A home theater projector can turn your TV/entertainment room into a home cinema, but a lot of good projectors are expensive. You can, however, build a projector of fair quality for a lot less. The most expensive device you'll need is an LCD video panel that can hook up to your DVD player, DVR or other video player. You can project that panel's image onto the big screen with an old overhead projector. Al this by itself (plus speakers) will work, but you can also build a case to keep the projector in.
Instructions
1. Connect an LCD panel to your DVD player, VCR, DVR or cable/satellite receiver box. Compare the input ports on the panel with the output ports on the player and use the best video connection you can make. The order from best to least is: Red-blue-green component, S-video and composite (you only need the yellow plug on composite).
2. Place the LCD panel onto an overhead projector, positioning it so the projector will shine the image onto the wall. Attaching Velcro strips onto the back of the panel and the top of the projector will help it stay in place.
3. Construct a wooden box frame if you want a case to keep the projector and panel in. The case must be big enough to fit the whole overhead projector in with a hole in the front for the projection lens to see through. Leave the case's back end open to allow for ventilation, focusing and the cables connected to the player.
4. Find the perfect spot in the room to place the projector, so it projects the right size image you want on a blank wall. For better quality, attach a projection screen or just a white sheet to the wall. Turn on the projector and panel, play a video and adjust the projector lens until the picture is in focus.
5. Connect the video player's sound output to speakers. If the video is connected with a composite cable, use the red and white plugs from that cable (you might need extensions). Otherwise, use an RCA cable that has the red/white plugs only.
Tags: overhead projector, case keep, case keep projector, image onto, keep projector, projector panel