DIY Projector Project - Written Guide

Can you please list a brighter LED and what correlating lens would go with it, and any other parts that would need to be swapped? Really looking to start this project but I feel like it's just too dim for my liking.

Hello, I want to ask if the lens can be removed with a special projector. Because the shot you sent is hard to buy.

I have a question. If I were to make the chassis from 3d printed plastic (PETG), where should I connect the ground? As I understand, in this build the chassis acts as a common ground via the power plug, but will it work if the chassis is plastic, save for the metal rods? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I'm quite new to DIY and especially electronics.

I hope to build this and want to know that as well!

I became a patreon to find more detail about that exact thing. Well... no luck.

is it possible to use a manually adjustable lens to the get the correct throw distance?

has anyone made this 4k projector? how did it turn out? hows the image quality?

For me, I don’t know if I was really unlucky, but it came out to be about 800 USD which accounts for tools like jigsaws and soldering irons. If you have none of the parts, it’ll probably come out to be 800 USD.

Hello, did anyone calculate how much everything costs?

Do you have dimensions and plans for cutting Alu sheets? I hoped that DYI guide has a single page dedicated to that...

Would it be possible to control the Xperia Z5 Premium display through an arduino/Pi board? If not, would it be possible to somehow plug an external HDMI device to the phone (basically, can I plug a console or computer into the projector if I use the Xperia Z5 premium as a display)

Yes! Only thing I'm not sure is if the display board is compatible and if it can do HDR10. I'm planning to plug the new Google Chromecast to it.

Has anyone else attempted to use a Sony Xperia XZ Premium smartphone display for the image source? I'm hoping to use a separate HDMI Controller board to allow other input devices versus the Xperia XZ's logic board as the video source. The display is still a 4K, 5.5" LCD that (at least on paper) has a better display panel than the Z5 Premium.

Michael Osterhout

I put together a comprehensive parts list as a spreadsheet with prices, sources, dimension details, part numbers, etc. This resource list is based upon my own web searches, local hardware store purchases, and luck with eBay on multiple days. So I expect that others will have a variety of different parts in their own individual component choices depending on where they live and they chose to modify their build of this DIY projector. A screen capture was all I could upload, that is visible here: https://www.patreon.com/DIYPerks/community

Michael Osterhout

F170/120 is suitable for 6 inch screen?

Pls guide me which focal length Fresnel lens I shld buy

How did you do the "infinite battery" trick? I did see the contact pads next to the battery connector but no idea how you do it.

7x10”

Which Fresnel lens should I buy am going to use 5.8-6 inch lcd so what focal lenght and which size Fresnel lenses?? Shall I buy 7 inch

Pls guide me in buying Fresnel lenses

I'm a little confused as to why the aperture of the camera lens has to be a minimum of the LED diameter. From my understanding, the purpose of the first Fresnel lens (one closest to the light source) is to make all the light rays parallel. Shouldn't that mean that from the perspective of the second Fresnel lens, the light sources wouldn't make any difference in terms of direction of light rays? By my thinking, with the second Fresnel lens, you should be able to concentrate the light rays to a pinprick and shouldn't be limited to the diameter of the original LED. This would mean that the aperture could be very small for any sort of light source, even theoretically a large bulb. I must be missing something, could someone please correct my thinking?

Me too. Have you found a solution or reason？

Projected screen size = Distance from projector to screen (or wall) x Original image size (LCD panel size) / Lens focal length Example: Let take the specs from the video tutorial (remember to keep units consistent) Distance from wall = 2000mm Original image size = 5.5" or roughly 140mm (diagonal) Lens focal length = 135mm Projected image size = 2000mm x 140mm / 135mm = 2074mm (roughly 80") Hope this helps! Please let me know if I got something wrong as trying to build one myself.

Hey, does somebody know how to calculate the final size of the projection, using the lens types, screen size and the distance to the wall? It don't has to be precise, I just need a rough orientation. Thanks for your help😊

Sure! :) 1) the capacitor was just added in parallel with the voltage regulator's output, so positive to positive and negative to negative, like a battery 2) I wired up the relay to turn on when the phone outputs 5v from its USB port when it goes into OTG mode. It goes into this mode because of the OTG cable. The devices that get turned on by the relay are just routed through the relay's switch side. 3) Not sure for that... been pretty busy with the next DIY Perks proper video. Hope this helps!

The problem with that is availability in different regions. I always encourage people to adapt the designs to what they have locally available, rather than searching for a specific item that I used.

Absolute legendary project :) I am trying to replicate it but ran into one issue: I bought a "6 zoll LCD Sharp LS060R1SX01" with no Backlight from aliexpress https://de.aliexpress.com/item/33044256312.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dDTwwgF It has a mirror like polarising layer. Its really hard to squeeze light through that. I am using a 300W, water cooled LED and the image is still very dark. Does anybody know if there are there different kinds of polarisation layers, that work better for DIY projectors? Thanks for any informations/links to that issue. Tim

i am a little disappointed by the less detail on this pdf. videos links to many of the things used in the video are not noob friendly, so every noob like me will have to guess and most likely order something wrong. It would have been nice, to have the exact same product links for the used material in the video, so people like me, go shopping for these parts... same goes for the condensator for the smartphone...

Thanks for the project guide, I do have a few questions I would like to ask to confirm my plans. Would you mind discussing how you (1) integrated the capacitor to the phone? (2) Would you cover how you relayed the LED, fans, and backlit of the phone to turn on when the phone turns on, (3) Would you have a rough timeline for the DIYPerksExtra video or be able to share the script draft? Thank you again for this project, I am excited to try my twist and share my results.

Mika! The Above Average Dog

Can you provide photos?

Mika! The Above Average Dog

Hey, I've followed your instructions to the projector but when I install the LCD panel from the Sony Xperia no light is passing through. Could you give me any suggestions into how to solve this?

Hey. Many thanks for this project, my dream, a home projector, but all the good ones are very expensive, now the dream is closer) But there is a problem, I have no way to order on ebay, could you provide the projector details links but in aliexpress? Thank you so much

Are we able to get a part list with actual specs or part numbers? I am not sure if the ebay results are showing the right items.

the other round regular lens is 30 cm but the pic is dark

After the phone. the arrangement is phone, mirror then the lens. the focal lens of the fresnel lens 5cm.

What configuration is your fresnel in? is it before the LCD or after?

I build 2 projectors. First 1 is with 1 regular lens and a mirror . the picture was crisp but dark. the other projector with 1 Fresnel lens and a mirror. the picture was bigger, brighter, a bit of lower resolution but the edges of the pic are hazy and blurred. is this happening because i am using a Fresnel lens or because the lens quality is bad?

You could indeed! Though it's a bit over-engineered for that type of project really.

Can i use this structure for smart phone projector?

This product is great I want to make one. I was wondering what voltage board you used on the z5 phone. If you could give more detail on the wiring everything together. Cheers keep up the great videos. Also could you use a lense from an old projector.

This is so cool! I have a bunch of old phones laying around that have been waiting for a project like this.

Thanks for the plans! They help a lot. I have most of the parts now, so I'm looking forward to making it!

Just stellar. Thanks for the continued and great content.