Projectors

Projectors are simple gadgets in principle: Take a display source (like HDMI) and render it on a transparent LCD, take a light source (like a powerful LED) and shine light through the LCD, and use lenses/mirror to focus and project. Keystone correction is an extra nice-to-have. HDMI carries audio as well, so projectors often come with built-in speakers which are usually not of great quality. Some projectors can be operated using an infrared remote.

But projector manufacturers needlessly complicate this by bundling in "smart" features like WiFi, BlueTooth, built-in Android (which is outdated and cannot be upgraded) to deliberately reduce the product's life. And it is almost impossible to replace parts for longevity of the product.

What is frustrating is that these resources could have been spent on aspects that actually matter: display resolution, lamp brightness and build quality.

Here are some resources for a DIY projector.

• DIY Perks: Building a TRUE 4k home cinema projector

• DIY Perks: DIY Smartphone projector

• Pocket Projector built using a Raspberry Pi