Maximun Throw Distance Projectors!

[BrainStove]

Well, despite of the current political & economical situation here in my country, it?s possible I could be doing a big event gig in a few months.
Several technical issues to solve first, but the hard one is this:

It is an Open Sky Rave and due the special and distinctive energy/distribution of the place, the promoters want to place the main screen (A big white parachute) almost 100 mts. away from the projector...
I was already in ProjectorCentral looking for some info about projectors capables to project a clear/sharp/bright image at such huge/unusual distances, but no luck since they don?t have any facility to search by "Throw Distance" order.
Even in the case there is any, it will be a true pain in the asss find one to rent over here, but well...!?! since I was considered as a Magician/Solution man I?m doing my best effort.

I already told them about some other alternatives I have to my reach to rent, but they insist in the projector solution, so anybody here knows if it is possible?

[phunkyguy]

I think you may have a problem with the wind and you parachute. Parachutes are made to capture the wind, and if you want to use it as a screen, keep in mind you may need to cut vent holes in it or something, but the effect of it rippling in the wind will be really neat. Have you thought about using multiple projectors over a shorter throw distance? If you're looking for a single projector to do 100 ft throw distance, renting it may be really really expensive. I'd be interested to see how it turns out. TTYL.

[stevefromNewcastle]

for this kind of job it is going to cost you al lot of money to hire something to do this (if it can be done at all). For this kind of distance 100M, you would need a super high powered Barco/christie projector with a very, very long throw lens. Price wise I am guessing you would be paying more than ?1800 pounds a night, plus insureance and devilery.

I would say what ever option you can think of instead of this is going to be easier.
I would suggest rining the biggest AV specials in the country and ask their opion if they laugh at you it can't be done.

[VirtualVisuals]

You are going to have problems here, you'll probably find that it's less expensive to bury a cable lume (always bury at least one spare video and one spare power) under the site before the gig and erect a scaff tower in a more suitable position.

Having said that, depending upon the size of the screen you'll probably need to double stack your projectors, especially for daylight projection. If you double stack you'll get massive problems if the screen moves as the images will become unaligned.

Is it possible to back project?

[sanfroi]

it might be showtime, but why don't you try to fix the projector directly to the parachute, shorter distance just fit to your projector lens (lower, brightness, lower price...maybe more spectacular!!!) , like this even with the wind you should perfectly fit the parachute. I know it's a bit weird, but could be amazing and a good challenge.
By the way, do you know or are you member of the Babylon Motorhome group, electronic and visual band from caracas.

[BrainStove]

Originally posted by phunkyguy
Have you thought about using multiple projectors over a shorter throw distance? If you're looking for a single projector to do 100 ft throw distance, renting it may be really really expensive.

Hehehe, thanks Phunky, Steve & Virtual for your thoughts.

(For Phunky)-->but it?s really worse than that... I said 100 meters not feets, therefore almost 4 times further.

I thought also using some kind of wireless technology in order to put the projector closer to the screen, but 2 main problems arising:

1.- Being the main show screen I?m not gonna trust in wireless solutions for that so important task.

2.- As I said before the place is a sort of magical & distinctive space, it?s kinda cooking boil shape, surrounded by a dense web of bamboos trees almost 10 mts up the cliff over the deep hollow border (main dancing floor), so a bit more and it could be a perfect natural dome.
So, the promoters are thinking to tie strongly the parachute/screen to the bamboo stems at a height near to 20 mts, plus the distance where supposely should be the VJ booth, it easily could be ranging from 50 mts to 100 mts. from the projector.
As you can see the projector will be probably down on the dancing floor projecting upward since there is no way to hang it in any place around closer to the screen.

As for the idea of erecting a scaff tower... well, I?m not sure where to find a good/safe spot to place it with so much crazy dancers, chem stimulated ppl around.

Of course, I know there are a hundred other arrangements/solutions, but for now I?ll see if I can be pleasing with this promoters fancy whim... You know, I need the M_o_n_e_y :D

[BrainStove]

Hey Sanfroi!

Oh yeah, The Babylon Motorhome group, they are all good friends of mine, even the visuals guys were my disciples too.
Nice to find ppl from France knowing about them :)

And btw, thanks for your projector suggestions. :yep:

[VjDeranged]

hmmm,.. looks like what you need is a laser Projector...
unfortunately i dont think they have one :) ... closest you could get to that is a pangolin with RasterScanning enabled and then a full color laser..

...or you could try Pani's new E-Slide adaptor for their famous Pani projectors..you cant get any Bigger or Brighter than pani's Building projectors :D

[BrainStove]

Well, the current economic condition over here is really threatening the feasibility to do the party in the proposed date and also it was not any candy or easy task to follow the original promoters projector plan.
However I could be able to find an AV rental house here offering me the Pangolin system with the raster option... BUT when the promoters heared the price; Hehehe, they shitted their pants legs down :D

So I?ll have to pick up the wireless route solution, some dudes are offering me THESE (http://www.spycameras.com/intro.htm#WIRELESSSYSTEM) new 1.2Ghz videosenders (the VTR series) that according the specs could do the work well and maybe in a reliable way (What do you think?), anyway I?ll have to test these first to be sure things wont go tits up in the middle of the show ;)

Also guys, I?m very interested to hear some suggestions about what Data Projectors have VGA/Svideo/Composite Ins & Outs connectors (both) in order to feed/chain several projectors in a row with only one video source. (Catch the idea?)

And if it?s not any annoyance to you, I?m still interested to hear also whatever personal ranking list you could have about projectors ordered by Maximun Throw Distance. :yep:

[dronkie]

and what if you would make an installation with a super-shortthrow lens, like a 0.8 lens ? This means that you can have a 8 meter wide screen at just 6.4 meters. They are available at most big companies...
Ok I know it's not quite front-projection, but ...

dronkie