A buddy of mine is selling me a newer projection set (one of the first HD sets, actually)... as soon as he gets off his ass and buys his new set. Anyway it is an awfuly ugly amorphous grey thing and I'd rather have something like this: http://wilkersonfurniture.com/ in my living room, I'm wondering if it's possible to build a case for the mechanism, or, less ambitiously, just build a big box for it to sit in, more or less. Anyone ever undertake such a project?

I've been asked this before, and I'd have to say it would be nearly impossible to get it done right. There is a lot of geometry involved in the angles and distances of the mirrors and the optics. Anything can be done, but it would have to be a situation where you did it for a hobby, and plan to spend PLENTY of time on it.

If it's a "removable chassis" model, which includes all RCA-GE-ProScan projection sets from the early 90s & up, and most Sonys late 90s & up, at least all you need to do is position the single rear mirror. Bear in mind, however, that there isn't any way to shrink or enlarge the picture. The foal length of the projection tube/lens ass'y is deisgned for an exact screen size, so you can't focus it on any other size without either missing the edges of the picture, or having a picture smaller than the screen.

Now if the question were posed from the opposite (someone's getting a nice cabinet and wishes to install a projection TV in it), that's easier... Just buy an LCD graphics projector and install it with reverse picture, and aim it at the inside of the screen. Those are designed to focus on just about any screen size, and they have keystone adjustments so you don't need to have the projector aimed dead-on at the screen and can still have a good congruent picture.

In your case, I'd just build a nice outer cabinet, and install the entire HD set, case and all, into the new cabinet without disturbing anything.

Charles

There are ways to make an ugly exterior dissapear by just housing the set in a cabinet.Here's link to one company's approach.If you're a woodworker,then making an outer housing should be straightforward.What I personally like about the styles that I'm linking,is that only the screen shows up in the end product.

http://www.diamondcase.com/Horizon/Horizon_Html/Horizon_Portfolio_Ex_7.HTML

Just don't forget about ventilation in your final design- these things need paths for fresh/cool air to easily get in and for hot air to easily get out. Don't compromise this.

je