Video Magnification System for Seniors?

c4tp's friend asks: "Recently my Mother informed me that my grandmother's 80th birthday is approaching. She suffers from glaucoma and it is rather hard to read small text for her. The consensus with our family is to buy her a video magnification device, but the ones I found online were at the minimum of $500 (US), a bit steep for me (and my family). So what I am asking basically, is there a way to build/assemble the parts these retail devices use for a cheaper price?"

Re:Change the display font size?

[cybermace5]

Uh...this has nothing to do with a computer. This is for taking video of something small, like the ingredients list on the side of a Coke can, and projecting it on a monitor so Grandma can make it out.

To answer the question: Yes. You can find NTSC video camera modules in the electronic surplus catalogs, many of them for well under $100. Couple that with a TV screen and you're good. For book reading, build a little wood-and-metal stand, or hack a one of those swingarm lamps/magnifiers (take out the big lens, fix the camera in the center, leave the circular fluorescent light).

Only thing you need to pay attention to is the actual camera lens. Ideal distance is going to be about 1ft to infinity.