One of the most common asked questions to our employees when they tell their friends and family that they work for us is “What is an AV Company?”. We’ve realised this is a question that more than just family and friends hold. Therefore, in this article, we are going to tell you all about what an AV company is and does.
An AV Company is responsible for supply and installation, and in some cases, operation of equipment that directly or indirectly process sound or visual media. When we talk about audio-visual technology, we’re referring to the synchronisation of audio equipment such as speakers and visual equipment or video walls, controllers, processors, and matrix switchers. Therefore, it is responsible for all things motion picture, radio, presentations, tv programs, conferencing, live performance, and more.
Some AV companies will focus exclusively on providing specific pieces of AV equipment to venues and people, whereas other larger outfits provide AV hire services as part of their broader spectrum. In other words, an AV company often wears many hats.
The services that are offered by an AV company, will vary from business to business. Some businesses will specialise in hire / supply and setting up AV installations for events. Whereas, other businesses will not only offer AV equipment for hire, but they will include the supply and installation of equipment in residential or commercial buildings.
What you require from an AV company will be dependent on the nature, scale, and the location. For example, if you are a business looking to hold small conference calls, then all you may need is a small system. This includes a projector, screen and a conferencing microphone and speaker. Or, if you’re a family-man looking to provide your home with a full entertainment system and security. The equipment you’re then looking at is speakers, CCTV, projectors, lighting and much more.
During the pandemic, as we all withdrew into our homes, the AV industry came to the rescue. By bringing the office into the comfort of our own homes, this gave a more flexible approach to working. This ensured that everyone was able to continue working, communicating, and connecting with each other. Done via digital means never thought of before.
Like all industries, an AV Company will follow trends. Trends allow for the creation of big waves in the future, and allow for expansion and more exposure. The most popular AV trends that we have in 2022 are;
It is generally thought that Wi-Fi is pretty two-dimensional. But anyone with thick walls and slow broadband speed will tell you otherwise and that improvement is well over-due. In the most recent decade, most of us searched for the newest router for the fastest Wi-Fi speeds that we could get our hands on. But Wi-Fi is now moving into the Wifi 6 phase. These routers came into use in mid-late 2020 and now allow us to connect to even more devices in a household with far fewer delays than ever before.
With the help of AV technology, organisations are able to take their work over to a virtual space while still working as if they’re in the same room as each other. This means that users can still work together and collaborate on tasks, even if they’re sat at opposite ends of the world! Due to the pandemic, the partnership has been supercharged as we all transferred operations between Teams, Zoom, and other conferencing platforms. The advancement in this partnership has meant that companies can increase their engagement, improve communication and continue to operate from the cloud, meaning that the morning commute to the office is no longer a total necessity.
One of the best parts of the AV industry is that it has seemingly facilitated the impossible. VR and AR technology allows us to immerse ourselves into different worlds and settings. Allowing us to walk around and interact with our surroundings without leaving the comfort of our living room. VR and AR technology is looking to replicate in-person communication. By creating software that detects and replicates facial expressions and tracks eye movement. This might point to a future where we can interact with each other in almost in-person settings; even if the two participants are situated in different countries.
If you think you can incorporate an Audio Visual system into your home or business, don’t hesitate to get in contact with the Lairds team, and we’ll make your dream become a reality.