Projector recommended model?

We have a need in our stake for two additional projectors for an upcoming broadcast. Does the church have a recommended model we should be looking for? Does it have an arrangement with a local (Utah) source that gives a volume discount? As we are weighing our options, I need to gather some pricing estimates for my stake president. Any thoughts are appreciated!

You may want to talk to your FM group.

The last projector my stake got from the church was only 800x600. More then adequate for video work. And less expensive.

dan.skousen wrote:We have a need in our stake for two additional projectors for an upcoming broadcast. Does the church have a recommended model we should be looking for? Does it have an arrangement with a local (Utah) source that gives a volume discount? As we are weighing our options, I need to gather some pricing estimates for my stake president. Any thoughts are appreciated!

As Russell mentioned talk to your FM group. Many times they will have a couple of spares on hand for just such an occasion.

Techgy wrote:As Russell mentioned talk to your FM group. Many times they will have a couple of spares on hand for just such an occasion.

From the Meetinghouse Webcast FAQs:

Where does the budget come from for the components needed for meetinghouse technology?
The local unit pays for Meetinghouse Webcast components (examples: Webcast Communicator, video camera, cables, tripod) from local unit operating budget, or from other area funds as an area presidency may decide.
Standard meetinghouse items (such as video projector, portable projection screen, and draperies) are part of the meetinghouse standard configuration and should be purchased, installed, and inventoried by the facilities managers over your area as resources are available.

Earlier this year, my Stake President asked me to acquire a projector for each of two buildings in our stake that are designated as stake broadcast receiving sites. After reading the above FAQ item, I contacted our FM Group Director. Up to that point in time, they had only been providing projectors for buildings equipped with satellite reception and he was not aware of any responsibility beyond that. He investigated and confirmed that he indeed was responsible. However, he would not be able to provide the equipment from this year's budget. Since our stake had already budgeted for it, I proposed that the stake go ahead and purchase the projectors. He said that this would be against policy and asked us not to do it.

I would imagine the benefits of standardization to be at least part of the reason for the policy. I don't know if the policy he was referring to is subject to interpretation or not. We could have proposed that he provide us with a description of the church supplied projectors and the stake go ahead and buy them. However the President decided to wait until FM was able to take care of it, so I don't know if that course would have been in accordance with the policy.

In the meantime, since our stake center has two projectors, we move them out to the remote buildings when we do stake broadcasts and bring them back afterwards for use at the stake center.

As already suggested, you definitely should consult with your FM Group.

dan.skousen wrote:We have a need in our stake for two additional projectors for an upcoming broadcast.

I would also recommend that you evaluate carefully if the need for the additional projectors is an ongoing need, or if it is an unusual circumstance. Perhaps one projector is an ongoing need, but the other is exceptional.

We have had a need for an extra projector a couple of times in the last 8 years. We have had no difficulty asking around and borrowing a projector from a stake member on those occasions. Failing that, it wouldn't be that hard or expensive to rent a projector for a weekend; as long as the need is quite rare, that could be more cost-effective than a purchase.

We recently went through the process to obtain projectors and after doing "shopping" found that it is policy for the Physical Facilities representative to obtain projectors through the FM group. We were pleasantly suprised at the excellent pricing (better than outside offers) and the quality of the provided equipment.