Want to buy cheap 20~30k ILDA laser projector

[borgqueenx]

My budget is about 450 dollars shipped...
Yes ive already researched this isnt alot for a laser projector. but im new so i need something to start with.
I already know i at least need 20k for a laser without much flickering and 30k for real smoothness.

So what can you guys recommend to me for this buy?

BTW i come from laserpointerforums and do know a bit about lasers themselfs already, but am new to the projector world.

DONT come with software/box yet. first the projector, then the software.

Thanks everyone!

[Grix]

Do you want more colors than one? 450 is a tight budget if you want RGB.. Check ebay, a lot of cheap projectors there.

[borgqueenx]

Do you want more colors than one? 450 is a tight budget if you want RGB.. Check ebay, a lot of cheap projectors there.

some linkys? i found only one on ebay but it flickered alot, i dont know if it was real 20k...:/

[LaNeK779]

my advice is don't do it

i did the same a couple of years ago and got a cheap 100mw laserworld green with 20kpps scanners and now i wish i had kept the money.(the only part of 100mw 20kpps green projector that lived up to expectations was that it actually emited green ) i guess it is ok for beamshows and small places, but that's about that

why don't you go for blue, make your own projector and gradually move towards rgb? lots of helpfull posts and guys here to help you make it

think about it, you'll have 1W of blue with less than 450usd if you don't go for expensive scanners

[buffo]

$450 is pretty cheap for an RGB projector. If you find one on E-bay for that price you're probably going to end up with a piece of junk. Sorry to burst your bubble, but this is an expensive hobby, and there is no such thing as a free lunch.

Even if you built the thing yourself, you'd be hard pressed to pull off a true RGB projector for that price. A *cheap* set of scanners is going to eat up nearly half your budget, and good scanners will cost more than your entire budget. Then you've got to think about optics, lasers, drivers, a case, and all the associated electronics. Oh, and don't forget the cost of the controller and software too...

Like I said, it's an expensive hobby. You can save yourself some money by building things yourself, but even so, it's never going to be cheap. Also, if a deal appears to be too good to be true, chances are it is... There's a lot of cheap crap on E-bay; don't get suckered in. You'll end up wasting your money and have to start over again. (Lots of us here have already been down that road...)

Also, you've got three threads open where you're asking the same question. It's generally considered bad form to do that. One thread is sufficient. Just a reminder...

Adam

[borgqueenx]

but i dont know if i would like it.
And im no pro in technical stuff so i dont wanna try to build one.

im searching for a amateur projector because i dont wanna purchase a 500+ dollar system and find out its not my thing.

[norty303]

a 500+ dollar system

Smell the coffee

You're still in budget amateur projectors at $1.5k+

If you want a cheap hobby, don't do lasers

I just spent what you have total budget on an empty case, and that was a good deal.

[borgqueenx]

i have a large laser collection already.
1.4w 445nm
200mw green
30mw green
star projectors pens.
soon 250mw 405nm
280mw 660mw.

But since i enjoy it so much, i wanna see if i can have fun with stuff like this.
i need a device where i can see if this is something for me.
A projector where i can put pc-created shows on(i will ask about software later)...

[buffo]

In that case, your best bet is to attend a Laser Enthusiast's Meeting near you so you can see what an RGB projector is capable of. If you fall in love with the images and areal effects that it can create, then you'll know it's something you want to invest your time and money in. On the other had, if you walk away with sort of a "meh, that was cool, but not mind-blowing" attitude, then you know that lasers are not for you.

It would be good to determine this fact before you spend any money. Because trust me when I say that to get into this hobby in a decent way is going to cost you some serious cash. What's worse is that once you're hooked, you'll constantly be spending more money to upgrade your equipment or to add new equipment. So it's better to find out just how interested you are NOW, before you spend any money.

From a practical standpoint though, you'll never get a feel for what a decent RGB projector is like if you buy a hunk of junk off E-bay. There are some decent low power RGB (and even RGV) projectors on E-bay that go for around $1000 that are good enough to get started with, but remember that even with one of those you still need a controller and some software.

So before you commit to spending $1200 to $1500, you really should decide if this is the right hobby for you. For sure it's going to be more expensive than buying (or building) laser pointers. But it's also a lot more rewarding.

Fill out your profile information so we know where you are located, and then check out the meet and greet sub-forum and see if any of the up-coming LEM's are close enough that you could make the trip.

Adam

[LaNeK779]

im searching for a amateur projector because i dont wanna purchase a 500+ dollar system and find out its not my thing.

that's the easy part. if it turns out not to be your thing, just sell it back on ebay

you wouldn't be losing much money this way, maybe as much as a moderate night out