Why?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Are cheap LCD TVs much cheaper than the cheapest equivalent size TFT monitor?

Surely it's basically the same technology?

[DMX Will]

I thought it was the other way round? I thought TFT Monitors were more expensive that the TV equivalent.

Most LCD TV's also have a VGA input too, so can be both.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I thought it was the other way round? I thought TFT Monitors were more expensive that the TV equivalent.



That's what I said :confused:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Most LCD TV's also have a VGA input too, so can be both.

I didn't know that.

Might be looking for LCD TVs next time then rather than monitors.

[groovy-nights]

32inch lcd telly used as a moniter when vjing £400

[DMX Will]

Wait, I said it the wrong way round!! lol

To clear this up i meant:

I thought TFT Monitors were cheaper than the TVs :) But if you've found it the other way round recently then you're probably right, as I haven't checked the market in a while.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

32inch lcd telly used as a moniter when vjing £400

This is what I'm looking in to at the moment.

Not sure whether to go the projector route though.

Any thoughts anyone on pro's and con's of both?

[groovy-nights]

Found it works very well with the lcd screen.quick and easy to set up. Screen was bright and clear will try and post a pic of it in use.

[Thames Valley Discos]

Projectors have dear bulbs, lcd does not, Distance not an issue with lcd but is with projector. People walking through the beam of projector, not the case with lcd.
I,m assuming you mean for karaoke use?
I,d stick with lcd monitor/tv

[DMX Will]

Any thoughts anyone on pro's and con's of both?

Projector:

Pros:
- Can project a range of sizes
- Can be used for a range of things not just projecting your Karaoke (used as a normal disco light if pointing on a crowd)

Cons:
- If rear projecting you need a distance of at least 3m to get a good size image
- Setup cost high for a bright projector (You'd need at least 1800 Ansi Lumens I would have thought)
- Bulbs are expensive.
- Front projecting isn't really an option, as where do you put the projector? (Middle of the dance floor?) - If people walk in front of it, you get a person shadow too!
- You need a screen, which can be expensive

Screen:

Pros:
- No bulbs
- Use them just about anywhere without any fuss

Cons:
- Generally smaller than projection sizes
- Harder to maintain as the entire unit is generally bigger
- Dead pixels are alot more likely than with a projector (dark spots)
- Bigger screens are heavier and thus harder to mount on truss etc

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Projectors have dear bulbs, lcd does not, Distance not an issue with lcd but is with projector. People walking through the beam of projector, not the case with lcd.
I,m assuming you mean for karaoke use?
I,d stick with lcd monitor/tv

Not just for karaoke.

I've been looking into VJing and the use of images, photos and video.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Projector:

Pros:
- Can project a range of sizes
- Can be used for a range of things not just projecting your Karaoke (used as a normal disco light if pointing on a crowd)

Cons:
- If rear projecting you need a distance of at least 3m to get a good size image
- Setup cost high for a bright projector (You'd need at least 1800 Ansi Lumens I would have thought)
- Bulbs are expensive.
- Front projecting isn't really an option, as where do you put the projector? (Middle of the dance floor?) - If people walk in front of it, you get a person shadow too!
- You need a screen, which can be expensive

Screen:

Pros:
- No bulbs
- Use them just about anywhere without any fuss

Cons:
- Generally smaller than projection sizes
- Harder to maintain as the entire unit is generally bigger
- Dead pixels are alot more likely than with a projector (dark spots)
- Bigger screens are heavier and thus harder to mount on truss etc


Nice one Will, cheers.

You say that front projection is a bit of a no no, but wouldn't you need a lot of space behind if you were using rear projection, to get the correct size image?

I've looked into the prices of flightcases for bigger lcds and they are as much as the screens!

[Thames Valley Discos]

If VJing id go for a projector then or two large monitors, but like you say the cases are a fortune bulky and heavy.
Images , video does look good a a gig, but extra work, more gear to lug around. I think this sort of thing is best suited to fixed installs.
Great for weddings though, if you have the desire to spend more time setting things up. I find the gear i have already takes long enough.
But i guess if you charge more for this service then its an option for clients to consider

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

If VJing id go for a projector then or two large monitors, but like you say the cases are a fortune bulky and heavy.
Images , video does look good a a gig, but extra work, more gear to lug around. I think this sort of thing is best suited to fixed installs.
Great for weddings though, if you have the desire to spend more time setting things up. I find the gear i have already takes long enough.
But i guess if you charge more for this service then its an option for clients to consider

It's not so much the desire to carry lots of extra gear, more the desire to provide another service and charge accordingly.

If I do do it, it will be an extra with charges to go alongside.

Cha-ching....;)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I find the gear i have already takes long enough.


Well that's the thing, I already have a separate pre-wired console for karaoke, so all I do is take the VGA leads from the back of the console and plug in, then position monitors and do the cable run.

I don't reckon it will take much more time to be honest. (Especially if I 'delegate' the work ;) )

[Thames Valley Discos]

I think something like a 40+ inch monitor either side of the disco hung from trussing would look awesome.If packed well in transit you could avoid flight cases. after all you dont need an expensive set.

[Thames Valley Discos]

Well that's the thing, I already have a separate pre-wired console for karaoke, so all I do is take the VGA leads from the back of the console and plug in, then position monitors and do the cable run.

I don't reckon it will take much more time to be honest. (Especially if I 'delegate' the work ;) )

guess it depends how big and how good you want it to look.
A couple of small monitors not much more work, but say some good large monitors hung from trussing, would involve a bit more work.
But if you "delegate" who cares

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I think something like a 40+ inch monitor either side of the disco hung from trussing would look awesome.If packed well in transit you could avoid flight cases. after all you dont need an expensive set.

I've seen a 32" lcd for £350.

I still think you need to flightcase things like monitors, especially large ones.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

guess it depends how big and how good you want it to look.
A couple of small monitors not much more work, but say some good large monitors hung from trussing, would involve a bit more work.
But if you "delegate" who cares

I can't see that it would take that much longer just because they are larger?

Anyhow, I'm not convinced about putting large screens on truss - the weight of the monitors I've seen has been around 20-25Kg.

[Thames Valley Discos]

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/125572/rb/26688942173

look on here for some good deals. Non branded but who cares for a disco.
I,m not confinced 32" is big enough for VJing at a disco.
If going for a projector, these screens take up little room
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Floorstanding-PROJECTOR-projection-screen-150cm-Q68_W0QQitemZ160100555348QQcategoryZ22610QQrdZ1QQc mdZViewItem

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/125572/rb/26688942173

look on here for some good deals. Non branded but who cares for a disco.
I,m not confinced 32" is big enough for VJing at a disco.

You could be right.

I've got to look at all that.

Come to think of it, I've got a trade account with a company who sells TVs....I'll have to dig their details out.

[Thames Valley Discos]

You could be right.

I've got to look at all that.

Come to think of it, I've got a trade account with a company who sells TVs....I'll have to dig their details out.
Try John Lewis Darren, i mentioned the other day, they will price match and give a free 5 year warranty on all TVs. They dont need to know its not for your lounge.:D

[DMX Will]

Ok, I'll let you into a secret. Well it was only a secret until everything was sorted but here we go.

We're about to offer the whole VJ thing quite regularly (hopefully) very soon. I know someone who runs a local computer company, who is very into the visuals side of things, and I had worked with him at larger outdoor events and also a under 18's club night locally.

He has two HP 3.5 Lumen projectors (V. Nice), which when requested last Saturday we used to display "baby photos" of the chap whos birthday it was. He took it to a whole new level integrating everything into R4 (Photos and video).

The problem we had was "what do we project onto". I came up with the idea of a plain simple sheet. (However the idea moved onto a king size black sheet, with a hole of 1.6mx1.2m (4:3 TV aspect) cut out, and replaced with a white sheet to make the screen bit. So we rear projected onto the back of this screen I had made up. LOVELY. Worked a treat.

In future we will be rear projecting onto two of these screens, which by the way cost me £36 to buy, and £0 to have my mother sew them all up. There will be one screen either side of the main DJ console, and they will be held up with truss (ties most likely).

We're all ready for this part of the market, and won't be using any video mixers etc in the near future. It's all controlled via a web interface (on another machine).

Pictures below....

http://virtualsights.bustedjump.com/dmxwill/screen1.jpg

http://virtualsights.bustedjump.com/dmxwill/screen2.jpg
(You can just see the projector on the second one ;))

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Interesting idea Will.

A couple of questions for you - is the sheet flame proof and doesn't it move about if there's the slightest bit of wind?

Oh, one more - rear projection, is there a setting on most projectors so that you can do this?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Try John Lewis Darren, i mentioned the other day, they will price match and give a free 5 year warranty on all TVs. They dont need to know its not for your lounge.:D

I doubt John Lewis will match trade prices though.

[DMX Will]

Interesting idea Will.

A couple of questions for you - is the sheet flame proof and doesn't it move about if there's the slightest bit of wind?

Oh, one more - rear projection, is there a setting on most projectors so that you can do this?

The sheet isn't flame proof yet, as it was finished last saturday morning before the gig, although it will be...

The moving in the air thing, I'm looking at sewing in some chains at the bottom to keep it still, just like a theatrical cloth would. But it was just gaffered to the floor on Saturday.

As I said we haven't really been doing this long, infact Saturday was the first time we used it properly when doing a Mobile, so it's in it's "beta period" if you like.

It looks amazing though, well worth the £36!!!

[DK Karaoke]

Interesting idea Will.

A couple of questions for you - is the sheet flame proof and doesn't it move about if there's the slightest bit of wind?

Oh, one more - rear projection, is there a setting on most projectors so that you can do this?

Before I bought my projectors, I researched rear projection, and from what I can remember, you need a particular projector, or was it screen. Anyway it was a lot more expensive, like £000's for projector and just under £000 for the screen.

Opted for the front projecting which can be got round, especially if you use the extension shelf with the Ultimax stand, together with the side mounting pose. Just position the shelf up high enough at the side of your stand, and point at the screen to the side of you. This way you can see the screen, as well as the audience.

Would like to know however, the situation on rear projectors, as it was a while since I did my research.

M

[DMX Will]

Before I bought my projectors, I researched rear projection, and from what I can remember, you need a particular projector, or was it screen. Anyway it was a lot more expensive, like £000's for projector and just under £000 for the screen.

Opted for the front projecting which can be got round, especially if you use the extension shelf with the Ultimax stand, together with the side mounting pose. Just position the shelf up high enough at the side of your stand, and point at the screen to the side of you. This way you can see the screen, as well as the audience.

Would like to know however, the situation on rear projectors, as it was a while since I did my research.

M

Most projectors have an option to reverse the image, flip it upside down and the rest of it.

Most projection screens won't allow rear projection because the material they are made from tends to be thick-ish, then there is always the factor of poles in the middle of the screen holding them up etc, which of course Rear projection screens DON'T have.

A sheet is semi-transparent when you put something up close to it with light behind, I knew this from testing lights behind sheets etc many years ago. As a projection onto the back of a sheet is a intense clear image it works well.