DIY Multimedia LED Projector (video manual)

In this Instructable, I show you how to make a LCD projector with a LED as the light source. I tried to make videos of everything so it is easier to follow the steps.

Este Instructable esta en versión en Español 

See more cool projects on my blog.

  After making my first LED projector that you can see here , I had lots of questions and people interested in the projector. Some of them went ahead and did something similar like mcastles. 

I felt sorry that I could not give more details of the making of the projector. Also the MP4 player that I used is not longer available so many people could not find an MP4 with composite input like mine.  I decided to make another one, so you could actually SEE how to do it.

This type of projector is very energy efficient. It only consumes about 41W. A normal projector with metal halide lamp will consume about 260W plus a DVD player which can consume between 20w and 45W for a total of about 300w. That is a saving of a lot of money by the end of the year. Although the quality and brightness of a conventional projector will be better, you'll have to pay the price, and the environment as well.

Another good feature of this projector is that the LED should last about 10000 hours of use wile a conventional projector lamp lasts about 2000 hours.

Lets see the result of making this projector.

Step 1 The Principle

 
The principle is very simple. There is a powerful light that is projected through an LCD into a lens so the image is projected.

Some things you want to take into consideration:

 -The better the quality on the LCD, the better the projected image. (I'm using a LCD with 640X480 pixels)

  -The LCD can't take more than 40C, so if you decide to use some other type of light source, pay good attention to the cooling system.

 -Without a good fresnel lens will be really difficult to light the LCD evenly. (I'm using the always faithful fresnel lens from an old OHP)

 -The fresnel from the OHP is really a twin fresnel, the one that faces the light is expanding the light to the full area of the lens, the other one is focusing all the light to one point. If you keep the two of them together (like this projector) it will be a lot easier and less danger of damaging or scratching them. Any big scratch will be reflected in the projected image. The down bit is that you won't be able to do keystoning adjustment. So the projector will have to be placed in a perpendicular position with the screen.

  -The use of mirrors allows you to make the box smaller as if there are no mirrors, you will have to place the LED farther from the fresnel lens, and also the LCD from the main lens.

  -You need to have everything inside some sort of enclosure, or the light will be coming out and it will light the room making the projector a lot less efficient. 

 

Comments

[curious youth]

hi great idea great ible i really like it. one question though. any chance for a computer input at all? thanks

[tvmaster]

hi
i am from belgium and i like to build someting like this but i dont now where that i get the parts anybody anny idea?

the loose electroniics ,the box ,the fan and the heatsink are not a problem but the led the lcd and the lenses are the biggets problem

hope somebody can help me

greetings from belgium

[tvmaster]

hi
i have searched the internet and found almost everyting
but not a good projector lens even on ebay they are expensive
but i fond a site where they say you can use a triple lens or something
i found one cheap on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/TRIPLET-2-8-78-LENS-PROJECTOR-MMZ-/350462200744?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51992ccba8#ht_2453wt_932

do you think it will work with this?

greetings

[leonelrichie]

please help in placing the lcd is this right from up to down and back to front? advance thank you for the answer

[12rm]

Hi,
Any chance you know what the lumen output is of the projector you made? Or for the example videos you have of your projector?

Thanks

[krioni]

Hi

I wondering if you could send me the links to where you found your stuff. I would like a brighter screen so I will use a brighter LED or bulb but I dont know yet but I know how im going to cool it. What are the demsions of the projected image on the wall?

Thanks

[dmbfilms]

What is the smallest image size you can get from this? Thankyou :)

[query_query]

Thanks Newtonn2 for everything you have done!!!

Can anybody send me link to 2"9 (or smaller) LCD with 640X480 9or higher) resolution?

[mcastles]

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/2-5-LCD-Monitor-CCTV-Security-Camera-Video-Test-Tester-/120739671769?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1ca52ed9#ht_5074wt_706

Thats the best I have found for 2.5

[query_query]

First many a thanks to Newton-II for making the overall concept so clear.
However I have some more questions if somebody can throw light on.

More Questions....
(1) Mr Newton-II has used old DVD player hwever if someone wants to make a general LED projector, I guess he would need to understand more on LCD interfacing......and video outputs. Can somebody give me a link to some similar DIY site wherein I can get more information on developing Embedded video stuff. I agree this would be easier said than done but still I would like to take a shot.
(2) what are authentic sources to source FRESNEL and projector lenses? Should I always look in junkyard?

[fnavarret]

Hello newtonn2,
I found a 100w led+driver+reflector+condenser on ebay
heres a link http://tinyurl.com/5t6wpes
Do you think this will work well?
Is it better to use White or warm white for projectors?

This was a great instructable and was the my original inspiration to make
a diy projector.

Cheers!

[newtonn2]

That one looks very good. It should be bright light, not war light. The one on the link is bright light. Good price too.

[mcastles]

Hey newtonn,

Here are some photos of my new projector. The box is a little longer now as you can see. The picture is a lot brighter. Best I could do with a cell phone camera..

[newtonn2]

You're right, looks a lot brighter. Does it get very hot? Why did you make the box longer?

[mcastles]

Well the 6000 Lumen light does get VERY hot. I tried it with the original box size and it almost melted my LCD. So I extended the box thinking if I had more space there would be less hotness from the light. I added a bigger fan and a small fan. Watched a whole movie 1 and half hours no burning, I was surprised!

[newtonn2]

OK, I understand now extend the size of the box. I hope it last many more hours.

[osaeed]

sory but can this connect to the computer so it is projected like from cpu to projector instead of the monitor or screen thanks dude

[osaeed]

can i use a magnifing glass instead of all the lenses so iam using only
lcd
flashlight
mirrors
magnifing glasses
thats it ? what do u think sorry for all these questions lol thanks

[osaeed]

and can i replace the led with very high flash light overall can i only use the lenses n the lcd n flash light

[osaeed]

hi good work but i dont under stand any of these
OHP Mirror
OHP Fresnel lens
and why do we need these

40mm fan ( I took mine from a Mac case I found on the street.)

-20V Laptop charger (4.5A)

-12v PC Speakers

-4 Small washers.
-LM350 (3A Voltage regulator. Used to power the LED, view, datasheet)

-12V Fixed voltage regulator (2A, view, datasheet)

-5V Fixed voltage regulator (2A, This one is not totally necessary, I used it to make the fan less noisy, view, datasheet)

- 560 Ohm Resistor

-(2) 1N4001 Diodes

- 0.1 uf Capacitor

- (2) 10 uf Capacitor

- 100nF Capacitor

- 5k variable resistor

and finaly can you tell me what we can remove from all this i dont want it very accurate i just want it to be able to connect to the pc computer tanks dude

[QInfinity]

us chlape, to teda umim to je opravdu kvalitní práce je jako ty ostatní je to kompaktní vyYeail si i to fixovaní lcd do ráme ku více bodov a droj svtla s kondenzorem na nadYel si se na tom a máa muj obdiv.. good job,..

[newtonn2]

Thank you very much!

[oli1122]

Hi, Me again

Im trying to find a lens to use for this projector, I have all of the parts, LCD, LED and power supplies but i can't find the correct lens, i have been through about 6 different lenses with different focal legenths, I now know that i need something around 300MM but i can't find any anywhere available in the UK?

If anyone could send me a link to where i can buy a 300MM for under £20 Lens it would be greatly appreciated. Oliver :)

[newtonn2]

Hi there! ~Have a look at this link  It is for an OHP, they normally work at 300-320 focal length. This one it's barifocal, so you can change the focal length. Good price too.

[oli1122]

Just out of interest what focal length is your lens?

[newtonn2]

That's ok. I hope it works for you. Mine is a zoom lens but I don't really know what is its focal length really. I guess somewhere around 150-220 more or less.

[oli1122]

Hi, Thanks for the help newtonn. I just ordered it, hopefully it will be here by wednesday so I can finish off my projector. I think the reason that I couldn't find the correct lens was because I was searching for "300MM Projector lens," and getting nothing. Anyway thanks again.

Oliver :)

[pappukanghi]

Hi,

Can this LED be used? http://ie.farnell.com/molex/180081-4320/helieon-1200-lumen-4100k-24/dp/1824592

Also I have a broken slide projector lying in my attic (will dig it out this weekend), can parts be salvaged from it?

PK

[boleelob]

I use >> BXRA-C5000-00E0C << http://ie.farnell.com/bridgelux/bxra-c5000-00e0c/led-array-5000lm-cool-white-5600k/dp/1876125

[pappukanghi]

Thanks boleelob. How many of those, if I may ask?

[boleelob]

only one (1) diode, cooled with an old cpu heatsink

[pappukanghi]

Thanks boleelob.

[atselikas]

how do you put speakers on the 3.5" lcd

[atselikas]

The lcd has a speaker or you put speaker.
Because dvd player,etc haven't speaker to listen only tv

[antonbergjr]

what did u use to connect ur pc to it

[newtonn2]

 I use the S-Video output from my computer and then an adaptor form S-Video to composite.

[atselikas]

can you send a picture of the cable please?

[oli1122]

Hi

Would a lens from a Optoma EP716 Projector work?

[ikoncani]

yeeeehaaa, projector almost done, still waiting for the LCD but i tried it out with a peace of plexi that i draw on. works like a charm :P the projection is really big at 3 meters distance, just hope the lcds resolution wont be 2 small ^^ ill upload a video when its done :D thx newt' !!!!!

[ikoncani]

here are some pics, just need the lcd and a paint job ^^ its 30cm long all together cuz i didnt use mirrors :)