Quote:
Originally Posted by balex
My questions are as follows:
1.) Is it possible to send a live feed directly from a MiniDV, firewire output camera to a projector? I've seen some conversion boxes, and even a cable from Sony that looks like it will convert firewire to standard composite video, but this not being my area, I'm not sure of it all... I'd like to eliminate the need for anything like a computer in between the camera and projector.
2.) What inputs - given the above - should I realistically be looking for on a projector?
3.) What projectors - and specifically what low-cost projectors - might be able to do the job for me? How many ANSI lumens should I be looking for given the audience size. Lighting is controlled for and it can be relatively dark in the room while the projection is on.
The quality overall need not be "stellar." I don't need any high def options or anything. So long as the general action is captured, projected and is generally visible I'm happy.
I'm open to any and all information and suggestions. I've been trying to solve this for a while now but all the local electronics stores are clueless, and I'm not willing to make a $500 purchase on only a "hunch" that it might work.
Thanks!
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You have a number of options on the interface from the camcorder to the projector and a couple of things to watch out for:
As mentioned above there is typically a cable with a yellow red and white rca connection, the yellow is video, and you can run coax (rg6 is best) from the camera to the projector. I recommend rg6 since it has a better signal carrying ability over longer distances. You would then connect the cable to the video (probably yellow rca) on the projector
You could also typically use s video (there is probably a mini din s video connector on the camcorder, and you would then connect an svideo cable (keep it under 100 feet) to the projector again using the s video input.
Firewire cables typically are short but there are work arounds BUT the biggest problem those of us who have tried this route find is that the 4 pin firewire connector/1394 is extremely delicate and tyically will fail. If you did to go this way you would need to get a fire wire digital to analog converter, and depending on if you want to run the long cable with fire wire you would need to get special cables that are expensive... I don't recommend this way
Camcorders work pretty well in this situation, I personally find the now out dated tvc340 sony digital 8 works quite well because it has a 25x optical zoom. to use these camcorders in varying light levels you pretty much need to have them manned but it does work surprisingly well. Just don't put a tape in the camcorder and you will be fine.
some canon camcorders have a situation where on the analog out from the camcorder it will display all the operational information in the output UNLESS you use the remote to turn it off, and every time the camcorder is turned back on you need to reset this which makes for a pain.
The biggest factor in projector output level needed is screen size and quality and ambient light. Rear screen projection tends to be a bit brighter. I have uses up to a 12x12 projector screen rear with a Sharp 1700 LUMEN projector in a low ambient light room. Works pretty well, you are definitely on the margins with these.
You will notice that a computer image will be much brighter in the display than a video feed, this is to the the interleaving (half of the image at a time) in video EVEN Though the projector will typically convert it for display to progressive, so if you are testing what will work make sure you are feeding video and not the logo of the projector of a computer screen.
Dlp projectors tend now to be brighter, but have a bit of a delay in the image, but in most cases this is not a problem.
Keep in mind that inorder to be effective the portion of the image being displayed needs to be larger than the percieved size of the actual image... what I mean here is that close up shots are what is needed, if you just attempt to project the entire stage on a screen that is smaller than the stage, the effect is some what wasted as what the audience sees from the stage appears larger than the image on the screen.
Sharyn