I usually use my own laptop:

Toshiba Satellite Core2Duo T5800 @2GHz
3GB RAM
Window 7 32-bit SP1
WMP (but if another player would be better for the best render/player configuration, just let me know).

The projector depends: we perform at high schools, so for them to save money we let them use their own projector. Whenever we use ours, it´s a Acer P1265 with a 1024 x 768 XGA-resolution (I think it´s the most common resolution for projectors, right? So I think I should aim for that one).

One extra thing I realize (I hope this doesn´t complicate things too much): I use footage of our own camera, a Panasonic HDC-SD700 (AVCHD 1080 50p), but need to combine this with other (smaller/older) footage.

Hope this info helps.

bump

Assuming you want to render to something like 720p...which pushes you toward some kind of AVC/H264/MPEG4 render for playback speed.

Maybe you could try using the mainconcept AVC render (similar to H264) , and crank the audio quality. I believe VLC should play it back in RT

Another possible option is to render to (avid) dnxhd. This has an option for uncompressed audio. The result is a .MOV file that plays back in quicktime. However that might not play back in realtime because it's too large. You could use QTpro to convert it to H264.mov, which has it's own issues ( clamping dynamic range, not understanding aspect ratio, I could go on....)

just google on "free avid dnxhd"

Or...render a blue ray and use a blue ray player instead...( If you have access to a burner and player )

just my 2c

Is there a reason why DVD wouldn't work for you?

It might be a good idea, but I´m worried because - like I said earlier - we perform at high schools and have to deal with power issues most of the time: a fridge or a coffee machine turning on somewhere.

A laptop (using my HD instead of a DVD) seems less vulnerable to me to power hick ups, but correct me if I´m wrong.

@K-Decivsie: Thanks. I´m gonna experiment with AVC/VLC. I didn´t know VLC, do you have experience with the stability of it? I´ll skip on the AVID render for now then :-)

when the power goes, your laptop might continue, but the projector certainly wont.

dvd is the simplest answer

LOL Thanks! Well, I didn´t mean a totall power failure, but dips short enough to keep the projector going, but that would cause the player to hick up, or freeze or something.

But OK, about a DVD: Would that work (stable) playing it from my laptop? I mean, I still need a VGA connection to the projector...

I find in our theater, that using a dedicated DVD player for playback the best way to go...with the laptop, you never know what is going to go on in the background, like programs searching for updates, emails coming in because you forgot to turn off your wifi connection (that has NEVER happened to me BTW), and memory issues. A small portable DVD player is what I use (Phillips, under $150.00) and it connects seamlessly to projectors, or TV's, depending on what they have you use for your presentation/performance. Connect your audio to the main sound system and the audio sounds great. If you power up to the same supply as the audio, it should probably be safe from other items on that circuit, as it most likely will be a dedicated circuit.

Thanks Woodenmike I think you've got a good point there. Nevertheless I'm performing on high schools most of the time, so power supply still might be an issue.

The VLC player gave me serious freeze problems btw, which didn't occur with WMP. Tried it with an AVC render and a WMV one, happened with both. It showed some artifacts as well.

I guess how well wmp/vlc/quick time work is all relative to how fast the lap top is. I guess I have to go with what everyone else is saying: use a stand alone DVD/(or blueray) player connected to a projector. And depending on the quality of the projector that you have (resolution/optics) not using HD might not mater anyway... 2 more c

I show videos of the school musical in a High School once a year. There are some things I have discovered:

1. Never use school equipment. Unreliable and often of low quality (to meet budget demands). School projectors are usually inadequate and of low contrast. Video is lost.

2. I have a 3000 lumens projector. It puts out around 640 ANSI lumens when projecting video. Typical.

3. School screens are usually of low gain which complicates the problem. I bring my own and I make sure that the projector is not too far from the screen and the screen is no more than an 80 inch 4:3 High Gain screen.

4. I tried a laptop and it worked poorly. You can't use the DVI input on projectors with them and VLC often starts buffering causing interruptions. WMP isn't much better. I use a WD TV media player instead. There are many similar devices. HDMI out to the projector's DVI in works very well. For the sound I bring a stereo receiver and two quality speakers. They get hooked up to the analog output of the WD TVplayer.

John

For all our projects like this 1024 x 768 for launches using projectors and media triggered from pc.