Projector Swap Controller

The Projector Swap is a device I built for Lafayette Utility Systems. The dispatch room has an overhead projector that must run 24 hours a day, year round. This generally voids the warranty on any digital projector you can buy. The solution to the problem was to buy two projectors and have them mounted on top of each other.
The Projector Swap will automatically swap the running projector at the end of a user selectable time interval.

 

More projects can be found at http://www.pasqualy.com

 

Design and Function

The Projector Swap uses the RS232 control features of the Mitsubishi XD490U projectors to power them on and off. A PIC microcontroller sends and recieves RS232 data and uses a 32.768kHz crystal and the internal PIC timers to keep time. (32768 is half of a 16bit counter)

Status of the device and time info is displayed on an LCD for the user.

The user is able to:
Choose a time interval for the swap delay.
Toggle if swapping is active or not.
Toggle the projectors immediately.
Or turn both projectors off / One projector on immediatly

 

Images
Dual Mitsubishi XD490U projectors and the control unit installed.

Here is the front plate of the control unit. LCD gives time info and status including error messages.

Inside view showing the hand made circuit board. The PIC is on the right, the IC on the left is a MAX232 chip for RS232 level shifting down to TTL.