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Thread: Options for mounting a projector?

  1. #1
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    Default Options for mounting a projector?

    For those of you doing public shows with a projector rear stage shooting over the audience (Beams), what are your preferences for mounting the projector? Certainly truss mounting would be the best option but not always available. I have looked at speaker tripods but do not feel they would be stable enough.

    Thanks in advance for any advice.
    Jim

  2. #2
    mixedgas's Avatar
    mixedgas is offline Creaky Old Award Winning Bastard Technologist
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    I've had a regulatory authority shut down parts of a party I was working at due to the tripod swaying, even with the tripod lashed to some low scaffolding and some concrete blocks. He gave the promoter a warning about the ones inside vibrating with the beat. Then he went outside and looked at one that was terminated on a building 500 feet away. The Arizona State LSO was concerned about the beams moving up and down on the building where termination occured. This was caused by wind. By the time he was done,only the projectors on scaffolds or clamped to trusses were still running. This wasnt bad as there were 14 projectors in 3 rooms plus two outside, but still, loosing 3 rented systems was a failure.

    Observing the three meter rule means a fairly massive tripod anyways. But it needs a means to secure it so staff/talent doesnt trip/lean on it and kill your projector, which may stay running when tipped over.

    SO look closely at the stiffness of the tripod, its mass, and if it has large flat paddles for feet. Can you add mass to it to stablize it?

    From a safety standpoint, I'd prefer to rent a scaffold.

    Buffo or someone had a nice massive one at SELEM. Ask Him.

    Steve

  3. #3
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    Look for a tripod specifically designed to hold loud speakers and fitted with a hand winch. These are typically designed to hold a 50kg - 70 kg load and are much more substantial than those without winches.

    Expect a tripod of this design to weigh at least 20 kg.

  4. #4
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    I use one of these: It can be bolted down through holes in the feet and has a telescopic leg on each tripod to account for unlevel ground.... Modified it to utilise standard 2" clamps.. Solid as a rock...

    Mark
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails trussing.jpg  


  5. #5
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    Cool

    I bought a pair of On-Stage brand speaker stands off E-bay for $104 delivered. They extend 10 feet in the air and are rated for 140 lbs each. The tripod base is 5 feet in diameter, and the whole structure is made from large diameter aluminum tubing. (Note: These are the extended versions. The standard ones only go up to 80 inches and are rated for more weight. You need to find the heavy-duty ones that extend higher.)

    I had to get a local machine shop to build a platform for the top of the stand. It's just a 1/4 inch think aluminum plate with a piece of pipe welded to the bottom and some gussets on the side to add strength. The pipe slides over the top of the speaker stand, and my projector sits on top of the plate. Eventually I'm going to add a through-bolt arrangement to securely attach the projector to the plate, and a locking pin to secure the top plate to the stand, but for now it works fine as is.

    It's pretty stable, but if you pull on it you can make it sway about an inch or so at the top. (This is only when it's fully extended to it's max height of 10 ft. You can't budge it at all when it's only 5 ft high.) Don't know if it would pass inspection with the Arizona LSO that Steve had to deal with or not, but for everyday use in my home (or SELEM) it's massive overkill. Here's a picture:




    I agree that scaffolding is the best solution for a commercial laser show, but that's heavy, bulky, and a pain to set up. This tripod collapses to fit inside a rectangular box that is 6 inches square by about 4 feet long. Weighs about 40 pounds I guess - not counting the top plate. I've had really good luck with it so far. If you're interested, there are more pictures in my gallery.

    Adam

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