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I would like to buy a projector for a home theatre but at $2000 to $3000 plus and from $250 to $600 for replacement globes it is out of the question.
My grandson said to me the other night "You know how you always wanted a projector, well have a look at this." and he sent me to these sites.
http://www.lumenlab.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=476
http://www.lumenlab.com/
As I said this is my next project.
Bazza,
When you've built it, let us know how it is. I've always wanted a projector but the globe prices are brutal.
Grunt
Grunt
On a commercial projector a globe has a life of about 1000 hours. These projectors use a metal halide globe which has a life of 20,000 hours.
Barry, have you purchased the guide? I would be interested in following the progress on this as well as I too have also toyed with the projector idea but due to costs etc etc........And making your own would give a lot of satisfaction, especially considering the amount of time spent in front of the damn box! ;)
Shane
I have bought the guide and when you buy the guide you get access to the technical side of the forum where there is an incredible amount of information available by people who have already built them.
There is even a forum for different countries including one for Aussies.
I also am intrigued to see how it goes, keep us posted Bazz Have many Aussies built one according to the board?
so your obviously happy with your purchase. thats a positive first step.
Keep us informed!
CHeers!
Shane
It was only $20 US and I blow more than that on lunch when I go to town every week. But the access to the forum is worth more than that.
Well what do you know? I had no idea kits for projectors were out there. I'll keep watching with interest.
Al.
Sounds great. However to the cynic in me it sounds like Linux. Great in theory but you end up spending so much time stuffing around with it that it ends up taking over your life.
I think Bing Lee are selling projectors for around $1500 nowadays. Of course you still have the bulb life problem.
How can a bloody light source cost $600 - $1000 dollars anyway?
It's just a light bulb isn't it ?
Well I suppose it is like printer cartridges. They don't make any thing out of the printer the money is in the consumables which are the repeat business with built in obsolesence. The same with the globes in projectors.
and also with label printers its the consumables they make their money on ...Has anyone noticed that you often see the Brother Label Printers on special but they never put the label cartridges on special - $69 for the label printer and nearly $30 a pop for the label cartridges :-(
Having bought a label printer though I don't regret it ( well not until I go and buy a new cartridge anyway).
I believe that the first company to do this on a large scale was Gillette with disposable razor blades.
G'day Barry,
What a great find! After having read your initial info, do you still think it is a goer?
Can these be used to project a satisfactory picture in ambient lighting conditions - screen size limited to say two meters?
I'm eager to be enlightened as your new project unfolds!
Cheers
Rev
It certainly is. Have you had a look at the forum. You can get limited access before buying the guide.
But the power is in the access to the forum where it shows how a lot of the people have built them and have them working successfully including some Aussies.
Yes, I had a look at the forum....great stuff!
I have seen some 7" XGA screens (for DVD players in cars). These might be the basis for a compact projector. I noticed one called a "Liliput" but the forum for this is locked:(
I also noticed the Liliput screen for sale on Aust ebay for $299...its got me thinking...
I haven't found anything about how they perform in normal lighting situations yet.
Cheers
Well I have started on my projector. I stole a lot of the ideas off Mr Burn's projector who is from North Queensland.
Although I have started I am still waiting on my LCD a Benq FP567S V2 which I paid $442.00 + Freight through my grandson.
I am still waiting on my toughened glass.
It is amazing I ordered my lense kit from Lumenlab on the 9th September and it arrived on the 15th September a total of six days and I ordered my toughened glass here in Australia and they told me it will take at least two weeks.
I am building my projector box from 16mm MDF but no screws to join it up. I am using yellow PVA glue and biscuits to hold it together.
Attached are a few photos of the start of it.
This first picture is of the fans, ballast, capacitor and igniter and wiring. As well there will be a transformer here for the 12 volt fans.
The next picture is a close up of the electrics and the switches and the power inlet are to be in the bottom left hand corner.
The next one shows the the light shield at the back of the fans.
The following one shows the plate holding the FC2 bulb bases with the HQITS400W/D_OSR bulb. All the electrics came courtesy of Taipan another member of the Lumenlab Forum for $180.00 + freight AU this about $100 cheaper than any where else in Australia. The ballast. igniter and capacitor actually came in a metal case but I wanted all the electrics within the projector box. Also shown are the aluminim heat shielding. Another piece will be attached to the lid.
My reflector is the centre out of a stainless steel spoon rest that just sat in a wire frame a whole $4.85 from BigW/Woolworths here in Oz courtesey of information from Mr Burns another projector builder.
This next one shows the rear of the box and the fans. The clamps aren't part of the box, they are only there to hold the sides on as I have not yet glued them in place yet.The last one is the final pic for now. This shows the projector lense and the means of adjustment. I am going to work something out to do fine adjustment for the lense.
This is a picture of the football out of Mr Burns's projector to see what is possible.
Thanks for the update Barry, looking forward to the finished job.
Cheers........Sean
This is another update on my projector that I am building. I am still waiting on the toughened glass which is now into 5 weeks. Their service really sucks.
These are a few pictures of the set up I designed for adjusting the front fresnel lense for what is called keystoning that is to makes sure the front fresnel lense is parrallel to the screen depending on the angle that you have the projector pointing at the screen.
Attached pics of the finished projector box ready for painting.
Making progress Baz, must be hanging out to get it up and running !!
Cheers....Sean
Yes Sean I am looking forwrd to it. Five weeks for a lousy piece of glass is crazy, I would hate to building a house using toughened glass splash backs for the kitchen and having to wait.
Bazz,
The wait is a fact of life at the moment, but things are settling down just a little thankfully.
I'd be interested in seeing how-much the set up ends up costing compared to a commercial version of the same quality?
I'm guessing that while it may have been a factor at the outset, saving a few dollars isn't the motivator here?
Cheers,
P
Barry
I'm interested to know what the finished dimensions of your box are and I'm particularly interested in the weight of the thing. I get the impression it's something you would set up once and then leave it alone, ie, not portable.
I can see myself building one, but I'm sitting on the fence for the moment, hoping you're happy with yours when it's up and running.
Cheers
Geoff
BM
the cost is going to be about $1000 to $1100 which is about $400 to $500 cheaper than the cheapest crappy commercial one that is available but the big bonus is the cost of the globes. Commercial ones start at about $400 up to $900 and only have a maximum life of 3000 hours. These DIY ones have a life of about 20,000 hours and only cost $90.
The other thing is the resolution is better than higher priced projectors up around the $5000 to $8000 and better than a plasma.
The satisfaction of building it is one the other major factors.
Geoff
The box is 800mm x 325mm x 300mm.
As I might have said earlier I am going to put it on a stand similar to the one that was posted on here as a scroll saw stand which will make it mobile. Some of the people building them have built them into coffee tables and some have hung them from the ceiling.
Yep, that's what I figured, and the "because I can" factor is starting to get to me...... hose me down people...I can feel another thing starting!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry_White
What I don't get is the price of the globe...why can't the standard one be replaced with the cheapie? (I guess they all have custom mounts and it would be more work than building your own unit from scratch?)
Thanks for keeping us updated.
Cheers,
P
The important thing with globes are the colour output and the amount of lumens output as this is critical for the picture clarity.Quote:
Originally Posted by bitingmidge
Barry,
Your setup looks great. I have been lurking on a number of the forums except the lumen lab one, although I am beginning to think maybe I should have bought the plans.
Anyway, I was wondering about the wiring - I assume you went with a 400w Metal Halide. Did you wire the fans in on the same circuit as the MH ballast or on a seperate circuit?
Have there been many traps for young players?
Cheers,
The purchase of the plans is really worth the $20 USD because of the access to the protected part of the forum which gives you all the information on the building of the projector and all the the traps that can be overcome.Quote:
Originally Posted by Goemon
Yes I used the 400w metal halide I used two separate switches one for the fan and one for the lamp.Quote:
Anyway, I was wondering about the wiring - I assume you went with a 400w Metal Halide. Did you wire the fans in on the same circuit as the MH ballast or on a seperate circuit?
Cheers,
I put a 8 amp fuse block in and ran the active to the fan switch. I then ran a active from the switch side of the fan switch to the active side of the lamp switch. This way if you happen to switch off the fan by mistake it switches off the lamp as well so you don't get any overheating of the box.
I have now finished the projector and have had it running. It is awesome. I have a bit of fine tuning to do. I have to build the mobile stand for it as well as the screen.
I will post some more pictures tomorrow of the finished projector and try to take some pictures of the the projected image tomorrow night,
BTW you can get into some areas of the Lumenlab forum but not the technical side.
Barry,
Thanks mate. Do you mind if I pick your brain as I go?
Cheers
Goemon
You are welcome that is what the forum is about.
Attached are a couple of pictures of the finished projector. All I have to do now is to work out how to take some pictures of a projected image in a pitch dark room with my new camera if that is possible.
It really came up nice...
If I just a tad shorter I'd want to be buried in it!
I was wondering if you could show me the wiring digram for it? Are you running it from a computer power supply??
Cheers
Goemon
I purchased an AverTVBox9 which will convert RF, AV, Component and SVideo signal to VGA signal.
Have a look here. http://www.sepco.com.au/buy.asp?ProductID=AVerTVBOX9
I can also connect the computer to it. I could have the internet up on the wall. Awesome.
I will draw up a wiring diagram tomorrow of how I set it up
Barry,
I agree it is awesome. And tahnks again for the help with the wiring. I'm comfortable with the focal length calcs, stripping the LCD and even making the box, but not wiring...
You obviously have a 15" TFT in there. What did you go with?
G
Goemon
I used the BenQ 567s V2 LCD 15". Available here.
http://www.gamedude.com.au/
The fans came from here. http://www.eyo.com.au/details_R-TF-12025.html
The thermometer came from here. http://www.eyo.com.au/details_R-CT0129EB.html
The lighting kit including Lamp, Ballast, Igniter and Capacitor available from here
http://ww5.aitsafe.com/cf/add.cfm?us...=185.00&return=
Attached here is the wiring diagram of my projector
Here is a couple of shots of the inside of the finished projector.
Barry,
I looked up the Benq - its got a nice resolution I'm not sure but it may meet minimum specs for High Definition TV. There is an informative article here:
http://www.dansdata.com/hdtv.htm
I thought it might be nice to project HDTV onto my wall and save myself x $1000's. HDTV cards are on sale in Aust for the computer at just $200-$300. The problem is that the LCD's are so expensive its such a gamble gutting one for a PJ.
Everytime I see your pj about a 1000 questions come up but I will try to keep mine to a minimum.
Was it easy to strip the Benq?
What temperature have you set for your fans to kick in?
How did you screen the UV from the halide lamp away from the LCD?
On one of the shots on the side of the box there is a aluminium rail - is that a track for your fresnel adjustment mechanism?
One last one - can you post some screen shots when you can. I can only imagine how good it must be.
With all your great help I have no more excuses soI guess its time for me to get busy...
If I get mine to fly I am sure it is only due to your kind assistance. Thanks