Turning LCD games into projection-based games?

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Zero Cool
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Turning LCD games into projection-based games?

Post by Zero Cool » Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:44 pm

Over at Raphael Assenat's webpage, there's a how-to on turning an LCD watch into a projection clock.

Now, taking that into heart, I gotta ask if it's possible to turn LCD-based games (like this handheld Space Invaders game) into one with a projected screen?

So then, instead of playing the game on a puny little screen, it can be on a big, bright screen on the wall.

Some things I'd love to turn into a projector game:

* Space Invaders
* Tetris
* This NY Times Crossword game
* Frogger
* 20Q

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Neildo_64
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Re: Turning LCD games into projection-based games?

Post by Neildo_64 » Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:54 pm

Anything that uses an LCD can have light shined through it to make a projection of what is displayed on the LCD.
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Kyosho
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Re: Turning LCD games into projection-based games?

Post by Kyosho » Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:11 am

Edit: nevermind, didn't see the whole guide.

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Re: Turning LCD games into projection-based games?

Post by banditpaw1 » Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:55 am

Thats cool. Hope you don't mind a question in a question thread but.. can this be don with a Gb , gba , gbc , ect.? Hope thats not a stupid qeustion but that would be cool.

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Re: Turning LCD games into projection-based games?

Post by nitro2k01 » Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:20 pm

banditpaw1 wrote:Thats cool. Hope you don't mind a question in a question thread but.. can this be don with a Gb , gba , gbc , ect.? Hope thats not a stupid qeustion but that would be cool.
Sure it can be done, but it will take some work. You need to...
1) Desolder the LCD from the mobo.
2) Carefully peel off the reflective layer while keeping the polarizing layer intact. Killing the polarizing layer=broken screen more or less. You could possibly attach a new polairizing layer, but you'd have to clean the glue off of the display (time consuming) or live with a dirty looking screen. (Won't look nice) Do it right from the start and save yourself some trouble.
3) Reconnect the screen over a distance. (Protip: Use ribbon cable)
4) Optionally, add a remote joypad for maximum playability.

Edit: And of course, it's probably not realistic to include a light source to your device, so you'd need an overhead projector.
Edit 2: What I wrote above should work for a DMG (Old-school Gameboy) but probably not with a CGB/GBA or anything else with a colour screen.
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tom61
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Re: Turning LCD games into projection-based games?

Post by tom61 » Mon Jun 29, 2009 2:49 pm

nitro2k01 wrote:Edit 2: What I wrote above should work for a DMG (Old-school Gameboy) but probably not with a CGB/GBA or anything else with a colour screen.
Any thing that can be backlit can be made into a projector, color screen or not.

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Re: Turning LCD games into projection-based games?

Post by bicostp » Mon Jun 29, 2009 3:51 pm

The old Gameboys are possible, but the GBC and non-backlit GBAs can't because of the way the screens work. (I've taken a GBC apart and held its screen against a backlight and the image almost completely disappears.) The GBA with the LCD that's actually backlit should work, though.

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Re: Turning LCD games into projection-based games?

Post by banditpaw1 » Mon Jun 29, 2009 6:07 pm

bicostp wrote:The old Gameboys are possible, but the GBC and non-backlit GBAs can't because of the way the screens work. (I've taken a GBC apart and held its screen against a backlight and the image almost completely disappears.) The GBA with the LCD that's actually backlit should work, though.
So gba sp = yes gbc/ gba = no?

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Re: Turning LCD games into projection-based games?

Post by Zero_D » Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:30 pm

Yea, I always wanted to use this concept to build something like this, but a lack of wall space has kept me from taking this project on.

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Re: Turning LCD games into projection-based games?

Post by nitro2k01 » Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:52 am

bicostp wrote:The old Gameboys are possible, but the GBC and non-backlit GBAs can't because of the way the screens work. (I've taken a GBC apart and held its screen against a backlight and the image almost completely disappears.) The GBA with the LCD that's actually backlit should work, though.
GBA SP is actually not backlit per se but frontlit. The screen consists of an LCD, a bright LED and a lens layer that reflects light down on the screen.
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Being the sadistic bastard I am, I have covered Frog's left eye with a Santa hat.

Last edited by nitro2k01 tomorrow, 1:48 pm; edited 1 time in total

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Re: Turning LCD games into projection-based games?

Post by banditpaw1 » Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:00 am

nitro2k01 wrote:
bicostp wrote:The old Gameboys are possible, but the GBC and non-backlit GBAs can't because of the way the screens work. (I've taken a GBC apart and held its screen against a backlight and the image almost completely disappears.) The GBA with the LCD that's actually backlit should work, though.
GBA SP is actually not backlit per se but frontlit.
Actually it depends on the model you have.Earlier models are front lit later models which no one has are back light.

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