Techno Speak

By: John Anderson
Issue: Smart Meetings December 2009

Techno Files

Way above A/Verage

Admit it, how many of you used to poke fun at members of the A/V club in high school—those fellow students who earnestly went about operating video cameras and lighting for school functions. Call it revenge of the nerds, but a meeting planner has to rely heavily on an accomplished A/V technician (and former club member?) to successfully pull off even the most basic of meeting or event. From sound to video and lighting, modern A/V equipment is highly technical and getting more so all the time.

But with companies like PSAV that have technicians at the ready to partner with hotels and planners for all types of occasions, the business of A/V is one less worry in an otherwise hectic day. “We always make sure to have planners tell us up front the objective of the meeting and what they want to accomplish,” says Greg VanDyke, senior vice president of marketing at PSAV. “At the end of day, a meeting is all about delivering a message, and can you effectively delivery that message.”

But to communicate that message to your A/V tech, and to understand what they say back, you need to speak the same language. The following are audiovisual terms and their meanings from PSAV, to help you keep the sound going, the lights on and the show on the road.
 

Video Terms

Blended Image Technology: This state-of-the-art technology allows multiple images to be placed on a single screen with extremely high resolution for wide-screen application. The result is a seamless presentation that merges input from one or more devices. Audiences see a clearer high-resolution image that incorporates multiple images on the same real estate. Screen size is limited only by budget.

High Definition: Generally defined as any format other than NTSC video. The improved resolution, clarity and crispness of the image meets consumer demand from home. While HD comes in a variety of formats, the two most common are 720p (1280x720 pixels) and 1080i (1920x1080 pixels).

Plasma and LCD Display Devices: The emergence of flat panels and high-definition technology has reinvigorated the relevancy of display technology. Plasma and LCD both display information in a 16x9 aspect ratio and provide the modern look necessary for today’s meeting attendees. These provide extremely flexible devices to communicate sponsorship, advertising, signage and video—a full array of creative options.

I-Mag: Short for Image Magnification. Video camera images (typically broadcast quality) that enable the audience to see the presenter’s image more clearly on a large screen.

XGA: This is the current standard for professional presentations today, allowing for seamless translation of all forms of computer resolution and video.

Double-Stacked Projectors: Using two projectors focused on the same screen providing the same overlapped image for extra brightness. Valuable for back-up security on crucial events; if one experiences a problem, the image remains on the screen.

Rear Projection: Projector sits behind the screen (like a movie theater), so all equipment is hidden from the audience. It allows presenters to walk in front of the screen without obstructing the view.
 

Audio Terms

Line-Array System: Line-Array speakers use advanced new audio technology with multiple speakers hung in vertical rows. This provides an extremely accurate sound to the audience throughout the ballroom and reduces audio reflections from floor
to ceiling.

Mixer: Mixes all the sources of audio (microphone, DVD, CD, video, etc.) into a signal that can be run through the speakers. A mixer is to audio what a power strip is to electricity; it lets you plug multiple microphones into one outlet.

Delay Speakers: If the meeting room is a large one, you need another set of speakers farther away from the stage for the people in the back. Their sound runs on a very short delay (fractions of a second) after the stage speakers, designed to avoid audio interference.

Sting: Short bursts of music or fanfare, often used when someone approaches the podium.
 

Lighting and Staging Terms

Gobo: A pre-cut, etched pattern fabricated from glass or metal that fits in the focal point of a lighting instrument to form projected light into a shape (logo, graphic or even scenery).
Intelligent Lighting: Lighting instruments that can be computer controlled to move light around the room and project color and patterns on screens, scenery, walls or floor.

LED or Light Emitting Diode: A solid-state diode rectifier whose atomic properties cause it to emit light when electrical current is passed through it. Current technology allows the emission of light from infrared through to green frequencies and visible light. LEDs are available in a variety of colors and can allow color changing capability.

Leko: A type of adjustable spotlight used to light lecterns, signs and areas that need a tightly focused pool of light.

Par Can: This is a lighting instrument that acts like a floodlight providing an even light over a specific area. These are simple wash lights.