Diy projectors for home
How to Make a DIY Projector From a Phone and Box!
Did you know that you can build a smartphone projector out of everyday objects? Well, you can, and it’s actually really simple.
With this DIY project you can learn about light and optics, plus, you can get your creativity going by using this projector in your next artistic creation.
Overall, this is a fun and educational photography hack that you can do by yourself or with friends or family. And if that wasn’t enough, you’ll also be repurposing home objects contributing to a zero-waste culture.
So, without any more introductions, here’s a step by step guide to a DIY smartphone projector.
Table of Contents
What you’re going to do is build a box that will direct the light from the screen of your phone towards a magnifying glass, which will then project a blown-up version of the image onto a wall on the other side.
To make this you just need a few simple objects. Some of them are optional, but having them will make the process easier and will get you better results.
- Rectangular cardboard box
- Magnifying glass
- Thick black matte paper (alternatively, brush and paint)
- Tape, normal or double-sided (can be substituted with glue)
- Exacto knife or precision cutter (or scissors)
- Mirror
- Protractor (optional but helpful)
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Smartphone
Note on the box: If you have a shoe box, this is the ideal size. If not, just make sure it’s a rectangular box. It should be wide enough to hold your phone, but not much wider than that because you want the light to go forward and not spill out to the sides.
Step 1: Cut the BoxThe first thing you’re going to do is to separate the part that will hold the lens. This is because you can adjust the focus by moving the lens closer or further away from the image.
To do this, cut out one of the short sides of the box.
Step 2: Cover the Inside of the BoxNow, you need to darken the inside of the projector.
This stops the light from dispersing and reflecting back into the image, thus ensuring better quality.
Ideally, you should do this with thick paper – I used Fabriano. This will also help with the overall stability of your projector, as having one side cut out can make it a little wobbly.
If you prefer, you can also use black paint. Just make sure it’s dry before continuing to avoid getting paint all over you and the other parts of the projector.
Step 3: Place the LensOn the piece of cardboard that you cut during the first step, draw the contour of the magnifying glass. Then, using the precision knife carefully cut it out.
It’s best to cut a little bit to the inside of the circle you traced so that the magnifying glass will fit tightly and not fall out.
You can unscrew or cut the handle of the magnifying glass if it’s too long to fit. Keep in mind that the size and quality of the glass will impact the sharpness of the projected image.
To keep the lens standing, it needs to have some support. To create this, cut a strip of the black paper that’s long enough to go around the edges of the rectangle your lens sits inside.
Then fold it around and tape it to the cardboard so it’s no longer a flat surface but a rectangular box of its own.
This will give it stability, especially because you might be moving it back and forward to find the right focus.
Step 5: Place the MirrorNow that you have the lens ready, let’s work on the other side of the projector.
If you put your phone directly towards the lens, the image will be projected upside down and flipped left to right.
This is because the beams of light travel from the screen to the lens forming a cone. They converge in the magnifying glass and are refracted towards the wall in an inverted cone. In this process, the image gets turned around.
It’s similar to what happens in a photographic camera, which is why DSLRs have mirrors in them to make you see the image in the viewfinder.
So, to correct the image from left to right, all you have to do is place a mirror in between the smartphone and the lens. Place it on the back of the box (opposite to the lens) at a 45-degree angle.
You can use a protractor to know the right angle. If not, then you can get approximate by looking down at the mirror and making sure that you can see the lens.
This is how your projector should be looking at this point with the mirror on one side and the lens in the other:
If you don’t have a mirror, you can skip this step. Just keep in mind that the image will be reversed, so try to avoid images that have any writing in them.
Step 6: Cut Out the LidBefore you put on the lid, you need to make a hole for your smartphone screen. Place it on the backside so that the phone is above the mirror.
Make sure you measure the size of the screen and not the size of the phone, or it will fall in. If your phone has a full-size screen then make the hole a few millimetres smaller – just enough to hold the phone on top.
Step 7: Finishing TouchesYour homemade projector is nearly done!
Put on the lid on the box and make sure everything is fine. It’s normal that you might have to do some finishing touches because this is crafty work.
Check for any excess paper you need to cut, some spaces or holes you should cover to avoid leaks of light, etc.
Also, depending on the side of the magnifying glass you may have to cut a semicircle in the lid if it covers the lens.
Step 8: Start the ShowThat’s it – your homemade projector is ready!
This is how your DIY projector should look when it’s fully assembled. Notice how the front is detached from the rest of the box; that’s for adjusting the focus.
Make sure you disable the sleep mode on your smartphone so that the screen won’t shut off. Then, point the smartphone projector at an empty white wall.
If the image is not very sharp, adjust the focus by moving your DIY lens back and forward. You can also get closer or further away from the wall to find the right spot.
So now, close the curtains and give it a go.
DIY Projector FAQsCan you make your own projector?
Absolutely. With a cardboard box, a smartphone, and a few basic household tools (like tape, a magnifying glass, and some others) you can create a working DIY projector.
Do DIY phone projectors actually work?
Yes – though of course, the quality will not be as good as a proper store-bought projector.
Why is my homemade projector blurry?
As you’re using a magnifying glass and not a well-constructed lens, it’s likely that the glass has some curvature and/or yields some chromatic aberration.
Unfortunately, there’s no cheap solution for those issues.
How can I make my projector clearer?
To get the clearest possible picture, do make sure you have your phone brightness to the maximum, minimize any light leakage from the box, and don’t have your projector positioned too far from the wall.
ConclusionIsn’t it amazing? With just a magnifying glass and a cardboard box, you made your very own smartphone projector.
The theories behind this project go back to the 16th century. Back then, artists used this ‘camera obscura’ as a tool to paint.
You can do this too, just aim your homemade projector onto a piece of paper and start tracing. Another creative idea is to project images onto your subjects on your next photoshoot creating unique light effects.
You can also use it to show photos to your friends or as a movie projector to watch films. The only limit is your imagination.
If you enjoyed this DIY project, you might want to try doing a pinhole camera, or a DIY light-box too.
Remember, the idea is to stay crafty and stay creative!
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How to Make a Cheap DIY Smartphone Projector (Step by Step)
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Your privacy is safe.
I will never share your information. Making your own homemade smartphone projector is a fun project that you can do with all the family. You will learn about how optics work and develop your creativity, as well as recycling the boxes you have at home.
Enjoy watching your phone videos and photos with an affordable DIY smartphone projector!
Photo by Aneta Pawlik on Unsplash[Note: ExpertPhotography is supported by readers. Product links on ExpertPhotography are referral links. If you use one of these and buy something, we make a little bit of money. Need more info? See how it all works here.]
For This Tutorial You Will Need
- Shoe box (or similar)
- Thick black paper or black matte paint
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Glue and brush
- Double-sided tape (optional)
- Scissors or precision knife
- Magnifying glass
- Mirror.
Step 1: Choose the Right Mirror and Box for Your Homemade Projector
To build this projector, we will place a mirror and a magnifying lens in a box to make the light rays coming from your phone create a bigger projected image.
The more light reaches the magnifying glass, the brighter your final image would be. For that reason, you want to have a relatively narrow box to avoid light dispersion before reaching the glass.
You need a long box so that you can adjust the distance between the projecting lens and your phone. With that in mind, you need to use a box that your phone’s screen will fit across. In my case, I took a box 16x31x12 cm.
The mirror should be rectangular and plain and be at least the same size as the phone you will use.
Step 2: Black Out the Inside of Your Projector for Better Image Quality
Using a precision knife or scissors, cut out one of the narrow sides of your outer box. Keep it because it is an essential piece of your projector.
Make sure to cut the lid of the box as well.
Light reflecting off from the walls of the box would cause noise and can result in lower image quality. To avoid that, you should make the inner sides of the projector black.
You can coat the inside of the projector by glueing black matte paper.
Use a brush to evenly spread the glue so that the black paper is attached firmly to the box. If you prefer, you can use double-sided tape instead of glue.
Another option is to paint the box. Keep in mind that you will need to let the paint dry and make sure to use a product that has a matte texture. You also need to coat the inside of the box lid and the narrow box side you cut out previously.
Step 3: How to Install the Lens in Your DIY Smartphone Projector
Take your magnifying glass and remove its handle. Trace the outline of the magnifying glass on the centre of the narrow side you’ve cut out.
Use the precision knife to cut out the outline so that the magnifying glass fits snugly in the opening you’ve made. Now you have your Lens side ready to be installed.
Step 4: Making an Adjustable, Manual Focus for Your Smartphone Projector
Having an adjustable focus means we need to be able to move the lens in relation to the phone.
To achieve that, you need to construct a second box that will fit inside the outer box. Take the measurements of the inside of the box. Create folds in 4 sheets of black paper so that they fit the edges of the box, use a ruler to create precise folds in the paper.
Once you have all four folds, make 5mm deep cuts at one of the edges and fold the flaps you’ve made.
Attach the flaps to its adjacent ones using glue.
This will make the structure more rigid. Then glue the papers to each other to make an open box. Finally, glue the lens side onto the flaps of the inner box.
The inner box should have a relatively tight fit inside the outer one.
Step 5: Installing the Mirror in the Cardboard Smartphone Projector
The lens projects images from the phone by concentrating and refracting the light. This means that the image we get on the wall is flipped upside down and left to right. Fixing the first is easy. All you have to do is to deactivate the phone’s screen auto-rotate option and place the phone upside down.
To correct the image left to right, you need a mirror to get a mirror image the lens would invert.
Place the mirror at a 45⁰ angle on against the side that is opposite of the lens. Check that when you look at the mirror from up, you can see the projecting lens.
Step 6: Cut Out a Window for Your Smartphone
Measure the width and length of your phone’s screen. Draw a rectangle with your phone screen size on the lid of the projector, right above the mirror.
Cut out the rectangle with a precision knife. Don’t worry if you can cut the rectangle a bit too big, but be careful not to exceed the size of the phone itself.
Fit the magnifying glass into the hole you cut out in step 3. And with that, you are done! You’ve made your very own smartphone projector. If you want, you can decorate it using paints, colorful papers or any other materials you have around.
How to Adjust Your Projector’s Focus for an Optimal Image
To set up your projector, place it in front of a white wall or a screen.
Turn your phone’s brightness to maximum and place it facing down on top of the cut-out opening you’ve made. I recommend you to turn off the auto-rotate and set the screen sleep time to “Never”. Next, turn off all the lights in the room, the projector should be the only light source.
Start sliding the lens slowly away from the mirror while looking at the image on the wall. Stop moving the lens when you get a sharp image. You might need to change the distance between the wall and the projector if the image is not sharp enough.
This is an example of the projections with my own DIY projector for smart phone.Building Your Projector Without a Mirror
If you don’t have a mirror available, you can still make a projector. Place your phone with the image upside down directly in front of the lens. To keep the phone secured in its position, I recommend attaching it with a Velcro. This will also make taking the phone out easier.
Without the mirror, your smart phone projector won´t correct the inversion of the image.
For that reason, I recommend you avoid anything with writing.
Common Questions
How Does a Homemade Projector Work?
The idea behind a projector is that light rays coming from your phone pass through a magnifying lens placed in a certain distance. This creates a bigger projected image. This image will be inverted, but this can be fixed by placing a mirror between the phone and the lens.
Why Is my Homemade Projector Image Upside-Down?
The image of your homemade projector is upside-down when it is built with just one convex lens. The image will be inverted and enlarged.
Which Lens Is Used in a Homemade Projector?
You need a convex lens to build a homemade projector. These lenses are bigger in the centre than on their edges. The easiest way to get a convex lens is to use a magnifying glass. You can remove the holder and place it in your projector.
How Do I Make my Projector Screen Bigger?
Most projectors have a zoom ring to enlarge the image.
If you have a homemade projector, you probably won’t have a zoom ring. The easiest way to make the screen bigger is by placing the projector further. You might need to readjust the focus by moving the phone back and forth.
Who Invented the Projector?
Image projectors with lenses exist since 1659 when Christiaan Huygens invented the magic lantern. Eadweard Muybridge invented in 1879 the first projector used with moving images. Although Edison built his movie projector in 1894, the first successful one was invented by the Lumière brothers one year later.
Conclusion
Building your own projector is a fun DIY project that you can do either by yourself or with the whole family. Although it is not a professional projector and might not produce a perfect image, it gives a pretty nice result. You can use it as a neat little gadget for your kid’s birthday party or create special effects for Halloween. This project is a fun way for kids to learn about lenses and light and an excellent way to re-utilize materials.
Check out our posts on choosing an iPhone camera lens or best macro lens for iPhone next!
DIY Projector: 3 Easy Ways to Assemble
Today there is a huge variety of video playback devices: TVs, smartphones, home theaters, etc. But organizing a broadcast for any wide audience, alas, is not so easy, since a home theater or a projector costs a lot of money, and not everyone can afford such pleasure. Therefore, we will consider theoretical aspects and several methods that will allow you to make a projector with your own hands.
Theory
The principle of transferring an image from any medium to a vertical surface is based on the laws of optics. When various carriers interact with the light flux, the rays are refracted, the spectrum changes, followed by display on the screen.
A homemade projector can be implemented in many ways. In practice, there are several image transmission technologies that are implemented in all kinds of filmoscopes, sliders and projectors.
The most popular design solutions are:
- Overhead projector - based on the passage of the light flux through a transparent medium. The figure below shows a diagram of such a device, Rice. 1: overhead projector circuit diagram
where the light source 2 is directed by the reflector 1 to the slide 4 located in the focusing lens 3. The modified spectrum propagates to the optical amplifier 6 and transmitted to the screen 7. . Rice. 2: epiprojector 9 circuit diagram0014
The figure above shows the principle of operation of a reflective type projector, in which light source 1 transmits the flux reflected by mirrors 2 and falling on image 3. The modified light flux moves through the lens to the reflector, which transmits the image to the screen.
- Film projectors - transmit video information from moving film slides when light passes through them.
- DLP projectors - broadcast video information by reflecting the light flux from a special chip.
The flow itself in them is formed by a color logic matrix. Such devices produce high-definition pictures and color accuracy. Rice. 3: Schematic diagram of DLP projector - LCD projectors - implement image transmission by passing light through a transparent LCD panel. Unlike DLP technology, LCD projectors produce bright, vivid and saturated colors.
Today's digital media projectors can easily compete in photo and video quality with the best HDTVs. Therefore, home projectors can be used as a personal cinema for family viewing of films or as a means of demonstrating visual materials at conferences and lectures. Alas, it is almost impossible to recreate a digital multimedia device with your own hands, since it is necessary to synchronize the operation of mechanical, optical and digital elements. But everyone can implement a classic projector using digital equipment.
Smartphone-based
Mobile phones are used not only for long-distance communication, but also for video data exchange.
That is why the idea of making a projector from a pocket gadget arose. Theoretically, the process of obtaining an image consists in converting a graphic signal from the display through an optical lens to any surface. To do this, you need to make a case that completely darkens the surrounding space, fixtures for mounting both the lens and the mobile device.
It is quite easy to pick up a magnifying glass or loupe. The main thing is that its overall parameters are commensurate with the dimensions of the phone screen. To fix the magnifier, you can use the front wall of the housing. To fix the phone vertically, you can use a cardboard box or cardboard ribs in which the mobile phone will not wobble. The case is easiest to make from a cardboard box, since it is easy to cut a hole of the desired parameters in it without special equipment.
You will need adhesive tape, glue, a stationery knife, a pencil, a ruler and compasses.
The process of making a projector from a smartphone is as follows:
- Choose one of the walls of the box so that the distance from it to the opposite one is the greatest.
This will provide a wider range for setting display options. - Mark the center on the selected wall, around which cut a hole for a magnifying glass. Rice. 4: make a hole for magnifier
- Attach a magnifying glass to the side of the box. To do this, you can use both adhesive tape and good glue, it is important that they do not get into the lens clearance, otherwise it may spoil the image from the projector. Rice. 5: fix magnifier
- Make a holder for a mobile phone, it is important that during installation it does not cover the display and fits inside the box. Rice. 6: make holder
- Empirically, to adjust the image, select the most optimal distance from the mobile to the magnifying glass. Rice. 7: pick up distance
- Make a hole for the mobile charging cord to take it out of the box.
The smartphone projector is ready, you can start broadcasting, but first install a special application that will rotate the image by 180°. In some phone models, it is enough to turn off auto-rotate the screen and install the gadget upside down.
Viewing is best organized in a well-darkened room in order to increase the clarity and brightness of the picture.
In addition, a holographic projector can be made from a mobile phone and polymer plates (Fig. 8). But the cost of such a home-made product will result in a considerable penny, with a relatively low image quality, so it can compete with the above-described sample only in the eccentricity of the picture.
Fig. Figure 8: Example ofHolographic Projector Based on
Tablet or LaptopThis projector has higher image quality due to the larger screen. There are both more “humane” ways of doing it, in which digital devices remain intact, and methods for which you need to remove the graphics matrix to translate the image.
To make a projector from a laptop, you will need a cardboard box large enough so that its front side is commensurate with the monitor, and the length is at least 50 cm. The magnifying glass should be quite large, Fresnel lenses will do the job well, it is also important to use a lens from a device for full-page reading of books.
To assemble the projector, you will need to do the following:
- Cut a hole in the end of the box for a magnifying glass. Rice. 9: cut hole for glass
Its dimensions are made slightly smaller than the lens so that it can be fixed at the edges.
- Use duct tape, tape, or silicone sealant to fix the lens in the hole. Rice. 10: fix lens
It is important to ensure that the glass is firmly attached to the cardboard to prevent light from entering the projector from outside.
- Make a hole in the opposite wall for a laptop monitor. Rice. 11: make a hole for monitor
When installing the latter, the edge of the cardboard must overlap so that, again, no light enters the inside of the projector.
- Place the laptop upside down so that the keyboard is on the lid of the box. By the principle of optical image flip by a lens. Rice. 12: install laptop
The simplest laptop projector is ready, just plug it in and you can enjoy broadcasting your favorite movie.
By the same principle, you can use a tablet to assemble the projector.
Projector from Slide Viewer
Making a projector from a ready-made unit greatly simplifies the task, since you no longer need to make any adjustments in terms of optical effects. These settings are made at the factory and the slide viewer perfectly displays graphics from paper or other A4 media. Your only task is to choose the most suitable photo-video signal translator. In this example, we will consider the manufacture of a projector from a working tablet monitor that fits the size of a diascope.
To do this, you will need to follow these steps:
- Disconnect the matrix from the gadget, a tablet that you no longer use is perfect. Rice. 13: dismantle LCD matrix
When dismantling the die, be very careful not to damage the fragile element.
- Dismantle the electronic board of the tablet along with the LCD panel, as it will be used to connect to the PC for data transfer.
- Place the matrix on the glass with a gap between them of about 5mm. Rice. 14: install the LCD panel on the glass
The distance is necessary for ventilation, as a strong stream of light will also cause excessive heating of the surface.
- Install a fan opposite the gap, in this case a cooler is used. Rice. 15: install fan
Due to its low weight, it is attached with double-sided adhesive tape.
The projector is ready - just connect both devices to the network and start the desired video material through the computer. On this projector, you will get a fairly high image quality, which, as a rule, does not depend much on the distance to the screen. It should be noted that smaller devices for viewing slides can be found on sale, which will be commensurate with the screen of a smartphone.
Ways to improve picture quality
To improve the clarity of the image from a homemade projector, you must perform the following simple steps: In addition, external factors also affect the quality of the projector's broadcast. So that the picture is well perceived, the windows should be covered with curtains during the daytime, and at night all light sources are simply turned off. Remember, the shorter the distance to the screen, the higher the quality of the image on it. The screen itself also matters - it is preferable to have a flat, uniform surface of soothing colors. We continue to consider the simplest homemade products and now we will talk about how to make a projector with your own hands at home. Such a home-made device will be needed in order to replace the home theater and watch personal photos or even movies on the big screen. Even a child can assemble such a projector from a cardboard box and a magnifying glass, and he will do it in no more than 5 minutes. So, we present to your attention the technology for manufacturing the simplest projector from improvised means To make it clear to you how to make a projector out of a box and a phone, let's take a look at all the steps step by step with photo examples: pencil, tape, paper clip and of course a smartphone. You can clearly see the entire assembly process on the video: An easy way to make a cheap cinema Here's how to make a projector with your own hands at home. As you can see, there is nothing complicated and at the same time you do not need to spend money on buying materials, because. box, tape and even a magnifying glass can be found in his own workshop. If you want a brighter and clearer image on the wall, it is better to use a tablet or laptop instead of a phone. In this case, the magnifying glass must be larger, as screen size is larger. In this case, we use a special type of lens - a rectangular Fresnel lens, since finding a suitable glass lens is not an easy task. You can buy this lens online. An example of how to quickly make a projector from a laptop or tablet, you can see in the photo below: Another important point - if a home-made device projects a not very good picture on the wall, and at the same time you have already tried to change the location of the smartphone, then the problem is in the lens. In addition, I would like to draw attention to an important nuance - in order for a home-made home theater to show a clear picture, the brightness on the mobile device must be set to the maximum. You can improve the clarity of the projector by painting the inside walls of the cardboard box black, for example, with spray paint or a regular marker, you can paste over it from the inside with black paper. The wall on which the slideshow or video will be displayed also has its own requirements. It is best to direct the projection onto a special canvas for the projector, but if this is not available, A1 size paper, fixed in a frame or simply on the wall with buttons, will do. I would immediately like to clarify that you can use such a home-made cinema at home only if the room is dark enough. The light will interrupt the image.
Instruction video
How to make a DIY projector at home
Step-by-step instructions
You need to choose the right distance from the smartphone to the lens in the box. By experimenting with the location of the device, you can choose the most suitable angle for projecting a clear and bright image.
Other things to know
Try wiping it down or replacing it with a better one if you bought a cheaper one before. Increasing the size of the lens can also improve the picture. 
