Long throw projector recommends

[TimWatson]

Folks, Im sure this has been asked lots of times, but I have been asked to assist in installing a screen and projector in a church, and I need some collective wisdom.

Usual thing, don't want to obscure the view of the organ, except when the screen is down, so I need an odd shaped electric screen (very deep), and the ceiling is very high,

so the projector needs to be mounted at the back where there's a lower part..

 

So I need some info and recommendations for suppliers for a projector that can handle a throw ratio of 3 to 4, with a distance to screen of around 10M.

Sadly alternate mountings aren't going to be a thing (ceiling height and 'obscuring the view'). Aesthetics are a bit of a thing on this job..

I did wonder about an ultra short, with some sort of bracket, but the screen has to be mounted in a small gap between the top of an arch and the ceiling, so that doesn't look like it would work.

So what sort of Lumens do I need for this? The ambient light isn't huge (it's a chapel, after all) but it will be daylight outside the windows, so I need a decent brightness (although I gather that blinds are to be installed,

so I don't need to compete with direct sunlight..)

 

I'm Currently looking at Hitachi CP series with long lens ( thoughts? ) and ideally either a supplier willing to demo in the devon / cornwall area of UK. Not used to doing stuff with high value

projectors, and I don't want to screw this up, as it's not my money :-) so any advice appreciated.

 

I also need a custom electric screen, that is 3M wide, but can drop 4M, and hence I need about 1M of black at the top.. Who does one go to for such a beast?

 

Cheers, Tim.

[smalljoshua]

PM Sent

 

Josh

[sandall]

I also need a custom electric screen, that is 3M wide, but can drop 4M, and hence I need about 1M of black at the top.. Who does one go to for such a beast?

Without pictures it's a bit hard to work out what the problems are, but (for not a huge amount of money) you can get electric screens that lower themselves on 2 wires & then unroll the screen, so the image effectively floats in mid-air.

[TimWatson]

I also need a custom electric screen, that is 3M wide, but can drop 4M, and hence I need about 1M of black at the top.. Who does one go to for such a beast?

Without pictures it's a bit hard to work out what the problems are, but (for not a huge amount of money) you can get electric screens that lower themselves on 2 wires & then unroll the screen, so the image effectively floats in mid-air.

 

Now that sounds like the ideal thing.. Suppliers?

[john-sp]

Sapphire do them as a starting point.

 

http://www.sapphireav.com/Sapphire-Smart-Move-3m-43-Two-Motor-Electric-Projection-Screen_p_32.html

 

 

 

[Junior8]

I reckon the screen will be the easiest bit here. If the church are determined to go down this route I'd have the screen installed first then get some demos done. I say 'determined' as it might be possible in terms of what they want they might get cheaper/better results from a couple of large screen TVs rigged as needed. I am always wary of the maintenance implications of remote controlled screens and the like in venues where access may be a problem and there are no full time a/v staff.

[sandall]

Now that sounds like the ideal thing.. Suppliers?

PM sent.

[mac.calder]

Screen Technics are my preferred screen manufacturer.

 

Their double deploy option is called the screen lowering device (catchy name).

 

Screens are generally in one of the following aspect ratios: 4:3, 16:9 and 16:10 - not square. If you need the bottom of the screen to be at 4m from the top, you are going to need either a double deploy of over 1m, or a leader (the name for the black at the top) longer than 1000mm.

 

A 3m wide screen is pretty standard (about a 140" screen) - most manufacturers do them as standard up to about 230" before they start into custom-engineered (insanely heavy) teritory. I generally try and avoid long leaders on screens - all screens stretch slightly over time, but the black stretches at a different rate to the white (because the white is a treatment applied on top of the black) - which then leads to warping of the fabric.

 

As far as long throw - I am a Panasonic fan - Something like their 7800 is at a pretty nice pricepoint.

[Stuart91]

Sapphire do them as a starting point.

http://www.sapphireav.com/Sapphire-Smart-Move-3m-43-Two-Motor-Electric-Projection-Screen_p_32.html

 

I had a pretty horrible experience with one of those screens. Very heavy and difficult to install, annoying unreliable. After about a year of occasional use it started chewing through its own hanging wires and needed replaced.

 

Bear in mind that anything like this probably falls within LOLER and needs regular inspections.