Also interested in this..

 

I've already realised that it might need pretty heavy data usage on my phone to watch stuff on Netflix or Prime via a projector, which then relies on a signal strong enough to stream from the phone.

Not put off completely , but It does seem that it isn't that straightforward

And also just read that you can't mirror Netflix from phone to projector , and you need a dongle...is that correct?

 

See orions build thyou can use screens and projectors you can also get projectors with SD cards so you dont need a source but you can also cast via netflix etc

 

In almost 20 years of van camping, I have never been interested in a screen or TV of any kind in the van - but when you camp in autumn/winter, the evenings are pretty long, and improvements in electronics have made it cheaper to get films/tv on a screen in your van now
So - has anyone got a really low cost projector set up, that is USB powered ?
If so , could you share the set-up (was it blue tooth via phone etc? ), and what screen did you get? Is it possible to get a decent image just projecting on a sheet or not?
Not much experience in the 'gadget' side of things in the van- so I'd really like to know specifics and prices and set up etc.
Thanks in advance

Hi Vee,

As Suty says above take a look at my build here for more info:

Orion's ex-AA T5.1 Swamper Build - Team Yellow!

Hi All. I thought I might do a build thread about my Swamper styled 2015 reg T5.1 T32 140 after a year of fettling and tweaking. I love reading other folk’s posts and build threads and have found some really useful help, ideas and inspiration so I hope this of interest to others. So in...

www.vwt4forum.co.uk

We have had a small budget projector set up for the last 5 years since the days of my T4 in 2019.

I much prefer it to a small TV which I struggle to see anyway.

I also like the flexibility of a little projector as we can also use it in the awning / outside ( we have a 60" screen for this )

I find a 40" screen is the perfect size in a T4 or T5 / 6. Just hung on 2 x small hooks and rolled up and stored when not in use.

The projector just slides onto a metal Go Pro bracket screwed to the pop top bed board ( or van ceiling if no pop top fitted.)

So nothing is permanently mounted or in the way. The bracket is the exact distance to fully fill the 16:9 screen.

The previous and latest projector I use are both rechargeable but I often hook them up to a small power bank via USB anyway.

I don't bother with mirroring or wi fi as we just watch films off a 256gb memory stick plugged in. We have a big library of movies!

This is my current projector ( it is tiny, half the size of a Coke can ). My old projector wasn't exactly big either as you can see in the photo!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0C3VB5M1H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the current screen I use ( the one in the photo below is my old projector and home made 40" screen )

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CJJPD5B9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We also have a 60" Duronic. They are great screens for the money.

Don't expect IMAX 4K for under £300! But for van or camping use it's perfectly useable and miles better than a small TV !

I love it. In a dark van it really is like a personal cinema.

If you are ever up near High Peak area ( between Stockport and Buxton ) you are welcome to have a demo.

Hope this is of interest.

 

Hi Vee,

As Suty says above take a look at my build here for more info:

Orion's ex-AA T5.1 Swamper Build - Team Yellow!

Hi All. I thought I might do a build thread about my Swamper styled 2015 reg T5.1 T32 140 after a year of fettling and tweaking. I love reading other folk’s posts and build threads and have found some really useful help, ideas and inspiration so I hope this of interest to others. So in...

www.vwt4forum.co.uk

We have had a small budget projector set up for the last 5 years since the days of my T4 in 2019.

I much prefer it to a small TV which I struggle to see anyway.

I also like the flexibility of a little projector as we can also use it in the awning / outside ( we have a 60" screen for this )

I find a 40" screen is the perfect size in a T4 or T5 / 6. Just hung on 2 x small hooks and rolled up and stored when not in use.

The projector just slides onto a metal Go Pro bracket screwed to the pop top bed board ( or van ceiling if no pop top fitted.)

So nothing is permanently mounted or in the way. The bracket is the exact distance to fully fill the 16:9 screen.

The previous and latest projector I use are both rechargeable but I often hook them up to a small power bank via USB anyway.

I don't bother with mirroring or wi fi as we just watch films off a 256gb memory stick plugged in. We have a big library of movies!

This is my current projector ( it is tiny, half the size of a Coke can ). My old projector wasn't exactly big either as you can see in the photo!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0C3VB5M1H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the current screen I use ( the one in the photo below is my old projector and home made 40" screen )

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CJJPD5B9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We also have a 60" Duronic. They are great screens for the money.

Don't expect IMAX 4K for under £300! But for van or camping use it's perfectly useable and miles better than a small TV !

I love it. In a dark van it really is like a personal cinema.

If you are ever up near High Peak area ( between Stockport and Buxton ) you are welcome to have a demo.

Hope this is of interest.


View attachment 221335

Great bit of info.. I did have a go at getting a protector which wasn't cheap but I was trying to mirroring and it just wouldn't work camped in a field I like the idea you can play off a memory stick.. just out of interest can you play the sound via the van speakers or just out of the unit you have?

 

We sorted one a couple of years ago - was a bit reluctant as was worried that it would change our evenings i.e. end up stuck in front of the screen while away same as when at home. It's worked out well though as we only watch stuff some of the time when its wet outside / cold.

Use an xgimi elfin projector which so far has been great, not the cheapest but its got a good picture.. runs from a 19.5v laptop adaptor that goes into a 12v socket on the van.

Also got a cheap (really cheap) android tablet that has hdmi out and use this to watch Netflix (Netflix wont cast to a projector). We did try a apple hdmi adaptor but amazon is locked out, disney works some of the time so generally a faff. Android tablet and then some stuff on a USB stick works well.

Have our screen setup same as Orion, allows us to use it when the poptop is up or down.

Took a bit of work but yes, worth doing as its pretty nice to sit watching a film some evenings.

 

Many thanks - I can see the logic of a cheap android tablet

 

@Orion Excellent , thanks for all that info, that is really helpful. Much appreciated.

Is it these sort of GoPro mounts?

MiPremium Adhesive Mount Kit Sticky pads for GoPro Hero 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 Black Silver Session Cameras. Flat & Curved Helmet Mounting attachment Accessories for Go Pro Other Action Camera (10 Pack) : Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy MiPremium Adhesive Mount Kit Sticky pads for GoPro Hero 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 Black Silver Session Cameras. Flat & Curved Helmet Mounting attachment Accessories for Go Pro Other Action Camera (10 Pack) at Amazon UK.

www.amazon.co.uk

 

You are welcome mate! Surprised more people are not watching on a "big screen" instead of a tiny 16" telly...! ( that never seems to store neatly anywhere...)

No they are a bit too plastic and only self adhesive. I wanted a much firmer installation through the carpet into the pop top bed board ply.

This is much better as it is metal with recessed screw fixings. I then just use an angled Go Pro arm to a tripod fixing.

I turned the projector upside down and set the image orientation to reverse, job done!

PROtastic® CNC Machined Aluminium Flat Surface Mount For GoPro, Xiaomo, SJCAM Action Cameras * Fit To Skateboards etc. * : Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Shop PROtastic® CNC Machined Aluminium Flat Surface Mount For GoPro, Xiaomo, SJCAM Action Cameras * Fit To Skateboards etc. *. Free delivery and returns on all eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

 

Hi Stu

Great stuff, glad you got one! As I say they are not super sharp but for the size , convenience and vfm can't beat them for the van.

Actually in the first lockdown we had a 120" projector sheet strung up in the garden so both us and the neighbours ( over the fence ) could watch some films.

Worked great apart from waiting for it to go dark at 22:00 ish so a late night usually!

Anyway, memory stick is nothing special, just a 256gb small one. Pretty sure it's something like this Sandisk one ( I do favour Sandisk normally ):

Just having a look in my watched folder the main film formats are MKV and MP4.

Got a few old downloads in AVI format, I think they work but recall the resolution isn't brilliant ( 800mb or so compared to 2 to 4gb for latest torrents )

I get the odd one that doesn't seem to want to play so use a video format convertor to swap about, usually does the trick.

If not I look for a download in a different format. Most seem to be MKV or MP4 nowadays.

 

Forgot to say, bolted ours to the headboard.. had to sleep on it for a week as really didn't want to put 2x screws into the SCA board but grew a pair and did it in the end.

Have a search on amazon for 'smallrig' brackets, really useful.. I used a nato rail / nato clamp then a flexible arm - works well.

 

Thanks all

 

@Orion what is the arm/bracket which is holding the projector in your photo above? I bought a second hand anker nebula solar portable projector a couple of months ago and that looks just the job

 

@Orion what is the arm/bracket which is holding the projector in your photo above? I bought a second hand anker nebula solar portable projector a couple of months ago and that looks just the job

Answer below from a previous question if it helps mate. It's a female metal GoPro bracket attached to the bed board ( or roof if no pop top )

And just a standard male bracket attached to a GoPro angle arm and tripod fixing from a basic Amazon GoPro accessory package . Nothing special but simple and works.

You are welcome mate! Surprised more people are not watching on a "big screen" instead of a tiny 16" telly...! ( that never seems to store neatly anywhere...)

No they are a bit too plastic and only self adhesive. I wanted a much firmer installation through the carpet into the pop top bed board ply.

This is much better as it is metal with recessed screw fixings. I then just use an angled GoPro arm to a tripod fixing.

I turned the projector upside down and set the image orientation to reverse, job done!

http://[URL]https://www.amazon.co.u...zon.co.uk/gp/product/B072HJVZWL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[/URL]

I think there is a clearer "face on" photo in my build thread

Orion's ex-AA T5.1 Swamper Build - Team Yellow!

Hi All. I thought I might do a build thread about my Swamper styled 2015 reg T5.1 T32 140 after a year of fettling and tweaking. I love reading other folk’s posts and build threads and have found some really useful help, ideas and inspiration so I hope this of interest to others. So in...

www.vwt4forum.co.uk

 

Got mine setup and working now. 40 inch screen and Anker Nebular Solar Portable projector. Bright enough in the daytime to see clearly.

 

Looks fab JB. I just love that shot, reclining on a lounge setup watching a movie. 👌 🍿 🍺 📽

That Anker is certainly bright enough, very impressive! 40" screen is also spot on for a Transporter IMO.

Sooo much better than a TV.