Princeton University is the site of Da-Lite's largest screen installation to date. In fact, there's not just one huge screen there, but two. James D. McDonnell Hall, on the campus of Princeton University, in Princeton, NJ, houses a 42,000 square foot classroom and laboratory hall for the math and physics departments. However, these are no "standard" classrooms. So, what's so unique about them?

James D. McDonnell Hall includes two identical classrooms with a stage that rotates 180° huge rear screens accommodating three projected images

Well, for starters, the stage at the front of the room is actually one large turntable. Designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates (NY), the turntable design allows one class to be in session while the other is setting up. In either of two main lecture halls, while class is in session, a professor can actually stage the entire set-up for the next class and as soon as class lets out, press one button and have the turntable stage rotate 180 degrees and set-up is completed.

Of course to allow the AV equipment to be interfaced, controlled and displayed from both sides of the room required the expertise of New York City based Shen Milsom & Wilke, Inc. (SM&W, Inc.). Michael Shafer, Senior Associate and Manager of the Audiovisual Design Group in the New York office of SM&W, Inc. managed the design process that included acoustical and audiovisual integration in the complex installation. Both lecture halls in McDonnell Hall each house a huge Da-Lite screen. Lecture Hall 1 required an 8' 4" x 22' screen and Lecture Hall 2 required a 9' 9" x 26' screen. Both screens are diffusion rear projection screens with the Da-150, 1.5 gain coating and deluxe framing systems.

"This was a huge undertaking on our part", remarked Blake Brubaker, Director of Marketing for Da-Lite Screen Company. Brubaker explains, "We felt positive we could pull it off but we still crossed our fingers with every step. Not only was this a manufacturing feat for us, but a high profile account like Princeton University with the expertise of Shen Milsom & Wilke demanded perfection and we were nervous. To tell you the truth though, the real difficulty didn't turn out to be making it, but figuring out how to ship it."

The screen was designed to accommodate a number of projected images simultaneously and independently. The width allows Princeton to project images centered in the middle of the screen as well as side by side. The centered and most important image is generated using a Hughes/JVC 320SC light-valve which is capable of projecting NTSC video as well as computer resolutions up to 1620 x 1280. In addition, in a move originally designed to reduce project costs, a pair of Sharp XG-3000 projectors provides side-by-side imaging. Surprisingly to everyone connected to the project, the Sharp projectors hold up reasonably well compared with the Hughes projectors. However, they are never used at the same time thus a comparison is seldom drawn from the students or professors. In addition, a Navitar CP 300AF slide projector ads the ability to show high-resolution 35mm slide images. The simultaneous projection was designed to accommodate the changing needs of each professor as well as the two departments (physics and math) that share the complex, allowing side-by-side comparatives of graphical images.

"Da-Lite came through", commented Steve Emspak, Principal Consultant also from the NY office of SM&W, Inc. Emspak continued, "The client had a unique application for huge screens and Da-Lite was able to provide a product the client can be proud of. Professional AV equipment in educational institutions is moving from a luxury to a necessity as, on a daily basis, more and more technology is infused into the workplace it has become evident that our educational infrastructure must be re-vamped to catch up. The Generation-X'ers enter college and to keep the attention of this MTV generation, the need for innovative solutions are abound. The manufacturers in this project exemplify those solutions and Da-Lite's ability to build a screen that adheres to rigid specifications shows their dedication to the future of the industry."

But, guess what? Even with all this technology amounting to an AV (audiovisual) installation total over $600,000 (US) one of the oldest projection technologies still makes a showing. Described by Emspak as the "ultimate Band-Aid", there are also two ceiling mounted, electric front-screens that are used for displaying OHP (Overhead Projector) images. Emspak explains, "Technology isn't perfect and the physical presence of an OHP is a great problem solver in any case where something fails, simply doesn't work or a professor comes in that has no plan to use any of the advanced technology."

System Bits:

Projection Screens: Da-Lite Da-150 (1.5 Gain) rear screens

Video and Data Projectors: Hughes/JVC 320SC with optional Buhl 287-100 lens Sharp XG-3000 LCD Projectors

Slide Projectors: Navitar CP-300AF with RS 232

Control Control System: Crestron VT-4000 touch panel and CressNet control system

Matrix Switchers: AutoPatch 4YDM 16x8 RGBS with RS 232 control

Video Processing Equipment: Extron Lancia, RGB 300 interfaces and ADA-4-300MX distribution amps

Slide to Video Converter: Navitar Videomate 2150MZ

Document Camera: Wolfvision Visualizer V2-35

Microphone System: Shure SC4 Receiver Shure SC1 body pack Crown LM-300 microphones Senheiser hearing impaired assistive listening system (SZ1-1029)

Audio Amplifiers: Crown Macro-tech 1200 power amp TOA P-906 MK2 power amplifier

Feedback Eliminator: Sabine FBX 900

Graphic Equalizer: Yamaha Q2031 A

Intercom System: Aiphone AT-405P and SKK620 PSU

Shen Milsom & Wilke, Inc. can be contacted on the web at http://www.smwinc.com.