The Project
St Mary’s Church required a discreet, high-quality AV and live streaming solution that would enhance in-church projection while enabling professional online broadcasting. The system needed to be powerful yet simple for volunteers to operate, sympathetic to the building’s architecture, and flexible enough to allow independent control of projection and streaming content.
DM Music designed and installed a sophisticated but intuitive system that supports both local display and single-camera live streaming to platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.
The Challenge
- Introduce high-brightness projection suitable for a large traditional church interior
- Install a discreet projection screen solution with minimal architectural impact
- Enable independent control of projected and streamed content
- Provide simple, volunteer-friendly control
- Deliver professional live streaming without the complexity of video conferencing systems
The Solution
Projection System
At the heart of the visual system is an Eiki EK-850LU LCD laser projector, delivering 7,500 ANSI lumens (8,500 centre lumens) with a 20,000-hour light source life. The projector is discreetly mounted at high level on the second rear beam, housed within the bell ringing chamber winch boxing to minimise visual intrusion.
A bespoke 3m-wide 16:10 electric projection screen is installed behind the crossing arch. This innovative two-stage system lowers the screen casing via an electric winch before deploying the screen material. When retracted, the system is largely concealed behind the chancel arch. The winch assembly is housed within a custom wooden enclosure that also functions as a bench - blending seamlessly into the church interior.
Video Routing & Distribution
A Roland XS-1HD matrix switcher/scaler enables independent input selection for both projection and streaming outputs. This allows, for example, hymn words to be displayed in the church while the camera feed is streamed online.
Inputs include:
- Two HDMI inputs at the equipment rack
- One HDMI input at the lectern
- One HD PTZ camera
- Additional HDBaseT input at the front of church for laptop connection
Signal distribution is managed via HDBaseT infrastructure, feeding the projector and providing outputs at the north and south aisles for future portable displays.
Live Streaming System
A centrally positioned Bolin HD PTZ camera with 30x optical zoom captures high-quality images of the pulpit, lectern, altar, choir, and font. Preset positions allow instant recall for different service elements.
Streaming is handled by a Magewell Ultra Stream hardware encoder, enabling simultaneous streaming to two platforms (such as YouTube and Facebook) while also allowing recording to USB. The system is designed specifically for broadcast streaming rather than video conferencing platforms.
Control & Ease of Use
A Crestron control system provides intuitive operation via two dedicated Apple iPads located at the equipment rack and crossing.
The custom user interface allows:
- Projection system power and screen control
- Independent source selection for projection and streaming
- PTZ camera preset recall
- Live stream and recording start/stop
The crossing control point is housed in a bespoke oak wall-mounted enclosure with wired power and Ethernet, ensuring reliability while maintaining aesthetics.
The Outcome
St Mary’s now benefits from a professional-grade projection and streaming system that enhances both in-person worship and online engagement. The system is powerful yet simple to operate, visually discreet, and designed with future expansion in mind.
By carefully balancing technology with architectural sensitivity, DM Music has delivered a future-ready solution that supports worship, community events, and digital outreach for years to come.
