[Sportsmaniac13]

As the title says, I've got a JVC DLA-4910 and I'm unsure about the equipment I need to mount it. I have decided on the mount I'll use, which will be the Chief RPMA281. But it's the other equipment that goes with it that's causing me confusion.

First off, do I need a custom interface bracket or not? This page (http://www.chiefmfg.com/Mount-Finder/JVC/DLA-RS4910) shows me three different brackets to choose from, but some people say I don't need one at all. Is there a universal one that comes with the mount?

Second, there's tons of different ceiling plates to choose from. Which one would work best for my application?

And last, there's an eleven-inch drop ceiling between where the projector will be mounted and the screen, so I'll need an extension pipe to hang the projector down below it. I'm not quite sure how far down the projector needs to be to clear the ceiling, so should I just get an adjustable pipe or try and figure out the length it needs to be before I buy?

 

[Craig Peer]

As the title says, I've got a JVC DLA-4910 and I'm unsure about the equipment I need to mount it. I have decided on the mount I'll use, which will be the Chief RPMA281. But it's the other equipment that goes with it that's causing me confusion.

First off, do I need a custom interface bracket or not? This page (http://www.chiefmfg.com/Mount-Finder/JVC/DLA-RS4910) shows me three different brackets to choose from, but some people say I don't need one at all. Is there a universal one that comes with the mount?

Second, there's tons of different ceiling plates to choose from. Which one would work best for my application?

And last, there's an eleven-inch drop ceiling between where the projector will be mounted and the screen, so I'll need an extension pipe to hang the projector down below it. I'm not quite sure how far down the projector needs to be to clear the ceiling, so should I just get an adjustable pipe or try and figure out the length it needs to be before I buy?

The Chief mount RPMA281 comes with the plate to mount to your projector. You can use this ceiling plate - http://www.chiefmfg.com/Products/CMA101


As far as the extension pole, whether you use an adjustable or fixed pole, you should try and figure out a length. You can also use a piece of threaded 1 1/2" galvanized pipe from Home Depot.

 

[Wdawg1000]

Hello


I used the Chief RPMA281 Custom Elite Mount and it included a plate that bolted to the projector and then attached to the mount. The assembly works very well with fine adjustments to the projector. The mount needs a 1-1/2" pipe that attaches solidly to your ceiling joists. I got a galvanized pipe (cut and threaded to size) and a floor flange at my local Home Depot. I painted it black. I see on the chief web page you can get adjustable pipe and mounting hardware. I have no complaints about anything I've purchased made by Chief. I used a 2"X8"x16" to span my joists and attach the floor flange and galvanized pipe. You need clearance below your dropped ceiling for projector cooling. I inferred from the manual about 6" is required. There is quite a bit of vertical shift on your projector. If you can get a measurement and cut your pipe to drop your projector so the lens center is near the top of your screen I think you would be fine. Don't get your projector too low so that you hit your head on it. If you also need horizontal lens shift you might have to pay closer attention to your vertical drop.


Good Luck
Bob

 

[Sportsmaniac13]

The Chief mount RPMA281 comes with the plate to mount to your projector. You can use this ceiling plate - http://www.chiefmfg.com/Products/CMA101


As far as the extension pole, whether you use an adjustable or fixed pole, you should try and figure out a length. You can also use a piece of threaded 1 1/2" galvanized pipe from Home Depot.

That ceiling plate is a little too flashy for my taste. Would this plate work: http://www.chiefmfg.com/Products/CMA105, or do I need the 8" version?

And for figuring out the length, is there an easier way to doing it than holding the projector above my head while it shines an image on the screen? I obviously don't have a table that goes up that high.

Spoiler

Hello


I used the Chief RPMA281 Custom Elite Mount and it included a plate that bolted to the projector and then attached to the mount. The assembly works very well with fine adjustments to the projector. The mount needs a 1-1/2" pipe that attaches solidly to your ceiling joists. I got a galvanized pipe (cut and threaded to size) and a floor flange at my local Home Depot. I painted it black. I see on the chief web page you can get adjustable pipe and mounting hardware. I have no complaints about anything I've purchased made by Chief. I used a 2"X8"x16" to span my joists and attach the floor flange and galvanized pipe. You need clearance below your dropped ceiling for projector cooling. I inferred from the manual about 6" is required. There is quite a bit of vertical shift on your projector. If you can get a measurement and cut your pipe to drop your projector so the lens center is near the top of your screen I think you would be fine. Don't get your projector too low so that you hit your head on it. If you also need horizontal lens shift you might have to pay closer attention to your vertical drop.


Good Luck
Bob

Buying a galvanized pipe is definitely a good option, but I'll probably just grab the extension pole online along with the rest of the mount. Just seems easier that way (though probably more costly).

And considering how low my ceilings already are, there's no way to avoid the projector getting too low. I plan on putting a table or some other piece of furniture under it so people don't hit their head, but other than that there's really nothing I can do about it.

 

[Wdawg1000]

And for figuring out the length, is there an easier way to doing it than holding the projector above my head while it shines an image on the screen? I obviously don't have a table that goes up that high.

I wanted my projector lens to be centered at the top of the screen. I used a laser level aligned to the top of my screen. From my projector location I measured down from the joists to the laser. That gave me total drop to the center of the lens. I determined the pole length by subtracting projector and mount height and the 2x8 in the ceiling.


Your low ceilings probably means you want your projector as high as possible. So my opinion would be determine the height you want your projector. Determine the height you want the top of your screen. From there you can determine if you are within the lens shift of the projector. Unless your ceilings are way out of level a measuring tape is all you need. Unless you are at the limits of your lens shift the tolerances you are dealing with is in inches not fractions of an inch.


Good luck


Bob

 

[Sportsmaniac13]

Spoiler

I wanted my projector lens to be centered at the top of the screen. I used a laser level aligned to the top of my screen. From my projector location I measured down from the joists to the laser. That gave me total drop to the center of the lens. I determined the pole length by subtracting projector and mount height and the 2x8 in the ceiling.


Your low ceilings probably means you want your projector as high as possible. So my opinion would be determine the height you want your projector. Determine the height you want the top of your screen. From there you can determine if you are within the lens shift of the projector. Unless your ceilings are way out of level a measuring tape is all you need. Unless you are at the limits of your lens shift the tolerances you are dealing with is in inches not fractions of an inch.


Good luck


Bob

As I've said before, my main issue with mount height isn't my low ceilings (which I can deal with in other ways), but the small space where the ceiling drops eleven inches between the screen and projector. The ceiling eventually goes back up to its original height, but the PJ needs to be mounted low enough to clear the lower part of the ceiling while still filling up the entire screen, which will go almost to the top of the ceiling.

The good news is that my JVC PJ has very generous lens shift capabilities, so that shouldn't be an issue. I just hope I don't have to mount the PJ too low, because at that point it'd make more sense to just put it on a table.

 

[Wdawg1000]

If I had a situation like yours, I'd determine the location of the top of my screen. I'd take a string and fix it to where the top of my screen is going to be. Id' pull the string to where my projector will be located without touching any obstructions. The point in space you select is the top of your lens and should give your projector line of site to your screen. From that point you can calculate the pole length and other hardware you might need.


Good Luck


Bob

 

[Craig Peer]

That ceiling plate is a little too flashy for my taste. Would this plate work: http://www.chiefmfg.com/Products/CMA105, or do I need the 8" version?

And for figuring out the length, is there an easier way to doing it than holding the projector above my head while it shines an image on the screen? I obviously don't have a table that goes up that high.



Buying a galvanized pipe is definitely a good option, but I'll probably just grab the extension pole online along with the rest of the mount. Just seems easier that way (though probably more costly).

And considering how low my ceilings already are, there's no way to avoid the projector getting too low. I plan on putting a table or some other piece of furniture under it so people don't hit their head, but other than that there's really nothing I can do about it.

You can use any ceiling plate that Chief makes that is threaded for 1 1/2" pipe / drop tubes. They also make a trim piece for suspended ceilings. Give us a call or email at AV Science if you need help, or for a quote.

 

[AV_Integrated]

As the title says, I've got a JVC DLA-4910 and I'm unsure about the equipment I need to mount it. I have decided on the mount I'll use, which will be the Chief RPMA281. But it's the other equipment that goes with it that's causing me confusion.

The RPMA is an indication that you are getting the Chief Elite projector mount.

The number at the end (281) indicates that the mount you are getting (RPMA) will include a JVC RS4910 specific plate.

My opinion is that you should NOT do this, but get the Chief RPMAU. This is their Universal projector mount. It's incredibly robust and is a universal design. It costs about the same and if you ever change projectors, you won't have to go out and buy a new $100 custom interface, but can use the mount you have with the new projector, just by repositioning the arms. I've done a couple dozen JVC projectors with the RPMAU mount, and they have all worked perfectly.

Second, there's tons of different ceiling plates to choose from. Which one would work best for my application?

There are a ton of different ceilings out there. What kind do you have?

A traditional drywall ceiling can use a 1.5" steel plumbing flange from Home Depot, but if you have a drop ceiling, you will need to determine a plate which will work with your specific ceiling setup. There is the CMA440 which is designed for suspended ceilings, but it is more of a commercial product. If you have wooden studs right about your suspended ceiling, you can use them and a cheap flange.

The CMA105 is perfectly acceptable, and likely costs twice as much as a standard plumbing flange from Home Depot.

May be worth picking up a trim ring like this if the bare pole is penetrating a drop ceiling...
http://store.videomountstore.com/cematrri.html

http://www.chiefmfg.com/Series/Extension Accessories

And last, there's an eleven-inch drop ceiling between where the projector will be mounted and the screen, so I'll need an extension pipe to hang the projector down below it. I'm not quite sure how far down the projector needs to be to clear the ceiling, so should I just get an adjustable pipe or try and figure out the length it needs to be before I buy?

This is a huge reason why I go to Home Depot and get some flat black spray paint. While it sounds easier to measure everything out, you can just buy the mount, put it on the projector, put up the plate, then measure between the bottom of the plate and the top of the mount, then run by Home Depot and buy the exact length you need from them. Paint it black, and a few hours later, you have a perfect 'custom' setup.

But, you can certainly buy an adjustable pole for a lot more money from Chief.

http://www.chiefmfg.com/Series/Extension-Adjustable

About 10 bucks or so from Home Depot.

This is all your cash and your choice of course, but it could be $50 or more saved overall.

 

[Sportsmaniac13]

If I had a situation like yours, I'd determine the location of the top of my screen. I'd take a string and fix it to where the top of my screen is going to be. Id' pull the string to where my projector will be located without touching any obstructions. The point in space you select is the top of your lens and should give your projector line of site to your screen. From that point you can calculate the pole length and other hardware you might need.

That.......is actually pretty dang smart. That's most likely what I'll do, because that's way easier than holding a 50lb projector over my head.

You can use any ceiling plate that Chief makes that is threaded for 1 1/2" pipe / drop tubes. They also make a trim piece for suspended ceilings. Give us a call or email at AV Science if you need help, or for a quote.

Chief's website recommends the CMA105 to be used for smaller extension poles. Does this really matter? Does a larger plate have any advantages over a smaller one?

Spoiler

The RPMA is an indication that you are getting the Chief Elite projector mount.

The number at the end (281) indicates that the mount you are getting (RPMA) will include a JVC RS4910 specific plate.

My opinion is that you should NOT do this, but get the Chief RPMAU. This is their Universal projector mount. It's incredibly robust and is a universal design. It costs about the same and if you ever change projectors, you won't have to go out and buy a new $100 custom interface, but can use the mount you have with the new projector, just by repositioning the arms. I've done a couple dozen JVC projectors with the RPMAU mount, and they have all worked perfectly.

That's all very helpful. I didn't realize the 281 meant it was JVC specific. I may just get the universal one if it's really not worse than having a projector-specific bracket.

Spoiler

There are a ton of different ceilings out there. What kind do you have?

A traditional drywall ceiling can use a 1.5" steel plumbing flange from Home Depot, but if you have a drop ceiling, you will need to determine a plate which will work with your specific ceiling setup. There is the CMA440 which is designed for suspended ceilings, but it is more of a commercial product. If you have wooden studs right about your suspended ceiling, you can use them and a cheap flange.

The CMA105 is perfectly acceptable, and likely costs twice as much as a standard plumbing flange from Home Depot.

My ceiling is a regular drywall ceiling, so that's the good news there. The plumbing flange is another option I'll definitely consider, because the Chief plates definitely aren't cheap. I'll ask you the same question I asked earlier: is there any advantage of having a bigger ceiling plate vs. a smaller one? The one you mentioned is only 1.5", which is even smaller than the 4" one I brought up.

Spoiler

This is a huge reason why I go to Home Depot and get some flat black spray paint. While it sounds easier to measure everything out, you can just buy the mount, put it on the projector, put up the plate, then measure between the bottom of the plate and the top of the mount, then run by Home Depot and buy the exact length you need from them. Paint it black, and a few hours later, you have a perfect 'custom' setup.

But, you can certainly buy an adjustable pole for a lot more money from Chief.

http://www.chiefmfg.com/Series/Extension-Adjustable

About 10 bucks or so from Home Depot.

This is all your cash and your choice of course, but it could be $50 or more saved overall.

Apologies if the following questions are stupid ones, but I'm no contractor and would never go as far as to call myself "handy".

First off, if I get the galvanized pole from Home Depot (or likely Lowe's for me), would they thread the end of the pole for me so it'll fit in the mount and plate? And second, the pole would obviously have to be slightly longer to account for the length that would disappear into the mount and plate. Do I just measure the length of the threading in the mount and plate and add that onto the length of the pole?


Thanks for the answers everyone, they've all been very helpful.

 

[Nicoff]

You mentioned that you have ceiling height problems and that you were planning to have a table or something under the projector to avoid people hitting it. Have you considered placing the projector on the table? The projector can shift the image vertically so you would have lots of latitude to make it work. That way you do not need a ceiling mount. And If you have a motorized screen You can get a screen with a blacked-out top border of whatever dimension you need as well.

 

[Sportsmaniac13]

You mentioned that you have ceiling height problems and that you were planning to have a table or something under the projector to avoid people hitting it. Have you considered placing the projector on the table? The projector can shift the image vertically so you would have lots of latitude to make it work. That way you do not need a ceiling mount. And If you have a motorized screen You can get a screen with a blacked-out top border of whatever dimension you need as well.

I have considered it and it's still very much a possibility, but arguably the main negative of that option is wiring. Not only do I already have power and an HDMI cable wired in my ceiling, but I really have no aesthetically pleasing way to wire those to a table right in the middle of the room.

Other than that, my other worry is the possibility of it getting bumped and moved. It's not a big deal in and of itself, but I don't want to have to worry about adjusting the lens settings frequently. I could mount it to the table to fix this issue, but that also involves ruining a perfectly good piece of furniture, and it doesn't account for the table itself getting moved.

If ceiling mounting turns out to be impractical I'll definitely explore this option more, but right now it has too much going against it.

 

[Mike Garrett]

The RPMA is an indication that you are getting the Chief Elite projector mount.

The number at the end (281) indicates that the mount you are getting (RPMA) will include a JVC RS4910 specific plate.

My opinion is that you should NOT do this, but get the Chief RPMAU. This is their Universal projector mount. It's incredibly robust and is a universal design. It costs about the same and if you ever change projectors, you won't have to go out and buy a new $100 custom interface, but can use the mount you have with the new projector, just by repositioning the arms. I've done a couple dozen JVC projectors with the RPMAU mount, and they have all worked perfectly.


There are a ton of different ceilings out there. What kind do you have?

A traditional drywall ceiling can use a 1.5" steel plumbing flange from Home Depot, but if you have a drop ceiling, you will need to determine a plate which will work with your specific ceiling setup. There is the CMA440 which is designed for suspended ceilings, but it is more of a commercial product. If you have wooden studs right about your suspended ceiling, you can use them and a cheap flange.

The CMA105 is perfectly acceptable, and likely costs twice as much as a standard plumbing flange from Home Depot.

May be worth picking up a trim ring like this if the bare pole is penetrating a drop ceiling...
http://store.videomountstore.com/cematrri.html

http://www.chiefmfg.com/Series/Extension Accessories


This is a huge reason why I go to Home Depot and get some flat black spray paint. While it sounds easier to measure everything out, you can just buy the mount, put it on the projector, put up the plate, then measure between the bottom of the plate and the top of the mount, then run by Home Depot and buy the exact length you need from them. Paint it black, and a few hours later, you have a perfect 'custom' setup.

But, you can certainly buy an adjustable pole for a lot more money from Chief.

http://www.chiefmfg.com/Series/Extension-Adjustable

About 10 bucks or so from Home Depot.

This is all your cash and your choice of course, but it could be $50 or more saved overall.

The RPAU does not fit the JVC projectors from RS40 to present. The arms on the RPAU do not go wide enough to reach the mounting holes on the JVC. You need the Chief RPA281 or RPMA281.

 

[Sportsmaniac13]

So I just purchased my mount (the RPMA281), but I'm still very unsure about the ceiling plate I should use. Chief's website says the CMA105 (the 4" model) should be used with smaller extension columns, but I plan on using one somewhere between 8-12". If I can get away with using the CMA105 I'll use it, because it takes up much less space on my ceiling. But if I need to upgrade to the CMA110, I have no issue doing that either.

So which one do I need?

 

[mark haflich]

Your pole is considered a short pole. You can just use a ceiling flange from Home depot at a cost of about $5. get the 1 1/2 inch socket one and your 1 1/2 threaded pipe just screws into it and the other end screws into the mount. Home depot sells short lengths of pipe already threaded at both ens. these are called pipe nipples but don't try and suck on one. not cool. they come in various short lengths such as very short, all threads up to about 18 inches. You can get 2 inches or 6 inches or 8 inches, whatever you end up neededing. cost is from about 42 to maybe 46 for an 18 incher. the spray paint is a buck. just stand it up out side and spray it. It will dry in 5 minutes.

 

[Mike Garrett]

Your pole is considered a short pole. You can just use a ceiling flange from Home depot at a cost of about $5. get the 1 1/2 inch socket one and your 1 1/2 threaded pipe just screws into it and the other end screws into the mount. Home depot sells short lengths of pipe already threaded at both ens. these are called pipe nipples but don't try and suck on one. not cool. they come in various short lengths such as very short, all threads up to about 18 inches. You can get 2 inches or 6 inches or 8 inches, whatever you end up neededing. cost is from about 42 to maybe 46 for an 18 incher. the spray paint is a buck. just stand it up out side and spray it. It will dry in 5 minutes.

Where are you shopping to get black spray paint for a dollar? Most places, I see it for four dollars.

 

[mark haflich]

Home Depot in the section where the spray cans of paint are, on the bottom shelf, they have a generic brand of flat black paint that sells for 97 cents a can. The Home Depot item number is J2853812. Brands like Rust Oleum cost a lot more.