Mount an LCD projector...

[icebook1]

We have a church coming in every weekend, and they just gave me the new LCD projector that they bought for services. The school can use it as well. My initial thought was to mount it on the catwalk and use our screen, but the screen is small and covers most of the stage.

My second thought was to mount it on the first batten (closest to the lip of the stage) and project on the cyc. I've done it before and it looks really good.

I need ideas on how to build a mount that will hook onto the batten, though. It's a permanent installation (pretty much, i.e. it'll stay up there 98% of the time) if that makes a difference.

Help, please?!

[Dillon]

The first thing I would do is to check whether that specific projector model has a mount available. Many models do. It will make mounting the projector much easier and more secure. The last model I mounted had threads on it for a 1 1/2" pipe to screw into. We mounted a C-clamp on the other end of the pipe so that it would hang the right distance below the first electric.

One thing to consider no matter how you mount it -- be sure to mount a safety cable of some sort directly to the projector (not the mount, not the pipe, not the cables). LCD projectors are expensive and heavy... keep safety in mind for both the people under the equipment as well as for the equipment itself.

[JP12687]

Another thing to take into consideration, if this is going to be a perminent/semi perminent mount is the keystoneing of the projector.

Projector lenses come in different catagories.

You have:

Center Lenses-These need to be straight on center to the screen
Bottom- Needs to line up bottom center of the screen(inverted-mounting position this means top of the screen).

Those are the 2 most common from my experience.

Depending on the type of keystone correction, it will limit the "proper" location for the projector, to create a good crisp, focued image.

[MHSTech]

Another thing to consider is to run wires for every connection on the projector when you hang it up. Many projectors today have several different imputs and connections, run them all at one time and save yourself some work. You'll also want to go up and hold the projector close to where you are planning to mount it to see what the size of the throw will be from that position. Our new projector is mounted up in our control booth and would easily fill up the whole stage, but luckily our screen is enormous.