100 inch big screen for less than $20?

[Wei2Cool]

This is the website I received in the email. They claim that they are BBB reliable business.

Can someone tell me what exectly this is? They mentioned laser and projection. I heard Russia has a LaserTV project few years ago, but this seems to have nothing to do with it.

 

[MattStone]

It says that it's only software and a book...how in gods name that conjures up a projector and screen, I'll never know. It's probably just directions that point you to where you can buy stuff, hehe

 

[killface]

Yeah, it works, you can get the lens for like $5 online and probably find the instructions for free somewhere. The only problem is since it doesn't magnify the brightness, you can only watch it in the dark.

 

[mrCide]

it's an old marketing gimmick, get a $2 lens and put your tv in a box upsidedown, and with no light you get a big blurry picture on the wall or a sheet..

 

[iamme]

yup, scamaroni....

look hard, and you'll find it for free on the net somewhere

 

[pcclub2000]

Hi!
I don't know if it works but you can find it on Ebay a better one for only $8.
Link:
http://search.ebay.com/search/searc...=&ebaytag1code=0&st=&SortProperty=MetaEndSort

They should be the same or better.

 

[DumbRedGuy]

If it is anything like any other "100 INCH BIGSCREEN TV!! WOW! HOT!!11!!! L@@K!" on eBay, then it uses something called a Fresnel lens.

Basically, you take a normal tv and use that as the light source and by putting it through the fresnel lens, it expands the image and projects upon the wall. (It may be interesting to note that a "Fresnel Lens" is the same thing as "Old Person's Page Magnifier"--just a plastic sheet with a series of concentric circles that will push light outward from the center. Since a TV is only so bright (a good projector can use a 400 watt bulb) the image will be dim, since it will be expanded so much. That's why you need to enclose a TV in a box so no light is lost... and MUST watch it in a dark room.

What they are likely selling you is plans and a program to calculate focal distance, plans to build a box, etc. These can be had online for free at other sites. (Try google to find some) Technically they do work and if you mess around with them enough you may even be impressed with youself. You shouldn't pay anything for "Plans" that can be had for free, and don't think that this can match even a low end projector. A neat weekend project, though.

If they aren't talking about a Fresnel Lens, then I have no idea. But if you look closely at the diagram, that pink thing in the picture looks like the box you would build, with a round hole in the front for the lens.

 

[hoihtah]

dang... i can't believe this came up on AT Forums.

just like what mrCide said, it's a scam.

basically, it'll give you an instructions to place a fresnel lens in front of your tv to enlarge the images.

let me try to explain this... (still can't believe i'm doing to here at AT... )
in most simple terms...
imagine yourself holding a large flat magnifying glass(fresnel) about 20-30 inches away from your tv.
the idea is to enlarge the images on the TV.
but in the process, you lose clarity, brightness, and crispness. it ain't worth it.

save yourself some money and if you're really interested in getting a large screen...
i'm working on a project to build lcd projector. www.hoihtah.com

if that didn't convince you not to purchase this crap...
i have some dot-com stocks that i want to sell you.

 

[kof]

This sounds like a setup offered for free a few years ago on a website. Basically you build a wood box, buy a big fresnel lens and some other stuff and project your current TV's image.
It requires some skill to assemble and get in proper alignement. Then it requires a DARK ROOM a GOOD 19" TV and a willingness to suffer video degradation (you are stretching a 19" screen to 100 inches). Plus they are charging you $35 for the CD.
Good if you have a room that's pitch dark, but no match for a commercial projector system which costs a thousand.or more.

 

[malt]

Very good free instructions here. They also sell the lens for approx. $11 after shipping, if needed.

 

[ken2001]

I've received this a long time ago. Theoretically it works but not advertise as a 100inch TV. Just a big projected image on the wall. As least you should have such big wall to work.

 

[foot]

THIS SHOULD HELP - /. did an article on this earlier this year at:

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/10/16/1527220&mode=thread

that basically debunked the myths surrounding these-crappy ass schemes. The article refers to someone who has been nice enough to put free instructions up on the web here:

http://bstvcentral.b0x.com/

Good luck building and if it works let us know - Id like to try it myself.

 

[Shagger]

/in Nelson's voice

Haha!

 

[NutBucket]

<< it's an old marketing gimmick, get a $2 lens and put your tv in a box upsidedown, and with no light you get a big blurry picture on the wall or a sheet.. >>



LOL. I remember those days. We had one of those setups when I was a kid. Now that I think about it I remember having to close the drapes whenever we wanted to watch TV. Knowing my dad I can certainly see him/us having that gimmick.

 

[azdevil]

Thanks foot, looks interesting.

 

[JoeBall]

yes I remember this thing. I would always see it at the back of Popular Science magazines... right next to the x-ray glasses ad.

 

[lawaris]

so many scientific guys ......heed their advice dudes

 

[MythSpell]

This is for real, along with all the other fabulous and wonderful things that people try to tell you are too good to be true. They are all real but THEY don't want you to know the TRUTH so they tell you it is a SCAM so THEY can keep the secret for themselves. You should definitely buy one. In fact, buy several and sell them for a huge markup and make millions. Then take your millions and go on a quest for the fountain of youth and live forever.....

 

[Rmilton]

Not only what the above people said, with most setups you have to put the TV/monitor/whatever upside down since the image is reversed. Otherwise it becomes more complex.

Where's the hot deal?

 

[Solokron]

This would be a cheap way to play Gamecube/Xbox/PS2 games on the side of a building at night though. For $20 have a large keg party with some hotties and everyone can play and watch! The tiki torches might make it more dimmed though but hey. It's $20 right? You could even bust out Winamp Geiss to the tv then magnify it out with your dance music.

 

[Kenny0829]

<< right next to the x-ray glasses ad. >>



Do you have a link for these ???

I could really use a pair.

Are these similar to what there using in the Airports ???


ROTFLMFAO.

 

[GermyBoy]

This is pretty neat. I might try this with my old 13inch tv this summer.

 

[greg]

Buy it, it outperforms my faroujda line doubler by a mile.

 

[TOFUguY]

<< dang... i can't believe this came up on AT Forums.

just like what mrCide said, it's a scam.

basically, it'll give you an instructions to place a fresnel lens in front of your tv to enlarge the images.

let me try to explain this... (still can't believe i'm doing to here at AT... )
in most simple terms...
imagine yourself holding a large flat magnifying glass(fresnel) about 20-30 inches away from your tv.
the idea is to enlarge the images on the TV.
but in the process, you lose clarity, brightness, and crispness. it ain't worth it.

save yourself some money and if you're really interested in getting a large screen...
i'm working on a project to build lcd projector. www.hoihtah.com

if that didn't convince you not to purchase this crap...
i have some dot-com stocks that i want to sell you. >>







can u update us with ur progress? and how much time is required??? time is money :frown:

 

[ericlp]

I had an idiot friend who fell for this... We got stoned one night... Back in my yonger years and actually tried to make it. It works, you need a card board box and the lens they sell. E-bay sells these for 5 bucks plans and lens.

Results? Well, that depends... A) total darkness required. B) The bigger the Image the crappy it looks.... 50" looks better then 100"...
C) Depends on the size of your TV... The bigger better quality TV's produce much more contrast and brightness. Also, your not going to get anything but crap if your TV is over 5 years old and at least 20" or more in size. Since older tv's fade/DIM over the years... D) You are blowing your 27" up to 3-4 times the size... TV already looks grainy... IT's gonna look like oatmeal plasterd on a wall with no brightness. The lens expands the light. A-hem. This is a cheap PLASTIC lens that spreads light out as the image passes through a cheap plastic lens it bends the light and pixels become big grainy spots @ 100".

At best treat this as a science project. OR if you just want to get scammed go ahead and buy it... IF you want a real projector do a search on e-bay for Sharp LCD projectors. can get some cheap ones for less then 500 bucks.

Save your money for that you'll be glad you did. Lastly... Even if you buy a cheap projector your going to need a glass bead screen ... a serface that actually refleacts 10-20% light back at you. Makes it seem brighter then it really is. This may also help the project to have a glass bead screen.