# Long Video/Audio Run from a Computer



## MillburyAuditorium (Aug 17, 2009)

Hello everyone, have a bit of a sticky situation here.

In December the town has whats called a "Chain of Lights Festival" Stuff going on around places all around town.

Anyways, the towns Parent Club wants to show a movie in the theatre as well as having their yearly raffle and market kind of thing. They sells spots in the Gymnasium for people to sell stuff, then outside the gym they have a raffle, and the theatre main doors are like 20 feet away from the Gym doors and right accorss fromt he raffle table, so they asked the school for permission to sue the auditorium and asked to supply someone to run it for them. Guess who gets called? : P So instead of enjoying the festivities, I am puting on a movie in the theatre that day.

Well anyways heres the thing.

I am guessing the projector on the media cart will not work all the way from the back were the light and sound board is to the screen on the stage. (Or am I wrong?)

So I am guesing we need the media cart infront of the stage, projecting onto the onstage screen. But in that case I need to get the sound board op to help me out, with walky talkies. That isnt to to bad, but, we need the computer sound to play through the speakers, which would need the sound board, int he back, but the computer needs to be with the projector.

Unless I can find a 75 foot S-Video or other video cable, I kind dont know what to do. 

Does anyone have a thought of what I could do? I am thinking of instead of using the media cart, just us my own laptop to play the movie, because, well, anything is better then our schools computers xD, Anyways, I resolved the problem for sound, because I can just use the line in cable we have on the sound board to play the sound, and I can just walk between the light board and laptop and do it myself. But where will the projector be? Do you think it will work from the back of the theatre all the way to the stage? Or will a need a LONG video cable?


Not have a built in projector on the ceiling not ftw :/

Is there anything like a wireless video connector? lol, That would save my you know what.


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## MillburyAuditorium (Aug 17, 2009)

*Re: Sticky situation.*

Heh, Well after typing this I realized that it was kind of dumb of me.

Our video club or computer specialist most likely has a 100 foot video cable. Or I could just get into the tech room and make one. I made a 100ft Ethernet cable in there once. We have like huge spools of different wires.
And if they don't have the right wire to make one, or if the doesn't own one, I will just tell the school I need $30 for the wire then I will just give it to the cable club or computer department after I am done with it.
For some reason I though that it would be really expensive.


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## Footer (Aug 17, 2009)

What are the video outputs on the laptop? What are the video inputs on the projector? 

Following the KISS method, I would leave the computer with the projector. You will them have to run lines back to the sound system (or to the stage and back, whatever is easier). You can not just come out of your computer and run 100' to the audio console. You will need to use some type of direct box to convert the signal from line level to mic level. I suggest this... 




Its the Whirlwind PCDI.

As far as the projector thing goes, it depends on the projector if it will work or not. Odds are its a standard "power point" style projector. It probably will be bright enough but won't have the throw to put it in the booth. The video quality won't be top notch because those projectors are not meant to play video, but it will be there. 

If you can get a composite signal out of the computer and have a composite input for the projector that is the only way you can get a long cable run with video without amplifiers. VGA signals tend to flake off after about 30' without an amplifier.


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## derekleffew (Aug 17, 2009)

Why is a computer involved? Just use a DVD player, located next to the projector, and use a DI box (or pair) to send the audio to the sound console.


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## Footer (Aug 17, 2009)

derekleffew said:


> Why is a computer involved? Just use a DVD player, located next to the projector, and use a DI box (or pair) to send the audio to the sound console.



If its anything like the school I used to work at, they don't have DVD players. They attach a computer to every projector/TV and say "Just use the computer to play the DVD". This is a hold over from years back.


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## derekleffew (Aug 18, 2009)

"don't have DVD players"??? Next you're going to tell me they don't have VCRs or filmstrip projectors either.


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## Footer (Aug 18, 2009)

derekleffew said:


> "don't have DVD players"??? Next you're going to tell me they don't have VCRs or filmstrip projectors either.



The filmstrip is a pretty advanced piece of technology. I mean, you have to turn the little handle every time you hear a ding... thats hard. 

You would be amazed what an IT guy sitting in an office half way across the county thinks you need to get your job done.


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## JohnHartman (Aug 18, 2009)

VGA will run 100' - 150' on a quality cable without a problem I do it every day. Beyond that you will need an amplifier on the line. 

Although I do support the idea of putting the laptop at the projector towards the front of the room, use a PCDI interface box to transfer the signal to a mic level source and run long audio lines back to the audio mixer position. This will be the easiest and you will likely have what you need at hand.

- John


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## museav (Aug 18, 2009)

Getting away from the tech, what "movie" do they plan on running? Start thinking about rights issues here as it will not be an educational application. If they are using the school's facility, equipment and operators, guess who could be responsible?

Back to tech, have they used a projector in the Auditorium before? Is there a screen installed? It would take knowing the projector and possibly lens model being used as well as the size of the screen to tell where the projector might have to be located or even how well it might work.

Speaking of filmstrip projectors, I got started in AV running 8mm film projectors and filmstrips with sound tracks on vinyl (change the frame at the tone) while I was in grade school. That ages me, but who knew it would eventually lead to what I do for a living years later.


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