The current sweetspot in for diy projectors are 15" lcd's. Hit up Lumenlab forums and check out their results gallery, may as well glance the public forum while you're there. The CMV 520D DVI is a current favorite due to its good specs, low cost, strippable, and a good working dvi port.
The issue with 14" and smaller monitors oddly enough is cost and poor specs, while the issue with 17" and larger lcd's is finding the appropriate lenses (very hard and still in the pioneering stage).
DIY projectors based upon 15" lcd's are much easier to accomplish. There's lots of gear and information tailored around it. Via htpc dvd's can be scaled and sharpened up 1024 x 576P enhanced definition. With the right parts the image quality on a 15" lumenlab design is crisp and georgous, you'd never guess that its only 576P.
Staples carries a nice Proview 15.4" widescreen, 1280x800 (720P capable). The Staples description has a couple errors, but the monitor is reported to be real good for its price. There's a few fellas at LL and Diyaudio currently building a projector around it, no results yet though.
MLMIB, that 15.4" lcd 1920x1200 you speak of, would that happen to be
Minoten's group buy?
Sry for sounding like such a shill for Lumenlab, but as a member with a nearly-finished projector based on their design...maybe i'm biased?