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Why the Image Loses Contrast Under Stage Lighting
One of the main challenges of theatrical projection is ambient light. When light from stage fixtures reaches the projection surface, the contrast of the projected image decreases. This is particularly noticeable on dark fabrics, scenery with low reflectivity, and large projection surfaces.
The required projector light output is calculated based on the size and material of the projection surface, the projection distance, and the lighting design of the production. Installing the most powerful projector does not always solve the problem. In some cases, it is more effective to change the installation position, select a different lens, or adjust the stage lighting.
For small stages, foyers, rehearsal rooms, and localised projection, compact Barco I65 projectors with streamlined setup tools can be considered. Barco I600 projectors are suitable for more complex applications, including projection mapping and multi-projector systems, while 3-chip DLP Barco UDM projectors are designed for main-stage applications with demanding brightness and colour-reproduction requirements.
The Barco projector portfolio includes solutions for different types of theatre production, from opera and ballet to musicals and drama.
This allows the projection equipment to be selected according to the actual requirements of the venue, without installing an unnecessarily powerful projector where it is not needed.
Why the Installation Position and Lens Are Selected First
In theatres, the available projector installation positions are often limited by the architecture of the building. The equipment must not obstruct the audience’s view, interfere with stage machinery, or require major alterations to historic structures.
For this reason, projection-system design begins not with selecting a projector model, but with identifying the available installation positions. The distance to the projection surface is then measured, the required image size is calculated, and a suitable lens is selected. Only after that is a projector with the appropriate specifications chosen.
This approach was used at the Alisher Navoi State Academic Bolshoi Theatre in Tashkent. Two Barco UDX-W32 projectors were supplied with a set of interchangeable lenses, including ultra-short-throw models.
“We are very satisfied with the image quality, including the high brightness, contrast, and accurate colour reproduction. The projectors fully meet the expectations of both the creative and technical teams and allow us to address complex visual requirements in the auditorium and on stage,” said Vladislav Zhurakovsky, Head of the Lighting Department at the theatre.
Noise levels must also be considered when selecting the installation position. During quiet scenes, the cooling system should not be audible to the audience. Projectors are therefore often installed in dedicated projection booths with optical ports. Remote liquid-cooling units are also available for Barco projectors and can be installed outside the auditorium. This reduces the load on the projectors’ internal fans and makes the projection system virtually inaudible to the audience.
One of Barco’s practical advantages is a portfolio of more than 50 interchangeable lens options with different throw ratios. These range from ultra-short-throw and wide-angle lenses, including 90-degree UST models, to long-throw optics. This makes it possible to account for the venue architecture, distance to the projection surface, and available installation positions. The compatibility of a particular lens with the selected projector model is verified during the design stage.
How to Use the Equipment Across Different Productions
Theatres that stage ballet, opera, drama, musicals, and immersive shows rarely purchase a projector for just one production. In one performance, an image may cover the entire width of the stage; in another, it may be projected onto an individual scenic element. The same equipment may later be required in a smaller auditorium or foyer.
For this reason, brightness and resolution are not the only important factors. The physical size of the projector, interchangeable lenses, the ability to save settings, and the option to restore a required configuration quickly must also be considered.
Barco I600 projectors are suitable for compact and medium-sized spaces. Barco UDM projectors are used for main-stage projection.
For example, the multi-purpose Lorzensaal venue in Switzerland has a Barco UDM-W19 projector installed. It operates with a screen positioned behind the main curtain, while projection onto a specialist theatre film is also supported. The venue hosts concerts, musicals, theatre performances, and comedy shows.
Flagship Barco QDX models are well suited to large-format projection surfaces that require particularly high light output. At the Lingshan Brahma Palace theatre in Wuxi, China, for example, 30 Barco QDX-4K45 projectors were used to project onto the dome, stage, floor, and fabric surfaces. To ensure stable operation, the installation positions, lenses, signal distribution, power supply, and additional cooling requirements were calculated in advance.
Barco makes it possible to build a projector fleet comprising different performance classes while maintaining a consistent approach to setup and control. A theatre can use compact models in a smaller auditorium and more powerful projectors on the main stage without having to create a completely separate setup, control, and maintenance workflow for every space.
How to Address Common Theatrical Projection Challenges
In a theatre, a projector cannot always be installed directly in front of the screen or scenic element. It may need to be positioned to the side, above the stage, or at a limited distance from the projection surface.
Barco projectors use the Pulse hardware and software platform, which allows the shape and size of the image to be adjusted directly within the projector, taking into account both the projector position and the geometry of the projection surface.
When one projector is not sufficient, the Pulse platform helps align and blend images from multiple projectors so that the boundaries between them are less visible. Processing introduces minimal additional latency, which is important when video must remain synchronised with stage lighting, sound, and performer movement.
The Pulse platform with an extended feature set is used in Barco I600, UDM, and QDX series projectors. I65 models use the streamlined Pulse Lite platform, so the available functionality should be confirmed when selecting a particular projector.
Large-scale productions using multi-channel projection may require a dedicated visual content management system. Disguise media servers make it possible to synchronise projection with the production’s timecode, sound, and stage lighting, as well as distribute a single image across multiple projectors. Barco Encore video processors can also be used to process and route video signals, enabling multiple projection surfaces to be managed from a single system.
Which Projector to Choose for Immersive Projection
A large-scale example of immersive projection is the permanent La Perle show in Dubai. The venue’s current projection system uses Barco UDM and UDX series projectors to display images across the walls, floor, and large cyclorama, surrounding the stage with visual content.
Projection is combined with water effects, stage lighting, sound, and performer movement. As a result, the audience experiences the imagery not as content displayed on a separate screen, but as an integral part of the performance.
The system can transform the visual environment within seconds, turning the stage into an underwater setting, an architectural structure, or a fantasy landscape without the need to rearrange physical scenery. Because the audience seating surrounds the stage across 270 degrees, the visual content creates a unified immersive environment and strengthens the sense of presence.
What to Consider When Operating Projectors
A projector is purchased for many years of operation, so both image quality and maintenance requirements should be assessed before procurement.
It is important to consider noise levels, ventilation and power requirements, and access to the equipment. When a projector is installed above the stage or inside an enclosed projection room, the technical team must be able to perform preventive maintenance without causing extended interruptions to rehearsals.
For Barco I600, UDM, and QDX series projectors, software tools such as Pulse Toolset and Insights Management Suite are available. These tools allow the theatre’s technical team to configure projectors, organise them into groups, monitor equipment status, and manage the system over the network from a workstation. The available features depend on the specific projector model and software version.
How Barco Projector Service and Support Are Organised
Sound Creations supports Barco equipment after delivery and acts as the first point of contact for customers in Central Asia and the Caucasus. The company’s engineers assist with diagnostics, define the required scope of work, and determine whether servicing is best carried out at a service centre or directly on site.
Sound Creations also provides technical support and assists with software updates and preventive system maintenance.
Barco projectors and lenses are supplied with a standard three-year warranty. For an additional fee, warranty coverage can be extended to five years through a Barco EssentialCare service package.
When equipment must be removed for repair, Sound Creations may provide a temporary replacement so that the theatre can continue rehearsals and performances while the service work is being completed. Temporary replacement is subject to the availability of suitable equipment and must be agreed in advance.
When warranty repair, specialist spare parts, or manufacturer support are required, Sound Creations coordinates with Barco technical support and manages the service request. Barco provides remote technical support, accepts requests for equipment return and repair, supplies spare parts, and allows the status of a service request to be tracked. Specific service conditions depend on the equipment model, country of delivery, and warranty status.
Selecting projectors for a theatre begins not with finding the brightest available model, but with analysing the stage, the requirements of future productions, and the operating conditions.
Correctly calculated installation positions, suitable lenses, and an appropriate system configuration make it possible to achieve a stable image and use the equipment across different productions.
Sound Creations is an official Barco distributor in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
Our specialists help select projectors and lenses, prepare technical specifications, support projects throughout their implementation, and train technical teams.
For a preliminary project assessment, send Roman Dundukin the stage plan, projection-surface dimensions, and possible installation positions:
drb@sc-electronics.com | +971 58 544 0418 (Telegram, WhatsApp)
Professional Barco equipment can also be tested at the Sound Creations Immersive Lab in Tashkent. The space features a projection system comprising 11 professional Barco I600-4K15 projectors.
I65 — for projection on small stages and in foyers, as well as displaying surtitles on a screen.
I600 — for immersive and multi-channel projection in compact and medium-sized spaces, including digital scenery.
UDM — for main-stage projection requiring high brightness and accurate colour reproduction.
QDX — for very large projection surfaces, large venues, and the most complex multi-projector systems.
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