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Any person or committee charged with purchasing a projector for church use can easily be overwhelmed by the variety of projectors available and their endless options and features. Informed decisions require some investigation, but usually the best move is to contact a dealer or video consultant for help. This article provides enough information to help you get started.

Start with the basics. Before making any equipment recommendations, a video consultant will need to know room dimensions, seating capacity, lighting, and proposed location of the projector within the room. If a screen is already in place, you'll need to identify its location, size, and type. Identifying the possible projector mounting locations will define the projector-to-screen distance, and the type of mounting required.

The next step, and one that is equally important, is to clearly define what the church wants from the system both now and in the future. Consideration of future plans is critical to avoid the scenario of needing to replace a projector because it does not have the desired features. Matt Maxwell of Fowler, Inc., offers an example: "For instance, if a church wants to use live cameras, the recommended equipment will vary from a system where no cameras will be used."

A good consultant will use all this information to recommend a complete projector system and all the ancillary equipment to meet the church's requirements. The recommendations can then be modified and compromises proposed if necessary to meet budget limitations.

How do you find someone to work with in defining your video system that you can trust, who is competent, and who is willing to work for your best interests? First, recognize that many small and local companies that sell projectors simply don't have the experience and staff to offer detailed system and installation advice. You are probably better off working with a large multimedia company that has a lot of experience specifying and installing church video systems.

"When looking for an equipment provider it is important to ask some questions yourself," says Maxwell. "To ask how long a particular company or consultant has been in business is not rude, it's good stewardship. Do they have dedicated technical support personnel? Is support provided during business hours only? Does the system include all the cables and adapters necessary? Do they guarantee the finished system? All these questions are important to ask any prospective partner for your video system."

Peter Cullinan of Digital Projection, Inc. adds that you should ask if you'll be given the opportunity to see a demonstration of the proposed equipment in your sanctuary before purchasing. Josh Lyon of Shepherd Ministries also says to look closely at the costs of the proposed system. "You should see more than a total price on the quote," he says. "You should know how much every item costs." A good company will agree to these requirements without complaint.

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