projectors and screens

[angryILL]

hey all, i'm planning on buying a projector in the next few months. does anyone have any suggestions as to what i should buy? currently im looking at a 2000 lumen viewsonic (i think thats the brand) for 2500$USD...

overall im looking for the best buy for my money; i want it to be versatile in use; from music events to fashion shows to business functions. i know i could get a 1000 lumen for pretty cheap, but i figure if im going to buy equipment off of loans i may as well go for something stronger.

also, anyone have any comments regarding smoke, warranties, and durability? i've never rigged a projector on a ceiling, i've been lucky in that tables and second floor mezzanines were around. im also worried about the green screen syndrome as well as fog machines fucking up the panels.

so here's what my list looks like so far:
i have: powerbook g4/667 ///// panasonic mx-30

FUTURE:
canon gl-1 (~1600$)
proxima or viewsonic 2000 lumen (2500$)
screen, preferably custom made (20-50$ a yard)

[eXhale]

hmmm all the 2000 lumens projectors i have seen costed at least $4000?? my infocus lp340 costed $2500 and is 1200 lumens. very small so quite easy to bring it anywhere i want :)

regarding the warranties, i'm no expert but from what i've heard they are very expensive due to the fragile & expensive nature of the projector, don't know if it's a good idea. if you take care of it, you shouldn't have any problem with it though.

[NickT]

Weird, I'm going to be buying soon and that's almost exactly the post I was going to put on this morning! Anyhow, following on from the previous questions...
How many of you out there actually own your own projectors, rather than renting, and what are the good ones? Also how the hell do you ceiling mount a projector if it's a one-off gig?

[sleepytom]

owning projectors has to be the best option - you only have to use it 10 times or so to of made your money back in saved rental fees (untill you smash it)

to celing mount projectors get someone to build you a cradle to hang off a lighting bar - its loads safer than having them sat on wobbley old tables

[vjnixmix]

I just bought an NEC MT850... 1700 lumen... I got it for $3100.... NEC has great warranty... they cover anything for 3 years. Check it out. I'm very happy with mine.

[vjnixmix]

OH yeah, for a stand I use a lighting stand with a mount built for my projector attached. We had to add extra holes to make it work with the light stand, but all in all it works in any situation with very easy setup.

[Mattbot]

Mitsubishi projectors typically have a 3 year warrenty on them; something to consider when purchasing a projector that's going to see a lot of travel and smokey environments. I've been happy with the quality of the ones I've worked with. They have held up well compared to other projectors I've encountered too. InFocus projectors tend to have overheating problems with prolonged use (e.i. all day, every day in a classroom) resulting in badly damaged imaging devices while their Mitsubishi brethern were still able to fling out the proton without a hitch.

Mattbot

[Slimbo]

There is no real need to go out and buy projectors just cause they are bigger in terms of lumens. I own a selection of projectors and by far the most versatile are my set of IIYAMA LPX100's. They are true XGA and very bright + Sharp. They only weigh 2.5kg and making cradles for them is easy.
Size isnt everything :D

[MoRpH]

Hmmm some ppl buy projectors cause they want to be able to take care of the whole setup.... personally I like to concentrate on what I go best, MIXING, so let the promoter/production crew look after such things (with advice and consultation with me ofcourse :) ) I would rather spend my hard earned money on new video gear, etc..

[hamageddon]

... and i've seen too many gigs going down the drain cause the
beamer was broken or crappy shit. that's more than a distraction for your artistic skills. owning and knowing the ablities of ur own beamer is definitly an option besides doublecharging of course :)

[MoRpH]

There are pros and cons on both sides, and getting you own is definately an option, how ever with it comes its own set of hassles and headaches.....personally I know most of the production companies that I use equipment from (or in house setups:) )and I ensure that they runs signal and get a good image HOURS b4 the show starts. Its not hard to make beamers, screens and rigging not your reponsiblity but you have to be sure that you trust the ppl your working with and communitcation is essential.

BTW I charge enough without double charging hama :p

[eXhale]

doublecharging is good :D

it's useful to have your own projector if you want to do non-profit gigs or mix with bands. obviously i would not be able to rent a projector twice a week while i make no money with my band...

[MoRpH]

Very good points X :)

THankfully its not to hard to get projectors out of production companies around here for benefit/charity gigs :)

[Mattbot]

I've found that owning my own projector to be a tremendous benefit. I'm rather new to vjing and don't have much for a reputation yet. But since I've got all my own gear, hiring me for a party takes a lot of hassels off the promoters. This is especially true of smaller clubs and UG parties. There is a big demand for an easy all-in-one gear/vj package. I've actually had to turn stuff down. I just wish the smaller promoters would remember that I need a space to set-up too... Anyway, I think a projector is a sound investment.

Also, Mitsubishi's new line of projectors is out so now is a great time to buy last years model while they're still in stock. I use several X80Us (1500 lumen) at work which are terrific lightweight units. I've seen them on sale on-line for about a thousand USD less than what we paid for them last summer.

I don't have a very good screen however. Any suggestions on materials and sources? I'm sure I'm losing a lot of my lumen power projecting onto a piece of canvas.

Thx

[HuoLong]

sorry, i'm on a DIY trip :)
http://www.diyprojectors.com/

[HuoLong]

can't help it...
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=12

[complexvisuals]

*****

What gig did you do in the point?

Cian
COMPLEX Visuals

[billyblaze]

__ anyone have a real good source of projector reviews? I've been researching a bunch and am getting frustrated with a lack of good reviews. Not much info out there at all, makes it hard to buy. Sounds like Mitsubishi's are quite good, but haven't heard enough to be confident about that. What about InFocus? Proxima? Epson? Sanyo? Right now I'm looking at the Boxlight CD600m aka the InFocus LP500 or the Mitsubishi SD200. Anyone have any experience with these models, or at least some brand advice?

[MoRpH]

hmmm would be nice to see more reviews for everything on VJC, projectors included.

Personally i have eviewed pretty much everything in my kit bar my laptops (cause its hard to be objetive about them) and my midi keyboard (which I havn't been able to use yet)

So PLEASE ppl review ALL your pieces of kit for VJC, the more reviews, the more info is out there for those that are looking..... Please review ANYTHING you use in your rig (short of leads/cables really :p)

And BTW can some one with an MX50 PLEASE review it.....

[stevefromNewcastle]

I have an Infocus 530 an it is great really nice and bright fairly wide angle lense, but not the best ever.
It is small and compact, but has very large air vents, which it needs.
It can be ceiling mounted if you want, which is great for trusses.
Easy to use controls.

The best site for projector reviews is www.Projectorcentral.com

[MoRpH]

Originally posted by *****
MX50 review. Ive used many different desks but still come back to the 50. without rambling its a balls out bang for buck hands on desk. for live work its perfect under pressure.
There is no frickin about with multi level menus it can be as simple or a complex as your experience with it. a review is pointless as there are whole sites on line dedicated to it.
But I will stick my neck out a bit by sayin, " If you haven had live hours clocked up on a MX50, your not the vj you think you are, yet! )

Hmmm OK well were not after a whole site just a review as per the other ones that are up would be nice :)

As for the comment about "not the vj you think you are" its true that everyone should try one @ least once, but they are not for everyone, the have a few disadvantages and really it comes down to preference, personally I don't really use the mixer much myself I prefer to use the software I run and my Fairlight.

Re: Business Vs Art wank...... well I think a good balance of the 2 is necessary to be sucessful and respected among promoters/punters/peers for different reasons..... personally I'm somewhere in the middle :)

And on the last note about spelling.... well I think he was prolly right there :p

[MoRpH]

BTW ***** do you know an Irish DJ over there by the name of Jon Greenwood??? If so please tell him MoRpH said Hi :D

[infopocalypse]

But what the FUCK does it have to do with projectors and screens, aside from the fact that you're using an MX-50 $5000 to do stuff you can composite into an irregular shape with a $2000 MX-Pro... and furthermore that by the time you spend $10000 on a mixer and only chain them for compositing purposes rather than for 2-mixer tricks, a la multiple strobes on the same source pretty much angles it as a rather uncreative bit... not to say I totally disagree... I aim to keep promoters happy by almost any means neccessary and to leave them out of it as much as possible... but that's no reason to go ahead and brag about your personal loss of money based on name-branding over technical knowledge.

[MoRpH]

Cheers *****, would be great if you could as I plan on getting over that part of the world mid next year and it would be great to meet you and to catch up with Jon :)

BTW Unfortunately MX50s are a little more pricey this end of the world, EG. MX-1 seconda hand (not the worlds most physical mixer but not bad if you know how to work it) in aust. =$500-$800. Panasonic MX50 second hand(great mixer but has its downsides) in aust = $4000-$6000. SO yeah it is well spec'd, versitile and fun to use, but still not cheep over here.... BTW they're big and damn heavy too *shrug* :)

[Amukidi]

As ever, I'm with MoRpH on this one - what are we? VJs or AV hire companies? As I'v just posted in a previous thread, DJs dont take dex and PA to gigs, so why the fuck should we bring along ridiculously expensive gear, that has a constantly running cost ALL the time it is switched on? Be firm boys and girls - promoters are responsible for the venue - make em pay - (remember how much they are charging for drinks etc for 5-8 hours? They can afford it! As long as people turn up wth this gear, venues will hold off from buying it themselves - chicken and egg I know but they'll get the message eventually.

[konsumgrafik]

Wow, that was a long long way to the end of the post...
but I agree with you. The only thing that has to be in the club or where ever is the videobeamer or a very big videowall.
I don?t mind getting my hole stuff down to the car and then more down into the basement of a club. BTW I fucking love it to play around with my knobs and faders and keys and what ever...
guyes I think you know what I mean ... there is nothing out there than livetriggering. :nod:

[MoRpH]

1. Recording ppls sets without permission is WRONG! audio or video.... although maybe not as wrong if its not in a uasable format EG. Handy cam of the screen or mike on a discman in teh crowd. This concept of taking there material like that is wrong and I personallt would never work @ a club that operates like that.

2. VJing is different things to different ppl, to you its a service industry to others its art, to others its something fun to do to get in for free (and get the girls :P) and to some its a challenge based on skills..... please live and let live on that topic :)

[ToddGraft]

sorry to get back to techie stuff
I am playing a festival in N.Greece an I wanna spray the trees with a powdery reflective paint!!
There was a thread somewhere but no one came to any conclusions except using buttermilk.
Can anyone out there can recommend a commercial spray:confused:

[wellREDman]

well said *****, but it seems like you already got your market cornered, but there is a flip side , why should a promoter pay our rates for a broadcast quality rig when he can get some guy
with a lappy, a beamer he's borrowed from work and and vjam playing some low res clips for half the price?
like you say the money men don't care about content
we get promoters coming to us because of our rep then asking for a cut down show in the blokey with laptop price range
what do we do ?
a) tell em they gotta pay for quality(and generally lose the gig)
b) bite our lips,buy a laptop and down rez all our shit
I agree with playing the type of content the promoters want but
am finding it really hard to come to terms with setting out to reduce the image qualty of what i mix and losing the hands on mixing experience, but it seems thats what we gotta do to stay in business..