projector query

[druth]

I'm working on getting my first projector, I was looking at the Proxima 2810 desktop pro, is this some fisher price shit or is it practical? It's about 300 hundred US dollars on ebay and only has 300 lumens. Is this going to be bright enough to project decently with almost complete darkness, or am I just better off springing for a better projector?(i've been told to at least go 1500 lumens). Thank you.

[komart663]

well, i projected with a 500 lumens, it was just enough for a dark room,it's like you want,anyway you can have a cheap beamer to watch your demos or work at home, it may be used in parties but it won't be very brighting
hope it may help you

[stevefromNewcastle]

To be honest that power rating is a bit low, most VJs who have the own projectors normally go for a projector with 1000 lumens plus.
There are really 2 schools of though on this. One is that the promoter should hire in all equipment etc, and the VJ just comes and plays. This reducers you capital cost, allowing you to make profit quicker (it also means you get a name as a VJ not an AV hire firm)
the other opinion is that if you have equipment you can make money on the equipment, as well as VJing.

I have bought a projector new, the reason the price was right, It had a full bulb life and a warranty. (When things go wrong on projectors it can be expensive to fix). This has given me much more freedom in the gigs I now do, and the venues I play, it has also earned me some money.

It really comes down to how experienced you are as a VJ, if you are still starting off it is normally better to hire projectors so you can put your toe in the water, and asses what the market is like. Then when you are sure you want to spend the money on a projector and not any of your other equipment you should get the highest output new projector you can.
Hope this helps

[KillingFrenzy]

I'll think you'll find 300 lumens just too little.
I'd say 1000 is the minimum.

I know the price is spendy, but you'll really need it.
Club lights, fog machines, even glowing red neon can really make your projections turn to sludge. The "comfort" point starts to kick in at 1000. Look for projectors with a high contrast ratio as well. Some of the older lcd projectors that are 2000 lumens look perceptually less clear than a 1000 lumen DLP from a year ago. Projector technology has advanced by leaps and bounds, perhaps not as much as computers, but somewhat similar. Would you spend $300 to get a used P3 600, or just shell out the $1200 and get a new 2.5 gigaherts P4.

Painful, but it really will enable you to have much more freedom in booking gigs, and doing your own artistic projects.

I recommend DLP Projectors, unless you start getting into higher end LCDs.

[LEVLHED]

thats always a tough question to answer for somebody, one always must consider their own circumstances in the end. Whats in your best interest as a VJ? Getting something that will "kinda work" ASAP to try and corner a market? I mean, maybe 300 ain't bright but if you're the only beamer in town it'll still be the brightest..heh heh so buy it. I've seen 300 lumens work just fine.
Or can you see yourself being in a position to have your beamer hired for you, you'll still prolly be the one taking care of finding where to get one...and it could cost you $300 by the time you're done..but you KNOW it will work...1,000 lumens is still my recomended cutoff point for VJ work...more is always better:)....you can rent 2200 lumens fairly easily...I've seen the prices of these drop alot in the past year even! I'd say even renting once just to see the difference will be enough to convince you.

oh, and if you wanna hit on a VJ, walk up and ask.."hey how many lumens is that?"

heh, wutevr

[druth]

Thank you all for input. cheers.

[wellREDman]

i started out with 600lums and it only just managed, so yr really gonna struggle with 300, the slightest bit of ambient light or smoke and all definition will go out the window. id recommend you save up a little more or wait a bit longer rather than go for something that just wont have the oomph for anything but the most controlled environment

[vjnixmix]

I would say that 300 lumens is way too little for VJ'ing... especially if you are commonly in challenged conditions as we are withs lights, smoke and elements of the sort. 300 might be fitting for a home theatre... but I too would recommend a minimum of 1000... that's pushing it... think of this as an investment.
Good Luck

[LightFantastik]

I second that. Nothing less than 1000. Maybe 800 in a pinch. You can get a 1400 Toshiba at CompUSA for $1500 brand new.