Few quick things on CRT...
...dang, FedEX guy dropped by today, gave me false hope that my OHP came 🙁 I got some other cool stuff though.
Anyways, tried a little crt experimenting with my delta crt lens. I masked 3/4 of my 21 sony moniter and diverged it down as far as it goes. Turned all the lights off and two things I noticed:
-Image has to be small, completly fit inside the circular lens. This will be a tall order to get a decent image in that small area.
-with my desktop res at 1280*1028(whatever...) and the picture divereged down, I noticed a significant screen door effect. Now granted my face was less that 1 foot from the projected (on to inkject paper) image, still my source crt is much better than whatever we will be using in our project. This is kind of discouraging.
A few other small things, maybe due lack of bightness, I didn't notice color in the output (?). Leaving my moniter diverged down was kind of scary, I did not dare to max the bightness and contrast. Another thing, don't use Aperture grill moniters (AG), the knock on them is that they aren't bright, and look washed out (compared to masked monitors). There also more expensive.
One question, what will be better for us in terms image quality, little color 5" tvs (i'm assuming that these exist for cheap somehow since it keeps getting mentioned) or 15" monitors converged down??
...dang, FedEX guy dropped by today, gave me false hope that my OHP came 🙁 I got some other cool stuff though.
Anyways, tried a little crt experimenting with my delta crt lens. I masked 3/4 of my 21 sony moniter and diverged it down as far as it goes. Turned all the lights off and two things I noticed:
-Image has to be small, completly fit inside the circular lens. This will be a tall order to get a decent image in that small area.
-with my desktop res at 1280*1028(whatever...) and the picture divereged down, I noticed a significant screen door effect. Now granted my face was less that 1 foot from the projected (on to inkject paper) image, still my source crt is much better than whatever we will be using in our project. This is kind of discouraging.
A few other small things, maybe due lack of bightness, I didn't notice color in the output (?). Leaving my moniter diverged down was kind of scary, I did not dare to max the bightness and contrast. Another thing, don't use Aperture grill moniters (AG), the knock on them is that they aren't bright, and look washed out (compared to masked monitors). There also more expensive.
One question, what will be better for us in terms image quality, little color 5" tvs (i'm assuming that these exist for cheap somehow since it keeps getting mentioned) or 15" monitors converged down??
And one IMPORTANT thing
I really think that this thread is getting unweildly(well over 1K posts now). A simple guess is that there are about 5 or 6 current active posters who are knee deep into there projects (ie. they are not leaving anytime soon) and are knowedgable most major parts of the thread.
The problem lies in that many now dormant posters have posted some execellent links and nuggets of info the hundreds of posts before my time....
wait let me just get to my point , look at this post in avsforums for HT pc's link
I propose if we get large meta post FAQ like that, we can get a lot more intrest and therefore get lot more done. In addition for even those who thought they knew everything, there is probably one or two things that you missed.
If I can get a couple people intersted, I think we should divide up the thread and get some sort of index done, or at least compile all the good threads and catagorize them ( expample: lcds, MH, OHP , plans and drawings, CRT etc...) Its a bit too much work for one person IMHO.
Anyways let me know what you think, it shouldn't really take that much time if its divided up, and it can really help everyone involved...
I know its kind of a hokey idea, it won't really hurt my feelings if no one is interested, just wanted to throw the idea out....
I really think that this thread is getting unweildly(well over 1K posts now). A simple guess is that there are about 5 or 6 current active posters who are knee deep into there projects (ie. they are not leaving anytime soon) and are knowedgable most major parts of the thread.
The problem lies in that many now dormant posters have posted some execellent links and nuggets of info the hundreds of posts before my time....
wait let me just get to my point , look at this post in avsforums for HT pc's link
I propose if we get large meta post FAQ like that, we can get a lot more intrest and therefore get lot more done. In addition for even those who thought they knew everything, there is probably one or two things that you missed.
If I can get a couple people intersted, I think we should divide up the thread and get some sort of index done, or at least compile all the good threads and catagorize them ( expample: lcds, MH, OHP , plans and drawings, CRT etc...) Its a bit too much work for one person IMHO.
Anyways let me know what you think, it shouldn't really take that much time if its divided up, and it can really help everyone involved...
I know its kind of a hokey idea, it won't really hurt my feelings if no one is interested, just wanted to throw the idea out....
CRT route
contrapasta
Well I´m going for the 15" monitor for now becouse I need the resolution but this might be expensive. I do not know what outhers are going for.
Maybee a new thred on this forum would create som more interest for CRT?
Dont get me wrong, this is a very good thred but as You say it is getting big and splitt into CRT and LCD . . . . .
For me personly it does not matter either way becouse I have seen all the posts and can find what I need anyway . . . it whill take some time though . . .
I can not help in sorting this becouse I do not know enything about forums and stuff. I can kock a hotdog on the mains power though 🙂
By for now
contrapasta
Well I´m going for the 15" monitor for now becouse I need the resolution but this might be expensive. I do not know what outhers are going for.
Maybee a new thred on this forum would create som more interest for CRT?
Dont get me wrong, this is a very good thred but as You say it is getting big and splitt into CRT and LCD . . . . .
For me personly it does not matter either way becouse I have seen all the posts and can find what I need anyway . . . it whill take some time though . . .
I can not help in sorting this becouse I do not know enything about forums and stuff. I can kock a hotdog on the mains power though 🙂
By for now
I don't like the idea of needing to follow two or more threads for the same thing. I like it all-in-one. I don't read other diy-projector forums either. But that's just me.
I don't think two threads is good either
I kinda like it as it is, just wish it was a bit more user friendly...
But anyways, if you want a cheap 15" crt that is new ( I figure new moniters would have the brightest phosphers(sp) )
$50 at CompUSA after rebate, normal price $299
edit: just noticed its aperture grill. This helps explain the original price I guess. Dunno If I should get it anymore (especially considering that huge rebate) Might walk in compusa this weekend and do some "stress" testing to see how it preforms. If you walk in Compusa and see a moniter with a smaller square burnt into it center, you know DIY projecter person was there! 🙂
I kinda like it as it is, just wish it was a bit more user friendly...
But anyways, if you want a cheap 15" crt that is new ( I figure new moniters would have the brightest phosphers(sp) )
$50 at CompUSA after rebate, normal price $299
edit: just noticed its aperture grill. This helps explain the original price I guess. Dunno If I should get it anymore (especially considering that huge rebate) Might walk in compusa this weekend and do some "stress" testing to see how it preforms. If you walk in Compusa and see a moniter with a smaller square burnt into it center, you know DIY projecter person was there! 🙂
Thread length, etc.
I'm not actively involved at the moment with this project other than having read all the thread from start to finish 🙂 but I'll throw my several cents in anyway!
If someone is interested in doing this project, they ought to have the good sense to read it all from the beginning anyway, or else they have not shown the depth of commitment necessary IMHO. You see folks popping in asking questions that have been answered and you know they didn't take the time to do the homework necessary to be successful in this venture. Like I said, I'm not even ready to tackle this project, but I have enough respect for the forum and the posters to review what's happened already!
It would certainly be nice if someone could collate all the different information into a more searchable format, but it really isn't a huge problem. Hell, I'll recap right here the main points as I see them for both 'camps' (LCD vrs CRT)
LCD issues first:
LIGHTING:
You can't use LED's for your projector. They're too expensive and not bright enough. That info alone saves you reading the first hundred posts or so. lol
Use either the Lights of America flourescents (they're cheap, run relatively cool and have been successfully 'deployed').
Alternatively, and my preference, would be the low wattage metal halide solution because I think this is closer to the type of light source used in commercial setups. The degree of difficulty in using these is somewhat higher than the LOA solution.
LENSES:
Either you go the OHP route with the LCD Panel which has been shown to work by more than one person, or you get into optics and LCD panel deconstruction way farther than average (or at least I'd care to!)
LCD PANELS: The two schools of though are prefab overhead projector LCD panel off ebay, or ripping apart a laptop screen which has been show to be WAY WAY WAY more difficult than the AVERAGE DIYer can handle. Sure, maybe Wally has a five watt soldering iron, a microscope and steady hands, but the rest of us are screwed trying to solder tiny multipin flexicables!!!
That concludes the LCD info. Now for CRT:
Other than a 'big woody' type setup, not much has happened along these lines. If you're gonna do it, there seems to be some consensus that a smaller TV will give you greater brightness.
And....If you just feel the need to mess with feedback coils, deflection circuits, etc. be aware there are SOME SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS high voltage circuits than can reach out and KICK YOU IN THE @SS even after the power has been SWITCHED OFF.
Enjoy.
I'm not actively involved at the moment with this project other than having read all the thread from start to finish 🙂 but I'll throw my several cents in anyway!
If someone is interested in doing this project, they ought to have the good sense to read it all from the beginning anyway, or else they have not shown the depth of commitment necessary IMHO. You see folks popping in asking questions that have been answered and you know they didn't take the time to do the homework necessary to be successful in this venture. Like I said, I'm not even ready to tackle this project, but I have enough respect for the forum and the posters to review what's happened already!
It would certainly be nice if someone could collate all the different information into a more searchable format, but it really isn't a huge problem. Hell, I'll recap right here the main points as I see them for both 'camps' (LCD vrs CRT)
LCD issues first:
LIGHTING:
You can't use LED's for your projector. They're too expensive and not bright enough. That info alone saves you reading the first hundred posts or so. lol
Use either the Lights of America flourescents (they're cheap, run relatively cool and have been successfully 'deployed').
Alternatively, and my preference, would be the low wattage metal halide solution because I think this is closer to the type of light source used in commercial setups. The degree of difficulty in using these is somewhat higher than the LOA solution.
LENSES:
Either you go the OHP route with the LCD Panel which has been shown to work by more than one person, or you get into optics and LCD panel deconstruction way farther than average (or at least I'd care to!)
LCD PANELS: The two schools of though are prefab overhead projector LCD panel off ebay, or ripping apart a laptop screen which has been show to be WAY WAY WAY more difficult than the AVERAGE DIYer can handle. Sure, maybe Wally has a five watt soldering iron, a microscope and steady hands, but the rest of us are screwed trying to solder tiny multipin flexicables!!!
That concludes the LCD info. Now for CRT:
Other than a 'big woody' type setup, not much has happened along these lines. If you're gonna do it, there seems to be some consensus that a smaller TV will give you greater brightness.
And....If you just feel the need to mess with feedback coils, deflection circuits, etc. be aware there are SOME SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS high voltage circuits than can reach out and KICK YOU IN THE @SS even after the power has been SWITCHED OFF.
Enjoy.
CRT route
That is a good price for a monitor!
Good call contrapasta 🙂
If Aperture Grill is at all acceptable I think this is the one for me. I´m flat broke most of the time (this is one of the reasons why I´m on this forum) but I can pick bottles to get the cash 🙂
What I have seen of Compaq monitors they are good quality. I whill get a better fresnel and keep on working on that end until I hear from the university about "boosting" the brightness.
Scot_lad, how is it going? Burnt fingers yet ? 🙂
By for now
That is a good price for a monitor!
Good call contrapasta 🙂
If Aperture Grill is at all acceptable I think this is the one for me. I´m flat broke most of the time (this is one of the reasons why I´m on this forum) but I can pick bottles to get the cash 🙂
What I have seen of Compaq monitors they are good quality. I whill get a better fresnel and keep on working on that end until I hear from the university about "boosting" the brightness.
Scot_lad, how is it going? Burnt fingers yet ? 🙂
By for now
CRT route
Lenses
I´m using fresnel lens becouse somewhere i read that fresnel is better for this kind of projection. I do not know if this is true so maybe I whill try a ordinary lens later . . . . when my car whas inspected they used a good quality lens to check the headlights . . . . hmm . . .
By for now
Lenses
I´m using fresnel lens becouse somewhere i read that fresnel is better for this kind of projection. I do not know if this is true so maybe I whill try a ordinary lens later . . . . when my car whas inspected they used a good quality lens to check the headlights . . . . hmm . . .
By for now
CRTs
Here I am, yes I know I promised to write more before now but I have been ill - stuck in bed with the worst flu ever, could hardly move.
Because of this I haven't had a chance of the last few days to investigate some more. Although I am going to get my magic fix for the curved CRT screen soon! More details when I know what I'm doing....probably after the weekend, sorry.
Here I am, yes I know I promised to write more before now but I have been ill - stuck in bed with the worst flu ever, could hardly move.
Because of this I haven't had a chance of the last few days to investigate some more. Although I am going to get my magic fix for the curved CRT screen soon! More details when I know what I'm doing....probably after the weekend, sorry.
Hi to all out there 🙂 like most of the peoples out there, i've built the "100 inch tv" thingo and liked the size but not the quality, so it's now time to build something better...Just like to say a big thankyou for all the people on this board for all the helpful input (and lost sleep from taking AGES to read this post!) 3 questions for you all, 1) as far as pixel size, how does the 680x400 lcd blown up to the 100inch size relate to the crappy tv resolution? (not looking at focus or brightness) 2) the store-bought projectors are using the 3 lcd screen design - could it be possible to use only one of these screens from a broken projector? ok quality?? and lastly 3) does ANYONE know where i can get my hands on the necessary components from australia? thanks in advance
gavin
btw, i found this link
http://www.projectorpeople.com/news_info/ppeople.asp
go the aussie know-how!!! 🙂
gavin
btw, i found this link
http://www.projectorpeople.com/news_info/ppeople.asp
go the aussie know-how!!! 🙂
Fantastic news everyone I found this page on google:
http://www.google.com/mentalplex/MP_results.html
The top item is a link to a mini XGA lcd 2inch by 2inch. I think this could be the missing piece in the jigsaw. It costs $120 and is active TFT so can handle video. It has no backlight or anything so can be put straight into a projection setup. It has a driver board that accepts PC and Svideo. Its so cheap because these colour ones are now surplus stock as all projectors use 3 monochrome panels.
I'v phoned them up and its not a mistake so we can all build a cheap high quality projector.
Good Luck everyone
Andy
http://www.google.com/mentalplex/MP_results.html
The top item is a link to a mini XGA lcd 2inch by 2inch. I think this could be the missing piece in the jigsaw. It costs $120 and is active TFT so can handle video. It has no backlight or anything so can be put straight into a projection setup. It has a driver board that accepts PC and Svideo. Its so cheap because these colour ones are now surplus stock as all projectors use 3 monochrome panels.
I'v phoned them up and its not a mistake so we can all build a cheap high quality projector.
Good Luck everyone
Andy
New Forum
To everyone involved in this thread;
I feel very sentimental about this thead, it stands as a testiment to your creativity. What started to me as a pretty out there thread has matured into an amazing resource.
<b>As the thread has grown its been harder and harder to find the information you're looking for</b>. I'd like this place to be an easy to use and fun reference site, not 'commit to reading every post or miss it'.
I created a few new forums the other day to clear up the myriad genres catered for in the 'Everything Else' forum. Including a new one for video, and moved both this and the laser projector thread into it.
This post is to let you all know that this has happened (I know a lot of you just click the link that gets emailed and bypass the rest of the forum), and to ask for your feedback on a few questions.
By the way, if you like getting every email and want to do the same with this new forum structure, just go to <a href="http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=12">the main front page for the video forum</a>, and click "Subscribe to this forum". You'll get an email every time someone posts in the video forum.
To everyone involved in this thread;
I feel very sentimental about this thead, it stands as a testiment to your creativity. What started to me as a pretty out there thread has matured into an amazing resource.
<b>As the thread has grown its been harder and harder to find the information you're looking for</b>. I'd like this place to be an easy to use and fun reference site, not 'commit to reading every post or miss it'.
I created a few new forums the other day to clear up the myriad genres catered for in the 'Everything Else' forum. Including a new one for video, and moved both this and the laser projector thread into it.
This post is to let you all know that this has happened (I know a lot of you just click the link that gets emailed and bypass the rest of the forum), and to ask for your feedback on a few questions.
By the way, if you like getting every email and want to do the same with this new forum structure, just go to <a href="http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=12">the main front page for the video forum</a>, and click "Subscribe to this forum". You'll get an email every time someone posts in the video forum.
- Should this thread be closed now (still able to be read, but unable to post to it), in order to encourage new topic-specific discussion in the new Video forum? The idea of course being making it easier to find information.
- Should this thread be split up, topic specific, into new threads (ouch, very hard, breaks thread consistency)? Or..
- Should the champions of each projector mini-project that know this thread so well, start a new on-topic thread, with links back to pertinent posts in this thread for reference?
- Do you have any better ideas?!?! 🙂
[/list=1]
Let me know what you think!
Clean up!
Jason,
I would like to suggest some ideas that maybe are of interest to people here in this forum!
From the discussion we had in another thread you said that you have here a dedicated forum. This is the exact mistake you did! This is a dedicated Thread and Not a forum.
I am 25 years of age and am experimenting with DIY projectors since I was 17. I know this project quite well but never thought of a forum until I browsed to this site! I believe that in here is all the information that somebody needs! And when i say all the information i mean everything!
A forum usually has severall Categories and in them there are threads, topics etc. This forum now has lets say more than 1000 replies. Some of them are about lcd displays, lens, screens, u name it! I know that it is not easy to split and it would require a person that knows what is what! However, and i am stressing that this is just my opinion, I think that there should be categories of the main parts and processes like: Screens, LCD Procetors, CRT Projection, Optics etc. This is because say for example that i am cuurectly building a projector and i am not sure what size, resolution LCD panel to use. It is difficult to browse through the thread to find info about this! Of course you could do a search but you may miss on important info!
This is just a thought of mine. The pioneers of this thread may have a different opinion and i surely respect any criticism and opinion.
Lest bring life to this area again and start innovating!
Thank you for your time!
Vasili
Jason,
I would like to suggest some ideas that maybe are of interest to people here in this forum!
From the discussion we had in another thread you said that you have here a dedicated forum. This is the exact mistake you did! This is a dedicated Thread and Not a forum.
I am 25 years of age and am experimenting with DIY projectors since I was 17. I know this project quite well but never thought of a forum until I browsed to this site! I believe that in here is all the information that somebody needs! And when i say all the information i mean everything!
A forum usually has severall Categories and in them there are threads, topics etc. This forum now has lets say more than 1000 replies. Some of them are about lcd displays, lens, screens, u name it! I know that it is not easy to split and it would require a person that knows what is what! However, and i am stressing that this is just my opinion, I think that there should be categories of the main parts and processes like: Screens, LCD Procetors, CRT Projection, Optics etc. This is because say for example that i am cuurectly building a projector and i am not sure what size, resolution LCD panel to use. It is difficult to browse through the thread to find info about this! Of course you could do a search but you may miss on important info!
This is just a thought of mine. The pioneers of this thread may have a different opinion and i surely respect any criticism and opinion.
Lest bring life to this area again and start innovating!
Thank you for your time!
Vasili
Sorry for the uneducated question
What is the difference between a lumen and a candle. I have been looking for parts to build an LCD projector and have came across some light sources that boast they light output in candles instead of lumens.
What gives? How do I compare something that outputs 200,000 candles with something that generates 1,000 lumens?
Please help the uneducated.
Thanks,
Dave
What is the difference between a lumen and a candle. I have been looking for parts to build an LCD projector and have came across some light sources that boast they light output in candles instead of lumens.
What gives? How do I compare something that outputs 200,000 candles with something that generates 1,000 lumens?
Please help the uneducated.
Thanks,
Dave
Superdave,
Hopefully this will help:
Conversions
There is an interesting LCD panel on ebay if anyone want to take a look:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2013655072
If I am looking at it correctly, it looks like the driver board is easily moved from the display area. I'm not following this route for my projector, but maybe it can help the ones that are. By the way, I am in NO WAY affiliated with the seller 😎 . Just in case you were suspicious.
Well, I got burned again on a suitable LCD panel...the one I received today was not the right one. It has no video inputs, even though I repeatedly and specifically requested a panel with s-video NTSC compatable inputs. ARGGG. This is the second time something like this has happened since I began this project...and I still haven't had a panel in my possession that has worked! Sorry to vent my frustrations here, but my blood pressure has been running high on this LCD issue. Oh well...
Good luck, everyone.
-f4
Hopefully this will help:
Conversions
There is an interesting LCD panel on ebay if anyone want to take a look:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2013655072
If I am looking at it correctly, it looks like the driver board is easily moved from the display area. I'm not following this route for my projector, but maybe it can help the ones that are. By the way, I am in NO WAY affiliated with the seller 😎 . Just in case you were suspicious.
Well, I got burned again on a suitable LCD panel...the one I received today was not the right one. It has no video inputs, even though I repeatedly and specifically requested a panel with s-video NTSC compatable inputs. ARGGG. This is the second time something like this has happened since I began this project...and I still haven't had a panel in my possession that has worked! Sorry to vent my frustrations here, but my blood pressure has been running high on this LCD issue. Oh well...
Good luck, everyone.
-f4
- Status
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