SamanthaD

Read this - it's true. Proceeds from HP are directly funding anti-trans hate.

To earn more money for Rowling so she can further her cause to make transgender people's lives a misery. Watch this and support persecution of a minority who pose no threat to anyone.

Are you using all the outputs or just the 2 main channels? Affects any recommendations! Also - can you define "budget"?

A few on the team have the older version of these - https://cpc.farnell.com/it-dusters/it-pt8-bk/cordless-air-duster-pro-8-space/dp/SA04882 - we use them on projector filters. I still use a small paint brush because it's lighter (always in my tool bag), batteries never die and it removes the temptation to blow the filter out in situ. But that's just me and I get called an old fuzzy duddy for it!

My usual shout out for GVAV - we use their Exeter office but they're nationwide and have an office in Coventry that should service Milton Keynes.

Cutting off sounds more like an RF issue rather than a level / gain issue. Are your antenna extended and vertical? Clear line of sight? Are the receivers on stage or at the back of the hall, or in another room altogether? If using Channel 70 (863-865 MHz) then it might be someone else in the area using the same channels, or an intermodulating channel. Maybe your mics are intermodulating with each other? So many possible issues that without any further info diagnosis would be really hard. A photo or two of your units would help, powered on if possible to show frequencies etc. Can't think of any local installers around that area, but Henley Theatre Services are just over the border in Henley-on-Thames and should be able to sort you out. For this I'd suggest going more with a theatrical company rather than AV - most AV companies are more boardroom / classroom focussed than live event style setups which this falls more under.

Anything over 30 capacity and you really should be onto projection for text legibility (unless you're using 72 point fonts on your presentations!) There are some fancy, foldable LED screens out there such as this from from Viewsonic, allows the screen to be stored away from footballs when not in use but also adds a support cost to you. I'd stay with projection!

At this point I would advise against getting a DSLR - new lens options are slim to nil as manufacturers are moving away from DSLR to support mirrorless cameras (I went to the Photography and Video show at the NEC and was bitterly disappointed with the lack of support for my Canon 5D Mk4!) Mirrorless cameras might be good, more like a phone to operate in that the screen is used more than the viewfinder (the viewfinder is a mini-screen anyway) and with exposure simulation you can effectively see what the image will be like before you press the shutter. However there are some features that might cause issues, such as pre-emptive taking of photos which could potentially be a safeguarding issue, and the battery life on them is rubbish. Issued (non-personal) iPads really are such a better choice. Secure, backed up storage. Flexible for photos and videos. Easy to use. For school use there's really no better alernative IMO.

Does your camera have any other outputs? 3G-SDI run or HDMI > CatX converters would be more reliable, then convert to USB using something like an Elgato or Magewell capture card? This is what we do with our hybrid lecture theatres....

Not quite. Have a look at https://www.softdb.com/sound-masking/ - explains it better than I ever could. I heard one of their specialists - Hanieh Motamedian - talk at a conference and she knows her stuff on this!

I watch a lot of Soundproofing Expert on YouTube - they design and build soundproof drum rooms etc. Main thing they always say that's relevant to this is anything that is sold as acoustic or soundproofing is likely no better than the standard equivalent. They don't use acoustic plasterboard, just 2 layers of standard plasterboard, with a staggered fit. Also different densities of materials is important to absorb different frequency ranges, so they use different densities of Rockwool with the plasterboard, OSB outer skin etc and make sure it's sealed with silicone. A different alternative may be acoustic masking - not my forte at all but I've heard (get it?) great things. Might be worth a look.

Real world experience of using laser projectors - they can last years if cared for and installed in clean environments. They're not maintenance free, you do need to clean the filters as you would do for older lamped models. We've seen yellow blooming on the image on some, but these are in chalkboard spaces (yes, we still use chalk because another HE institution does) so there might be a correlation between chalk dust and the blooming. We've had to setup a routine nightly power down command as users were just disconnecting their laptop and walking off - this was eating light engine life. But in some rooms we've had 8+ years on the same model, no issues.

We have our cameras installed by an external company to remove any liability. All fitted with load tested safety lines secured to the concrete plinth above the suspended ceiling, as per the manufacturers instructions. Every hole drilled into the wall is risk assessed and asbestos checked before a single tool is held. Full RAMS and PTW's raised for every install. It is endless, but unfortunately these days very necessary.

Food for thought (see what I did there?) This is suspended over staff and pupils. If a homebrew solution fails and hits someone on the head who is liable? Compare that to something designed to be up there, installed in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. The cost of the legal defence and institutional reputation will soon add up to more than doing it right the first time. This is why we cough up for the expensive cameras, we'd rather that than have increased risk of harm coming to the people underneath it. But you do you!

A lot of issues can be solved with placement. Are your speakers placed effectively? Pointing at the crowd? Distance between the speaker and the audience? If the music is loud enough then maybe this is ok, but might be worth considering if that can be improved. Height is also worth thinking about - get the sound over peoples heads so it's not absorbed by the first row of bodies. Also - microphone placement. Using mics outdoors is not the same as indoors and getting the most level into the mic at the start of the signal chain is essential. Indoors PA's tend to be more reinforcement systems that do very little - outdoors they need to take the brunt of the work. Tell the speakers to get the mic onto their chins, speak loudly, slowly, clearly. Standing 3 foot away is not going to work. Adjust the mic stand for every user. Push them into the mic if you need to. We used to use the acronym CLAP in the forces - Clear, Loud, As an order, With Pauses. Transfers pretty well here too. For a comparison - we use a LD Systems Roadbuddy - 120w at 115dB - for our exams PA. One speaker on a tall stand fills a sports hall, just a little coaching and thought can produce excellent results. Hopefully that gives you some no cost ideas to think about!