By
Kevin Craske (Area 9)
The
problem with putting together an audio visual is the cost.
Having had the 'bug bite' we have now progressed
to using 4 projectors which are computer controlled and that piece of
information alone indicates that it is not a
ow cost operation, in fact I am planning an article about what goes into
one of our productions but that is in the
future.
When
first deciding to go for a 4 projector computer controlled stereo system
it was decided that subject to certain
monetary constraints, the appropriate equipment would be purchased
for the job, such as cases for the various bits
and pieces, zoom lenses etc. However it was also decided that where
savings could be made without significant
compromise
this would be done and the
table holding the projectors was one such item which was up for scrutiny.
In the past I
have seen some very nice tables at Didcot and Repton meetings and have
wanted to have such a table
to make things a bit easier when presenting an A.V. (Yes our coffee
table got destroyed in the car accident over 2
years ago). Once again the WideScreen Centre was approached for their
suggestions, this time regarding a table for
four projectors stacked two and two. They suggested a suitable table which
would hold two projectors side by side
and then two stacking units for the Kinderman projectors which we have.
Now the table seemed to be a reasonable
cost, about £130 but each stacking unit would cost over £60 each! This I
had difficulty with.
I then went into
a thought mode, dreaming up ideas for the construction of a unit to stack
two projectors above the
other two and things were beginning to take shape in my mind when I
noticed what my youngest child had to help
him reach things on the kitchen worktop. We have a plastic stool, found in
most diy stores and by chance it
straddles a projector perfectly, thus the problem was now being solved
very easily, most of the building work being
already done. Two projectors can be placed fairly close side by side and a
stool placed over each. The design of the
stool is such that we cannot put a projector directly on top but we can
put a piece of wood straddling the stools on
which we can now place the remaining two projectors.
I have not tried
the idea, but it seems reasonable to me, and also I have not even seen the
table which the
WideScreen Centre suggests, but I think that we will 'go for it'. The
saving is considerable and I do not think that
an unacceptable compromise has been made.
You have to
remember that I am writing this in mid December - now- 'Dear Father
Christmas......