A real 4K video recorder built by hand? Now that’s possible too

(Image: Screenshot from a DIYPerks YouTube video)

The prices for 4K video clips are currently not too high. Starting prices start at under a thousand euros. You can get good ones from a store, better ones for a small extra, but you can only get exactly what you want by doing it yourself.

YouTube channel DIYPerks Finn has made a practical instructional video showing how to build a video wall with a real 4K panel. The half-hour video starts with a brief introduction to the operation of the projector, followed by building your own device. The projector has an Android operating system with a touchscreen, so it can operate on its own.

The casing is built using recycled aluminum plates that are coated with matte vinyl. The panel is the phone’s LCD panel, which was taken from a used 4K phone with broken glass that was used in the video for the projector. The panels can also be ordered online as unused spare parts, and if a lower resolution is sufficient, they are available at a reasonable price.

The lens system uses cheap and simple Fresnel lenses, which are sold online in sets specifically for projector projects. The focusing is done mechanically by screwing to adjust the position of the LED and the plate containing the panel with a mechanism built for this purpose.

The actual front lens comes from the camera. However, a cinema film camera or, more specifically, a lens from typical digital SLR cameras smaller than cinema film cameras, is not suitable, as they are designed for much smaller film or film cartridges than the display panel of a smartphone. Only a part of the center of the image would be projected onto it. Instead, a lens from a so-called large format camera or a wet plate camera is used.

The lens system is directed towards the ceiling, so a mirror is still needed to turn the image towards the wall. Since the LED produces a lot of heat, cooling is handled by heat pipes.

At least based on the YouTube video, the image quality looks promising. Assembling it also seems quite easy, but in practice the truth may be different. If the construction fingers started itching, the component purchase links are in the video description. Full instructions are available in PDF format From the DIY Perks Patreon page.

Watch the video below: