But what a difference! The picture's incredible!
Three feet by four feet. A 60 inch viewable image area (and that's the lowest setting.) XGA projectors are a geek's dream. Unfortunately, most off the shelf projectors cost upwards of a thousand dollars. So what's a geek with a budget to do?
The answer, buy the parts, build it yourself, and stop whining.
I originally saw this project done up on Gideon Tech. It was a great idea, but lacked a lot of info. New transparency LCDs cost major money, and old ones were rare on eBay. No good idea goes un-immatated though, and it wasn't long before Tom's Hardware Guide published an article about replacing the translucency screen with a disassembled flatscreen monitor. Tom's Hardware Guide is an incredible website by the way, and an excellent way to keep up with advancements in technology.
Still, I delayed. There was enough doubt (and not enough funds) to stay my adventurous modding spirit. Until a second article appearred on Tom's Hardware Guide. This one not only showed how to set the damn thing up, but what kinds of LCD's would be good for the project. Sheash, talk about hand holding. That was it. This project was too simple to ignore any longer. I had to do it.
Based on THG's recommendations I went with a Samsung 515V from Newegg.com. (Sadly, they now seem to be out of stock.) The closest model listed in the guide is the Samsung 510m. (Which can still be bought from Newegg.) The 515V isn't in the Guide, but I took a chance on it based on what THG had said about Samsung's interest in the project. (It was also much cheaper than the 510M.) The monitor came apart like a dream. It took me less than half an hour to disassemble. Everything was secured by philips-head screws. The outer case was the only thing I had to pry or force. What do you know, when everything was pulled apart, it turned out to be perfect for the project.
So what about the overhead? Getting one on eBay would cost me a couple kidneys in shipping. I thought about contacting my old schools to see if they had any surplus, but then I remembered a friend of mine recommending The Terrapin Trader. The Terrapin Trader is the University of Maryland's official surplus office. A quick glance at their website inventory revealed that they had several overhead projectors in stock. Forty dollars and a twenty minute trip later, I had myself all the parts I needed... Well, almost.
I was so anxious to test my new device that I slapped a screen together from a bed sheet, a bamboo pole, and an unused door. This was not the best of ideas. The screen was crap, and it took the image with it. Still, it gave me an idea of what a real screen could do.
I did some searching on a few Audio Visual Forums. The general recommendation was to use MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) painted with flat latex house paint. MDF can be bought at most hardware stores, it's usually in the same isle with the plywood. It weighs a ton, but it has this remarkably flat finish to it that makes it perfect for the project. Of course, it's naturally light brown, and we need it to be a better color. The best color? Light gray. (It makes the blacks deeper on LCD based projectors.) I mooched the paint off of my family, and bought some paint tint from a local hardware store. (Its the same stuff that they use for custom colors, just sold in little tubes.) Once I tinted the white paint to a light gray, I applied two coats to the MDF and attached two 2x4s to act as legs. I had to borrow a roller, as using a paint brush would leave brush strokes. I painted the undercoat, and then waited 24 hours to paint on a second layer. The result? A smooth and even finish. Finally, I hoisted the damn thing into place. This is a two person job, I have no idea how I did it by myself. This thing weighs at least three hundred pounds.
Peripherals
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Several LCD monitors come with component video in, so that they can be used with standard TV type equipment, but you usually pay a pretty penny for this feature. The alternative? Buy a converter. Several types exist, but you'll want one that offers a standard 15 pin output and a component video input. I got hold of one from Newegg for a fair price. This will let you plug your new projector into cable feeds, DVD players, and of course, Video Games. As of this writing, I have yet to test the feature, but soon there shall be much gaming.
The project is still unfinished. I intend to build a case for the projector when I get the time. Until then, it'll just sit around being it's ugly-duckling self, but producing a swanlike image.
I do want to point some things out to others considering this project. Mainly, consider your overhead projector's capabilities. I had to seriously mod my projector, and it still cuts off a few pixels on the left and right of the screen. Smaller LCDs are getting harder to find, so a projector with a large viewable area is a must. Also, consider the price of projector bulbs. You want ones that are cheap, but long lasting and bright. If you're buying a used projector, figure out whether the bulbs are still being made. (A good bet is if you can find the bulbs on more than one website.) My projector's bulbs run about $8, and last for 75 hours. That's about $0.11 per hour, non too shabby.
All this goes to show, a little ingenuity and a lot of research can go a long way to saving you some major cash.
A shot of my new throne as the king of geeks. I had to buy 
