Hey, I've finally acquired the funds and enough knowledge(i think) to build my first projector. Its going to be a straight though 15" projector. Nothing fancy for my first build

parts list:
CLAA150XG01 LCD panel with controller, Resolution of 1024 by 768 and 4:3 aspect ratio
Two Fresnel lens at the size of 395mm x 395mm (one is a 220fl and other is 330fl)
t14 400w 4000k metal halide bulb
400w generic metal halide ballast
320mm triplet lens
Pro reflector
120mm fan(2)
Misc wiring
Wood


I'm using this as my outline for the projector.


I'm going to be using gravity for keystone.

Pictures:













--Travis

Reserved

Just so you know 1024X768 is not 720P its close but not true 720P. 720P is actually 1280X720. Good Luck with the build.

So i broke my lcd by breaking the cable on the bottom. Projects on hold for a few days. I may just make a regular plog lol to much work documenting it!

New screen is getting picked up today 15inch benq 4:3 1024 by 768. $40 dollars. Aswell as a original xbox i plan on building into the case as a media center. $40 dollars. I'm ordering the s15 lens today yippie! And everything should be here in a week or two

Also if a mod could change the tittle To "vendetas 15" projector" that would be awsome

do it yourself, by editing your first post

BTW, you understood Quasi sdubb when he stated you can't get 720p with a 1024 x 768 screen, right?

Yes i do. But its close enough to 720 i just said 720 instead of wrighting it all out. And as far as i could see the edit function on the site wont let me edit the tittle.

:S

click edit on your first post then full edit function then change your title above the original post.

i did and i cant :S

Ok, done

Thanks

Come on Sim give credit where credit is due.

Quasi doesn't reply to everybody's post

oops, my bad! Sorry sdubb, I had this mixed up with another thread.

Thats okay "online friend"

YAY ME! Fresnels came in today... way bigger then expected... there big enough to accommodate a 17" 4:3 monitor! and im doing a 15" 4:3 looool

I got mine at 3dlens, cost me roughly 100 bucks cad for both ones

Okay, original post was updated to include my design elements and parts list.


I'm having a problem building my LCD sled. I took a picture of the way id like to build my LCD sled in the gallery link above. But the Fresnel are to large. The only thing is i do want to upgrade to a 15.4widescreen after this project is done and i'm worried if i cut the collector Fresnel so it would fit properly i wont be able to upgrade without buying new Fresnel. Is there a better way to build my sled? I think its probably best i just cut the Fresnel to the appropriate size eh? I need to know how to cut Fresnel properly though :S

Alrighty, so you want to build a straight shooter, split fresnel setup. You also want to build it in such a way that you can possibly upgrade to a 15.4 LCD in the future.
As we discovered in one of your previous threads, the dimensions of your framed 15" LCD are 252mm x 326mm. The average 15.4" LCD dimensions are: 222mm x 344mm. That means if you cut the fresnels the right height for your 15" LCD, they'll also fit a 15.4 (you could even trim 'em a bit more for the 15.4).

You mention wanting to build a "sled" for the LCD. What do you mean by that? Do you want to build a separate frame for each fresnels and another for the LCD? Do you plan on connecting them using the "threaded rod" method? Or do you just want to slide the frames into slots in the side of your enclosure? Are you going to be using gravity keystoning, or a manual knob turning method?

I've found that Google Sketchup is handy to use to design and visualize what your projector will look like. And best of all, there's a free version you can use. If you go to the Google 3D Warehouse and do a search for Lumenlab, you'll find that some members have uploaded parts that they have modeled so you can download them and use them in your own model.

To post pictures in your thread, see this post.

Sorry :S
I was going to make a special design that held the LCD and Fresnel. But ive decided against it and i'm shifting the the slot cut method. And i'm going to use gravity key stoneing for ease of building. Ive decided when i do upgrade it will be to a 12 inch LCD because there relatively the same price as a 15.4 but The way i cut the fresnels wont matter when i get a 12 inch later. Sketchup kinda bogs down my old computer i have (I sold my other one for funds for the projector) But ive got a good idea on everything in my mind now . im building the enclosure tomorrow probably Ill have pictures up ASAP. Oh and i put them in a gallery because i was to lazy to load them onto LL seperatly lol.


--Travis

If you use the "simple" style, and set it to not display textures you can get about a 50% increase on an old computer. I recently fixed up an old computer I had laying around for a friend, and was able with some tweaking to get Sketchup to run pretty good on it by doing a few things like that.

Also setting your computer up for "performance" can help. HERE is a link to how to set it. Hope it helps!

okay... My computer isnt THAT old. And it has been tweaked for preformace already (1.4ghz and 768ram) it can run google sketchup easy. But i am just lazy and i have a hard time in google sketchup, when everything is in my head just fine I was just makeing a excuse to say i'm lazy XD

LOL Gotcha! We all have our excuses. My favorite is the "I don't have enough caffeine and doughnuts in my system" one. Doesn't work all the time, but on very rare occasions when ppl need things done, they will bring you junk food!

hahhahaha im so going to use that now


So the box has come along very nice. All the box has been cut out and most glued and nailed. Fresnel and LCD mounts made but not mounted in case. No pictures as off today because well theirs not much to show. Tomorrow i am going to Mount the mounts and place both Fresnel and LCD and when i get my triplet in the lens ill create my custom sliding housing for it. The lighting supply's are still held up in the states so they will be another week and a half but i'm expecting the triplet and the FFC cable to be here any time this week. Tomrrow ill have a ton of pictures for you. The top board is going to be screwed on so it can be removed at any time but still be air tight. I'll also mount the fan(s) tomorrow. Do you think ill get away with a single fan? its a 400w bulb.


--Travis

I've been lazy on my projector for a while. Nothing new has been done. But the s15 projection triplet came in today. All i'm waiting on now is lights ballast and ffc cable.

--Travis

Light bulb came in today. Still waiting on everything from lumen labs, its been around 3 weeks and i haven't received 1 package from Lumenlabs. I'm beginning to think something happened :S

--Travis

Finally, some pictures!

After this short explanation.

So My projector is on delay once again because of two major problems!

1) i was sent a 400watt ballast and a 250watt bulb(i wanted a 400 watt bulb) so i have to wait for them to reship my new bulb

2) Lumen labs hasn't shipped any of my stuff yet! (Pro reflector, ffc, fan gaurds)

So i spent like 4 hours today working on the box what i accomplished was.

1) A sliding holder for the triplet lens

2) mounted the slots for the rear Fresnel and LCD

3) DAMMIT I FORGOT MY ICE TEA IN THE GARAGE AGAIN!!!

Haha, so far the box is coming out nicely. In the one picture it shows the power supply and controller for the LCD. I planed to put a male to male adapter in the side of the case, so you plug in another vga cord, and mount the original control panel on the side. My question is it better to have the LCD controller and power supply up front with the Triplet or behind with the lamp, fan, ballast?

in my opinion , i doesnt matter where you put the lcd controller
however, the ballast i have always put in the back simply because they generate heat
and with the way the cooling is setup it draws fresh air through the back of the box . in other words if you put the ballast up front , it will get hot and have no cooling

Thanks jeffek. I decided to put it in the back so it can get cooled as well. Today the ballast came in. I'm going to work on the wiring and mounting of the controllers soon. I want to make it 1 switch to turn it all on and run. We will see what happens i guess! By the way the bulb issue was resolved, they are shipping me a 400 watt bulb asap.


--Travis

Accomplishments for today

-Mount ballast and capacitor

-Mount Controller and power supply for LCD

-Tweak little issues (length of vga cord, placement of control panel)

So what needs to be done...

--Place bulb and reflector

--Wire up all the power

--Place and wire up a fan

--Mount and secure the swinging front Fresnel lens.

--Place front board back on with sliding chamber for Projection lens

--Finish projection lens sliding chamber

--Ceiling mount

coming along good.

--Travis

Most people, given the choice, will put the controller in the front of the enclosure - to keep it away from the light and heat of the lamp.

If you're going to leave the controller in the rear, you might want to cover it with aluminum shielding or something.

Oh XXXX... Its mounted in the back already... Will it mater? Or is the aluminum a requirement for it being back there?

--Travis

MODERATOR EDIT, keep it clean Vendeta.

What i got done today

Cut special triplet holder and mounted it into front panel

Mounted front panel onto the box

Mounted the control in the front

Created and mounted a gravity Fresnel lens

--Travis

So what needs to be done...

--Place bulb and reflector

--Wire up all the power

--Ceiling mount

What was done today.

-Mounted controls.

-Mounted fan


ALMOST DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whats left is the bulb and the reflector plus FFC cable and all the wires. ALl of that should be in next week! Pictures will be included once bulb and reflector are in.

--Travis

I've finished absolutely everything except placing the bulb and bulb plug as they still havn't made it- I'm expecting them early next week-
The wireing of the ballast was pretty confusing but i figured it out and wired in two fans a power plug and a power switch. Both fans are blocked so the light does not leak out. The reflector is mounted apox 4 inchs from were the Arch will be. All wireing is done. The box powers the LCD and Fans fine. And if luck is on my side the projector bulb will just light up nicely .

On a side note i was gavin the go ahead to convert my room into a media center room with full functioning media centre PC, My projector, a couch, etc. And i will be moving into the room next to it.

Also I'm going to upload the full pictures as soon as i get the bulb.

--Travis

Great news.

Looking forward to those pics!

All i have to say is....


AAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH


Problems

1. The light is to big causing the arch to be a tad bit off center with the reflector. This doesn't cause much of a problem as the arch is still in the reflector, just off to the side a little. But may cause a hot spot of the arch on the projected image. because it is slightly closer to the Fresnel then i had originally planned.

2. The LCD isn't working property anymore (horizontal flashing pixel lines). Could be that my FFC extension cable wasn't clipped on properly.

3. The front fresnal is slightly smaller then the 15" lcd with my swinging gravity mount and off center. I think i am going to solve this by removing a the keystone gravity mount

3. The projected image isnt evenly lighted. (I think i may of had a dumb moment and put the collaminator in the wrong way lol)

4. The rear end of the box gets incredibly hot. I have two fans one pulls hot air out one push's cold air in. The piece of plexi glass type stuff i put in it heats up allot, the fresnel and lcd also heat up a bit, noticeable to the touch.


I have to go for a school exam today, ill be back in like 4 hours or so. Then ill upload pictures. This is so very frustrating!

--Travis

Hang in there brother. We have all had these days, and if some of you haven't had them yet..................you will.

Few points:

Fans will always work better when they are pulling than pushing. Its just how it is.

My fingers will stay crossed for your LCD being fixable.

My lamp is off center too. HERE IS THE THREAD I have to say, its really not causing mine any problems.

As for your gravity keystoning. You could try an idea like what I did. Its easy to take off it you dot like it. And cheap. Here it is

Wow that helps me allot.

As for key stoning you design is way better then what i was originally doing and i'm going to implement it in my design as soon as i get everything else working.

I'll reverse both fans to pull air. But do i need to have a vent somewhere in the projector for it to get air?

Thanks allot.

By the way i am still at school, so i wont be able to get pictures for around another hour a and a half when i get a ride back to my house.

--Travis

Keeping it Cool

Air intake bringing cool air into the projector, moving it between the LCD and rear fresnel (very important), under or over the rear fresnel and exiting the box. Since hot air rises, I'd recommend the fan(s) be placed at the top, rather than the bottom of the back of the enclosure.

IT LIVES!!!!!!!!!!.....Kinda...

So after being in the garage working for 3-4 hours. I manage to watch a small part of Me my self and Irena.

I reversed the fans so they are both pulling but they still arnt keeping it cool enough so i st
ill have to put a air intake in it.

The LCD is still busted i can't fix the lines, but it will work fine to test until i can find a decent deal on a new LCD.

My box looks and works like (XXXX) MOD EDIT!! hahaha.

My piece of Plexiglas glass stuff fell over during viewing and started to melt lol So im gonna go out today in hopes of getting some lexon or tampered glass

I over used electrical tape inside it and it just melts when the heat of the bulb hits it LOL( Electrical tape is my secret weapon! )

Also i have the dark corners issue (quick fix anyone?)

But guess whhhaatttt, i got a bunch of pictures! Wheeeeeeee

So on my agenda now is

-Find another LCD
-Add air intakes
-Put tempered glass in place
-Sell it for money to build a new vertical HD projector with only a 250 watt bulb and ballast (that im getting for free) so it dosnt heat up lol, I'm addicted!

As i promised, the pictures!










Take in account the Pictures were taken with a 1.3 mega pixle laptop webcam... Lol i was to lazy to go get my SLR camera. But ill have good pictures off it when its projecting better.

--travis

Second warning Vendeta, next use of vulgar language and you are booted off the forums!