hey all!

i stumbled across lumenlab quite some time ago and have been hanging around ever since... anyways... i finally decided to take the plunge and build my own diy lcd projector!

first off let me explain my reasoning behind this... i currently own a retail dlp projector (benq pb6110) but the lamp is going to need to be replaced soon - so i figured rather than spending $500 on a new lamp that will only last 2,000h i'd build my own for the following reasons:

1) lamp life and price - $500 for 2,000h or $50 for 20,000h... YOU DO THE MATH
2) high definition - i want a projector that can display at least 720p without scaling
3) outdoors - i want to be able to watch movies outdoors on the side of my house!!!

and now, with out further ado, the comparison... these pictures were all taken with the same camera in the same environment...

retail dlp projector (benq pb6110):











diy lcd projector:

coming soon!

This should be fun.

I just helped a friend install a new Benq system, and the picture is something to behold.

But, then there's the bulb -

And, our projectors look pretty damned good, too.

Plus, it's way cooler to say, "I built it" than "I got it on special at Newegg."

Curious, what model of Benq?

I've found that LCD projectors can blow you away with their vibrant colors and sharpness. But DLP's usually have better contrast and smoother images - which can also be unstable at times due to the spinning color wheels.

oooooh, nice a 360! I've forbid myself to play mine until my Projector is done, I'm crazy eager, I think it'll turn out fantastic though, good luck w/ yours!

Those shots are simply amazing. I am sorry to say but the clarity and detail of those images on the benq blow away my diy. Whats that you say $500.00 a bulb
How big are those images?

thanks ChristmasGT, i was reading your plog the other day - your projector looks awesome so far... maybe we can meet up on live and play some 360 after it's done!

anyways, time to get the ball rolling... i need to choose the lcd i want to use for my projector. i want it to be at least 720p capable without scaling and it needs to support sync on green (for component video input) so if anyone has any suggestions please post them here!

You will never get anywhere near the brightness and clarity of that BENQ unit. You will gain resolution though.


I know, i used that same model benq for about 3 weeks. Its nice, i sometimes wish i just had that back.