This document summarizes different types of video equipment used for technical stage operations, including long-throw and short-throw projectors, the Matrox, and Qlab software. Long-throw projectors are used for large spaces and can project images further, while short-throw projectors are better for smaller spaces. The Matrox allows splitting an image from a Mac computer into multiple images to project from different projectors simultaneously. Qlab software works with Macs and allows projecting multiple videos or stretching a single image across multiple projectors, for example to create backdrops or depictions of time of day for plays.

1. UNIT 65 Technical Stage
Operations:
Video Equipment

2. Long-throw Projectors
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Some come in HD
Can do a live feed straight from a video camera
Plays DVDs
Uses VGA cable
The further away you put the projector the less defined the image becomes
To prevent shadows being cast, you can invert the image which
means putting the projector behind the backdrop
of the stage.
You would use a long-throw projector over a short-throw one if you
have a large space. This is because the closer this projector is to what
it’s projecting on, the smaller the image. These projectors hit further
distances than short-throw ones so you could use them in a hall for a
Christmas show, for example, to depict the time
of day in the performance.

3. Short-throw Projectors
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You can manually focus the image
Uses VGA cable
Has a USB input
Can play DVDs
Flip-out mirror (the image hits the mirror and is reflected)
To prevent shadows being cast, you can invert the image which means
putting the projector behind the backdrop of the stage.
You would use a short-throw projector over a long-throw one if you
don’t have a lot of space. This is because it can only ‘throw’ the image
being projected a certain distance before it starts to become pixelated.
An example of when you might use one is if you use a phono lead to
connect the projector to a DVD player, allowing you to watch a film in
your bedroom by projecting the image onto a wall.

4. Matrox
Projector
Projector
Projector
MATROX
The Matrox works with Qlab to split the image coming through the Mac
computer into 3 images. The images can then be sent to 3 different
projectors to project onto, for example, a backdrop for a play to depict the
time of day outside of a window. Alternatively, there could be 3 separate
images projected.

5. Qlab
Projector
Projector
Projector
MATROX
(image)
MAC

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Qlab only works on Macs
It allows you to drop in MP3s
It allows you to play multiple videos (with a matrox)
Videos need to be converted to QuickTime or MP4
Using Qlab you can project more than one image or
stretch a single image across the projectors. An example
of when you would use Qlab would be, similarly to using
a matrox, if you wanted to create the backdrop for a play
and depict the time of day. TVs can also be used instead
of projectors.