Video projector for theatre screening

A

AdamT

Active member
I'm premiering a documentary at a theatre next month, and they have a Sanyo PLV-80 projector. I don't know much about video projectors. I am planning on exporting the film via FCP out to P2 format, and use my HVX200a as a player into the projector.

Would this work properly with their projector, and what cords would I use to make the connection?
 
It would work, though I don't know anything about the quality of it. You would use the component cable which came with the camera.
 
Here is a pic of the back of it. So the R-G-B BNCs would be what you'd use with the component cable then? It's hard to see from this pic, but are the audio inputs that go with the component a mini-jack (Audio 2)??

PLV-80_input_panel.jpg
 
No, you'd use the component RCA jacks on the lower left, and the audio RCA jacks right next to them. The green component plug would go into the yellow "Video/Y" RCA jack.
 
Using those lower plugs makes the audio default to mono. I assumed the BNCs would be used, as there were RCA to BNC adapters that came with the HVX. So you would use those on the end of the HVX's component cord. Using the Input 2 jacks gives you stereo audio.
 
I figured you ought to use the RCA jacks in Input 3 because otherwise, it doesn't look like you'll be able to connect your audio unless you have an adapter. The video should be the same either way.

Why would the audio default to mono? Is that on the projector? Shouldn't have anything to do with the video inputs.
 
Yeah it's the projector that defaults the RCA audio inputs to mono (read it in a review about the projector).

I believe the input 2 audio is a miniplug (by the looks of the pic). Perhaps I could just run a line from the headphones jack for stereo?
 
We have the sanyo PLV-70 projectors at the theatre where I work and those inputs are pretty much identical. When we've had filmmakers screen their non-35mm films at our theatre, they have either opted to use a dvd player and utilized the component inputs, or a laptop and the dvi input for the video. Which isn't to say that your hvx plans for the video input wouldn't work, however, in all instances we always took the sound from the source via two stereo rca cables and ran them straight into our sound processor and set it on non-sync (meaning not synched with the 35mm film) so that the sound would actually be heard through speakers in the auditorium and not the tiny speaker on the projector. We utilize the center, left and right channels for our non-sync audio, some theatres may only utilize the center channel.

You might want to double check with the theatre because most that use those projectors for their pre-show programs on a daily basis, do not have anything hooked into those audio inputs on the back.
 
Bump for anyone who may have additional info about this. I'm still not sure the correct approach to take with the connections.
 
Looks like either the BNC or RCA component inputs should be fine for the video, which would connect to the component video/D4 cable that came with the HVX. Don't connect the audio to the projector though, or it'll come out of the crappy little speaker inside it. The theater should have a separate audio system (amp, speakers), so connect the HVX's RCA audio outs to that. Then you should have good quality in both areas.
 
Actually, I would recommend using the Input 1 DVI-D input directly from a computer. If you have Final Cut on a laptop, connect the monitor out to the projector. Set the monitor resolution to that of the projector. Then, you can either play directly from FCP or export the video as a Quicktime file. Play the quicktime file fullscreen on the projector. If your playing directly from FCP, set the cursor at the beginning and go to VIEW --> External Video --> All Frames. Hit spacebar to play it.

Using the DVI-D will give you much better quality than the Component video. It will actually give you the maximum resolution of the projector, so it should look good. For sound, go directly from the headphone port on the computer. Pick up a 1/8" TRS to a pair of 1/4" TS (Each 1/4" plug contains only one side of the audio. 1 is left, 2 is right). The theater sound system should have a mixer for your sound. if there isn't a stereo channel, put each 1/4" into two separate channels and pan one left, one right.
 
JCal11379 said:
If your playing directly from FCP, set the cursor at the beginning and go to VIEW --> External Video --> All Frames. Hit spacebar to play it.
Click to expand...

Unless FCP has changed from V5.04, he may want to Print to Video instead, ensuring full quality is output as opposed to playback settings output which may be different, i.e. dynamic, less than full quality.
 
At the theater where I used to work, we just used DVD's when screening non-35mm.

Check with them and see if they have a similar set up. The DVD route is a relatively easy and "safe" way to deal with this situation.
 
djbobbyrhodes said:
At the theater where I used to work, we just used DVD's when screening non-35mm.

Check with them and see if they have a similar set up. The DVD route is a relatively easy and "safe" way to deal with this situation.
Click to expand...

That would mean our HD documentary would be projected in SD then? Not sure I want to do that.
 
AdamT said:
That would mean our HD documentary would be projected in SD then? Not sure I want to do that.
Click to expand...

Yes it would. Unless they've got a blu-ray player and you use FCS3's new blu-ray capability in Compressor or FCP to burn a BR disc (or another BR-burning solution). If you do, make sure it plays on their player though. BD-R discs are still a bit fussy about which players they'll work with. OTOH, HD transcoded to SD via Compressor at its best quality settings looks pretty darn good. Not a s good as HD, to be sure, but pretty darn good...

Otherwise, one of the other methods should be fine. Either HVX component out or laptop/DVI out/ The point about not playing the FCP timeline directly is a good one though. Better to render the whole movie out and play it as a single clip.

Regarding DVI vs Component video, I agree that DVI (or HDMI, which is basically the same) looks noticeably better, but it's not a deal-breaker (maker?) by any means. Component video from the HVX will look mighty fine too...
 
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