Projection across Cypress Lake

USA: Ensuring the maximum engagement from its congregation can be a tricky task for Cypress Lake United Methodist Church, being a multigenerational church. Based in Fort Myers, Florida, it describes itself as ‘A church home for all generations’.

To attract the attention of its members, Cypress Lake has replied upon a couple of Eiki LC-XL200 LCD projectors. However, the decision was recently made to expand the church’s projection capabilities in a bid to make services even more visually appealing to its worshippers.

Based just across the Caloosahatchee River in Cape Coral, Creative Sound and Lighting Solutions was approached by Cypress Lake to design and install the new projection system. The A/V installation company specialises in deploying systems for the house of worship market.

‘In order to create some “atmosphere” that would complement the worship experience, the existing LC-XL200 LCD projectors have had their output re-directed to the rear wall and now provide environmental projection,’ explains Rob Robinson, system designer at Creative Sound and Lighting Solutions. ‘With the aid of computers, these projectors are now providing composite images from the output of PCs to enhance the environment.’

In addition to the LC-XL200s, Mr Robinson and his team deployed a new pair of the Japanese manufacturer’s LC-HDT700 HD widescreen projectors. ‘The new LC-HDT700 projectors are handling the projection of lyrics, images, and so forth,’ adds the system designer. ‘In terms of physical placement, these two projectors ended up about two feet from the old ones. We also upgraded from 10-foot to 14-foot screens to make these images larger and, hence, more appealing.’

The church is now making use of five projectors throughout the sanctuary. As well as the four Eiki projectors, an old projector remains facing the rear wall as a confidence monitor to display lyrics and visual support for those performing onstage.

The new projectors made their debut at Cypress Lake’s Easter services and have since proven a successful investment. ‘The lyrics and related visuals are larger and more visually appealing than before and the environmental projection along the back wall has also been very well received,’ says Mr Robinson. ‘The transition from XL-200 projectors to the new HDT-700 could not have been easier and everyone at the church has been very complimentary of the new projection capabilities. The combination of their new and existing Eiki projectors has definitely taken the entire visual presence in the sanctuary up to a new level.

‘Hitting a 14-foot-wide HD image requires serious lumens,’ he continues. ‘As for the LC-HDT700’s ability to handle this, the new projectors were positioned and configured for the space without any real effort. The projectors went up and worked perfectly right from the start. As always, Steve Rubery at Eiki was my go-to person in the design and application of this installation. Eiki’s commitment to its customers is impressive and this, combined with first-rate equipment, is what keeps me specifying their products for so many of our projects.’

www.creativesoundsolution.com
www.cypresslakeumc.com
www.eiki.com