Main Hall - screens vs projector

[mrhall]

Our projector in our Main Hall has died - and quotes come in at about £5,000 or so.

 

So we wonder about two 75" screens instead - kind of one on each side...

 

(This might only cost £2,000)

 

Anyone done something similar?

 

Thanks

 

peter

[Steve21]

I'd say that's way too small, unless it's a really small hall. Considering a normal classroom has a larger screen normally.

 

We had a look at a few screen options even for a primary school recently and it coming out more towards the 95+ in terms of an equivalent to a projector even for their hall, let alone a secondary sized hall etc

 

Steve

[mrhall]

This is my rough attempt at some maths - showing how large a 75" screen would be - compared to the size of the current screen....

[Steve21]

Obviously it's hard to tell without knowing what's actually there. But I would assume that's something like a 120inch 4:3 screen? Which would be around 2.4m * 1.8m

 

If so those TVs are too big in comparison - as a 75inch 16:9 would be around 1.6m * 0.9m (viewable area wise), so 2/3 width and 1/2 height compared to a 120

 

Rough example as per your pic:

 

Do you know the size of that drop down? as obviously could be bigger or smaller

 

Steve

[drutt]

We use a single mobile 75" screen for our assemblies and when it's a full school assembly we bring out a second one, the staff leading those assemblies seem happy enough with the setup. They're both mobile and on motorized stands as well; this is because our assembly space is also our sports hall so keeping something in there all the time would be a bit difficult. Edited February 5, 2024 by cnewstead

[TheRobins]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]70804[/ATTACH]

This is my rough attempt at some maths - showing how large a 75" screen would be - compared to the size of the current screen....

 

 

Is it just used for assemblies, or is there sports/performances wet lunch and the rest of it in there?

[Andrew_C]

If you go for screens, you will be wheeling them out for every assembly/parents' eve/whatever. A projector should be "turnkey" - even for PE teachers.

[Rob_D]

Iiyama do a 98" screen for about £5K which, based on your sizes for a 75" screen would be about the same sized as your current projector screen.

 

If you went with dual 75" screens, would you have both running from the same source? Because if so, you need to think about how you're going to do data runs. And if you've got your display device to one side of the stage (like we do), then you'd probably need some sort of extender to reach the far screen, which could add in delay. I know if I were a school kid a fractional delay between the two screens updating would distract me from whatever the assembly was about.

Also, double the screens, double the things that can go wrong (and if you need data extenders that more things that can go wrong).

 

I'm assuming the screen(s) will be wall mounted.

Edited February 5, 2024 by Rob_D

[TechMonkey]

I'll just

for desirability.

[3s-gtech]

Our hall has something like a 120" projection, and that's not over-generous for the space (seats 600 at a push). However, I use mid-range high lumens 1080p projectors for that job so never spend more than £1000 on them (we replaced it last year due to it failing P/FAT).

[SamanthaD]

Using basic DISCAS calculations a 75" screen should cover up to 7.4m. Using 2 side by side just extends the viewing width! (Typically we use an 86" for 30 capacity classrooms, so really have to ask if a 75" is going to cut it in a hall?)

 

Stick with projection, but swap out the 4:3 screen.

[SteveB_NI]

I'll just

for desirability.

 

A thing of beauty! Really nice that!

[Rob_D]

Typically we use an 86" for 30 capacity classrooms, so really have to ask if a 75"

 

Really? We use 65" in most classrooms (with 75" in rooms like science where the kids are more spread out) without any problems.

[PotNoodleTech]

I can't see small TVs being any use to be honest - even the 86" we have in classrooms don't look that big in a classroom and would be dwarfed in our hall.

 

You should be able to get a 12ft wide image from something like an Epson laser projector for under £5000 fitted we just did our sports hall for under £4000 but saved money by actually painting the white screen on the wall rather than using expensive pull down screens etc.

[dhicks]

Anyone done something similar?

 

I had a bit of a check / consider of prices last summer when it turned out we had 4 x 75" TVs spare - I had a look at how we could join them into one display. Not actually that difficult (from the looks of things, not actually tried) - you need a controller, maybe £500-ish from Amazon, that can take standard HDMI input and drive 4 screens from that (or 9 screens, for the larger / more expensive version). Better, of course, if you can get (again, more expensive) frameless displays. I didn't look any further into it in the end as the screen area we use has a space behind that we use for storage, hence we've gone for a motorised up-and-down screen and projector as a fixed screen wasn't going to be practical for us.

[TheRobins]

First question would be "go on, how much"

 

Well, answered my own question, Put me down for 4.

 

Edited February 5, 2024 by TheRobins

[Rob_D]

I had a bit of a check / consider of prices last summer when it turned out we had 4 x 75" TVs spare - I had a look at how we could join them into one display. Not actually that difficult (from the looks of things, not actually tried) - you need a controller, maybe £500-ish from Amazon, that can take standard HDMI input and drive 4 screens from that (or 9 screens, for the larger / more expensive version).

Have you got a link for the controller?

[mrhall]

Thank you all. I've been and remeasured this morning - and yes, slightly smaller than I'd calculated first time around.

We're currently making do with a computer / projector on a trolley on the floor - and it isn't so dreadful.

We might need to try harder with a quote for a projector - see if we can do better that way. 85" or 95" screens on the walls will just be too expensive.

 

Thanks

[TheRobins]

Morning,

 

There is no real easy answer. I suppose it is down to how much the Leadership value using it at the end of the day.

 

Personally use an Epson EB-L510U on ours, just ticking over 950 hours and still going strong. They are a bit pricey, but buy once buy right. Think its now a l520u.

[PotNoodleTech]

To be honest though usually a hall actually is one of the public facing areas of the school probably and gets seen in shows/parents evenings/events/twitter/facebook etc

 

There's nothing sadder than a posh school with a 37" projector from the 90s!

 

Worth £5000 every 10 years surely and as a side benefit you get modern fit for purpose teaching and learning facilities in your hall for your staff and students! Bonus!

[dhicks]

Have you got a link for the controller?

 

I didn't get past the "having a quick look at what's available" stage 6 months or so ago. A quick search now for "2x2 HDMI" turns up a good list, including some very affordable-looking (£130 / £180) options:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bewinner-Controller-Display-Splicing-Support-UK/dp/B0B8DZ5LMH/ref=sr_1_12

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NINGKANGSHENG-Controller-3840x2160-Compliant-Processor/dp/B0BZQ9Z49G/ref=sr_1_10

 

You do see 1x4 displays fairly often now in fast food places and similar, so it's the kind of thing that's come down in price quite nicely.