more efficent way to watch movies then a TV

Ryland · 12-04-09, 05:44 PM

I don't own a TV as they seem to cost alot, take up alot of space and when they are turned off they are sitting there in the room looking back at you like a big black window, but every once in a while my room mates or I get in the mood to watch a movie and my 9" laptop doesn't always cut it...

I kind of like gadgets and I like little things, thus the 9" EEE PC laptop (around 15 watt draw while running), so I've been keeping my eyes on some of the micro projectors, pocket size LDC projectors, some with built in batteries, some without, all of them powered by a high output LED instead of a normal projector bulb, thus they are cheaper and have a longer life then the normal halogen bulb projectors, they are also smaller, like they will fit on your hand small, in your pocket small.
I picked up one of the AAXA P2 projectors as it is the 2nd brightest (next to the Dell) costs $350 and has a battery option (30 minutes with the standard battery, $80 for a 3 hour battery), so today I plugged it in to the Kill-a-watt, full brightness, playing a movie off the onboard 1 gig storage and it was drawing 22 watts, projecting a 4.5 foot across 6 foot diganal image, with ok sound out of the built in speeker, the only draw back is the on board cooling fan makes some white noise but after a few seconds you get used to it, of course the smaller the image the sharper it is, but at 4.5 feet wide it was good enough to watch a movie on in a mostly dark room.
Compare that to the 200 watt 28 inche TV my parents have and I like that mine fits in a drawer when I don't need it, it also feels solid, that was my other worry.

Daox · 12-04-09, 07:16 PM

Nice idea! Where did you get the projector?

NiHaoMike · 12-04-09, 10:43 PM

If you're looking for something cheaper, take apart a small LCD monitor, put the LCD on an overhead projector, and replace the projector bulb with a CFL.

Ryland · 12-05-09, 10:19 AM

I got it from MyGearStore.com because they claimed not to be out of stock, it did turn out to be out of stock for about a week, everyone else clearly stated that they were out of stock.
I've thought about making my own LCD projector like that, but it would draw more power seeing as how this projector draws about as much as a small lcd monitor, or a CFL and it fits in your pocket.

Piwoslaw · 12-06-09, 01:15 PM

Wow, great find!!
My Wife said she wants one from Santa

12-04-09, 05:44 PM	#1
Ryland Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Western Wisconsin. Posts: 913 Thanks: 127 Thanked 82 Times in 71 Posts	more efficent way to watch movies then a TV I don't own a TV as they seem to cost alot, take up alot of space and when they are turned off they are sitting there in the room looking back at you like a big black window, but every once in a while my room mates or I get in the mood to watch a movie and my 9" laptop doesn't always cut it... I kind of like gadgets and I like little things, thus the 9" EEE PC laptop (around 15 watt draw while running), so I've been keeping my eyes on some of the micro projectors, pocket size LDC projectors, some with built in batteries, some without, all of them powered by a high output LED instead of a normal projector bulb, thus they are cheaper and have a longer life then the normal halogen bulb projectors, they are also smaller, like they will fit on your hand small, in your pocket small. I picked up one of the AAXA P2 projectors as it is the 2nd brightest (next to the Dell) costs $350 and has a battery option (30 minutes with the standard battery, $80 for a 3 hour battery), so today I plugged it in to the Kill-a-watt, full brightness, playing a movie off the onboard 1 gig storage and it was drawing 22 watts, projecting a 4.5 foot across 6 foot diganal image, with ok sound out of the built in speeker, the only draw back is the on board cooling fan makes some white noise but after a few seconds you get used to it, of course the smaller the image the sharper it is, but at 4.5 feet wide it was good enough to watch a movie on in a mostly dark room. Compare that to the 200 watt 28 inche TV my parents have and I like that mine fits in a drawer when I don't need it, it also feels solid, that was my other worry.

12-04-09, 07:16 PM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Nice idea! Where did you get the projector? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-04-09, 10:43 PM	#3
NiHaoMike Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,154 Thanks: 14 Thanked 257 Times in 241 Posts	If you're looking for something cheaper, take apart a small LCD monitor, put the LCD on an overhead projector, and replace the projector bulb with a CFL. __________________ To my surprise, shortly after Naomi Wu gave me a bit of fame for making good use of solar power, Allie Moore got really jealous of her...

12-05-09, 10:19 AM	#4
Ryland Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Western Wisconsin. Posts: 913 Thanks: 127 Thanked 82 Times in 71 Posts	I got it from MyGearStore.com because they claimed not to be out of stock, it did turn out to be out of stock for about a week, everyone else clearly stated that they were out of stock. I've thought about making my own LCD projector like that, but it would draw more power seeing as how this projector draws about as much as a small lcd monitor, or a CFL and it fits in your pocket.

12-06-09, 01:15 PM	#5
Piwoslaw Super Moderator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Warsaw, Poland Posts: 961 Thanks: 188 Thanked 110 Times in 86 Posts	Wow, great find!! My Wife said she wants one from Santa