I gave this a shot and the results were mixed. The image is as good as I could expect from this 2.5" LCD. It's not up to my standards but it might be OK for others.
I'm psyched to use this at parties, though. (The Grinch playing on a wall at Christmas, Nosferatu at Halloween, etc.)
Don't expect too much from this project and have fun with it. It's worth doing but don't sink too much money into it. You're better off building a full-size projector if that's what you want.
I tried to document it here. Hopefully, the photos will be helpful to some of you.
- Mark
I'm psyched to use this at parties, though. (The Grinch playing on a wall at Christmas, Nosferatu at Halloween, etc.)
Don't expect too much from this project and have fun with it. It's worth doing but don't sink too much money into it. You're better off building a full-size projector if that's what you want.
I tried to document it here. Hopefully, the photos will be helpful to some of you.
- Mark
Great post Mark!
I completely agree with you - was a fun project and has some limited use but if you want real projection you gotta kick it up a notch. 🙂
Great docs of your project!
Mine is now collecting dust as I start collecting parts for my full size pj. Got lenses and tempered glass on the way, and my Thinkpad A21M LCD is already stripped and waiting to go. Laptops seems to be less common but I am pretty confident with this route - plays DVDs well and gives me a fully self contained unit. I'll post docs/pics as I start making progress.
If it wasn't for this simple HipGear project though, I might not have had the amibition to take the next step. Now let's see if I can break something!
I completely agree with you - was a fun project and has some limited use but if you want real projection you gotta kick it up a notch. 🙂
Great docs of your project!
Mine is now collecting dust as I start collecting parts for my full size pj. Got lenses and tempered glass on the way, and my Thinkpad A21M LCD is already stripped and waiting to go. Laptops seems to be less common but I am pretty confident with this route - plays DVDs well and gives me a fully self contained unit. I'll post docs/pics as I start making progress.
If it wasn't for this simple HipGear project though, I might not have had the amibition to take the next step. Now let's see if I can break something!
Great job !!!
How did you extend the ribbon cable??? 😕
Cheers ! 😎
P.S. By the way, have you thought of selling that setup?? Let me know if you do. Thanks
How did you extend the ribbon cable??? 😕
Cheers ! 😎
P.S. By the way, have you thought of selling that setup?? Let me know if you do. Thanks
Thanks for the compliments.
I extended the ribbon cable using a spare serial port cable but any short piece of ribbon cable will do. The PIA part was stripping 24 (or so) leads, tinning each of them, soldering 12 connections and shrink tubing each connection. I regretted it as soon as I began but it was the easiest way to keep the video controls accessible. I suppose you could mount them on top of the projector. To be honest, once you set the controls you probably won't have to change them much.
I had not considered selling this but you probably wouldn't want to pay what it's worth to me. 😉
The projector plus the LCD plus the labor plus the new bulb add up to WAYYY too much. (my original bulb blew JUST as I turned it on for the first test 😡 )
Also, as others have mentioned, the bulb life is very short (about 30 hours) and the bulbs ain't dirt cheap. The going price seems to be about $25. I actually had to pay more because I was in such a rush to test the thing.
The important thing is that it got me psyched up to build a full size projector. My big problem is how to seamlessly integrate it into our unconventional loft/living area. It's going to take some creativity.
- Mark
P.S.
If anyone finds a 2.5" LCD w/ controller with 640x480 resolution let me know. 😉
I extended the ribbon cable using a spare serial port cable but any short piece of ribbon cable will do. The PIA part was stripping 24 (or so) leads, tinning each of them, soldering 12 connections and shrink tubing each connection. I regretted it as soon as I began but it was the easiest way to keep the video controls accessible. I suppose you could mount them on top of the projector. To be honest, once you set the controls you probably won't have to change them much.
I had not considered selling this but you probably wouldn't want to pay what it's worth to me. 😉
The projector plus the LCD plus the labor plus the new bulb add up to WAYYY too much. (my original bulb blew JUST as I turned it on for the first test 😡 )
Also, as others have mentioned, the bulb life is very short (about 30 hours) and the bulbs ain't dirt cheap. The going price seems to be about $25. I actually had to pay more because I was in such a rush to test the thing.
The important thing is that it got me psyched up to build a full size projector. My big problem is how to seamlessly integrate it into our unconventional loft/living area. It's going to take some creativity.
- Mark
P.S.
If anyone finds a 2.5" LCD w/ controller with 640x480 resolution let me know. 😉
What lens does the slide projector use? I'm doing a similar approach, but for some reason my lenses won't get the whole screen... Thanks
A little update on my plans - I decided to use a dimmer switch in my projector, seeing how I have one laying around, and it supports halogens and incandecants for up to 600 watts...
I drew up the power wiring in powerpoint, anyone cares - take a look, comments are welcome.
I drew up the power wiring in powerpoint, anyone cares - take a look, comments are welcome.
Attachments
Sorry for triple posting... but seeing how this is the 229th post - I think this thread deserves to be a sticky.
Tetutigre,
I am using a 5" lens.
I have a slight bit of rounding at the corners but it's not very noticeable. As someone else mentioned, shortening the lens barrel might help but I haven't tried it.
I have the LCD as close the condenser lens as possible and, therefore, as far from the projection lens as possible.
- Mark
I am using a 5" lens.
I have a slight bit of rounding at the corners but it's not very noticeable. As someone else mentioned, shortening the lens barrel might help but I haven't tried it.
I have the LCD as close the condenser lens as possible and, therefore, as far from the projection lens as possible.
- Mark
mlengowski
So is the slide projector's setup lcd, then condenser, then projection lens? I might need to try that out, I've got couple 3'' and 4'' lenses and only get a circle and cutoff corners...
Ancorp
You forgot the Cold mirror 😉 Looks good so far to me. BTW, I'll try and run to this place where they have a RPTV that nobody seem to want... keep your fingers crossed !!
So is the slide projector's setup lcd, then condenser, then projection lens? I might need to try that out, I've got couple 3'' and 4'' lenses and only get a circle and cutoff corners...
Ancorp
You forgot the Cold mirror 😉 Looks good so far to me. BTW, I'll try and run to this place where they have a RPTV that nobody seem to want... keep your fingers crossed !!
Lol, cold mirror? Thats a power wiring diagram... i think you mean the fan on the cold mirror heatsink... when I drew a fan on the diagram, I meant all the fans together in parallel.
A free RPTV? Thats great! What size? Does it work? You probably wont want to retrofit it with your projector if it works... Good luck!
A free RPTV? Thats great! What size? Does it work? You probably wont want to retrofit it with your projector if it works... Good luck!
Tetutigre,
The rounded corners in my case appear to be from an obstruction behind the LCD.
I'm assuming that if the lens barrel was a problem the rounded corners would change when the lens barrel is moved. If the lens barrel is moved away from the LCD then the rounded corners should disappear. They go out of focus but they don't disappear so I assume the problem is behind the LCD.
It looks like my effort to keep the LCD as far from the lens barrel was unecessary but I still think it's probably a good idea to keep it as close to the condenser as possible.
Unless I'm mistaken, the light cone from the condenser tapers to a point. Placing the LCD closer to the condenser should light the LCD more evenly.
- Mark
The rounded corners in my case appear to be from an obstruction behind the LCD.
I'm assuming that if the lens barrel was a problem the rounded corners would change when the lens barrel is moved. If the lens barrel is moved away from the LCD then the rounded corners should disappear. They go out of focus but they don't disappear so I assume the problem is behind the LCD.
It looks like my effort to keep the LCD as far from the lens barrel was unecessary but I still think it's probably a good idea to keep it as close to the condenser as possible.
Unless I'm mistaken, the light cone from the condenser tapers to a point. Placing the LCD closer to the condenser should light the LCD more evenly.
- Mark
If this thread is made into a sticky it should include a strong disclaimer at the beginning describing it as a "fun" project (i.e. novelty) but not a projector you would be happy watching movies on for very long. The resolution is so low that the projected image lacks A LOT of detail.will my bad luck ever stop
I have found another projector to keep trying to get this projector to work and everything was going great i had the lcd mounted and everything going together good i tryed the thing out and it worked about expected but i had put the lcd in backwards so the leters were backwards so i was playing with it trying to flip it arounds no problem but when i was plugging it back in i ripped the ribbon cable from the lcd to the lcd controler board. frick i was mad, i did not get to mad as i was almost done i was going to buy another controller and try to somehow swap out the lcd and try to return it. so went to best buy bought another controller got it on sale for 23.95 not to bad was just thinking hey not to bad i might just cut the lost and use the new lcd. i took it all apart and boom the guts are different i have a different lcd now that is bigger then the last the new lcd is made by perfect view as the last one was made bu au, the controler board is bigger in the new controller everything is different. so i have to hardware mod the new controller and cut new holder for the lcd... can't wait for this pj to be done so i can do something else it is never ending bad luck.
I have found another projector to keep trying to get this projector to work and everything was going great i had the lcd mounted and everything going together good i tryed the thing out and it worked about expected but i had put the lcd in backwards so the leters were backwards so i was playing with it trying to flip it arounds no problem but when i was plugging it back in i ripped the ribbon cable from the lcd to the lcd controler board. frick i was mad, i did not get to mad as i was almost done i was going to buy another controller and try to somehow swap out the lcd and try to return it. so went to best buy bought another controller got it on sale for 23.95 not to bad was just thinking hey not to bad i might just cut the lost and use the new lcd. i took it all apart and boom the guts are different i have a different lcd now that is bigger then the last the new lcd is made by perfect view as the last one was made bu au, the controler board is bigger in the new controller everything is different. so i have to hardware mod the new controller and cut new holder for the lcd... can't wait for this pj to be done so i can do something else it is never ending bad luck.
Thanks, I've been trying to get my configuration right but I'm having some problems... I wanted to try my ole B&H slide projector, but because of the controller board I could not use it... so I'm doing a slide projector prototype... with a 50w dichroic lamp from Lowes. The problem I have is that the lenses somehow coan't collect all the screen... even my copy lens (112mm FL) which is weird I think... but then I tried a fresnel and got a bright, almost clear picture (at least for this kind of screen) but small... anyway I've documented some of it HERE so if you find yourself bored to tears or having nothing to do maybe you can stop by and look at it...
Yeah, it lacks detail, but it's a great way to start... and wait for those 0.7'' WUXGA LCD's to come down in price...
... 
Yeah, it lacks detail, but it's a great way to start... and wait for those 0.7'' WUXGA LCD's to come down in price...
...
Ancorp,
BTW I went to the place with the RPTV... it was an auction place, and the lowest they would go for it was $50... it had no guarrantee of any kind, AS IS. So I was not sure if I should drop that much for it or not...
But now I have 2 things: I found this 48'' fresnel that I can play with....
And also, my hipgear screen has been screwing on me, it won't show any picture, just fuzzy lines and can't get it to show almost anything (was able to see the movie a few times so it still works I think...) 😡
BTW I went to the place with the RPTV... it was an auction place, and the lowest they would go for it was $50... it had no guarrantee of any kind, AS IS. So I was not sure if I should drop that much for it or not...
But now I have 2 things: I found this 48'' fresnel that I can play with....
And also, my hipgear screen has been screwing on me, it won't show any picture, just fuzzy lines and can't get it to show almost anything (was able to see the movie a few times so it still works I think...) 😡
i can get a hip screen pad here at best buy for 29.99 for ps2 only (they don't carry the ones for xbox).
Has anyone used the ps2 one yet?
How do you connect it to run on a rca video input or even a s-video input?
Is there a cable or can it just be diy soldering?
If anyone has any info or pictures that would be a great help!
Gordon
ooh ya and i'm gonna mount it all in a sony 46" tv case using the original mounting and lenses with my 360watt ohp bulb for light (until i get a mh bulb).
😀
Has anyone used the ps2 one yet?
How do you connect it to run on a rca video input or even a s-video input?
Is there a cable or can it just be diy soldering?
If anyone has any info or pictures that would be a great help!
Gordon
ooh ya and i'm gonna mount it all in a sony 46" tv case using the original mounting and lenses with my 360watt ohp bulb for light (until i get a mh bulb).
😀
tetutigre,
$50 is still not bad, considering that even a screen would cost more new... where did you get the fresnel from???
Gordon,
I use the PS2 one, I think several others here do too... I connected RCA (after cutting the screen out of the controller) using the pinout that was posted here on one of the first pages)
About using a 46" RPTV and all its optics... the LCD screen is smaller the the crt that was in there for sure, so your image will be smaller too...
$50 is still not bad, considering that even a screen would cost more new... where did you get the fresnel from???
Gordon,
I use the PS2 one, I think several others here do too... I connected RCA (after cutting the screen out of the controller) using the pinout that was posted here on one of the first pages)
About using a 46" RPTV and all its optics... the LCD screen is smaller the the crt that was in there for sure, so your image will be smaller too...
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