Flat panel display use in the house of worship market has continued to grow rapidly according to TFCinfo’s recent research report entitled, “The Use of Video Displays in American Churches 2018.” Of the AV-focused churches that the Palm Coast, Fla., AV end-user market research company surveyed (churches that have made a strategic and financial commitment to integrate audio-visual equipment in their worship services), 75% state that they own at least one flat panel display 32 inches+.
For over 14 years TFCinfo has been immersed in the church market to assist manufacturers, dealers and integrators in better understanding this vast market segment, which is very unique and still often misunderstood, the company reports. TFCinfo in conjunction with Church Production Magazine and Church.Design recently surveyed 778 respondents, all of whom are responsible for the AV equipment at their place of worship, for this extensive end-user research study that explores the use of video displays in American churches.
“Flat panel display use is not only increasing dramatically at the large church level, churches of all sizes are embracing flat panel displays,” states Tanya Lippke, TFCinfo's director of survey market research.
“Sixty-one percent of the churches surveyed with 0-300 seats currently use a flat panel display, 81% of churches with 301-1,000 seats and 91% of churches with 1,000+ seats also state that they have incorporated flat panel displays into their facilities.”
These bright displays are a very appealing and affordable option for churches. This is especially true as churches are increasingly turning to display technologies to improve communications with attendees and churches are adopting more ways in which they can use video to connect.
Market usage
Churches are using video displays in classrooms, in their secondary meeting spaces, smaller auditoriums, as well as foyers and lobbies that are now becoming more of a gathering area for many where digital signage is important. This report analyzes each of the video display types separately (projectors, stand alone flat panel displays, and LED panels used as components of LED video walls) and also in comparison to each other. “It is extremely interesting to see the contrast between projectors and flat panels when it comes to churches and how they use them. In some aspects it is as if one display is compensating for the perceived pitfalls of the other. Regardless, churches are finding locations and uses for both display types,” states Lippke.
“This may change, so our research includes areas of questioning that deal with future replacement for each technology," she adds. "Will projectors be considered to replace large 60”+ flat panel displays in the future? Are the flat panel displays being purchased today in addition to displays the churches already own, or are they being purchased to replace a projector or previous flat panel? Through this tracking research it’s been fascinating to see firsthand the changes that have taken place and the ones that will likely take place in the future in this market.”
Some key findings
Churches, regardless of size, are buying more projectors and displays than ever before in the past, and they are being used for a wider number of purposes as churches become more technically sophisticated. Not only is it interesting to see video display usage continue to grow in this important market, it is also interesting to see some big business brands fair extremely well in areas of purchase consideration.
Epson, Panasonic, Sony, Hitachi, Christie, and Eiki are the projector brands being most considered for purchase in the overall church market. Canon, BenQ, NEC, Optoma, InFocus, and Viewsonic also do well, especially among the smaller churches. For flat panel displays, Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, Panasonic, and Sharp are the top brands that are being considered for purchase. The religious market continues to grow, and churches are still waiting for more manufacturers and dealers to understand their needs and respond with appropriate solutions, support, and guidance, TFCinfo representatives note.
In this report TFCinfo analyzed the church market as a whole and also broke the sample by church size (seats). This allows companies to compare and contrast the preferences and purchasing of churches of varying sizes across the United States.
The 275+ page report describes the following areas in detail:
- Market Trends in American Churches
- Attendance and Satellite Locations
- Projector Use, Purchasing, and Preferences
- Flat Panel Display Use, Purchasing, and Preferences
- LED Video Wall Use and Purchasing
- Networked Displays, Future Purchases, and AV Budgets
For a complete brochure and outline of this study, or for more information on purchasing, contact TFCinfo's Tanya Lippke at: tmlippke@tfcinfo.net or (386) 264-6127.
