I received a small yellow budget projector as a gift and would like to find a practical use for it rather than leave it unused. I mainly want to use it for tracing drawings onto paper or canvas, but the image is extremely blurry and pixelated, the projected area is small, and the projector is difficult to position securely. Even when I manage to stabilize it, the phone disconnects whenever its screen turns off. I have already tried rotating, zooming, screenshotting, and brightening images, but using it gives me headaches because of the poor focus and image quality. The audio also plays through the phone instead of the projector. I am wondering whether an HDMI cable would improve anything compared with using USB, whether the lens or other parts could realistically be replaced or adjusted, and whether there are better alternative uses for this projector.
2 Answers
A photo of the projector and its model number would be important before attempting repairs. These inexpensive units vary a lot, and most of the blur and pixelation comes from the low-resolution display and basic lens, not from the connection method. Replacing the lens usually would not make the image meaningfully sharper, and opening the unit could easily damage it or expose you to electrical and heat hazards.
HDMI may provide a more stable connection than casting over USB or wireless, but it cannot improve the projector's native resolution, focus, brightness, or maximum image size. It might prevent the phone from disconnecting when the screen sleeps, depending on the projector and adapter, but the picture will still look basically the same. For tracing, try projecting onto a smooth, rigid surface, mounting the projector on a small tripod or clamp, keeping it perfectly square to the surface, and using the smallest image size that remains useful. If the blur still causes headaches, it is probably better suited to displaying simple silhouettes, reference images, or decorative patterns than detailed tracing.
It is the first small yellow projector shown in the reference video I found. I will try to provide a picture or locate the model information.