A

Acetate: Transparency film for overhead projectors (see OHP)

ANSI Lumens: Brightness measurement for projectors: American National Standards Institute

Aspect Ratio: The mathematical ratio expressing width of a display against height.  A typical computer screen at XGA resolution (1,024 x 768 pixels) is in a 4:3 aspect ratio, in a landscape format.  Typically at the time of writing many computer images are 4:3, however widescreen resolutions are becoming more common.  Television and video images are either 4:3 or widescreen (16:9 is a common widescreen ratio, but there are others).  OHP’s will project a square (1:1) image, however these are becoming less and less common.  Large format displays (LCD & Plasma) are typically widescreen

Audience Response Systems: Enables instant response from audiences.  Often used in teaching environments

Audioconferencing: technology to enable groups of people at different locations to communicate.  Voice only, not video (see also Conference Telephones & Videoconferencing)

B

Beamer: Sometimes used to mean a projector (see Data Projector)

Blu-ray: an alternative high definition optical disk format to HD DVD, both of which are at the forefront of current Home Cinema technology

C

Camcorder: Small format video camera, often handheld

Carousel Tray: To hold multiple slides in 35mm slide projector

C.C.T.V: Closed circuit television, usually part of a security system

Combi Unit: Combined Television and video or DVD player

Component Video: A video signal input on 3 separate connector leads: Green, Blue and Red, normally using RCA (phono) leads

Conference Telephones: Audio conferencing equipment (see also Audioconferencing & Videoconferencing)

D

DAT Recorder: Digital Audio Tape (see also Minidisc and Recording Equipment)

Digital Signage: The use of modern display equipment to deliver messages to the public.  Typical application would be retail, airports and company reception areas.  An excellent product for streaming your Digital Signage content is the NetTop Box.  This is a dedicated hardware software interface which enables you to schedule multiple simultaneous sources onto your displays.  The content is input using standard templates, making setup relatively straightforward

Distribution Amplifiers: Distribution amplifiers (DA’s) are used to boost the signal strength of a VGA signal before sending the signal on a longer cable to a display device.  Failure to use good quality cabling with a DA on longer cable runs can result in problems with the displayed image.  Many DA’s have a signal splitter built in, for output to multiple display devices

Document Camera: A camera system that can show objects or documents.  Often connected to presentation or videoconferencing systems.  Also used to show X-Ray and microscope images.  Main manufacturers include Samsung, Elmo and Wolfvision.  ( Also known as Object Cameras and Visualisers)

Drape Kit: Dark fabric surrounding larger screens (see Fastfold Screens)

DVI: Digital Visual Interface

E

Electronic Whiteboard: Whiteboard with print interface (see also Interactive Whiteboards)

F

Fast-fold Screen: Large format screen (see also Drape Kit)

Flipchart: Easel with pad of portrait format paper for notetaking in meetings

G

Gyro Mouse: Wireless remote mouse

H

Headset Microphone: Type of radio microphone (see Radio Microphones)

HD DVD: an alternative high definition optical disk format to Blu-ray, both of which are at the forefront of current Home Cinema technology

HDMI: High Definition Multimedia Interface

I

Induction Loop: To enable hard of hearing delegates to pickup up audio using their hearing aids

ISDN: Communication line used for video conferencing (ISDN2)

L

Lapel Microphone: Radio microphone clipped to lapel or tie (see Radio Microphones)

Laser Pointer: A pointing device that allows the presenter to move a small red dot on screen – sometimes these are built into projector handsets

LCD Displays: An alternative flatscreen technology to Plasma Displays.  Much less prone to ‘screen burn’ than plasma displays

LCD Projector: A type of projection technology, using LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panels.  (See also DMD Projector, Data Projectors and Multimedia Projectors)

Lectern: Used by the presenter to rest their laptop or hard copy notes on.  Can have control panels or other control electronics built in

Lighting Control: Used to select or dim sections of lighting, often in conjunction with Touch Panels and Control Systems.  Manufacturers such as Lutron Lighting produce a range of lighting controllers

M

Matrix Switchers: Routes multiple audio/video signals to multiple outputs allowing you to have the ability to switch from any input signal to any output signal whenever needed

Minidisk Recorder: Used for basic audio recording in meeting rooms

Mixer: Part of a PA system or audio system used to correct sound levels (see PA Systems)

Multicore Cable: Large diameter cable with multiple smaller cables built in.  Also known as a Snake, this is often used in large PA System setups

N

NetTop Box: This is a dedicated hardware software interface which enables you to schedule multiple simultaneous sources onto your displays.  The content is input using standard templates, making setup relatively straightforward (see Digital Signage)

NTSC: A standard for video and broadcasting used mainly in the US. In the UK the normal standard is PAL (see also PAL and SECAM)

O

Object Camera: A camera system that can show objects or documents.  Often connected to presentation or videoconferencing systems.  Also used to show X-Ray and microscope images.  Main manufacturers include Samsung, Elmo and Wolfvision.  ( Also known as Document Cameras and Visualisers)

OHP: Overhead Projector – these have largely been replaced by computer projectors, which are also known as Data Projectors (or sometimes as Beamers, LitePros or other terms)

P

PAL: A video standard that is used in the UK (see also NTSC and SECAM)

PA System: Public Address System, available as a portable or fixed installation (see also Radio Microphones & Mixer)

Plasma Screen: A flatscreen display device (see also LCD Displays)

Presentation Cabinets: Wall mounted or mobile cabinets incorporating screens, whiteboards and flipcharts. 

R

Radio Microphones: Wireless microphones, using either UHF or VHF frequency transmission.

Rail Systems: Sliding rail systems enable the walls of a meeting room to be used in a very flexible, space efficient way.  Screens, whiteboards, flipcharts are equipment supports can be suspended from the rail and moved along the rail to customize the room layout to the preferences of the presenter.  Rail equipment from Sahara, Pendax, Anders+Kern is available amongst others.  Please note: when ordering rail equipment, the brackets for the equipment must match the profile of the existing rail system

Rear Projection: A useful way to hide the projection equipment away from the audience – requires a special screen surface

Roleplay Equipment: Video recording / playback system used in training

RS-232 Control: A specific way of controlling AV devices using 9 pin serial cables

S

Scalers & Scan Converters: A scan converter changes the scan rate of a source video signal to fit the needs of a display device.  A scaler takes a video signal and converts it into a different resolution output.

Screens: available in a huge variety of formats, sizes and finishes.  These include portable and installation, manual and electric and are available in different aspect ratios for different applications.  Electric screens can be connected to control systems for full integrated room control.  Historically screens were available in high brightness (reflective) and parabolic formats.  With advances in projection technology these types of screen are not normally used.

SECAM: A video standard that is common in France and the Middle East (see also PAL & SECAM)

Slide Projector: 35mm projectors, now less common as computer projectors are more widely used (see Carousel Tray)

SmartBoard: A leading brand of Interactive Whiteboards.  Also available as an interactive overlay system for specific flatscreen technologies and as a small format flatscreen display (see Sympodium)

SVGA: Computer resolution of 800 x 600 pixels – now XGA (1,024 x 768) is the lowest resolution you would expect to encounter (see also VGA, XGA, WXGA, UXGA)

SXGA: Computer resolution of 1,280 x 1,024 pixels

Sympodium: A tablet version of an interactive SmartBoard system, which can be operated as a touch sensitive screen on the front desk

T

TFT Screens: Thin Film Transistor technology, a form of flatscreen technology (see also LCD Displays)

Touch Panels: Often used as a user-friendly front end for a Control System, these enable all aspects of a room to respond to the user touching the appropriate part of the screen surface.  At one touch the lighting can be dimmed, electric screen lowered, projector powered on and the correct source selected for the projection and audio systems.  Manufacturers such as AMX and Crestron are at the forefront of the control system market.  Alternative products are available, such as Procon panels, featuring push button technology, or the Pixie products which can be wall mounted.

U

Unicol: Manufacturer of AV mounts, supports, stands and trolleys using universal fittings that in many cases are interchangeable

UXGA: Computer resolution of 1,600 x 1,200 pixels – now XGA (1,024 x 768) is the lowest resolution you would expect to encounter (see also VGA, XGA, WXGA, UXGA)

V

VCR: Video Cassette Recorder.  Now the DVD player has largely replaced these, however this is a standard, and video cameras are still used for Roleplay Equipment

VGA: Computer resolution of 640 x 480 pixels – now XGA (1,024 x 768) is the lowest resolution you would expect to encounter (see also SVGA, XGA, WXGA, UXGA)

Videoconferencing: available over IP (internet) and ISDN.  Options include Multipoint Videoconferencing (multiple sites linked together), and the ability to show computer presentations over the link.  Products that are often used in conjunction with videoconferencing include Interactive Whiteboards and Object Cameras.  Major players in the videoconferencing market include Polycom

Video Camera: now in many different formats, the humble video camera (available on hire from Oxford Visuals) is often the preferred format for Roleplay training (see Roleplay Equipment).  Supplied with a camera tripod and using standard video tapes, this will play back on any normal VCR.  Cameras using more modern storage technologies have many advantages, but are less standard

Visualisers: A camera system that can show objects or documents.  Often connected to presentation or videoconferencing systems.  Also used to show X-Ray and microscope images.  Main manufacturers include Samsung, Elmo and Wolfvision.  ( Also known as Document Cameras and Object Cameras)

W

Whiteboard: A more modern version of the old blackboard, used with dry wipe pens.  Also available with integrated printers (see Electronic Whiteboards) and as full interactive systems (see Interactive Whiteboards)

Wireless Projectors: Allows a presentation to be sent to a projector without cables, using a wireless transmission card.  Despite the attractiveness of this proposition for many users, in fact there are complications and limitations to consider.

X

XGA: Computer resolution of 1,024 x 768 pixels – now XGA this is the lowest resolution you would expect to encounter (see also VGA, SVGA, WXGA, UXGA)