Freeview Tv to Projector

mattyg

mattyg

mattyg

Soldato
Joined
17 Jun 2007
Posts
9,431
Hi

Whats the go to for freeview to a projector.
We've been asked to put on a eurovison party at the bar. I have a projector and their is an aerial. Obviously need a TV licence. But whats the best way to hook up the projector. Ideally with the backup of streaming too
 
Get a Freeview PVR, one with streaming features if you want it all in one source device.

You'll also need amplification and speakers.

The hook-up goes like this:
- TV aerial and Internet to PVR
- HDMI out from PVR to projector (long HDMI lead)
- audio out from PVR via optical or analogue stereo to amp - this is subject to the connections on the PVR, and requires an amp with appropriate inputs
- speaker level out to speakers (and sub?)

Most commercial bars have some kind of audio system, and it's usually run from an amp behind the bar. That amp may or maynot have a digital audio input, so you might want to check on that first. Piping sound through the bar's existing PA saves costs and saves time rigging up speakers and a separate amp, but you might then need to bring the aerial feed to that point to locate the Freeview PVR there. (Optical is limited to 5m cable run with consumer-grade optical cables)

Start by looking at the site and where you think the projector and screen need to go. Keep in mind that putting the projector on a table is risky. People are dumb. Drunk people especially so. If someone can knock it, sit infont of it blocking the beam (yes, really), spill beer on it, mess around with the settings, pull a cable out, trip up over a cable or otherwise screw things up then they will. That's why most gear in pubs and bars is mounted up out of the way. Unless its an ultra-short throw projector placed right infront of the screen then think about putting it on the ceiling. It may seem like a lot of work for one night, but putting the projector on the ceiling is the safest option and you stand a better chance of making it through the event without a minor catastrophe.

Think about cable runs, particularly mains power. Gey a list together of what resources you have already and what it'll mean in terms of cable lengths to pull it all together.
 
lucid said:
Get a Freeview PVR, one with streaming features if you want it all in one source device.

You'll also need amplification and speakers.

The hook-up goes like this:
- TV aerial and Internet to PVR
- HDMI out from PVR to projector (long HDMI lead)
- audio out from PVR via optical or analogue stereo to amp - this is subject to the connections on the PVR, and requires an amp with appropriate inputs
- speaker level out to speakers (and sub?)

Most commercial bars have some kind of audio system, and it's usually run from an amp behind the bar. That amp may or maynot have a digital audio input, so you might want to check on that first. Piping sound through the bar's existing PA saves costs and saves time rigging up speakers and a separate amp, but you might then need to bring the aerial feed to that point to locate the Freeview PVR there. (Optical is limited to 5m cable run with consumer-grade optical cables)

Start by looking at the site and where you think the projector and screen need to go. Keep in mind that putting the projector on a table is risky. People are dumb. Drunk people especially so. If someone can knock it, sit infont of it blocking the beam (yes, really), spill beer on it, mess around with the settings, pull a cable out, trip up over a cable or otherwise screw things up then they will. That's why most gear in pubs and bars is mounted up out of the way. Unless its an ultra-short throw projector placed right infront of the screen then think about putting it on the ceiling. It may seem like a lot of work for one night, but putting the projector on the ceiling is the safest option and you stand a better chance of making it through the event without a minor catastrophe.

Think about cable runs, particularly mains power. Gey a list together of what resources you have already and what it'll mean in terms of cable lengths to pull it all together.
Click to expand...


Thanks Mate
We've currently got SONOS in place.. I can add a bridge to it and play through that I may have to play with the delay. I can shelf mount the projector above the bar and throw to a 130" screen I have "lying around" (still not rebuilt my cinema room)

I'll defo need a dry run as I'm not sure on lighting might wash out the picture.
Any recommendations on PVR. I dont mind spending a bit as i can then reuse at home, Rather than a cheap £30 amazon jobbie...
 
Not sure how a Sonos Bridge is going to help you. Unless I have missed some new development, a Bridge plugged into a router and created a separate dedicated wireless network for Gen 1 Sonos products. Sonos has abandoned the bridge idea and now connects directly to newer routers.

A Bridge has no audio inputs. For that you'll need either a Play 5 or a zone player, unless of course you can get a wired signal from the PVR to the Sonos sound bar.

As for PVRs, have a look at the Humax range.
 
lucid said:
Not sure how a Sonos Bridge is going to help you. Unless I have missed some new development, a Bridge plugged into a router and created a separate dedicated wireless network for Gen 1 Sonos products. Sonos has abandoned the bridge idea and now connects directly to newer routers.

A Bridge has no audio inputs. For that you'll need either a Play 5 or a zone player, unless of course you can get a wired signal from the PVR to the Sonos sound bar.

As for PVRs, have a look at the Humax range.
Click to expand...
Sorry mate, Didnt mean a bridge. A Sonos Connect. Ive so many Sonos products..
 
hornetstinger said:
Does that have input capable of receiving audio from TV box? From the photo it has analogue input.
Click to expand...
You're correct that the Sonos Connect has analogue audio in. However, if @mattyg sticks with the plan to have a Freeview PVR with catch-up/streaming services, and Humax is chosen, then that leads us to the FVP-5000T. This box has analogue stereo out as well as digital optical, so there's no issue.

Given that the Connect is a stereo music device rather than a 5.1 surround product, then the value of an optical connection (if it had it) would be limited.

With a Connect then, DD 5.1 can't be used. Nor can stereo PCM via optical. That doesn't matter though because analogue stereo will sound the same as PCM stereo. Both carry a matrixed Dolby Surround signal hidden in the stereo signal, so running analogue doesn't lose anything compared to stereo PCM via optical.

Of course, if a different make of PVR is chosen - one with just optical out - then there'll be a need to convert PCM stereo via optical to analogue stereo. For that, a £15 optical-to-analogue convertor will do the trick. It's an extra box and a little more cabling, but it will work.
 
lucid said:
You're correct that the Sonos Connect has analogue audio in. However, if @mattyg sticks with the plan to have a Freeview PVR with catch-up/streaming services, and Humax is chosen, then that leads us to the FVP-5000T. This box has analogue stereo out as well as digital optical, so there's no issue.

Given that the Connect is a stereo music device rather than a 5.1 surround product, then the value of an optical connection (if it had it) would be limited.

With a Connect then, DD 5.1 can't be used. Nor can stereo PCM via optical. That doesn't matter though because analogue stereo will sound the same as PCM stereo. Both carry a matrixed Dolby Surround signal hidden in the stereo signal, so running analogue doesn't lose anything compared to stereo PCM via optical.

Of course, if a different make of PVR is chosen - one with just optical out - then there'll be a need to convert PCM stereo via optical to analogue stereo. For that, a £15 optical-to-analogue convertor will do the trick. It's an extra box and a little more cabling, but it will work.
Click to expand...

I'd just get a AVR with dual HDMI out (one to TV, one to projector) sonos into digital input.

Using Sonos as eco system is too locked in a limited system. They still have the 65,000 track limit. For a new product purchased now that is unacceptable.
 
Did a similar job a few years ago, also for a bar. We just grabbed a Freeview box from the high street with HDMI out, then we used a HDMI audio extractor for RCA out to connect to the existing sound system, as well as a HDMI splitter since they had two projectors. I believe the PVR we got back then was a Manhattan which did the job well. HDMI extractors aren't too expensive either, should give you more options on other PVRs.
 
hornetstinger said:
I'd just get a AVR with dual HDMI out (one to TV, one to projector) sonos into digital input.

Using Sonos as eco system is too locked in a limited system. They still have the 65,000 track limit. For a new product purchased now that is unacceptable.
Click to expand...
Orcvader said:
Did a similar job a few years ago, also for a bar. We just grabbed a Freeview box from the high street with HDMI out, then we used a HDMI audio extractor for RCA out to connect to the existing sound system, as well as a HDMI splitter since they had two projectors. I believe the PVR we got back then was a Manhattan which did the job well. HDMI extractors aren't too expensive either, should give you more options on other PVRs.
Click to expand...

You both make valid points. What I'd remind you of though is sounds like a different kind of installation. For a start, it might be temporary. Secondly, I'm not convinced that this is a proper licenced premises. No TV licence and using Sonos for sound... that doesn't strike me as as the average bar/pub. I could be wrong, but it doesn't fit the mould of a general public bar. Then again, if this was a garden bar it wouldn't need a TV licence as it would be covered by the house licence, presuming the property has one.

I could be wrong as well, but whatever this is I think it's atypical of what most might first think of as a bar. Maybe a bar attached to a restaurant? IDK. Just treat it as a one-off and go from there.
 
Hi
It's a licensed restaurant.

It will be a temporary solution but with the option of reinstalling for events if need be.

We're in a funny position in the town centre surrounded by taller buildings.. there is an aerial on top(untested) I'm after free view and streaming for belt and braces to make sure we don't have any failures to show the program.

The sonos system is only really for background music. But 4 x play 1 and 2 play 5,s it does crank quite well.. especially for a site with only 30 covers..
 
Last edited:
Looks like I was on the right track then with the type of venue. :)

Your first order ogmf business is to check if there's a signal from the aerial. The simple option here is to bring in a small TV - one already tuned to the local transmitter, so not something from a home in the next county or on a different TV region - then plug it in. Check the main BBC and ITV channels.

There are a couple of things which could prevent reception even from a working aerial. Simple stuff is that the coax plug end isn't fitted right, or the aerial uses something called a masthead amp to boost reception, but the power supply for it (a small box about the size of two packs of 20 cigs stacked) has been removed because someone mistook it for a signal amplifier.

Other stuff would be that the aerial cable isn't directly attached to the aerial. This can be the case where a venue had say Sky before and used the RF distribution feature of older boxes to make terrestrial and Sky available on one or more TVs. [Bear in mind I'm working blind here because I don't know the history of your site. This is all "most likely cause" stuff. YMMV]

If you get a signal for the SD BBC and ITV channels then it's 90% certain that HD will work too once you get a HD tuner/ recorder attached.

Once you know where you're up to with an aerial signal then you'll have e good idea if you need to get a local aerial installer in to fettle it.

I'd also check that whoever is broadcasting the event also plans to stream it live or close to live.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom