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Convert Your Old Laptop into a Digital Projector

By Randy Sarafan

Feb 24, 2010 02:30 PM 36,532 81

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Some people have an extra $1,000 just lying around to buy a digital projector. Unfortunately, read more: #diyweek, #laptops, #repurposing,
#diy, #diyinadisposableage, #gizmodo
most of the people that I know, myself included, do not. Here's how you can build your own
digital projector on the cheap.

Ed. note: The following guide comes from DIYer Randy Sarafan's 62 Projects to Make with a
Dead Computer: (And Other Discarded Electronics). Read more about Randy's projects and
his book below.

There is nothing worse than being broke and spending long nights on the couch eating cold
leftover pizza and watching spaghetti westerns on a 15-inch tube TV. Okay, to be fair, you
may like cold pizza, but a screen six feet larger surely couldn't hurt the situation, right? At the
very least, you can give Clint Eastwood the justice he deserves, and you won't even need to
rob a bank or hold up a stagecoach to make it happen. This DIY projector can be made for
$150 or less (depending on how resourceful you are). Worst-case scenario, you may have to
eat buttered noodles for an entire week to be able to afford it, but it's a doable short-term
sacrifice for an extremely valuable long-term investment in large-scale entertainment.

A Brief Word on Safety

This project description is intended to provide you with ideas and techniques for repurposing
electronic equipment that might otherwise be discarded. While the directions are intended to
help you move in a step-by-step way toward the finished project, you should always use
caution, sound judgment and common sense whenever handling electronic equipment. Be
sure to always familiarize yourself with the safety warnings and instructions for any tools,
equipment, and other materials you may use in any projects. And, if you are uncertain about
your ability to safely perform any of the techniques described in this project selection, seek
the advice of a professional.

Materials
LCD monitor or laptop with a broken backlight
Mini screwdriver set
Cardboard box, the same height as the projector bed
Overhead projector (available on eBay or Craigslist, or at Office Max)
Small fan
four 1/2" spacers
DVDs!

Make It
1. Case It
Remove the screen (LCD assembly) from the plastic laptop
casing. (Some LCD screens are difficult or impossible to use
because the circuit board is attached by a ribbon cable directly
behind the screen. If this turns out to be the case with your
laptop, fret not; you can still use other parts of the laptop to
make an array of projects.)

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2. Remove the Backlight

Once the LCD assembly is free, carefully remove the
backlight panel from the assembly. Be careful not to break
any electrical connections. You should be left with a brownish
glass panel that you can just barely see through.

3. Higher Ground
Use a box or pile of books
to elevate the computer or
LCD circuitry so that it is
level with the bed of the
overhead projector and the
LCD can lay flat atop the
projector bed. Place your
1/2" spacers under each of
the screen's corners, to
elevate the screen above
the bed of the projector.

Note: The screen should be right-side up or your image will be backward!

4. Cool It
Place a fan next to the projector and position it so that it blows
air between the LCD and the bed of the overhead projector.

5. Ready, Set . . .
Turn on both the projector and the computer. Once booted, insert your DVD.

6. Action!
Turn off the lights and focus the overhead projector. Pop some popcorn (kernels are
supercheap!) and settle back for an evening of the masterworks of Sergio Leone.

Helpful Hint
For a sharper image, try covering up any large light leaks around the bed of the projector.
Also, to protect the screen from yellowing over time from the heat of the projector lamp, you
can install an IR and a UV filter inside your projector slightly above your lamp (but this will
cost you a little extra hard-earned cash).

Randy Sarafan is a new-

media artist who is currently
a Virtual Fellow with the
cutting-edge F.A.T. (Free
Art and Technology) Lab; is
a top project contributor and
community manager at
Instructables.com, the
leading user-generated
how-to website; and has
contributed to Make
magazine. His new book, 62
Projects to Make with a
Dead Computer: (And Other
Discarded Electronics) is
available at Amazon.

The author of this post can be contacted at tips@lifehacker.com

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