Video rental places should rent projectors and screens for birthday parties, hardcore gaming nights, etc.
Renting projectors is normal, but most people don't routinely stop by the places that do it. Make projectors more accessible, and the demand might arise. Obviously, all the standard measures would have to be taken: deposits, a little staff training, etc. No biggie.-- nilstycho, Jan 02 2004 Google Directory of AudioVisual Renters http://directory.go...l/Equipment/Rental/One or two vendors that don't have a problem with renting to Joe Schmoe [nilstycho, Oct 17 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] The bulbs are too fragile, and too expensive. That's why you have to borrow the one from work.-- xrayTed, Jan 03 2004 the obvious answer is to make the people who rent it responsible for paying damages.-- Space-Pope, Jan 04 2004 [humanbean] has hit the mark here. The value of a projector is just too high to rent them out via this route.
I applaud the idea cos I personally would love to hire one, but I fear that the only way it would work was if you had to leave a deposit or open credit card slip, ready signed, should you fail to return the unit.-- jonthegeologist, Jan 04 2004 I'd imagine it would go-over as well as the "Full-computer-games-for-rent-" scheme where the renter just had to bring back the CD(s) ...-- Letsbuildafort, Jan 05 2004 The top-of-the-line projectors would be out of the question. But a lower-quality model might not be. As for light bulbs, the key would be to have the projector use less-expensive bulbs that lasted less long. Require customers to buy a $10 bulb when they first rent the unit; the bulb is then theirs to keep as long as it lasts.-- supercat, Jan 05 2004 I will trust the scuzziest, sloppiest couch potato in the history of the 21st century with my fancy, flashy, delicate, new projector as long as the deposit clears. (Yes, Jon, that's exactly how it would/does work)
Besides, he can rent one at a rental place anyway. Customers are informed of the risk when they sign on the dotted line. See link.
And I just got reminded of a semi-similar setup in Seattle (Whoa... alliteration.) called Scarecrow, where some videos that are hard to find some with a $200 deposit in the event of loss/damage.-- nilstycho, Jan 05 2004 I have a video projector somewhere that the original owner bought for I think about $600 about a decade ago. He damaged the optics, so it doesn't work very well anymore, and really wasn't all that great to begin with, but I would see no particular technical problem with someone producing and selling such a somewhat better unit for that sort of price. Not something that would normally be preferable to a TV set, but when watching a movie with a bunch of people it could be fun.-- supercat, Jan 05 2004 The people would go for it. Movies deserve to be BIG. I'm surprised blockbuster (more of the US movie renting dollar than all its' competitors together) hasn't done this yet.-- GutPunchLullabies, Jul 01 2004 random, halfbakery