I am in the beginning og making my first setup and have gotten some cheap projectors to experiment with.
I have been searching for a way to mout the projectors in an easy and adjustable way in the rigging usually available at the venues where I am doing my performances. I find any, I can find lots of links to generic ceiling mounts, but I can’t find any truss mounts.
Do any of you people have any recommendations regarding truss mounts for small projectors that are not custom made and don’t cost a fortune?
I’ve been doing projector installations on the fly for quite awhile, and have seen just about every method out there. For portability and speed, nothing beats a thick metal plate, with holes drilled in it where the projector mount screws align. Then, in the middle of this piece, put a standard tripod-nut. I use JB Weld to glue this to the back of the plate. Then, you can easily adapt to a Manfrotto superclamp, and from there, to what’s called a pipe clamp.
The key to all this is the plate. Most sub-10lb projectors can get by with just two of their screws holding the projector up. Build an X or a triangle if you need more. On my 4200 lumen projector, I build an “X” to hit all 4 mounts, with a tripod-sized bolt holding it together in the middle. Not only is this WAY cheaper than the “ceiling mount” junk out there, its also low-profile, allowing the projector to fit in its original case by just unscrewing it like you would a camera to a tripod.
Oh, and you’ll need a ball head for aiming. Manfrotto has fancy one’s, but you don’t need anything expensive for smaller projectors. Slik is usually fine. Here’s some info on them
Combine this with a VGA transmitter, and your installs are a snap. No long runs, no gaffing cables down, no stands to fall down.
The good thing about the kit is it fits all modern projectors so if you want to one day fit it to another projector that is easy. It also comes with two different length rods to increase the distance from hanging spot, you can buy even longer rods. You can unbolt your clamp from the top and then screw it to ceiling if needs be.
If you go the DIY route make sure your projector doesn’t have any vents where you put your plate. If it does you have to give the vent plenty of space to breath or you could hit heat problems.
