I saw that but was a little confused. The LCD panel on my projection panel isn't centered. Wouldn't I have to center the LCD projection area? If I did that then it wouldn't fit in that box. My panel is 12.2" square.
I wouldn't mind making the box bigger but wouldn't that throw off the dimensions for the lens? I quess I need to do more reading. What I want to do is build a straight thru box (no mirrors) that I can just drop my projection panel into. Is that feasible or am I wanting too much (or being too lazy)?
I wouldn't mind making the box bigger but wouldn't that throw off the dimensions for the lens? I quess I need to do more reading. What I want to do is build a straight thru box (no mirrors) that I can just drop my projection panel into. Is that feasible or am I wanting too much (or being too lazy)?
its really really easy ... do you have a OHP ? if so you can build a box exactly like it .. and just make it to fit the panel really simple and since you have the dimension and distances of the OHP you can just use those for yer box the only hard thing about makeing a box in my opinoin is makeing the PJ lens adjustable. and if the MKIII wont be big enough for yer panel look at the MKIV it will be big enough. i agree with no mirrors
most builds are around 12"x15"x27" straightshot. mine is 14"x14"x14" some are much smaller because they use smaller lcds and lenses with shorter focal lengths. i've seen a guy shooting for an enclosure the size of a shoebox and i saw a build that ended up being four feet long. almost any question you could come up with is in these forums. you just have to search. i know i said there'd be no reason for stripping a panel if you're using an ohp, but if you go gun ho and are building a true diy projector, then the only way to get a smaller enclosure is to strip the casing off the panel. it still won't be centered but you cut down cubic inches in the long run. your basic setup includes a ballast, socket and bulb(possibly igniter, too) for light source. your lenses are typically four. a condenser, the fresnels (a collector and field fresnel)and projection lens. the lcd is sandwiched between the 2 fresnels. you'll also need 1 or 2 fans to keep everything cool, and knowledge of electrical wiring that deals with 120vac. if you know nothing about basic wiring then BACK OUT NOW. 120vac is enough to kill anybody. and i'm not about to recommend anyone to try to build one of these if you don't know the difference between a neutral and a ground. other than that, there are a few equations to learn in dealing with optics. spend about an hour browsing for diagrams of setups. there are all kinds of ways to build a projector. laying a projector panel ontop of an ohp is, by far, the fastest and easiest way of watching movies on a six foot screen, but for some of these guys it's more about perfecting the design of the build, especially if you know a little something about electronics AND woodworking. a merging of the two that is functional as well as beauitiful so that you don't have to hide the thing in the closet when you're not using it.
lol BACK OUT NOW .... no just read a lil ..... anyone with any comonsens can do the wireing involved in this project *after* reading up on how to ........
v1d9uy - I owe you big time. You've given me a GREAT idea. It will probably sound stupid to everyone else but I'll try to explain it. . . .Then you guys can trash it 🙂
I'm going to build an overhead projector! The 9200 I have has a triplet lens. There are a ton of projectors on ebay with triplet lenses that are already mounted on arms with focus knobs and mirrors. You can probably pick up broken projectors that won't light up cheap. So . . .That is half of my optics and solves the problem of a variable focus lense
So . . . I build a base part with a MH light setup and fresnel lenses. I mount the salvaged triplet lense arm so that the lense is centered over my base. Then the only thing I have to do is extend the sides of the base up to cover the top of the lense arm to control light leakage.
It would look exactly like the box they built at inventgeeks.com only instead of enclosing the projector it will BE the projector. Even mounted on casters it will be less that 43" tall and would not obstruct the view of the movie. Now that I think about it, I could set it up as part of the home theatre and use it as a table to keep popcorn on. Then, if the panel dies I can just open the door on the projector cabinet and replace it.
Am I being stupid? If I got brave enough I could even use a stripped LCD panel on my homemade projector like they did at Tom's Harware.
I'm going to build an overhead projector! The 9200 I have has a triplet lens. There are a ton of projectors on ebay with triplet lenses that are already mounted on arms with focus knobs and mirrors. You can probably pick up broken projectors that won't light up cheap. So . . .That is half of my optics and solves the problem of a variable focus lense
So . . . I build a base part with a MH light setup and fresnel lenses. I mount the salvaged triplet lense arm so that the lense is centered over my base. Then the only thing I have to do is extend the sides of the base up to cover the top of the lense arm to control light leakage.
It would look exactly like the box they built at inventgeeks.com only instead of enclosing the projector it will BE the projector. Even mounted on casters it will be less that 43" tall and would not obstruct the view of the movie. Now that I think about it, I could set it up as part of the home theatre and use it as a table to keep popcorn on. Then, if the panel dies I can just open the door on the projector cabinet and replace it.
Am I being stupid? If I got brave enough I could even use a stripped LCD panel on my homemade projector like they did at Tom's Harware.
yes, that is basicly what i'm doing but actually taking the lense out of the ohp.
i measured the distance from the lense on the arm to the aperture. it was 16 inches. so all i have to do is center the lense and keep it 16 inches from the lcd with the fresnel directly behind it, then my light source behind that. build the box, keystone a little if needed, then finish the bitch up.
i measured the distance from the lense on the arm to the aperture. it was 16 inches. so all i have to do is center the lense and keep it 16 inches from the lcd with the fresnel directly behind it, then my light source behind that. build the box, keystone a little if needed, then finish the bitch up.
lol you guys figured out what i was gunna do aaahhhh
o well yea i was just gunna build .. basically a OHP outa wood... lol
iv got some very basic design i made with paint ... but im not sure you would understand what im thing soo ill wait till i have some better drawings then ill share them
o well yea i was just gunna build .. basically a OHP outa wood... lol
iv got some very basic design i made with paint ... but im not sure you would understand what im thing soo ill wait till i have some better drawings then ill share them
i shouldn't need to focus.
I'm putting my lcd exactly the same distance as what the Dukane Starfire 4003 lcd OHP had it at. i'm using the same fresnel lense and same 327mm main lense. , it had a piece of glass on top of the fresnel, so i'm accounting for spacing.
if anything, i might want to try a long throw lense one day, but for now, my small dorm apartment should work fine with it.
i'll let you guys know how it turns out.
I'm putting my lcd exactly the same distance as what the Dukane Starfire 4003 lcd OHP had it at. i'm using the same fresnel lense and same 327mm main lense. , it had a piece of glass on top of the fresnel, so i'm accounting for spacing.
if anything, i might want to try a long throw lense one day, but for now, my small dorm apartment should work fine with it.
i'll let you guys know how it turns out.
DIY Beamers! I think that's awesome. Let me know how it works out. I'd love a little advice before starting mine.
yeah, the great thing about using OHP parts is that the fresnel lense is two parts together. the lcd being AFTER both fresnels should make a sharper image and easier keystoning.
i got lucky. the starfire i got was mint unused condition. since ohp's are obsolete, you can buy high quality ones. mine was meant for OHP lcd panels. so it should work AWESOME for this project.
i got lucky. the starfire i got was mint unused condition. since ohp's are obsolete, you can buy high quality ones. mine was meant for OHP lcd panels. so it should work AWESOME for this project.
Does anyone know how many lumens it takes to get to overkill. My 3M 9200 has 3500 lumens and does a nice job. The 9800 has 6000 lumens but that is sort of deceiving, I mean, to double the picture size you have to square the power. Thats a ton of power. I really can't use a sceen size over 6' in my living room and will only use that ocassionally. I have no immediate plans for projecting onto the side of a building. For the most part this setup will run downstairs in my office next to my excercise bike.
I can assure you that in a dark, downstairs office at a screen size of 48" that 3500 lumens is plenty. How much is enough? Would too much wash the image out?
I can assure you that in a dark, downstairs office at a screen size of 48" that 3500 lumens is plenty. How much is enough? Would too much wash the image out?
Sorry, I misunderstand something. Lack of decent brightness is a major, principal weakness of DIY projectors, and you ask how much will be too much. An OHP may be rated at 3500 or even 6000lm (both numbers are very doubtful, what bulbs do they use?), but it's unlikely you will get even close to 300lm when you put an LCD on this OHP. LCD will let through no more than 10% of light.
There is simply no way you can complain on the image being too bright. At least no one has built such DIY projector so far. Your 48" screen is pretty small, most people want to have something like 100-150" screen, this is what a projector is for.
There is simply no way you can complain on the image being too bright. At least no one has built such DIY projector so far. Your 48" screen is pretty small, most people want to have something like 100-150" screen, this is what a projector is for.
it is small for me as well but If 48" is what he needs, then his projector is too bright for no light- film viewing.
Yes, I believe the lumens on DIY are the main issue but this is not meaning it can´t work for your needings.
71 lumens for 48" 4:3 image on a darked room is enough.
Yes, I believe the lumens on DIY are the main issue but this is not meaning it can´t work for your needings.
71 lumens for 48" 4:3 image on a darked room is enough.
No, I understand that most people want a 100-150" screen. The cool factor of sitting 15' away from a 12' screen is kind of like sitting close at the movie theatre and a lot (if not most) people like it. I'm just saying that I'm a little weird because that isn't what I want to do. In my office I want a 48" screen and in my living room I don't want anything larger than 6'. In a dark room I just wondered if I needed a 400 watt MH micro-sun of if a 250Watt MH might be just as good.
A 250Watt MH bulb has an initial 18000 Lumens and a GREAT bulb life and even through a panel would give me 180 lumens.
Just wondering, I'm not saying ANYTHING against 12' screens. That just isn't what I'm looking to do personally.
I think I;m going to follow V1d9uy and Snortonnorton's lead a build a modified Beamer. Does anyone know any reason I couldn't use the Fresenel Lenses and Stage glass out of my 9200 to build a Super 3M 9200? Do you think the 250W MH will be too much for my application or is 180 Lumens about right?
A 250Watt MH bulb has an initial 18000 Lumens and a GREAT bulb life and even through a panel would give me 180 lumens.
Just wondering, I'm not saying ANYTHING against 12' screens. That just isn't what I'm looking to do personally.
I think I;m going to follow V1d9uy and Snortonnorton's lead a build a modified Beamer. Does anyone know any reason I couldn't use the Fresenel Lenses and Stage glass out of my 9200 to build a Super 3M 9200? Do you think the 250W MH will be too much for my application or is 180 Lumens about right?
i don´t think you are going to achieve 180 lumens from 250W.
71 lumens is enough for your needings. (48" at darked room)
71 lumens is enough for your needings. (48" at darked room)
well im gunna be slow since i got that cheap ballast off of ebay for the ushio ss400dd retro bulb .. and every place that bulb is sold is backorederd till april .... so im screwed for a bit ....winksplace yea there is no reason you cant use the parts off of the OHP i that is the way ill do my first one only beacause i dont have the money to buy new as of now.....useing the singe fresnel from the ohp is easier .. but remember useing a split fresnel design will make you image sharper and more evenly lit check out my very basic web site http://www.freewebs.com/v1d9uy/index.htm my first lcd was a 15" viewsonic vg150 and it was ok i can really tell the diff from its higher cotrast ratio to my lower 100:1 sharp 1800 panel...
but my cats jumped on it and well ... its dead now.. thats y i bought the panel ... and killed that cats lol.
but my cats jumped on it and well ... its dead now.. thats y i bought the panel ... and killed that cats lol.
no such thing as overkill lighting.
you see. if you use the 250 watt halide you HAVE to build a condensor lense holder in front of it.
with the 400 watt halide or sodiuh high pressure you don't need to build a condensor to make enough light beam.
your only concern is hot spots on the screen. but this is taken care of by proper fresnel lense,
you see. if you use the 250 watt halide you HAVE to build a condensor lense holder in front of it.
with the 400 watt halide or sodiuh high pressure you don't need to build a condensor to make enough light beam.
your only concern is hot spots on the screen. but this is taken care of by proper fresnel lense,
- Status
- Not open for further replies.