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What projectors are being used for whole house projection projects?


sasmuse

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Hi All, 

This past season we added video mapping and video projection to our light show. It worked fine, and people loved it. The only problem was that the projector wasn't bright enough. Due to our yard configuration, we need to use a short throw projector. Due to our budget we purchased an Optoma X305ST which is a short throw DLP, 3000 lumen projector. 

We do other lights in addition to the projection. Like I said, it was okay, but we need a brighter projector. I'm just wondering what type of projector or projectors (if you do stacking or splitting) that other people who do projection are using?  Please let me know you your thoughts.   Thanks.

Sally Simpson

www.tisthesimpsons.com

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1 hour ago, Cameraguy432 said:

I use a BenQ 720p short throw HT projector. Picked it up on Amazon for around $800 a couple years ago. Works great! No complaints.


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What is the model number and number of lumens? Do you also incorporate other lights into your display?  Or is it strictly house projection?  Do you have any videos of your display?

Edited by sasmuse
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What is the model number and number of lumens? Do you also incorporate other lights into your display?  Or is it strictly house projection?  Do you have any videos of your display?



It's a BenQ W770ST. Bought back in 2014 from Amazon. It's 2500 lumens, and the fact that it's short throw makes all the difference.

I have other lights in my display, but have strategically removed some to keep things bright. Like my roofline and hedges.

Sorry I dont currently have any video on my phone!


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I don't want to open up a big debate on this subject as I find this just a personal opinion but I use a presentation type projector instead of a home theater type. Currently using a Epson EX7210

Class
digital projector
  • Recommended Use presentation and multimedia
  • Type LCD projector
  • Portability portable
  • Min Image Size 33 in
  • Max Image Size 318 in
  • Color Support 16.7 million colors
  • Max Resolution (Resized)1400 x 1050
  • Native Resolution 1280 x 800
  • Display Resolution AbbreviationWXGA
  • High Definition
  • Native Aspect Ratio16:10
  • Brightness2800
  • Brightness (Color )2800
  • Contrast Ratio 3000:1
  • Min Screen  Distance3 ft
  • Max Screen  Distance30 ft
  • Throw Ratio 1.30 - 1.56:1
  • Digital Zoom Factor 1.2x
  • Display Format 1,024,000 pixels (1,280 x 800) x 3
  • Projector Features EPSON 3LCD technology

 

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Ok, got to ask cause i am curious is this for windows from inside? Or outside onto the house? Saw some cool ones on the house and want to do it but clueless! Any help and a vid would be great

don

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3 main types of projection

1. inside projecting onto windows - eg "Virtual Santa" << did this last year and was a big hit for not much money (you don't need as good a projector as you do for outside)

2. outside - just projecting pictures or patterns onto parts of the house, eg garage door

3. outside - "projection mapping" - where the whole house becomes the display surface, eg a link from google 

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  • 2 years later...
On 1/21/2017 at 5:51 PM, sasmuse said:

Hi All, 

This past season we added video mapping and video projection to our light show. It worked fine, and people loved it. The only problem was that the projector wasn't bright enough. Due to our yard configuration, we need to use a short throw projector. Due to our budget we purchased an Optoma X305ST which is a short throw DLP, 3000 lumen projector. 

We do other lights in addition to the projection. Like I said, it was okay, but we need a brighter projector. I'm just wondering what type of projector or projectors (if you do stacking or splitting) that other people who do projection are using?  Please let me know you your thoughts.   Thanks.

Sally Simpson

www.tisthesimpsons.com

Just purchased the Optoma EH460St based on the recommendation over on digitalpressworks.com. It has 4200 lumens so I'm hopeful that it will be bright enough for our situation. First time doing video projection mapping, so I'll be finding out what to do and what not to do Sally.

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  • 1 month later...
On 4/26/2019 at 9:03 AM, Tim Dorr said:

Just purchased the Optoma EH460St based on the recommendation over on digitalpressworks.com. It has 4200 lumens so I'm hopeful that it will be bright enough for our situation. First time doing video projection mapping, so I'll be finding out what to do and what not to do Sally.

I am contemplating this same projector for my house. Hopefully it'll be bright enough as mine is covered with brick. Unfortunately, my house, the garage is sideways on the house so I can't use the garage door as a surface unless I bought a second projector. I've not yet got into VDO Mapping but it looks interesting. Now creating a display that uses both our LOR controllers, pixel controllers and etc...plus adding in VDO, that would be nice.

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On 1/21/2017 at 5:51 PM, sasmuse said:

Hi All, 

This past season we added video mapping and video projection to our light show. It worked fine, and people loved it. The only problem was that the projector wasn't bright enough. Due to our yard configuration, we need to use a short throw projector. Due to our budget we purchased an Optoma X305ST which is a short throw DLP, 3000 lumen projector. 

We do other lights in addition to the projection. Like I said, it was okay, but we need a brighter projector. I'm just wondering what type of projector or projectors (if you do stacking or splitting) that other people who do projection are using?  Please let me know you your thoughts.   Thanks.

Sally Simpson

www.tisthesimpsons.com

Are you able to start and stop the projector solely with the LOR controller?

 

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8 hours ago, dgrant said:

I am contemplating this same projector for my house. Hopefully it'll be bright enough as mine is covered with brick. Unfortunately, my house, the garage is sideways on the house so I can't use the garage door as a surface unless I bought a second projector. I've not yet got into VDO Mapping but it looks interesting. Now creating a display that uses both our LOR controllers, pixel controllers and etc...plus adding in VDO, that would be nice.

Will you be using the LOR controller to run the projector?

 

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4 minutes ago, lonsenior said:

Are you able to start and stop the projector solely with the LOR controller?

 

3 minutes ago, lonsenior said:

Will you be using the LOR controller to run the projector?

 

The controller has nothing to do with video, it comes directly from the computer. If you are using a director, no video for you.

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14 hours ago, dgrant said:

I am contemplating this same projector for my house. Hopefully it'll be bright enough as mine is covered with brick. 

In all my testing to get the projector in the "right" place, it looks like the 4200 lumens will work out well with the real thing. Below is the projection on the house last night using the projection mapping software available through digitalpressworks.com. I also showed a copy of videos on the house and they appear to work well, but time will tell.

Image00001.jpg

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Here is my house several years ago. The bushes are larger now than then but the holly bush is leaving permanently.

DSCF2418%202.jpg

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On 6/11/2019 at 3:47 PM, PhilMassey said:

 

The controller has nothing to do with video, it comes directly from the computer. If you are using a director, no video for you.

Since I want my lights to work in unison with the video, it looks like I will be using After Effects to create a MP4 that will act as my music for LOR in  MP4 format and then have the music and video embedded in the MP4. I have been testing the theory and it seems to be what I need. No Director involved at all.

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5 minutes ago, lonsenior said:

Since I want my lights to work in unison with the video, it looks like I will be using After Effects to create a MP4 that will act as my music for LOR in  MP4 format and then have the music and video embedded in the MP4. I have been testing the theory and it seems to be what I need. No Director involved at all.

I agree with your assessment Ionsenior. I haven't put the theory in practice yet, but everything I've read leads down the path you are going. 

I used a sequence last Halloween, Ghostbusters. Now this year I plan to add video projection mapping to this sequence in the manner you described. But I'm going to buy the video ready for my house, from digitalpressworks. I've done a test of the projection and mapping the house, with Matt approving the process so far. However, it appears that a critical aspect of the whole process is to ensure that the projector is in the exact same place, night after night. Since I plan to take everything inside each night, I've got to make sure that each night the projector in a box is in the exact same place as the night before. I've got a way that I'm going to try, other than paint on our driveway. Here's hoping.

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17 hours ago, Tim Dorr said:

I agree with your assessment Ionsenior. I haven't put the theory in practice yet, but everything I've read leads down the path you are going. 

I used a sequence last Halloween, Ghostbusters. Now this year I plan to add video projection mapping to this sequence in the manner you described. But I'm going to buy the video ready for my house, from digitalpressworks. I've done a test of the projection and mapping the house, with Matt approving the process so far. However, it appears that a critical aspect of the whole process is to ensure that the projector is in the exact same place, night after night. Since I plan to take everything inside each night, I've got to make sure that each night the projector in a box is in the exact same place as the night before. I've got a way that I'm going to try, other than paint on our driveway. Here's hoping.

I live on 5 acres and I plan to put a concrete block in the field where I will be using the projector. My theme is the 4th of July. I am projecting onto 10 sheets of OSB. It is a onetime show. I do not repeat the show over and over. It is for invited guest only. The link below was just one of 4 songs that I animated in 2017. I add to the boards but did not get a good video of 2018.



https://youtu.be/4tCXueZ7KTU

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2 hours ago, lonsenior said:

I live on 5 acres and I plan to put a concrete block in the field where I will be using the projector. My theme is the 4th of July. I am projecting onto 10 sheets of OSB. It is a onetime show. I do not repeat the show over and over. It is for invited guest only. The link below was just one of 4 songs that I animated in 2017. I add to the boards but did not get a good video of 2018.



https://youtu.be/4tCXueZ7KTU

Wow, 5 acres. That gives you a very big canvas. Look forward to seeing your 2019 4th of July display, including the Video Projection Mapping. (Looks like we have gotten off topic)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Tim,

All is going well for my project so far. However, the video mapping will be for my 2020 show. I prepare as far out as possible for my shows. This year I added stage affect flames. Next year will be video mapping if all goes well.

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Ok I have a question about all of this. I have been wanting to do this for some time now, So this is what I did. I am asking here because I could not find anywhere else here with the same question. Hope someone can help.

Ok, bought projector, and 60 ft of HDMI cable, Got the videos I want to show, Sequenced my lights to the video by adding the video to sequence editor, ( get small screen of video as I sequence ) when done I save LOR files and video to same folder.

Now setting up show editor. I know how to set up my normal show but video? this is new. so my question is do I do anything different? or when I set up my show, do everything like I normally do and when my show starts, a screen will appear on my show laptop

displaying the video,Like in the sequence editor, enlarge the video screen, and the HDMI cable will run from laptop to projector to show the video I sequence to?  BTW power to projector will be on a separate timer set for 5 mins before my show actually starts to warm up and turn off 5 mins after my show ends for the night.

Please let me know if this is correct and if not, what do I do?

thank you in advance

Dennis 

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