A Marketer’s Life

Displays can be difficult at the best time when there’s a lot riding on the result, so the last thing you want to be worrying about is the audio visual component. In this article I’ll present some basic guidelines that will help you set the room layout so you can accomplish the best quality projection from your display.

General Guide-Lines

Viewing

* For optimum viewing, the audience should be seated within:
* +30 degrees of a line perpendicular to the screen’s centre.
* They should be seated no closer then twice the image height.

Note: (If this is not possible perhaps consider multiple viewing options for the audience).

Type of Content

* Entertainment - The last row should be no further than eight times the image height.
* Corporate - The last row should be to six times the image height.
* Critical Applications - The last row should be four times the image height

Setting the Screen

To avoid obstruction of viewing he bottom of the screen should be roughly four feet above the floor. If the seating is staggered, or if the floor is raked you can adjust this in an appropriate way. Try avoiding setting the screen to high. The ergonomics associated with cushty viewing indicate no viewer should have to revolve their head more than +30 degrees from straight ahead, or lean their head no more than 25degrees from horizontal.

Seating

The design of the seating is critical so viewers can gain full sight of the projection. Frequently the staggered seating arrangement is best suited for most situations. Overall they must be in rows, with the minimal unrestricted horizontal clearance between plumb lines from the front of an unoccupied seat to the back of the seat in front. This clearance may change, but is typically 16 inches ( 400mm ). Aisles must be provided so that there are less than seven seats between any one seat and an aisle. The exit and entry doors need to be take into account when coming up with the layout of the seating. The layout wants to designed to:

* Allow for easy of enter into the room
* Allow for quick exit in the event of an emergency
* The row contains no more than 100 seats;
* Each doorway serves no more than three rows.
* Aisles must terminate in a cross-aisle.

Front or Rear Projection?

There are a spread of factors that will decide whether front or rear projections are most fitted for your presentations.

Front Projection

* Front Projection can generally provide a wider viewing-angle than rear projection. It requires: Controlled lighting (ambient light must be kept off the screen to eliminate a reduction in contrast ratio).
* Requires either a projection room at the rear of the theatre, or a platform or mount for the projector(s) out in the theatre. Note that this latter is a potential noise source.
* The projection geometry must be carefully worked out to get the best compromise between image keystoning and blockage of the light path by the audience.
* Must be accessible for maintenance. A projection booth must be dust free (positive pressure preferred), and have adequate ventilation.

Rear Projection

• Rear Projection Generally has a narrower viewing-angle than front projection - better for long, narrow rooms.
• Available in flexible & rigid materials. A rigid screen is more expensive than a front projection screen, and has size restrictions.
• Requires space behind the screen. Mirrors may be used to reduce the required depth. Must be accessible for maintenance.
• Rear projection room must be dust free, and have adequate ventilation.

To judge whether front or rear projection will enhance your display, ask yourself ‘What sort of presentation do I want to give’ and “What is the point of the presentation’. If for instance the show is “canned” you can consider either front or rear projection. If a live talker is interacting with the display, rear projection is best so that the spokesperson can have interaction with the pictures without being in the projector’s light path. In addition, the higher allowable room illumination allows for note-taking, for example.

Screen Width

Determine your minimum screen height based on the distance to your farthest viewer and your ceiling height. This figure might be altered based on the application ( e.g. : an entertainment application will require abigger than minimum size screen for impact ).

ADA needs

Where required arrangements must be made for attendees who require wheelchair accessibility, and / or who have visible or hearing impairments The accessibility and size of these spaces is outlined as :

A minimum number of aisle seats will be required to have either no aisle-side armrest or an aisle-side armrest that folds up. Certain extra signage may be needed. Your sound system will require the addition of a hearing-assisted system. Your emergency systems may require the addition of strobe signals or visual messaging systems. Your video and other visual presentation systems may require captioning.

Miscellaneous Considerations

Equipment location

Is vital to avoid any damage. This is mostly, but not necessarily, found at the projector ( s ). This equipment may include projection controllers, a show controller, video equipment, and audio hardware.

Adequate power supply

remember to provide adequate electrical power for this equipment and the projector ( s ). Do not forget to allow passage for speaker cables, control signals, and so on. For boardrooms and meeting rooms you may also wish to provide accessible sources ( such as VCR’s and DVD players ).

Aesthetics or Theme

* Does it require the loudspeakers and other equipment be concealed?
* How is the presentation started?
* Automatically,
* Audience-demand,
* Host-demand, and live presenter (may require random-access control or other interactivity).

Whether your display is for the manager or for a large concern, taking a moment to plan how you want to supply the information can make a major difference to your audience. So take a minute a review what you are needing to assert, how you want to point out it and how is the best way for your audience to get it. It might make the difference between wining that new job or losing it.

For more information about Audiovisual Equipment Hire or Jukebox Hire in Rockingham and stage hire services, visit the Peel AV website today.

Article by John Black

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