Doug Varner Sound Company: Video And Audio Solutions For Your Church

AUDIO & VIDEO SYSTEMS FOR YOUR CHURCH

Different churches have different needs. Do you have a full worship team that requires a professional audio system? Do you want the ability to show multimedia presentations, DVDs, song lyrics, announcements, and sermon notes during the service? Do you have a way to record your services to share with your congregation (and the world)? Would the people in the nursery like to hear the day's message? Or do you just wish you could hear the preacher better when he speaks?

The answers to these questions can help determine what would best serve your church. We've done many installations in local churches ranging from the very simple to the very complex. Let us know what your needs are and we'll let you know how those needs can be met.

A local church was investigating the possibility of getting a projection system for their sanctuary. They wanted to be able to show PowerPoint presentations, display song lyrics & church announcements, and view DVDs and VCR tapes. We had done business with them before, having installed their sound system, so they called us when considering this new project.

After a visit to the church and meetings with the members involved, we developed a system for them that would give them the results that they desired while still meeting the physical requirements that the sanctuary required (limitations on screen size, mounting locations, space for equipment placement, etc.)

** The images above are of: (1) the installation in process, (2) the finished project with the system on & screen lowered, and (3) with the system off & screen raised.

We decided to corner mount the screen so it wouldn't obstruct the cross on the wall but it would still be visible to the entire congregation. We weren't able to use stock mounts for the screen since the ceiling is angled, so we had to devise a mounting system unique to the room. The screen that we installed is operated by a switch that is located in the rear of the church, near the equipment that runs the sound & video system. Once the switch is hit, a motor inside the screen roller lowers or raises the screen to preset points. The projector that we used was chosen due to its ability to present a viewable image even with the lights in the room still being on. We even installed a secondary access point for the projector so that the preacher could plug a laptop into the system (video and audio) right from the pulpit.

** The images above are of: (4) the dual monitors of the computer system, (5) the computer monitor next to the audio gear, and (6) the gear on a lower shelf under the main counter.

Back at the equipment location we had limited space to install the gear for the new system, so we had to be very aware of where everything was going to have to be placed in order to fit in the allotted space. We chose a dual monitor computer system that was specifically designed for this application. The first monitor is your main monitor where you do everything you would normally do with the machine. The second monitor is configured to show the same thing as the projector so that the person operating the system can tell exactly what will play on the screen. The software that runs the presentation was made for church services and includes lyrics to many different hymns and worship songs, templates that can be used to display announcements, a built in PC Bible for including Scripture verses, and more.

Once the computer was configured and installed, we tied the components into the sound system & connected some video boosters to keep the signal from degrading over the long cable run from the back of the church up to the projector. The volunteers from the congregation came in and trained on the new system with us, then took what they had learned & started building their own presentations that same day.

Video projection systems like the one mentioned above are becoming much more popular with churches as they seek for new ways to impact their congregations and enhance their services. Another type of system that has grown considerably due to technological advancement is the recording of sermons, etc. In the past cassettes were used almost exclusively because of the accessibility of blank tapes & the public's familiarity not only with cassettes themselves, but also how to record on them. With the advancements that have been made in recording, cassettes are now being replaced by other methods that not only offer better sound quality, but also the ability to be copied indefinitely without wearing out. And with the touch of one button you can not only make copies for members of your congregation who couldn't attend the services, you can also share your teachings with the world over the internet. Exciting opportunities like these continue to become more accessible, more affordable, and easier to use. Let us know if this is an area you'd like more information about and we'll let you know what will best suit your needs.

Over the 20 years that we have been in business, we have installed many different systems for churches. Each system was designed with consideration for the needs of the congregation, the types of services that the system would be needed for, and the specific characteristics of the church building itself. Let us know what we can do to make your church services everything you want them to be. It's our goal to provide a solution that meets the needs that your church and your congregation have and to serve the Lord in the work we do for you.