help with hanging a projector

Hi, I should probably start with the Any quesiton answered thread, or something similar, but I really could do with some help and I kinda of need it quick.

So I have my degree show coming up soon and I need some help / advice with hanging a projector from a very high ceiling in an old building with funny structure, not to bore you with any detail at this stage, any technically very able people could offer a helping hand with maybe a discussion via PMs or here or anyway that suits you? Or anyone could point me into the right direction?

At this stage, I just want to explore my options, but will probably end up needing someone to actually help with installing it.

I could probably pay a small fees towards the installation, but I only have a very tight budget....

Pretty please.

I put my one up ages ago but not a professional. If you don't have the projector it's much easier as you can buy a projector that suits better, they have different ratios/zooms so you can get ones that have picture size x at 2m and others with the same at 3m and so on. The "easiest" way is to get one with a longer throw and then put the projector on a shelf on the other side of the room.

We use one of these as a screen, it's mounted above the windows in the old pelmet as we ditched the 12ft square curtains idea lol

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00290537/#/30290545

shelf is what I have in mind, sounds the cheapest option. However, I migh have to have projection on opossit side of the room, so having a projector "at the top" of the projection might look a bit odd. I am thinking about a black box so it's as hidden as it possibly can...

As for screen, I will probably just use the wall if I am honest... Not sure yet.

The partition walls are essentially MDFs, I am not sure how thick, will have to ask on Monday in meeting, but do you think it would be strong enough to hold a projector?

Here is my setup. We don't use it much just watch the odd film now and then on it. What you need to work out is where you want to put the projector and then how bright you need it. For us we project from a distance of 3m and with the lights out or lights that point away from the screen a small projector is enough, a smaller "pico" projector wouldn't be big enough. If your projecting a "diagonal" image then you normally need to spend more on the projector to get a bigger range of "keystone adjustment" if you can project from somewhere directly inline with of 5 degree off the center of the screen then it will be lots easier(hence my one being mounted mid ceiling). If I wanted a shelf on the wall I would have needed a "long throw" projector as the majority of ones in the type I was looking at wouldn't have the zoom.

projector mount
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t171/pimptasticmofo/IMG_20140509_211134_zps65105644.jpg
screen 2m x 2m ikea blind + 5050 leds
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t171/pimptasticmofo/IMG_20140509_211111_zps4ade0353.jpg

If you are lucky you can find a calculator thing for it. Most will have one on the makers site tho as it's a serious factor when buying.

http://www.projectorcentral.com/Acer-H6510BD-projection-calculator-pro.htm

If you already have your eye on one then it's going to limit the position of it so just work off of that.

I am a little confused, just spoke to a friend who works at the white cube, told him roughly what I need and he basically said any cheapo home cinema projector would be enough regarding to the distance (quality is a different issue of course). He's worked out the throw I need will only be 1.4 give or take pending exact measurement...

When you say the centre of the screen, do you mean the centre point on top of th screen? don't projection project down? Sorry I am a total newbie to projectors... Monitors are more my thing...

I am a little confused, just spoke to a friend who works at the white cube, told him roughly what I need and he basically said any cheapo home cinema projector would be enough regarding to the distance (quality is a different issue of course). He's worked out the throw I need will only be 1.4 give or take pending exact measurement...

Yes, projectors come in different types. If it is labeled "pico" then it is a portable/handheld/small one, have to warn you as lots of people sell them on ebay and stuff with dramatic claims of what they can/can't do. Home cinema ones are the next size up(like my one).

When you say the centre of the screen, do you mean the centre point on top of th screen? don't projection project down? Sorry I am a total newbie to projectors... Monitors are more my thing...

Center left to right. If you project from one side and the projector can't adjust enough you end up with a distorted image. Depending on how the projector adjusts for it some will also cut down the image size so you can project diagonal but only at the size of the "smaller" side so it lops off the bits sticking out. Look into "keystone effect" and correction if you need more info on it but hopefully this explains enough.

Projectors mostly do up or down, if it's labeled "desktop" then it projects "up" and you flip it when ceiling mounting(most are done like that). Some do project from the middle but they seemed rare when I looked. I would be ready for needing to place your projector upside down on a shelf, not a huge issue tho.

Thanks for the explanation, I am grateful for the advice.

So if I can't hang the projector from the ceiling but can hang it on the opposite wall at the same height as I would if hung from the ceiling, and have it right in the middle, then only thing I would need to calculate correctly would be the throw ratio?

I am planning on projecting to the wall on the left (maybe right, depends on which wall is less messy by the time I get the sapce). There is another maybe 4 - 5 meters between the top of the partition walls to the ceiling, and the ceiling isn't flat. I can't remember if there is a beam across to the top of this space to allow hanging from ceiling...

So cheapest / easiest option would be a shelf of sorts then?

I also need to think of security as well, we are in New Cross... things go missing every single year... Thinking of a wooden box (to hide the projector as well as holding it) with loads of holes to allow cooling and a kensington lock or sth to lock it to wall. 1 think I am allowed to do is to drill as many holes as I see fit!!

1 Attachment

I am looking at this

Epson EH-TW5200 Full HD 1080p 3LCD 3D Home Cinema and: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

Whatever I do, it's gonna leave a big dent on my bank account anyway, but it's 3 years of hard work, so it's worth it...

Yeah if you projected left to right like that line going across(washing line?) and then the image went down from it like the hanging colourful thing then you would just be looking at throw distance.

Depends on what resolution you are happy with, if you are happy with 720p(or around that 1280x720/800 wxga) you can easily pick one up for half that.

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/optoma-h180x-dlp-wxga-%281280-x-800%29-projector-3000-lumens-180001-contrast-ratio-hdmi-vga-component

it's an art studio, I have given up to even try to understand what half the stuff is in that place...

I have been shooting on full HD on a GoPro, amoung other things, and I did a presentation of some of the footages just to other day on a Hitachi projector, I am pretty sure it's not full HD. I wasn't very happy with the quality, so maybe I will just bite the bullet and accept that big dent on my bank account...

Do projectors these days still have limited life lamps that cost nearly as much as the projector?