this thread. ******* and moaning won't help anyone. besides, there is certainly enough interest at this point for two sites.

[noodles]

I guess he's just jealous.

Agreed that competition is good. I'm expecting kick@$$ websites from tha both of ya!

[biteon]

I MADE THE SAME BOX FOR MY SETUP(JOHNNY#5). THE WOOD SEEMS TO WITH STAND THE HEAT SO FAR FROM THE MULTIPLE LIGHT IVE PUT IN THERE(4 300WATT REGULAR LOOKING HOUSE LAMPS, 400WATT HPS, & 4 REALLY HOT 300WATT HALG. SMALL OHP LAMPS WITH THE REFLECTORS ALREADY ATTACHED). MY BOX IS ABOUT 9"HIGH X 11" WIDE x 24"LONG(MAYBE IM GONA CUT THE 24" LATER DUE TO "STILL NOT SURE ON THE LIGHT POSITION I WANT/NEED ETC.) .I MADE A REFLECTOR VERY SIMULAR TO YOURS EXCEPT WITH MIRROR AND 1/4" WOOD & TAPE (I DID TAPE SO I COULD TRY IT OUT THAT FRIDAY NIGHT,BUT IT ALL MELTED LOL)ETC. THATS KINDA WERID/COOL WE'RE THINKING KINDA SIMULAR.
WELL ANY WAYS IVE GOT SOME INFO HERE OR OPINIONS THAT MAY HELPOUT ME/YOU/ (MAYBE OTHERS) .

ON MY BOX I USE SMALL SMALL SCREWS AND PREDRILL HOLES ON IT CAUSE THE SCREWS WHERE BUSTING THE FIBER WOOD WHEN I SCREWED IN. IT WAS KINDA HARD TO PREDRILL TO WITHOUT BUSTING THROUGH THE WOOD.WELL I DID THIS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE TIGHT FIT SO IT HELP SEPARRATE THE HEAT. I PLAN TO MAKE WOOD TRIMS AROUND ALL THE FRESNEL LENSES SO IT COULD ACT AS A SEPARATOR . I CAME ACROSS A PROBLEM WITH THIS THOUGH. THE LCD CONTROLER CHIP IS LAYING DOWN ON THE FLOOR OF MY BOX AND I WAS THINKING THAT IT SOULD BE COVERED TO KEEP FROM MELT DOWN AND IF I MADE A WOOD SEPARATION IT WOULD BE EASIER WITH THE FRESNEL SEPARRATIONS THAT ARE ABOVE THE CONTROLER CHIP TO MADE THE TIGHT FIT.

I SAW THAT SCREWING THE BOX TOGETTER WITHOUT BACKING MAYBE TO WEEK FOR THE BOX TO STAY TOGETTER BUT THAN IF I SCREW ALL THE SEPARATORS I HAVE IN THERE TO THE BOXS WALLS IT PROBLY BE STURDY ENOUGH PLUS A TIGHTER FIT.

I SAW SOMETHING ON YOUR REFLECTOR THAT LOOKED ALITTLE WERID. THE HOLES FOR THE FANS ARE IN A MESSED UP SPOT.
IT WHERE MOST OF YOUR LIGHT IS TO BE REFLECTED. MAYBE PUT THE FAN HOLES BY THE SOCKET HOLE.

P.S. JUST A REMINDER SO U DONT BLOW UP YOUR BULB.FAN(S)
AND LIGHT(S) TURN "ON" AND "OFF" AT THE SAME TIME OR ELSE YOU MAY BREAK THE BULB(S), MIRROR(S), & GLASS LENS(ES) ETC. .
I BROKE ALL KINDS OF STUFF LIKE THAT. I GOT PICTURES TO PROVE IT.

P.P.S.
USING A FAN BLOWING IN AND A FAN BLOWING OUT IS THE SAME AS HAVING A FAN BLOWING IN AND A EXSOST HOLE THE SAME SIZE OF THE FAN HOLE. LESS FANS LESS NOISE.

[SuperDave]

I agree there is nothing wrong with there being 2 sites...I would even encourage others to create them as well. I just felt betrayed or deceived (maybe I'm wrong for feeling that way but I felt it was just a bit too coincidental that the names were so similar).

I know that diyprojector is similar to diyaudio and I would never had used that name if I felt I would be taking away from the diyaudio.com site or if I was going to have the information. I suppose I suffer from ethics I guess.

Anyways, I know the concept is not mine (it is a collaborative effort among the group) and I was merely upset that I felt I was name-jacked. So... lets try and move along and get back to projector aspect of this....

and again I, and I know others, would definitely encourage others to build a site as well and dont let this little thing discourage you.

I appologize for any thread space we wasted on the topic and hope we can move on.

Thanks and good luck,
Dave

[biteon]

another good idea for a box is a computer case(the old strong metal boxs)maybe.just an idea that popedup.

[CHRLUC]

Wow this is quite a thread! I was able to read about the first half and then jumped toward the end and have read about the last 25 pages or so. And I (unfortunately) have a few questions for you folks. I, like everyone else, want to make this as nice as possible but as inexpensive as possible. So I want to try to use parts I already have. This would include a complete laptop (12.1” tft active matrix screen, svga mod # LG LP121s2 http://www.jacoflatpanels.com/contro.../AC-9511V3.pdf ) and I also have a lcd that was for the car ( 4” TFT Toshiba TFD40w11-B w/composite inputs ) but it is very low resolution. So I think the lcd from the laptop screen is the way to go, but then I have questions…
1. How can I get a “t.v.” signal on to the screen?
2. Where is the controller board and how do I extract it (could it actually be the junk that hangs off all over the lcd) (the main part of the laptop… Cpu … and the ldc is connected by a cable that is about ¾ of an inch long and less than a ¼ of an inch wide, has 21 pins or connections divided in two rows). Is there a way to connect this to the vga port and connect the port to a device like this… http://www.ps2modchip.com/flash/m_vgabox2.htm , or any other suggestions?
Then I have a question about the lighting when I was reading the earlier posts the florescent (8,000 lumen) lights from Wal-Mart were the hottest item around mostly because there were bright and not hot, then we seemed to go to the “mh” lights… why?
I know the answers are probably here and I am just not seeing them, but I would appreciate any help the group could offer!

Christopher

[cowanrg]

Originally posted by Timtimes


I hear you Dave!!! So now there are two of you with very similar web addresses and neither of you with a website! I wouldn't get hung up on a flashy domain name (that's like soooo late 90's dude). There are too many permutations to worry about. After all, your diyprojector(s).com addresses are a close assimilation of the title of the forum we are in and I don't see the owner (whoever that is) in here complaining.

That said, I agree that the individual in question here has acted extremely juvenile at times (perhaps he is and I'm just sensitive because I'm an old fart (45), but I do think it was cheeky and uncreative of him to play off your idea.

Enjoy

I would first like to address you personally. It is very juvenile (in your own words) to assume someone's intent. You mentioned that neither of us had a website up? Actually, we BOTH do. I'm not just holding a domain. And as far as calling me juvenile for such suspections, I feel it unnecessary. It is very easy to hide behind someone else's opinion and attack me. Don't assume you know what kind of person I am, I don't do that to you. Somenoe of your age should actually know better.

Secondly, it takes time and effort to put up a site! It's not like you just go and say "there" and it's done. I have spend a great deal of time and effort on this site. And I work on it daily. Not to mention costs (its traffic is around 2GB/month, try pricing that out...), and hell, I'm giving out free web space to people that need it to host pictures, and their projector ideas. This site is for you! That said, thanks icculus and noodles for the support! (and everyone else that appreciates what I am trying to do).

Lastly, I would like to address the whole forum, and Dave particularly. Look, DIY commonly stands for "do it yourself", we are building projectors... as I said before, the name of my site isn't a ripoff, nor did I even THINK about its similarity to DIYaudio.com until now! If I named it something completely irrelevant, I would understand, but the name of the site is based on its content and nothing more. This said, Dave, pure coincedence that our sites have such similar names. Plus, like I said, goto namesecure.com or someother place, and check when I registered it. It is after you mentioned your site in the forum.

And, at the risk of being hypocritical about keeping this thread clean of all unrelated discussion, this is the last time I will address this issue in the thread.

[cowanrg]

CHRLUC,

great links! I checked out that first site, and they have a sales office here in colorado. Going to try and call or email and see what kinda prices they have on controllers. Could be promising.

The second link is great. A lot of people are looking for a cheaper alternative to using TV input into a VGA only panel. This is your solution! Rather than the $70-$199 boxes that process and act as a line doubler, this is just a scan converter. But, for the money, could really be worth it if you have a good projector setup.

thanks, and welcome to the forum.

[biteon]

THIS WAS WHAT HAPPEND TO ME WHEN I LEFT THE FAN ON AFTER I TURNED OFF THE LIGHT(SEE PICTURE). THATS AN OLD PROJECT PROJECTOR I MADE THAT MELT DOWN.SEE THE FAN TO THE UPPER RIGHT, IT TOOK OUT GLASS AND MIRROR"CRACK"

TO THE NEW GUY, FROM THE NEW GUY.
LOOK UP REVEAL WIN TV THATS A STARTING POINT FOR YOUR SEARCH IF YOU PLAN TO KEEP YOUR COMPUTER HOOKED UP TO THE LCD.

PS. GUYS TELL ME IF YOU SEE OR DONT SEE ME PIC. I DONT WANT TO LOOK LIKE A FOOL AGAIN.

[prjctr_builder]

Originally posted by cowanrg


And, at the risk of being hypocritical about keeping this thread clean of all unrelated discussion, this is the last time I will address this issue in the thread.

yeah man, do your thang cowangr!!!

aleksey