# Found a really awesome projector to use in home haunts!



## BIGANT (Jul 13, 2010)

I bought this projector on clearance on a whim and it turned out to be awesome! Its perfect for haunts due to its small size and compact package. You can hide this thing almost anywhere and since it has its own speakers and battery built in you can get really creative with where you put it.


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## MapThePlanet (Nov 12, 2010)

Pretty nice for less than $100! Pretty versatile too.


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## Bobinhouston (Jul 28, 2013)

*love the projector*

thanks for the info


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

Got a few of them from Woot although they are older models pretty much the same unit by 3M. They are great to hide places. I use little media player boxes and hack the remotes to trigger surprise videos and in the cemetery to animate tombstones with shot from a Twisted Ambiance Tombstones DVD.

They hold up well and work good if not too far from the intended target or screen. I have to use the power supplies since 2 hour battery life is a bit short for our haunt.


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## WileE (Jul 26, 2013)

Very cool. Thanks for sharing the find.


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

I thought this sounded familiar  WOOT! Projector


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

Awesome!, I want one, can you say where you bought this at?


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## Tokwik (Oct 12, 2011)

kprimm said:


> Awesome!, I want one, can you say where you bought this at?


I believe he said at the beginning he found it on sale at Target.

Now I have to go out and get one for the old iPhone.

Thanks.


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

$109.00 now on Amazon + Free shipping

Amazon.com : 3M MP225a Mobile Projector : [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@312VhOTvyYL


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## BIGANT (Jul 13, 2010)

I will be ordering the separate cables for this soon which will allow me to use it on something other than apple product to see how that works out as well


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Nice and compact!
The setup for hiding the projector and speakers is perfect BA!


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## DreadKnightswife (Oct 16, 2011)

Nice find! A bit much for my budget but hopefully someday we will be at that level!


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## BIGANT (Jul 13, 2010)

Here is another video showing how I plan to set it all up. Im fighting trying to figure how to get my iphone to play the video for hours on end short of making a 5-6 hour long file and putting it on my phone. All of the apps I have found so far that loop videos dont work with an external display on the iphone. I have ordered the cables for the projector that will allow me to plug it into something else and will probably just go that route.


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## ScaryLane (Jun 3, 2013)

At 32 Lumens, it's a bit on the dim side. While good for a smaller images (like a face) it will not expand to cover a wall, even in a dark room.

If you planing on larger images, say 20 sq feet, a projector with 350 lumens will be need. The more light trespass the higher the lumens will need to be.

The lower power LED projectors used just standard, high power LEDS. For a 1,000 Lumems or more is where Laser LED start to come into play. On installation I did used Casio Laser LED design about output s a bright 3,000 lumens onto a 75 sq feet screen. The price $1025 was not too bad since it was a bright and colorful image even with all the light trespass in the room.

The other fact you should look at is the resolution of the projector. Lower res like this 800 by 600 works for smaller images. Once again, any larger image that blows up the pixels needs the high resolution. It does not have to be a full hi-def of 1920 by 1080. Even 1280 by 720 can be used to paint a wall if it's a moving image. It's static parts of the image is what gives away the resolution by showing the the unchanging pixel. A changing pixel is hard to see in a moving image.


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

Actually these little things work fine for the money. I have a couple of big hi lumen units as well for my big screens but I use these cause they are easy to hide and work well in low light scenes like the cemetery and back woods. 

Nice to hide away behind a tombstone or up in a tree just out of view. You could easily stick one inside a 
pumpkin.


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## ScaryLane (Jun 3, 2013)

HomeyDaClown said:


> Actually these little things work fine for the money. I have a couple of big hi lumen units as well for my big screens but I use these cause they are easy to hide and work well in low light scenes like the cemetery and back woods.
> 
> Nice to hide away behind a tombstone or up in a tree just out of view. You could easily stick one inside a
> pumpkin.


Agreed with you that this will work for this small setup. But a few have ask me how would this projector work for the wall size screen in their haunt. Small projectors have their limits and I just wanted to post about those limits before I get more email on the subject. (Since one of my jobs calls for designing and installing systems with projectors, I'm the go to person on the subject.)

You know how it is, those that don't know much on projectors will buy one thinking they you can use it anywhere in their haunt.

Limits, we got to remember this stuff has limits.


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## BIGANT (Jul 13, 2010)

ScaryLane said:


> Agreed with you that this will work for this small setup. But a few have ask me how would this projector work for the wall size screen in their haunt. Small projectors have their limits and I just wanted to post about those limits before I get more email on the subject. (Since one of my jobs calls for designing and installing systems with projectors, I'm the go to person on the subject.)
> 
> You know how it is, those that don't know much on projectors will buy one thinking they you can use it anywhere in their haunt.
> 
> Limits, we got to remember this stuff has limits.


I cant speak for other "small" projectors but I can speak for this one when I say this one will surprise you. Sure its not as amazing as my 600 dollar one but its amazing for 100 bucks! And as for the size it can project as I said before it can project an image 8-10 feet across no problem as you can see from the video below. Sure it wont fill up a movie theater sized screen but it will still project a pretty large image. Past 10 feet the image starts to loose focus






I have a video of it being used in my large bay window which is 8 feet across running some window projections I should hopefully have that video up tomorrow


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## Turbophanx (Jun 30, 2008)

for the money, its amazing. I live in a No Apple zone, meaning I dont have any apple products, so wondering how this will work on other devices.

The media portion is where I get hung up. I dont have any fancy computers. 
I too have always wanted to do the singing pumpkins, but between the cost of the projector, media player, and the purchase of the actual dvd....may be out of my league.

Any suggestions?


Edit: I just remembered I do have an apple Ipod with video ability. now...how to get the DVD onto the Ipod?


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## mys197gt (Jul 7, 2010)

The projector is now $99 on amazon


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## dusty588 (Oct 8, 2006)

BIGANT said:


> Here is another video showing how I plan to set it all up. Im fighting trying to figure how to get my iphone to play the video for hours on end short of making a 5-6 hour long file and putting it on my phone. All of the apps I have found so far that loop videos dont work with an external display on the iphone. I have ordered the cables for the projector that will allow me to plug it into something else and will probably just go that route.
> 
> Singing Pumpkins for Halloween Using AtmosfearFX Pumpkin Jamboree - YouTube


Thank you for posting this, I now need to buy a couple! I have a high end one that is used in a large window. I'm doing a scarecrow/cornfield theme this year, and I want to do some pumpkins for sure. Two quick questions. How is the sound output volume/quality? And do you know if there is any way to use a USB stick to play the media via a cord? If not I've got several Apple devices.

Also, I suggest if you haven't done so yet, download this app http://digitaldudz.com/ I used it last year for a party, and I think that it is a continuous loop.

Dustyn


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## Turbophanx (Jun 30, 2008)

ScaryLane said:


> At 32 Lumens, it's a bit on the dim side. While good for a smaller images (like a face) it will not expand to cover a wall, even in a dark room.
> 
> If you planing on larger images, say 20 sq feet, a projector with 350 lumens will be need. The more light trespass the higher the lumens will need to be.


Help me understand Lumens, an online guide suggested that 2000 lumens was poor quality, normally for pocket projectors. This one only has 32 Lumens????

Are they not on the same scale? Please help me understand the Lumens rating.
I am looking to use this in the same application, but with more ambient light. Im worried it wont be strong enough to have a good effect.


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

The online guide probably isn't very well written then. 

2000 Lumens is certainly good enough for a business room or home theatre and would give a nice bright picture. 32 Lumens is quite dim but given that most Halloween displays are outside in dimly lit areas would produce a discernible image and after all, you want a spooky effect not a bright 'in your face' display.


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## mys197gt (Jul 7, 2010)

It went to $93 yesterday and is at $95 today. More price drops on it are imminent and likely.


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## Turbophanx (Jun 30, 2008)

Im buying it, afterall...if its not bright enough for my current application, Im sure I can find other uses for it...if nothing else, ill watch movies on the wall under my desk at work.


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## mys197gt (Jul 7, 2010)

Down to $90.87 now.....


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

Bigant,
Here's a thought that might help with your speaker woes. Disneyland often hides speakers in things, and just finds clever ways to make a hole in that object for the sound to come through. If you turn your speakers the other way and make some cracks that go all the way through the tombstone, that may be enough to give you better sound.

I'll be watching this projector...might have to grab one if the price keeps going down...


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## kauldron (Oct 17, 2011)

I noticed a special offers and promotions near the description and it linked me to their used page, here it is: 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=09WC5043PJXYKJ4XGC70

Looks like these may be refurbs or just returns to Amazon but the prices are even cheaper


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## Turbophanx (Jun 30, 2008)

For as little as $15 more, I would prefer to buy a new one with full warranty.


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## ScaryLane (Jun 3, 2013)

Turbophanx said:


> Help me understand Lumens, an online guide suggested that 2000 lumens was poor quality, normally for pocket projectors. This one only has 32 Lumens????
> 
> Are they not on the same scale? Please help me understand the Lumens rating.
> I am looking to use this in the same application, but with more ambient light. Im worried it wont be strong enough to have a good effect.


As you know, Lumens is the over brightness of the image. If you keep the image small and in a very dark place then the 32 Lumens project could work for you.

The problem is when you increase the size of the image or have a lot of light trespass on the screen/surface then the 32 lumens will not cut it. Remember, as you double the size across you are increasing the overall size by a factor of 4 times and make the image 4 times dimmer. In other words, twice as big is 4 times dimmer.

Something else to watch out for is the type of surface you are putting the image on. If the surface of the object is not very reflective then the image will not show very well. I've used 3M black reflective tape to make a small movie screen out of a black surface and it sure made the image pop.

As for question of needing 2000 Lumens for a haunt project, this is only true for a wall size screen. But keep it in dark place with a smaller size image on something that reflects well, you should be in good shape a 32 Lumens projector.

Just know the limits of what you are using.


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

If anyone needs an iphone cable or two or three for this (3M Mobile) projector, send me a PM. I'll never use them.


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## Turbophanx (Jun 30, 2008)

Now 113 bucks!


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## BIGANT (Jul 13, 2010)

Mr_Chicken said:


> Bigant,
> Here's a thought that might help with your speaker woes. Disneyland often hides speakers in things, and just finds clever ways to make a hole in that object for the sound to come through. If you turn your speakers the other way and make some cracks that go all the way through the tombstone, that may be enough to give you better sound.
> 
> I'll be watching this projector...might have to grab one if the price keeps going down...


yup thats exactly what I ended up doing! haha






Its all painted now I will need to make a video again at night to see how it all looks put together finally


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## mys197gt (Jul 7, 2010)

Turbophanx said:


> Now 113 bucks!


It got down to $90 when this post was originally put up - guess having a large amount of people looking at something and not purchasing it affected the price.


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## Coldshatter (Aug 29, 2013)

I know this thread hasn't been posted in for awhile....I'm still on the hunt for an inexpensive projector to do something like singing pumpkins. Thought people should know that 3M has discontinued making projectors. Just an FYI.


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## Magic13 (Dec 20, 2012)

Nice find!!! I tried grabbing a reduced christmas Black Friday special... But, did not result in the same outcome. I would love to see the final result when it's ready.


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