Arranging a barbeque party in your backyard followed by a movie night with an outdoor view? What an exciting plan it sounds, already. Oh, there seems to be trouble. Do you want to project your laptop screen to a wall but don’t have a projector?
Don’t stress out, this article has got you covered.
Projectors are a huge leap in the entertainment industry and gained immense fame because of their exceptional capability of displaying huge theatre-sized multimedia content in high quality.
From entertainment to education and professional meetings, projectors are widely used. But, there come times when you need to display the visual on a larger screen but lack the basic equipment i.e., a projector.
In these situations, rather than worrying, you should try out the alternatives. Fortunately, there is a very impressive technique that allows you to project your laptop screen on a wall without a projector.
Eager to find out how? Let’s read it all out.
#1 : Create your own DIY projector
Projectors have gradually replaced home theatre systems and larger TVs but, projectors that deliver high-quality videos and images are an expensive investment. So, why not cut a significant amount and DIY your projector?
Here, you will be utilizing your smartphone to create a projector. To many people, it may sound stupid but is actually one of the smartest ways to project a laptop screen to a wall without spending a lot on a traditional projector.Learn how to open lenovo energy management windows 10.
Smartphones are a lot more capable of doing that what you expect from them. It is an era of technological revolution and every day we come across something new that blows our mind, a DIY projector is just another example of technological advancement.
Here is a detailed step-by-step on how you can do it:
#2 : Gather all the materials required
Make a list of the supplies needed to make a DIY projector before starting officially so that you don’t get stuck between the process and find trouble completing it because of the lack of materials. The things you will need to make your own projector include:
- A laptop
- Mirror
- Magnifying glass
- A cardboard box
- Scissors or knife
- Thick black paper or matte black color
- Pencil and a ruler
- Brush
- Tape
- Glue
#3 : Get the right size of the box and magnifying glass
The size of the box plays a vital role in creating the right projector since it must have enough space that the space between the lens and your laptop can be adjusted. The box is large enough to fit in your laptop and provides ample space for adjustment and must match the screen of your device – it is a general rule here.
On the other hand, the size of the magnifying glass should be large enough and must be rectangular. The magnifying lens and the mirror go into the box package together in order to construct a huge image on the wall.Learn how to start lenovo in safe mode.
Note: If you wish you have a brighter image on the screen, make sure to get a lighter glass for the mirror.
#4 : Dim the interior of the box
Now use the scissors or a knife to craft out the cover of the box and secure the outer part of the box by cutting it narrow from one side. Always remember, if the image is reflected from the walls of the box, it will create more noise of the image.
To prevent this scenario, you need to dim the interiors of the box by matte black color or sticking thick black paper on the walls inside the box. For a quicker process, use a brush to spread the glue on the walls and stick the paper.
Coating the interiors using a box has a faster application time but needs to be left until it is completely dry. Depending on the availability of materials and your personal preference, you can choose an option.
#5 : Adjust the lens
Now right in the middle of the narrow side that you cut earlier, carefully trace the contour by inserting the length handle through it. follow the outline and cut it out using scissors or a knife.
Ensure that the cuts are precise so that the lens fits just perfectly into the hole.
#6 : Create a manual, adjustable focus
What we mean by an adjustable focus here is the ability of a lens to switch to your smartphone. In order to maximize the focus, you now need to create another box in a smaller size than the outer box so that it fits just about right into the outer box.
After making the second box, use the black thick paper, fold these and place four of them on the edge of the box.
Note: The fold must be accurate so, use a ruler to exact measurements.
On these flaps, make very shallow cuts and fold these at one end and use the glue to stick the adjacent sides. Doing so would create a much stronger and stiffer structure. Finally, grab the lens and glue it on the internal flaps on the box.
#7 : Add the mirror
By now, you have created the structure of a projector along with a configuration that results in projecting the right of the picture to the right side while turning the image upside down.
Don’t worry, you can fix it by simply turning the video on your laptop upside-down and place it carefully into the box. Now to correct the picture orientation onto the large screen, you need to add in it the mirror.
On the opposite of the lens, insert the mirror on the edge at an angle of 45-degrees. With this, the right side of the image will be shown on the left, creating a perfect picture on the big screen.
#8 : Place the laptop into the box
The final step includes placing the laptop into the box that you have made. Your laptop needs to be perfectly aligned with the magnifying glass to display the best visuals. However, this can easily be done by turning on the laptop and adjusting the position manually.
Viola! The projection of your laptop screen is made onto the wall. Enjoy your favorite movie or TV show with your friends or family and store your DIY projector in a safe place to be used in the future.
#9 : Rotating the video upside down on your laptop
Rotating the video upside down is probably the most important part of the entire process because if it is not done, the video will be displayed in an upside-down position on the wall. If you are a Windows 10 user, here is how you can turn the video upside down on your laptop:
- Find “Video Editor” – a preinstalled app in Windows 10.
- Open it and click on Start a New Project.
- Name the project and Import your desired video.
- Once you have selected the video, choose “Place n Storyboard”. You can find the Storyboard in the Project Library section.
- Press Ctrl + R to rotate the video.
- Keep pressing until the video turns upside down.
- Now, select “Finish Video” and save it.
Make sure to run a test before the final show
Once you have completed everything said above, it is always better to run a test prior to the final show in case anything goes wrong, you can fix it beforehand.
The test run can determine if the image quality is right or not and if it’s not, you can fix it by moving the laptop and adjust the position of the image. This will help in finding the best focus for the video on the wall.
Furthermore, the test run can also help in checking that if the sound being produced is audible or not. We recommend you to get a wireless external speaker to enjoy a better sound quality since no laptop can produce enough sound to entertain a large group of people that too, outdoors.
When everything feels about the right of the video and sound quality, you have finally succeeded in making your very own projector with very little money.
Conclusion
Isn’t it a very interesting and unique project to try on? Especially when you are likely to host parties and gatherings of your friends and families that include movie nights?
Projectors are commonly used in schools, businesses, agencies, and homes as well but these cost a lot which might not be possible for everyone to afford.
On the contrary, creating your own DIY projector and being able to project the videos on a larger screen with great visual quality at an extremely low price comparatively is surely a big win.
A self-created projector is not less than an actual projector in terms of performance. Though the quality won’t be exactly the same but will surely be enough to keep you and your friends hooked to the screen.
