Tag Archives: Hire

Happy clients express thanks

Posted on March 7, 2011 by | Comments Off

Here at AVD we are happy to carry out our job in the back ground and if no body notices us its a good thing, as it means all is going well.  We know our clients appreciate our support and sometimes they like to tell us…. here are a couple of comments received last week from happy clients which we thought it would be nice to share with you and also to let our staff know that we appreciate their hard work too.

“The day went really well and the fact that we had Derek there for the day was fantastic. He was so helpful, and we will definately consider using your services for any future events.” 

“Can you please say thanks to Paul for yesterday – he was a star as always, really helpful and all done with a smile!”

To all our clients, as always, a pleasure to help. :-)

Happy Technicians
Paul, Derek and Brian are happy technicians

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Price matching

Posted on January 31, 2011 by | Comments Off

Mark Kisby out lines AVD’s price matching policy:-

In this competitive climate we at AV Department Ltd recognise the need to keep your costs to a minimum.  Anyone can be cheaper than their competitor in providing a service, but cheaper need not mean better value.

We will be happy to price match a competitors quote on a like for like basis. To allow proper comparison we format our quotations to show every cost item, and highlight what is excluded, this is to make our quotations as transparent as possible.

If we are advised of our competitor we can then say how we differ in the equipment and services provided, outlining the key differences and the added value that we bring to an event. We concentrate on the following four areas:-

  1. Equipment quality & suitability
  2. Staff quality, qualifications and experience (Technical staff, Interpreters & Facilitators)
  3. Health and Safety
  4. Resource Management and Ecology

From time to time we have seasonal promotions, we also negotiate discounts on deposit payments or repeat business.

Of course the differences highlighted may have no bearing on your purchasing decision or we can’t match the quote, in which case we will advise you that you have a good offer, and hope that you will remember us next time.

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What is a discussion microphone?

Posted on January 16, 2011 by | Comments Off

What is a discussion microphone? How is it different from a conventional microphone? Mark Kisby explains…

Commonly referred to as a discussion microphone, delegate microphone, conference microphone, or Push to Talk. This type of microphone is used as part of a larger system of microphones where the use of a conventional microphone is impractical.

Discussion Microphone

A discussion microphone also known as a 'delegate' or 'conference' microphone.

What makes a discussion microphone different to a conventional microphone is typically a discussion microphone will have a built in pre-amp, this allows for an installation that ‘daisy chains’ the microphones in series and sending the audio along a common ‘bus’. The conventional microphone as used for music or recording has no pre-amp instead this is contained in a sound desk or mixer. This conventional arrangement requires individual cables to be run from the sound desk to each microphone. The discussion microphone is usually enclosed in a table top enclosure that houses the microphone, pre-amp, an on /off button, and possibly an amplifier with a small ‘personal’ speaker.

Both types have different applications, conventional microphones are used for music (both in live sound, recording) and in speech applications where individual tonal / gain controls are required. i.e. lectern or top table. Discussion microphones are used for situations of extended speech reinforcement applications ie. Conferences, Board rooms, Council Chambers, Parliaments, etc… With these applications in mind a discussion microphone system has features which are unique to its type.

Boardroom discussion microphones

Discussion microphones set for a boardroom style conference

Designed to allow the orderly control of a meeting, these features include:- Push to talk (PTT) on /off microphone activation switch to allow delegate operation. A microphone mounted light to show the microphones status, not only the user but also other delegates / chairman.  A limit on the number of microphones that can be ‘live’ at any one time is applied, typically 6-8 microphones, to prevent too many microphones becoming live and causing feedback (howling speakers).

The limiter is normally adjustable to various modes of operation including ‘Automatic’ where delegates switch ‘on’ and ‘off’ their microphones at will. The ‘Manual’ mode is where delegates ‘request to speak’ and their microphone is made live by the chairman or a technician when it is their turn to speak. Another feature is the ability of a chairman’s or president’s microphone to over ride all others.

Discussion microphones connect via a ‘daisy chain’ cable network that puts the microphones in series running back to a central controller. The controller outputs a single audio connection which allows up to a hundred microphones to be connected to just a single audio input on a sound desk or amplifier. More modern digital systems may make use of common cable types such as Cat5, some systems may use a proprietary cable which is unique to the system and can add greatly to the cost of an installation.

The daisy chain cable arrangement suited the traditional table layouts of board rooms and council chambers however this has now developed in to wireless models which allow the use of these systems easily in a cabaret table style arrangement. Wireless systems also allow for the installation of such a system in a listed building where a cabled installation would be invasive or where a room needs to be multi purpose requiring the easy removal and re-installation of the equipment.

Control of the system is by a chairman’s unit or a comprehensive technicians control panel which allows full remote control of all microphones.

I hope this helps explain this type of microphone. Look out for another post soon on how these microphones are used in simultaneous interpretation systems.

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Posted in Audio, AV Department, Hire, Presentation Tips, Simultaneous Interpretation

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AVD now offer an early payment deal which can see our already competitive pricing further reduced by 10% when paying a 100% deposit. In this day of reduced income and tightened budgets the charity sector is hard hit, but charities generally have a … Continue reading →

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Posted on January 12, 2011 by

Portable PA chimes at bells protest

Posted on January 11, 2011 by | Comments Off

Staff at AV Department can from time to time borrow equipment from the company’s inventory. Normally this a PA for a party or a projector over Christmas but a recent protest in Burntisland saw the MD Mark Kisby make use of the unique qualities of an Anchor Audio MegaVox portable PA. Mark tells the story…

I live in Burntisland, a small coastal town on the shores of the Firth of Forth just north of Edinburgh. Its town clock has chimed on the hour, and quarter hour, for the last 150 years. It rings to the throbbing heart of the community and living within close earshot of the bells it marks the passage of time in our home.  Then recently they suddenly stopped?

It transpired a complaint had been made that they where too loud so the Fife council silenced the bells after one complaint in 150 years. Reaction from the townsfolk was initially incredulous but a petition was organised, to show the feeling of the residents, collecting 1100 signatures. With the coming of the New Year and the fact the town clock would not be ringing in 2011 a protest was also organised proclaiming that ‘Hogmanay had been cancelled!’ Protesters were to bring a bell and chime their wish to have the clock bells re-instated.

Feeling strongly that the bells should return I wanted to take part in the protest but found myself without a bell! Now a person of my problem solving skills should be able to over come this little matter. A quick search of the Apple app store revealed a bell application aptly named ‘bells’. This turned my ipod touch into a whole peel of different bells but an ipod is not loud enough in a crowd so I borrowed an Anchor Audio MegaVox portable PA from our hire stock. This battery powered PA is designed for out side use in large crowds… and for a hand help system it is very loud!

So the time came to show our displeasure at the silencing of the bells by ringing ours… as I chimed it sounded like the bells had been miraculously re-instated! Fellow protesters turned round to see who had managed to lug a church bell down the road… It gave the protest a bit of volume which seemed to be appreciated by the 200 strong crowd.

Our little protest made national news the following day as a topical human interest story. Here is how the BBC web site covered the story.

The MegaVox has now been returned to the warehouse ready for use at the next protest…

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Posted in AV Department, Field Stories, Hire, Public Address

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New Year, New Gear

Posted on January 5, 2011 by | Comments Off

As the dust settles on 2010 and the gigs gone by, we at AVD like to look forward. Our S.I customers will be treated in 2011 to our new digital S.I system which we will be showcasing over the coming months.  With improved IR field we will be able to cater for larger spaces with crystal clear digital sound. Any analogue purists out there need not worry though, we still have our “classic” system which will be available for tighter budgets which in the last 12 months has facilitated interpretation for The Lions Club, Chivas Regal and various other high profile clients . We look forward to providing the same high level of service and expertise that AVD customers have come to expect from our dynamic and enthusiastic team of techies. We also look forward to playing with our shiny new toys, now all we need is for someone to invent the inflatable SI booth :-D

All the best for 2011 from AVDept Ltd

Paul

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Posted in AV Department, Field Stories, Hire, Simultaneous Interpretation

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Add value to your event with Audience Response

Posted on December 30, 2010 by | Comments Off

Audience response systems can add a great deal of value to your conferences and events. Mark Kisby explains how…

During the recent ‘Credit Crunch’ organisations were under pressure to cut their conferences and events budgets. What they saved by reducing the size of the stage or by going to a cheaper venue shouldn’t have effected the basic content of the day or the goals for staging the event in the first place. Audience response systems (ARS) were often cut early in the budget review but this can be a mistake as an audience response system will add tremendous value by giving tangible results and feed back from delegates attending.

An ARS can show whether or not the key the aims of staging an event have been met or not, it can reveal any sticking points. This allows your event to measure its effectiveness during the day and give evidence of its success to all the stakeholders.

Audience Response Voting Keypad

Audience Response Voting Keypad

Audience response can also maximise the available time at an event by asking delegates which themes are of most interest, so allowing you to apportion time appropriately. It costs a lot to get every one in one place so it makes sense to ensure their time together is as productive as possible.

Using these systems also sends a clear message to the attendees, that ‘we are listening and your opinion is valued’.  Presenters in the dreaded post lunch grave yard slot will appreciate the regenerative powers of asking a flagging delegate a question on which they need to ponder before responding.  ARS has been proven to increase retention on the subject polled and certainly your chair person will marvel at the ARS’s capability to break the ice during Q&A sessions and promote delegate interaction as they begin to discuss options with their neighbour, so leading to improved networking.

Asking post event evaluation questions at the end of the last session will save your staff days of data input from a paper based questionnaire.

So how do they work? In its basic form an audience response system comprises of a display to present the question and a range possible options / answers, and a ‘keypad’ to allow the delegate to select the option / answer which best matches their opinion.

The results of the poll are displayed immediately after the close of the 10 second voting slot. The equipment is usually radio based and wireless so allowing free distribution amongst an audience.

Some systems also offer the ability to communicate directly with the presenter through the ’free text submission’ of questions so allowing the delegate to ask their own question, or submit an idea, rather than just responding to predetermined options.

All in all if the budget is being trimmed it pays not to cut the one item that can prove the days effectiveness and show value has been obtained for the spend. If you are still looking for ways to save, go for the cheaper dessert option, cut the sparkling water and have a smaller lighting rig!

AVD can supply a range of Audience Response Systems including:-
Voting Keypads
Mini Voting Keypads
Deletext – SMS
Deletext – Engage

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Posted in Audience Response, AV Department, Deletext, Hire, Presentation Tips, SMS, Voting

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When is a Laptop not a Laptop?

Posted on December 21, 2010 by | Comments Off

Why you should consider hiring a laptop for your presentation, conference or event. Mark Kisby goes through some of the pit falls in using an office based laptop for a presentation.

When is a laptop not a laptop? When the laptop you want is a ‘presentation laptop’ and the one you have is an ‘office laptop’… there is a difference in the settings if not in the physical machine. Usually a corporate laptop will have been configured to an IT policy which prevents you from adjusting such things as screen resolution, external monitors, and power saving settings. All these settings are required to be reset for your presentation but unless you have ‘administrative rights’ you may come a cropper.

You need to set your power settings to ‘Presentation’ which will set your Monitor, Hard Disks, System Hibernate and System Standby to ‘Never’. Failure to do so may result in you running back to the laptop to wiggle the mouse to prevent the screen going blank and the PC starting to hibernate… this might restore the image to the laptop screen but now the projector has dropped out and  you need to find that function key again that toggles between screen set ups… and where was I… meanwhile the audience is now thinking… ‘Very slick, do we really want to buy from this person?’

Screen savers kicking in mid flow are to be avoided, presentations interrupted by star fields and family photos stick in the mind for all the wrong reasons. (Nice swim suit by the way…?)

Screen resolution is another potential pit fall. If using a small form factor PC like a netbook you may find that if you simply ‘mirror’ the screen, i.e. you have the same image on both laptop and projector, you may find the image on projector differs or distorts as the native resolution of the projector differs to the PC’s screen. To rectify this you need to  adjust the image size of the second screen. This again requires administrator rights to change.

Both these settings, for a Windows PC, are accessed by right clicking on the desk top and selecting ‘Properties‘:-

For power and screen saver settings.. select the ‘Screen Saver‘ tab. Set the Screen Saver to ‘None‘ then go on and press the ‘Power…‘ button. In ‘Power Schemes‘ select ‘Presentation‘ or set all to ‘Never‘, and then ‘Apply‘.

For resolution settings… select ‘Settings‘ tab. Click and select the ‘2nd‘ monitor, adjust the screen ‘resolution slider’ to match the projector’s native resolution. And ‘Apply‘ It will ask you if you wish to keep these settings. If not then wait 15 seconds and they will revert to as before.

We hope this helps, an easy alternative is to just hire a presentation laptop from us… job sorted. :-)

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Posted in AV Department, Field Stories, Hire, Presentation Tips

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AVD helped raise over £21,000 for good causes when Bovis engaged them to provide a silent auction service to their annual charity fundraiser despite travel chaos. Mark Kisby takes up the story… Looking out the window and listening to the radio the … Continue reading →

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Posted on December 15, 2010 by

AV Hire

Posted on October 21, 2010 by | Comments Off

As well as our specialist systems we supply other Audio Visual equipment including:-

Public Address (PA). Data Projectors, Screens, Plasmas, Microphones, Stages, Data switches, DVD players etc.. are all available. What ever it is you are after I am sure we can help.

See Presentation and Staging for more information.

Tech monitors

AV Hire available.

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