What should I use for a screen?

[caseyj1986]

HI our church has a really low ceiling and we are trying to figure out if we should use plasma screens or a projector....We need to use something so we can have a projection system...

How big is your auditorium? Could you post a few pictures of your room? I used to consult churches on screen placement. It's a fun challenge for me.

[Don C.]

Consider using a fixed screen so that it can be placed right up against your low ceiling. A screen that rolls up has a case with a reel inside that will lower the screen 4"-6" from the ceiling. You'll need every inch you can get. A do-it-youself screen paint product found here http://goosystems.com/ can give good results. Use a projector calculator http://www.projectorcentral.com/proj...ulator-pro.cfm to determine screen size and throw distance. Before you order anything build a actual size mock up of your proposed screen using posterboard and place it in your Sanctuary to see how it will work, move around and sit in a chair in all areas of the room. Then measure to see where the throw distance will place your projector for mounting and electrical outlet considerations. Most projectors feature keystone correction that allows the projector to be placed off center if neccessary and then correct the image so that it projects the image squarely on the screen. Solve all the problems before ordering anything. I was able to do this in a low ceiling Church several years ago and it worked out pretty well, we had to keep song lyrics pushed up against the top half of the screen, especially for while the congregation was standing.

[Nathan J]

An additional thought if you do decide projection (based on the room of course -- some pics would be really helpful) is to use a 16x9 aspect ratio (widescreen). That way you won't be sacrificing as much height with the low ceiling while still having enough room to work with and have large enough font sizes)

[Sysmom]

What DonC Said!

We don't use a screen at all, the image goes right on the wall; we don't have a low ceiling, it was our choice. It looks very neat and clean. Lumens in your project will be critical, and a smooth surface on the wall will be important the closer people are to it.

I think considering 16:9 is a great idea, too!

deb

If you do opt for a wall you really should use Screen Goo to paint the screen (the link is in Don's post). For one thing, screens (and that paint) reflect light back, giving you a more vibrant and brighter picture, whereas standard paint on a wall will actually absorb light -- working against you. Screens come in a few different colors, viewing angles and "gains". If you project directly onto an untreated wall your colors will be off depending on the shade of the paint you are projecting on to. Read these two tips from Screen Goo: http://www.goosystems.com/index.php?cont=tips#9.

The other thing to consider is the black border around the screen area. This isn't there just for looks. It helps increase the perceived contrast of the image. This is a great article on screen tips and also suggests the black border: http://digitalcontentproducer.com/ne...ection_screen/

For screen placement, however, we really do need some more info. Pics would be great!

I hope this helps!

[Sysmom]

Screen Goo is just an awesome invention!

We don't have a black outline around our screen area at all - but we also have no lights anywhere near the wall, and the screen is actually above where the lights shine anyway.

So you might try it both ways before you land on a decision.

deb

[Gracetech]

Welcome to CMN!

It looks like you have plenty of help but i'll check in when you post your room dimensions.

crt

[caseyj1986]

Here is a link to the church renovation website....Scroll down to see our worship center....and there are two post....we were told we could mount plasmas on them....http://www.gofbc.org/BeforeAfter.html

[caseyj1986]

http://gofbc.org/BeforeAfter.html Scroll Down on page to see our worship center that we will be renovating......THe roof will not be raised or vaulted though

[tedanderson]

I never had much success with screen goo. Painting the wall with Kilz has given me the best results thus far.

When I installed an HD projector in a home theater, the client and I got together and tested it right on the the unfinished drywall with impressive results. After I primed the wall with Kilz, we had a winner.

I think you could use plasmas/LCDs, but I'm positive that they would look odd on those two posts. Columns like that really make for line-of-sight nightmares. IMO, your best bet is to mount 2 projectors right up against the ceiling and project onto the walls to both sides of the Baptismal. Treat the walls or even use some small screens. How big is that area?

You really can't use the walls on the outside of the stage because you have heating/cooling ducts there.