This isn't my first encounter with DIY Projectors, I had a PS One 5" LCD Projector running a few years back, but I was bored today and though't I'd see what I could do with a Dell 15" that I had knocking around. I quickly turned my lounge upside down as it became the workshop, so excuse the mess

The LCD is the Dell E156FPf

Key Features

Monitor Type - Flat Panel LCD TFT (Active Matrix)
Size - 15 inch
Contrast Ratio - 450:1
Aspect Ratio - 4:3
Max. Resolution - 1024 x 768
Brightness - 250 cd/m²
Response Time - 16 ms
Dot Pitch - 0.297 mm
Viewable Picture Size - 15 in.

It was very easy to strip, the most difficult being popping the tabs to split the case into 2 parts, and folding the FFC cable back (it was stuck on lightly with some adhesive....) I kept the metal surround because it made it easier to ground the thing. There is one slight scuff on the AG of the LCD, but I'm not brave enough to try AG removal at this stage, so I'll have to live with a little dot on the screen.

I wanted to keep everything as one unit, so I attached everything to the OHP. Luckily it had 2 little threads that a small bolt would screw into on each side, so I was able to screw some small pieces of pine to the edges, which I attached to the main circuit for the LCD, the cooling fan and some extension sockets to plug everything into. I mounted the LCD on 2 more pieces of pine, with a third holding the FFC and board. Then I got out my trusty gaffer tape to (for the time being) secure the edges of the LCD to the pine. I'll probably put together a real mount for it in a week or so.

Anyhow here is the projector: (The window cleaner is for the glass on the OHP, not the LCD...)





I'm about to go away for a week, so I won't be able to post any pics of the projected image (it's not dark yet ) but I'll get some up when I get back.