Looking for a GOBO Projector. Possibly LED, Any ideas?

[readwritespin]

We are getting close to our upcoming Revue Show and the director is wanting a different gobo for each song with the title on it. I mentioned that for 16 songs at roughly $70 each per gobo, it is going to get expensive. He suggested that we get a LED gobo projector and print our own gobos for the event.

I am at a loss about what to look for in these machines. Would a LED projector work? Which is best? Or do I need to bring the director back to reality.

Below is a picture of the theatre. It would throw from the Cove to the SL wall.

 

[derekleffew]

How about using a video projector and making the song title slides in PowerPoint / Keynote?

 

[techieman33]

How about using a video projector and making the song title slides in PowerPoint / Keynote?

This is probably the best and cheapest option.

 

[LightingGuy89]

We are getting close to our upcoming Revue Show and the director is wanting a different gobo for each song with the title on it. I mentioned that for 16 songs at roughly $70 each per gobo, it is going to get expensive. He suggested that we get a LED gobo projector and print our own gobos for the event.

I am at a loss about what to look for in these machines. Would a LED projector work? Which is best? Or do I need to bring the director back to reality.

Below is a picture of the theatre. It would throw from the Cove to the SL wall.

Something like this may be ok for close range. I use them in haunted houses all the time for custom image projections.

http://www.techni-lux.com/default.aspx?tabid=13&id=7569

 

[Les]

Rent an LED gobo projector for 16 songs? If you were going that route, I'd sooner rent Selecon Pacifics since they can take a transparency as well. I personally think a video projector would be better, provided you can get one with the lumens you need.

 

[Kelite]

Our local high school hosted the annual Collage (talent show) benefit for Riley Children's Hospital. For each performance a laptop fed custom images into a video projector as Derekleffew mentioned. And to good effect- it was quick and free, as all items were readily available at the school. And with over 30 entries, it was a lifesaver!

 

[len]

Since you have 16 different images to project, you need
1. 16 different ellipsoidals or
2. A gobo changer(s) of some sort, which will likely lead to
3. Needing to be able to remote focus them

So either video projector(s) or moving light(s) which allow replaceable, indexable gobos depending on where you want to project them and how bright they need to be. Moving lights will give you some options typical video projectors don't have, but will cost a bit more money.

 

[BillESC]

BenQ's MX662 DLP projector offers 3500 lumens and 13,000:1 contrast ratio for only $ 579. It has all the inputs you could want including a USB reader and can be made WiFi with the purchase of a dongle. This will give you an idea of how bright the image is in a very bright room.

 

[DELO72]

We are getting close to our upcoming Revue Show and the director is wanting a different gobo for each song with the title on it. I mentioned that for 16 songs at roughly $70 each per gobo, it is going to get expensive. He suggested that we get a LED gobo projector and print our own gobos for the event.

I am at a loss about what to look for in these machines. Would a LED projector work? Which is best? Or do I need to bring the director back to reality.

Below is a picture of the theatre. It would throw from the Cove to the SL wall.

Try the OSRAM KREIOS G1 LED Gobo Projector. Small & made with printing your own gobos easily in mind.
http://www.sylvania.com/en-us/products/featured-products/Pages/kreios-projector.aspx

 

[BillESC]

Respectfully, I don't believe the Kreios would be up to the task. As you can see in the chart below a 4.6' image seems to be the maximum recommended throw and I doubt having an output equal to a 75w halogen lamp will meet the directors needs.

 

[DELO72]

Respectfully, I don't believe the Kreios would be up to the task. As you can see in the chart below a 4.6' image seems to be the maximum recommended throw and I doubt having an output equal to a 75w halogen lamp will meet the directors needs.

Very likely true, but I'm paid to "make the pitch" and support our product! Although... see it in action at 70' away, at the En Coulisse Tradeshow in Montreal last spring. My company is very conservative about what they publish.

 

[MikeJ]

Rental an an older SD 12K projector should be pretty cheap now with most people transitioning to HD. The EIKI/Sanyo/Rebranded 10-12k models were very popular, they should be fairly common in rental inventories and are about the brightest you will find that run at 120v, plus you can get the right lens to suit your throw distance.

 

[MikeJ]

Just make sure, if you are not parallel to your surface, that the projector offers horizontal keystone or other geometric adjustment. Many older models only have vertical keystone.

 

[DELO72]

I also agree with all the posters that due to how it sounds like you are planning to use it (multiple changes) that a Video Projector is probably a better way to go.

 

[microstar]

Many times it's simply a matter of contrast.... how dark you are able to make the space in general and the image area in particular. Back in olden times, a mere 500 lumen video projector in a completely dark theatre looked stunning on a 12' wide front projection screen! You could see what was available from your school's A/V department and try it out from the cove position. In an hour you'll know if it will work or not.