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| Anyone using a projector in their cab as the display? |
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| unclet:
Ok, this is not answering your question, but I am curious why you would want to use a projector in your cabinet 1) doesn't a projector create a lot of heat inside a closed cabinet? 2) when the projector overheats, will it turn itself off automatically? 3) Would changing the bulb if it burns out be a pain. 4) Will the bulb burn out frequently due to continuous use? 5) Isn't projectors a lot more expensive then a nice 27" TV or 21" PC monitor? 6) If it ever breaks, would replacing it be expensive? 7) Would you need to get the same exact model as a replacement so it replaces the existing one's capabilities exactly? I am not asking these questions to be a pain in the arse, I am generally interested in why discussions about projectors come up. What are some of the advantages you see in using one? I am just curious |
| ids:
Still cant find the URL i mentioned i couldnt find earlier. The jist of it was: bulb -> <torn-open-cheap-lcd-panel> -> fresnel lens -> some other lens. He was filling a very large screen from a good distance (15-20' away) with good brightness (room lights out, of course). For a cab, you're likely doing a rear-projection thing, and would need an appropriate screen to project onto from behind (all conjecture). Fans are certainly needed to deal with heat, and I don't recall any mechanism to deal with overheating, but I bet it could be built that way (temp sensor -> pwr control). Since it's all a home-built solution, swapping bulbs should be easy. Not sure what they cost, nor their lifetime, but how many hours would a cab be running? If you consider how cheaply a low res 15" lcd panel can be had for, then add a bulb, lens, whatever.... again, not sure overall cost, but you'd have a large screen and maybe a fun project to boot. Perhaps this doesn't really answer your questions. In the end, I guess it's more for the adventure than anything. The time and effort are likely to outweight any minor savings (if there are any) -- unless one is experienced, can do it fast, and save serious $$ Doesn't solve the LCD gun issue, however. |
| Turnarcades:
Your best bet is to just use the theory I've incorporated into a cabinet design. Just build your chosen cabinet/cockpit and mount a forward-facing projector at the front. You can then just rig it up in front of a flat surface/wall/screen and have it as big or small as you want. |
| shardian:
Using a 15" lcd for a DIY projector results in a HUGE frikkin box. For something in the range of a 30" screen and arcade resolutions, you could totally get away with a psone 5" screen (coincidentally I have a mostly put together psone lcd project for sale. ;) ;) ;D ;D ) The fiscal benefit of a DIY projector has pretty much been done away with since commercial projectors have gotten so cheap. Rear projection is probably your best route for a driving game. You could even actually get an old beat up standard def rear projection TV for next to nothing nowadays and use that. I don't recommend a fresnel lens setup like Virtua cop machines had. Those setups were VERY disorienting, and a fresnel that size is not cheap. |
| Afterburner:
I'm probably looking at a short throw projector. I'd really like something HD, but those are still very pricey. There are some decent XGA projectors for around $400-$500. The one someone used as a marquee display sounded decent. Bulbs shouldn't be too much of an issue as I wouldn't leave it on much....just during play, which for me really shouldn't be that many hours. I was thinking of placing the projector under the cab floor and then bouncing the light off a mirror or mirrors to a rear-screen projection. Alternately I could mount the projector vertically at the bottom of the front of the cab and just use one mirror. Heat shouldn't be too much of a problem. I can install a couple of quiet muffin fans at the back of the cab to blow air under the cab floor. The heat could exhaust through some small louvers or vents at the top of the cab. Ideally I'd like a nice 30" to 32" LCD 1080p display, but those are running over $700. Maybe in a few months they'll start to come down. That way I can play PC games/sims at nice high resolutions. A projector was just a possible way to get a nice large 30" to 40" picture for a little less cost than a monitor that size. As shardian pointed out, they've gotten smaller and less expensive here recently. |
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