Finally got all parts and its awesome
I was trying the whole build it yourself with a tiny 5" screen and custom light/box. But my halogen kept melting the fresnel. So finally my OHP came. And when i tried my lcd panel on it it was AWESOME. Great picture + size. I have taken a bunch of pics and they have to get developed. I will post. I have seen Friends episode + Along came a spider DVD. All great quality. Movies are flawless. And yo dont really notice the blur effect from slow pixel speed. But where I definately notice the blurring effect is when I play XBOX on the panel. It blurs a ton. Its not very playable at all.
Anyway hope to have the pictures up soon. Thanks!
This is fun but nothing beats a real lcd/crt/dLp projector. My next project is gonna be a small 5" lcd probably PS1 with custome box/light. That should be fun to build.
I was trying the whole build it yourself with a tiny 5" screen and custom light/box. But my halogen kept melting the fresnel. So finally my OHP came. And when i tried my lcd panel on it it was AWESOME. Great picture + size. I have taken a bunch of pics and they have to get developed. I will post. I have seen Friends episode + Along came a spider DVD. All great quality. Movies are flawless. And yo dont really notice the blur effect from slow pixel speed. But where I definately notice the blurring effect is when I play XBOX on the panel. It blurs a ton. Its not very playable at all.
Anyway hope to have the pictures up soon. Thanks!
This is fun but nothing beats a real lcd/crt/dLp projector. My next project is gonna be a small 5" lcd probably PS1 with custome box/light. That should be fun to build.
Where do you all buy bulbs for OHP?
http://www.etsusa.org/lamp/page20.htm
Is this site reputable?
I bought a bell and howard 301. But i dont know where to get replacement bulbs. Can someone help? Thanks!
Supposedly mine uses
DYS / DYV / BHC 120V 600W
thanks!
http://www.etsusa.org/lamp/page20.htm
Is this site reputable?
I bought a bell and howard 301. But i dont know where to get replacement bulbs. Can someone help? Thanks!
Supposedly mine uses
DYS / DYV / BHC 120V 600W
thanks!
dscaler
I don't have any compatible hardware to use dscaler at the moment, and it doesn't seem to let you run the software anyway to poke around the settings, so I have to ask the forum:
What sort of gamma/brightness settings does the current version of dscaler support? Is it just a simple brightness adjustment, or can you alter the gamma curve in the same way you can for vga cards?
Myren:
Question for Myren, you mentioned you have recompiled the dscaler source to implement some sort of adaptive brightness control, how far have you got? Is it fairly straightforward to get to grips with the source and add your own features like this?
I am thinking of getting a tuner card merely to enable me to play around with the dscaler software.
I don't have any compatible hardware to use dscaler at the moment, and it doesn't seem to let you run the software anyway to poke around the settings, so I have to ask the forum:
What sort of gamma/brightness settings does the current version of dscaler support? Is it just a simple brightness adjustment, or can you alter the gamma curve in the same way you can for vga cards?
Myren:
Question for Myren, you mentioned you have recompiled the dscaler source to implement some sort of adaptive brightness control, how far have you got? Is it fairly straightforward to get to grips with the source and add your own features like this?
I am thinking of getting a tuner card merely to enable me to play around with the dscaler software.
First project
Hi,
I am just looking around to find some info about DIY projectors. Can anybody tell me if I got a 15" LCD panel what size should the lens be? Could I use a 4" lens or should it be as big as the LCD?
Could you supply me with some links to some basic information about projectors? I have found a lot of links in this forum, but I haven't been able to find enough info if I doesn't use a OHP.
Regards,
Mosgaard
Hi,
I am just looking around to find some info about DIY projectors. Can anybody tell me if I got a 15" LCD panel what size should the lens be? Could I use a 4" lens or should it be as big as the LCD?
Could you supply me with some links to some basic information about projectors? I have found a lot of links in this forum, but I haven't been able to find enough info if I doesn't use a OHP.
Regards,
Mosgaard
Hello All!
I have been following this thread for a short time and I was wondering if it was possible to build a projector that could incorporate a line doubler and be capable of High Definition?
I would be very interested in talking to anyone wanting to offfer assistance.
Any ideas on the cost of a project like this?
Is there any reason not to try to build the best projector I reasonably can?
Are parts readily available in the US?
Thanks In advance
Tom1356
I have been following this thread for a short time and I was wondering if it was possible to build a projector that could incorporate a line doubler and be capable of High Definition?
I would be very interested in talking to anyone wanting to offfer assistance.
Any ideas on the cost of a project like this?
Is there any reason not to try to build the best projector I reasonably can?
Are parts readily available in the US?
Thanks In advance
Tom1356
Screen info, reasonable DIY prices
Here's a link to a place that will sell precut fabric for making your own screen. http://screens4u.com/default.asp?pg=home
Remember, the GAIN and the VIEWING ANGLE are two things to
consider.
ID Description Price
41468 Cut to Size Screen Da-Tex (priced per sq. ft.)
$11.00
79952 Cut to Size Screen High Power (priced per sq. ft.)
$20.00
41466 Cut to Size Screen Matte White (priced per sq. ft.)
$4.40
81323 Cut to Size Screen Cinema Vision (priced per sq. ft.)
$5.10
41460 Cut to Size Screen Glass Beaded (priced per sq. ft.)
$5.50
41467hc Cut to Size Screen Da-Mat High Contrast (priced per sq. ft.)
$6.50
41467 Cut to Size Screen Da-Mat (priced per sq. ft.)
$6.50
81324 Cut to Size Screen Dual Vision (priced per sq. ft.)
$6.60
41463 Cut to Size Screen Video Spectra 1.5 (priced per sq. ft.)
$6.60
41470 Cut to Size Screen Pearlescent (priced per sq. ft.)
$6.60
41462 Cut to Size Screen Super Wonder-Lite (priced per sq. ft.)
$6.60
84092 Cut to Size Screen Audio Vision (priced per sq. ft.)
$8.80
Here's a link to a place that will sell precut fabric for making your own screen. http://screens4u.com/default.asp?pg=home
Remember, the GAIN and the VIEWING ANGLE are two things to
consider.
ID Description Price
41468 Cut to Size Screen Da-Tex (priced per sq. ft.)
$11.00
79952 Cut to Size Screen High Power (priced per sq. ft.)
$20.00
41466 Cut to Size Screen Matte White (priced per sq. ft.)
$4.40
81323 Cut to Size Screen Cinema Vision (priced per sq. ft.)
$5.10
41460 Cut to Size Screen Glass Beaded (priced per sq. ft.)
$5.50
41467hc Cut to Size Screen Da-Mat High Contrast (priced per sq. ft.)
$6.50
41467 Cut to Size Screen Da-Mat (priced per sq. ft.)
$6.50
81324 Cut to Size Screen Dual Vision (priced per sq. ft.)
$6.60
41463 Cut to Size Screen Video Spectra 1.5 (priced per sq. ft.)
$6.60
41470 Cut to Size Screen Pearlescent (priced per sq. ft.)
$6.60
41462 Cut to Size Screen Super Wonder-Lite (priced per sq. ft.)
$6.60
84092 Cut to Size Screen Audio Vision (priced per sq. ft.)
$8.80
mosgaard: ultimately something needs to collect the light, something somewhere needs to be bigger than the panel. OHP's are nice, they've got decent sized fresnels. standard OHP's will cut off a little bit of a 15 inch LCD, but replace the fresnel, disable those hundred pixels on the LCD, or just deal with some nonvisible area and your fine. it looks damned sexy too.
tom: i'm currently building such a projector. 1080p. costs rapidly approaching $6000 - $6200, but thats not bad considering over 4000 lumens, quiet, powerzoom, autofocus and most importantly fully native 1080p. i really want to rant for a while, but i have some patent issues i need to work out first.
you can buy everything you need off the market. walmarts not exactly gonna stock everything you need, but with some digging its all readily available.
i cant really speak much about what i'm doing anymore. once i get past patent "issues", i'll have a nice world of knowledge to share. i'm afraid thats not much use now.
myren
tom: i'm currently building such a projector. 1080p. costs rapidly approaching $6000 - $6200, but thats not bad considering over 4000 lumens, quiet, powerzoom, autofocus and most importantly fully native 1080p. i really want to rant for a while, but i have some patent issues i need to work out first.
you can buy everything you need off the market. walmarts not exactly gonna stock everything you need, but with some digging its all readily available.
i cant really speak much about what i'm doing anymore. once i get past patent "issues", i'll have a nice world of knowledge to share. i'm afraid thats not much use now.
myren
OHPs and line doublers
So, why not use an OHP? They have several advantages. Three I can think of right off are -
- All the necessary optics are there.
- Cooling problems are solved.
- Product safety issues have been addressed.
Even if you cut it up and rearrange it into some other more suitable form, you still have all the parts and all the original optical dimensions to start from. I dont see what's wrong with an empirical approach, versus a paper design/procure and assemble individual components approach...
Sure, a 4" lens will accomodate a 15" panel. Just look at the lens on a typical OHP. I have two units with even smaller than 4" lenses. OHPs are usually graded by the number of lumens they output. A higher lumen machine will generally have a brighter light source AND better (sometimes referred to as "faster") lens, which allows a more efficient transfer of the light to the screen.
By getting to know your OHPs, a DIY can perhaps find a "broken", yet high quality unit, which would yield many useful components for their own construction. Things like lamp holders, reflectors, heat shields, fresnels, lenses, mirrors, fans, switches, etc. (Take a look at the Dukane 4000/4003)
An inexpensive "line doubler" is available from Viewsonic. It's a box with a cable TV tuner built in, that de-interlaces and scales NSTC resolution inputs (composite, s-video) to 640X480, 800X600, 1024X768 and provides a standard VGA output to a monitor. (I assume this device was created by Viewsonic so enhance monitor sales) So, you can take s-video from your DVD player, scale it up to 1024X768 and run it to such a LCD panel atop an OHP. At least, that's what I'm going to do. I have one on order from Amazon, which cost less than $100! From what I've read elsewhere, the performance is excellent, considering the price. You're looking at 5X$ to come close or improve on, so they said.
So, why not use an OHP? They have several advantages. Three I can think of right off are -
- All the necessary optics are there.
- Cooling problems are solved.
- Product safety issues have been addressed.
Even if you cut it up and rearrange it into some other more suitable form, you still have all the parts and all the original optical dimensions to start from. I dont see what's wrong with an empirical approach, versus a paper design/procure and assemble individual components approach...
Sure, a 4" lens will accomodate a 15" panel. Just look at the lens on a typical OHP. I have two units with even smaller than 4" lenses. OHPs are usually graded by the number of lumens they output. A higher lumen machine will generally have a brighter light source AND better (sometimes referred to as "faster") lens, which allows a more efficient transfer of the light to the screen.
By getting to know your OHPs, a DIY can perhaps find a "broken", yet high quality unit, which would yield many useful components for their own construction. Things like lamp holders, reflectors, heat shields, fresnels, lenses, mirrors, fans, switches, etc. (Take a look at the Dukane 4000/4003)
An inexpensive "line doubler" is available from Viewsonic. It's a box with a cable TV tuner built in, that de-interlaces and scales NSTC resolution inputs (composite, s-video) to 640X480, 800X600, 1024X768 and provides a standard VGA output to a monitor. (I assume this device was created by Viewsonic so enhance monitor sales) So, you can take s-video from your DVD player, scale it up to 1024X768 and run it to such a LCD panel atop an OHP. At least, that's what I'm going to do. I have one on order from Amazon, which cost less than $100! From what I've read elsewhere, the performance is excellent, considering the price. You're looking at 5X$ to come close or improve on, so they said.
Model #?
Myren,
Glad to hear you're going to seek patents on your ideas and hard work. It's worth it, for the investment you've made in all this, I'm sure.
I was wondering if you could at least share the specific model number of the Viewsonic panel you're working with? This would just save some of the others from wasting their time and money on an unknown, when you could just "get one of these" take it apart and go.
Thanks,
Myren,
Glad to hear you're going to seek patents on your ideas and hard work. It's worth it, for the investment you've made in all this, I'm sure.
I was wondering if you could at least share the specific model number of the Viewsonic panel you're working with? This would just save some of the others from wasting their time and money on an unknown, when you could just "get one of these" take it apart and go.
Thanks,
OHP:
cooling is an issue. for my original OHP based projection system, i replaced the normal fan with two ultra-quiet 120mm panaflos that put out way more CFM than stock (while still being quieter). and i have an ultra silent blower fan with jury rigged airflow device blowing a constant stream of air between the panel and the projectors surface. my panels way cooler than it needs to be (low 90's after being left on overnight in a "warm" basement), but my guess is most projectors will overheat the panels.
new projectors are probably better, using more efficient bulbs and whatnot. unfortunately the bulbs are more costly. i'm still willing to bet stock heating is insufficient.
but yeah, OHP's are a GREAT way to go. having optics where they need to be is almost sinfully nice.
btw: OHP's do have large lenses. the overheads may be only 3 inches or so, but the projection surface itself is typically a fresnel. something has to be bigger than the panel to point the light in the right direction.
myren
cooling is an issue. for my original OHP based projection system, i replaced the normal fan with two ultra-quiet 120mm panaflos that put out way more CFM than stock (while still being quieter). and i have an ultra silent blower fan with jury rigged airflow device blowing a constant stream of air between the panel and the projectors surface. my panels way cooler than it needs to be (low 90's after being left on overnight in a "warm" basement), but my guess is most projectors will overheat the panels.
new projectors are probably better, using more efficient bulbs and whatnot. unfortunately the bulbs are more costly. i'm still willing to bet stock heating is insufficient.
but yeah, OHP's are a GREAT way to go. having optics where they need to be is almost sinfully nice.
btw: OHP's do have large lenses. the overheads may be only 3 inches or so, but the projection surface itself is typically a fresnel. something has to be bigger than the panel to point the light in the right direction.
myren
the prototype "if i put light through a panel will **** happen" system (which worked absolutely awsomely) was just a viewsonic vg150 monitor. 1024 x 768, 350:1 contrast. its what i'd be using now if the panel werent being replaced right now.
all it took was a small headed and a normal sized phillips head and two or three hours of forced patience. just go slow, dont ever use force and it'll all come apart nicely. its fairly solidly built (i wouldnt say its "tough", but i wouldnt expect it to be), decent contrast ratio. totally go for it. cant put out anything but recommendations for it. great 15" panel. if you've any questions in the disassembly thereof, please please please feel free to email me, im me, whatever. i'd love to help.
the one thing people might consider is 14 inch panels. if you can find 14 inch 1024 x 768 panels with decent contrast ratio & decent pixel ghosting, i'd go for that over the 15". some of the 15" wont be visible without a relatively costly and painfully annoying changing of the fresnel on the OHP. 14 inch would be just about perfect, i think.
by the way, before purchasing my viewsonic i called them up and talked with a technical engineer for a while, discussing how the whole thing was made. that way i had a fairly certain idea it would all work before i bought the panel itself. made sure there was no adhesive anywhere, made sure the ribon cables moved to the side, **** like that. i'd highly suggest similar phone calls if you find a panel taht interests you.
myren
all it took was a small headed and a normal sized phillips head and two or three hours of forced patience. just go slow, dont ever use force and it'll all come apart nicely. its fairly solidly built (i wouldnt say its "tough", but i wouldnt expect it to be), decent contrast ratio. totally go for it. cant put out anything but recommendations for it. great 15" panel. if you've any questions in the disassembly thereof, please please please feel free to email me, im me, whatever. i'd love to help.
the one thing people might consider is 14 inch panels. if you can find 14 inch 1024 x 768 panels with decent contrast ratio & decent pixel ghosting, i'd go for that over the 15". some of the 15" wont be visible without a relatively costly and painfully annoying changing of the fresnel on the OHP. 14 inch would be just about perfect, i think.
by the way, before purchasing my viewsonic i called them up and talked with a technical engineer for a while, discussing how the whole thing was made. that way i had a fairly certain idea it would all work before i bought the panel itself. made sure there was no adhesive anywhere, made sure the ribon cables moved to the side, **** like that. i'd highly suggest similar phone calls if you find a panel taht interests you.
myren
15" vs 14" panels
I measured a 15" panel recently and got 12.125" X 9.125", it's the 12" measure that'll git ya, on an ordinary OHP.
For example, my Elmo OHP sports a 11.2 X 11.2" stage aperature. A 14" panel, as Myren suggests, will fit (provided it's the same proportions as the 15" measures above)
I measured a 15" panel recently and got 12.125" X 9.125", it's the 12" measure that'll git ya, on an ordinary OHP.
For example, my Elmo OHP sports a 11.2 X 11.2" stage aperature. A 14" panel, as Myren suggests, will fit (provided it's the same proportions as the 15" measures above)
Screens
I am sorry for holding on to this information for so long, I just could not be bothered posting it. The following link of for a theater supplier who sells all kinds of motion picture screen material cheap. It is hight gain and what not.
http://www.cinemadealer.com/cgi-bin...een=CTGY&Store_Code=CES&Category_Code=screens
I recomend the Hurley Screens, as the normal screen in only $3.40 per square foot.
I am sorry for holding on to this information for so long, I just could not be bothered posting it. The following link of for a theater supplier who sells all kinds of motion picture screen material cheap. It is hight gain and what not.
http://www.cinemadealer.com/cgi-bin...een=CTGY&Store_Code=CES&Category_Code=screens
I recomend the Hurley Screens, as the normal screen in only $3.40 per square foot.
Viewsonic contact
Myren,
Care to share the number for Viewsonic that you got your chat about the VG150 going with?
I'm strongly considering a VP140. However, I notice they come in VP140, VP-140-3, etc and with my luck, the -3 version would be the one where you cant move the driver cards outta they way...
Need someome to talk to.
Thanks
Myren,
Care to share the number for Viewsonic that you got your chat about the VG150 going with?
I'm strongly considering a VP140. However, I notice they come in VP140, VP-140-3, etc and with my luck, the -3 version would be the one where you cant move the driver cards outta they way...
Need someome to talk to.
Thanks
I am new to the forum here and while I have read through most of this thread I have not read all 1000 posts so if I repeat something please forgive me.
I have started on my own projector using an nView Media Pro LCD (only 640x480, but its a start). For those interested you can get all sorts of things including some pretty cheap lenses at herbach.com and they are pretty high quality.
My question is has anyone taken the projector idea and tried to turn it into a projection tv, i.e. put the whole thing in a housing and use a rear projection screen instead of a front projection screen. Any info that someone has on this would be appreciated.
I have started on my own projector using an nView Media Pro LCD (only 640x480, but its a start). For those interested you can get all sorts of things including some pretty cheap lenses at herbach.com and they are pretty high quality.
My question is has anyone taken the projector idea and tried to turn it into a projection tv, i.e. put the whole thing in a housing and use a rear projection screen instead of a front projection screen. Any info that someone has on this would be appreciated.
Rear projection
I wonder what type of screen timewellyn is using?
I posted a link (a few back) that showed the structure of a rear projection setup. Clearly, this could be adapted to an OHP situation.
I'm selling an XGA projection panel on ebay. Warning; it's pricey. Funds are needed to continue with my experimentation, which is approaching a financial runaway condition!
Check it out if you're interested. Check it out if you're not! Two things I forgot to explicitly mention, no bad pixels and yes, the images are actually from this panel.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&showTutorial=0&ed=1016700300&indexURL=0&rd=1
I wonder what type of screen timewellyn is using?
I posted a link (a few back) that showed the structure of a rear projection setup. Clearly, this could be adapted to an OHP situation.
I'm selling an XGA projection panel on ebay. Warning; it's pricey. Funds are needed to continue with my experimentation, which is approaching a financial runaway condition!
Check it out if you're interested. Check it out if you're not! Two things I forgot to explicitly mention, no bad pixels and yes, the images are actually from this panel.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&showTutorial=0&ed=1016700300&indexURL=0&rd=1
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