Im still wondering if building DIY projector worth the effort... or I rather just auction a LCD projector from ebay for around $300-$500 and then modified the lights.
Have anyone successfully modified their LCD projector lights yet?
Maybe this idea might not work but... yeah this what i think.. Why dont we build a light box with a 250W HQI outside of the lcd projector and using mirrors to guide the lights inside of the projector. 😕
It seems the DIY projector will eventually end up cost close enough to buying an LCD projector from ebay itself.
Someone please prove me wrong...... Or I need to sell off my Polaview 3000 projector panel and start working on retrofitting a light into a real LCD projector. 🙁 🙁
Have anyone successfully modified their LCD projector lights yet?
Maybe this idea might not work but... yeah this what i think.. Why dont we build a light box with a 250W HQI outside of the lcd projector and using mirrors to guide the lights inside of the projector. 😕
It seems the DIY projector will eventually end up cost close enough to buying an LCD projector from ebay itself.
Someone please prove me wrong...... Or I need to sell off my Polaview 3000 projector panel and start working on retrofitting a light into a real LCD projector. 🙁 🙁
Well lets discuss, First Most older projectors have 100-1 contrast ratio, you can get better contrast with a lcd monitor. Second, A hqi setup would most deff have to be mounted outside the projector because its still too large to be in the actual projector. 3rd, If you can find a projector for cheap there are usually no guarentees that the insides are in good shape( especially if its stated not working as there is no bulb) Most projectors are canabalized once something goes bad on them, ie why bulbs are missing etc. Other then that I cant say either way. Good luck
hmmmm.
well i just saw today that best buy has dropped the price again on X1's to $1000.00.
I still think DIY is great if you really just want the satisfaction of building something, but in this case i would not do it if it cant be done cheap.
lets add up what i think some average costs are to DIY right.
overhead - 100.00
lcd monitor of decent quality - 200.00
halide setup and ballast - 200.00
HTPC - (if you cant dedicate your other pc) - 400.00
what you get for your money?
XGA resolution
400:1 contrast
akward stage size fitment of monitor
bulky setup
great feeling that you did it yourself
or......X1
SVGA native (scales up to 1080i, so resolution is only marginally worse than monitor.
about 800:1 contrast (i know it says 2000:1, but this is a more realistic number.
small portable compact unit
no need for HTPC
SO I SAY TO DO THE DIY PROJECTOR RIGHT, YOU WILL SPEND ABOUT THE SAME AS THE X1, WHICH YOU CAN FINANCE NOW AT 0% INTEREST THROUGH BEST BUY.
....granted if you can get the hook up on the monitor,ballast,overhead,HTPC then DIY is a better choice.
for most of us that dont have the hook up, i say that a NEW DLP is looking better and better. - unless you have to DIY.
the days of the 200.00 crappy panel results DIY are over.
so you get what you pay for, just research it well....
well i just saw today that best buy has dropped the price again on X1's to $1000.00.
I still think DIY is great if you really just want the satisfaction of building something, but in this case i would not do it if it cant be done cheap.
lets add up what i think some average costs are to DIY right.
overhead - 100.00
lcd monitor of decent quality - 200.00
halide setup and ballast - 200.00
HTPC - (if you cant dedicate your other pc) - 400.00
what you get for your money?
XGA resolution
400:1 contrast
akward stage size fitment of monitor
bulky setup
great feeling that you did it yourself
or......X1
SVGA native (scales up to 1080i, so resolution is only marginally worse than monitor.
about 800:1 contrast (i know it says 2000:1, but this is a more realistic number.
small portable compact unit
no need for HTPC
SO I SAY TO DO THE DIY PROJECTOR RIGHT, YOU WILL SPEND ABOUT THE SAME AS THE X1, WHICH YOU CAN FINANCE NOW AT 0% INTEREST THROUGH BEST BUY.
....granted if you can get the hook up on the monitor,ballast,overhead,HTPC then DIY is a better choice.
for most of us that dont have the hook up, i say that a NEW DLP is looking better and better. - unless you have to DIY.
the days of the 200.00 crappy panel results DIY are over.
so you get what you pay for, just research it well....
For those who have gone into used LCD and DLP projectors we were all happy with our DIY project once including myself. I made a really big screen myself and it did not cost me that much, under $300. I got a screen bigger than 5 times my tv, boy am I proud of myself.
That was months ago when lcd and dlp projectors were still pretty high even the used ones. It still is sometime when people go crazy when they bid on ebay. But since the price of new units had drop alot in the past couple months many people and companies have upgraded. So there are alot more bargains on ebay right now, you just have to keep on looking and be patient...............
For those of you who never had a DIY project I recommend doing it because it is fun and you will learn alot. But keep in mind that you should not go over $300 or $400 because you do not know the outcome and could waste that money! Any more than that I can guarantee you can surely get a good starter used commercial projector........
Eventhough I already have a good dlp I still look around for bargains. I bought 2 so far and sold it back for a little profit. I just sold another one today and made $200 profit!!!
Here are some advice if you are looking for a used commercial projector.
Dont buy any thing with resolution below 800x600 no matter how cheap it is. With todays standard its not worth it
Ghosting and sync problems are very serious and could cost thousands to fix.
If they say no lamp but unit works, immediately look for a lamp and completed items for that lamp to see if it is available and not hard to find. I picked up a bargain this way.
I dont really recommend buying a cheap projector for $300 and trying to retrofit a bulb or lamp that might cost you more and you dont know if it will work. The end price is probally $400-$500. You can get a decent working projector with lamp for that price ask some of our other members they will tell you cause I know they did.
In the end we all want to watch tv a really big tv or else we wouldnt be in this forum. If you are on a budget DIY is for you. For around $300 you can get a good big screen but depends on how long you get that project done.
For $400 nowadays you can get a decent projector depends on how long you can find it, usually a couple of weeks.
Just my 1 cent. Later
That was months ago when lcd and dlp projectors were still pretty high even the used ones. It still is sometime when people go crazy when they bid on ebay. But since the price of new units had drop alot in the past couple months many people and companies have upgraded. So there are alot more bargains on ebay right now, you just have to keep on looking and be patient...............
For those of you who never had a DIY project I recommend doing it because it is fun and you will learn alot. But keep in mind that you should not go over $300 or $400 because you do not know the outcome and could waste that money! Any more than that I can guarantee you can surely get a good starter used commercial projector........
Eventhough I already have a good dlp I still look around for bargains. I bought 2 so far and sold it back for a little profit. I just sold another one today and made $200 profit!!!
Here are some advice if you are looking for a used commercial projector.
Dont buy any thing with resolution below 800x600 no matter how cheap it is. With todays standard its not worth it
Ghosting and sync problems are very serious and could cost thousands to fix.
If they say no lamp but unit works, immediately look for a lamp and completed items for that lamp to see if it is available and not hard to find. I picked up a bargain this way.
I dont really recommend buying a cheap projector for $300 and trying to retrofit a bulb or lamp that might cost you more and you dont know if it will work. The end price is probally $400-$500. You can get a decent working projector with lamp for that price ask some of our other members they will tell you cause I know they did.
In the end we all want to watch tv a really big tv or else we wouldnt be in this forum. If you are on a budget DIY is for you. For around $300 you can get a good big screen but depends on how long you get that project done.
For $400 nowadays you can get a decent projector depends on how long you can find it, usually a couple of weeks.
Just my 1 cent. Later
qwkbird said:
??? Ok, I'm not gonna pick sides and argue here. But your reasoning doesn't make sense. First of all, why would you need an HTPC for a diy projector but not the X1? That makes no sense whatsoever. Secondly, you don't need to spend $200 on a lamp and ballast and then another $100 on an OHP. You can get a good MH OHP for $100-200 which already has a lamp and ballast. And if you did want to buy your own lamp/ballast, you could get one for much cheaper.
I'm not saying the X1 is a bad idea. There are pros and cons for both, but what your saying just ain't flying.
AND ANOTHER ONE CROSSES OVER TO THE DARK SIDE!!! MUAHAHAHA!! "join us, join us, join us" Yeah im going the lcd projector route also, I will let you know how it goes.
well one thing with diy u can upgrade for a hell low price and not to metion the bulb life and replacement cost's, one u have made the actual unit all u need to do is upgrade the lcd and change bulb when required, when u buy a projector u need not only bulbs if u are a heavy user but if u want a higher reso u need to buy another projector so in the long run u spend more on a bought one one would think but this isnt for all situations and there are ways to beat price barriers with upgrades to pro projectors and i think its called ebay, if u sell your projector before the bulb goes good for u u get a better price and maybe only have to spend $100-$200 on top of your sell sale but that works out to be the same of a diy upgrade so realy maybe there isnt any benifit with diy but for that startup first of getting into the big screen system, with that being said i plan to have a pro projector and a diy projector i like to create things and learn along the way and someone has to keep u guys going in the future lol
Trev
Trev
qwkbird said:
X1 1k$$? how much was it before (i 4got)
my whole setup cost less than 300$ i dont know where YOU get your stuff from...lol my HQI setup is not even NEaR 200$ how could a normal MH be 200$$
the DIY days may be over for you but not for me, i see my self using my DIY lcd for years to come, yes i will eventually buy a DLP but by the time i get one they will be 500$ lol
OHP 100$
LCD MONITOR 250$
VGA BOX VB50HRTV 99$
WOOD FOR SCREEN 3$
SHOWER CURTAIN 2$
SCREW AND BOLT FOR SCREEN FRAME 4$
-------------------------------
total of 458$
-------------------------------
Comercial projector 1k+$
-------------------------------
The joy of a self-made
project.. and show that
to the familly and friends
and feel like the king of
the world.. PRICELESS!
LCD MONITOR 250$
VGA BOX VB50HRTV 99$
WOOD FOR SCREEN 3$
SHOWER CURTAIN 2$
SCREW AND BOLT FOR SCREEN FRAME 4$
-------------------------------
total of 458$
-------------------------------
Comercial projector 1k+$
-------------------------------
The joy of a self-made
project.. and show that
to the familly and friends
and feel like the king of
the world.. PRICELESS!
Visa will sue..
Jeez how many times has the "Priceless" joke been used 🙄 have you no shame MAN!! OH THE HUMANITY!! lol
ahem, any ways what LCD are u using?
Jeez how many times has the "Priceless" joke been used 🙄 have you no shame MAN!! OH THE HUMANITY!! lol
ahem, any ways what LCD are u using?
nd
na i think its time for property to take his medication he must have forgotten to take the last lot lol
na i think its time for property to take his medication he must have forgotten to take the last lot lol
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