Audio options for overhead projector

[benson1980]

Hi all,

I would really appreciate some advice…

I’ve just bought a projector to mount on our bedroom ceiling, so above our bed, and will project onto the opposite wall.

It has the standard 3.5mm aux output. I don’t need anything special, but the built in speaker isn’t going to be sufficient.

I’m torn between chasing a 3.5mm cable in the wall som how and then maybe having an output socket behind our bed, to plug something into. Or, looks like I could get a Bluetooth transmitter perhaps- but then a lot don’t have great reviews and would latency be an issue?

Clearly wireless would be easier and not involve making a mess. But, I am redecorating the room at the moment so if wired was the way to go, now is the time to do it.

Are there any simpler options that I’m missing? How have others connected theirs up? I was inclined to have the speakers at our bed side table level rather than mounted, but perhaps having them high up wouldn’t really make much of a difference sound wise- I don’t know. It is just loft space above our bedroom so I could have the connections etc up in the loft and just drop a cable down on either side of the room…

Edited by benson1980 on Wednesday 24th November 09:10

[freedee]

I am in a similar position and would be interested in what the options are. Just a simple but effective solution as we do not have the option to chase cables in as we just completed a refurb and extension project.

[benson1980]

I'm having a look now at ceiling mounted speakers, pending any further advice. At least that way, I'd just be cutting a section of plasterboard out and all of the wiring would be directly above in the loft.

[K50 DEL]

Can you drive the audio from whatever source your images are coming from?
That's how I have mine set up.

If you actively want to drive the audio from the projector, then the best way is to use the 3.5mm audio jack output to connect to a "headphone amplifier" and run a decent pair of PC speakers from there. (Amazon have a number of different amplifiers to choose from)

[joshleb]

If you’re going to the effort of installing an OHP you may as well get some proper speakers and an AV receiver of some sort.

Then you have the input devices connected to the receiver, and the output goes directly to the projector via HDMI.

[freedee]

Sorry if I am hijacking this. I have a twin socket and network point mounted high above the bed for the projector to be mounted on a bracket or shelf. I would have a Sky Q box on the shelf or bracket connected to the projector. But I didn't think about speakers.

I assume these speakers would connect to the Sky box so they would need to be close to that for power and cabling. Would a wall mounted sound bar above the bed work?

[Nico Adie]

K50 DEL said:

Can you drive the audio from whatever source your images are coming from?
That's how I have mine set up.

Yeah that would be the best choice by far.

[benson1980]

Nico Adie said:

Yeah that would be the best choice by far.

I'd be chrome casting from the laptop so I presumed unless I mirrored the screen I'd need to have it driven by the projector

[G0ldfysh]

benson1980 said:

Nico Adie said:

Yeah that would be the best choice by far.

I'd be chrome casting from the laptop so I presumed unless I mirrored the screen I'd need to have it driven by the projector

Chromecast to a small amp which is feeding to the projector via hdmi will need to get power to projector so run hdmi cable with that.
If it means amp is in roof space as I presume will be your power outlet, chromecast will reach so long as WiFi does, then small amp can run (n) speakers in ceiling.

[benson1980]

G0ldfysh said:

Chromecast to a small amp which is feeding to the projector via hdmi will need to get power to projector so run hdmi cable with that.
If it means amp is in roof space as I presume will be your power outlet, chromecast will reach so long as WiFi does, then small amp can run (n) speakers in ceiling.

Okey dokey, would there be any benefit of chromecasting to an AV receiver (assuming that is what you are referring to by amp but if not, excuse my ignorance), versus just chromecasting direct to the projector and audio to passive ceiling speakers from the 3.5mm jack?

[Hol]

When I first built my cinema room in 2008 I used to port my sound through a HDMI scraper to a surround sound system, but on the advice of another PHer I bought a used Denon AV system.

It’s a large piece of kit, but mine allows to connect and easily choose upto five HDMI items to one projector and amplify the sound to some surround sound speakers..

I just wish someone had told me sooner.

Just make sure you buy an HDMI fed one.



This is one of those available on EBay.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Denon-AVR-2113-7-1-AV-R...

[benson1980]

Hol said:

When I first built my cinema room in 2008 I used to port my sound through a HDMI scraper to a surround sound system, but on the advice of another PHer I bought a used Denon AV system.

It’s a large piece of kit, but mine allows to connect and easily choose upto five HDMI items to one projector and amplify the sound to some surround sound speakers..

I just wish someone had told me sooner.

Just make sure you buy an HDMI fed one.



This is one of those available on EBay.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Denon-AVR-2113-7-1-AV-R...

Ok thanks. That’s useful. I will probably go for something like this in the living room. In our bedroom though I feel it might be a bit overkill as normally we’ll have the volume quite low I would imagine.

[benson1980]

Thanks all. In the end I've gone for a mini amp, as I only need one input, with a 3.5mm to RCA adapter- and then will feed two passive ceiling speakers from that. Tangent Ampster BT II which seems to have decent reviews, and it will apparently go into standby mode when there's been no aux input for 15 mins which will definitely come in handy seeing as it will be in the loft space.