Designing an Audiovisual System 8 Costly Mistakes to Avoid

The first step in designing any audiovisual system is to determine what kind of system you want. There are many types of systems available, ranging from simple video displays to complex multimedia environments. Some systems are designed to provide information only; others may include audio, graphics, animation, and interactivity. We are discussing 8 costly mistakes to avoid during designing an audiovisual system.

Know Your Budget

You must develop a budget at the outset of the project and then adjust it at each stage as you refine your requirements and decide what’s best. A trained A/V project manager and engineer can help you scope and budget the project accurately, including all costs related to the design, build, and maintenance of the Audiovisual System. This makes presenting the budget for approval to senior management so much easier. And it leads to fewer surprises as the project progresses.

Understanding The Requirements of Space

The requirements of the type of space will drive the selection of products, components, and final result in terms of experience. Using a design checklist will ensure the experience of the AV space will meet the needs of your organization. Each of these AV systems has specific AV requirements.

• Reception areas
• Digital Signage
• Interactive Displays
• Room Scheduling Panels
• Huddle Rooms
• Conference Rooms
• Board Rooms
• All-Hands Spaces
• Lecture and Training Rooms
• Live Streaming Video Tunnels
• KPI Dashboards
• NOC or Control Rooms
• Video Walls
• Custom Projection Systems
• Sound Masking Systems
• Acoustic room treatments
• Paging Systems
• Ambient Sound System
• Retail Audio Video Systems
• Networked AV Systems

Options: Needs VS Wants

You may want a particular vendor or product but it’s important to keep in mind what you truly need and how the space will eventually look and function. Select vendors and systems based on the requirements and budget established. A vendor-neutral systems integrator can propose several options that will suit your

needs. The best way to envision the final result is to demo and test these systems at a showroom or request that your integrator come to your location to show you how the components will work.

Using Outdated or Inappropriate Products

Some managers are willing to consider outdated or lower-quality A/V products to conserve the budget. It may seem like you are going to save money by reusing older existing AV systems components when relocating your office, but often it can cost you more. There are pros and cons to reusing or purchasing outdated or EOL products, and you should understand the risks before you choose. Even bigger issues and risks are created by mistakenly using consumer A/V products in a commercial environment. Consumer products are not intended or warranted for use in commercial environments and they may get overheated with extended use, becoming a fire hazard. It may cost more to replace them than it would use commercially rated products from the outset.

Complex User Controls

Implementation of complex systems does not require complex user controls. Control systems should be Userfriendly so that your users can easily set up and utilize the space as it is intended. Trained and certified AV engineers have the ability to make the most complicated systems easy to manage, which is critical to the ultimate functionality of the system for all corporate staff.

User Training, and The Do’s and Don’ts

You or the internal team responsible for maintaining the system should be trained in how to use it and troubleshoot it effectively. Request a training or maintenance memo complete with the Do’s and Don’ts so your users will not create more work for you. Your technology should never be held hostage. Some systems integrators will configure equipment and then prevent others, including the customer, from reconfiguring it or replicating it by use of password security to demand all passwords and access. The entire system will work better if you are trained and involved.

Preventing a Service Request Nightmare

You should have a system or platform in place to manage your service requests or develop one. Many growing companies overlook the need to have a service ticket system in place until it’s too late and it can be overwhelming to the IT or AV team when issues arise. Selecting AV Integrator with global AV infrastructure to develop and fix programs anywhere within 24 hours.

Not Having a Preventative Maintenance Program

Preventative maintenance is critical to most AV systems. Choose an audio-visual service provider offering AV and IT preventative maintenance at cost-effective rates. Returning to your original requirements, you may need to ask for daily (after-hours) preventative maintenance systems checks on critical AV spaces. If someone unplugs a cable that takes down a conference room or presentation AV system then the next user is an executive or salesperson with a scheduled meeting or presentation the impact can cost millions of dollars in opportunities lost. Less critical or less touched technology should also be inspected, cleaned, and serviced on a regular schedule.

Conclusion

So, before buying any AV system for your business, check the above requirements. And always prefer professional guidance and recommendations such as you can get from Infinite Audiovisual. Call us at (408) 796-7735 or schedule a review of your system with our experts.