By Chase Jewell
Not many people know it but video projection is becoming a HUGE market in the mobile DJ industry. While it is important to know how to select a projector, it is also important to know its many uses. In this article I am going to go cover all this. We will talk about what specs to look for as well as how you can use your projector for multiple different tasks.
Selecting Your Projector
When looking for a projector there are a lot of things you should look out for. The first one is brightness. This is measured in lumens. The higher the brightness the better your projector can work in lighted conditions, which in turn means you can use it in many many more situations.
Next is contrast ratio. This is basically how black your black is and whether you will see it brighter than the rest of the surface. The higher the contrast ratio the better and more natural the projection is (and for certain situations you will need it!).
Another thing to look for is whether the projector is short throw or long throw. Short throw projectors are better for a lot of DJ situations because we do not have a lot of space to work with but other situations call for a long throw projector depending on your needs.
The last item to look for is maximum aspect ratio. Obviously you want a projector that is able to handle the best HD video output so make sure you get one that works for you accordingly.
Use for Video Screen Projection
This is the most obvious use for your projector. As a mobile DJ you may get asked to VJ an event. This is where you would use your projector to project music videos to the screen. When you do this make sure you have a good refresh rate on your projector.
Use for Interactive Slideshows
One of the big uses I get out of my projectors is interactive slideshows. Using software like JammText from Mixxcity INC., you can set up a small slideshow for your clients and then their event guests can text, tweet, or Instagram to the screen as well. At the end of the night you can download all the images to a flash drive or put them on Dropbox for your clients. All my clients that see this LOVE it!
Use for Monogram Projection
This is where brightness and contrast ratio will play a huge role in your projector’s performance. Using your projector for this opens you up to way more options when it comes to monograms. You can do both static and animated monograms using your projector. Animated monograms are a great way to stand out to your clients. The contrast ratio will be what makes your monogram look natural or not.
Projection Mapping
We have all seen the videos of the projector mapped cakes and entire rooms. With software like Arkaos GrandVJ you can map your projection to all kinds of surfaces. There are so many videos on how to do it, as well as different applications.
Conclusion
Using a projector used to be cost prohibitive for most mobile DJs but now it is becoming a standard add-on. If you use only one of these methods your projector will pay for itself in the long run. As I always say don’t take my word for it, always test it for yourself and decide on your own.