I've designed a revolutionary projector that has the measurements of a commercial one.

Too bad i don't have the money to build a decent one because i'm a student with a studentsbudget

but for those who do:



the left one is in use
and the right one is with all the parts slided in (is only 25 cm thick in stead of 67 )

i'll make a 3d drawing tomorow or so when i have time

Perhaps the revolution was too busy to label the lamp, fresnels, lcd, triplet, etc. Otherwise it's still a pretty picture.

I like your creativity...a collapsing design

I like it, very portable.

So you just minimize the slack space when it's not in use? Everything would have to be pretty tight to begin with and no wires everywhere in the box, but I suppose it could be built. I imagine it would be pretty tough though.

that is an extremly intriguing design. i think i mite try to build it. granted, i have yet to build one at all, but i have the parts to build 2 complete projectors so i think i might build one Haas style and try to build one like your picture.

Popiel's Pocket Projector! AS SEEN ON TV

I agree that the lamp and ballast side would be more difficult to reclaim by collapsing the unit but some gains are certainly possible.

This is a novel approach and worth pursuing.

i'm very happy with the positive replies so i'll make a more detailed picture with cheap standard parts.

but first i'd like to know the measurements (width, height, focal length with standard lenses (read: with decent price/quality comparation lenses) and stuff) of a 15.4" projector and of a 17" projector (as i believe those are the only screens that still offer a decent price/pixel comparation).
Anyone has those?


And for those who think there won't be enough space to put everything in:



if the lamp + ballast don't fit you could place the ballast external (like laptops have except laptops convert to a harmless 12v so it's better to have the ballast internal)

Um...
If you don't know that you can build a projector like this, it's not even worth attempting, or even thinking about.

Besides, what's the goal? It'll still be huge when in use, having it set up like that would just add more weight and more setup time. If you're conserned about space, DIY is not the way to go.

I disagree. This design sounds like a fun challenge to undertake. Maybe it's not absolutely practical, and the effort-to-reward ratio might be a little high, but it'd be fun to have the only one in the world, right?

neat idea! two questions..

How do you hold the pieces open/closed?

Where did you put the control board? I saw the image with "lcd electronics" on the sides, but I know my LCD won't work like that (two big boards that are connected by only a few mm's of cords. they need to sit right under the lcd



Have you seen the PS one in a toolbox projector? that thing is tiny!! (i'll try to find a link..)

I agree.

This is an IDEA not a DESIGN. He has no idea how to actually DO IT. Even if it were possible, it'd take a ton of work, lots of moving parts, in general it would be horribly impractical.

And what would be the advantage? Slight decrease in size? At what cost? The likelyhood of it failing would be MUCH higher.

I mean, it wouldn't be portable, because things could break in moving it. You'd be much safer with the standard design, it'd be bigger, but it'd be more stable when you move it.

It's not a bad thought, but the thing is, when you have an idea like this, you need to ask yourself a simple question: What does it do? What does it do that is so revolutionary as to make it worthwhile. And while this is an interesting idea to take into your own build, to post it in it's infancy as a revolutionary reason to do a DIY is lunacy. Even IF it works, it hardly changes anything.

Good idea though, build it, and make it simple, and it may be what you imagine.

I would say find something that already collapses the way you want it, then build inside it. Maybe some kind of expandable camping equipment that you can hack.

But camping equipment isn't designed to handle the kind of stuff we're dealing with. I wouldn't put glass and electronics and potentially DANGEROUS components into some polyester camping gear.

If I were doing this, I'd use a series of metal frames, and metal tracks of uniform length and would fall one into the other until they were all together, and have a couple of magnets to keep it together when it's closed. That way at least it'd have the frame to protect it's fragile parts. Either way, it would be a ton of construction.