Thread: Need advice on Projector

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I'm planning to enlarge a pattern (puzzle pieces for wooden dragon puzzle). The scale will be 12 times the original (6-inch piece enlarged to 6 feet.) Thinking of purchasing an overhead projector rather than simply getting it enlarged at Kinko's since I think that enlarging could come in handy for a number of future projects.
Anyone have any recommendations? Reasons why a digital projector might be better/more useful? How do costs compare over time - I understand that bulbs can be expensive?

Overheads provide sill images while digital projectors can reproduce movies.

I use 6 digital projectors in my display from shining classic monster movies on a screen as a backdrop to making static props appear alive like the Grim Grinning Ghosts. Using film in your display adds a whole new level to your haunt.

I picked up an overhead projector a couple of years ago for $35 on eBay and decided it wasn't very practical for our graveyard. It's big and difficult to hide plus it had to be a fair distance away from the projection surface to get it as large as I wanted. We wound up getting a "short throw" video projector. The projector is way smaller and easy to hide and the "short throw" enables us to position it much closer to the projection surface and still get a large image.

We are just getting into the projector stuff also, bulbs can be $300 plus, good to know what it will cost to replace it before you buy for sure. On amazon or e-bay you can still find a zoom box. The bulb replacement is about $5, but you give up some show time. It has to be pretty dark to be able to see it well. we upgraded to a dell projector, you can see it when its lighter outside, but the bulb is a lot more, as well as the purchase price of the unit. A zoombox can be had for 100 to 150 the last i looked, and you can get one with a dvd built in. We used a i-pod with it, or dvd player, the quality was better, and someone else on the forum had the same issue. Happy shopping, hope this helps.

If you only want one for enlarging patterns you can pick an old one up cheap at yardsales or Goodwill. I paid .50 and $1 for mine. I was given a box of spare bulbs from the school and it had one to fit my size projector that would have cost me $30 from a company I called. If you run across an old projector let me know the bulb size it takes....I have many different sizes left that aren't doing me any good!

Thanks, guys. Digital projectors sound like fun, but from what you've said I think my yard just has too much ambient light (in-town neighborhood, street light right across from me.) So it's probably not worth the expense in my case. I really do mostly need it for enlarging art rather than as part of the haunt. Sounds like it will be a good investment. Deadna, thanks for the offer of the bulbs - I'll definitely keep it in mind while I'm hunting. I've checked a couple of yard sales and thrift shops in the past month, no luck yet. If I don't find one to buy or borrow by the beginning of July, I'll have to break down and get a new one or I'll be behind schedule.

My 2 cents:

I've been using a Vid Projector from inside the Haunt to the front entrance for about 4 years or so. It's under the roof of the haunt, plus I add a solid sheet of plastic just above it & the DVD player. I've had no problems, even with the exceptionally heavy rain and wind storms last year.

Now that there are a few more Halloween affects Vids surfacing, I started shopping ebay for more projectors.

Tips if you decided to do the same.
1. When shopping for the lowest priced, used projectors, look for the bulb life remaining and the manufacturers expected life of the bulb. The Manufacturer always estimates high.
2. Price out a new bulb on ebay and elsewhere. Know what it will potentially cost you to replace the bulb. Most projectors use a "SHP" incondescent bulb. I've not had to replace one as yet - I only use the projector at Halloween. Bulbs can run several hundred dollars for some models. Generally, the more popular the model, the less expensive the replacement bulb.
3. Try to check the net for reviews of the projector. Be certain it has the features you need. Generally, if this is to be a Halloween projector, you don't need a High Definition 16:9 projector for your haunt. This opens up the older 4:3 projectors as practical starter projectors for a haunter.
4. Check the "Lumins" for the projector. Some of the cheap new models are for kids to play games in a darkened room and might be as low as 10 Lumins. A daytime professional business presentation on a large screen needs between 1000 to 3500 lumins depending on how much light and how big the needed projection. There are also a few Halogen bulb projectors. These bulbs are inexpensive and are a good mid point between LED and the costly SHP bulbs.
5. How much electricity are you using in your haunt? The 1000+ lumins projectors are using a very bright, very expensive (usually), very power hungry incandescent bulb. LED projectors require a small portion of that power, but are going to require fairly close placement to your projected surface and will be lower resolution.

All that said, I just received my ebay won, Infocus LP350 (a Professional Business machine made in 2000 with a 270 SHP lamp that has about 1500 lumins. This is more than enough for my very dark haunt. It came with low hours on the bulb (replacement bulb will cost $119 - eventually), a rolling / handle extension case, all the original cables, booklets and remote control for $76. I plugged it in and it works great so far. Deals can be found if you are patient.

I ended up buying a used overhead projector on ebay for $50, working bulb (although the bulbs for this model are only $14). It worked great to enlarge the pattern for my dragon and I already have a couple of other projects in mind.
And I really want to visit your haunts!

If you want your overhead to be like a digital video projector, its pretty easy to do. All you have to do is find a cheap portable dvd player with a broken backlight or a 15" pr smaller lcd monitor. You will have to disassemble it work which parts to keep and which parts to throw away. Places like lumenlab can help you in creating a projector while still using your overhead for its original purpose.

I'm a lumenlab subscriber and after reading a bunch of stuff on their site, I made this using a lcd monitor and and overhead





Victor

Check out around town that sell used office equipment. I got mine from a guy for about $35. I put it in my front window to run Hollowindow on my picture window. I put it behind a gold sheet and it works great and the children love it. I met the guy at the same store he got it from and it was a used office supply store. I went into it and found out it was the same price as others there. They also had the projector type for enlarging things. I'm thinking of getting a couple more but, they are quite a ways away from me. Well worth it though since they are little used and the bulbs are good. You also don't have to pay shipping.