Projectors have changed a lot in recent years, with increases in longevity through laser phosphor technologies, brightness, video quality, connectivity and more all set against a backdrop of decreasing prices. As more houses of worship, administrative buildings and parish schools look at the potential for upgrading classrooms and meeting rooms, there are many things to consider. In this article, we'll take a look at the "Top 10 Do's and Don'ts" for projector installations, and discuss what product features make the most sense for your facility.
The Room
Rooms all have unique needs, depending on size, shape, lighting, windows, and seating capacity. A good place to start is to look at the rooms you are planning to equip, and note the comparisons and differences you see. For example, some rooms may have minimal or no windows while others may have lots of windows, which will impact brightness requirements. Some rooms might have ceilings well suited to the mounting of a projector, while other ceilings may create mounting challenges.
Lighting may vary, and some rooms could have ceiling lights mounted directly above the location you want to place the screen. If you are equipping multiple ministry rooms, try to list the rooms in groups based on similar characteristics and needs. This will help you decide if one model or several models of projectors will be needed. If there is a drop-ceiling, often extension columns can be affixed to the hard ceiling above the drop-ceiling to bring your projector to the perfect height of the ceiling tiles.
If there is electrical lighting shining directly down on the screen area, consider relocating a row of lights, or adding a power switch for that specific bank of lights. While projectors are much, much brighter these days, it still makes for a better viewing experience with better image contrast if you can reduce ambient lighting in the area of the screen.
If the ceiling isn't a true mounting location, short-throw projectors with special optics can be mounted on the wall immediately above the screen. This is a nice option for ministry rooms because leaders don't have to worry about blocking the projected image when they stand up front. The light from the projector doesn't get into the presenters' eyes, and the presenter doesn't create a shadow on the screen.
Consider how far the screen will be from the projector, relative to the size of the screen. In some cases, it makes sense to select a projector with interchangeable zoom lenses (optional) for proper projector placement. Interchangeable lenses also affect image size from a particular throw distance. The size and shape of the meeting room will help you decide. Most manufacturers will state the image size range at specific "throw" distances to the wall, and that information is helpful as you plan.
Not all projectors are installed on a ceiling or wall. There are many users that place them on a cart to move them from room to room. Advances in technology have allowed manufacturers to design brighter projectors in a small cabinet size which makes this type of usage more favorable. For most customers, however, fixed mounting is much more preferable for product security, less audible noise, and other logistical reasons.
In addition, ministry leaders change their entire approaches to presentations when projectors are always available to them in a fixed-mount configuration. They can access materials, the Web and apps, annotate using interactive projectors/whiteboards, and capture images for later use. The availability of affordable interactive technologies and apps are breathing new life into the ways that ministry leaders can share and highlight important information. For example, DisplayNote Software, used in conjunction with an interactive projector, lets instructors, students and others present and share content across any device creating the ultimate collaborative environment; multiple people can annotate at the board or from a device, while sharing and saving for all those in attendance.
These techniques create a much more dynamic environment, keeping those attending services, classes or special events much more engaged.
Image and Screen Size
In many small to medium sized rooms, image sizes will fall into the range of 60 inches to 90 inches. Medium to large sized rooms typically have screen sizes of 90 inches to 120 inches.
Generally, you can calculate optimal screen size by measuring the distance from the screen to the person furthest away. That should be a ratio of no more than 4:1 for example, if the furthest seat is 32 feet away, you would select an 8-foot viewable screen.
Connecting Video/Data Sources
You may have video/data sources that you want to show on the projector such as DVD players, laptops, tablets and other smart devices. Common signal source connections can include composite video, s-video, component video, HDBaseT, DisplayPort, and HDMI with HDCP.
An established practice today is transferring data from a source to a projector using a network. Some sources, such as HD video, are best sent via a cable because the bandwidth on wireless connections isn't usually fast enough for good video quality. But laptop images may work well via wireless and offer more ease-of-setup for the instructor.
If you are running cables to the projector, you'll need to consider the optimal location for the cable connectors to be available to users. For example, the DVD player might be mounted in a cabinet and the cables will need to terminate there, but the instructor may need to connect a laptop from the front center of the room. You might elect to run the cables inside the wall to a simple and neat wall-plate, or you could run a small electric raceway channel down the wall if you need a quicker solution (although that is probably less aesthetically pleasing). Another alternative is a combination of wired devices and wireless access for presenters.
Once you have planned for traditional analog/digital input connections from PCs, players, and other local multimedia devices, the next thing to consider is network connectivity for accessing network content and performing remote administration of the projector.
Not all projectors will be connected to the network, but there are some good reasons to do so. If the projector is tied to a network, presentation files on a server or from a computer can be accessed in some cases through the projectors' built-in access point. From an asset management standpoint, projectors can be remotely monitored and managed by an administrator in order to turn them on/off to extend the lamp life.
Often, in church facilities there is minimal existing network infrastructure, and running cable isn't an attractive option. In these instances, wireless projectors can have a lot of merit and can speed up the installation if your building is set up for Wi-Fi. One final connection you will want to determine is the location of the power source for the projector. Ideally, power can be tapped from electric boxes on the ceiling.
Brightness
Most people believe brightness specifications in the 2,000-5,000 lumen range are suitable for these types of room applications. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes these room environments will require more than 5,000 lumens of brightness to compensate for certain aspects of the space. For example, with larger screens, brighter ambient lighting, and longer throw distances, a brightness-range of 8,000 to 10,000 lumens and higher should be considered when selecting a projector.
Solid State Light Sources
Laser phosphor projectors, which use solid state light sources in lieu of lamps, are giving houses of worship new technology options for brightness and longevity. Their low-maintenance design makes them perfectly suited to classrooms, sanctuaries and boardrooms alike. Lasers have a lifespan of about 20,000 hours up to 10 times as long as traditional installation projectors using lamps. That means the laser projector in most applications will last well beyond 6 years (depends on the usage model), compared to projection lamps that may need to be replaced within 1-2 years. That longevity adds up to big savings for budget-conscious environments. It also saves the time and manpower typically associated with projector maintenance.
Other Key Considerations
From 4K/Ultra High Definition (UHD), which is four times the resolution of full HD, to XGA, there are quite a few resolutions to choose from. A key consideration is how much HD video content you plan to show.
Remote management is helpful in a classroom environment, especially if there are several classrooms. With remote management, lamp-based projectors can be powered off using a program timer built into the control software in order to conserve bulb life.
Video picture quality varies a lot depending on make and model of the projector. That is because scalar chips and video processors in the projectors are not created equally. This is important because audience expectations are getting higher due to the amount of HD content available.
Top 10 Do's and Don'ts
- Don't try to get by with a "floating" projector that goes from room to room
- Don't plan on turning out the lights. Dimly lit rooms, at times, reduce the audience's attention. The brightness of the projector needs to be high enough to overcome lighting
- Don't worry about LCD versus DLP vs. laser phosphor vs. LED light engines they all perform well
- Do assess whatever multimedia sources and computer sources your presenters will want to connect to the projectors, and map that to available connectors before buying a specific projector model
- Do talk to presenters about how they can integrate more multimedia to get them thinking about improving classroom techniques
- Do look for models with "eco-mode" that will conserve power and bulb life for lamp-based projectors
- Do select projectors that have the compatibility with newer video signal protocols and higher brightness to suit your evolving needs over time
- Do examine your mounting challenges prior to buying mounts and projectors
- Go with a good brand name it will generally equate to longer product life and better product reliability
- Do ask an expert for advice about your unique circumstances
A Better Facility
Projectors have a big impact on the image your organization sends. You want to make presentations a memorable experience for parishioners, guests and administrators. There are many different options out there for hardware, and up-front planning is the best way to ensure you are happy with your selection. If you follow these tips, you'll be on your way to a noticeably better facility.
Keith Yanke is the Senior Director of Product Marketing for Large Screen Displays and Projectors at NEC Display Solutions. He can be reached at [email protected].