Communication of an Idea Define AV in your own terms. In its simplest form, AV is about helping people communicate an idea effectively. Whether it is cave drawings thousands of years ago or a wedding video on Twitter today, audiovisual tools and technology are used to help people relate to and understand one another. Adding AV to an idea helps people pay attention, learn, laugh, enjoy, make decisions and remember. How you define audiovisual (AV) communication varies based on your interest and experience. For some people, AV goes back to black and white television; for others, AV is a YouTube video on a smart phone or the latest video game in 3D. AV technology is used to communicate ideas everywhere. Doctors use AV in operating rooms, teachers use it in classrooms, students use it in dormitories, corporate business professionals use it in boardrooms, lawyers use it in courtrooms, marketers use it in retail stores, and rock stars use it on the stage. You can probably think of many other examples. It would be a dull world indeed without AV communication. The human being is an analog creature living in a digital age. If these terms mean little to you, by the end of this course you will understand their significance and impact on you. You will also learn about the science and technology of AV, where and how it is used, and why working in this multi-billion dollar industry is one of the best jobs around. You ve made a great choice. Idea: If you haven't already taken InfoComm's Quick Start to the Audiovisual Industry Online course, take a look at the first chapter for the types of jobs available in the AV industry. Maybe your job is mentioned, or maybe you'll get an idea of a great job for you! The course is free, and it won't take you long.

Audiovisual Systems Essentials In this course you will learn what AV is about, why it is important and the variety of ways in which AV is used. This section is about systems, which are at the center of AV solutions. You will learn about: What defines a system Why systems are important The purpose of a system The difference between active and passive systems Where AV systems can be found Types of AV systems How an AV system is created Ergonomics Subsystems Courtesy of United Visual, a Chicago based audiovisual systems integrator and AV dealer For examples of AV systems, move to the next lesson.

Audiovisual System Applications Define an AV system. Give examples of AV system usage. What is an AV System? An AV system is two or more pieces of AV equipment designed to work together to meet a communication need. These systems can be connected with cable or wirelessly. The equipment used in the system may be passive (not powered) or powered. What are some examples of AV Systems usage? The markets in which pro-av systems are used include schools and universities, government, the military, businesses, healthcare, legal, retail, museums, houses of worship, sports arenas, entertainment, transportation in short, everywhere where the sharing of information using audio and video has become essential. The uses of AV technology are often similar across markets, including presentations, web-, audio-, video- and dataconferencing, education, advertising, retail signage and dynamic displays, command and control systems, concerts and public information systems.

Audiovisual System Goals State the purpose of an AV system. The purpose of an AV system is to meet a communication objective. The purpose is not what equipmen you are using to communicate the idea; the purpose is what task you need to accomplish to communicate the idea. Here are some examples of a system s purpose: To train of a group of 100 people about sales techniques or new products To debrief a small task force To facilitate changes to company policies globally To monitor aircraft locations A system allows us to communicate and share information. It can create or reproduce a total environment using sound, images and environmental control. The quality of a system design dictates how well it meets the objective. Good integration requires careful thought and planning. Sometimes users buy individual pieces of equipment at different times and without forethought. Without a complete plan in mind, the power of a good system may be lost. An AV system is a tool that an organization uses to meet its goals and provides support to its users and its purpose. An AV system should fit in with its environment and not be the focus.

Creating an AV System Overview Summarize the overview of creating an AV system. Identify allied trades. If best practice for creating an AV system is followed, the first step is a meeting with the project s customer to learn about the project's purpose. You can determine the project's purpose by listening to the customer s wants and needs. Wants and Needs This is the programming, discovery or sales step. The customer expresses a need or want and the AV professional helps the customer identify and solidify the wants and needs into a documented format. This document is passed on to the design function to produce a detailed document. Design The design step produces detailed AV designs that include equipment lists, equipment layout, measurable sound levels, cable runs, sight line studies, viewing angles, mounting advice and much more. When the design is complete, the customer may use these documents to purchase the project or to deliver to the installation step for system build out. Install The install step is the actual installation planning and build-out. Installation receives the design plan from the design step and builds from that design. Installation is complete when the system has been adjusted as specified in the design documents and the customer has signed off on the punch list. Support Maintenance, service and phone support are all part of the support step. Support begins with an installed system and the as-built drawings of the system. Customer support is not easily identified as it can include training, repair, software programming and issue tracking. It is a launching point for understanding the customer s future wants and needs. Allied Trades The process of creating an AV system requires good project management. It usually involves teamwork with other allied trades such as: Architects and/or interior designers Mechanical and electrical engineers Specialist consultants Building or general contractors Electricians Plumbers

Active and Passive Systems Distinguish between active and passive systems. State three examples of passive systems. An active system requires power. Active systems include: lighting audio projection Passive systems do not require power. Passive systems include Wall coverings and other room surfaces Ergonomic furniture and storage units Projection screens (excluding the motor to lower and raise a screen Whiteboards (excluding electronic whiteboards) Why does an AV professional need to care about such low-tech elements? After all, they are not AV equipment. Wall Coverings and Surfaces People choose all sorts of materials when building a room. Those choices have consequences that affect the performance of AV systems. Here are some examples. Glass walls allow in more ambient light and reflect sound. Bold or busy wallpapers create a distracting background for videoconferencing and other uses of video cameras. Dark, heavy curtains absorb light and sound. High polished table tops reflect overhead lighting into our eyes and cameras, and on to screens. This is not to say whether these materials should be used in an AV space or not. Part of the joy of design is to explore creative uses for materials and creative solutions for problems.

Audiovisual Subsystems State the difference between a system and a subsystem. Identify subsystems within AV systems. An AV system can include several subsystems. You learned in an earlier lesson that an AV system meets a communication objective. An AV subsystem, like an AV system can stand alone. However the subsystem only contributes to part of the communication objective. It is not until the AV subsystem is combined with a larger AV system that the communication objective is met.

Audiovisual Systems Summary You have now learned about systems in general. In addition, you have learned some specific things about AV systems. The topics you have covered in this section include: What defines a system Examples of where AV systems can be found Types of AV systems Why AV systems are important The purpose of an AV system The overview for creating an AV system AV allied trades Active and passive systems The definition of a subsystem Indicators of subsystems This section has given you an overview of AV systems. Next, you will look at the technology that goes into them to create the wide range of solutions users need.

Introduction to Audiovisual Systems Section Test Are you ready for a test on this section? Yes. Click Test Me below. When you finish the test, click the submit button and your answers will be checked. Once you see the results, you can choose to email a copy to yourself and/or to someone else, such as your manager. InfoComm International does not store your results. If you're not happy with your results you can take the test as many times as you wish. Questions are randomly selected from a database, so the test will be different. No. If you do not want to take the section test now, use the forward arrow on the left to move to the next lesson. Test Me To learn more about how test questions affect course completion, please refer to the lesson entitled, "Tests and Course Completion."

Audiovisual Systems Section Test Please select an answer for each of the following 5 questions and then click on the SUBMIT button at the bottom of the page. Out of the following, which option best describes where AV systems are generally used? nmlkj museums and other public areas nmlkj businesses and retail establishments nmlkj everywhere nmlkj schools, universities and government Out of the following, which option best describes where AV systems are generally used? nmlkj everywhere nmlkj museums and other public areas nmlkj businesses and retail establishments nmlkj schools, universities and government Which of the following is a major purpose of an AV system? nmlkj allows communication and information sharing nmlkj trains people nmlkj integrates people into an organization nmlkj facilitates changes in an organization Which step produces equipment lists, equipment layout, measurable sound levels and more? nmlkj support nmlkj design nmlkj install nmlkj wants and needs Which of the following is always important in an AV facility? nmlkj projection screens nmlkj ergonomic furniture nmlkj sensible wall coverings nmlkj plenty of light Submit