When you are discussing an audiovisual (AV) upgrade or a new AV system, be certain your IT administrator is a part of the conversation. Here’s why.
In the past, AV systems utilized stand-alone, point-to-point cabling – directly connecting one component to another. Picture a single road linking your driveway to the store. No intersections. No turnoffs. Just a direct route. In antiquated analog days, this was the only way.
Today, your AV system runs along the same cabling network as the internet, allowing you to read this blog. AV connectivity should be routed through the same fiberoptic and copper cabling that connects the internet to your office’s laptops, phones, printers, security cameras, wireless access points, etc. It’s like replacing that one road to the store with a whole network of roads and travel options.
This convergence of audiovisual systems using the same cabling that’s used for internet connectivity is often referred to as “AV over IP (Internet Protocol).” The cabling that supports it is known as structured cabling.
Structured cabling has one objective – transport as much data as possible. In doing so, it provides users with a highly reliable, flexible, adaptable and cost-effective cabling infrastructure. Your IT administrator likely has the standards for how the cabling in your facility’s network should be installed.
By having your AV system using your structured cabling infrastructure, rather than one route to the store, it has a whole network of routes for component-to-component communications. This flexibility can be priceless when there is trouble along a signal path or when an upgrade or expansion requires extra flexibility. Plus, it keeps the delicate hand-terminated connection points away from curious hands or clumsy feet.
But it doesn’t happen, unless your AV integrator is talking with your IT administrator. Without that conversation, your AV project may be heading down the wrong road.
