Audio-Visual Setup Guidance

It's Saturday as I post this. Today, I have a request for virtual conference presenters. This is not typically a topic for me, but I feel like it's worth bringing up! I have attended a couple virtual conferences again recently, and what stood out to me is how many distractions came from some presenter's environments. In one case, while the presenter was presenting well and had good content, their presentation suffered based on the delivery location: a kitchen/break area. Great observations were interrupted by kitchen noises, people's voices, phone vibrations and sounds, and worst of all - a sporadically running faucet. Can I make a few suggestions? A pre-presentation checklist would be something to consider. It's not 2020 anymore, and people do notice these distractions more now that we've experienced many such presentations. Virtual conference stage presentations need to elevate our presence from our day to day Zoom calls. This isn't a comprehensive list, but these are things I noticed plaguing just ONE of the talks given this past week. 1. Use the most reliable wifi/internet connection you can find. Hiccups can always happen, I get it, but test the connection in the location ahead of time if you haven't used it before to avoid blips or picture pixeling from low signal strength. 2. Use a decent camera that supports minimum 720 but preferably 1080 resolution. Blurry resolution is not a good look. 3. Use a good mic. Air pods and most laptops do not count. Test your mic with other people ahead of time. Your voice will be missing its depth and warmth otherwise. 4. If you can use noise suppression and/or audio leveling in your software, turn it on. Check your mic gain too - sometimes your voice can be hard to hear otherwise. 5. Find a low traffic location to minimize background noise. When you don't, I'll spend as much time trying to figure out what that background noise is as I do listening to you. 6. Unless it's something you've customized for yourself, find a simple background (or use a virtual one). People walking by or having lots in your background for me to look at will keep me from listening to you. 7. Don't mute your phone, set it to do not disturb. Same for your desktop apps, especially Slack and email notifications. The vibrations and the pinging noises are crazy distracting - they also have me checking my desktops and my phone instead of listening. 8. Don't sit in front of a window without strong front lighting. We can't see your smiling face. 9. Don't be on mute when you start talking. What would you add to this list?

Did you ever wonder about the contact ratio of projection screens or what the viewing requirements are? Are you searching for guidelines to test screen installation, projector setup, etc.? . . . You can always refer to the AVIXA standards, specifically the ANSI/INFOCOMM 3M-2011 Projected Image System Contrast Ratio standard. The ANSI/InfoComm 3M-2011 standard, published by AVIXA, provides a comprehensive framework for measuring and evaluating the contrast ratio of projected image systems. Contrast ratio is a critical metric for assessing the quality and viewability of projected images, as it determines the level of detail and dynamic range that can be perceived by the audience. The standard defines four primary viewing requirement categories based on the intended application of the projected image: - Passive Viewing: For applications where fine details are not critical, such as digital signage or basic presentations. Minimum contrast ratio of 7:1. - Basic Decision Making: For applications requiring moderate levels of detail, such as conference rooms or small classrooms. Minimum contrast ratio of 15:1. - Analytical Decision Making: For applications needing high levels of detail and image quality, such as control rooms or medical imaging. Minimum contrast ratio of 50:1. - Full Motion Video: For applications requiring the highest levels of contrast and dynamic range, such as home theaters or professional video production. Minimum contrast ratio of 80:1. The standard prescribes a specific measurement methodology using a 16-zone checkerboard test pattern and a spot photometer with a narrow acceptance angle. Measurements are taken from five defined viewing positions to account for variations in image quality across the screen. Detailed guidelines are provided for screen installation, projector setup and calibration, and ambient lighting conditions to ensure accurate and repeatable contrast ratio measurements. Beyond the required testing procedures, the standard includes sample data collection forms and an optional online HTML test pattern that can provide a rough estimate of contrast ratio conformance without specialized equipment. This allows AV designers, Av consultant, AV integrators and  AV professionals to quickly validate system performance against the established criteria. I would highly recommend visiting the AVIXA website at avixa.org/standards to access the latest standards and guidelines for the AV industry. #avindustry #ProjectedImageQuality #ContrastRatio #ProjectorPerformance #ScreenSelection #AVInstallation #ProAVStandards #AVIXA #AVSystemDesign #Verification

𝓐 𝓓𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓓𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓸 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓤𝓵𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓒𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓶𝓪 𝓡𝓸𝓸𝓶 In today’s world of immersive entertainment, the cinema room is no longer a 𝓵𝓾𝔁𝓾𝓻𝔂; it’s becoming a 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮𝓼𝓽𝔂𝓵𝓮. For homeowners who value high-quality audiovisual experiences with a good sound system, and planning a dream setup, here’s a professional guide to designing a cinema room where every whisper is heard, and every explosion is felt. Let’s check the checklist: ✅ Sound-isolated walls, floor, and ceiling ✅ Combination of absorption, diffusion, and bass control ✅ Calibrated surround sound system with immersive speaker placement ✅ Comfortable, staggered seating ✅ Controlled lighting and blackout treatments ✅ Professional finishes that combine performance with style 𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓘𝓼𝓸𝓵𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 Use double drywall with damping glue like Green Glue between layers. Install acoustic doors with seals and consider using solid-core materials. Add mass-loaded vinyl (MLV) barriers inside walls and ceilings. Decouple the drywall using resilient channels or isolation clips to prevent sound vibration transfer. 𝓐𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓬 𝓣𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓼: 𝓒𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓦𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷 Acoustic treatment is not the same as soundproofing. This is about improving sound quality inside the room minimizing echo, flutter, and uneven frequencies. Use a combination of: Absorption panels: These help soak up mid to high-frequency sounds and prevent echo. Place them on side walls, ceilings, and the back wall. Diffusers: Instead of absorbing sound, diffusers scatter it to create a balanced, “live” sound. These are best placed on the rear wall or ceiling. Bass traps: Low frequencies tend to build up in corners. Installing bass traps ensures that bass doesn’t become muddy. 𝓢𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓢𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓛𝓪𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓽 Seating is more than comfort it affects how sound waves reach your ears. Here’s what matters: Avoid placing seats against the back wall, you’ll encounter sound reflections and bass buildup. Use tiered seating for better sightlines and sound coverage. Opt for upholstered, fabric seats, which help with sound absorption compared to leather or vinyl. 𝓢𝓹𝓮𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓻 𝓟𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽: 𝓕𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓸𝔀 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓓𝓸𝓵𝓫𝔂 𝓑𝓵𝓾𝓮𝓹𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓽 A cinema room thrives on speaker positioning. For a standard Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 setup, here’s a breakdown: 3 front speakers: Left, center, right, aligned with the screen. 4 surround speakers: Placed to the sides and rear of the listening area. 1 subwoofer (or 2 for even bass): Front corners or mid-side walls. 4 ceiling speakers: Positioned above and slightly forward/rearward of the main seats for immersive height effects. #cinemaroomdesign #technicalcinemaroom #interiorcinemaroom #soundisolation #acousticdesign #cinemadesigntechnical #roomacoustics #soundproofcinema #interioracoustics #designerhomecinema

Marketers ask me about gear recommendations all the time. And honestly, I love that. Because I get it. You’re not trying to become a full-blown video marketing studio (that’s our job). You’re just trying to get solid content out the door, without turning your office into a film set. So let me make this simple. We recently helped Gambit Co, an AI tech company, build a podcast studio they could run in-house or take on the road. Here’s the exact setup we recommended: → Record everything in 4K using a phone + tripod → One soft light to flatter skin tones and bring room ambience up (lighting is the biggest phone-quality unlock btw) → Podcast mics running into a mixer to handle multiple voices/guests → Clean audio fed directly from the mixer into the phone via USB-C Here's the real magic, though. By filming in 4K, they can reframe that single shot into multiple angles: → A wide of both speakers → A medium shot of guest one → A medium shot of guest two No extra cameras. No complicated setup. And very portable. For lean marketing teams, that’s a massive unlock because it means your content can look like a multi-cam production, without the cost or chaos of one. This is the kind of stuff we love helping marketing teams figure out. Because a great video strategy isn’t ONLY about big brand campaigns. It’s about making it easy to create content consistently, anywhere in your funnel.

Everyone is telling you to get into video content. But no one is telling you how.  Here is my step-by-step how to set up your first studio. 1️⃣ Pick the location. Control noise, lighting, and background distractions. A bedroom or small office office will do (as opposed to public spaces that are beautiful). Make it practical first, so you can click the record button and rock and roll any moment. 2️⃣ Gear Buy stuff in this order: mic → light → camera There are levels to each of course. But an iPhone with an ok mic and a cheap keylight will do 70% of the heavy lifting. 3️⃣ Set the shot Put your camera on a tripod and move it around until you find a good composition. The key is to avoid awkward angles and skewed lines. Placing it directly facing a wall is always a safe bet. Make sure the horizon lines (like the table edge or the ceiling line) are straight. Add some depth with small decorations in the back — like a plant or artwork. Final touch: use a "practical light" to light up the decoration. 4️⃣ Lighting Lighting is #4 on the list, but it is the most important part (and difficult to get right). For diffused soft light you’d need a light box - aka the big umbrella-looking thing.  Position the light at a 45-degree angle at 1pm. 5️⃣ The Secret Now, forget about your studio. The heart of great B2B content isn’t the picture. It’s your ideas and serving the viewer. Just film it! Put in the reps and try to make your content 1% better every time. — I’ve made a detailed video about the talking head studio set up. Watch it - it's in the first comment!