Karaoke Forums

Hey does anyone use a projector with a screen so crowds can see words if so what is a less expensive one that would do the job any ideas ive seen this before and it looks really cool? any ideas help please

My brother uses my old Infocus 4805 and projects on a wall near the stage, it's not as critical to have a screen if you are just projecting words for karaoke, but the wall can't be black. ( because it absorbs all the light ) Check E-Bay for cheap screens if you have to have one. As far as a projector, well if I were you I would get a projector that I could also use at home for movies or gaming. That would mean getting a proj. with a 16:9 naitive resolution.

The prices have come down dramatically in the last year or so for true high definition projectors. 720's can be had for under a grand and 1080's are below 1500.00. Go to Projectorcentral.com or try the AVS forum and you can find tons of info there to help you make your decision. Sorry, there are just to many options to cover them all here. Good luck, Rudy.

Don't go by the price.   Go by the lumins.   If it isn't bright enought to see in the day light, i wouldn't waste my money.

No proj. is bright enough to show a decent picture in a non light controlled environment during the day regardless of lumens, how much you can control ambient light determines how many lumens you will need to have a decent picture.

Sony makes a screen that can be used in broad daylight but I don't think you want to spend 4 grand on a screen. Price is always a factor unless you happen to be Bill Gates, as I said before, do some research and make an educated decision. Rudy.

KJ,

I have a set-up that I posted about before. I have a portable rear projection screen and a 8 foot front projection screen. I use them depending on venue size. I run karaoke and also Video DJ. I love it. Those that say you can't project in a well lit room are full of crap. You need a good projector, with at least 2000 lumins, but you can buy them new for pretty reasonable price. My NEC I bought on Ebay for $400. The only problem I have had is proving that the screen is as bright as I say it is, because it's impossible to get good pictures to post on hear.

Here's a shot of the portable rear projection screen:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22794316@N03/2200422876/

Here's a picture of the system running at one of my gigs:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22794316@N03/2228319839/

Here's the 8 foot front projection screen:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22794316@N03/2289956818/

I wanted to do this for a long time and finally broke down this year and put the set-up together. Customers love it. i like it too. Here's a shot of Music Video running:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22794316@N03/2195898297/

If yo have any questions I can help you.

Ok, one more time, listen carefully, home theater projectors are not designed to be viewed in a non ambient light controlled room like presentation projectors. ( and even they don't look great ) Will it show a picture, yes, would you want to view a movie or videos or whatever for any lenght of time, no. Which is exactly why Sony designed their screen for daytime non light controlled rooms. Regardless of LUMEN output any direct light on the screen is going to wash the picture out. Well lit from lights in the room and ambient light from outside sunlight are two different things.

I watch my Mitsubishi 1000HD with the kitchen light on and the lamp on in the viewing room and it still looks great ( on HD content ), but if I open up the shades during the day the picture goes to crap, and the Mits is a light cannon. Oh and by the way don't believe the lumen output specs you get from manufacturers they are rarely accurate. Once again, read reviews, find out how much ambient light the room you will be projecting in has, decide if you will use the projector for anything else ( home use ) and make an educated decision. There are tons of projectors out there as well as different technology to choose from ( are you prone to rainbow effect? ) so take your time and good luck. Rudy.

Rudy,

I don't want to argue with you. I am tired of people on here continually telling me and other's that we don't know what we're talking about. Look at the pictures in the links above and make your own jusdgement on the quality of the image.

I am doing this, using it in different venues in different light conditions and it works and looks very good. In most cases, I have to turn the brightness down, because it's too bright.

I am trying to help a fellow KJ who asked for opinions from someone who is doing this for KARAOKE, not in their frickin' kitchen and who said anything about home theater projectors?

I will bow to your superior knowledge on the subject.

Mitsubishi 1000HD  LMAO

Not enough lumins to be considered a daylight projector.   No wonder it gets washed out.    Learn about lumins.

I have used projectors that had to have the bar lights turned way down.   THEY SUCK.     You need as many lumins as you can afford to have a projector that is worth anything.

If it ain't a daylight projector don't waste your money.   Been there and done that.   My 2 worthless projectors were $2000 each.   But that was the brightest available at the time.    

Daylight projector or throw your money in the toilet.

If you think about it, a bar is the worst atmosphere for a projector with all of the neo
n lights shining different colors.  I have seen neons so bright you need sunglasses to look at them.  So they are going to wash out the pictures from a lower lumin projector.

Dennis I explained why I thought it would be wise to invest in a projector that could double as a home theater projector, don't blame me because your reading comprehension skills are not up to par.

You claim to be just trying to help a fellow KJ, yet you chose to be insulting and small while doing it, then you have the gall to accuse me of having a superior attitude. You started this pi$$ing match and now you are trying to play innocent, come on man, it's right there in black and white. Where we differ is what we call well lit, that is all. To me it means daytime with the outside light coming in and washing out a projectors image. I have seen hundreds of screen shots and as you probably well know too, they don't mean a whole lot.

I have owned projectors for the last 3  or 4 years and have done a lot of research on the subject on the AVS forum. Do I know more than you, maybe, maybe not. I never claimed to know more than you. My projector still looks good in enough light that you can sit there and read a newspaper, I simply don't consider that a well lit room. You have a different idea of that term, so be it. You can say what you want now, I will not post on this thread again just to avoid the conflict. Have a good day sir, Rudy.

As for you SW, your post as always speaks for itself,  there is nothing I can say or do that can make you look as dumb as you make yourself look. Keep up the good work, you won't be here much longer.  ( Daylight Projector? )

I have used my projectors in bar atmospheres and you have to much light interference from the neons.   Not near an ideal viewing situation.  You won't have them in your 'Home' theater.    The bar is the bigger concern.  

I just stating my stupid facts from stupid experience.

Big lumins rule.

Picture brightness is a big concern for TV maufacturers because of the clearity of the picture.     Big bright projectors will give a big bright clear picture.


KJ-Karaoke, You have the info from experience, you decide.

Ok, I am going to go against my word and post one more time. SW, whether you realize it or not you are basically agreeing with what I said. Projectors regardless of how bright ( LUMEN, not lumin ) are affected by light, how they are affected depends on the light source, that is where Dennis and I got our wires crossed.

SW, not all home theaters are the same, some are dedicated and are completely light controlled, and some like mine are simply in the living room and are in a ambient light rich environment. As also not all bar environments are the same, the bar we play in is fairly dark, but I have been in other bars where as you stated neon signs or whatever would make it hard to see. I was trying to help the initial poster by making him understand what he should know before purchasing.

To give one answer in an unknown situation is simply being arrogant and not helping the poster at all. I also tried to make the poster understand that if you are going to spend a significant amount of money on a projector, why not be able to use it at home also for gaming or movies.

In a dedicated home theater that is light controlled big lumens do not rule, it will cause eye fatigue and big time headaches. Contrast, color accuracy and a dozen other things play as significant as a role as lumens.  


SW quote:

Big lumins rule. Banger

Picture brightness is a big concern for TV maufacturers because of the clearity of the picture.     Big bright projectors will give a big bright clear picture.



This whole statement is so wrong I will not even bother to go into it much...... just know that brightness and clarity do not go hand in hand. Comparing TV manufactures and projector manufactures are like comparing apples and pork ribs. Sadly as always you do not know as much as you think you do. One word " RESEARCH " SW I know you are an intelligent person, I can see that from some of your posts, but sometimes you need to step back and just read and not stick your keyboard in your mouth. RANT OVER!

I have used $4000 worth of low lumen projectors.  I have been looking at the new ones and i won't buy one unless i can get the biggest lumen projector they make.    I have seen projectors that can be seen very clearly in broad daylight.    That is where "my" money will be spent.   It won't matter if the bar is on the 50 yard line in the open air King Dome at high noon, the picture will be seen from the end zone cheap seats in peanut heaven, with the naked eye.

You can turn out all the lights in your livingroom.  You can not turn out all the bar lights.   And what about bright white and colored dance floor lighting bouncing all around the room?    And people that can't see to read the song books?

No, i am not agreeing with you.   It's too big of an investment to screw up.

Rudy,

I said I didn't want to get into an argument with you. I just felt that your position was too strong, when you consider the use. I will agree that if i am outside trying to project an image, it will get washed out. Most bar venues are not daylight, and very rarely do we work during the day. The quality of image that you can get from most newer projectors has improved significantly in the past couple of years, and the cost has come way down.

The problem I have, is that we aren't even trying to have a discussion on the subject. The opinion that it just won't work is wrong. It works just fine, and the customers love it. The one thing that you don't understand, is that my normal system is rear projection, thru a fresnel lens that is designed to concentrate the projector brightness, and it works fine in daylight. If you took the time to look at the pictures you could see that. Reflective light, that comes at angles to the sreen can effect it some, but it is still watchable. I haven't seen many cases where there was a problem. Light shining on the screen from behind does cause problems, but this has nothing to do with the projector.

My only point is, allow people to at least hear what others are saying, give people an opportunity to make their own judgements. I think the problem is we both have  strong opinions on the subject, and thus we clash.

I understand where your coming from, but for the purpose of showing karaoke lyrics, and in my case music videos it works quite well. In fact once I set it up, the image quality and brightness was quite surprizing, much better than I expected. For this purpose it works great.

Just for the purpose of understanding the reason I have said what I said, here is the original post to this thread:

"Hey does anyone use a projector with a screen so crowds can see words if so what is a less expensive one that would do the job any ideas ive seen this before and it looks really cool? any ideas help please"

Ok, no expert here, but I do run a projector for karaoke at home. Yes having a dark room will give you a better picture. Yes, please make sure you are using it for other things besides your shows. I have been to shows with and without projectors. Its not a make or break thing.

I would suggest looking at Costco.com for projectors. Many come with screen in the package. Also do some research at places like your local home theater stores and Home Theater Magazine ( they have a web site just cant recall address).

After much searching I went with a Optoma projector, cost was about $800.00 with screen, from costco. Nice picture, even in light room. I will say this when you blow up cdgs on big screen it does blur a bit, but with a better connection this isn't really noticable.

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