video display screens for churches with text hardware factory

You don’t want a LED wall that is too small or too big for a smaller venue.Our team will help you determine the appropriate size, panel modules, and displays with optimized viewing distances to meet your individual needs.

A general rule is to take the width of your stage and subtract 10 feet. For example, if the total stage width is 40 feet, a 30 feet LED Wall would be appropriate for your space. With that being said, you’ll want to consider the aspect ratio as well. Most graphics are displayed with a 16:9 aspect ratio, so unless you have custom content with a different aspect ratio, you’ll want to be sure to keep a similar 16:9 ratio. With a 30ft LED wall, your height will need to be 16 feet approximately.

LED Panels come in a wide variety of resolutions; we refer to this as pixel pitch. Determining the right pixel pitch is important because installing the wrong resolution video wall can result in undesired results or higher costs. The general rule is 2.5 feet per 1mm of resolution.

The size of your church’s screen depends on various factors, including the size of your church, architectural details, and the impression you want your screen to have on your congregation. Whatever your needs may be, we can create custom screens in all shapes and sizes to achieve the look you are seeking.

The price of an LED video wall will vary depending on factors like the screen’s size, the product used, and additional installation factors. Our staff is here to provide you with a specific quote for your project allowing you to get an accurate estimate as each installation is unique.

Pixel pitch, which is measured in millimeters, is the center-to-center spacing between the LEDs. When the congregation is closer to the screen, you need a tighter pixel pitch offering a higher resolution screen to avoid pixelation. We determine this based on minimum viewing distance and our team can assist in getting you the correct product & pitch that stays within your budget. To learn more about pixel pitch, visit our LED University page and watch our terminology video.

If you have any questions about our house of worship LED displays, contact us today. We can provide a free quote and consultation for your project. We look forward to serving you with unforgettable designs and dependable service.

At some point, a church will take its first step into the world of video projection in the sanctuary or auditorium. If you are about to venture into this new territory for the first time, or have taken that first step but are struggling, then this article is for you.

“The selection of screen correlates to the budget, aesthetic considerations and how the screens will be used in the service,” says Ameen Kadri, a consultant with Portable Church Industries in Troy, Mich. “Do you desire to use the screens simply as a communication tool that’s off to the side of the stage, or do you want to use the screens as part of your stage design, such as a backdrop to the stage?”

Screens used to simply communicate lyrics or sermon notes don’t need to be as large as one being used for a backdrop and are usually positioned away from the lighting of the stage. A screen used as a backdrop will need to be larger, and require brighter projectors because it will likely be competing with stage lighting.

Another question is rear projection vs. front projection. One screen cannot be used in both situations, since rear projection screens are designed to pass light through the screen material, and front projection screens are designed to reflect the light off its surface.

“Whether to use front or rear projection is largely dictated by the configuration of the room,” says Kadri. “It"s a matter of how large the stage is and where the church wants to locate the screens. If you want the screen located on stage, you usually have to go rear projection because the objects on stage would block the light from a front projection system. Your venue needs to have a deep enough stage to lose 10 feet to rear projection. For side screens, rear is nice so the projector isn"t out in the house seating area, and you don’t have as many sightline issues to deal with. If there’s no space for rear projection, you’ll need to mount a projector from the ceiling where there’s a clear sight-line to the screen.”

While ceiling-mounted projectors are usually doable in a permanent installation, it can be a challenge for a portable church situation. For a portable church, a table placed out in front of the screen in a location where people will not walk between the projector and screen may have to do.

For a smaller church, a 10-foot-wide screen can work well. “Once you get above a 16-foot screen,” comments Kadri, “the costs of a projector bright enough to light it well start to go up significantly. And by now, people are accustomed to a widescreen image, so there’s not often a request for a 4:3 aspect ratio screen unless space constraints require it.”

The size of projector you need will be dictated largely by your ambient lighting levels—the amount of light in the room near the screens at the normal time you have your services.

“Let’s consider a 14-foot screen, which is a common size for portable and smaller churches,” comments Kadri. “In a room with no windows, a 4,500-6,500 lumen projector should work well. In a bright room with windows, we usually suggest a 6,500-8,000 lumen projector as a minimum. Brighter is certainly better, especially if you can’t control the ambient light that’s hitting the screen. If you"re not over 6,500 lumens you"re not going to overcome uncontrolled ambient lighting. And if you"re not willing to spend about $20,000 on a projector, you"re not going to overcome strong ambient lighting.”

Most modern projectors include connectors for the most commonly used video cabling and formats, but you should pay attention to this and make sure you’re buying a projector that provides the connections you anticipate needing."For text to be readable no matter what the background image is, it is wise to use drop shadows or outlines around the letters."

And while new LED and laser light source projectors are now available that reduce maintenance costs and energy usage, Kadri says the cost of the projector itself can outweigh its advantages—especially for small and portable churches. “Typically, we"re still selling the standard arc-source lamps with LCD and DLP imager technologies. On the lower budget side, we"re selling a lot of LCD. If you can get into DLP technology, you"ll get a richer, fuller color. I find when you put them side by side, most people prefer the DLP look.”

And Kadri adds that, if possible, look for a projector that uses two lamps. “With two lamps, if one goes out, at least you will still have an image projected. If you have a single-lamp projector, if the lamp dies, you’re done.”

Most projectors these days use a standard HD video resolution, which most computers can work with and give results that are familiar to attendees. 1,280x720 is quite common; 1,920x1,080 is a full HD resolution but tends to cost more, and at the viewing distance of the typical church, would not likely be a noticeable upgrade.

Once you have a projector and screen, you next need a way to get information onto that screen. While a commonly available program like Microsoft’s PowerPoint can work fine, several companies make software designed specifically for houses of worship. Two of the more popular are Renewed Vision’s ProPresenter and Softouch Development’s EasyWorship, which include access to bibles for easy scripture references and are designed for ease of lyric presentation. However, even software designed for the needs of churches needs to be used appropriately for the best results.

“There are lots of implications when you are putting text on the screen,” says Jeff Taylor, owner of Softouch Development and primary developer of EasyWorship. “Some churches don"t put a lot of thought into it and obtain poor results. For text to be readable no matter what the background image is, it is wise to use drop shadows or outlines around the letters.

Programs designed for the church usually make it easy to use motion background video clips behind your text to add visual appeal. However, care should be taken when selecting videos to use as backgrounds.

“I love motion graphics as much as the next person,” Taylor says, “but when I"m worshipping, I like subtlety. Don"t use really flashy videos that will distract. If possible, keep the motion areas away from the text. If the motion clip varies radically in color and brightness, you may find that unless you add drop shadows or outlines to your text, the text will be unreadable at times on that background clip. Adding a black rectangle that’s semi-transparent behind the text can greatly aid in making a light-colored text readable.”

Taylor continues, “The best rule of thumb when using projection in the church, however, is to focus on what’s readable for your entire audience. Young kids can read small or low-contrast text a lot easier; older people have a harder time reading lower contrast text and smaller or more decorative fonts.”

These programs also aid in media playback, letting you add video clips into your service schedule from either a DVD or a video file you copy to your computer. While these programs frequently support playing back a clip from a DVD, it can be problematic, and it’s always better if you can have the video clip as a file on your computer. Depending on the copy protection settings of the DVD and the copyright permissions, you may be able to use a freeware DVD ripper program to extract the video from the DVD into a video file and use that instead.

Setting up equipment for projection, however, is only part of the road to success. The final mile on that path is more intangible: coordinating between those on stage and the person running the media program.

First, it’s important that the media operator understand that their role is as a worship leader, not a worship follower. The congregation needs to see the next verse on the screen shortly before they should start singing it. By the time they congregation is singing the last word on the current slide, the media should transition to the next slide so that the congregation has time to process it.

With that being said, there still can be confusion on when slides need to change, and for more spirit-led times of worship, what it needs to change to.

“Our staff meets on Tuesday for a service flow meeting,” describes Jeff Duncan, tech lead at The Fellowship in Round Rock, Texas. “This is where the pastor gives us an outline of his sermon, and the two worship leaders go over songs. I try to get an idea of song transitions or lyric changes at this point.”

“Since I am normally on the worship team as a vocalist,” Mintari describes, “I cue the operator by lifting my mic to my mouth a couple of beats prior to the words needing to be on the screen.” Most worship leaders have something they do with their bodies that will indicate when singing will resume—it’s a matter of being observant and noting these actions that the worship leader themselves might not even be aware of.

And for worship times that are less pre-planned, some verbal cues can also help. Many worship leaders will speak the first few words of the verse they are about to go to in order to clue in the media person that they are about to deviate.

“We implemented a small thing that has really made bringing up the correct verses seem invisible,” says Duncan. “When the pastor is ready for a slide to come up he simply says, ‘turn with me to John 3:16’, and as everyone is turning the pages the slide appears.”

When properly coordinated and designed, adding the visual reinforcement of a projection system can be a great enhancement to your church services. And executing the media presentation as seamlessly as possible can enhance them even further.

Due to continuing developments in projection technology, presentation software and affordable hardware, even the smallest churches—along with many traditional churches—are incorporating projected images and video into their worship services. And those that have been using projection for years have an opportunity to improve their presentations in ways never before possible. Projectors and lenses are now available to meet every demand and budget, but you"ll need the right screen surface to get all the color, brightness and clarity from your projector investment.

Many experts say that rear projection images will appear brighter. That"s because the projector is sitting in a projection room that is always dark, which allows for the projected image to transmit a brighter, higher-contrast image. “There can also be practical advantages to rear projection,” notes David Rodgers, marketing manager for Elite Screens in Garden Grove, Calif. “You can get the benefits of a large display without having to worry about a shadow when a presenter steps in front of the screen.” Drawbacks to rear projection can include higher equipment and installation costs that come along with the dedicated space for a projector room.

Front projection is generally considered the most versatile, efficient and cost-effective choice for houses of worship. “It"s not only about cost,” says Rodgers. “There are value incentives to front projection, as well, like the engaging environment that can be created by using an acoustically transparent screen. Locating speakers behind the screen also offers a clean look and significant space savings.” Disadvantages of front projection include the complications of where to locate the projector and difficulties maximizing brightness in ambient light.

Where screens for front projection are typically matte white and reflective, allowing for the efficient utilization of a projector"s brightness, translucent gray and transmissive rear projection screens allow a projected image to pass through the screen to be viewed by the audience. As a result, rear projection screens tend to drop in brightness when viewed at an angle greater than 45 degrees off-center. The bottom line here is that deciding between front or rear projection will most likely depend upon budget, the conditions in your venue, and available space.

Projected content looks its best when screen dimensions match the relative height and width of the projected image. Referred to as aspect ratio, a 16:9 ratio is 16 units wide by 9 units high and is the familiar format for HDTV. The new 16:10 or WXGA aspect ratio accommodates the latest computer formats, as well as being compatible with standard 16:9 projection. Other ratios, like 1:1 (squared) and 4:3 (or NTSC) are also in use, but have limited application in modern sanctuaries. The important point is that the projector and screen should have a shared aspect ratio. According to Vijita U.G., marketing communications specialist at Stewart Filmscreen in Torrance, Calif., “Screens can be customized to meet virtually any need, but standard fixed sizes, like 16x9 feet, are manufactured to meet today"s popular projector aspect ratios of 16:9 and 16:10 and can offer a notable cost savings.”

The material your screen is made of is another area of compatibility and should match your projector"s performance. When a projector is producing enough lumens to create a nice bright image at the screen, the popular matte white screen generally provides the best picture at the most reasonable cost. However, your installation could benefit from different screen colors and coatings if lighting conditions aren"t ideal.

Any light not coming from a projector will tend to wash out images on the screen, leaving a dull, “milky” picture. In cases where ambient light can"t be sufficiently controlled using window shades or other lighting control there are two popular fixes: Use a more powerful projector to “overpower” the ambient light or help increase the contrast of the projected image by using a gray screen or one coated with a specialized reflective material.

There are two basic types of non-white screens: one a standard matte gray and one with layers of reflective materials that can both enhance contrast and retain brightness. Amy Madden, product manager at Draper Inc. in Spiceland, Ind., reminds screen buyers, “A typical matte gray improves contrast, but does not enhance brightness—it can actually decrease it. So gray is typically the best choice for enhancing contrast with a higher lumens projector and reasonable control of ambient light.”

Screens with reflective coatings can retain brightness where ambient lighting is high because the reflective formulations concentrate the projected light back at viewers. The use of reflective materials, however, typically results in a narrower viewing angle. So, reflective screens work best when most viewers are directly in front of the screen and not off to the sides.

Where ambient lighting conditions are at their worst, consider a screen specifically designed with a lensing component to solve the problem. “Optical screens ‘know" the difference between projected light coming from the front and ambient light,” says Douglas Brasher, director of sales for dnp North America in Anaheim, Calif. “They can cost a bit more, but can solve ambient light problems and are still much less costly than LED, LCD or laser flat screen alternatives.”

Brightness is important, but on a screen that is too small your message will be lost; too large and the size of your screen will overpower the viewers and dominate the room. According to Manfred Freiberger, sales and marketing manager for the Americas with ScreenLine in Costa Mesa, Calif., “Custom screens can be built to 30 feet across and larger but, for most houses of worship that will support it, installing one or more of the common 16- x 9-foot screens provides the best recipe for success. They are easiest to design with and implement.”

While thoughts on a precise formula for screen size vary among industry experts, popular screen manufacturer Da-Lite of Cincinnati, provides design advice that indicates ideal screen height should equal 1/6 the distance from the screen to the back row. Factors of 1/6 and 1/8 seem to be the most popular guidelines used by designers.

Madden points out that while one big screen might be the most cost effective, aesthetics play a huge role in a church"s design criteria. “In many cases,” she suggests, “a wide room will benefit from multiple screens, both aesthetically as well as to get the best viewing angles.” A popular configuration is a fixed center screen and supplemental side screens.

Most experts agree that for optimal performance a fixed projection screen is the best choice, but even with the advantages of a professional look, being economical and easy to install, a permanently installed screen might not meet the aesthetic criteria or multi-purpose requirements of your space. “Rigid screens require a fixed surface and that"s not always available where you need it,” says Vijita U.G. “For those cases, there are many choices for deploy-able screens and delivery systems to accommodate just about any architectural difference.”

Where a screen will be located and how it will be installed will likely be a factor of how often the screen will be used and if the room is serving other purposes. Manual or electric retractable screen systems can virtually disappear into a wall, floor or ceiling for aesthetics or protection. “Because the screen is so critically important,” Freiberger says, “many church designers like to determine possible screen locations first along with projector mount points.”

If a retractable screen is to be mounted in a hard-to-reach location, consider an electric version with a reliable hardwired switch, RS-232 connection or radio frequency (RF) control option. Be wary of infrared (IR) controlled screen deployment for its distance and angle limitations. Where wall or suspended installations are impractical, don"t overlook the option of a freestanding projection screen that can be recessed in the stage floor or wheeled about on a floor mount.

Traditional projection screens are made of economical PVC, but spending a little more for a more lightweight, versatile or durable screen material can be a wise investment. Churches may also want to invest a little more in a screen material that is compatible with high-definition formats and is 3D- and 4K-capable, ensuring they get the most mileage out of their screen down the road. “Screens that are 4K-ready are made from new optical coatings that are much finer than previously used materials,” says Vijita U.G. “The finer surface makes for a really crisp and very even projected image.”

Some churches are getting away from the traditional screen materials altogether and have converted an available flat surface into a screen with one of the new high-performance screen paints from companies like Goo Systems and Paint on Screen. Be sure to research specifications and reviews closely—the word “screen” appears on paints that don"t necessarily have good reflective properties and that produce noticeable color aberrations.

Rodgers confirms what savvy installers and AVL integrators are telling their clients about screens. “The constant evolution of projector and screen technology means that, in many cases, the prices of screens have come down and their quality has gone up, so churches can get more today for their investment,” he says. “There are more choices than ever and higher quality products are available for less.”

Help individuals who are at your worship venue find their way around. Whether they are new or current congregation members, or just visitors, wayfinding can help individuals feel more comfortable.

Showcase your social media accounts to engage your congregation. Share social media feeds on your digital signage displays to make it easier for visitors to your place of worship to get connected.

Use a digital building directory to simplify how visitors and employees find their way. Replace paper signs with directories to save costs and modernize your building. Works well together with wayfinding.

Use digital screens to boost engagement, show announcements and other important information. Communication is possible with more than 150 apps to choose from; including social media and images.

Many churches and religious venues make use of live streaming. The service can be played in the lobby for those who needed to step out or for staff members who can"t attend in the main hall.

Another way to inform individuals of worship venue happenings. You can display the calendar for the next month, or even create individual displays for each event or activity.

Here at Aspen Custom Electronics, we’re experts in designing and building high-performing AV solutions for churches. A big part of the process revolves around equipment selection—we’re constantly evaluating and inspecting tech products (including their reputations, warranties, values, and features) to ensure each client gets exactly what they need for church AV. Quality, reliability, and ease of use are all key factors in making the right choice.

But equipment is only one piece of the AV puzzle—the type of project and your budget will influence the technology you use. In this guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about church audio visual equipment, including the stages of an AV installation or upgrade and a detailed overview of each individual aspect of your AV setup: speakers, microphones, mixers, live streaming devices, broadcast production systems, video distribution, video displays, and lighting.

Over the years, we’ve put together some requirements for church AV that we feel are unique to these religious spaces. When designing your new or improved AV system, consider the following recommendations:

Don’t buy cheap equipment to hit a budget. Cheap equipment simply doesn’t last as long as higher-quality, more expensive components. The nature of church AV equipment is that it’ll be used regularly (at least weekly) and given a workout each time, and you don’t want to be constantly troubleshooting. With this in mind, shop for value more than price; consider purchasing equipment that provides the highest bracket of quality you’re willing to pay for. It could well save you time and money in the long run.

​NOTE: If budget remains a top concern for you and key decision makers, compromise on features before you compromise on quality. It’s always better to purchase a bare-bones piece of equipment from a reputable brand than to pay for glitzy extra features from a less trusted budget brand.

Ensure your technical director understands your new technology.When you order a new AV system (or new equipment for an existing system), coordinate with your technical director/AV director to make sure they’re familiar with the brands and equipment being installed. If they need extra training, obtain it from your installer. Your technical director will need to be intimately familiar with the final system in order to smoothly operate it and be its first-line troubleshooter.

Plan for what your church needs if it grows. Instead of ordering an AV system based solely on your current needs, try to anticipate future needs as well. Installing a system that can handle 15–20% growth, for example, will insure against needing a system revamp anytime soon. Typically, such adaptation can include installing:

Avoid purchasing equipment from a “resi-mercial” brand. A resi-mercial AV brand—or a brand that’s designed to address the needs of both residential and commercial users—likely won’t serve a church’s purposes well. Instead, look for tried and true commercial AV brands whose equipment is designed and built to withstand the demands of a packed church service every week.

Ensure that the AV integrator you choose prioritizes equipment servicing. If you’re considering hiring an AV integrator (such as Aspen) to plan and install your system, make sure service is covered. Ask the question in your initial conversations with the integrator. A service agreement is important because for most mortals, fixing an AV system that’s on the fritz is not a do-it-yourself-friendly situation; if a problem should arise, it’s best not to be caught short, especially in a heavy-use setting like a house of worship.

An important gauge of good service by an AV integrator is what level of service you get once the system is installed and running. In every AV project we complete, Aspen Custom Electronics guarantees that we will be able to provide servicing for all installed equipment.

In fact, we’re so dedicated to customer success that we often service AV systems we didn’t install—customers come to us with systems installed by companies who don’t respond to service inquiries, or who are geographically out of range for service calls. Instead of leaving you in the lurch, Aspen is willing to work with you to find the best plan for troubleshooting. We’ll work to get you up and running in time for your next church service.

Aside from improving your production quality, you likely have additional goals you’re trying to achieve with your AV installation. Some of these might include:

A small- to medium-size church (one with up to 400 congregants) looking to replace their entire system could reasonably expect to spend anywhere from $50,000 to $250,000.

A medium- to large-size church (one with around 400–900 congregants) looking to replace their entire system will probably spend anywhere from $250,000 to $500,000.

It’s important to define your goals and budget (Stages 1 and 2) before hiring an integrator, because you’ll want to have a detailed discussion with the integrator about what they can accomplish within your budget. An experienced AV company will be able to view your plans, alert you to any budget shortcomings, and offer workarounds if your goals are not squaring with your budget. Workarounds might include reducing desired features, reducing output power, or completing your project incrementally as funds become available.

Throughout the rest of this guide, we’ll take a deep dive into each equipment category to help you determine the best course of action for your next AV installation.

Line array speakers: These are placed in a vertical column on the side of the room in order to send sound waves uniformly so audio sounds like it’s coming from a single speaker.

In-ear monitors:These earbuds allow speakers/band members to hear themselves without the possibility of feedback and often provide the performer with individualized control of their audio mix.

Channel count: How many sources of audio need to be mixed? Consider the number of performers and musical instruments. Most digital mixers will provide you with the ability to add more channels in the future, but analog consoles have a fixed number of ins and outs.

Operator expertise: Someone will be operating your mixer live, so keep in mind their level of comfort and expertise. Digital mixers are more complex, but might be a better option if your system is being operated by a volunteer with a technical background. Digital mixers also offer scene recall which can put the system into a known default state with the press of a button.

The equipment you use to live stream your performance is completely different from the equipment you use to project sound and video in the room. Sound mixed for the room itself will not sound the same online.

Your live streaming appliances need to be capable of talking to the live streaming service of choice. The following are popular equipment choices that can connect to Facebook Live and many other popular streaming platforms:

Tricaster: These systems provide broadcast level capabilities that allow for multiple cameras, multiple feeds, image and text overlays as well as remote camera control.

Due to room acoustics, the audio mixed for the room will sound vastly different than it will on-line. To fix this, you’ll need a separate audio feed for your live stream versus your in-person audio. A dedicated live stream mix will offer the best results.

Production systems are your all-in-one solutions, including a live stream switch, titler, media streamer, recorder, and storage device. As more churches look for solutions to live stream post COVID-19, we consider this a good investment.

We recommend NewTek TriCaster. This system allows you to decide which camera or image is sent at which time, the ability to preview what’s coming next, a view for the operator to see all cameras at once, and much more.

It can also mix audio and video so that you can display different audio and video on your live stream than what you might want to display in an overflow room or on screens on the walls. On the livestream you might want to see the preacher, whereas in the room, you might want to display lyrics, the band, or something else entirely.

Video production systems allow you to create graphic overlays, such as displaying the name and title of your speaker, your logo or church’s name, lyrics to songs, and much more.

HDMI Matrix Switch: These switches allow you to display different video feeds on different displays. An HDMI matrix switch can come in multiples of four (4, 8, 16, 32, 64, etc.) however, after 16 inputs or outputs, it might be best to consider an AV-Over-IP solution.

AV over IP: This allows you to encode video onto a data network, use the network to transport it, and then decode it on the display using standard ethernet cable in most cases. Using AV over IP, you can send as many video inputs to as many video outputs as you want. For example, you might need to send video from multiple sources to six displays. Using AV over IP, you can do that.

We recommend EvertzAV. Their AV over IP video routing system allows you to transmit video over copper or fiber, which provides flexibility for larger systems.

Video displays are television screens, video walls, monitors, projectors, or any other type of technology that allows your audience to view the video you"re producing.

Choose a projector, flat screen TV, or video wall that will suit the space. 75-85-inch flat screen displays offer a good value for their size. If you’re looking for a solution for a very large space, a video projector or video wall might be a better option.

Projector and screen: This is a basic setup using a projector and a large empty space on the wall covered by a projector screen to project a video feed.

LCD Video wall: This is typically a group of LCD televisions in a 2x2 or 3x3 grid. In this case, you’d mount the TVs next to each other, making one image out of four or nine TVs.

Direct View LED Video Wall: These are typically made of large, direct-view LED screens that can be custom purchased in any size, configuration, or shape you want. This is a more expensive option. Direct View LED walls offer larger screen sizes with no gap at the seams. If people will be located close to the screen, look for video walls TVs with a less than a 3mm pixel pitch.

Lighting sets the mood for your production, and can make or break your production quality. Front and back lighting for your stage helps speakers look their best. Proper stage lighting is also important for broadcasted video to look professional.

Intelligent lights: These are lights with motors that can be adjusted remotely, and can include custom shapes, like logos, to be projected within the lightbeam.

House lights: These are the lights that are typically already in place, and should be considered when purchasing the rest of your lighting. Make sure they are bright enough for your congregation to be able to read without straining their eyes.

If budget is an issue, audio should be prioritized over video. You can always address video upgrades in a later stage. Though video you communicate, audio is where the fundamental transmission of information occurs.

Imagine watching a video podcast with bad audio, or more commonly, a YouTube livestream with fancy video and a muted mic. Without good audio, you aren’t effectively communicating. Check out this video for a good demonstration of audio versus video quality.

This church in Perry, Oklahoma, was struck by lightning, and the electrical surge took out nearly every piece of AV equipment in the building. Fortunately, their insurance covered the loss, and they hired Aspen for a near-total redo of their system. We designed a setup with new speakers, a digital sound mixer, and a TriCaster broadcast system. Aspen technicians were even able to reduce costs by reusing a few undamaged components.

This small, architecturally noted church needed an acoustic treatment to muffle distracting environmental noise coming from outside the sanctuary. It posed a unique challenge: the solution had to blend well with the building’s architecture. Aspen technicians found and installed harmoniously styled acoustic paneling, handily meeting both the practical and aesthetic goals.

This church needed a completely new AV system in a multipurpose room. The project presented a special challenge for Aspen’s technicians, because the space wasn’t only used for worship; it also housed a basketball court and other sports facilities. Aspen met this need with ideally suited equipment, including:

Aspen’s systems and capabilities can meet a wide range of special needs. For example, we routinely outfit mixed-use spaces with robust speakers and protective gear like projector cages and protective mesh around exposed lighting. Mixed-use spaces and youth rooms also present unique wire running challenges, which our experienced integrators meet with ingenuity and meticulous craft.

Aspen Custom Electronics has extensive experience in church AV solutions, and has worked with churches like Ponca City First United Methodist Church and Countryside Church to help bring their visions to life. (Check out our projects page to see more of what we do!)

Enhancing connections between people is always at the forefront of our work, so we make sure every sermon—whether in-person or online—is just as impactful as you intended it to be. Contact us for more information.

Church stage design can feel a little menacing. The church has navigated a significant communication shift in the last few decades. Eyes fixed on hymnals are now more often looking up at projected walls. Now more than ever, there is a need to install church LED screens in the sanctuaries.

A church LED screen is a large display screen used in churches and other religious institutions. Church LED screens are typically used to display lyrics, prayers, and other text and images that are relevant to the service or event.

They are often located at the front of the church, where the congregation can easily see them. Church LED screens are typically more extensive and powerful than other types of LED screens and are designed to be easily readable from a distance.

The features of a church LED screen may vary depending on the specific model and manufacturer, but some standard features of church LED screens include the following:

High Resolution And Brightness.Church LED screens are typically designed with high resolution and brightness and can display text and images with great precision and detail. It makes them easy to read and understand from a distance and can help to engage and inspire the congregation.

Durability And Reliability.Church LED screens are typically designed to be durable, reliable, and withstand many conditions. It makes them a good option for churches that will be using the screen frequently or for extended periods and can help to reduce the need for maintenance and repair.

Easy Installation And Setup.Church LED screens are often designed for easy installation and setup and can be assembled and mounted quickly and easily, even by inexperienced users. It is a good option for churches that may not have specialized installation and support services and can help reduce the installation process’s time and cost.

Multimedia Capabilities.Some church LED screens are designed with interactive and multimedia capabilities, such as touch screens, seamless video wall displays, or other special features. It enhances the congregation’s viewing experience and engagement and helps create a more interactive and engaging environment.

Whether a projector or an LED screen is better for a church will depend on the specific requirements and goals of the project. Both projector and LED screen technologies have advantages and disadvantages, and the appropriate technology will depend on the particular needs and preferences of the church.

On the other hand, LED screen technology is typically more expensive and complex to install than projector technology but can provide a brighter, more vibrant, and more durable image. LED screens are also more versatile and flexible and can quickly adapt to different spaces and settings.

Improved Visibility:Church LED screens are typically more extensive and powerful than other types of LED screens, which means they can be easily seen and read from a distance. It is essential for houses of worship, where the screen may need to be viewed by many people simultaneously.

Greater Flexibility:Church LED screens are typically designed to be flexible and versatile and can quickly adapt to different spaces and settings. It is a good option for houses of worship that may need to use the screen in multiple locations or settings.

Increased Accessibility:Church LED screens can be used to display lyrics, prayers, and other text-based content in multiple languages, which can help to make the worship experience more accessible to people with different language backgrounds.

Improved Audio-visual Experience:Church LED screens can be combined with other audio-visual equipment, such as speakers and microphones, to create a more immersive and engaging worship experience. It improves the overall audio-visual experience for the congregation.

The main sanctuary.The main sanctuary is typically the largest and most prominent area in a church and is where most worship services and events occur. You can use an LED screen in the main sanctuary to display lyrics, prayers, and other relevant text and images to the service or event.

The fellowship hall.The fellowship hall is typically an ample, multipurpose space for events, meetings, and other activities. You can use an LED screen in the fellowship hall to display information about the event or activity that is taking place, and you can use it to create a more engaging and interactive experience for attendees.

The classrooms and meeting rooms.Classrooms and meeting rooms are typically used for smaller gatherings, such as Sunday school classes, small group meetings, and other events. It can display information about the event or activity taking place and can help enhance attendees’ learning and discussion experience.

The choir room.The choir room is typically where the church choir rehearses and prepares for worship services and other events. You can use an LED screen in the choir room to display lyrics and music scores and help improve the choir’s rehearsal experience.

Then, consider factors such as the screens’ quality, reliability, and price. Also, the reputation and experience of the manufacturer. To choose the best LED screen for your church, you should consider the following factors:

Outdoor or Indoor:Outdoor church LED screens are designed to be used in outdoor environments, such as in a courtyard, garden, or other outdoor space. Outdoor church LED screens can withstand sunlight, rain, wind, and other weather conditions. On the other hand, indoor church LED screens are designed for indoor environments, such as in a sanctuary, fellowship hall, or other indoor spaces that are optimized for use in controlled and sheltered settings.

Fixed or Movable Rent:Fixed church LED screens are a good option for applications where you will use the screen regularly and where the screen’s long-term benefits justify the installation’s cost and effort. On the other hand, movable rental church LED screens are a good option for applications where you will only need the screen for a short period and where you can avoid the cost and effort of installation by renting the screen instead.

Resolution and Clarity:The resolution and clarity of the LED screen will determine its ability to display text and images with precision and detail. Consider the type of content displayed on the screen and the distance you will view it to determine the appropriate resolution and clarity for the screen. There are various pixel pitches for you to choose from. For example, P1.875, P2, P2.5, P3, P3.91 for indoor, and P2.5, P3, P3.91, P4.8, P5 for outdoor.

Durability and Reliability:LED screens are typically designed to be durable and reliable and withstand many conditions. Consider the environment in which you will use the screen. Also, the frequency and duration of use determine the appropriate level of durability and reliability for the screen.

Cost and Budget:The price and budget for the LED screen will be an essential factors to consider when choosing the best screen for your church. Consider the available budget, and compare the features and benefits of different screens to determine the best value for your church.

For example, a small, low-resolution church LED screen may cost around $1,000 to $2,000, while a large, high-resolution screen may cost $5,000 to $10,000 or more. A screen with unique features, such as interactive screens or seamless video wall displays, may be more expensive than a primary screen.

For instance, a qualified manufacturer likeYUCHIP, which has been in the market for 18 years, will provide you with a quality product, excellent post-sale services, and extended technical support. We have had a fantastic relationship with them for the last three years, and we couldn’t think of a better company to recommend if you want to get a church LED screen.

If your church is in the market for a new front-of-house display, you might be shocked to discover that you can make it work with your budget, thanks toYUCHIP. As an ISO 9001-2015 compliant company, all these top-notch church LED screens are manufactured in their 15,000-square-meter factory, meeting stringent quality control measures.

Like any technology infrastructure built into your church, it’s important to invest in quality components and workmanship. Video projection systems are vitally important to both the message deliverers (pastors, praise bands, choirs) and the message receivers (congregation). Video projection systems can be used very effectively for simple displays of text on a video screen. To the other extreme, video projection systems can be sophisticated enough to create an immersive worship experience where video, lighting and sound will virtually surround the worshiper. Regardless of your church’s need, it is extremely important that certain key considerations be addressed by a professional video projection system designer.

Everywhere you look, churches are ditching projectors for either TVs or LED walls to use for their church displays. These share one important advantage over projectors that make them attractive to churches: They are bright and they don’t require regular lamp changes, which often cost hundreds of dollars or more.

The first deciding factor to consider is the size of the TV you need for the room. TVs work well for smaller spaces that don’t need as much screen ‘real estate" as projectors. The problem comes when churches try to replace a 90” x 144” screen (which works out to 170” diagonally) that’s correctly sized for the room with a large TV, say an 85” (41.6” x 74”) model.

Engineers have created formulas that take into account viewing distance and text size to find the optimum screen size for a room. ‘I think that will be big enough" doesn’t take those factors into account.

The problem isn’t that the audience won’t be able to see the image at all. The issue is that from normal viewing distances, especially the furthest viewing distance in your sanctuary, the text would need to be larger, proportionally, to be legible.

A display that is half as tall and half as wide as another isn’t just half the size, but a quarter of the size. So, an 85” screen is one fourth the area of a 170” screen. What you have in this example is a difference of 3,078.4 square inches vs. 12,960 square inches. That’s a pretty big difference.

You might think that you’ll have to make the text a bit bigger. However, to get the same sized text (and that’s what you want), the font will need to be four times the size. A 50-point font will need to be converted to a 200-point font to see it as well. Try this: Measure your text as shown on a projector. Now, scale up that same text to show on the TV that you want to use in its place.

This also means that unless you’re using a very small portion of the screen for text now (less than one fourth), the television screen won’t be able to show as much text as the projector screen does.

In a store, a 70” TV might seem huge when you’re 2 feet away from it, but cut out a piece of foam core or coroplast and put that in the room you intend for it to reside and go to the back of the room. Now, how big does it look? Probably a lot smaller.

Additionally, if you ever do IMAG (image magnification with a live video image on your displays), TVs make this virtually impossible. An extreme close up might be larger than life, but that’s the exception. Medium shots will look as small as a wide shot does in a normal IMAG system.

Also, don’t mistake the teaching TVs that larger churches use for primary displays. A room filled with several hundred to a few thousand people won"t be able to see the details without IMAG displayed with projectors or LED walls. TVs just won"t cut it in this situation.

There are things you can do to compensate beyond increasing text size. Consider using more TVs, for example. If the viewing distance from the front of the sanctuary to the back is too far, add TVs halfway back. In effect, you’ve just doubled the size of the screen to the back row.

Another strategy is to use multiple TVs (preferably professional monitors designed for this purpose) to tile screens in order to achieve a larger amount of space.

The rationale to use professional displays for installations like this is smaller bezels, which minimize the separation between parts of the image. Another reason is color. You can adjust consumer televisions to give very good color representations when taken alone; However, when put next to one another showing parts of the same image, a TV that’s a little bluer than the others will show obvious color disparity.

Multiple screens can have the same impact as a single projector or LED wall if the end product is the same size as the original. If you’re trying to replace a 170” diagonal projector screen, use four 85” screens and you’ll get an equivalent size with more brightness.

Both of these ideas come with a distinct disadvantage, though. Four or more TVs will start to cost more than a single projector and screen. Using professional displays instead of consumer ones will exaggerate the problem even further.

Finally, don’t forget to consider the possibility of glare. Most televisions have glossy screens. As a result, stage lights, windows, and even (depending on the background you’re showing) reflections of people in the congregation might be distracting. Like a mirror, reflections can come from one direction and bounce off in another.

TV as Church Displays Cons: Glare; generally too small for all but the smallest churches; professional options are potentially more expensive than projectors

When your room requires a display that’s over a certain size (roughly 85-90 inches), projectors start to make more sense. At 110 inches or so, they become your most cost-effective option.

You will need a screen to project on to, but, unlike TVs and LED walls, a projector is somewhat flexible when it comes to the size of screen you can use. As such, you might start with one size and change to another or rent a larger screen for special events. The only things that change are the size of the pixels and brightness.

If you’re trying to fix an issue with a washed out image or think the cost of new lamps is too high, perhaps the problem isn’t that you need to replace projectors with TVs (or LED displays), but that you need a more modern projector.

Let"s say you have a 2,000 lumen 1024 x 768 projector model that can scale to 1080p. You’ll be surprised what you get from a laser projector that is native 1080p with 10,000 lumens. If instead of doing front projection, you do rear projection, the difference can be even more pronounced.

Finally, keep in mind that projectors are mostly useless in direct sunlight. If you’re doing an outdoor festival with IMAG, you’ll have to go with a different technology.

In large rooms with a lot of light, especially natural light, LED walls remain viewable when other displays would suffer from glare or be washed out completely. Since there are LED walls designed for either indoor or outdoor applications (although, sometimes both), you might find that the wrong wall will be either too bright (outside wall used inside) or too dim (inside wall used outside in direct sunlight). Not all walls are weather resistant either so be careful that you’re looking at the right wall for your application.

Since these displays are often comprised of 1/2 meter square panels, each containing tens of thousands of RGB LEDs, they can be expensive. One important thing to realize is that pixel pitch (the distance between the centers of two adjacent LEDs) really matters. An LED wall with a pixel pitch of .7 mm can be used to create a 1080p wall in a fairly small area (not much larger than a large-sized TV).  A 4 mm pixel pitch would require about 8 meters x 4.5 meters (give or take) to show a 1080p 16:9 image.

Because LED walls tend to be brighter than projectors and, to some degree, televisions, they can look very good on camera when shot with IMAG. This also comes with a downside that lighting techs might be concerned with. It’s possible that your LED wall will be a large source of light that can balance or even overwhelm other lighting. Happily, LED walls can be dimmed or brightened to a certain degree, but that’s something to consider in your planning.

There’s a lot of variety in these displays in terms of quality. Buying one directly from the factory could cause problems you don’t normally encounter with electronics that you get from local sources.

Once assembled, LED walls can be heavy. They may have aluminum cases which provide stability, but even light-weight metals get heavy in large enough quantities. Make sure you consult a structural engineer before you assume that your platform or ceiling can support the weight of a large LED wall. Hanging an LED wall corectly is a job for an expert.

So, which is right for your church? It all depends. In small spaces, use TVs. In most worship spaces, projectors are a better choice. Outdoors or in larger churches, LED walls might be the way to go. Make sure you take all the positives and negatives into account for any display technology before making the best decision for your church.

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Many people are frequently asking what gear they need to start live streaming their church services. They usually receive answers ranging from "You shouldn’t stream at all!" to "You need to spend $100k+ to start." In this gear list, we are going to cover the best live streaming setup you can create for about $6000.

Maybe you have heard that software isn’t as good as hardware, and in some cases, that is true. Many app-based software solutions are nothing more than consumer electronics (hint, hint: SlingStudio) that, in my opinion, are not suitable for creating a reliable quality production. However, don’t let a few bad apples spoil the bunch. Both vMixand OBSare very capable of handling production workloads and are reliable programs that have innovative features when configured properly. OBSis open-source software that, while it is excellent for what you pay for, has its limits, so we are going to be using vMix HD, which costs only $350 one time. It"s well worth the investment.

You can purchase additional years of vMix updates for $60 per 12 months. It’s not a subscription and includes all major version updates and minor updates. You’re not getting locked in with anything like the infamous Telestream tax that Wirecast users are plagued with. You only have to buy updates when you want them and are never punished for not keeping up your subscription.

First, let’s cover what we will run it all on. In this gear list, we are trying to stay under $6k, so to understand what vMix needs to run, let’s visit their reference systems page. There they list all their recommended hardware. One of the laptops they recommend is the Lenovo Legion 5. This laptop runs at about $1200 on B&H. It should work great for our needs. If you can find one with more ram it would probably be worth the upgrade.

Optimally a desktop computer is better suited for streaming, but due to chip shortages, GPU (graphics processors) are hard to find resulting in inflated scalped prices.

Featuring a 3.2 GHz AMD Ryzen 7 5800H 8-core processor and 8GB of 3200 MHz DDR4 ram, this gaming laptop is designed for powerful processing. Store your games on the 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD and launch them in a flash. An NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 provides powerful graphics, while the 15.6" Full HD IPS display delivers immersive visuals. Stay ahead of your opponents, thanks to a 165 Hz refresh rate and support for NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync technology.View on B&H

Now we need to purchase vMix. I recommend churches use the HD version because I believe it"s the perfect balance between price and features. vMix sometimes gives away a limited number of licenses to churches, so it is worth filling out the application form. If you don’t hear back from them by the time the 60-day trial period is up, you can purchase vMix HD here for $350.

vMix is a Software Video Mixer and Switcher that utilizes the latest advances in computer hardware to provide live 4k video mixing. vMix is a complete live video production software solution with features including LIVE mixing, switching, recording, and LIVE streaming of SD, full HD, and 4K video sources including cameras, video files, DVDs, images, Powerpoint, and much much more.Compare vMix Versions

Wait, I thought you said we could stream to 3 different destinations with vMix? Yep. I did, but there are a few things you will need to be able to stream without as many interruptions as possible.

A slow or spotty internet connection can kill any production no matter what you are using. So make sure you have plenty of upload bandwidth to cover the bit rate you are streaming at and also allow room for other devices to do things such as moderating comments. Other than having the right internet service provider, there are a few things you can do to improve your connection.

#2 Having up-to-date network hardware. One of the biggest killers is having old and slow routers, network switches, or trying to use wireless. To stream and use NDI, you will need to make sure your network is up to modern standards. I recommend the Unify Dream Machine Pro if your network is in need of an upgrade. It provides great small business features with an easy-to-use interface.

The UDM Pro is an all-in-one networking console that runs every UniFi OS application, like Network and Protect. It features a built-in security gateway, 10G SFP+ WAN support, an 8-port Gigabit switch, and network video recorder that supports compatible 3.5" hard disk drives (HDDs).View on store.ui.com

#3 Restricting access. Yeah, I know it isn’t always possible, but when it is possible, you want to be on a dedicated network and have a dedicated internet connection to keep other people from hogging up your speed. If people have their phones or other personal devices connected to the network it will slow things down for everyone.

We are starting to get somewhere. Now it’s time to find some cameras. For this gear list, we are going to go with the BirdDog P100 ($1599/each) PTZ camera, the BirdDog PF100 Zoom camera, and the BirdDog PTZ controller ($1495). Both are 100% full NDI and NDI|HX compatible, which allows you to easily control and capture your camera all over IP, therefore, eliminating the need for running tons of extra wires and buying capture devices.

If you have a higher budget, I highly recommend upgrading the PTZ to the P200($2799), which brings with it a lot of all-around image quality improvements.

BirdDog PTZ Keyboard is a full-featured PTZ Keyboard that supports NDI®, NDI|HX, Visca over IP, RS422, and RS232. By harnessing BirdDog’s next-generation NDI® and IP technology, it’s never been easier to discover, connect, and control your PTZ cameras. Featuring superior ergonomics, premium buttons, and joystick, all in a beautiful form factor this is the PTZ controller you have been waiting for.View on Bird-Dog.tv

Built on BirdDog’s custom NDI® silicon chip with a Sony CMOS Sensor, the P100 PTZ camera is your entry into the world of full NDI®. Featuring frame rates up to 1080p60, 10x optical zoom, USB 2.0, HDMI, SDI, and Full NDI® outputs, P100 gives you professional-level quality, performance, and total flexibility. 3.5mm audio connectors allow P100 to work with BirdDog Comms, the world’s first NDI® audio intercom platform. Also, the camera can be connected using a single POE cable that brings power and data transfer which means you only have to run one cord.View on Bird-Dog.tv

Introducing PF120, the all-new box camera that comes with all the amazing features you have come to expect from BirdDog cameras. Sony Exmor R back-illuminated sensor, Full NDI®️, with a 20x optical zoom, and a complete color matrix all housed in a full metal enclosure that is built for life on the road. PF120 features BirdDog’s unique NDI silicon to produce visually lossless, full-bandwidth NDI, which is a variable bit rate, I-Frame codec that reaches around 140Mbits at 1080p60. Outputs over NDI, USB, or HDMI and support POE for data and power over a single cord. Large front of camera tally light allows those on stage to know which cameras are live.View on Bird-Dog.tv

Often you want to display a sermon title, Bible verse, or overlay lyrics on your live stream. Traditional systems make that hard, but vMix has a solution. With the advent of ProPresenter 7, there are now a few ways to do this. We will cover both the old and new ways.

ProPresenter is a cross-platform (Mac and Windows) presentation & production application for live events. It seamlessly displays lyrics, slides, and media, making high-quality live productions easy. It is the indispensable tool for worship gatherings, sporting events, conferences, trade shows, and studio broadcasts.Visit ProPresenter"s Website

Pro6: You can set up a separate computer running Pro with the master/slave module and have a green background. After getting the signal into your traditional hardware switcher, you can key out the green background and end up with transparent overlays. That’s a lot of work and pricey.

Pro7: Now, with Pro7, you don’t have to do that. Now you can send slides with a transparent background directly from your main