DIY Mini LCD Video Projector

You can use this projector to view movies anywhere.

Miniature LCD video projectors are smaller versions of projectors you see in a business presentation or home theatre. Because of their small size, mini video projectors can be taken anywhere and used to view movies and pictures from any video source. This projector can be used during family movie night, a get together with friends, or as a projector in a business meeting.

Things You'll Need

• Portable video player
• 2 fresnel lenses
• LED emitter
• Lens
• Foam board
• Glue
• Electrical tape
• Epoxy putty
• Utility knife

Instructions

1. Disassemble the personal video player. Discard the case but keep the LCD panel and electronics board. Remove the reflector on the back of the LCD panel. Plug in and turn on your video player. If you hold the LCD panel up to a light, you will see an image through the panel.

2. Make an enclosure to hold the panel. This enclosure is made out of foam board and should be similar to a pinhole camera. Measure the width of your LCD panel and cut five squares of foam board as wide as your LCD panel with a utility knife. Glue these squares together to make a five-sided box. As the glue dries, use electrical tape to hold the squares together.

3. Make the second box that will hold the lens. Construct another five-sided box using the same method. The box should be large enough to slide over the box that will hold the LED and LCD panel. You may find it easier to cut a hole for the lens before gluing the sides together.

4. Mount all of the parts in the enclosure. The LED emitter is your light source and will go at the back of the enclosure while the lens will go in the front. After you have mounted the LED emitter and lens, mount the LCD panel from the personal video player. Once the LED emitter, LCD panel and lens are mounted, install the fresnel lenses on either side of the LCD panel. If the fresnel lenses are too big, cut them down to the size of the LCD panel. The parts are mounted to the boxes with epoxy putty.

5. Connect the LED emitter to the power input of the LCD panel after all of the parts are mounted in the enclosure. Review the wiring diagram that came with the LED emitter.

6. Turn on the mini projector and attach an input to the LCD panel. Focus the projector by changing the distance from the LCD panel and the lens.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not mount the LCD panel to the same box as the lens. If you do this, the distance your projector will focus from the screen will be fixed.

• Follow any directions and warnings you get with your LED emitter. Many emitters will burn out quickly if a heat sink is not attached.

References

• Engadget: How to Build Your Own HD Projector
• Streettech: How to Make Two Types of Pinhole Cameras