You’ve found the perfect New York City venue, secured an acclaimed keynote speaker, and created a slide deck designed to get attention. Of course, there’s still another consideration to be made when preparing for the big event—which projector you need. Studies show that 65% of the population identify as visual learners, so poor projection can turn off a crowd and dilute your message. To avoid this scenario, the projector you choose should be based upon a number of factors.
Before you begin renting AV equipment in NYC, it’s important to understand that the light a projector provides is measured in lumens, which equal brightness. This is different than wattage, which measures how much energy a lightbulb uses. The higher the lumens, the brighter the bulb.
6 Tips for Renting a Projector
1. Brightness of Your Venue
If the event will take place in a very dark room, the brightness of the projector should not be a major concern. However, if you plan to keep the lights on to highlight speakers and other items within the venue, or plan to have a variety of lighting solutions in the space, you’ll need a brighter bulb. If the venue has a lot of windows, providing an abundance of natural light that you don’t plan to cover with curtains, you’ll also need to consider renting a projector that’s brighter.
2. Size of Your Audience
If you’re planning a small NYC event for an audience of 25 or fewer, you can probably use a basic, lower-cost projector. However, if your crowd is expected to be greater, and especially when it reaches the triple-digits, consider renting a projector (or perhaps more than one) with higher lumens and the appropriate lens. (Pro tip: we’ll figure out which lens to bring, so don’t worry).
3. Size of Your Screen
The size of your screen impacts how bright a projector bulb needs to be because they have larger areas to fill. If you have a large screen and a projector with lower lumens, visuals may not be seen by attendees in the back of the room, or to those at certain angles. If you’re unsure of the size of the screen, renting a projector that is brighter is always your best bet, just in case.
4. Front or Rear Projection
When renting av equipment, rear projection is often considered ideal, as the projector is behind the screen and there will never be the concern of someone or something obstructing the view of the visuals. However, rear projection reflects a lot of brightness back to the projector, which results in a significant loss of brightness (you also need to be sure there is enough space behind the screen for the projector to present the image correctly). If you plan to use rear projection, you’ll need a higher lumen projector than if you were projecting from the front, which can ultimately cost more.
5. Room Configuration
Circling back on space; how much room do you have in your venue? If a front-facing projector can’t be placed in an ideal position, and a rear projector is not an option due to space and projector rental cost, you may need to consider a large venue projector with a lens that can focus in on the screen or capture a wider angle.
6. Type of Content
The more detailed the content of your projection, the brighter you’ll want it to be. For simple powerpoint slides involving words only, you can probably get away with a projector with low lumens. However, if you’re planning to project highly detailed graphs and charts, or a high-definition video, you’ll want a bright, high-resolution projector to ensure everything is projected properly.
Choosing the right projector for your event can be a daunting task; you don’t want to risk having your visuals be poorly presented, but you also want to stay within budget. Your best bet, then, is renting a projector through a reputable audiovisual company like One Way Event Production. Not only can we find the perfect projector for your event, we can help out in other areas as well. From lighting to sound, to design and creative, our NYC experts have you covered. Contact us today to learn more.
