I am interested in adding video projection to my show, anyone have any recommendations...I really am looking for a projector that will do the job.

One rule of thumb. The brighter the better!

Trey

We currently use projection in our show, and other important things to consider is the quality of the image projected and the surface projected on. Although we purchased the highest wattage projector we could afford, we found out that using a high definition camera made a huge difference, and using an actual projection screen (instead of scrim) that has the reflective glass particles also made a HUGE difference. You an PM for details for the projector- but as mentioned already- brighter is better...

I had to research a digital projector purchase for our public library, and found that you need to establish certain variables before you can start to compare various projectors. What size image do you need? The bigger the screen, the more light you need to fill it. What is the distance between the projector and the screen (the "throw")? The longer the throw, the more horsepower you need to get there. Are you using front or back projection? That will affect the lens type and lumen requirements. Will there be ambient light? If so, you need more light to compensate. And so on.

I found that most "home" projectors run between $800-1200 and have about 2000 lumens. When you push that capacity to 2500-3000 lumens, the price jumps to around $2000. Over 3000 lumens, you are usually looking at $2500 and up. There are also some new projectors that have multiple lamps (2 or 4 lamps) with extrememly high lumen output (35,000+ lumens) and extremely high prices to boot.

Some websites have very good calculators for determining screen size, throw and lumens, which are all interrelated. Two good ones are http://www.projectorpeople.com and http://www.projectorcentral.com. Depending on your requirements, it might be worth it to hire a professional to sort all of this out for you.

BTW, we settled on an 8' wide "video gray" screen (instead of matte white) and a 3,000 lumen projector with a 16' throw. That's sufficient for an audience of up to 40 people in a movie-type environment, with a 60-degree viewing angle (30 degrees off center on either side). As they say, your mileage may vary. Good Luck! SETH

You may also want to consider reverse projectors and screens as well.