What does audio visual mean? Audio Visual means incorporating both physical sound and visual components into a space. This combination can include various formats, such as meeting recordings, educational demonstrations, and multimedia presentations. When combined, both the auditory and visual components create an engaging space for learning and collaboration. The physical aspect of audio visual refers to the speakers installed in meeting spaces, the touch panels or projectors to display content in classrooms, or even assistive listening devices in the ceiling to make areas more inclusive and interactive.
All these combined create a technically advanced space for users to create and participate in. The content side of audio visual refers to the videos used for learning, or the slide deck used to promote engagement within meetings. When combined, they transform meeting and classroom spaces into areas that better allow for collaboration and enhanced comprehension. Here are a few ways you can include audio visual equipment in your business or classrooms.
Audio Visual for Business
Audio visual for business means using a combination of audio and visual elements to communicate information and engage audiences. Whether those audiences are employees, potential clients, or social media users, there are many options when deciding where to start. Popular ways to include audio visual equipment within your company are, content distribution devices, meeting space enhancements, sound masking, and video conferencing software.
1. Content Distribution
Content distribution is how valuable information is displayed to end users, and digital signage boards line the ClearTouch Nio are the most popular way companies incorporate technology into their business to easily promote and distribute information. These can include wayfinding signage in lobbies to provide direction to courtrooms or meeting spaces, digital menu boards in cafeterias to display the day’s specials in hospitals or corporations, and general brand messaging to show off promotions or bring awareness to news and communications in front of stores or offices.
These are just some of the ways to incorporate digital signage into your company, you can check out our blog here that goes into further detail on innovative solutions!
2. Meeting Spaces
A business designates a specific area for holding meetings as a meeting space. These spaces can vary in size and are a great place to start if you are looking to start incorporating audio visual equipment into your space. These spaces can be as simple or as complex as the budget allows for, whether you want to start with the addition of some loudspeakers or their full boardroom microflex ecosystem collection, which has multiple microphone, DSP (Digital Signal Processor), and speaker options.
3. Sound Masking
Masking systems for offices, such as systems sold by Atlas IED, are a powerful addition to any office, but especially open concept spaces. Sound masking is a background noise that is pushed through ceiling speakers throughout the office. This allows for multiple phone calls to be happening simultaneously without distracting or hindering your neighbors’ calls.
To find out more information about the benefits of sound masking within an office, check out our blog here or contact us to speak with an account manager!
4. Video Conferencing Software
Video Conferencing has become the new way business is conducted lately. It allows for such flexibility, and you no longer need to be in the same location to make progress on assignments or proposals. There are many options when it comes to video conferencing solutions but two of the most popular ones are Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Both offer unique features such as blurred background and can help you streamline communication between collaboration groups.
Audio Visual for Education
What does audio visual mean for the education sector? The meaning of audio visual in reference to education is technology designed to aid in learning or teaching by making use of both hearing and sight. This is a relatively open definition that allows for complete customization within the classroom. Some of the most popular examples of audio-visual equipment within the classroom are assistive listening devices, cameras, interactive touch panels, and projectors. AV is an important part of any classroom, let us further explore some of the options below.
1. Assistive Listening
Assistive Listening solutions help make classrooms an inclusive space for students and educators with hearing difficulties. When a classroom is inclusive for all, engagement and collaboration are both increased. The assistive listening devices we find most popular in school districts Listen Technologies devices. Listen Technologies offers a wide variety of assistive listening devices that include audio sources, transmitters, and audio receivers. These products allow for the ability to stream audio over an existing Wi-Fi network straight to a user’s smartphone via a free app, available on both apple and android devices, or via a dedicated Listen Technology receiver. As well as assistive listening, they also offer the ability to provide language interpretation and audio description (AD).
2. Cameras
Cameras in the front of classrooms have been increasing in popularity over the last few years due to the pandemic. Two of the most popular options we see are:
- Document cameras – to project paper onto the board like this option from Hovercam. Document cameras project images onto walls or whiteboards to help increase the students’ engagement and retention.
- Another choice is this front of the classroom camera from OWL Labs to allow for full lessons to be recorded. Having a camera in their classroom opens up the teacher’s ability to post lessons online for their students to watch back in case of questions or absences.
Some interactive panels now include cameras that can both screen record and capture footage from the panel’s camera. Next, we will go a little further in touch panels and show some other front of classroom options.
3. Interactive Touch Panels
Interactive touch panels are another popular choice when choosing front of classroom technology. They are installed on walls or carts and help students feel engaged with the ability to go up to the board and interact with the lessons. Two of the top interactive touch panel choices are:
- The new ClearTouch A+ panel is a google certified device that allows for seamless integration with existing devices as well as multiple connectivity options. The Google certification allows educators to access native google applications directly on the panel. They also offer a software suite to aid with collaboration, presentations and annotations. Part of their software suite is a remote management tool that enables school wide broadcast messages, device monitoring, and scheduled software updates.
- Promethean offers their ActivPanel 9 which offers an innovative, customizable and connected experience. Their panel allows for direct access to a connected computer’s file manager to access file on that device or save directly from the panel to user’s computers. For shared classrooms, the ActiePanel 9 has multiple sign-in options, remote sign out abilities and one-touch NFC cards to badge into any panel in the school.
4. Projectors
Projectors are another popular solution among educators because they allow them to continue to use their whiteboards. They can be used with pretty much any flat surface which allows for customization and the rearrangement of classroom layouts and can project images up to 120”. Epson offers projectors that can have a maximum display of 160” with touch capable units for ease of student collaboration and participation. The Epson BrightLink is one of the top choices for classrooms. Educators have the choice to either turn the PC into a massive tablet by connecting their PC to the projector or have PC-free collaboration by turning on the network connected BrightLink and using the built-in collaborative tools.
Let Pro AV Systems help you realize what audio-visual means to you
Hopefully, this helped answer the question of what audio visual means and further explained some options you have; whether you’re looking to enhance presentations, create immersive learning environments, or streamline communication, audio visual solutions can transform the way you engage with your audience. From interactive whiteboards and high-definition displays to elevated sound systems and video conferencing software, the possibilities are endless. Our team of experts is here to guide you through every step of the process, from selecting the best equipment to ensuring seamless integration and support. Don’t miss the opportunity to take your business or classroom to the next level. Connect with us today to learn more!
