Projectors - What happened to them?

I know projectors are more of a photonlexicon.com thing, but I used to see projector builds here. Where'd they go?

This is a thread to both showcase a beamshow I made, and remind people that DIY projectors are fun projects. They're not particularly cheap though. Expect to spend several hundred dollars minimum.

This was my projector build way back in 2009. Back before class 4 diodes were available to the public. After lowering the green for color balance, it was about 1W of RGB. Specs:
500mW laserwave 638nm
1W CNI 532nm
250mW laserwave 473nm
Scanpro 20 scanners
Pangolin FB3 DAC








For those that haven't seen projectors before, this is the path the lasers take:





I've upgraded various parts over the years. It's now a 3W RGB:
500mW mitsubishi 638nm diode (driven at 1W with DIY driver and fast-axis-corrected with a prism)
1W CNI 532nm
9mm 462nm diode (driven at 1W with DIY driver)
DT30W scanners
Pangolin FB3 DAC






With the proper software, you can design graphics shows (where you face away from the projector and view the projected image):





Or beam shows (where you face the projector and view the projected beams using fog):








And here is a beam show I made fairly recently. Please view fullscreen for a better experience, and forgive the crappy rolling-shutter cam; it's the best I've got for now.

I do own a projector with pangolin and it is pretty impressive considering the cost. Nothing compared to how impressive it is that you built one yourself. I personally think the big limiting factor of my own is the scanner speed. Makes all the difference.
Len had tried many times to get others interested in them over the years but not that many members seemed interested and for some reason they are hardly mentioned here anymore. I personally like to be on the receiving end with a bit of fog holding a blacked out 3x5 card on a stick out in font of me to block my eyes. Pretty wild experience.
One thing I do like about mine though is the very good special effect lenses built in. Had to build special stronger mic pickups though as the mic input is just not sensitive at all.
Honestly I don't think most have the know how to build one like you have. It would be fun to build one but due to my health and $ situation now I just don't have the energy to do it. I have many nice meters and hand tools but don't own the appropriate machining tools or the space for them that would help give the unit a professional appearence.
I'll have to look at the vid with one of my computers as it says the plug in isn't supported for my Galaxy note4. REP. Good topic to bring up. People spend big bucks on hand held when a projector can do so much more interesting things. Yeah I get that these are not "portable" but many of us don't even bring their lasers outdoors anymore due to obvious reasons.

You answered your own question. "They're not particularly cheap though. Expect to spend several hundred dollars minimum."

VisibleGreen said:

You answered your own question. "They're not particularly cheap though. Expect to spend several hundred dollars minimum."

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People are spending that kind of money on pointers too though.

^that's what one of my points was. I think last Christmas I paid around $600 total for everything I purchased for my 1.5W 520nm with a Sinner host. I believe that's more than what I paid for my projector.

Hadn't seen that projector of yours yet. I've thought of building one myself some time, but when I do so I want to make sure I have saved up enough money to build something fancy with a bit of power.

How safe is it to view the beams from a distance? Do you configure them to point around you, or do they move so fast that potential eye damage is diminished to none at all?


Anyway, that's a really cool build you did. Did you have a particular reason for building it inside a PC case back then other than looks?

diachi said:

People are spending that kind of money on pointers too though.

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Pman said:

^that's what one of my points was. I think last Christmas I paid around $600 total for everything I purchased for my 1.5W 520nm with a Sinner host. I believe that's more than what I paid for my projector.

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Exactly, when pointers are so pricy we can't also afford a projector. Well most of us anyway :cryyy:

I been looking for a graphitti device to just put one of my big blues in. Project a message onto a wall or hillside. Or a smaller eyesafe one to do advertising messages

They always seemed more complex than I was willing to do.

Nice build.. love the housing. I am actully about to buy quickshow fb3 myself. I just need to find a PJ for it. damn usa its hard to get a compliant one. Might just have to build one.

Nice show.
In answer to your question.
Ready to use show have become less expensive and better quality than they were just a couple years ago.

Davidx said:

Very very cool I've never seen anything like that. Thank you for the " trip"

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David just an FYI you should remove the images when you do a quote. Helps save some space on the thread

This is awesome. Thanks for sharing!!!

I'm not a big fan of projectors but I gotta say you did a very good job on that show!

I just ordered a 1W 638 to chuck in a projector seeing as my 1.2W 650 is having issues. Should make for a nice PJ, 2W 445, 0.5W 532 and 1W 638.

gozert said:

Hadn't seen that projector of yours yet. I've thought of building one myself some time, but when I do so I want to make sure I have saved up enough money to build something fancy with a bit of power.

How safe is it to view the beams from a distance? Same as using a pointer.

Do you configure them to point around you, or do they move so fast that potential eye damage is diminished to none at all? There are various ways to safely crowd scan. You can blank out that area in the software. The downside is that those beams are completely removed. There is a special lens that will increase the divergence of the beams going into the crowd. Yet another way is to decrease the power output in the crowd scan area. That is also controlled in the software. You can also combine that last two methods. Those are the 3 ways I know of. The eye damage potential is also decreased depending on what's being displayed and how fast it is moving.


Anyway, that's a really cool build you did. Did you have a particular reason for building it inside a PC case back then other than looks?

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