Church A/V Technologies and Mounting Accessories Mature with the Times
By Keith Fulmer

Gone are the days of showing up Sunday morning and picking up your bulletin at the front door of the sanctuary, finding your seat, and following along in the prayer book.  While the old-school style of Sunday services still has its place in today’s worship environment, many of today’s congregations are enjoying the evolution of A/V and its many advantages. 

Much of the growth and popularity of high-end A/V systems can be traced back to the so-called “mega churches” that grew in numbers throughout the 1990s and continue to prosper today.  The big difference is that high-end A/V is not earmarked for just the big boys anymore; it has become a mainstay for houses of worship both big and small.

At one time, A/V in churches was just the “A.” There was no “V.” Worship service technology had everything to do with having a good microphone, a quality amplifier, and some high-end speakers. With the onslaught of media and video technology, congregations and those leading them were ready for more. They wanted to see better, they wanted to hear better, and they wanted to do better. They wanted to provide a higher-quality product to all those involved. 

Today, that means the integration of multiple symbiotic components that together provide the driving force behind successful worship programs everywhere. That’s right, worship programs. The A/V aspect of worship carries well beyond the sanctuary. It is an integral part of youth programs, day and Sunday school programs, and choir and music programs. It’s probably the easiest way to connect each of these ministries for the common good. 

So, what’s it going to take to put together the A/V system you want and how can you have a both functional and attractive system. While worship technology is a high-tech business, much of the aesthetics and message delivery comes from the low-tech side of the aisle. Once the integrator has selected his components, they are then tasked with the presentation and installation of the components. These mounting solutions have become an important part of the process. 

To fully deliver their message, many of the larger sanctuaries are using a combination of projection and flat-panel technology. By using a two-piece projection system (projector and screen), the altar and other pertinent areas can be flooded with clear, crisp imagery. Sometimes the director will even choose to use multiple projectors and screens to deliver a broader program throughout the house of worship. In addition to the altar area, the choir and parishioners may utilize this technology, as well, as a sort of a teleprompter to deliver lyrics and even written music in a clear and easily readable format. 

Which projector mounts to use and the appropriate mounting accessories will have a direct affect on the quality of the image and are predicated on the mounting environment.  The free-form architecture used in many new worship facilities has forced the integrator to expend more mental energy in the installation process.

Most projector mounts used in sanctuaries today tend to be of the “yokeless” variety, meaning that they use an open-style mounting format instead of a wrap-around style. These mounts have a less cumbersome look and conform nicely to the clean aesthetics many facilities want. There are many variations of this style mount available from leading manufacturers, and integrators can choose from a variety of complexity and a wide range of price points. The software integrated with many of today’s leading projectors has created an environment where the mounts can be less complex and still broadcast the highest quality images.

In addition, many of the free-form architectural designs use a vaulted or cathedral-style ceiling. To accommodate the roof pitch, installers will use a cathedral ceiling adaptor, neutralizing the angle of the roof and giving the projector drop a 90-degree angle to the floor. In applications where the ceiling is flat and parallel to the floor, the installers will use a standard ceiling mount plate that is usually included with the projector.

In still other applications, there may be a need to use the projector with a drop or tiled ceiling. Several manufacturers offer a suspended ceiling adaptor that fits neatly within a 2 x 2 or 2 x 4 ceiling tile and are secured using guy wires and safety cables. Depending upon the manufacturer, these adaptors provide cutouts for two or four junction boxes to help supply power and A/V feeds locally rather than run unsightly cables to the installation area. These adaptors usually include an escutcheon ring to give a clean finish to the ceiling mast, as well.

The other half of the package is the projection screen, which vary in size to fit the desired display area at the front of the sanctuary and the choir/chorus area. Considerations include motorized screens, which can retract and disappear, or a fixed screen that, for obvious reasons of overall appearance, tends to be less desirable.

For practicality, there are many areas within worship facilities where a projector and screen don’t make sense. In these areas, the wide variety of flat-panel products, both LCD and plasma depending on use and cost, are the video source of choice. Some smaller sanctuaries will even use larger plasmas or LCDs as their primary video and bypass the projector/screen setup altogether. 

The task then becomes identifying the expectations of the program director and then providing the mounting solution to fit the application. For wall mount applications, there are several choices, including static flush, flush with tilt, and articulating arm mounts. In an application where the flat-screen monitor will be mounted for viewing at eye level, a static flush mount will suffice. Many users tend to believe that they will always need at least a tilt mount. The truth is, the same way your old TV at home didn’t tilt and was positioned at eye level when you were sitting on the couch or in your recliner, flat-panel TVs and monitors are no different. When possible, they should be placed at eye level.  When the flat-panel application requires the unit to be placed in a higher mounting position, a mount with some tilt capability will be necessary. 

Last but not least, there will be applications where the user will want the monitor to be able to be pulled away from the wall and then closed against the wall again when not in use. In these instances, a mount with articulation will be necessary. In addition to the ability to pull the mount away from the wall and then collapse it again when done, these mounts offer the ability to adjust the monitor angle left to right, usually up to 45 degrees, and also offer adjustable tilt, often up to 15 degrees. This broad range of flexibility allows many facilities to reduce some of their overall project costs because they can address more than one area of video interest with a single monitor. 

One of the largest tasks facing installers and integrators today is the seen and unseen challenge. That is, how do they get the video feeds seen, reduce the amount of the mounting system seen, and at the same time provide reliability and functionality? Many leading mount manufacturers have done a good job of reducing the wall-to-monitor distance on their flush and flush with tilt mounts to about 1 inch and 3 inches respectively and sometimes even less. This reduces the visibility of the mount without compromising the application. With the larger articulating mounts, users can expect wall-to-monitor distances to often be less than 4.5 inches when collapsed. Some manufacturers also offer an in-wall configuration that allows all or most of the wall arms to collapse into the wall, thus providing a more flush solution. This style is mostly available for small and mid-size flat panels.

In some cases, wall mounting is not preferred or is not an option. In these instances, installers will use a ceiling mount to mount their monitor source. While a bit more unsightly, since the convenience of the wall and the wire connections are not close at hand, in many cases, this might be the only practical answer. Many manufacturers are also incorporating cable management into the ceiling mast to reduce some of the cable clutter inherent to ceiling installations.

As mentioned earlier, the “A” part of A/V was the predominant factor once upon a time, and the addition of video has not diminished the importance or necessity of audio. While large speakers suspended on chains can still be found in some churches, most of the audio program is being provided “invisibly” from sound walls or in-wall or in-ceiling speakers.  Visible speakers, on the other hand, are barely so, as improved aesthetics, custom speaker assemblies, and smaller compact speakers have become a mainstay in new construction and a desirable upgrade to retrofits.

As the mounting systems category has evolved over the past few years, and as facilities have begun replacing older tube TVs with the newer flat-panel and projector technology, the importance of the mounting systems category has found renewed life. Installers and integrators have several choices when they make their decisions regarding their mounting system of choice, and most have chosen to partner with companies that are in the mounting system business as opposed to companies that are just “selling mounts.”

As houses of worship continue to grow in importance in today’s society, the expectations of the parishioners continues to grow, as well. Parishioners want to know that there isn’t a bad seat in the house. They wish to be able to see, hear, and experience their church’s program from anywhere they sit. Technology has made it easier to deliver the message in both large and small scale. 

The importance of A/V technology in worship is a major contributing factor to keeping the seats full and the message delivered to both young and old alike. The better the experience and the knowledge that they will always be able to hear and see the service no matter where they sit, the more likely you are to get them there week in and week out.  Certainly, it will take more effort on the part of those charged with outfitting their facilities, but the planning will pay off handsomely and deliver a program that provides both the high-end technology to enhance the worship experience and, at the same time, do it in a fashion that will not compromise the aesthetic integrity of the facility’s architectural design. 

Keith Fulmer is president of Video Mount Products, a leading provider of mounting solutions for the video, audio, and security industries, www.videomount.com.