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Do-it-yourself Video Projection 101

If you are new to DIY Video projection, please read the VideoProjectionIntro page! It will clear alot of things up for you.

Video Projector Links

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Forums Dedicated to DIY Projectors

www.diyprojectorforums.com/forums/

Other Information

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL INFORMATION FOUND HERE IS COMPILED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES AND IS NOT MEANT TO BE PLAGIARISED

SCREENS

1. BlackoutCloth? - one of the easiest choices, this is the first screen most try. It's a flexible material used to block light in curtains, you can get it at a local fabric store for ~$6 per yard. It does develop wrinkles over time, and so people make elaborate tensioning mechanisms to stretch it tight.
2. Various mixes of plain old paint:
a. Mississipi Mud
b. Behr Silverscreen
c. Glidden Misty Evening
3. Parkland Plastics - They make waterproof flexible vinyl bathroom walls, in stock 4'x8' sheeting, for ~$20 per sheet. One day someone discovered that it made a good, cheap screen material. Custom orders for 5 foot by 10 foot sheets took off, and they decided to triple the price and sell it branded as a home theater screen. High shipping and high cost for the 5'x10' make this not so good an option anymore. The 4'x8' is still very nice, but has significant problems with tension permanently warping the material. Many glues produce bubbles in the material. Right now, the best results come from mounting it via spray contact cement onto a large sheet of MDF. Availability is very spotty, though some Menards, Home Depot, Lowes, and the Doitbest hardware franchise have all had them at some point. More recently, a stiff-backed product called Duro-therm by parker was also used, as well as its somewhat more available competitor do-right.
4. Lightfusion - A sandwich of reflective coating, light diffusor, and thin white front surface. Very difficult to make to spec, requires good spray system. This went through many iterations, changes in the reflector, the diffusor, and the front surface. The latest version, Light Fusion, uses an acrylic mirror fronted by a coat of Missisipi Mud. Has a distinct glow that many have likened to plasma screens, and which helps defeat screendoor. Considered state of the art by many, even beyond the best commercial screens have to offer.
5. One of the several paints that cater to home theater
a. Goo
b. Opticoat
c. Liquiscreen
6. Plotter paper works well. Make sure you get stuff with a matte finish. Glossy finishes will have too much glare.
7. Several vendors sell brandname commercial screen fabrics by the square foot for you to play with.
8. You could always go and buy a premade, premounted, etc commercial screen. Ranges from about $100-$5000.
9. A recent breakthrough by Sony is worth noting: An in effect dichroic screen that reflects only green, red, and blue wavelength light makes DRASTIC improvements on contrast in situations with any ambient light. Screenshots are available with a white screen that appears to be light grey because of all the ambient light, and the Sony side by side with perfect blacks. Very expensive, however.

LENSES
Types of lenses used in DIY projector projects:
DCV - dual concave lense

these lense have two inwardly curved sides

can be used for (add exmpl here)

DCX - dual convex lense

these lense have two outwardly curved sides

can be used to shrink or enlarge an image

most usefull lense for projector projects

PCV - planer concave

these are like a DVC, but have one flat side.

PCX - planar convex

these are like a DCX, but with one flat side.

some popular lenses
1. US Persision Lens, Delta IV lens
2.

and distributors for these prefered lenses
1. www.surplusshed.com
2. www.edmundoptics.com
3.

Fresnel lens availble
www.3dlens.com

UsefulEquations

General Acronyms

Sometimes the world of DIY Video gets pretty confusing with long strings of letters that people are unfamiliar with. Check out (and feel free to add to and update) the growing list of VideoAcronyms.

Ideas:
FrontsurfaceMirrors
ColdMirrors
HotMirrors
BulbChoice

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