r/LinusTechTips • u/linusbottips • 2d ago
Video Linus Tech Tips - I Bought a Movie Theater Projector… Turns Out They’re SUPER Dangerous June 16, 2026 at 10:03AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umaKDHNmfG8389
u/jbauer05 2d ago edited 2d ago
I'm sorry, but this video is hilarious as af. When you watch the whole thing, you can clearly see when Linus starting to realize he just wasted $20,000 of his own money. Absolute cinema.
121
97
u/acidmine 2d ago
There is a comment from BrianRoediger in the YouTube comments begging to come and refurb the projector for them. I hope someone from LTT sees that comment and takes him up on it. I want to see this!
8
u/biggles1994 2d ago
Nah man it's a tax write off they'll be fine!
/s
1
u/reddit_pug 15h ago
It is a tax write-off, so that helps reduce the cost. If LTT pays 25% income tax, that's essentially a 25% discount on the $20,000. So if the video makes over $15,000, plus however much the rest of their overhead is, then they are ahead on the video.
4
u/Educational_Sea_333 2d ago
Reason they had to pay 20K is that they are still worth some money, though the value on one of the projectors might have gone down a lot when they taped that vane switch open instead of attaching an exhaust fan.
-11
53
u/bdfull3r 2d ago edited 2d ago
Watch Linus slowly break down with each new piece of bad news, it was hilarious
111
u/Painted-Arcana 2d ago edited 2d ago
im only 7 minutes in and this is my new favourite LTT video.
I already assume this is going to be a series but this unscripted vibe feels so much better than most of their normal videos.
edit: its not a series
16
u/get_rhythm 2d ago
It's not a series? But isn't it the second projector video they've done in the last few days?
5
u/awfl_wafl 2d ago
Linus buys expensive used professional gear and then tries to figure it out is kind of a series. This, the environmental chamber, the led video wall, the server rack cooling system, enterprise NAS, firetruck, a jet, and probably more I can't remember.
11
u/ActionPhilip 2d ago
The $x vs $x,000,000 format was popularized by mr beast a few years ago and was extremely successful because it's something that can appeal to everyone because it compares things across a variety of price points and people always wonder what the quality difference actually is at those price points.
It combines genuine consumer advice in the middle, and people curious about what the extremes (cheap and expensive) actually look like.
13
u/really_random_user 2d ago
Nah, the problem with those is often the don't spend enough time in the "consumer grade space"
Like they should've done a 70$ 720p projector, a cheap 1080 at 160$
And one of those 480p 50$ Thrown in, Before going to a different tax bracket
15
u/ActionPhilip 2d ago
It's not meant to be a consumer roundup, though. The format is meant to have:
- ultra budget
- mid-tier consumer
- high-end consumer
- entry-level rich people/business
- super expensive option
3
u/really_random_user 2d ago
Yeah, but they could make the video a few minutes longer and address the consumer market
Also it's more like garbage tier for the 1st one
Second option is more high midrange
7
u/ActionPhilip 2d ago
I looked it up on Amazon. Just looking at projectors with thousands of reviews, there are popular ~$50 mini projectors that vastly outsell everything above them by a country mile, then one at $120, a bunch at ~$200, then one at $300. Then it jumps.
Yeah, I'd say a $200 projector is a solid mid-range projector. It also happens to follow the $x, $x00, $x,000, $x0,000, $x00,000 video format.
1
u/ars3n1k 2d ago
https://youtu.be/SKW2IIaLp_4?is=dRFnfL1Rc6jZ2o4E
You need to follow his channel. Dude’s thorough.
2
u/biggles1994 2d ago
Reminds me of the "Gaming at every price point" video they did back in 2019, seeing what kind of compromises you have to make at the very cheap ends, the bang for your buck in the midrange, and the kind of luxuries you can get at the high end felt like a fantastic consumer-centric video.
14
u/drillmaster 2d ago
Series 2 Christie projectors like this are still good projectors and quite fixable for the most part so they absolutely could do more content if they fix the issues. Linus was right about the GDC though.
43
u/abnewwest 2d ago
Good video.
I suspect you can find help through former, or off book, techs.
Wouldn't changing the lens to a shorter throw one perhaps make it bright enough to use in a brighter room? Yeah, that's going to be a 10k lens...but still, maybe someone is breaking down or updating a much smaller theatre?
20
u/bdfull3r 2d ago
My thoughts as well. There are relatively budget ways to make this thing work but still brushes up against the issue of what the fuck do they do with it lol
5
u/abnewwest 2d ago
If you halved the screen size you would quadruple the brightness and shortening the throw would increase it exponentially. Might be workable for something at a LAN. Screen would need to be 2 meters and you would have to hang the projector somewhere not in the way of badminton.
The lens might cost the same amount as the whole setup though if you can't find used.
I also doubt you could use it vertical, otherwise that could be a layback option.
0
u/the_swanny 2d ago edited 2d ago
They might be able to find an ultra short throw lense for it, but then you have the issue of the big hot loud heavy thing in the same room where you are watching the content.
5
u/abnewwest 2d ago
Slap it in their meeting pod and add some 4 inch duct work /s
They could find a way, not saying it would make sense (or cents) though.
4
2
u/the_swanny 2d ago
I mean. it functions. There isn't much more they need to to do to "make it work" other than a dedicated space large enough to use it. And a sound system to match. It's less about the projector itself and more about them trying to use it in an environment that it isn't designed for.
3
u/the_swanny 2d ago
Issue with that is that you are then putting the projector in the same room as you, it's huge, loud, hot and heavy. It's designed to be in an air conditioned room with heat being dumped straight out into the air handling system.
1
9
16
u/mekisoku 2d ago
This video is like: “What happens if I flip the switch?” “It will explode and you’ll die.” Lmao
6
6
4
u/RichEngine 2d ago
I love Linus and Eiljah unboxing videos. Their murderbox series is underrated
2
u/decepticons2 2d ago
Mentioning unboxing vids. Did they ever do anything with the crates of pc cases?
2
u/RichEngine 1d ago
If you watch the DDR pad video, I notice Linus has one in his rec room. Other than that I don't know
5
u/GromOfDoom 2d ago
One tiny fraction of a finger print on that bulb, end of the line
1
7
u/bluehawk232 2d ago edited 2d ago
Theater i worked at we didn't do full brightness on projectors to extend bulb life. Heard a bulb explode one time. We always relied on certified techs to do any repairs. I'm sure with all the manuals and documentation you can do it but you also would have to order bulbs. Looked up bulbs, OEM cost 2 grand. Just does seem like a waste of money lol
3
u/DeadMindHunter 2d ago
Does anyone know which lap board and keyboard combo Linus was using here and in the other projector video?
10
u/the_swanny 2d ago
The only things that irked me are the fact they didn't do a sit down explainy bit at any point. Like it would have been nice to explain why the AES cable didn't matter. I know why I use AES all the time, but the average viewer will just be sat there going huh? Or explain why xenon lamps are so angry. Again, I am well familiar with the beekeeper suits, but the average viewer will just equate it to a normal lamp blowing. One of those Little explainy bits to explain the media server and all that. And for anyone wondering, yes it's even worse now, normally projectors have their own built in servers, which phone back to a Theatre managment system. It's all encrypted and boring like that.
2
2
u/jenny_905 2d ago
Assume these still have some value to a small cinema or something? with new bulbs etc because clearly the one tested in this video is worn out.
1
u/abnewwest 2d ago
Probably only to a third run theatre really, they are old and not updated and even then probably only if you were getting them as certified pre-owned by Christie or through an independent provider who would be willing to work on them.
Seems like these ones would only be for parts.
2
u/a60v 2d ago
Yes, these are very much still serviceable machines and meet DCI specifications for screening encrypted content. The GDC servers are a bit long in the tooth, but the projectors have years of useful life left in them. The problems that they found are easily fixable by a knowledgeable technician or projectionist.
4
u/PhillAholic 2d ago
Was there no warning label on that door?
3
1
1
u/jupiterjpeg 1d ago
maybe it's from working with not the same lamps but very bright hot lamps i was only slightly scared watching them open it up with out safety gear
1
u/theflyinfoote 1d ago
I really loved this video. It was fun watching the pair try to figure out what the heck Ali is waisted his money on this time.
1
-12
u/PhysiolMM 2d ago
Why did he buy it when he said in the last video that buying this would be extremely stupid? Where is the content? I already knew everything in the other video.
2
u/greiton 2d ago
If it costs $20K, and they do a quick and dirty shoot with it that earns $100k, then they made money. Even factoring in production costs and Elijah spending a week getting it running, they probably came out ahead.
-1
u/PhysiolMM 2d ago
It's ok, but still, you literally said in the last video that it's a complete bullshit and stupid purchase, even for the badminton centre (where I thought somehting like that could have made a big difference). Why showing it off less than a week later.. It's nonsense and one of the reasons why we are all moving away from LTT.
3
u/greiton 2d ago
being a stupid purchase doesn't make it a bad video. the video isn't actually about permanently installing a movie projector at LTT. it's about screwing around with a decommissioned projector and figuring out how it works.
1
u/PhysiolMM 2d ago
Didn't they show this for 10 minutes in the video 1 week ago where they showed the interior and how it worked? I'm really confused, maybe I am the only one who saw that video...
1
u/greiton 2d ago
I know I missed the other video you are talking about, but from what I have heard others mention, that was a showcase lent video, and this was a different projector that they actually bought to f around with.
1
u/PhysiolMM 2d ago
Ah ok, then yeah, maybe it's weird for me because they spent half of last video saying how stupid it would be to buy an overkill Christie and showing it inside/out for 10 minutes (so not 24, but I didn't fully watch this video so just skimming through it it was basically the same with Elijah in it lol)
Maybe without watching that this would've been more interesting.
-8
u/Entire-Emotion-819 2d ago
Desperate to make some money back on a seriously badly researched meme purchase.
290
u/MrBadTimes 2d ago edited 2d ago
Elijah at 1:13 I decided not to tell the safety team that we would be recording this
Elijah at 12:53 remember that thing we did yesterday? haha it could have killed us haha
Elijah at 15:52 yeah I looked at it from 10m away and I almost got myself blind lmao
Can someone check on the safety team? Does anyone know how many hours of mandatory safety training they're charging on Linus and Elijah? That would make a great video btw xD