Hi all, first post here.

For a long time now I've been watching different sites, trying to find a nice "easy" way to make my own Projector. I have some basic questions, so please, go easy on me, guys.


I'm probably going to buy everything I need, except the LCD, off of this site. What setup do you think works best from the online store?

I'm concerned about the bulb. Depending on what bulb I get, how long should I let it cool down before powering it back up?

Are the Ballasts specific to the build strength? If so, which Ballast/Bulb has worked out for you?

How long can you keep the projector on, before coming into heat issues?

I'm not looking for sheer performance. I'm looking mainly for OOH and AAH and WOOHOO. I will probably put an extra fan or two into the enclosure, since I'm a freak about heat and fire n stuff.

Please, lemme know what's the what, so I can get this DIY done fast.

~Treebear

The lenses purchased from LL will depend mainly on the throw (distance between the projector's triplet lens and the wall), and the size LCD you wish to use. Both of these factors are tied together as I will explain later. Nothing "works best".. it all depends on what you want from your setup.

The most common size LCDs used here are 15" 4:3 with resolution 1024x768, 17" 5:4 with resolution 1280x1024, 15.4" 16:10 WUXGA (originally intended for laptops mainly) with resolution 1920×1200, and various smaller LCDs such as 8.4" Hami, and the PSone LCD screen.

15" monitors are good when you're on a tighter budget. They can use the less expensive "standard" 320mm projection lens sold on LL ($60 i think), and take less space (smaller projector enclosure). The downside is the lack of resolution. Many people play video games on their projector and 1024x768 res isn't exactly cutting edge anymore. Also, the resolution is not high enough to display true 720p HD content (1280x720) which is a big factor for many people.

17" monitors allow good resolution for gaming as well as the ability to display 720p content. 17" monitors work best with the "Pro" 500mm triplet sold on LL. This triplet alone costs $200 which puts it out of reach for many builders. 17" monitors with the pro triplet also force you to create a much larger enclosure. 17" monitor will work with the standard 320mm triplet but you will sacrifice edge focus and brightness.

15.4" WUXGA monitors can display true 1080p content, but they are expensive. you will also need to purchase a seperate controller for the LCD since you can only purchase the panel bare. The total cost for this panel and controller alone will easily reach $500. This is not the way to go on a tight budget.

The projection lens is the main factor in determining the throw to image size ratio. The pro triplet will give you a large image from a long throw. If you want your projector positioned behind the seating area, and have at least 10 or so ft throw, the pro triplet is the way to go. The standard triplet has a much shorter throw distance and is generally positioned at or in front of the seating area to keep the image a reasonable size. the further the projector is from the screen, obviously the larger the image will get.

So, figure out where you want the projector to sit, the approximate size image you want, and the desired resolution. Then you can decide on an LCD and triplet combo.

on to the bulbs.

The eBallast and 400w T15 6500k bulb is an awesome combo. its bright enough and gives excellent color reproduction. the only downside is cost. The bulb itself is more money than other MH bulbs you can buy at lighting stores ($60 compared to $25-40), and the ballast is also more expensive than common core + coil ballasts which go for ~$45-60. The bulb and ballast wattage much be equal. 400w bulb with 400w ballast.

The projector can stay on as long as you want. some people run theirs for 10hours straight with no problem (think LOTR marathon ). The key is cooling. You must keep the LCD cool. The bulb is designed to run extremely hot and it can handle the temps but the LCD needs to be kept under ~100*F. there are tried and true cooling designs that pretty much everyone follows (or a variation thereof) that should keep your projector well within operating temp for extended periods.

Building a projector seems like a difficult thing as first, but there is a ridiculous amount of information on this site. I suggest you visit every forum and read through the stickies at the top. these will cover ever single aspect of desiging and building a projector. I spend about a week straight just reading before I decided on anything or even made my first post.

ok I'm tired of writing. don't hesitate to ask any other questions though

heh, I am going for a 17" setup myself.. And I will end up building my room around the PJ. (Currently only have the LCD and nothing else lmao) I like to game, so will end up buying a new PC to handle everything and gonna go with a lazyboy chair and wireless mouse/keyboard. =P ditching the desk.

That is if everything goes well. And I'm sure it will take months before I can get it setup, and many more after before it is "right" for me. =P

Everyone's idea of a perfect setup will be different. Even my own ideas as far as PJ goes have changed many times and i've yet to START the build.