# Advice on projection options small scale



## uriahdemon (Jan 30, 2012)

Hi All,

I am venturing into projection for a live band scenario. It will only be small scale, portable and cost competetive. Perhaps projecting onto a screen approx 2m X 2m. 

Now as I see it my minimal knowledge tells me if projecting from the front or the rear you need the prescribed distance between the projector lens and the screen. From FOH this would mean having the projector up high some place and directly in front of the screen. Something I see as impossible to do in the average size pub where our band play mostly and of course folks getting in the way of the projection. I was then thinking of the rear screening options. When you go along to a gig and they are using projection, are they actually using a projector which must be sited large distances behind the stage with an uninterrupted projection or is there some snazzy way of doing things. In summary with rear projection is there any way you can project to the screen and have the projector just behind the screen.....??

General question for now before the detail depending on what options may come from this thread.

Grateful in advance for any help you can give me.

Rgds Mac


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## wavemaster447 (Feb 26, 2012)

Front and rear projections require the same throw distance - it's just depending on which side is the most convenient, basically. Also, be aware that rear projection requires special screens rated for rear projection.
If you're really pressed for space, you can do interesing things with mirrors to lengthen the "throw" (the distance between lens and screen). For example, point the projector at a mirror on the floor under the screen, which is tilted up at another mirror, which throws the image to the screen, and you've cut the throw distance to 1/3rd of what it was before. These setups are pretty difficult, however, and the rig you bring to pubs would definitely be interesting.

Since it's a rock band, I can testify that projecting directly on top of the performers isn't always a bad thing. You can also utilize the space on the wall above (behind) the performers also. One more thing, if ceiling mounting is not an option you could always get a longer throw projector, and put it all the way against the back wall of the pub on a tripod/tree setup. One other thing I've seen, but never tried, was putting the projector at an angle, to the side of the screen (it was a wall in this case). The image is distorted to hell, but they just put things like visualizer patterns up and it looked really awesome. 


Their projectors (two) are directly behind that platform, on the floor, pointed out at the backdrop. Interesting possibilities!

Best of luck!
Matt


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## museav (Feb 27, 2012)

Some projectors have optional short throw lenses that allow the projector to be closer to the screen and there are some specialized very short throw projectors available, but in both cases the positioning of the projector relative to the projected image is much more limited and critical than with standard lenses. The specialized projectors are also somewhat limited in the image size that they support, although you may be within those limits. Otherwise you do get into longer throw distances and/or folded projection paths using mirrors.

Another factor to consider is brightness. Are you going to be able to light the band and keep that light off the screen? If not then you may need a very bright projected image to keep it from being washed out by the lighting.

Larger productions often use some form of video wall and have generally moved to using LED curtains or walls, which can be very bright and require minimal depth. The issue there is the pixel spacing or pitch and just what resolution is desired given the content and viewing distances. Text that has to be read from closer viewing distances requires closer pixel spacing, general colors or patterns and/or larger viewing distances can typically allow larger spacings to be used.

On a detail, a 2m by 2m image is a 1:1 or square format and you probably won't find a projector that projects that, it will likely be a 4:3, 16:9, 16:10 or other standard format. So you may have to actually project a 2.67m wide to 3.56m wide image in order to get the 2m height and then use a 2m x 2m screen and limit your content to that area of the overall image.


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