A serious question about the "Build a projection TV for $20!!!" kits... (1 Viewer)

[John Eric]

Hello everyone.

I was talking with a friend and an issue of curiosity came up. He was looking at one of those "frensel lens" kits to convert a tube TV into a projection TV. I was wondering... Has anybody here ever tried it or seen one in action? With the low-end of real projectors coming down quite low (I saw 2 for under $300 used) from a couple years ago, I doubt it may be worth it anymore. However, curiosity has gotten the best of me.

Personally, if this was as good as they say, I would expect it to be a lot more popular. I have serious doubts, but want to know from first-hand experience.

Thanks for indulging me in this quest for information.

 

[Jan Strnad]

It's a scam, and the photos on eBay are NOT from these projectors. Avoid unless satisfying your curiosity is worth twenty bucks.

Jan

 

[Larry Sutliff]

I bought a product similiar to this years ago(I was about fifteen years old). It's a complete ripoff and I sent it back. I don't know if the newer versions are any better but I would avoid anything like this. I'm sure it's a piece of junk.

 

[BruceSpielbauer]

Always remember:
"If it sounds too good to be true..."

-Bruce in Chi-Town

 

[Allan Jayne]

Here are the instructions for making a 100 inch TV out of your present small direct view set. No cost except for materials and optionally a payment to me.
Get a cardboard box big enough for the TV to fit in. Also get a magnifying glass, the bigger the better. I suggest one of those 8-1/2 x 11 full page magnifiers they sell in office supply stores. Cut a hole in the middle of the box where the TV would face, big enough to mount the magnifying glass. Put the TV in the box and aim it at the wall or ceiling or movie screen. Slide it back and forth and/or use some books to prop it up for best picture quality.
The room has to be nearly pitch black. The purpose of the cardboard box is to prevent light from the TV screen that does not go through the lens from washing out the picture on the wall. You will probably not get both the center and edges of the picture focused at the same time, so you will have to make a compromise setting.
Optional, to get the mirror image left to right reversal fixed: Have a serviceman open up the TV and reverse the wires that control the horizontal sweep.
Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm
My PayPal ID if you want to send me the twenty dollars:
[email protected]