If you are looking to put in a new front projection system at the most reasonable cost possible, you have come to the right place. Most churches can do their own installation with considerable savings unless it is a mega-church or new construction using multiple display devices.

First, locate a Christian-based dealer who realizes that your funds belong to the Lord and will stretch those funds to get the most bang for the buck. I have seen some proposals that are loaded with items that you do not really need.

The key factor in determining the system you purchase will be the ambient light in your sanctuary that will be hitting your screen. The more ambient light that you cannot control will result in you having a much higher lumen output projector. Seating capacity or size of your sanctuary only rarely comes into play when determining the system you need. The worst thing you can do is buy a system based on the money you have raised unless it is adequate to purchase the system your situation requires. If you don't have enough money to do it right, don't just buy a system to fit your budget.

The average system consists of a screen, a projector, mounting system and cabling. Let's address what you need in the sequence that you should consider them.

Screen

First, determine what width screen will look best in your sanctuary. Your screen will be a 4:3 aspect ratio, such as if it is an 8-foot-wide screen, it will be 6 feet high. Determine whether you want a fixed screen mounted to the wall, or a manual or electric pull-down screen. The most popular screen surface today is Matte White, which will have a gain of 1.0. One way to increase the brightness you need is getting a higher gain screen, but, as the gain increases, the viewing angle decreases. So, viewing angle should be taken into consideration.

Projector

There are two types of projectors to consider based on your physical circumstances: portable with fixed zoom lens or installation with multiple lens choices. Portables will have to be mounted from the ceiling or projection table a given distance from your screen based on the width of your screen. This is your least expensive route.

Installation projectors will have to be used if you are unable to mount the projector at a given location from your screen. Most installation projectors are mounted from a balcony or control booth located in the rear of the sanctuary.

The key to getting the right projector is finding the lumen output that will work best in your situation. The best way to determine this is to borrow a projector and try it under your worst ambient light conditions. Keep in mind that when showing video, you will lose about 30 percent of your brightness, so be sure you have enough output to do video that is pleasing to you.

Once you determine the brightness needed, you want to get a projector with as long a warranty and overnight replacement policy as possible. Warranty is important. If you have a major problem with your projector out of warranty, you will most likely end up buying a new projector due to the high cost of repair.

Mounting

You can now get a universal ceiling mount that will mount any portable projector, so that if you change projectors down the line, you will not have the additional cost of a new ceiling mount. Installation projectors, due to their size and weight, usually require a custom mount. A ceiling-mounted projector should be mounted upside down even with the top of your screen.

Cables

Once you determine the placement of your projector, you need to measure the distance to wherever your computer is located. It is better to have a little cable left over than to come up short. You will need a VGA cable from your control to the projector and an S Video cable from your video device to the projector. Some will also run an RCA cable as a backup, as it is very inexpensive and you may need it at some point with older video equipment. As a rule, you will not need any type of signal amplifier unless your total run is well over 100 feet. If you do need it, it is a simple add-on at your control center.

Finally, most dealers can arrange for a free trial software package that you can try and decide what works best for your people. Most software packages can be upgraded should you need additional features.

Ron Doerge is president of The Projector Place, www.theprojectorplace.com , and is a past chairman of the ICIA Professional Training Institute and founder of ICIA's professional recognition program.