DIY iPod Video Projector - Requires no Power or Disassembly of the iPod

In this instructable I will show you how to Make an iPod video Projector Which uses no External Power and your iPod remains totally Untouched until Show-time!

Firstly I would Like to Credit tanntraad for The original Concept, See Here: http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-an-iPod-Video-Projector/

It is very simple and Only requires 4 Key items.

Step 1 Items you Will need...

For this Project you will need...

Items:
A Cardboard Box Atleast 2x wider than your iPod and two inches Longer,
A Projector Lens from a Slide Projector (I Bought my one from eBay for £11 and it Has a 1:2.8/100 aspect Ratio,
A Hand Mirror that is larger than the iPod Screen,
Gluesticks for a Glue gun that you have.

Tools:
Sharp Scissors,
Glue gun,
Calipers (for measuring),
A Ruler in MM,
Stanley Knife,
Tape,
Super Glue.

Lets Get Cracking!

Comments

[lden hartog]

finally a use for my craptop computer!!!

[Caleb Nehrbass]

is there a way to do this without a slide projector? what lenses in what order can i do it with?

[_omar_]

is there a certain space between the lens and the mirror ? and what's the right degree of the mirror ? i read that it must be 45*
please answer me as fast as u can !!! i really wana make it
and BTW great job

[riddly]

This will also work with a digital camera, the bigger the screen the better...Bore your family and friends with your holiday slides- just like the old days!

[odysseusesperson]

 how easy was it to get the lense out of the projecter

[wintergoat]

To get a lens out of most projectors, all you need to do is pull it off of the front.

[Nimer11]

The new Ipod touch has a very high pixel density, the "Retina Display"
It also has a very bright backlight, as compared to other devices/previous Ipod touches. Since the screen size is larger,has a nice resolution and is quite bright, won't this work better with the 4th gen Ipod touch ?

Assuming I use lenses from good magnifying glasses, a a method to make the distance between the mirror and the lenses adjustable,and an Ipod 4th gen realistically how many inches can this thing output for things to be watchable in pitch dark room

[pretty tessie]

how can we adjust or resize(zoom in & zoom out) the display image?

[pretty tessie]

wat kind of lens did you use to make it?

[Ron Burgundy]

look for old slr lens, image looks good with my canon 50mm 1.8 fd lens, i got it on ebay for under $30 U.S

[nightgamer360]

hrmm. im thinking of substituting ipod for portable dvd player and using a magnifying glass from rite aid.3-6 inch one should work nicely. also you can increase the amount of light by making a box around the lense to focus the light, its the light scattering that causes a darker picture. also you can clover the lense to make it brighter by putting a piece of cardboard with a larger hole over it to brighten the pic.

[rofish117]

thats actually a good idea

[Eric95]

Would this work for backprojecting? I mean, making a small tv set thing with a backprojecting screen and a speaker on the outside and putting the projector inside? Or if that doesn't work, could I use a square magnifying glass for the screen? (Wall-e style)

[Warlrosity]

NO WAY!?! Sorry,! Thats EXACTLY what I was thinking!!! :D

[Sytner]

I'm not sure haven't tried it. Keep me posted on it.

[SkipperOf]

I was looking for a lens I could use to do this project with and I found one of those tracer projector things: http://www.amazon.com/Artograph-Tracer-Projector-And-Enlarger/dp/B000KNHRG2. Would that lens work for this project?

Thanks in Advance.

[skycarl]

Just looked at that amazon projector. I'd bet that lens will work for this. I may get one to try this.

[itouch15]

how do you make  it not so blury I used a itouch and a magnafiying glass do i need to use a slide projector lens?

[TobbaBK]

Those angles are confusing :S

[mfripp]

Great idea!

But couldn't you use a smaller box with no mirror, and point the iPod in through the back of the box, directly at the lens. That might be simpler and focus better. If you do use a mirror, it might work better with one from an old overhead projector.

Those are painted shiny on the top of the glass, so you don't get a double reflection from the front and back of the glass.

[agis68]

is really genious and far more than apple's projects....hehehehe excellent i will build it for my ipod touch

[335639856]

not really that focused is it? i think the problem is ghosting from the mirror this is where the light reflects off of the glass and the mirrored surface creating two images, also i cant really read any text on the last photo or make out the pupils on peters eyes in the last but one

[scott!]

I think the problem is mostly with his camera

[scott!]

That's Genius!

[dudeguy1234]

Sweet. I'm gonna try this with my iPod Touch

[vdude45]

Yes, iPod touch will work quite nicely, as it has really nice brightness.

[rootbeerben3]

Where could i get a cheap lense? Really good instruable

[Bartboy]

Everywhere. I got one from a garage sale, but you can find them in thrift shops.

[HADJISTYLLIS]

Mine is blur.What can i do?

[Sytner]

Try and move the projector closer and further from the wall. Whilst doing this, rotate the lens to fine tune it. I would start with the lens around half way out. Also, make sure the mirror and lens are clean.

[daltonjcw]

i saw something like this in pop sci i love it!!!

[Killa-X]

Know what be fun? 1. Connect online with ipod 2. buy / download a PC controll app (teleport) 3. Have your Ipod view your PC screen 4. Enjoy?

[Killa-X]

Well, 1ft screen is good. 3ft shows still, but like in mythbusters, not very detailed due to brightness. 5 ft, adam looks all black. NOTE: THESE PICTURES HAVE BEEN EXPOSED 15" they are BRIGHTER than what my human eyes can see. Just testing clearness with ipod controlling my pc. Pic 1: 2X3 ft? Pic2: i think maybe 3X4 or 4X5 (EXPOSED) Last pic: fun.

[HADJISTYLLIS]

I think i will make a big one that fits on the PC screen (monitor)!

[trlgal]

uhm how about the sound of what you're watching? can you hear it loud?

[Sytner]

I usually just use portable speakers or computer speakers and they do the job fine because they just plug straight into the top of the iPod.

[trlgal]

oh, so instead of the headset, you use portable speakers and plug it on the iPod?

[Sytner]

Yep they just plug straight into the headphones port however if you are going to be sitting close to the projector I sometimes use the headphones.

[ratgod]

I did something similar with my PSP a while back, I used part of a broken mirror and a magnifying glass in an old ice-cream box. it was ok, but you had to have the PSP at full brightness and the room dark as possible. great instructable btw.

[Dhetshi]

the image is bad. I dont like it. Other wise nice instructable