Thread: cheap/good video projector

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Just wanted to pass along. I ended up getting a Torpedo dark room projector off of ebay for around $100. I tried to find it in stores but no go. I probably went to like 10 different targets & walmarts.

The quality of this projector is very good. Of course, the darker the better but it's perfect for our halloween use!! I did a Madame Leota setup. Worked like a charm!

The quality isn't HD or anything like that but for Halloween prop use it more than measures up. I turned on the lights in the room and used it. You could still see the image fairly well. The reviews on this thing are very good too (that's what sold me on it).

I would say this is a definite buy cause the cost is well below the cheapest projector I have seen out there. Personally there is no way I am putting an $800 or more expensive projector outside. and plus for what I paid...I could end up getting 8...oh, the projects I would do...muhahaha!!!

Hey Billman, thanks for the advice! I've been contemplating getting a projector for my yard haunt and that price is great =)

I read on ebay that it can be hooked up to video game consoles, video cameras and digital cameras, but it didn't say anything about DVD players or PC's. Do you know if this can be done?

Thanks!

~Heidi~

Originally Posted by Curlgoddess

I read on ebay that it can be hooked up to video game consoles, video cameras and digital cameras, but it didn't say anything about DVD players or PC's. Do you know if this can be done?

Thanks!

~Heidi~

It only accepts a composite video connection (yellow RCA jack) and analog audio. As long as your PC and DVD player have these connections, you should be fine.
The reviews I've seen on this are all over the place:
Buyer Beware: World's Crappiest Projector Reviewed
Torpedo Projector Reviewed
As long as you don't set your expectations too high, you probably can't go wrong for $100.

Mark

Originally Posted by Curlgoddess

Hey Billman, thanks for the advice! I've been contemplating getting a projector for my yard haunt and that price is great =)

I read on ebay that it can be hooked up to video game consoles, video cameras and digital cameras, but it didn't say anything about DVD players or PC's. Do you know if this can be done?

Thanks!

~Heidi~

yeah, it accepts RCA plugs. like so:



There are all sorts of converters out there...so you can basically hookup any device. USB to RCA:


...3mm to RCA...and so on..I saw you can even hookup an iPhone. This gives all sorts of possibilities to set this thing up.

I think it's true with all the bad reviews on this thing...they are expecting some sort of HD quality from a cheap projector. The "screen door" effect is really evident if you blow this thing up to a full wall size...smaller sizes not so bad.

IMHO for what we do...it is perfect and best of all cheap!!

I was on ebay the other night and a projector was priced at buy it now with free ship for 360.00 it has 2500 luminus(or whatever they are called).It was of course a china made projector that came with 2 spare bulbs.The seller for the product on ebay at 100% postive feedback with many refering to the projector.The store was digital galaxy NEW BRAND VIDEO PROJECTOR FOR DVD,WII,XBOX360,TV,LAPTOP - eBay (item 270325294625 end time Feb-01-09 18:13:29 PST)
I already have a cheap projector but would love to have something with a little more light.

Nice Find!! I would use that in my house but never put that outside. Risk of theft or damage..$360 to me is too much money to chance on one thing.

that's another thing...as far as bulbs. If you have to ever buy one, they are really expensive.
That torpedo uses a standard 35w halogen bulb you can get at any home improvement store.

I bet you could put a better/stronger bulb in it. It would probably be even better. But really if you are using it just for outside at night..it should be good enough...

Now for projecting onto the whole house that projector would be the better deal.

Originally Posted by billman

yeah, it accepts RCA plugs. like so:



There are all sorts of converters out there...so you can basically hookup any device. USB to RCA:

...3mm to RCA...and so on..I saw you can even hookup an iPhone. This gives all sorts of possibilities to set this thing up.

I think it's true with all the bad reviews on this thing...they are expecting some sort of HD quality from a cheap projector. The "screen door" effect is really evident if you blow this thing up to a full wall size...smaller sizes not so bad.

IMHO for what we do...it is perfect and best of all cheap!!

Thanks so much! I didn't even know that converters like that existed! Oh the possiblities >=)

Check out craigslist. I've bought four projectors in the last six months at a price of between $25.00 - $150.00. They all work great. All of them had low hours on the bulb and one even came with an extra bulb.

Check this out as an alternative..

Mini AV LED Projector - 21" to 80" Display Size

At $150 with a year warranty it is a good possibility for haunt use. I own the Torpedo and have seen the projector sold by Geeks demo'd in person. The resolution is better than the Torpedo and the small form factor is nice. It is also very quiet

Nice find Scartinker!! reminds me of the pico projector ...they even have them built into cell phones now.

Pico: