DIY 3D home cinema for $1 (and a spare projector)

[efendy2]

how to make one for a dollar > umm... you need an extra projector along with the other one (everybody has got projectors lying around anyway) > oh, you need a graphics card with two hdmi or dvi outputs or vga > I almost forgot to mention you need a silver screen too!

dont want to discourage anybody or slander the video but it's not as cheap as it's presented here. for proof of concept it's fine but for a working system you need to spend some money. but if you get it working it's the best thing!

[tecneek253]

I have 2 i just got a new 1 soooo gonna try this

[Bergen79]

What a brilliant idea! Do you have any trouble with the filters getting hot (even melting?) in front of the lens?

[1kreature]

@Bergen79 No problems with the filters. Proj was 2100 ansi. My new projector is 2500 ansi and it works good too.

[Rogergarymichael]

Lol will do! Thanks for your advice! Can't wait to get started :-)

[Rogergarymichael]

Sorry should have said Mdf screen not NSF.

[Rogergarymichael]

I have just seen your video actually playing a film back! And after reading the description I am even more excited! Sorry for all the questions. Did you paint your NSF screen black twice before painting with the Matt silver? Not sure which co our to paint it before finally painting silver. I appreciate your time - many thanks :-)

[1kreature]

@Rogergarymichael I painted it with matte white primer.

Make sure you sand it down between the coats to get it nice and even. (Use an electric sander or your arm will fall off.)

[1kreature]

@Rogergarymichael I used matte white primer. You will cover it completely so it doesn't really matter.

[Rogergarymichael]

Thank you for this wonderful video that will enable me to set up my very own 3d cinema at home. My plan is to use 2 dlp projectors, a pc with dual output graphics card and stereoscopic player software. Have you tried playing any stereoscopic video files and if so what were your results like? Thanks for the inspiration from your video! I have done lots of research but thought I would ask you if you have done anymore with your setup since making this video. Now I have a new project on my hands :-

[nazaxprime]

Just staggering 2 images and polarizing them is not sufficient to produce true depth of field... unless you have software to do this, you are ALMOST wasting your time. that said, having 2 projectors and polarizing filters is a great first step.

I miss all my old gear. Oh, well, at least i have a production studio at my disposal now... I may have had some hurdles, but "I'm getting closer..."

10 years or less, and I'll have my self sustaining production facility so I can focus once and for all.

[1kreature]

@nazaxprime Read the description and comments.

This is NOT supposed to give 3D. If it was, I wouldn't write Left and Right would I?

This is and always has been a demonstration of the channel separation using Liquitex Acrylic Silver for a diy silver-screen that IS compatible with all types of 3D, both polarized and active.

[nazaxprime]

@1kreature

I know, I wasn't criticizing this video in any way, i was just making a comment about depth of field, because it is in the general field of discussion. Good videos, good work and I look forward to more. I probably did miss one or 2 points though, so thanks for reiteration.

[1kreature]

@nazaxprime Ahh I get it. Yes you are very right in that. You need as you say images shot from slightly different angles to get any 3D effect. Staggering is not enough. Surprising how many don't understand that.

[mhurdz1]

can u play any movie to turn into 3d? ty can u show how to hook up on the pc? or ur using 2 pc? ty again.

[mhurdz1]

can u play any movie to turn into 3d? ty

[HostileHST]

@mhurdz1 There might be a way to do that, but it takes a LOT work, but if you like to game, you can use a driver called iZ3d, it's free to use for some type of glasses like anaglyph (red/blue) and there are a ton of games that work in 3d. In fact, you can do that right now if you own a pair of red/blue glasses using your existing crt/lcd monitor.

[spinydelta1]

Hi, I wanted to ask, With the Lenses that you use on the end of the projector. I was reading somewhere that using the ones from the Real D 3D glasses can burn from the high heat that the bulb gives out. Have you had any problems like this? Thanks in advance.

[1kreature]

@spinydelta1 Not at all. I place em on a cover a bit infront of the lense if I can, and it seems to be fine.

[lanre77]

HI 1kreature. I'm setting up a 3d rig myself. I see you have done excellent work here. Just to be sure, I'm getting 2 Optoma DLP EW766 projectors. I will be placing circular polarizaton filters infront of each projector. Is this right? coz I have heard from some places that DLP does not need polarization and I do not understand this. Cheers.

[1kreature]

@lanre77 Yes, only single dlp with 3D ready (120Hz) and shutter-glasses can be used without polarizing. Expensive and each person needs a pair...

[minners71]

Believe me when I say what you are getting there is not real 3d only a fool would think you can get real 3d with 2 projectors and a 2 dollar pair of glasses. The cameras film studios use cost upwards of a million dollars , some people are so dumb.

[1kreature]

@minners71 I can create the same 3D effect as a RealD 3D cinema can.

They project using two DIFFERENT images polarized for each eye and use a reflective screen to preserve this polarization. The ONLY difference between RealD 3D and normal polarized 3D is that they use circular polarization instead of horizontal and vertical. This allows you to tilt your head (rotate/roll) without image becoming unwatchable.

Read up on the technology before you assume, or you make an ass of u and me...

[1kreature]

@minners71 Also, have you seen my other video where I play a 3D movie on my setup? I play "Journey to the center of the earth" which was released on a stereo blu-ray disc. By splitting the frame-sequential video into a left and right video stream I can play them both back on the two projectors and watch it without having to use the standard shutter-glasses. This allows me, and my buddys to all watch the movie with cheap cinema-glasses.

Search for "DIY RealD 3D home cinema playing video".

[1kreature]

@minners71 LOL. Better cameras may give better image, but in the end, all you need to create 3D is images shot from different angles and a way to deliver those TWO images to the eyes seperately.

Oh, and I repeat: The effect in this video is and has never been 3D, nor have I ever claimed so. They just show the channel-seperation I achieve using RealD 3D glasses polarizers on a silver-screen. Notice how you are the only one not getting it? Hehe...

[crazyeye12303]

yes i want do that

but i have one polarized glasses now, another one I lost it

i can't buy new one becuse i'm from ksa

in ksa we haven't cinema I'm waiting to travelling next year to buy it

[danielodors]

the glasses are actually slightly tinted red and blue.

[animalcrosser591]

That's great, if you happen to have two projectors. But for the cost of the projectors, you could just buy a 3d monitor.

[minners71]

1 minute ago This wont give a true 3d image, if you imagine having a video of a ball coming towards the screeen at its furthest point the images will have no or little overlapping, as the ball move towards you and "out of the screen" the 2 images will be spaced further apart giving the impression that it is coming out of the screen. In a reald 3d movie there will be many items on screen at different distances and the amount of difference between the left and right image will vary

[minners71]

Depending where in 3d space each element is all this will do is bring every element out to the same point ,yes the image will come out of the screen but it will still be flat.

A real3d projector can cost upto 250,000 dollars do you really think you can reproduce the same thing with 2 projectors and a 2 dollar pair of glasses.LOL

[1kreature]

@minners71 What you are talking about is called convergence. IT so happens that a RealD 3D projector only uses two source images and thus can NOT reproduce 3D at more than one depth of field at a time. Film makes have to handle this by having the depth of field and thus convergence point set to something they think you will be looking at.

IN a scene with a nude woman this is easy, but in a forrest with animals and birds, how will they know if you will look at the squirrel? Ansver: They can't.

[videocakeproductions]

@1kreature I thought it was the opposite, the point of Convergence is the point at which the two images align therefore it looks the same in both eyes. all other points in the foreground or background will be offset, and therefore your eyes have to adjust focus giving the illusion of depth... so everything BUT the point of convergence will be 3D...??

Anyway your the guy with the awesome 3D setup so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt :-)

[1kreature]

@videocakeproductions Actually it's a good point. But, the fact is still that the two images are shot from different angles towards the point of convergence so they do not look identical. Just like your eyes the cameras get a slightly different look at it and thanks to the parralax shift of the background you get a good sence of distance.

[minners71]

@1kreature Sorry I have to disagree the image has to be filmed with two cameras with polarised filters to start with for you then to project the 2 separate images to make it 3d. What you have there is not real 3d trust me I work in digital 3d cinema.

[1kreature]

@minners71 Haha. I never said this example was 3D. It is an example of how I can do polarized projection at home FOR 3D cinema.

And NO, the images do NOT have to be filmed through polarized filters. That only has to be done if you PIRATE films at a cinema. I am talking about legal filming of real world in 3D. The two cameras both get a different view and when displayed on my setup and watched with polarized glasses you get 3D.

The technology used in 3D cinemas is not really that complex.

[mathers3000]

@minners71 Hey Minners71 why don't you make a video on showing how to do real 3D, instead of crying like a little baby. Maybe you should do a search on circular polarization and the learn the basics behind it. " trust me I work in digital 3d cinema" HA!

[nazaxprime]

@mathers3000

You tell'em!

[charlesdon018]

where im gonna connect the two projectors ? if in the cpu of the computer , theres only one connection :) - please reply ! :))

[CevaComic]

@charlesdon018

you need a video card that supports 2 monitors ... i have a nvidia gtx 260 that has dual monitor support

[1kreature]

@Gannonsmovieworld25 Essentially you want a silver paint with good reflective properties without it becoming a direct mirror. The hard thing about spraypaints is to get the reflections even due to the flake-nature of the paint.

I suggest getting a can and test it on some scrap board. Just make sure there is some size to the test as you can easily get a A4 sheet even, but a large screen is much worse. My new screen is 100" 16:9 and it took hours to get even.

[counterbond]

I see that the Left image is faded towards the bottom and pretty solid toward the top, and that the right side is more solid at the bottom than it is at the top. Is this a side effect of the cheap polarizers? 

[TvTexta]

I painted the screen using a metallic acrylic silver paint and it works but about as good as aluminium foil. And that's for the DLP - the LCD goes very green through the filter. Still getting there.

[MickeyJman06]

For the filters from the galsses, do I use both of the lenses or just one?

[TvTexta]

You're doing wonderful work. I was using the realD lenses but it wasn't working - of course - the silver screen. Cheers!

[dipu94321]

if i had s000 dollars,i would have made it.since i have a video card with dual monitor and hdmi support.dual projectors could be around 1800 dollars and the silver screen would be 200.a ps3 for 300 and a good sound system for 1000 dollars.and a good blu ray drive for my comp.

[joelholmquist]

GZ man :-D

Why do I just own a LCD-tv :-(

I want 2 projectors now ^^

[sorbuato]

holly $%& thats amazing great job and thanks for sharing

[DobleClickVe]

That is awesome! Do you need a special surface to project the image?

[1kreature]

@DobleClickVe Yes, you need a silver-screen to project onto. Regular white screens absorb and re-emit light causing the polarization from the two images/projectors to be removed. Silver-screens reflect more so keep the polarizing. I painted my screen myself. Look in a reply to my other vid on how.

[SplinterCraig]

Well first to say,awesome