What did you do with your projector?

I always have projector woes. There's simply no place to put it where it will project properly.

My front desk is like 2 feet away from the projector screen. I can't put it on a cart, because my aisles are off center from my projector.

I would LOVE to mount it on the ceiling, but I don't know if that would work with the typical dry wall ceiling that we have. It wouldn't support the weight of a projector.

What do you guys do?

 

Is it a SmartBoard projector?

 

Mine is mounted to the ceiling, but last year it was on a cart. I don't know what you mean about your aisles being off center from the projector...can't you just move the cart or the aisles a little bit? I never had any issues with kids not being able to see it as the cart wasn't terribly tall.

 

mine was on a cart and if I have to move the desks so they are not even then that is what I do.

 

You aren't mounting it to drywall per say, it is being attached to a stud (wood) under the drywall. Drywall would be way easier to work with than a drop ceiling.

 

@Cza: It's a regular PC projector.

@Math and DMB: My room is incredibly small. I don't have any room to move the desks any further to the side than I do now.

@AlwaysAttend: Mine is actually a drop ceiling. I didn't know what they call those panels and things, but yeah, a huge pain. >_<

 

I too, have a drop ceiling in my classroom. A friend of mine used a wire rack tray hung upside down to create a tray for the projector. We hung it from the metal parts of the drop ceiling using zip ties. It was very secure! We then had to create a way for the projector to point down, so we placed the projector on top of a binder in the tray (had to put a non-slip rubber mat between the binder and projector so it would not slide.)

 

Now this is crafty! I might try this! Thanks!

 

Have you asked your custodians for help?

 

No. I wasn't even aware they'd be able to help in this matter. I was planning on asking tech support.

 

Ask both...our maintenance people would most likely be involved in such installation...DO NOT attempt it on your own.

 

Especially if the handiwork is faulty and it falls on a kid

 

Good point. I'll draw up plans and show them next time I'm in.

 

I doubt you'll need plans...just show them where you want it.

 

Our guys are phenomenal. Let them know what you need, and trust that they've done this in other rooms in the building and will do it well.

 

Please don't. The brackets are not meant to hold that kind of weight and it is an accident waiting to happen. The brackets themselves in some instances are only held up by wire.

Drop ceilings can be done also. They just add a pole to the equation and cut a hole in the tile.

 

I live in earthquake country too. D:

I saw something they use, like a brace that is put in between the metal grid, and has suspenders that attach to the real roof or something else solid. The problem is that it costs 60 bucks, and then you also have to get the projector mount which costs upwards of a hundred dollars or more. Not to mention wires. I can get a wireless VGA adapter, but it too costs a hundred bucks. I don't think a ceiling mounted projector is in the cards this year. I will have to ask around about what they did last year.

I think the last teacher had a cart which has since been pilfered from the classroom. >_<