I was at Best Buy this evening looking for 16:9 LCD screens for possible use in a projector. While I saw the Westinghouse 19" that people have talked about, of more interest was this:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?sk...d=1130986316511

The Samsung is 16:10, 1440x900. This would give me more than the 1366x768 I need for 720p at 16:9. Plus, it has all of the connections one would need and is HDTV ready.

The price is $450, which seems well worth it to me, if feasible. Here's my reasoning:

The Samsung plus Pro Lens kit and Fresnels, lamp etc. would end up being about $800-900. The least expensive alternative in a manufactured WXGA projector would be a Sanyo PLV-70 at about $4400.

One of the issues I have with potentially building my own projector is will I be able to make it HDTV ready? It seems that the way this is done is to use an external tuner. What is required to make a projector that will be recognized as an HD-compatible device by my Comcast Motorola HD cable box?

I know that I can build a projector that will play DVD's from computer input, and I already own an NEC Multisync LCD1560M XGA monitor with both VGA and DVI inputs that could be used for that purpose. The problem is, I would like to run 2.35:1 material, and an XGA panel will yield a Cinemascope image of those proportions with less vertical resolution that broadcast TV.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Tony

I've considered it but it's a little too wide for the pro fresnals. If it wasn't widescreen, it would probably fit. I'm considering Sony's MFM-HT75W Widescreen 17" LCD TV. At least someone already successfully stripped it.

Well, I don't know. I just laid it out in AutoCAD. The 16:9 19" Samsung would be physically 1.36" wider than a 4:3 19" Dell or other monitor. The Pro triplet is supposed to be for screens up to 19". And the Pro Fresnel specs say specifically that they're good for "widescreen" panels.

Am I missing something here ???

Tony

I was just worried about the dark corners being darker with a 19" compared to a 17". You'll probably blaze a new trail going 19".

For HDTV, if the corners were darker, it wouldn't matter that much. For 2.35:1 Cinemascope movie content, I would be running images that were 1440x613, so the corners would be off the screen...

I want to run HDTV. I either have to get something like the Samsung that already has it built-in, or I have to by an external HDTV video box. I don't need an HDTV tuner, because I have the Comcast HDTV Motorola set-top box. That box will not output a 720p signal to any device that is not HD ready however.

Tony

did you get the widescreen , I'm thinking about purchasing a 21 inch gateway. My measurements show the fresnels will cover the 21 inch lcd. viewable area.

I haven't gotten it, as the whole package works out to be bigger than I want.

Good luck with the Gateway!

i also am looking at building a 17" widescreen HD projector. the monitor i am going to use when ever i can get one is the Samsung 730MW. i work at best buy and that is the only place i've seen it, we have them hooked up in the media department to a Gamecube, 2 PS2, and a Xbox. however we don't sell this model. so if anyone has one or knows of someone that does and would be willing to sell it, PLEASE let me know. I'll take it in any condition. the reason i like this model is because it is the only 17" HD that has a DVI-HDCP input, which i need for my 400 disc HD up-conversion DVD player. or if anyone knows of another model or brand that also accepts HDCP, i would look into considering it. thanks for any help.

My only issue with the 730MW (which I also saw at BB) is that the resolution isn't high enough for what I want to do: I want to throw a noninterpolated, non-cropped 2.35:1 image on the screen.

That means I need either 1804x768 or 1692x720. I can *almost* get there with a a 720p native monitor. BUT, a 20" panel is too big and ends up yielding a huge cabinet.

I'm getting a Greywolf 92" screen, so a PJ built into a coffee table would be fine, as the Greywolf works best with the PJ on a table, NOT ceiling mounted. My difficulty is dealing with the inferior lens interface of the kits, vis a vis a manufactured PJ: NO ZOOM. A ceiling mounted box could be "dialed" in by sliding it on rails for zoom, a free-standing table can be too, but within the limitations of furniture layout.

The parts for this highres kit I want to build would run me over a grand, and I'm not certain that the money will be well spent when that's over half the way towards a Sanyo Z4 with an extra lamp and free shipping.

See my dilema? Cinemascope taste on an XGA budget...

Tony

You can use a 19inch widescreen monitor just fine. I believe Elken2004 uses a 19" widescreen. Only downside is that you will definetely need to use a Precondenser setup, and the 330mm is about 10mm too short, so you're stuck with using the Pro-kit with the 220mm fresnel.

Here are some pics of my 19" WS monitor.



The Pro fresnels are barely wide enough to use with a 19" widescreen. Another thing you will HAVE to do, is when you get the Pro Triplet, you will have to the the extreme mod to it that Elken listed, otherwise your corners will not be sharp nor as bright.

I bought mine at newegg, $340 with shipping. No dead pixels or anything.