if you’re looking for a fun and cheap way to watch events like the Super Bowl
way to watch events like the Super Bowl
way to watch events like the Super Bowl or March Madness here’s a low-budget
or March Madness here’s a low-budget
or March Madness here’s a low-budget life hack that will convert your laptop
life hack that will convert your laptop
life hack that will convert your laptop smartphone or tablet into an improvised
smartphone or tablet into an improvised
smartphone or tablet into an improvised home theater
[Music]
[Music] I started this project with a cardboard
I started this project with a cardboard
I started this project with a cardboard box and a roll of duct tape I got the
box and a roll of duct tape I got the
box and a roll of duct tape I got the black kind aside from those the only
black kind aside from those the only
black kind aside from those the only thing we’ll need is a simple magnifying
thing we’ll need is a simple magnifying
thing we’ll need is a simple magnifying lens I got this one online for about $4
lens I got this one online for about $4
lens I got this one online for about $4 with free shipping these are typically
with free shipping these are typically
with free shipping these are typically sold as full-page magnifiers for reading
sold as full-page magnifiers for reading
sold as full-page magnifiers for reading small text the end of this cardboard box
small text the end of this cardboard box
small text the end of this cardboard box is just slightly bigger than the plastic
is just slightly bigger than the plastic
is just slightly bigger than the plastic lens so let’s place it in the middle and
lens so let’s place it in the middle and
lens so let’s place it in the middle and when it looks about Center we can trace
when it looks about Center we can trace
when it looks about Center we can trace around the edges now the lens is going
around the edges now the lens is going
around the edges now the lens is going to be taped to the inside of the box so
to be taped to the inside of the box so
to be taped to the inside of the box so let’s trace out another set of lines
let’s trace out another set of lines
let’s trace out another set of lines about a half-inch smaller and now the
about a half-inch smaller and now the
about a half-inch smaller and now the setup should look like this while we’re
setup should look like this while we’re
setup should look like this while we’re here let’s use a credit card or a hotel
here let’s use a credit card or a hotel
here let’s use a credit card or a hotel key to trace out a rectangle in the
key to trace out a rectangle in the
key to trace out a rectangle in the center alright it’s time to get to work
center alright it’s time to get to work
center alright it’s time to get to work making some cuts and scissors can be a
making some cuts and scissors can be a
making some cuts and scissors can be a little awkward so I’m going to try using
little awkward so I’m going to try using
little awkward so I’m going to try using this steak knife instead let’s start by
this steak knife instead let’s start by
this steak knife instead let’s start by cutting out the center piece taking time
cutting out the center piece taking time
cutting out the center piece taking time to make the cuts as clean as possible
to make the cuts as clean as possible
to make the cuts as clean as possible now we’ll need to cut along the inside
now we’ll need to cut along the inside
now we’ll need to cut along the inside edges and if you’ve done it right
edges and if you’ve done it right
edges and if you’ve done it right you should be left with a piece that
you should be left with a piece that
you should be left with a piece that looks like this but don’t throw it away
looks like this but don’t throw it away
looks like this but don’t throw it away now this part is optional but I’m going
now this part is optional but I’m going
now this part is optional but I’m going to add some duct tape along the cut
to add some duct tape along the cut
to add some duct tape along the cut edges just to smooth them over and clean
edges just to smooth them over and clean
edges just to smooth them over and clean up the look now let’s flip the box over
up the look now let’s flip the box over
up the look now let’s flip the box over to expose the inside and add our lens
to expose the inside and add our lens
to expose the inside and add our lens this gets placed over the hole with the
this gets placed over the hole with the
this gets placed over the hole with the grouped side facing up some more duct
grouped side facing up some more duct
grouped side facing up some more duct tape is added to secure the lens in
tape is added to secure the lens in
tape is added to secure the lens in position and now we can work on making
position and now we can work on making
position and now we can work on making the box a little more sturdy I’m folding
the box a little more sturdy I’m folding
the box a little more sturdy I’m folding the big bottom flaps in first so the
the big bottom flaps in first so the
the big bottom flaps in first so the smaller flaps are on the outside a strip
smaller flaps are on the outside a strip
smaller flaps are on the outside a strip of tape will ensure the inside bottom is
of tape will ensure the inside bottom is
of tape will ensure the inside bottom is flat and smooth and the outside flaps
flat and smooth and the outside flaps
flat and smooth and the outside flaps are taped down as well next let’s use
are taped down as well next let’s use
are taped down as well next let’s use our knife to cut down the two corners at
our knife to cut down the two corners at
our knife to cut down the two corners at the back to make a flap that opens up
the back to make a flap that opens up
the back to make a flap that opens up the top can now be closed and tape used
the top can now be closed and tape used
the top can now be closed and tape used to hold everything together firm and
to hold everything together firm and
to hold everything together firm and strong I gave mine a quick paint job and
strong I gave mine a quick paint job and
strong I gave mine a quick paint job and there’s the finished projector
there’s the finished projector
there’s the finished projector well that was cheap and easy ok we’re
well that was cheap and easy ok we’re
well that was cheap and easy ok we’re going to need a projection screen so I
going to need a projection screen so I
going to need a projection screen so I went to a sign supply company and found
went to a sign supply company and found
went to a sign supply company and found this sheet of 0.02 high-impact styrene
this sheet of 0.02 high-impact styrene
this sheet of 0.02 high-impact styrene for about $2 the sheet is 4 feet wide
for about $2 the sheet is 4 feet wide
for about $2 the sheet is 4 feet wide and adding a little black duct tape to
and adding a little black duct tape to
and adding a little black duct tape to the edges gives it a nice looking border
the edges gives it a nice looking border
the edges gives it a nice looking border I had just enough tape left to hang the
I had just enough tape left to hang the
I had just enough tape left to hang the screen on the wall and rigged up a
screen on the wall and rigged up a
screen on the wall and rigged up a little makeshift theater room now this
little makeshift theater room now this
little makeshift theater room now this lens configuration will allow the most
lens configuration will allow the most
lens configuration will allow the most light to shine through but if you’re ok
light to shine through but if you’re ok
light to shine through but if you’re ok with a darker but crisper image you can
with a darker but crisper image you can
with a darker but crisper image you can go ahead and add the shroud to the front
go ahead and add the shroud to the front
go ahead and add the shroud to the front of the lens this will tighten the
of the lens this will tighten the
of the lens this will tighten the aperture and give a better focus at this
aperture and give a better focus at this
aperture and give a better focus at this point we’re about ready to test it out
point we’re about ready to test it out
point we’re about ready to test it out I’m going to try it with this iPad and
I’m going to try it with this iPad and
I’m going to try it with this iPad and we’ll need to go into the settings menu
we’ll need to go into the settings menu
we’ll need to go into the settings menu and make sure we lock the rotation of
and make sure we lock the rotation of
and make sure we lock the rotation of the screen we’ll also need to bring the
the screen we’ll also need to bring the
the screen we’ll also need to bring the light up to maximum to hold your tablet
light up to maximum to hold your tablet
light up to maximum to hold your tablet upright in the projector you’ll need to
upright in the projector you’ll need to
upright in the projector you’ll need to find something sturdy this box of tomato
find something sturdy this box of tomato
find something sturdy this box of tomato paste was the right size for me so I
paste was the right size for me so I
paste was the right size for me so I used a couple of rubber bands to hold
used a couple of rubber bands to hold
used a couple of rubber bands to hold the iPad firmly against the box and with
the iPad firmly against the box and with
the iPad firmly against the box and with the screen flipped upside down this can
the screen flipped upside down this can
the screen flipped upside down this can be slid into the projector and you may
be slid into the projector and you may
be slid into the projector and you may need to play around at the positioning
need to play around at the positioning
need to play around at the positioning of your tablet to see where it focuses
of your tablet to see where it focuses
of your tablet to see where it focuses the best okay let’s turn off the lights
the best okay let’s turn off the lights
the best okay let’s turn off the lights and test it out
and test it out
and test it out [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] well there you go we just made a cheap
well there you go we just made a cheap
well there you go we just made a cheap version of a 50 inch home theater and it
version of a 50 inch home theater and it
version of a 50 inch home theater and it looks pretty decent if you try this with
looks pretty decent if you try this with
looks pretty decent if you try this with your smartphone the process is pretty
your smartphone the process is pretty
your smartphone the process is pretty much the same but your picture will be a
much the same but your picture will be a
much the same but your picture will be a little smaller I found that a laptop
little smaller I found that a laptop
little smaller I found that a laptop computer gives the best results because
computer gives the best results because
computer gives the best results because it’s got the brightest screen it fits
it’s got the brightest screen it fits
it’s got the brightest screen it fits together a little differently but works
together a little differently but works
together a little differently but works for all the same reasons so if you’re
for all the same reasons so if you’re
for all the same reasons so if you’re trying to save money there’s a little
trying to save money there’s a little
trying to save money there’s a little trick that will hopefully keep costs low
trick that will hopefully keep costs low
trick that will hopefully keep costs low and put a fun spin on your next sports
and put a fun spin on your next sports
and put a fun spin on your next sports party if you like this project perhaps
party if you like this project perhaps
party if you like this project perhaps you’ll like some of my others check them
you’ll like some of my others check them
you’ll like some of my others check them out at the king of random comm
out at the king of random comm
out at the king of random comm [Music]
”
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