You can make your audio, video, and lighting (AVL) install much less painful by avoiding these simple mistakes.
1. Not polling your users early in the process
A common oversight in many projects is not including your various production teams and user groups (including the nontechnical ones) in the initial planning meetings. In most cases, these individuals will provide useful input for AVL system planning and implementation. These are likely the individuals who will be operating the systems long after the project is completed. Any professional AVL provider will insist on including these individuals when conducting initial discovery meetings.
2. Relying on an amateur
We’ve seen it frequently: a (well-meaning) internal person offers to create a well-designed and cost-effective installation solution — only to find that it really doesn’t meet your needs and ultimately costs you more to correct their decisions down the road. Relying on an amateur to design and install your project can lead to disappointment, overspending, and acquiring gear that isn’t quite right for your application. A trained AVL + Acoustics professional with real-world experience and credible references will save you money and headaches in the long run.
3. Not involving an AVL + Acoustics expert up front
Unfortunately, in many cases, AVL + Acoustics designers are brought in long after most of the architecture and construction design decisions have been made. Regrettably, overlooking critical system design aspects during this stage may force you to compromise your vision and budget in order to triage any facility infrastructure and acoustic design flaws. By including a qualified AVL + Acoustics professional during planning, you can save enormous amounts of time and money over the course of the project without increasing your actual construction costs.
As a general rule, it’s best to get AVL + Acoustics involved early in the Design Development (DD) phase when there’s still time to make the space work to support the technology and audiovisual experience. Don’t wait until the late Construction Documents (CD) phase when room shaping, space planning, and other major decisions have been set. This will help you avoid needless overspending on audio solutions required to correct room challenges. Better yet, find a system design firm that has an acoustician on staff.
4. Under-budgeting and cutting corners
In general, AVL costs generally run between 8% and 25% of the overall construction budget, depending on the type of construction being implemented, the functionality required, and equipment level desired. In most cases, 8%–12% is a safe place to start. Another common mistake is under-budgeting or not planning at all for conduit, electrical, and mechanical systems to support the AVL. For new construction projects, those represent 20%–30% of the overall AVL system costs.
Try to avoid cutting out critical infrastructure features such as sufficient wall backing for heavy, wall-mounted objects or helpful accessibility features, including catwalks and motorized wenches, when possible. Cutting costs here will constrict your options, limit your growth, and cost you more over time. It can also make it difficult to reach and maintain your equipment.
5. Overcomplicating your system
Make sure you understand your system. Though flexibility is valuable, an overly complex system will be difficult to use to its full potential, detracting from the satisfaction of your experience. Choosing technology based on what it “could” do instead of how well it fits your specific needs is rarely a good approach. You’ll likely end up spending more than you needed for the gear. For the best experience, keep your system design focused on the right technology for the job. In many cases, complex systems can be a barrier to productivity because you and your team are distracted by operating the system instead of focusing on the production.
6. Undervaluing and under-budgeting training
In some cases, you may be using volunteers to operate your system. Commonly called “weekend warriors,” the operators of AVL systems often have difficulty using the equipment due to their lack of technical training. Take into account the technical ability of your staff and their skill levels. Be sure to budget for and invest in training for your team at regular intervals. You’ll find that even nontechnical staff can produce an effective experience. Shortsighted thinking can result in overspending in the long run.
If you need help with design or install for your AVL systems, give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700.
