When you’re setting up your media in church, you may think all you need is a projector, screen, and an audio system. But even if you already have those things, some other pieces of equipment will help you do your job more effectively and efficiently.
Here are 10 pieces of equipment every church needs to set up their media in the church.
1) Media Player
Music is a vital part of most churches, so it’s not surprising that churches devote a lot of money to music.
Most people think about musical instruments first, but if you’re going for multimedia in church, invest in a good media player and speaker system.
A cheap PC (or Mac) will let you play music from CDs and DVDs as well as from a computer, which allows for easy updates when songs change; if all goes according to plan, you won’t have to deal with burning new copies—you can just update your library by replacing old files or adding new ones.
2) Projector
This is a must. Unless you’re planning on burning a lot of DVDs and VHS tapes, you must have a good projector at every worship event.
It makes everything look professional and gives attendees an amazing experience. The one we have at our church is 2500 lumens, meaning that it projects images clearly and crisply without being too bright or causing eyestrain.
When choosing your projector, think about how big of an image it can create—the bigger (and higher-quality) image will make for better viewing experiences for all.
You’ll also want to get something with a high resolution because videos can be very demanding; 3000 x 2000 pixels would be ideal, but 2500 x 1200 should do just fine for most churches.
3) Microphone
A microphone is a sound-level device that converts sound pressure into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, public address systems, hearing aids, and recording devices.
They are also used as detectors in radio receivers (such as police radio, citizens band radio, and walkie-talkies), but noise reduction techniques make them less common there.
Some microphones include a plastic case around both the electronics and sensitive element to isolate them from shocks and vibrations that can interfere with proper operation.
Many professional microphones are directional; they pick up sounds mainly from directly in front of them as opposed to sounds from behind or from either side or in other directions which typically reduce background noise levels by increasing rejection.
4) Speakers
Choosing quality speakers will make or break how professional your setup looks and sounds. Larger churches should have a pair, smaller churches can get away with one quality speaker system.
The first thing to consider is whether or not you want stereo sound. If so, there are three different ways you can configure it: bridged (one single amplifier powers both speakers), paralleled (two amplifiers are used and set at 50% power each), or series (both amps run full power).
Speakers come in 3-way, 2-way, and 1-way configurations. In general, 3-way is better for larger rooms like sanctuaries, 2-ways are great for gymnasiums and 1-ways shines for small areas like classrooms or youth groups.
5) Laptop
Your laptop is going to be your primary tool for everything, so make sure it’s up-to-date. Get as much RAM as possible and purchase any software (like Adobe) that will make life easier when it comes time to produce content.
Plan; if you’re looking at an Apple computer, look into getting Final Cut Studio or Adobe Premiere while they’re on sale because they’ll save you a ton of money.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, we can talk later and I’ll explain it more in detail.
Even with a PC though, there are plenty of video editing tools available now that are super cheap/free – go search for some and see which one fits with your skill set best!
6) External hard drive
For backing up all content that’s uploaded and stored on your network, including anything loaded into Media Servers.
It’s also a good idea to buy two or three: one for storing data, one as a backup, and another as an immediate replacement if anything happens to either.
In addition, keep at least one additional external hard drive in case any are damaged. Every hard drive has a limit to how many times it can be written over; that limit is called its write lifetime.
Most drives last between three and five years before their write lifetime runs out, depending on how much they are used and how they are treated.
7) Screen protector
Screen protectors are a great way to help ensure that your phone doesn’t scratch easily or get dirty. Although newer screens are made of stronger material, a small screen protector can go a long way and be relatively inexpensive.
Think about how many times you set down or pick up your phone per day; some scuffs and scratches will inevitably show. A screen protector may save your phone from being irreversibly damaged.
8) Speaker stands brackets
Speaker stands are typically outfitted with one or two brackets for hanging loudspeakers. But if yours doesn’t have any, speaker stand brackets can easily solve that problem.
Simply slip them over a pair of standard speaker stands, and then hang a speaker from each bracket. When it comes time to clean up after services or move things around during events, takedown is just as easy—simply unhook and remove one side at a time.
If you don’t have enough room on stage for more than two loudspeakers, only using two speaker stands with two speaker stand brackets makes sense.
9) Mic stand
If you plan on using a microphone during your services, you’ll want a mic stand. There are dozens of types and styles available today, but they all essentially do one thing: hold up microphones.
This shouldn’t be overlooked, as professional quality stands cost only $50 and can greatly improve audio quality when used properly.
10) Tripod microphone
A good quality tripod microphone is important. You want it to be able to stay stable and not move when speaking into it.
The last thing you want is for a mic that moves around and gets out of place during an important message.
Not only will it look unprofessional, but it could also cause feedback or echo issues throughout your sound system.