Video project installation in a high school

[Sayen]

One of the things that has plagued me since we moved into our new theater is the complete lack of video - both monitors, and a mounted projection point. I've been trying to research the project, and have followed threads here for a year or so now, but every project seems to be someone working within their existing framework of equipment. So the question is this: If you could start clean, purchase the equipment you wanted, what would you choose? What method would you use to run signal?

This is, ultimately, what I want to do. I'd rather do it myself, knowing full well how much fun it is to run cable.

- Two camera mounts on FOH run back to monitor stations backstage, and one monitor station in the booth. Possibly a normal video along with some sort of lowlight or IR application. Neither has to be high quality, just another means for the SM and crew to monitor the stage.
- Backstage camera to monitor greenspace for communication purposes.
- Video control to a mounted projector, most likely (properly and professionally) suspended off a scenery pipe downstage. Video control for projection should be possible from the booth and from the SM position backstage.

It's a high school, so I don't need top of the line gear. What I really want is basic functionality along with a solid training environment. Pretend I don't own any cable or a computer, which means options are unlimited as far as what I might purchase - other than keeping this in the middle of the price range. Used equipment is fair game.

The only existing infrastructure is a lighting network, in the typical star configuration. We will never use every port on the network, so I have toyed with hijacking a couple of the cable runs for other nefarious purposes. I already took over one line to get Internet access in my booth.

 

[Studio]

For the monitors just use coax cable don't go digital it causes lag.

 

[ScottT]

Actually, depending on your school's network infrastructure digital might be the cheapest and easiest way to go. So, if your school can handle dedicated video feeds then go with professional video over IP system.

 

[Footer]

Typically video onstage consists of the following...

• Conductor/Maestro Cam fed to the wings and SM
• FOH IR Camera fed to SM
• FOH Color camera fed to SM and Green Room

That should be all you need. You don't need a camera in the green room so you can watch whats going on there. Keep in mind the system I just mentioned is used to produce full length Broadway style shows in a Regional Theatre setting. If it works for us, it will be more then enough for you.

A projection system is a totally different animal. Personaly I have never been a fan of a perminatly installed projection system in a theatre. If you bolt a projector to the ceiling and hang a screen... that's all you got. We also need to know your intended application.....

Added to that... is there actually money to do this or are we in hypothetical land.... either is OK... just let us know.

 

[museav]

So while on the one hand a blank page may offer more options and opportunities, it also means more things that have to be defined to fill out the page. In this case, a lot more information on the facility and application would be required to make some decisions while the budget and the installation method may affect other decisions. Determining the appropriate signal and cable types is going to depend on factors such as the sources, the run lengths, the cabling paths available and so on. The distances and image areas involved will affect what camera and lens combinations may work. The potential screen location(s), distance from that to the furthest viewers, different uses, etc. will determine the appropriate screen (also not noted) and projector. Where and how the projector can be mounted will affect the projector lens, which can be a costly item, and things such as how the projector can be mounted and whether a lift might be desired or required. Also, some people's ideas of "the middle of the price range" may differ significantly from others, do you have any general idea of budget or equipment level to help better define what you take that to mean?

It may also get a bit more complicated than you expect. For example, how do you switch between the two cameras and distribute that to multiple destinations? What are the sources for the projector and where are they located? What 'control' of the projector is desired and what type of user interface?

DIY and used equipment may save money but you should also consider what it might cost if you need to purchase some of the related cable termination and other tools, what happens if something does not work, how you are going to test and adjust the systems, etc. Also think in terms of what you are potentially leaving for others and how you are going to document what you do.

 

[Sayen]

There is money, and I'm assuming this is a two or three year project, sticking bits of it in at a time. As far as signal type, what would you recommend? ideal cable type for a run of 100' or more? I figure I'll work my way up from the ground.

I want a greenroom camera as a means for supervision, as a high school teacher/building manager. I trust my students, I don't trust other students, and it's really just another means for communication. Shoot, the most effective pacifier I've ever used was a video feed from the booth, where green room members could watch the SM and board ops faces during the show. I may go with a cheap wireless webcam and run that separately , I've had good luck with that for other projects in the past. A camera at that location just cuts my run time down considerably, so I can sit in the house and help train technicians while having a rough idea of what is going on backstage.

I cannot (and for political reasons do not want to) use the school's network. I may be able to hijack the ethernet lines used for lighting, since we don't need nearly as many ports as we have access to.

Projector mount doesn't need to be permanent, but I think that permanently running cables for a rigged projector at a single location greatly reduces my setup time. Because it's a school, most of the technical setup work falls on me, especially on short notice. A center mount projector would be the ideal location for most events, and if I want something different for one of my shows I can easily move it.

Footer did a nice job of summing up camera desires. Conductor camera is lower on my list, but is also a consideration.

I know this will be pricey, and I'm trying to stay open on budget. I don't quite know enough about video to wing it, especially when it comes to cable over significant distance. When I think midrange, that would be like avoiding DJ crap in lighting, getting up to a level where things are at least reliable. I'm not looking to record, although the feed to the projector should be clear.

 

[Sayen]

I just found out we're hitting budget limits for the year this week, which means I need to move on this. I spent the week talking to a couple of local AV companies who are on contract with the school, and couldn't get any of them to take me seriously. What I'd like to do is buy the cameras and any equipment I need, and I'll buy cable next year. I know people hate this type of question, but:

Can anyone recommend

- a decent color camera I can mount from an FOH position
- a decent IR camera
- Equipment other than cables and monitors needed to handle the system?

Because it's a state contract I cannot buy used.

I might be able to run video over unused lighting ethernet lines, but more likely will pull my own cable.

I've been on the phone all week with our district contractors and can't make any progress. I would assume I could do this $1k - $2k, but if that's not realistic I can broaden this budget. I'd like to get the cameras purchased, and buy cable in the fall with the new budget - I just don't know what to buy.

 

[museav]

I understand your situation but would you try to build a house by buying the furnace today and some lumber next month and some bags of concrete after that and so on without having a plan to work from? How is this really that different? Eventually it all has to 'play together' so it is usually much better to put together the entire system concept first and use that to help you determine what you need.

Simple examples for your situation. Do you have power at all the camera and monitor locations? Do you have cabling paths to all those locations? Will any of those paths require riser or plenum rated cable? Do you have all the required strippers, dies, crimpers, compression tools, etc. for the video cable and connectors involved? How do you plan to mount the cameras and monitors? If you get an IR camera, what do you plan on using for illumination? How far is it (actual cable run length) from the camera to the monitors and would that distance necessitate some signal amplification? Do either of the cameras feed more than one monitor, thus requiring some distribution devices? All of these could represent additional costs.

I'm not trying to make it sound more difficult than it is but I've seen too many projects end up spending all the money they have and then be missing some critical component that leads to the gear purchased ending up just sitting in a closet.

 

[Sayen]

I appreciate you being difficult! I'm way out of my element here. Most of what you listed I have covered (power, proper and safe mounting options, safe cabling...), although the distribution aspect is sticky. Next year I'd be happy with one monitor backstage, but ultimately I'd like three (backstage, booth, and green room).

 

[Footer]

What kind of lens do you need on the camera? Do you have 120v near the camera or do you need a low power camera?

 

[Sayen]

I have two unique circuits at the FOH position, so I'm covered as far as power is concerned.

I'm not sure about lens...it's about a 44' wide stage, and the camera position would be about 35' away from the proscenium arch. Since it's for monitoring purposes and not video, I'm fine with not capturing the entire stage, but just the dominant center stage area.