I have a problem. I'm a model railroader (1:87th scale or HO scale). I've been tossing around ideas for creating a scaled down version of a drive-in theater. First was the idea of placing a tv screen on the layout. No good. then came the idea of using an lcd screen from a laptop. Could work, but when the screen is not playing a movie, its black and very unrealistic looking. Sorry, I tend to get obssessed with making it all look real. Now my current idea is similiar to how it is really done. I could model a white screen to scale and project the images onto it when a "movie" is showing. Thats how I stumbled onto this forum. But all the information is for making the image bigger. How about smaller? How can that be done? 10" X 12" possibly? Am I trying to do the impossible here? It would be great to mount this under the table with only the lense protruding through the table hidden in the drive-in theater concession/projection booth.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
"Just a guy with Alot of time on his hands."
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
"Just a guy with Alot of time on his hands."
What you should do is use one of those smaller, lower-res LCDs like some people on here use for "from scratch" projectors in a custom box.
Use the LCD for the "screen" in your drive-in theater... forget the projector altogether. Then all you have to do is backlight it some kind of way.
Another option is just to use a flashlight as your projector. Sure, the image quality wouldn't be tops, but for your purpose I don't see how that would matter very much. It would be much smaller and much less power-hungry than the bulbs we are using for home theater projection. It would keep the space underneath your table free for other things.
Anyway, those are my thoughts. Interesting project, BTW.
Use the LCD for the "screen" in your drive-in theater... forget the projector altogether. Then all you have to do is backlight it some kind of way.
Another option is just to use a flashlight as your projector. Sure, the image quality wouldn't be tops, but for your purpose I don't see how that would matter very much. It would be much smaller and much less power-hungry than the bulbs we are using for home theater projection. It would keep the space underneath your table free for other things.
Anyway, those are my thoughts. Interesting project, BTW.
Schmanthony, he's trying to get a white screen for more realism, the lcd will just give him black 
all you would need (as said before) is a 1.8 inch lcd tv, pull it apart and use that as your lcd, basically making a very small ohp setup so only the head is visible in your "projector room"
good luck, sounds fun
all you would need (as said before) is a 1.8 inch lcd tv, pull it apart and use that as your lcd, basically making a very small ohp setup so only the head is visible in your "projector room"
good luck, sounds fun
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