Resources for AV donations to churches?

Question

I am looking for resources for small churches regarding AV equipment. I am looking for information for some place that may donate AV equipment to churches especially small start up churches. I am particularly interested in a projector that you hook up to your laptop for presentations. Be blessed my friends and thanks for your responses in advance

Answer 1

Laptops and LCD projectors are wonderful for churches, but still have some cost associated with them. The cost of the LCD's has come down signficiantly so the first places that used these are now looking at replacing them. Some of the first places to use them were the schools, especially the colleges, so I would see if you can't find a school surplus sale in your area. These older machines are much heavier and don't have the brightness of newer machines. You want one with "RGB" output - that means it will connect to your monitor port on the computer.

For the computer, a laptop is wonderful but they cost more than a desktop PC and the audio output is usually not as loud. Since you will be either playing DVD's or something like a Powerpoint presentation, I would see if you can't get a compuer donated by someone in the congregation that is upgrading their home PC. Then I would shop around at the local thrift shops for some good speakers with an amplefier built in. You can connect the output from the computer to the church sound system, but you may not have this yet. It usually just requires an adapter for less than $15 from Radio Shack.

If you were to ask the congregation for donations to fhe new system, you could get a decent laptop and an LCD projector for under $2000. It may be easier to do this than to find the older parts.

One last warning - before you purchase any LCD, check the cost of replacing the bulb - they run between $450 and $650 each. A used LCD will have some hours on it already - you don't want to have it burn out after only a few weeks.

Answer 2

you might be better off having a fundraiser and then just looking for a good price on AV equipment once you rasie the money.

Renting or leasing might be another low cost option.

Answer 3

You can always call around to local businesses that sell such equipment and ask if they are willing to donate any of their older stock or display units to your church.