$170 Video Projector? New one for $150

[BobA]

Not great reasolution but should be OK for arcade use.  Will project onto an 80 inch screen. Not just for WII. Power amp and speakers built in.

http://www.divineo.com/cgi-bin/div-us/zz-av-sparkj

[grantspain]

i had an offer on these to import to the u.k but the lumens is just too low for serious game use
o.k for kids i would say

[XyloSesame]

Not great reasolution but should be OK for arcade use.  Will project onto an 80 inch screen. Not just for WII. Power amp and speakers built in.

http://www.divineo.com/cgi-bin/div-us/zz-av-sparkj

$170 is quite a bit to pay for a paperweight...

960x234? What's that?

[ChadTower]

it's almost 4:1, so we're talking really widescreen.

[Kevin Mullins]

OK to fart around with I guess......if you have $170.00 to throw at it.

But.....

8-120 ANSI Lumens

It would have to be pitch black dark in order to see anything.
Unless you stay within that 12in. range. 

[ChadTower]

It's like taking your Viewmaster projector into the closet to see Scooby fun from ghosts.


Zoiks!

[shardian]

The resolution is 320 x 240 - the same as the old psone lcd things. In advertisements, they cheat by counting each "rgb" pixel as an indiviual to convince you that the pixel count is much more than it really is.

There is a product already out called zoombox. It is comparable to the projector linked here, but it comes with built in dvd player and sound. Great for kids, and bulbs are off the shelf and cheap. You can get them on ebay for $100-$150. As an added bonus, it is 12volts, so you could even take it camping and run off of battery power.

[SavannahLion]

This is a DIY forum. Why not go the DIY route? 

http://www.diyprojectorcompany.com/ (aka http://www.lumenlab.com/ )

[shardian]

This is a DIY forum. Why not go the DIY route? 

http://www.diyprojectorcompany.com/ (aka http://www.lumenlab.com/ )

That is still quite a sore subject for me. I was a senior member at diypc.

[shardian]

I have a psone project I never finished if anyone is interested.

[ChadTower]

That is still quite a sore subject for me. I was a senior member at diypc.

 

[XyloSesame]

That is still quite a sore subject for me. I was a senior member at diypc.

ooo pre-sale, i assume...

still have three overheads and my housing somewhere for an aborted project (we got a unit donated)

[ChadTower]

Would an opaque projector work for one of these?  I have one of those with an unused bulb that I bought for something else years ago and never got around to it.

[SavannahLion]

I take it the change of ownership didn't go over well with everybody. I think I know how you feel. I was a senior member at another forum and was unceremoniously ousted without any fanfare, notification, or immediate explanation.

Sorry, I only just discovered the website last month. 

[shardian]

Would an opaque projector work for one of these?  I have one of those with an unused bulb that I bought for something else years ago and never got around to it.

No, but the projection lens out of those things are prime for using with a high resolution 17" lcd panel. Those projectors are huge beasts, but can do super high resolutions at large sizes.

[ChadTower]

Hrm... I bet I could get it out without even really hurting the projector housing.  It may be worth playing around with a bit, though I don't have a 17" LCD.  The only LCD I have is 32" and I'm not messing around with that one. 

[shardian]

I take it the change of ownership didn't go over well with everybody. I think I know how you feel. I was a senior member at another forum and was unceremoniously ousted without any fanfare, notification, or immediate explanation.

Sorry, I only just discovered the website last month. 

Well, there was some jealousy that diypc was an open forum, and lumenlab originally charged for their forums. Lumenlab went as far as censoring posts in their free forums as "confidential information". While I appreciate everything Brain over at LL did for the hobby, I still think he is a pompous ass. Most of his mods are nice guys though.

Originally, he completely shut down diypc. It happened overnight too, with no warning. We did know of a sale, but were promised things would turn out alright. After a few of us came over to LL to complain, and even most of the LL regulars chimed in that there was alot of valuable info over at diypc, he finally opened back up the forums in read only form.

[shardian]

Hrm... I bet I could get it out without even really hurting the projector housing.  It may be worth playing around with a bit, though I don't have a 17" LCD.  The only LCD I have is 32" and I'm not messing around with that one. 

Since you already have the lens, it would cost you ~$400-$500 to build a 17" lcd projector. With the way projectors have dropped in price, it really isn't cost effective anymore.

[ChadTower]

I've always figured that.  I don't have any place to project a 20' image anyway except maybe the side of my house.

[shardian]

I've always figured that.  I don't have any place to project a 20' image anyway except maybe the side of my house.

Exactly. You ever see the cart mounted lumenlab projector for outdoor use? It was in PopSci a year or two ago. You overdrive a 400watt bulb with good optics, high res lcd, and you'd have one hell of an outdoor projector.

[shardian]

http://backyardtheater.com/

[ChadTower]

Nice.  I need to take a peek at those halloween youtube vids you linked to the other day... my house is offwhite, it would work really well, unless the corner street lamp drowned them out.

[shardian]

Nice.  I need to take a peek at those halloween youtube vids you linked to the other day... my house is offwhite, it would work really well, unless the corner street lamp drowned them out.

A good pellet gun would take care of that for you.

[ChadTower]

It would, but I like those lights most of the time.  Web shooters would be best here.

I'm half tempted, next summer, to give this a shot.  Cheaply, definitely, as I have everything sitting around already except the screen and projector.  It is time to keep an eye on CL for used projectors.

[shardian]

It would, but I like those lights most of the time.  Web shooters would be best here.

I'm half tempted, next summer, to give this a shot.  Cheaply, definitely, as I have everything sitting around already except the screen and projector.  It is time to keep an eye on CL for used projectors.

The bulky old school lcd projectors work great for outdoors. The right ones can be easily retrofitted to use off the shelf metal halide bulbs.

[ChadTower]

How about this one?

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ele/464095827.html

Old, sure, but diesel...

[XyloSesame]

The right ones can be easily retrofitted to use off the shelf metal halide bulbs.

Which is where your savings will really show, over the long haul...

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If you end up watching CL for deals, I'd suggest using Projector Central to find specs and reviews.

[ChadTower]

Geeez.

http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/ele/461971754.html

[shardian]

How about this one?

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ele/464095827.html

Old, sure, but diesel...

Stick with lcd projectors.

[ChadTower]

Hrm.  I see it this way... it would only be used a couple times a year, maybe 5 at the most... so it's not really worth a $400 used price tag.  You may be right, though.

[XyloSesame]

How about this one?

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ele/464095827.html

Old, sure, but diesel...

Stick with lcd projectors.

Oh no, not another LCD/CRT thread...

I've got a Barco 800 collecting dust in the back of my shop. Green tube is out, calibration was near impossible for me (uses millions of washers), and she's a beast to move... Only go there if you're prepared for the experience.

[shardian]

Heh, my buddy has an old crt rear projection tv that doesn't work. He asked me to take a look. I popped off the back cover, looked at the wiring diagrams for a few minutes, then told him he was ---fouled up beyond all recognition---.

[XyloSesame]

Heh, my buddy has an old crt rear projection tv that doesn't work. He asked me to take a look. I popped off the back cover, looked at the wiring diagrams for a few minutes, then told him he was ---fouled up beyond all recognition---.

We use the Barco on stage for lighting effect - the blue and red tubes with their calibration lines can create quite an impression in a surreal scene... Other than that, it's a great toe-stubber.

[BobA]

Here is another cheap unit ($150).   Available at Walmart.  Not much info but good reviews.

Link

[ChadTower]

Bet you could try it out and just return it to the store if it sucks, too.