Church Projectors Buyer's Guide
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Over the past 20-plus years, Projector People has helped thousands of religious, non-denominational and nonprofit organizations outfit their sanctuaries with projectors and AV equipment that gave them the tools to gain a deeper relationship with their audiences while staying within budget.
As the e-Commerce division of AVI SPL, the world's largest audio visual integrator, ProjectorPeople.com has access to the largest selection of projectors and AV equipment in the industry, as well as the most highly-trained product experts.
Below we offer some tips to consider when shopping for a house of worship projector. Of course every space is different and every organization has unique needs. Check out the buying guide below, and if you have any questions please contact our product experts at 1-888-248-0675 to get one-on-one assistance.
The Five Things to Know Before Selecting a House of Worship Projector
- 6,000 lumens for congregations of 250 or more in bright rooms
- 4,000 lumens for congregations of 100 to 150 in bright rooms
- 2,000 to 3,000 lumens for portable projection needs. The room lighting may need to be dimmed
- •Projectors with an ultra-short throw ratio (0.4 or less) are meant to be installed close to the screen. They can project large images at a distance of a few inches from a screen.
- •Short-throw ratio projectors (0.4 to 1.0) are designed to be installed at a distance of few feet from the screen.
- •Projectors that have standard throw ratio (greater than 1.0) are ideally installed several feet away from the screen. These projectors produce large images when they are placed far away.
Brightness Rating
For most sanctuaries, 5,000 lumens is the new standard for brightness. These bright church projectors can easily provide big, bright, crystal-clear images to crowds of 100 to 150 with no concern over ambient lighting. For sanctuaries that sit 250 or more, Projector People recommends 6,000-lumen projectors.
For meetings, missionary work and traveling presenters, a lower-lumen projector may do the trick. Ultra-portable projectors (between two to seven pounds) range from around 2,000 to 4,000 lumens in brightness. These can be used in normal conference room settings. For best results, the lighting in the room should be dimmed.
Church Projector Lumen Recommendations
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Resolution
For house of worship and church projectors, we typically recommend projectors with an XGA (1024 x 768) resolution. This mainstream resolution is perfect for displaying large text such as bible verses or song lyrics.
However, if you're using widescreen content, a projector with WXGA (1280x 800) or HD (1920 x 1080) resolution may be your best bet.
Projector People recently sponsored the Projecting Hope faith-based film festival.
Distance from the Projector Screen – Throw Ratio
Another factor to consider when buying a church projector is the distance it will be installed from the screen.
The throw ratio of a projector determines the size of the image a projector can project when installed at a specific distance from the screen. Projectors can be classified into three different categories based on their throw ratio.
Portable vs Fixed Projectors
Large venues typically opt for installation projectors. These 15 to 20-pound projectors usually have lens options that allow for more placement flexibility.
But installed projectors are well, installed. You can't use them in a conference room during a meeting. For smaller groups that want their projector to do double or triple duty, opt for a lighter projector that can be moved around for services, meetings and movie nights.
Aspect Ratio
The aspect ratio is basically the shape of the picture, either a square or a rectangle. You can learn more about aspect ratios here
Product Experts to Assist and Answer Questions
We offer top-of-the-line manufacturers, and our product experts are available to answer all your questions and walk you through the process of selecting the right products.
Our product experts receive ongoing training and are among the most knowledgeable in the industry. Frequent collaboration directly with top manufacturers ensures that our projector experts are familiar with new product releases and the latest technology.
We can also offer you the best deal on the phone as many manufacturers offer exclusive discounts for religious and nonprofit organizations. Please reach out to us at 1-888-248-0675.
See our recommended projectors for churches and houses of worship »