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As the use of video projection in churches continues to grow, even in more traditional environments, manufacturers are innovating in ways that are bringing down the cost of ownership by extending lamp and filter life, and by producing higher brightness projectors that use less power. Cornerstone Church in Chandler, Ariz., uses at least six video projectors in their main auditorium. (Photos courtesy of Christie Digital)
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Huge video screens like the one shown here at Cornerstone Church in Chandler, Ariz., require images from multiple projectors to fill the space. Images are blended together to create what appears to be a single image using a technology called edge-blending. Once requiring an external video processor, edge-blending capabilities are now being built into many newer projectors
Creating an immersive worship experience is a hot topic with contemporary church production and creative teams. The process often involves creating an ambience with projection, lighting, and sound that literally and virtually surrounds the worshipper and enhances their experience. While creating immersive environments with video projection is cutting edge, what's next in video displays for the house of worship market?
Popular in movie theaters and making headway in home theaters, 3D display technology continues to be developed. There are projectors currently in the marketplace that are equipped and marketed as "3D-Ready." Some think it is only a matter of time until it becomes viable for houses of worship. Fredrik Svahnberg, marketing and communications manager at Dataton, says, "I consider the house of worship a highly [imaginative] market and also a very early adopter of new technology. I would not be surprised if we will see some of the finest 3D presentation (outside the TV and cinema world) coming from here."
Frank Anzures, senior product manager at Christie, concurs. "With the demand for 3D in the home and business markets, house-of-worship markets may also look to add an immersive experience into their presentations, which will open up some exciting opportunities," he says.
Tools of the Trade
LCD projectors remain one of the popular technologies being used today. First introduced in the mid 1990s, another prevalent technology is Digital Light Processing (DLP), which incorporates a Digital Mirror Device (DMD)-a chip that has thousands of tiny mirrors, with each mirror representing a pixel in the image matrix. Other light engine technologies also competing for market share are LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) and 3LCD. Many of the projectors available today are capable of providing HD 1080p resolution and vivid, bright colors even under high ambient-light conditions. As incremental innovation continues in projection technology, how do these advances apply in church production environments and what can we look forward to?
Latest Developments
The desire for improved image quality has placed high-definition and wide-screen systems high on many churches wish lists. Steve Rubery, manager of new business development at Eiki International, includes these on his list of advancements. "First, the change to Inorganic LCD panels increases lifespan and also increases contrast ratio-that means a much higher ROI for churches," he says. "Secondly, 3LCD+1 adds a yellow color control device to the standard red, green and blue LCD panels that increases color purity by 20% and really makes the images pop."
Some of the latest developments, though, are not necessarily anything that relates directly to the projected image. A potential surprise for many projector owners is what is referred to as TCO or "Total Cost of Ownership," and this is particularly important for churches that employ multiple projectors. Oftentimes lamp and filter replacement is not considered in the initial purchase cost, until the time comes for these items to be replaced. Then it's a shock since replacement lamps can sometimes run in the hundreds of dollars. Getting a longer life from the consumable elements in a projector is an area of focus. Sean Gunduz, product manager, projectors, for Epson Americas Inc., notes, "Recent technological developments enable manufacturers to introduce lamps and filters that can last twice as long, significantly reducing replacement part and labor costs." Additional advancements will further provide "more efficient lamp technology that delivers greater numbers of operating hours, more brightness and improved TCO," says Scott Wellington, product marketing manager, projectors, Panasonic Solutions Co.
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Mark Johnson is an independent technical trainer/writer based in Crockett, Calif., and former editor of Sound & Video Contractor and Church Production magazines. He can be reached at mjohnson6286@sbcglobal.net.
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