P3D TDC Project-Or-View

["Dr. George A. Themelis" <DrT-3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I spent a nice day working on a TDC Project-Or-View.  This is a table-
top viewer/projector.  It can operate as a viewer back-projecting the
image in the front screen (polarizing glasses are needed) or, with a 
flip of a mirror as a projector, projecting into a small screen.  I
always thought that this machine is a compromise, being too dim for
projector and too bulky for a viewer and I was never satisfied with
the brightness and contrast, but now I am changing my mind.

Sometime ago, Harry Poster mentioned that these table-top projectors
need a lot of work and he gave some tips on how to proceed.  Following
his recommendation, I took the entire machine apart and cleaned/reworked 
every part of it.  It was a time-consuming and frustrating process but 
everything went well and the result is a TDC POV that gives bright and
contrasty images!  

The projector has a number of mirrors and screens that need to be
cleaned.  The most difficult to reach is the mirror that sits behind
the lenses.  Once everything is cleaned, the projector is capable
of good results (= sharp and contrasty images).  There is some magic
seeing stereo images formed on a screen by back projection.  I would
recommend the TDC Project-Or-View for someone who would like to share
his stereo slides with 2-3 people without the hassle of full-blown
stereo projection.

One tip:  I took apart and cleaned/oiled the fan.  There is a support
bar at the top.  Without this bar the fan was extremely quiet.  After
I put the bar back, it makes some kind of noise.  I would run the
projector without this bar.

George Themelis


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