How to Make a Hologram With a TV

You can use your TV to turn an image like this one into a hologram.

A hologram is an illusion made using a source image and a light source to make a picture appear three-dimensional. If you have a TV, then you already have the main tool needed to make a convincing hologram.

Things You'll Need

• Piece of glass or Plexiglass the desired size of your hologram
• Image or movie on VHS or DVD

Instructions

Create a Hologram

1. Set up your DVD or VHS to pause on a still image or play the movie on repeat. If you use a still image, you can control the appearance of the hologram at all times. If you use a short movie, you can create a moving hologram that will give the illusion of three-dimensional life. But the hologram may "skip" when the movie rewinds or goes back to the beginning.

2. Clean the piece of glass with a lintless cloth so no streaks or dust are visible to break the illusion. For best results, use dry cleaning fluid so the glass displays virtually no reflection.

3. Project your TV screen at the glass or Plexiglass. For best results, keep the TV out of sight by laying it flat behind a shelf or similar object, with the screen facing the ceiling and the glass angled at 45 degrees.

4. Adjust the TV's brightness as low as possible and the contrast as high as possible without distorting the picture. This will enhance the three-dimensional effect of the hologram.

5. Turn on the movie and the TV and enjoy your hologram.

Tips & Warnings

• Your hologram will appear most vivid in the dark or at night.

• You can also use a computer monitor (LCD, or liquid crystal display), instead of a TV monitor (cathode ray tube, or CRT).

• For added effect, include sound with your movie.

References

• The Free Dictionary: hologram
• YouTube: Ghostly Floating Head