DIY Small Panel Projector

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Slide Projector

Hi

I´m planning to build a projector with an slide projector and a 1.8" TFT display but I have some questions to ask you.

1) Do I need something more than the slide projector (SP) and the LCD screen, the SP has already a cooler but I don´t know whether it is enough, ¿Do I need some kind of heat protection glasses to put the LCD instead of a slide?

2) I don´t understand how black and dark colors are gotten, my concept of a TFT screen is a lot of lights, so, in the instance of black, the lights are simply of and light goes trough that pixel and that's obiously a problem. Is it that how TFT displays work, or light doesn´t cross the screen if the pixel is black?

Thanks and sorry for my english🙄
 
Hi,

Marscam quoted me $170 + shipping for their panel.
AVDeals is $160 and covers the shipping.

I have some financial concerns and will postpone my purchase for a week.

Casty,
You can do it with this tv you have! You can do it right now. But, you are correct about your worry's of heat and cooling. It can break quickly!

First, can you tell us what model (name and number) slide projector you have?
Also, for curiousity, can you tell me what tv model you have?

If you have a slide projector with 2 power levels ("High" and "Low") then at this point leave it at "low" when using the projector. At the "high" position you will probably melt the panel matrix quickly!
After we check the specifics of your panel you can determine if it is safe to continue at the "high" level.
If your projector only has "on" and "off" then you can continue to use it but, there is a high probability it will be destroyed by heat within ~100 hours or less, from my experience. This level is too much heat for the panel!

Here we are discussing about adding additional cooling technique's, using fans and UV/IR mirrors/filters.

So, finally, you should learn if your SP has a mirror inside or if it has a glass filter the light passes through. There will be at least a clear lens near the slide slot but, this does not help cooling, so look for another one in there.
You should consider an extra fan or some other type of cooling for the panel if you want it to survive a long time.

How it works:
The lcd panel has red, green and blue dots that are very small. When the power is "off" you can see these dots as bright colors and when they are "on" completely they will be dark or opaque of that color. (This is considering that light is passing through at these times. Otherwise, you can not see anything without the light).
There are probably 256 levels between "on" and "off" that control how much light passes through to your screen or your eyes. This is controlled by a semiconductor chip. This makes the picture light or dark and makes the movie you are watching.

Can not make perfect black color but very close. Also, movie that is bright or 'snow movie' picture looks like it is too bright. Not perfect there also!
But, still pretty good! For cheap cost!

We are looking now for better high quality panel here to make nicer picture. Small tv panel is okay but, we can do better!

Please answer the questions up above. Then we can discuss more!
 
Hello

First of all, thanks for your answers.

The model of my slide projector is NOVAMAT 130 AF:

- Halogen lamp 24V / 150W
- Turbo cooling Fan, overheating protection.
- Autofocus (I would call it Manual Focus)
- MultiCoated projection lens Color Paxon 2,8/85 mm MC

I don´t know whether it is heat protected or not, where can I find protection glasses? I don´t think that I coul use a mirror for that, I would like better to use a glass, it seems to be easier to use.

I have no portable TV, I was planning buying the LCD panel you spoke about 10 posts ago or some other that I could find here in Spain what seems to be hard 🙂.

If I have understood your explanation about TFT, an off pixel means opaque, isn´t it?

Thanks again for all the info.
 
Casty,

You need to open the cover by removing the screws. Then look inside and describe the path the light goes from light bulb to screen. Somewhere here, there is maybe a mirror!?

But, I don't think this projector is problem for you. I think your panel would be okay to install without extra cooling. I don't think yours is too hot. But, exactly I don't know. This bulb is 150W and mine is 300W. So, I think yours is safe. No extra cooling required. But, always a gamble!~?

Don't worry about it now.
I recommend you get the panel now and install it.

I thought you said you have a panel from your sister's tv?

When you get the panel please tell us and we may help you install it through our discussion.

"off" means "no electricity", panel is clearest and when there is electricity, there is color from light to dark range of that color, depend on level of voltage. 0 to 5 Volts: 0V=clearest and 5V=darkest. It's natural state (0V) is clearest, because no voltage. Example 0.5V means, it is light color and 2.5V means it is half-darkest color.

Describe inside SP light path!
 
I opened it

That's what I found in (I hope you could see the image)

1) halogen bulb
2) really thick lens (the size is not exaggerated, it seems like a big water drop)
3) Just a glass (Could it be a heat insulator?)
4) Another lens (this time usual size)
5) Slide (Here is where I want to put the display)
6) Projection lens

7) Thats´s how the cooler is

ShusiMasterX, my sister has no portable TV, is the SP which is hers.

Concerining the LCD tech... off means no electricity, so light crosses the LCD, on and black means opaque, on and, for instance, red means, light becomes red and crosses the LCD, isn´t it?.

I will keep you informed, and i hope to find some TFT screen soon here in Spain.
 

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Casty,

Yes, maybe, #3 is UV/Ir filter or maybe it is light collimator/shaper.

I think you will be okay with your projector. No change necessary.

You will have to monitor the picture, while you watch, to be safe.

You can also measure the temperature at the #5 area. It should not be more than ~60 degrees Celcius. That seems to be the typical operating temperature for these panels.

Is #3 lens any color? Or, is it clear?

Yes, #0 is to collect the light and focus back to front.

When the red, green and blue dots are all darkest (5V) then they make color close to black.

Also, I read that your projector with 150W lamp is good for 1.5 meter picture. So, it is cool enough I think. My SP is 300W and picture is 2 or 3 times larger than yours and still bright, but hot. Mine is more dangerous for the panel, yours is pretty safe.
 
SushiMasterX, casty,
don't you mean that 60°(C) is way to hot for this panel? Most normal panels, even the older projection panels, are specified to work around 35°-40°. So without additional cooling this is Kamikaze enterprise! I would let a fan blow on the panel during operation and also measure the temperature on the panels stage before.
Just my 2 cents....

xblocker
 
xblocker:

I have seen some dealers selling 1.8 LCD and they claims to support from -10ºC to +60ºC so I think that it could suport up to 50ºC without any problems. Anyway I´m planning to make a heat detector to turn off the projector when temperature exceeds 45ºC. I want to project the image in the ceiling of my room, to watch it layed on the bed, so I could get asleep watching a movie(and I'm too young to die burned). I also will use it with a timer AC adaptor (I see it safer and it cost about $10).

SushiMasterX:

the #3 lens has a light green tone looking across it, the borders are completly green. It's not lens, just a glass, it doesn´t distort the image crosing it in any way.

1.5 meters is just the size of the screen I want, I have not space for a bigger one in my room, is not a cinema screen, but it's better than the screen of my notebook.
 
Data sheets for both my Primeview and Unipac lcd's say they can operate from 0 C to 60 C.

Perhaps the small size panels are able to handle the heat better because of their small size. Glass thickness (same on both large panel and small-heat warpage reduced on smaller)? Or, maybe these are simply next generation modules?

The #3 lens I think is there to collimate the beam, shape it, into #4 face.

Casty, I don't actually know what a UV/Ir glass filter would look like. My projector uses a mirror that only reflects visible spectrum light through and absorbs the UV/Ir. I know that a Ir filter that passes ONLY Ir is very dark red in color. I don't know what color it would be to absorb Ir. Maybe not a visible color.

Anyone help us with this? Xblocker, what was the color of the Ir filter you had?

Gameboy Lcd:
This will work but I don't know if there is an easy way to connect a tv/vcr/dvd signal to it. You would have to see the schematic and find out if it has some place you could tie into and send a signal to the panel. Otherwise, it's only useful for game projection. But, it will work.
 
I need some information on a Gamboy Color LCD.

I salvaged the LCD from a defunct gameboy, (the connector failed). all that showed is the gamboy logo in color, so the LCD works. BUT, the LCD is completely passive, instead of the normal black tinted LCDs. does that matter?
 
rmccoll

Sorry, missed that post. You still there?

Cutting the ribbons for these small ones seems like the death blow. I can't find any way to reconnect mine! Have you been able to repair the cut?
I found I had to modify my enclosure around the panel itself.

I have seen some people doing extensions of their Glasstron panel ribbons on their hack page. I think it's called "wearable's". A pic of Seven from Star Trek on the home page.

Great price for the 5" monochrome's, if you got three you could put em in a non-working CRT projector. $60 for VGA! Working out the alignment would be a headache though. I wonder if they would actually need Another board, I see they reference a serial interface IC on another page.
If somebody started a thread for that project that would be interesting.

If I actually wanted to do it completely from scratch, or mass-produce. I would go with that Delta 67 lens and make a smaller enclosure than the slide projector box. Maybe a 150W halogen lamp in there...

5" monochrome $20
 
SushiMasterX,
if these panels really work with 60°(C), then it must be a newer series, sounds not bad and you're on the happy side! BTW, my IR filter of SP looks a little greenish, and i also noticed in my OHP, the first smaller condenser has this greenish too! A 2 in 1 function!

xblocker
 
The color Gameboy is a reflective lcd. Not transmissive. I am not sure how to project this type. The resolution is only 160x144, also. Less than 25,000 pixels! A projected picture will not be good.
Try gutting a mini-tv from the pawn shop. Much better results and easier to work with the circuitry in getting a video signal into it.

Ir optics:
Looking on Edmundsoptics website the Ir filter is stated as blue-green or blue-violet in color.
Xblocker, where did you purchase your Ir filter? Is it possible that is not an Ir filter? Was it purchased separately? Possibly just a flat collimating lens in your SP?

Also, I took apart a Kmart magnifying lens and noticed it has a greenish tint to it, from the side view also. And, I looked at several optics lenses in my collection and they all seem to have a greenish hue to them. Does that make them an Ir absorber as well? Maybe, natural tint of silicon or any glass material.

I think it is difficult for us to go by color to determine Ir blocking ability. Especially, since none of us is familiar with them, at least not me. If someone has purchased this filter type specifically, please fill us in.

Xblocker, here is an experiment you can do to confirm. Take your Ir filter and using your remote control for you cable or whatever. Try changing channels with that lens in front of the Ir receiver port on the cable box. Remotes work in Ir, like 780nm or something. If the channel still changes then I would suspect it is not an Ir filter. Try plain glass too. Try at a few distances.
 
The color Gameboy is a reflective lcd. Not transmissive. I am not sure how to project this type. The resolution is only 160x144, also. Less than 25,000 pixels! A projected picture will not be good.
Try gutting a mini-tv from the pawn shop. Much better results and easier to work with the circuitry in getting a video signal into it.

Ir optics:
Looking on Edmundsoptics website the Ir filter is stated as blue-green or blue-violet in color.
Xblocker, where did you purchase your Ir filter? Is it possible that is not an Ir filter? Was it purchased separately? Possibly just a flat collimating lens in your SP?

Also, I took apart a Kmart magnifying lens and noticed it has a greenish tint to it, from the side view also. And, I looked at several optics lenses in my collection and they all seem to have a greenish hue to them. Does that make them an Ir absorber as well? Maybe, natural tint of silicon or any glass material.

I think it is difficult for us to go by color to determine Ir blocking ability. Especially, since none of us is familiar with them, at least not me. If someone has purchased this filter type specifically, please fill us in.

Xblocker, here is an experiment you can do to confirm, if you have a few minutes to spare. Take your Ir filter and using your remote control for you cable or whatever. Try changing channels with that lens in front of the Ir receiver port on the cable box. Remotes work in Ir, like 780nm or something. If the channel still changes then I would suspect it is not an Ir filter. Try plain glass too. Try at a few distances.

I noticed my older Radio Shack 1.8 tv would burn up much quicker than these industrial one's. I think maybe the newer type's are built more heat resistant. So, anyone considering using the older mini-tv's be assured that more than ~40C is probably going to damage it. As Xblocker has said, you should put a fan over the panel as well for these and monitor the temperature when you are building/stabilizing your setup.
 
stupid idea?

Sushi

It could be easier, try to control remotely your TV through that glass, and you'll see whether it filters IR rays or not 🙂

About the UV rays... well you always can expose during 4 hours to the middle day Sun with the glass over your skin, if the next day your whole skin is burned but the sector you had the glass on, you have an UV filter 😀

I will buy a thermometer and test the temperature in the LCD place with and without the glass.
 
Cool!

I wonder how much heat is actually absorbed by that lens.
Another cool experiment would be to try measuring the temp in the slide area with and without that lens.

I'm gonna try that when I pick up a new bulb and get a new UV/Ir mirror to replace my corroded one. Wonder how well they actually clean the light...

Thanks Xblocker! People with X's in there names are cool, ha-ha!
 
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