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Make an iPod Video Projector

intro
step 1
step 2
step 3
 

introMake an iPod Video Projector

Project video and pictures on a screen using your iPod!


Make an iPod Video Projector
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step 1The setup

The idea is simple, Focus the light from your iPod onto a nearby screen by means of lenses and mirrors.


step 2Cardboard is underrated

Making prototypes is fast and easy using cardboard and a glue gun. A layer of black tape and that Apple sticker makes for a nice look.


step 3Lights down

In order to see anything it must be dark in the room.


216 comments
1-50 of 216
Dec 29, 2008. 3:06 PMKilla-X says:
Good news is, i found a old slid projector (can focus) selling for $5 at a thrift store :D woot

Exactly how far can you project an ipod touch video?
Dec 30, 2008. 7:22 AMtanntraad (author) says:
In theory to the moon, but the light fades rapidly after a few feet
Dec 30, 2008. 8:11 AMKilla-X says:
So it might not be where i can flash it across my room say 10ft. More around 3-5ft...

But I never got an answer yet. Could I use a 2 inch round disc makeup mirror for the reflection of my ipod into the lens tube?
Dec 30, 2008. 9:09 AMtanntraad (author) says:
If the mirror doesn't have a "magnifying" effect it could work but it sounds small...
Dec 30, 2008. 11:01 AMKilla-X says:
Oh.. I thought the goal was to have magnifying. Else I do own a 4 inch hexigonal mirror from the dollar store and a old locker magnet one...

So I need just an regular mirror..Hobby world could save me? :D
Dec 30, 2008. 1:38 PMKilla-X says:
Well, Went to the thrift store today and found one for $5. Has a remote too that focuses the lens and pushes the next slide in. It looks like the lens is a slider instead of a twist?

IMG_0011.JPGIMG_0012.JPG
Dec 30, 2008. 6:10 PMKilla-X says:
Well..Problem might be the fact that you don't focus the lens. The lens tube actually moves in and out and in front of the slide lies a square magnifier. Ideas to setting this up? And god those lights are BRIGHT when their not cased!

IMG_0014.JPG
Dec 31, 2008. 2:30 AMtanntraad (author) says:
Are those square glasses between the light and the slide? If so, you can omit them.
Dec 31, 2008. 8:37 AMKilla-X says:
Idk really. The light was between a metal dome and that blueish glass dome. I don't recall if the slides went between the light and the square piece, or after the square piece. I got it to show faded on like a 2X3ft or so picture (keywords faded) but at that time i had no case so my ipods external lighting was adding a lot of fade also.
Dec 31, 2008. 10:51 AMtanntraad (author) says:
Think you need an enclosure in order to completely block out unwanted light (hence the fading).
Jan 1, 2009. 7:37 PMKilla-X says:
Ya I'm still messing with it. Atm my scratchy mirror had uck results, Looking to buy a new clean mirror. But Direct Ipod to Lens tube, (light blocked in a box) the best quality of a movie like family guy, was around 5 inches. This means bright, can see everything. 2ft, can still see details, just faded, but still easly watch. 5-6ft, good quality, faded, so its hard to see details. It's still surprising though.

Did you know:
The ipod touchs full brightness is really 60%. No one knows why apple did this, But with jailbreaking, you can download a bypass and hurt your eyes even more at night. Or a better projector ..?
Oct 4, 2009. 1:20 PMtanmanknex says:
Ooh, an even better reason to jailbreak my 3.1! I wonder if it'll work better or if it'll just look white? Hmm...
Sep 14, 2009. 7:29 AMbutterflycookies says:
i need ont that i can hook up my ps3 to
Jul 30, 2009. 3:50 AMdaleg3 says:
great idea few i need one of these!
Jul 26, 2009. 2:07 AMAbhiest says:
hey can i use it to project images from my mobile phone...?
Jul 1, 2009. 8:55 PMHAZMAT2364 says:
Would it be posssible to use a mignifine glass as the lens to focus at the front?
Jun 11, 2009. 6:07 PMNYPA says:
how does it go? i think it is mirror, concave, convex. Right?
May 28, 2009. 4:04 PMSkipperOf says:
How big of a picture do you get at ten feet?
May 18, 2009. 10:50 AMBartboy says:
Would having a flashlight pointed at the ipod help make it work better?
May 22, 2009. 3:16 PMdaiatlus79 says:
naw.. glare off the screen.. the light has to come from the back of the image like the backlight of the ipod.. now a nice challenge would be for someone to take an ipod and modify it with this instructable into a projector-only setup.. with brighter LEDs in the back
May 22, 2009. 4:34 PMBartboy says:
I'm sure there is some way to do it without voiding apples warranty...
May 26, 2009. 6:25 PMdaiatlus79 says:
maybe a style of mirror or lense that can amplify the light that bouces off it/passes through it.. like a two way mirror like in tv studios/cop interrogation rooms? i am making this with an old night vision rifle scope that a friend gave me. said that the night vision was shot as well as the thing could not keep a good centre (problem with the centre lense i think).. so i have some high quality optics for this project... :D.. using a Bland CD carved up with a Dremel for the mirror...
Apr 6, 2009. 12:53 AMdaniel.b says:
if you move it back wont the vid out put be bigger
May 21, 2009. 9:20 AMTommyJ221994 says:
yer but it will loose quality
May 22, 2009. 3:15 PMdaiatlus79 says:
thats why u make the lens in the tube adjustable... as in being able to focus..
Mar 4, 2008. 5:33 PMSwitz says:
This is great and I have seen it before. While I have never done this, I know a lot about DIY-Projectors. The reason it can't be too big is because of the backlight. If you try to make it too big, it will be very dim. I am surprised about how much this is lit up. The mirror helps, but to some extent.
May 2, 2009. 10:31 PMiguanadeath says:
A front faced mirror should improve the quality and lighting issue some
May 16, 2009. 1:59 AMpyromanizak says:
do you think the lens of a video camera would work
Apr 19, 2009. 6:00 AMjakers21 says:
how do get the sound?
May 16, 2009. 12:41 AMpyromanizak says:
get a 3.5mm jack to aux plug, then plug it into some speakers
May 10, 2009. 7:12 AMfergal says:
this is well cool. now all i need is to get some supplies to make it.
thanks so much man.
Apr 12, 2009. 2:17 PMeneergcam says:
this was in Popular Science magazine.
Mar 29, 2009. 6:31 AMdeedeedee9 says:
well i have a nano-chromatic that i have been wanting to do something cool with...this 'ible fits the bill perfectly :)
Mar 11, 2009. 11:41 PMspammy90 says:
just a question, how large is the projected image? It would be a good gauge if you would give us some numbers, like how far the projector is from the screen, how large the final image is?

thanks
Mar 9, 2009. 5:16 PMscottyneutron says:
how did u make the theater?
Dec 30, 2008. 6:02 PMqwertymnb says:
hi
i saw this in popular science. is it yours or did you copy it? its cool anyway
Dec 31, 2008. 2:18 AMtanntraad (author) says:
Hey! It's mine :)
Jan 2, 2009. 7:08 PMqwertymnb says:
thats cool that it was in popular science
I might make on for my creative zen
Jan 25, 2009. 2:19 PMColiflower says:
also saw this in popular science. used their DIY section for a while but i found instructables and its way better.
Jan 19, 2009. 9:17 AMFasteners says:
This is really cool!
Jan 18, 2009. 5:04 PMCrafty123 says:
How big does the cardboard usually have to be??
Could you give me the dimensions you used?
Thanks!
Jan 11, 2009. 1:12 PMCallieBaby says:
can i use a magnifying glass?
Jan 6, 2009. 4:36 PMKilla-X says:
tis too bad. That square magnify lens that was on the projector (magnify the slide into the projector) works good together (larger image at closer range) But alone it works even better without a lens tube. It's just too bad its not larger because the sides start to blur REALLY bad. Bet the center stays clear. :(
Jan 6, 2009. 8:02 PMKilla-X says:
weird.

Lens tube - Dimmer, way better quality
That square magnifying glass that was in projector:
BRIGHTER, BAD quality.

:( Is it normle to expect 1ft image to be decent to watch (most quality is shown, best at 5 inches for crisp clear) and 3ft image dark and not the best cuz alot of colors are faded?

Note i did even box it to get rid of the lighting, and the glass > lens tube brightness. Yet Lens tube > Glass quality.

Dis was a 2X3ft with 15" exposer (This is a lot brighter than i could see it)
IMG_0027.JPG
Jan 4, 2009. 5:17 PMjunits15 says:
T take it this won't work for the new nano chromatic, because of the curved screen?
Jan 4, 2009. 6:11 PMtanntraad (author) says:
I don't think that the actual screen on the new nano is curved, only the glass cover but I might be wrong.
Jan 5, 2009. 3:54 PMsgtmik says:
only the glass is curved. there are no flexicible led display yet on the ipods!!!
Dec 27, 2008. 10:11 AMfatboy106 says:
what else can the lens tube be made of?
Dec 30, 2008. 7:14 AMtanntraad (author) says:
Tiger skin. Or cardboard
Jan 3, 2009. 7:40 AMfatboy106 says:
i mean the lenses themselves
1-50 of 216

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