Mounting projector on a gym basketball goal

[EricE]

I need to mount a projector in a multipurpose room/gym. The projector only needs to be active one day when the gym is being used as a meeting room. All other days of the week the projector would be removed from the gym - I don't think I need to go into the whole "anything on the gym ceiling is a target" explanation, I hope

It has bassketball goals that retract - so as i was looking at them it occured that since they swing down and up they could do double duty as a projector mount that would be up and out of the way, but when lowered it would be relatively easy to get the projector on and off. We would be displaying on the side of a wall so exact placement isn't key, as long as it's close.

I'm curious if anyone has ever done such a mount, and if you have any ideas for something that would be easy to connect and disconnect, but would be secure. Power and video would be permanently attached to the baskeball goal - the idea is lower the goal, mount the projector, plug in power and video, raise the goal and off we go! Afterwards (and well after the projector cools!) reverse the procedure.

Crazy? The other idea is mount a 50" display on the wall, but I'd rather move a projector over a screen! Or if anyone has a permanent install for a screen that's "gym proof" - I'm open to ideas!

Thanks!

[derekleffew]

If any part of the goal support structure uses 1.5" (1.9" OD) BIP or 2" (50mm) tube, you can hang a projector cage

Display Devices - Products - Staging Solutions - AVStack Series
with half-couplers, or rigid or swivel cheeseboroughs.

What make and model projector?

Projector Accessories from Chief Manufacturing may have a stock solution. It's possible the projector wouldn't even need to be removed

Small Projector Security Cage - PG2A
to play basketball.

[EricE]

If any part of the goal support structure uses 1.5" (1.9" OD) BIP or 2" (50mm) tube, you can hang a projector cage
[...]
What make and model projector?

Thanks! It's a nothing special panasonic or toshiba. I knew about those cages - and I think even in the cage it would get buffeted around Part of the appeal of having on the basketball goal would be it would be lower than all the way up at the ceiling, or certainly higher than the basketball goal.

But maybe I'll give them another look. It may not be practical without a brighter projector anyway... the ones we have are "good enough" for the intended use (presentations) when aimed from the floor - it would just be nice to get them out of the way. As always, being mindful of the non-existant budget...

[zmb]

Projector Accessories from Chief Manufacturing may have a stock solution. It's possible the projector wouldn't even need to be removed

Small Projector Security Cage - PG2A
to play basketball.

My school has something similar to that with the pipe be connected to unistrut running between giant wood beams. The two screens hang in the middle of the gym facing the long walls. Major problem is that the screen and projectors are on remote control that has to be right under each component to work. Should have gone with a wired control system if possible. A wireless VGA system might be good too so you or the presenter isn't chained to the one port against the wall.

[museav]

I need to mount a projector in a multipurpose room/gym.

The other idea is mount a 50" display on the wall, but I'd rather move a projector over a screen!

I have to say the "gym" and "50" display" seem a bit of an unusual combination as with a 16:9 display that would equate to about a 24.5" high image, fairly small for a gym.

Have you discussed the idea with the goal manufacturer? I would be interested to see their response to having other wiring, including power, attached to the goal or hanging any additional wieght from the motorized goal. Given the potential liability issues they may not support the idea (sorry, unintended bad pun). I'm also not sure how you would handle the power in terms of potentially having a live receptacle and how you would tie into the power.

If you can do something temporary then while you would have to deal with power and video from a wall or a floor box, is there a reason you can't go with a floor mount projector on a stand? Otherwise, I have used the cages and I have also used lifts. The lifts are nice as they get the projector completely out of the way but they can be expensive and someone banging a volleyball or basketball off the bottom closure or doors can damage them or cause problems with their operation.

[chausman]

I have to say the "gym" and "50" display" seem a bit of an unusual combination as with a 16:9 display that would equate to about a 24.5" high image, fairly small for a gym.

I believe the goal wasn't to display some sort of content to a gym full of people, just a small group of people, using the gym for their meeting.

The projector only needs to be active one day when the gym is being used as a meeting room.

[museav]

I believe the goal wasn't to display some sort of content to a gym full of people, just a small group of people, using the gym for their meeting.

If the idea is to use the projector with the goal raised as noted then wouldn't that result in the image being awfully high for a small group unless they were located some distance from the image? That combined with the comment about possibly needing a brighter projector made me assume that they would want a larger image if they used a projector.

If the use is one day a week for small groups that could be adequately served by a 50" display, then rather than the cost and effort to incorporate a projector mount onto an operable basketball backboard and get power and signal cabling to it along with the effort of mounting the projector at 10'+ above the floor for each use and the image quality from projecting on a wall, then why not simply use a portable display on a cart or a portable screen with a projector on a cart? It doesn't really seem to represent that much more effort, if not less effort, for each use.

[gafftaper]

I think perhaps you are way over thinking this. This sounds like a job for a projector on a cart to me. I know it's not as sexy as a permanent install, but it gets the job done, and keeps the projector safe. Spend your money on a good motorized screen instead. Is there a reason you can't put it on a cart?