Hey everyone ....

Well here it is .. my first projector project! ::Trumpet Fanfare :: I've been reading all of your advice and PLOG's and decided to start build of my own projector .. I've sourced 'most' of the parts i need and started last week on the build of the box .. pics below.. but hopefully this will provide me with a great image on my wall just in time for the World Cup :: Soccer for all you americans ::

Any feedback is welcomed and I hope you can all help me with any problems I have.

Keep Smiling Everyone

Steve

The Box Built


2 Sheets of MDF from B&Q Superstore (Cut for free by the nice man there £14.78)
1 Heavy Duty Strap from Maplin (£3.28)

Back Panel Electronics


2 10Amp Switches from Maplin (UK Electronics store) (£1.78 each)
1 Female Fused Power intake again from Maplin (£1.69)
1 Powered Fan from Maplin (£6.99)
Fan cover and 2 Temp Sensors not fitted ::pics to follow later::

I just recieved my LCD from Overclockers.co.uk and Fresnels from LL (S15 Lens Kit) - got stung by customs and parcel force for an extra £20 but just having them here its a great feeling More posts to follow soon when i get the lens mounted and fitted.

Hi Steve

I live just below manchester "Derbyshire"

Good luck with your projector, hope it all goes well

I know Derbyshire.....good Dartie mate lives near there......Good luck with the PJ mate....

Welcome Steve,you look like you are making good progress.
I have gotten alot of stuff from Maplins,they are a good scource of "bits and pieces"
Good luck with the rest of your build,you wont be dissapointed!
Cheers P (Big up the UK massive! )

So a wee update for you all ....

I've ordered the ballast, capacitor, and ignitor from Lampig.com all for a grand total of £40.08 .. as soon as I mentioned what i was ordering the guy on the phone new exactly what i wanted it for and seemed really eger to help The only 2 parts i need now are the E40 lamp holder and the bulb.

Bought a Benq FP51G from Overclockers.com but then a friend phoned me and gave me a Hyundai 15" LCD he had already partailly stripped so I've changed to using that monitor. Although it was free, actually costing me a Pint next time we go to the bar, the monitor is only a 300:1 constrast ratio with a response time of 30ms ... could someone post an explanation of response time and why its bad to have it at 30ms ... The Benq one has a contrast of 400:1 with response of 12ms but dont really wanna strip it having the Hyundai already stripped!



The pic shows the LCD stripped ... on a plus side the Hyundai LCD has a lovely metal frame so mounting it in the box wont be too much of a hastle. Again there is an issuse with the ribbon cables and the boards but im going to extend my box and try and find an elegant solution to making it work

The project should be finished in the next 5 days so hopefully ill get pics up of the results .... Will the picture suffer now that I'm using a 300:1 constrast ratio LCD ... couls someone let me know

Thanks peeps

Hello
Looks good so far! As to your question...what I usually do is a google search with for example
"response time" and usually a good site pops up that explains in detail some way i can understand.
Response time is important for fast action and the resolution is important for brightness/contrast in colors i think. Do a search and you can really get educated.
Good luck
http://www.necdisplay.com/support/css/moni...ide/index04.htm

hi steve been looking at your Plog. it all seams to be coming together nicely. i was just wondering if you had the product numbers for them bits you ordered off of lampig.com. i have had a look on the site but i am unsure if witch bits to order. could you post the item numbers so i could order the same bit as i live in england and they are the only bits i need as i have ordered the rest of the stuff from lumen labs

Hey everyone,

Well a bit of time has passed I've been really busy tryin to get the projector built while studying for exams ..... Ahhhhh finals! Here is the Update on progress ........



The bulb is not centered but ill fix this at a later date









Lots of black sticky tape to hold back the cables onto the side on the box
Had to go this route casue i couldnt find fcc extensions to fit the LCD

Ive tried it out and the picture quality is amazing ... still having problems taking photos of the results. I have an issue of light leakage at the back of the projector cause of the new big fans so any solutions would be great. Temp was stable at 32 degrees C for 2 hours and the LCD still works ... few

Just for joeboyc2, here is the parts from lampig.com ...

Ballest is MHO400 or MH400
Capacitor is 30 mili faradae
Ignitor is Z6HS

Just say to the guy your building a projector and he will know what to give you it comes to £40.03 inc. shipping

Ill put results up as soon as possible .. Later everyone

Hi Steve Thanks for that,
I rang them today and he knew what I was talking about straight away, all I said what that I wanted a ballast and that to ran a 400W bulb, he was like oh for a projector. Lol he must get it all the time. I wonder how many people are building projectors at the moment, they must be getting some good business,
The projector is looking great, when you get that bulb cantered I bet the picture will be so much better allot of people say that a bad pics come from not having the bulb centred. I should have all my bits tomorrow I know the stuff from lumen labs is in the country and is in the parcel force depot need to go get it to pay the charge. I love it, British customs lol and the ballast should be delivered tomorrow so I busy weekend ahead of me along with all the decorating I have to do and gardening. I wonder what will take priority.... lol we'll see lol
Joe

Interesting bulb. It wouldn't be an NRG would it?

Osram HQI-T bulb 400W actually

Yeah i got stung from an extra £20 from customs or should i say Parcel Force. The pictures have been quite good already without the bulb being centered but that will have to wait until the end of my finals If you need a wiring diagram specific to lampig's equipment let me know ... it shows you exactly where to put everything.

Steve

hi steve that would be great, i was a bit confused as to where to put the cap and the ignitor. if you could give me a diagram that would help me a great deal as i am going to build the box today and try to get it finished over the weekend.
yeh the charges where nice £36 in total but now i have got the stuff i am happy

The diagram is here ...

http://pics.frogo.co.uk/dpp/wiring.jpg

If you need any more help just let me know ... What bulb did you decide to get??


Steve

that’s great Steve thanks for that, just one thing, is there a plug or something that is meant to go in to the capacitor as I don’t know how the wires will go in to it or am I just getting it wrong, not the best with wiring I am a bit basic, I can do some domestic stuff but not much with ballasts and caps. Help there would be appreciated.
i got the one from lumen labs, did'nt really know what to look for on the net so thought the one from here would be the safest option

If its a standard Capacitor then it will have a self locking joint ..... basically try putting the wire in as far as it will go and then tug back on it ... if it takes alot pressure to remove then its in Also the capcitor is dual polarity so it doesnt matter which plate you plug the wire into .... Any more questions just let me know

you are not going to use a reflector? have you fired up the image to see how bright it is? The reflector wont be able to sit very closely to this bulbs arc would it?

hi steve one last questio you know your fans how are you running them. are you running them from the mains or have you got another power sorce, i cant really see one in your box?. thanks for all the help ill try the cap today. not sure if the projector will be done this weekend took the lcd apart and it has an ffc issue. think i will just get an extension for it. ill set everything up as it is then when i have the extension i will be able to get some proper pics. the first box is only really a demo at the mo so i am not too bothered. i am going to be doing a virtical build when i know how everything work. thanks again

The fans are standard 240V Fans from Maplin ... they are wired from the power intake on the box(See Here) through the switches so if the fans are not on then the light cannot be on either .... Just use some ceramic blocks to couple the wire. I went for twin core that i split rated at 20Amps .... Since the fuse will blow at 10A, it gives me double the protection ... hope that clears up the fan issue! What bulb are you going to use?? What LCD did you strip?? MIne had a fcc issue but i just worked the box around it as you can probally see.... some touchy moments when cables came out and were really hard to get too but its all working which is the main thing If there is anything else just post

Steve

i got a bulb from lumen labs but it is not there normal one because they had a supply issue. they sent me a blue line lamp. i think its maybe a bit longer than the other one but i can work the box round it. i stripped a dell screen . think its a 1504F i looked on the site befor i got it and they said it would be ok. i stripped it the other day and it has an ffc issue. i am just wondering know weather or not to get an extension for it or just put it back together and sell it on and get a different one. but it is an ok screen it has VGA and DVI in so i did want to keep it but im not sure it is will be worth the hastle. i dont think i could work around it seeing as its a 90 degree FFC and it joins the two boards together. i was wondering also how you mounted the LCD. i was reading that you can use the metle frame that its in and the plastic fram that holds the backlight but im not sure how to mount it

Joe

Lookin great so far!
I was looking at your pics a little closer this time...Is the one lense a little out of line. Looks like it
may not be "square" with the box or the other lens! Maybe just me or the pics.
Keep up the good work.

There is a little known clause on this site, that all UK visitors must send 1 crunchie bar a month to me.

PG Tips are to be used to insulate the crunchie bar.

Nice looking build.

Where did you get the bulb and for how much? I'm looking to possibly build a projector this summer (I've put it off long enough) and am currenlty finding out where to get the parts.

I'd really appreciate it if you could list what you got and where you got them.

RS Componenets -- £43.99 oswram 400W Hqi-t bulb .... pics to follow after my exams only 4 to go now

Thanks.

And good luck man. I've got a 3 hour one tomorrow and then I'm done forever. Or at least I'm done with my degree.

Then I can put some real planning into my project.

i know its a while since last post,just wanted to see how you got on with projector? good to see a fellow scot on here!

cheers

Dunc_

Steve,

Oh No! If you wait much longer, the exams will be back again!

Fulcrum