What to Consider First

Before you begin your audio visual project, there are several factors to consider while you are still in the design phase. Generally, you would work with an audio visual systems integrator, like AVI Systems, to plan for these important decisions.
 

We’ve compiled a list of topics to discuss during the design phase of your project. It might seem like a lot to worry about. However, a bit of up-front planning can save you time and money, help you avoid common mistakes, and ensure that you get the most out of the technologies you want and need for your organization.
 

Audience
Building/Structure
Acoustics & Audio
Lighting & Heat
Electrical & Cabling
Screens
Video Conferencing Considerations
Conclusions

Audience

Define the primary user audience, how comfortable they are with technology, and the basic age range of the group.

• Are you in a corporate environment where the primary user will be an employee of the company? What is the age range? How technologically savvy are they, on average?

• If you are in a K-12 environment, will the technology be used primarily by the students, or by the teachers?

• For colleges and universities, users tend to be very savvy and have high expectations of technology already.

• Some environments, such as houses of worship or community centers, cater to users whose ages range from 5 to 99+. How might this impact the technology you plan to integrate?

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Building/Structure

The age of your current building/structure can have a large impact on the audio visual technologies to be integrated, and how they are integrated.

• Are you building from the ground up? Are you looking for LEED certification through the building process? Do you have ideas about how you will use audio visual technology to help you earn LEED credits?

• Is it an older building? Are there any historical designations to take into account?

• Are there any rules or regulations you need to consider before you enter the planning phase?

Audio visual technology can require very specific room sizes and dimensions.

• For existing structures, make sure you clearly understand the room dimensions, the placement of outlets, the type of ceiling and floors for cabling and equipment installation, the stability of wall structures for screens and cameras, and how much space you will have for the equipment.

• For new buildings, consider room dimension, electrical and cabling needs, screen type, projection systems, and all audio placement needs while you are still in the planning and drawing phase. Changes made on paper are much more cost effective and less risky than remodels needed after a structure is built.

Where will you want the equipment to reside?

• Will it be inside the room or outside?

• Should the equipment be easy to access, or locked up?

• Should it be hidden or out in the open?

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Acoustics & Audio

Ambient noise, both outside and inside the room, can have a large impact on the effectiveness of your audio visual system.

• Is the room going to be affected by hallway traffic noise or sounds from nearby rooms such as break rooms, other conference rooms, or restrooms?

• What levels of reverberance can you tolerate in the room? Rooms with large windows, glass walls, and/or granite countertops will have high levels of reverberance that could potentially cause echoing or otherwise interfere with sound clarity and quality.

Does the room need to be private and/or somewhat isolated?

• How will you design the room for privacy, to keep others from hearing what’s going on in the room (to meet HIPAA requirements, for instance)?

• Will you need to double-sheetrock for added soundproofing and privacy?

Will you need speakers and microphones throughout the room?

• What type of speaker system will best suit the needs of the participants? Are you planning to incorporate surround sound?

• Will you be using ceiling microphones, or table-top / table-recessed microphones? There are advantages and drawbacks to each, and specific math formulas to help you get it right in either instance.

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Lighting & Heat

A room’s lighting – particularly ambient light – can have a huge impact on the technologies you integrate into the room.

• Can you control the ambient light coming in from windows, skylights, and glass walls?

• Will uncontrolled ambient light visually interfere with any of the technologies you plan to integrate (i.e., glare on a plasma or LCD screen; ambient light interfering with front-projection presentation screens, even when the lights are off; etc.)?

Audio visual technologies tend to give off a lot of heat.

• Particularly for existing rooms, it may not always make the most sense to put audio visual equipment in existing credenzas and cabinets. These items may not be built with proper air flow and temperature control.

• Based on the room environment, you may wish to consider alternative equipment that runs cooler.

• During the design phase, millwork and cabinetry can be designed to accommodate equipment needs and cooling.

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Electrical & Cabling

Technology and equipment often require specific electrical, IP, and cabling.

• Will conduit access and cable access be needed for the room’s new technologies?

• Will electrical conduit and electrical exchanges need to be integrated into concrete slabs? This is much harder – and much more expensive – to achieve after concrete has been poured and hardened.

• Does the equipment have any additional grounding or surge protection requirements, such as power conditioning or back-up power?

• Will you be integrating microphones, electrical outlets, internet access, and control panels into the conference room table or any other furniture in the room?

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Screens

There are basic rules of thumb to follow when adding a screen.

• How big is the room? How many people can the room accommodate? And where will most people be seated?

• Very large screens have special requirements. Walls and ceilings must be able to support the weight of the screen.

• There is a specific math formula used to calculate the right size screen for a given room, based on room dimensions, audience location and presentation needs.

If you are installing a projection system, which option will be better for the facility: front-projection or rear-projection?

• Rear projection systems require a small projection booth. They give a brighter, higher-quality image, even in a bright room. You may not need to worry about shadows on the screen or audience members accidentally blocking the projector. You also never have to worry about lights in the eyes of the presenter, and they won’t have to contend with machine noises.

• Front projection systems offer more flexibility. They do not require the construction of a dedicated projection booth; screens can be retractable or even portable; and they tend to be slightly less expensive. In addition, front projection systems work with interactive whiteboards.

Will you be adding any monitors to the room?

• Which type of technology would best suit your purpose: LCD, plasma or some other display device?

• How large will the screens need to be so the images are readable in every part of the room? Would a video wall be desirable?

• The primary advantage of a video wall is resolution. This may be your best option for displaying multi-view high-resolution imagery ---such as photos, videos, and other high resolution graphics.

• Disadvantages include the cost to implement and maintain the video wall. For instance, the screens age differently, even if they are the same make and model, potentially requiring steady replacement to maintain uniform quality across the entire image

Do you know that there are over 30 screen shapes and a wide variety of screen surfaces? Knowing the following basics will help you determine what you need:

• Will you want square vs. rectangle? Will most presentations, videos and other projected items be widescreen or square?

• Interactive or non-interactive?

• What is the intended purpose of the screen --- to display presentations, enable video conferencing, or encourage interactive whiteboarding and team collaboration?

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Video Conferencing Considerations

Camera placement can impact how participants feel about the effectiveness of a video call.

• Cameras that are too close may not capture everyone; if they are too far away, participants can’t be seen clearly.

• Cameras at the wrong angle can inadvertently cut participants out of the picture. In addition, cameras set too low or too high can be distracting to participants and make them uncomfortable.

How will you be using the cameras?

• Will you combine video conferencing and presentation technologies?

• Will you be retrofitting video conferencing technology into an existing presentation room?

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Conclusions

Up-front planning insures effective technology integration and higher levels of participant satisfaction. A lack of planning could result in a loss of time, discouraged participants, and higher costs to correct and replace the problem areas.  Bring a professional designer into the project early in the planning stage so it gets done right the first time.
 

To plan your next project with the experts at AVI Systems, contact us  or call 800.488.4954 today.