2nd projector attempt, 1st was standard design using CMV-522

Objectives
Small footprint: 1.5 sq ft. Lamp at diagonal
Minimize light leakage: Sheet metal baffle or "light levee"
High resolution: 15.4" WUXGA with G2a controller from 3rd group buy
Long throw: LL ProLens, split setup
Rigidity: Aluminum frame
Nothing custom: most materials from Lowes or HD
Adjustability: threaded rod

Acknowledgements:
All of the LL members who generously share their input and ideas. In particular, JonJandran and his results from WUXGA, Minoten for the group buy and guidance, Ozstang65 for his inspired use of aluminum, and many others.

Props to anyone involved with fabrication. There's a big difference between ideas and making them actually materialize. The frame of the PJ is pock-marked with holes from "course corrections" on the build.
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Perhaps test tonight.

i have a request bevo... do me a favor and take a picture of someone standing next to this ... just want a frame of reference for how tall it is... because do to depth perception that first image makes it look as tall as your house LOL...

builds looking good though cant wait to see the test fire images.

bevo-

Very impressive build - I'm definitely curious to see how this progresses. Given that this PJ's size makes this seem to me like a permanently mounted PJ - is there an HTLog in your future? I could definitely see this thing standing against a back wall between a matching component rack for the AV equipment and shelves full of dvds.

I'm a little surprised to see the attic fan thermostat placed down below the light - isn't that further than necessary from the space you want to cool (which I've always assumed to be above the lamp)? I do see how you've made the temp control accessible from outside the enclosure, which seems like a good idea.

I'm envious of how much room you have to deal with everything. Do you still have your first projector? Any pics, or does it pale in comparison with this one?

Also, I'm curious to see how you're handling the mdf enclosure panels. Great pics, great captions. Very informative.

The frame is exactly 4 feet tall (stock alum angle from HD) by 16.5" x 15". It will sit on a 1 foot tall pedestal so the center of the triplet is 54", the correct height in the projection room.

The PJ will be mounted in a room adjacent to the media room; projecting through a hole in the wall. HT Log? Maybe. I wish LL would sell large size screens as I really don't want to build my own.

Attic thermostat was placed for access and I figured so long as it "read" the temperature of the outgoing air from the exhaust fans, I could adjust it and get adequate cool-down. I may end up moving it. 1st pj is the standard box with standard triplet. No unconventional designs. Just to get something for my son and to "cut my teeth" on.

MDF enclosure panels are the same thickness of the angle aluminum (1/8") and are cut to fit in between them and secured to the frame with small screws. Once everything is tweaked in, I plan on covering the entire thing with the large "peel and stick" vinyl floor tiles. (18" square, easily trimmed, with stickum on the metal only). I'm leaning to the marble pattern.

Thanks for the compliments. I'm going to try and get some screenies this weekend (on my pitiful cell phone camera).

for your screen read this
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread....light=rustoleum

it has a very large cross section of both DIY solutions and retail solutions for screens... suprisingly some of the DIY stuff actually kept up with the professional stuff... but apparently 1 of the pro ones was far better than all the rest.

I Like your design because it looks like the one I have and I'm sure once your finish with it you'll be vrey pleased,I only have one problem with my design and that with the FS mirror I could never get a focus picture with it so I had to use a RS mirror please let me now if you incounter the same problem.

RR

Here's a link that I think you will love ,and believe me it make s a big difference.

http://cgi.ebay.com/DA-LITE-2-8-GAIN-72x96...1QQcmdZViewItem

RR

how in gods name did u get a focused image with an RS... RS will always have ghosting because of the glass unless.. it was magic lol

as for focus problems witha FS the issue normally is simple to solve its bowing... the FS tends to bow quite easily so thats been the problem ... you'd have to look around but their have been some ingenious solutions alot of people had the problem because... well... because they tried to hard, if the fs is too tot it will warp slightly... so a few ended up replacing there grips with just tape and it was an instant improvement...

ya the dalite is nice but i've seen alot better and pictures like that one on ebay are just fake simple as that... my screen is going to be based off of.....

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread....age=3&pp=30

Scroll down... its a DIY screen, and if you read his setup he purposefully setup his worst case senario LOTS AND LOTS of ambient light, and he has his PJ really really far away he estimated around 200lumens at the screen from the PJ and as you can see the results are AMAZING

Those screen shot are from Mississippi Man who was over here in LL about 5 months ago passing out the formula to his MMud mix sprayed onto a large mirror, that didn't go to well with our DIY projectors 200 lumens output, I must say his picture are truely amazing but thay are also being produced by a commercail projector.
Threre are some people in the LL family that tried the mix but I don't think they were happy with the outcomeso the just bought a dalite screen as for the RS mirror I'm using yes there is a thin sheet of glass before the mirror but if you take a look at my plog my pictures look great, only ones who knows about the slight ghosting is me and my LL family my mirror mount aloud the FS mirror to slide into place freely with no tention on the mirror, mybe the mirror was warp. I will try the FS again because if I can resolve the problem it will just make me fell like my PJ is 100% complete insteas of 98%.

As for fake ads for the dalite on e-bay thats just where I got my screen from for that same price.

RR

The mirror is soooo far away from the LCD. The cone of light is very small when it hits the mirror. Other members such as rearden and arrik, have had ghosting issues because of this. This is because the cone of light is so small when it hits the mirror, that any flaw in the mirror is then magnified on the screen.

In order for arrik and rearden to correct the ghosting problem, they hand to move the mirror closer to the LCD, enlarging the area of the mirror hit by the cone of light. Any flaw in the mirror was then not magnified as much. The result was a much clearer image.

Anyway, the proof is in the pudding! So where are the pictures of the projected images?

I can ramble all I want, but if the picture is clear, that is all that matters!

Fulcrum

Thanks Fulcrum for the Mirror info but moving my mirror closer is not an option, here are the pics to prove that the right RS mirror isn't bad at all.
http://www.lumenlab.com/forums/index.php?s...st&p=160448

did u loose a line on your lcd or is that the screen?

screenshots look great.

yea I had a row of dead pixals but I replaced the monitor,white line all gone

RR

hehe congrats

i had a freak out with my lcd because i had a dead pixel... magically while fideling with it (i just got it) the last time i powered it up the pixel was fixed lol

Bevo
Ck your PM's
ChuckL

Mods:
Now Inverted vertical
Changed to CDM 150W
Complete strip of Sharp W12 panel
Replace both polars with SHC from Polarization.com
Split config. All Pro components.
Pic of HD TV

Well.... I'm trying to add pics, but having some difficulty.

great build Looking forward to some pictures with the new polarizer