Boston University's Freshman Orientation Program Packs a Punch with Panasonic Projectors

Boston University is a private nonsectarian university with nearly 4,000 faculty members and more than 30,000 students. When the university needed a complete overhaul for presenting their freshman orientation program, Daniel Essrow at BU worked with Brian Vaal at Visual Apex, an online provider of presentation equipment.

As the program was to be presented in a gym, the setup would not be permanent. The projectors and screens would be removed after the presentation, and set up again in the same location for subsequent presentations. Additionally, on the projector side, the issue of a short throw distance came into play. With a throw distance of under 11 feet, a special lens was needed.

Researching to find the right solution became a top priority for Visual Apex. Ultimately BU chose two widescreen high lumen projectors (PAN PT-DW5100UL) which did not come equipped with a lens. To compensate for the short throw distance, they selected the DLE050 Fixed Focus Lens (PAN ET-DLE050). Visual Apex also worked with BU to select portable screens. BU decided on two 171 x 102 inch (199 inch diagonal) rear projection Fast Fold Truss Frame rear projection screens from Dalite (DALITE 99846). This was a rotating application demanding sturdy screens that could easily be moved from one place to another. With this winning combination BU successfully implemented technology that uniquely accommodated their specific needs and the final result was an attractive and professional theater setup. Duplicate images were projected on dual screens, which allowed for clear viewing from all areas of the audience and enhanced the presentation. Of major importance was the fact that after every presentation, the room could be restored to its original purpose.