Pico Projectors and cabinets

[drventure]

Basically, anyone worked with one of those pico projectors?


http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=pico+projectors&oe=utf-8&cid=2255774066529792332&sa=title#p

From what I understand, they can't project a huge image (they may say the can do a 60" image, but it's typically very dim at that size).

But for a 24-36" image, I'm wondering if that might be a possible alternative to a full on LCD screen.

Reason I ask is that if it was viable, I could easily see an All in one CP with the PC and projector all built right in, and you can play it against any wall.
Realistically, I wouldn't want one, but I +might+ be interested in using the projector in my cab, where a 32" lcd won't fit, but a 32" rollup screen would.

Just curious about anyone's experiences with these new gizmos

[Deadly]

If I understand this correctly - these things are for use with iphones only.

[EightBySix]

I've used one at work, it just connected to the VGA out of the PC.
Main issue you are going to get is the brightness. Even at short distances you would probably want to draw the blinds before using it.

Nice little gadget - it's time hasnt come yet though, IMO.

[drventure]

Yeah, from the tech specs it says it has a composite video/audio in so I'd imagine it would work with any standard video source.

But... that's what I kinda guessed about the brightness.

Once they're able to crank up the output from LED's, these might be a more viable alternative.

It'll get there.

Thanks for the heads up though!

[Deadly]

Hmmm - it appears composite inputs.
http://marketing.optomausa.com/PDFs/usermanuals/Optoma_PK101_Manual.pdf

Wonder what the actual bulb life is .... cool device.

[polaris]

Yeah, from the tech specs it says it has a composite video/audio in so I'd imagine it would work with any standard video source.

But... that's what I kinda guessed about the brightness.

Once they're able to crank up the output from LED's, these might be a more viable alternative.

It'll get there.

Thanks for the heads up though!

i would guess its not the led thats the issue but the image processor, making a strong enough image so that the led doesn't wash through it, you can get extremely bright LED's in tiny torches now

i really want one regardless of the fact they're probably not that good yet.
there are loads of models out now with different input types

[severdhed]

i've often thought about those things, but i've found that even with full size projectors, having the lights on really makes them suck.

[Ginsu Victim]

I could easily see an All in one CP with the PC and projector all built right in, and you can play it against any wall.

It would have to be a really stable, SOLID CP that doesn't move when you play, otherwise the screen will dance the jitterbug on your wall.

[drventure]

Yeah, there's that too. Well, maybe they'd be good for something else eventually.

I'm just thinking out loud more than anything 

[polaris]

Yeah, there's that too. Well, maybe they'd be good for something else eventually.

I'm just thinking out loud more than anything 

theyd be ok for the marquee application someone did with a slightly larger unit

[drventure]

That could be cool. Put one of those transparent screens in, put the projector behind the screen, then you could have a fully animated marquee that's the normal marquee size (instead of having to size it based on the size of an LCD).

Interesting possibility....

[polaris]

That could be cool. Put one of those transparent screens in, put the projector behind the screen, then you could have a fully animated marquee that's the normal marquee size (instead of having to size it based on the size of an LCD).

Interesting possibility....

its been done ill try and find the link

[DJ_Izumi]

If the projector was built into your CP, the slightest motion of the CP could be magnified grately on the projected image.  So as people are moving the sticks and slapping buttons you could see the image on the screen or wall moving upwards to an inch.

[drventure]

Too true. Probably not the best idea 

Well, off to play with Mala plugin dev some more...

[RandyT]

The best application of a projector for gaming would be ceiling mounted above the player.  That way, the panel can be moved (even out of the way when not in use) without affecting the image.

Another interesting idea for a unit this small, might be a projector "hat".  No matter where you move your head, the image will move with it 

RandyT

[shmokes]

You could incorporate it into the design of a CP simply by attaching it to a cable.  You would have a complete portable system and while it might not be quite as cool as if it was fully integrated, at least it would be totally functional (given adequate picture quality, of course).

[opt2not]

I was thinking about a project a few months ago, incorporating these projectors with that composite projector glass stuff, as the screen. The glass is translucent, and the image would be viewable from both sides.
The actual name of the glass eludes me, but what I'm talking about is 2 thin panes of glass, sandwiching a thin-sheet of translucent plastic film material.

I've see applications of this done for dual-sided displays, where people-traffic was on both sides of the screen.

This would be a real cool feature for spectators watching what you're doing, but of course at a mirrored view...

[drventure]

Now THAT could be a cool cab!

Imagine a 2 player cab, players on either side opposite each other, with a  translucent screen between them (although, I suspect the controls would be backwards for one player...)

Well, I've already got one major project on my hands but there's definitely some possibilities there...

[NickG]

These LED based projectors just cannot seem to get bright enough for a partially lit area without lack of color/contrast.  It could be an interesting experiment to see three separate units projecting the R, G, and B components of a single image.  Three projectors seems a bit much for something which may not provide benefit, but I am more seriously considering eventually buying a pair <insert joke here>
  I have thought about upgrading my projected marquee project to two of a smaller cheaper types like this, which could project two images side by side to form a composite marquee image.  Cost is about the same as a single higher resolution unit, end resolution is still alright for many marquee source images, the internal projection distance would be about half of what it is now (depending on throw ratio of lens) - which means the image would potentially reflected less across the brightness of itself inside (again, I am not sure of the technical terms for the effect such a beam crossing has on the final image.), and this means potentially more contrast + brighter composite image.  

[SavannahLion]

Now THAT could be a cool cab!

Imagine a 2 player cab, players on either side opposite each other, with a  translucent screen between them (although, I suspect the controls would be backwards for one player...)

Uh... just flip the controls as appropriate. Wire them reversed or add a switch to reverse them. Reverse them in the OS. Reverse them in MAME. Get some dude to stand behind the player and give the player a smack every time the (s)he pulls the stick the wrong way. 

You still have the problem of reversed text though.

[opt2not]

I was also thinking another cool application would be having a cocktail cabinet, where the glass would be the actual screen, rather than having a monitor under it.
I could imagine having quite a large display, much greater than a 19" display normal cocktails have. The projector could be mounted to the bottom of the cabinet, pointing upwards at the composite glass and the image would be on the glass surface.

I could be really cool looking having the game appear much closer to you.

[Xiaou2]

Bah.  I could care less about Pico projectors.

 However, a Pico-Laser system for Vector games, would be DaBomb.
 
 (Lasers are about the only thing that can duplicate true vector brightness / look )

[Franco B]

I was also thinking another cool application would be having a cocktail cabinet, where the glass would be the actual screen, rather than having a monitor under it.
I could imagine having quite a large display, much greater than a 19" display normal cocktails have. The projector could be mounted to the bottom of the cabinet, pointing upwards at the composite glass and the image would be on the glass surface.

I could be really cool looking having the game appear much closer to you.

The projection coktail has already been done. Not only does it use a projector but its multi touch too

[Check it out]

[Nacimroc]

Think NickG got it spot on when he said use different ones for R,G and B! Plenty of examples on AVforums of people who used multiple projectors!

[diazsinger]

The best application of a projector for gaming would be ceiling mounted above the player.  That way, the panel can be moved (even out of the way when not in use) without affecting the image.

Another interesting idea for a unit this small, might be a projector "hat".  No matter where you move your head, the image will move with it 

RandyT

Could be cool if it only projected perhaps cross hairs or some other info onto the game..now i'm dreaming.

[opt2not]

The projection coktail has already been done. Not only does it use a projector but its multi touch too

[Check it out]

Cool!