So I Have An Old DLP

This may be a dumb question because I know little about the workings of a projection TV but is there anything cool I can do with an old projection tv and lasers?

I took apart the tv and we have used it to project video on the ceiling etc but thats old news so we may just throw it away unless there is something cool I can do with it. Im pretty sure its a DLP. I can get more info off of it if there are any useful projects that may come of it.

Is there anyway to replace the light source with a laser and have a laser projector? Or anything else interesting? Please no :undecided::gun:

Im just asking before I throw this thing out and I cant find anything about using an old tv through search.

There is a HUGE first surface mirror just behind the display. You could cut it up bit by bit and sell the pieces here. First surface mirrors are a MUST for laserists!

Crap...i gave that to my roommate...oops he needed a mirror. Maybe ill buy it back for cheap. How mush would it be worth? Its is huge.


On another note I can see the projectors "light engine" i believe its called where the red, green, and blue lights are mixed...could I just replace these lights with lasers? Maybe lasers set at a very wide focus?

I would love to be able to project simple text or images at a long distance

i can think of a couple. first, power source. second, projection TVs have these giant fresnel lenses the size of the screen that you could focus sunlight or something with. the second wouldnt do much for lasers. i dont recall whether it would be high voltage or not, but if it is it could potentially be used for gas lasers, if not, powering or testing drivers/diodes/etc.

the laser projectors that use 445s use a phosphor wheel to generate light. it MIGHT be possible to do that if you can get it, but would it be worth it? you can't make a full RGB laser projector like seen elsewhere on the forums. those move the beams with mirrors and mechanics, not with some sort of a picture generator partnered with a single light source.

hope this helps.

I know it would not be like an xy scanner but if I replace the light source with a 1 watt 445nm or even several...it should still work the same right just brighter? I mean the light source is just constant.

Otherwise it looks like the light engine has a 3 input 1 out beam combiner. I've never seen one of these but that's how it appears.

i guess its possible, if you diffused the 445's with something. is there a way to focus it to get such long-distance images without getting a hugerse lense? like is there space inside. then it should be possible. but then again the original lighting in those things are pretty damn bright to start with.

how much would pieces of this mirror sell for?