28 Oct Case Study: 32-Room Projector Upgrade at Santa Sabina Dominican College

Schools across Ireland are facing the same challenge ageing AV infrastructure that no longer meets the demands of modern teaching. When Santa Sabina Dominican College approached us, the brief was clear: replace every projector in the building with a reliable, future-ready solution.

The Projector Upgrade Challenge

Santa Sabina Dominican College had 32 projector systems installed across the school, all of which had reached end of life. Teachers were dealing with frequent projector lamp failures, deteriorating image quality, and legacy VGA cabling that couldn’t support the devices and platforms now used in everyday teaching. The inconsistency across rooms some projectors brighter than others, some barely functioning was creating a disjointed experience for staff and students alike.

With 32 rooms to upgrade, the school needed a partner that could manage the full scope of the project: survey, specification, deinstallation, installation, cabling, and commissioning  all delivered with minimal disruption to the school day.

The Santa Sabrina Solution

We carried out a complete turnkey AV replacement across all 32 teaching spaces. Every legacy system was carefully deinstalled and replaced with new Epson laser projectors, specified to suit the layout and requirements of each individual room.

The installation comprised:

• 29 ultra-short throw (UST) wall-mounted Epson laser projectors — ideal for standard classrooms where the projector sits just above the whiteboard, eliminating shadows and glare for both teachers and students.
• 3 standard throw ceiling-mounted Epson laser projectors — used in larger spaces such as the lecture-style room, where a ceiling mount with a longer throw distance was the better fit.
• Full HDMI cable upgrade across every room — replacing outdated VGA runs to install HDMI cables to ensure compatibility with modern laptops, tablets, and Apple TV devices.

The project covered a wide variety of teaching environments, from general classrooms and language rooms to ICT suites, a maths room, a Home Economics kitchen, and an Irish language classroom. Each space presented its own considerations — different wall types, room dimensions, mounting positions, and cable routing — all of which our installation team managed on site.

Why Laser?

The move to laser projection was a key part of the specification. Unlike traditional lamp-based projectors, laser models offer several significant advantages for school environments:

• No lamp replacements — laser light sources are rated for up to 20,000 hours, effectively eliminating the cost and inconvenience of lamp changes over the projector’s lifetime.
• Consistent brightness — laser projectors maintain their brightness output over time, unlike lamps which gradually dim as they age.
• Instant on/off — no warm-up or cool-down period, which matters in a school setting where classes start and end on the bell.
• Lower total cost of ownership — with no consumable lamps and reduced maintenance requirements, the long-term running cost is significantly lower.

Why Use Ultra-Short Throw Projectors?

The majority of rooms at Santa Sabina were fitted with UST projectors, and for good reason. Ultra-short throw projectors are mounted directly above the whiteboard and project from a very short distance, which means:

• No shadow interference — teachers and students can stand at the board without casting shadows on the projected image.
• No glare — because the projection beam is angled downward from above, there is no direct light shining into the presenter’s eyes.
• Space-efficient — the projector sits close to the wall, keeping it out of the way and reducing the risk of accidental damage.
• Clean installation — cable runs are shorter and more contained, resulting in a tidier finish.

The Result

All 32 rooms are now fully operational with bright, sharp, low-maintenance Epson laser projection. The school has a consistent AV experience across every teaching space — whether it’s a history classroom, a computer suite, or the Home Economics kitchen. Staff can connect their devices via HDMI or wirelessly through Apple TV, and every projector is ready to go the moment they walk into the room. The feedback from teaching staff has been positive, with the improved image quality and reliability making a noticeable difference to day-to-day teaching.

Planning a School AV Upgrade?

If your school is running on ageing projector systems and considering an upgrade, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss your requirements. Whether it’s a single room or a full-school rollout, we manage every stage of the process — from initial survey and specification through to installation, commissioning, and ongoing support. Give us a call now on +353 1 4660515 or to arrange a consultation.